The Skinny July 2019 by The Skinny

.CO.UK

INDEPENDENT FREE

CULTURAL

J O U R N A L I S M

July 2019 Issue 166

MUSIC The Soft Cavalry Ada Lea Battles Bleached Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Mungo's Hi Fi x Eva Lazarus The Lost Words Romeo Taylor FILM Angus Macfadgen Harry Wootliff Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck THEATRE Fair Fringe David Edgar CLUBS elrow Town Nightwave vs Nathan Fake BOOKS EXCLUSIVE: Unbound 2019 programme revealed Lara Williams

CREATIVE FUTURES CELEBRATING SCOTLAND'S EMERGENT ARTISTS WITH THE 2019 DEGREE SHOWS AND EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL'S PLATFORM

P.43 Non-alcoholic beers

P. 52 Eva Lazarus

Credit: Jacky Sheridan

Photo: Harry Maberly

P.12 Platform

P.58 Varda by Agnès

July 2019

Issue 166, July 2019 © Radge Media Ltd. Get in touch: E: hello@theskinny.co.uk T: 0131 467 4630 P: The Skinny, 1.9 1st Floor Tower, Techcube, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Pl, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL The Skinny is Scotland's largest independent entertainment & listings magazine, and offers a wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business. Get in touch to find out more.

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

Printed by DC Thomson & Co. Ltd, Dundee ABC verified Jan – Dec 2018: 26,342

printed on 100% recycled paper

Contents

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

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

Production Production Manager Designer

Rachael Hood Fiona Hunter

Sales Sales Manager Sales Executives

Sandy Park George Sully David Hammond Joanne Jamieson

Online Digital Editor Online Journalist Web Developer Intern

Peter Simpson Jamie Dunn Stuart Spencer Becca Inglis

Bookkeeping & Accounts Publisher

Aaron Tuveri Sophie Kyle

THE SKINNY

Contents Heads Up: We’ve planned your cultural 06 itinerary for July. You’re welcome.

Chat & Opinion: All the cool things we 08

couldn’t fit in this here mag on our website, The Skinny on Tour, Editorial and our monthly column on love.

FEATURES

10 Our art team reports back on how the

Degree Shows went down at the art schools of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

12 Take a peek at the quartet of early

career artists being showcased at this year's Platform exhibition at Edinburgh Art Festival.

14 Meet The Soft Cavalry, the hot new sound of rural Devon. 15 A da Lea, aka Montréal-based musician and visual artist Alexandra Levy, talks Virginia Woolf and muses on the barrier between the public and the private ahead of her debut album.

16 With Brooklyn trio Battles now down to a duo, we hear from Ian Williams about the evolution and future of this lighter on its feet line-up ahead of their appearance at Doune the Rabbit Hole

19 Fresh from exorcising their demons, we

shenanigans. Among this year’s highlights are The R.A.P. Party, Neu! Reekie! and performances from the crime writer rock‘n’roll ’n’ roll band The Fun Lovin’ Criminals. We also look forward to Outriders Africa, where five African writers have been paired with five UK ones; a collaboration between label Armellodie Tale and lit mag The Stinging Fly; and Finding Home, a night exploring issues of migration, racial division and the rise of nationalism. LIFESTYLE

31 Travel: Teaching English abroad – is it an

enriching experience for all or yet another form of neo-colonialism?

32 Intersections: Phones get a bad rap for

harming our mental health – we explore how apps and social media can be harnessed for good, plus we ask those with dyspraxia how the condition affects their love lives.

43 Food and Drink: Love the taste of a pint

but want to keep a clean head? We dive into the fizzy and surprisingly blue world of non-alcoholic beers.

REVIEW

47 Music: We hear about Karine Polwart,

band Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever from his new home of Seattle, USA.

Julie Fowlis and Jackie Morris’ new project The Lost Words: Spell Songs; chat to the soon-to-be massive Romeo Taylor; take a survey of the best albums so far in 2019; and check out new records from Ada Lea, Zamilska and Tycho

23 Two decades after playing Robert the

53 Clubs: A look-ahead to the Scottish debut

speak to cult LA punk outfit Bleached.

20 We hear from Joe White of Melbourne

Bruce in Mel Gibson’s bombastic Oscarwinner Braveheart, Angus Macfadyen is back with his own film about the Scottish freedom fighter.

lasgow plays a starring role in roman24 G tic drama Only You, which follows a relationship from its heady beginnings to the tougher realities of being a couple. Director Harry Wootliff tells us more.

26 The extraordinary life of artist Gerhard Richter is the inspiration for the decade-spanning German epic Never Look Away from The Lives of Others director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. 27 Glaswegian stand-up Susan Riddell gives us the lowdown on her first Edinburgh Fringe show.

28 Lara Williams introduces us to her

debut novel Supper Club, a book concerned with bodily space.

30 I n the second of our Fairer Fringe series,

we look at how accessible the Fringe is for audiences with disabilities.

UNBOUND

33 Dive into Unbound, Edinburgh

International Book Festival’s lively, eclectic and free late-night series of spoken-word, music and literary

July 2019

of clubbing extravaganza elrow Town, pals Nightwave and Nathan Fake have a B2B chat, and all of July’s club highlights.

56 Books: Megan Miranda's psychological

thriller, Geovani Martins’ debut short story collection and Zeba Talkhani’s latest novel are all in review.

57 Art: Where Art Now? clues you in on

new exhibitions and opportunities, plus reviews of Emilia Beatriz at CCA and Fiona Tan at GoMA.

58 Film & TV: Jim Jarmusch's zombie movie and the final film from Agnés Varda are reviewed for the big screen, while on the small we check out the bingability of Chernobyl and the latest episodes of Black Mirror.

60 T heatre: David Edgar chats about the

‘60s, identity politics and catching up with his 20-year-old self. Plus the best theatre performances this month.

61 Comedy: Hari Kanth takes us on the ul-

timate journey through time and space in this month’s ICYMI, as he watches The Mighty Boosh for the first time.

63 L istings! What’s on where throughout July.

70 L ocal Heroes: Take a peek around

Nicola Sturgeon's office in the Scottish Parliament via our Local Heroes column

Contents

The Annotated Reader The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, until 14 Jul

Art Car Boot Sale SWG3, Glasgow, 29-30 Jun

Charlotte Prodger Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow, 3 Jul, 6.30pm

Collect some art deals on wheels at the Art Car Boot Sale. Curated by Patricia Fleming, 100-plus artists will gather at Scotland’s only contemporary art car boot sale, with a selection of limited edition prints, art books and more affordable pieces ranging from £5 to £500. DJs, street food and cocktails will add to the weekend buzz.

Commissioned by Scotland + Venice, Turner Prize winner Charlotte Prodger completes a trilogy of films with singlechannel video SaF05. The film builds on Prodger’s explorations of identity and a “queer wilderness”, drawing inspiration from a maned lioness found in Botswana and looking back on the artist’s memories of growing up as a queer teenager in an Aberdeen village.

Art Car Boot Sale

Stormzy

Boogarins Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 22 Jul, 7pm Boogarins left a mighty impression last year when they played support in Edinburgh for Tune-Yards, and they’re back today touring their latest LP. On Sombrou Dúvida, the Brazilian psyche rockers take their listeners on a captivating adventure through psychedelia and synth-laden rhythms, nodding to their roots in the 1960s Tropicália movement, while maintaining a contemporary and global finish.

Photo: Sarah Donley

Boogarins

Sons of Kemet

Photo: Pierrick Guidou

Pushing the limits of jazz to its very outer reaches, Mercury Prize nominees Sons of Kemet merge the genre’s more classic sounds with the rhythmic flourish of Caribbean calypso and soca. Their hybrid experiments make them great additions to the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival’s Cross the Tracks programme, which showcases artists blending jazz with other contemporary urban music.

TRNSMT takes over Glasgow Green for three days of music from the likes of Glastonbury headliner Stormzy, Norwegian pop sensation Sigrid and indie icons Mystery Jets, plus an array of Scottish talent. There’s also the newly added Queen Tut’s stage showcasing some of Scotland’s emerging women artists. Maybe next year we’ll drop the woman tag and see them graduate to the main stage, eh?

What triggers mass outrage better than Frankie Boyle’s savage bite? Catch comedy’s most brutal satirist trying out raw material at The Stand on various dates over the next couple of months, where he’ll be delivering new jokes without any sugar coating. This is your chance to catch Boyle in his home city testing the jokes that land, the jokes that don’t and the jokes that really really hurt.

Chat

Sample the best of the UK’s craft beer from 14-plus bars at Glasgow’s West End Beer Festival. Now in its fifth year, the two-day hops fest welcomes back old hands like Glasgow’s Grunting Growler, while introducing beer fans to up and coming breweries like BrewDog OverWorks and Acid Brewing Cartel. Try the festival brew from Overtone Brewing Co. and listen out for live music from Alan Ned Gray and FarrowHawk.

Sons of Kemet George Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh, 14 Jul, 8.30pm

Frankie Boyle: Work in Progress The Stand, Glasgow, 30 Jun-12 Aug

Glasgow’s West End Beer Festival Hillhead Sports Club, Glasgow, 5-6 Jul

Photo: Mohamed Abdulle

Photo: Stills Gallery

Learn how to take the perfect self-portrait, drawing inspiration from selfie queen Cindy Sherman. Stills Gallery accompanies its new Sherman exhibition with a week-long course exploring the ins, outs and how-tos of self-portraiture. With instruction from two expert photographers, spend five days using Stills’ facilities to shoot and experiment in analogue and digital. Suitable for beginner photographers and those looking to brush up on their skills.

Frankie Boyle

West End Beer Festival

TRNSMT Glasgow Green, Glasgow, 12-14 Jul

Stills Summer School Stills Gallery, Edinburgh, 8-12 July

Stills Summer School

Charlotte Prodger, SaF05

Maranta

Photo: Svatá Luciá

Ryan Gander, The Annotated Reader

Night Walk for Edinburgh The Milkman,25 Jul-25 Aug, every 15 mins from 8pm Our virtual and actual realities line up in this immersive digital walk created by Canadian artists Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, backed by the Edinburgh International Festival. Starting in the city centre, follow your guide’s voice as you're lead through a disjointed story dotted around Edinburgh’s Old Town, brought to life by poetry, history and the hint of a murder mystery.

Night Walks for Edinburgh

THE SKINNY

Photo: Sally Jubb

Welcome to your (slightly) new look Heads Up calendar, where there are fewer days but still all the same fun and frolicks...

Photo: Gabriel Reynolds

Which piece of writing would you want with you in the small hours? That’s the question artist Ryan Gander and critic Jonathan P. Watts put to nearly 300 creatives on their quest to assemble an extensive “library for our times”. Each artist has submitted and annotated a favourite text, creating an archive of multilayered works that educates, informs and provokes.

Photo: Stevie Dix

Compiled by: Becca Inglis & Nadia Younes

Paradise Palms have brought us a dizzying maelstrom of wacky games, gigs and Buckfast cocktails over the years, and they’re celebrating some of those greatest hits at their fifth birthday party. Hosted by the Fringe’s alternative drag hit Polyfilla, with poetry from Iona Lee, live music by Maranta, sets from Palms regulars NikNak and Jacuzzi General, party games, drinks and nibbles.

Photo: Cristiano Corte

Heads Up

Paradise Palms 5th Birthday Party Paradise Palms, Edinburgh, 27 Jun, 6pm

Hello and welcome to THEM!, the live TV chat show featuring the usual suspects – the host, the guest, the band, the audience – and 150,000 leafcutter ants. Inspired by the 1950s B movie, where a swarm of giant ants descend on Los Angeles, this newest collaboration between Stewart Laing and Pamela Carter asks questions about identity while negotiating a constantly shifting world.

Edinburgh is a rich hub of theatre all year round, and Formation Festival is shedding light on some of that local talent across two weekends. Head to the Assembly Roxy to catch nine eclectic shows exploring everyday magical realism, mortality, queer identity, austerity and Scotland’s premier Liza Minelli tribute act.

THEM!

Deficit

Photo: Alessandro Marini

Vegan Connections

Appearing in the UK for the first time ever, this major retrospective of Linda McCartney’s work makes its first pit stop in Glasgow. Curated by Paul McCartney and two of their daughters Mary and Stella, the exhibition showcases music’s standout moments from the 1960s as captured through the lens of McCartney’s photography.

Linda McCartney by Eric Clapton

Garbage

It’s a good time to be Garbage. Last year Shirley Manson was named the inaugural NME Icon at the NME Awards, the band saw the 20 year anniversary of their pivotal album Version 2.0, and now they’re marking that landmark with a celebratory tour. They’re only playing once in Scotland, so you’ll need to get to Fife if you’re anxious to catch the band live.

On the 50th anniversary of the first ever moon landing, Optimo take to Glasgow’s new club Rost to pay tribute to the historic leap for mankind. Though their parties are less frequent nowadays, Optimo are still one of Glasgow’s most sought after promoters and this one-off night offers a rare chance to journey with them on an immersive rave odyssey. Optimo

Photo: Ryan Johnston

elrow Town Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, 27 Jul, 12pm

Live at the Longlist The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, 26 Jul, 7pm The longlist for this year’s Scottish Album of the Year Award is out this month, and to celebrate some of Scotland’s current favourite artists are taking to the stage at The Queen’s Hall. Witness performances from previous shortlisted nominees C Duncan and Kobi Onyame, as well as a special collaboration between Idlewild’s Rod Jones and Modern Studies.

July 2019

Plant eaters rejoice! There’s never been a better time to be vegan, as we’re about to see from the sheer number of vendors coming to Glasgow’s longest standing vegan festival. Over 40 stalls will show off the established names and newcomers to Glasgow’s vegan scene, with talks from locals in the community and live music performances in the evening from Acid Cannibals, IDKID and Bratakus.

Edinburgh Vintage Kilo Sale The Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Edinburgh, 28 Jul, 10am How much second-hand haul can you carry? The Vintage Kilo Sale is back with over six tonnes of retro and branded clothes and trinkets to wade through, all the way from the 70s up to the early 00s. This sale looks to be a real bargain at £15 a kilo with no minimum spend.

The legendary elrow Town touches down in Scotland for the first time with a blast of colour, confetti, puppets and tunes. Renowned all over the world for their vibrant dreamlike parties, the Barcelona promoters will build a literal town in the Royal Highland Centre for one night only, featuring sets from artists like CamelPhat, Basement Jaxx, Detlef and Horse Meat Disco. elrow Town

Edinburgh Vintage Kilo Sale

Chat

Photo: The Vintage Clothing Kilo Sale

Photo: Andrew Whitton

Garbage Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline, 17 Jul, 7pm

Photo: Kat Gollock

It was 1991 when the queen of pop last visited Edinburgh, and we still can’t get her out of our heads! This performance became the fastest selling castle concert ever after tickets ran out in a record 15 minutes. Thank Kylie a second date was added so more of us could get in on a classic noughties boogie.

Kobi Onyame

Vegan Connections The Briggait & The Old Hairdressers, Glasgow, 7 Jul, 11am

Optimo Espacio: Spaced Out @ Rost, Glasgow, 20 Jul, 11pm

Kylie Minogue Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, 15 Jul, 7pm

Kylie Minogue

All the world’s a stage, as Bard in the Botanics will prove when they transform the Glasgow Botanic Gardens for the opening night of As You Like It. Rosalind is one of four iconic Shakespearean heroines being celebrated for this year’s Muse of Fire season, and she is joined in the Forest of Arden by a cast of gender-swapped characters representing couples across the romantic spectrum.

The Linda McCartney Retrospective Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow, 5 Jul-12 Jan

Kelburn Garden Party hits double digits with its tenth festival! After last year’s scorcher we’re hoping for another hot weekend exploring the graffiti castle, art trails through the forest and the waterfall pool. You’ll find us there on the Saturday curating a special line-up of Scottish artists we love for the Pyramid Stage, including Callum Easter, Bossy Love, Chuchoter, Pleasure Pool and Heir of the Cursed.

Pleasure Pool

As You Like It Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Glasgow, 26 Jun-13 Jul

Photo: Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney

Kelburn Garden Party, Kelburn Castle, Fairlie, 5-7 Jul

As You Like It

Photo: Jonathan McEnroe

Formation Festival Assembly Roxy, 28 Jun-7 Jul

Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic

THEM! Tramway, Glasgow, 27 Jun-6 Jul

Editorial I

f it’s July then it must be the exclusive release of Edinburgh International Book Festival’s Unbound programme. This month, our centre pages once again contain a very special supplement revealing the tenth edition of the late night event series happening in Charlotte Square’s Spiegeltent this August. It’s given us an opportunity to look back on the evolving style of our supplement, which has each year been given its own identity by a specially commissioned illustrator. Things have become a lot more colourful in the last five years, we can reveal. This year’s programme offers another cornucopia of opportunities to engage with the written, performed and spoken word, live music, debate and for the first time – GIN! Find out more in the middle of the magazine. On our cover you will find a photograph by Ruby Pluhar taken directly from the Glasgow School of Art degree show. We’ve put together a small celebration of emergent Scottish art, as we share our appraisals of the Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen degree

shows, alongside a Showcase of the early career artists who’ll be exhibiting in the Edinburgh Art Festival’s Platform show. The explosion of creativity and critical thought that emerges from art schools across the nation annually offers a little hope, surely, in a world where BoJo is apparently going to be running the country quite soon. In Music, we meet husband and wife duo Steve Clarke and Rachel Goswell aka The Soft Cavalry to discuss domesticity and creativity ahead of the release of their eponymous debut. Montreal-based Ada Lea (or Alexandra Levy IRL) talks Virginia Woolf and what we say in private, her debut; Battles, now a duo, are coming to Scotland to play Doune the Rabbit Hole – they fill us in on what’s been happening since we last met. The Clavin sisters talk catharsis and maintaining sobriety as they reveal Bleached’s ‘calm after the storm’ third album, Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? while Melbourne’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever reveal a surprisingly political bent as we

haven’t changed my phone’s lock screen background in the past three years. It’s a Snapchat screenshot of my friend Keno and me with the dog filter. In the three years since we took it, we haven’t lived in the same country. Keno and I met at university five years ago – we were one year apart on the same course and we became close friends in my final year. While I moved to Paris after graduating, she stayed in London completing her degree, and as soon as she did, she had to fly back to Japan. Ironically, I was moving back to the UK at the same time. All friendships require work but longdistance friendships require work, trust and some strong logistics. At the heart of these logistics is my phone. Keno and I message regularly, weekly if not daily, and I have Tokyo’s time zone saved onto my phone so I can look up the time whenever I message her or simply when I think of her. We spend days scheduling calls trying to wrap our

Words: Mayanne Soret

heads around the nine-hour time difference, or ring each other while in a taxi or when packing up our bags for the day’s work ahead. Most of the time, it is my phone that I use to message, call and send her pictures of my travels – and Keanu Reeves memes. My lock screen is the first thing I see in the morning when I switch my phone on and the last thing before bed when I switch it off. This one image’s constant presence in my life is a witness to one of the hardest, most committed and fulfilling human relationships I’ve had, and a reminder of the better person it has seen me become. A few months ago, at a talk on memory and family photographs, the speaker pondered regretfully on the loss of printed photographs in the digital era as an irreplaceable medium for memory-making. While I mused on the idea, I took my phone in my hand and looked at the lock screen: my own keepsake photograph, a digital locket for the modern age.

Edinburgh International Film Festival Head over to theskinny.co.uk/festivals for our latest reviews from EIFF 2019, as well as a collection of features from our Film team on everything from the legacy of New Yorker critic Pauline Kael to Leonard Cohen’s finest soundtrack moments.

Edinburgh Fringe: Comedy & Theatre Picks ‘Oh fuck it’s nearly the Fringe, help me with this tombstone of a programme,’ we hear you cry. Luckily our Theatre and Comedy editors have pulled out some early highlights to consider, while we spend the next month finding even more things to recommend.

Universal stories: Scotland's translation boom With Highlands-based publisher Sandstone Press winning the Man Booker International Prize – the world's largest prize for literature in translation – we take a look at Scotland's success in the field Vikki Reilly, Marketing Manager at Publishing Scotland, thinks the industry is in an era of change. “I feel we are at a time when certain old truisms in the book industry are crumbling, particularly on genres that [stereotypically] 'don’t sell': poetry, short story collections, and fiction in translation.”

Read their Fringe picks at theskinny.co.uk/festivals

Chat

Read the full article at theskinny.co.uk/music

Home is Where the Record Player is In the wake of last month’s World Music Day, a look at the ways that music shapes our experiences and the way we navigate through our lives “Music has been a massive part of my life for as long as I can remember. They say that ‘smell’ is the sense that is most closely associated with memory, but ‘sound’ – and particularly music – must come a very close second. So much music places me in a very specific time, and location.”

Hej! We’re off on our travels again in this month’s competition, in search of new music on the other side of the North Sea. We’re in a pleasant, stylish and outlandishly expensive land full of lovely old buildings, trendy new bars and cafes and vague nods to the Vikings. We’ve also made this month’s challenge much more straightforward than some of our past efforts by including the flag of the place we’re visiting in the image you see before you. Don’t say we’re not good to you lot sometimes... Have you solved our incredibly difficult puzzle? Head over to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and let us know your answer – one lucky winner will receive a copy of Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry, courtesy of our fellow travellers at Canongate. Competition closes 28 July.

The B-52s, 40 years on As The B-52's eponymous debut celebrates its 40th anniversary, we take a closer look at the band's legacy and their never more relevant message of inclusivity “While most avant-art was pointedly anti-mainstream, The B-52's were all about inclusivity – everyone is invited to the party, regardless of gender, sexuality or race. And just because you were innovative didn't mean you couldn't have fun.”

Read the full article at theskinny.co.uk/books

The Skinny on Tour

Never Look Away inspired by painter Gerhard Richter. Theatre continues its series on building a fairer Fringe, this month looking at how to improve accessibility in all its forms. We also meet prolific playwright David Edgar to hear about Trying it On, in which current-day Edgar imagines a conversation with his 20 year-old self, while Comedy talks to Funny Women runner-up Susan Riddell in the lead up to her first full Fringe run. Travel ponders whether TEFL is actually a tool of post-colonial British cultural imperialism (the answer is almost always yes), Intersections explores what it’s like to date with dyspraxia, and also examines the digital means of dealing with grief. Finally, Food continues its bid to systematically rank all consumable goods by taste-testing all the non-alcoholic beers we could find in our immediate vicinity. Not drinking is the new drinking, apparently. [Rosamund West]

Online Only

Digital Locket In this month’s column, a writer explores how her phone can be a digital locket

meet them ahead of their Glasgow gig. A new collaborative project, The Lost Words, shines a light on how language can be artificially engineered to disconnect us from the natural world. Scotland’s new Next Big Thing, Romeo Taylor (move over, Lewis Capaldi) talks to sometime Savage Mansion bandmate Craig Angus about being bullied into cutting his hair by small children on Eigg, and we meet Mungo’s Hi Fi and Bristol MC Eva Lazarus to hear about More Fyah, the accompanying soundtrack to futuristic stage show KID_X. Film meets Angus Macfadyen, the man behind long-gestating new release Robert the Bruce, which aims to reclaim The Bruce’s reputation from the clutches of problematic Australian Mel ‘Freedom’ Gibson. We meet the director and stars of new Glasgow-set romantic drama Only You, which follows a couple from a New Year’s Eve hookup to the trials of conceiving a baby. The incomparably-named Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck drops by to discuss his decades-spanning new film

Read more at theskinny.co.uk/music

What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael

The Skinny on EH-FM Want even more of our expert guidance on which records to listen to, clubs to check out, and gigs to snap up tickets for? Check out our weekly show on Edinburgh’s online community radio station EH-FM; join our Music editor Tallah Brash and our Clubs editor Nadia Younes every Monday from 12-2 on eh-fm.live

Find more at theskinny.co.uk

THE SKINNY

FE U AT RE S

Cover artist: Ruby Pluhar O

pening our emergent artist focus, this month's cover image comes from Ruby Pluhar's Glasgow School of Art 2019 Fine Art Photography degree show. Her work responds to direct experiences and has an aesthetic of contemplation. Her attention to detail sculpts a visual story of each place or person she encounters. A sensitivity to her subjects makes for imagery that reveals their essence, using colour as her tool to express the connections she makes. Her interest in space and colour has moved her lens into a series of different environments to create rhythmic, evocative, otherworldly imagery that questions how we relate to the non-human. Upcoming exhibitions include the 2019 Society of Scottish Artists Annual Exhibition and the 2020 RSA New Contemporaries rubypluhar.com

July 2019

ART

Feature

Country of Artists This year, we’ve got on the ground correspondents from each city reporting back on how degree shows went in Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen

DUNDEE Dundee opened degree show season with a considered exhibition. There seemed to be no statement pieces, no grand-scale works commanding the space. Egalitarian, equally measured, it perhaps echoed the ever-increasing zeitgeist of collectivity. We’re all in this together, after all. Discussion of the domestic was a dominating feature in this year’s show, the most fun being the reimagining of everyday objects. For example, Jorja Bradley’s offered a collection of nonsensical items, including a telephone shower head, while Bethany Farmer’s ceramicised household items similarly turned the banal into the absurd. Continuing to ‘elevate the ordinary’, Louise Dickson played with the ritual of dining, serving hot food in her reconstructed dining room. Sitting in the space between the domestic and the grotesque are Sasha Mackay’s horrifically honest paintings of women interacting with bathrooms. A favourite features a woman wearing a dissociative expression while an empty toilet roll hangs in the background. Delightfully relatable. At the other end of the grotesque spectrum were Cal McCutcheon’s drawings, animations and sculpture of deliciously repulsive creatures climaxing in an altar to charming horned beasts with matching erections. Staying figurative, Lynsey Chapman’s ceramic planters depict voluptuous feminine torsos with fleshy folds. These works would be at home in any successful Fourth Wave Feminist’s exotic plant collection. The connection between the body and nature is repeated throughout the show and is particularly poignant in the work of Katherine Fay Allan’s video of combined medical/surgical and horticultural environments of shrubbery and scalpels, imaginatively visualising the role of ecology in our recovery. Ailish Danaher’s playfully poked the tension between humanity and the constructed human psyche, appropriating recognisable anti-depressant packaging to decorate her own range of ‘Self-Esteem Protein’ and ‘Empathy Pills’. There was more societal critique with Toby Jackson’s Blind Eye, a video installation that simultaneously captured and distorted the audience in a glitchy expression of post-truth culture. Anxiety is a core feature in the art school experience. Calum Stevenson’s hyperreal dystopian paintings reimagine his hometown, Cumbernauld. He negotiated pathos and doom in his compositions of medical imagery, hazmat suits and looming brutalist buildings. Calmness and candour came together in Xuxa Rettie’s work. In a darkened, peaceful environment, the artist’s inner monologue played: complaints of dry skin ran over clinking dishes. Despite the theme, it was oddly comforting. The bar for film-making has definitely been set by Owen McLaughlin and Jodie Williamson’s collaborative works. These thoughtful, beautifully edited black and white

Feature

“ The message is clear and the volume is unbearable” (on Heidi Chiu’s degree show)

Renee Hunter

films were affecting and high spec explorations of the histories and rapidly changing environment of Dundee. From Dundonian culture to wider Scottish myths and histories, the whimsical and disturbing prints of Renee Hunter depicted the terrifying stories of Johnnie Faa, Maggie Osborne and Sawney Bean. Within these works we see the resilience of a generation of artists. Young, dumb and broke, but still laughing at the absurdity of life and all its complexities. [CEW]

GLASGOW GSA drew focus from its lost Mackintosh to its impressive new digs in Stow College, and year’s worth of challenging and vanguard work from its Class of ’19. On the ground floor, Colm Guo-Lin Peare’s work contrasts human with computer recognition. Digital video work blurred distinctions between the real and animated, while a gallery text riffed on the banal explanation usually found in this kind of writing. Guo-Lin Peare found humour while insightfully demonstrating that we’ve lost the ability to tell what’s real. Another one of the video works that stood out is by Finn Rabbitt Dove, impressively mounted on a brick wall – the entire show pitched itself at a high level of professionalism. Titled Films You Watch When You’re Ill, it is an ode to watching bad TV which, with a nostalgic tech tone Windows96 soundtrack and voyeuristic shots of aquarium and art-gazers, feels like a fond anachronism. Also on the first floor is Kate Lingard who’s filled the space with casts of the inner ear and videos of empty hallways. The accompanying text was the perfect explanatory accompaniment, pitching clear intellect united with unashamed emotion. Martha Horn’s work has a similarly poetic feeling to it. Two Girls Trying is a two-screen video of two girls clumsily (but apologetically) serenading one another, belting cheesy love

Colm Guo-Lin Peare

songs to Glasgow’s beloved and dilapidated King’s Theatre. Reflected throughout the show is the strong influence of Glasgow as a city upon the students and their artwork. This synergy is particularly reflected by the recurring references to club culture, both through its music and queer communities. Performance artist Sorcha Clelland was one of several students who have achieved renown in Glasgow’s club scene. In their alter ego Shrek 666, they spin the Dreamworks story to make parallels between queerness and horror. Ivy Deacon also explored camp and fandom via ceramic cowboy hats playing Madonna and The Cure, among others. Music is a recurring theme throughout the Degree Show with synths and drum machines blaring on every floor. One successful example is Billie Angel, presenting the collaborative bedroom tracks made with musicians around the world. Heidi Chiu’s blaring club track jars with their sweet-scented, cushioned and softly lit room. The message is clear and the volume is unbearable. This work asks what the condi-

ART

tions for tranquillity, rest and peace are, and who controls them. The title, They know that we know we can fight this, poses the transhistorical questions – Who are they?, Who are we? and What is the fight? Even with the added complication of Silicon Valley, our 21st Century answers look much the same as those of the 20th. Although, as expected, there is not a shortage of work exploring the digital world, nature and the anthropocene more often take centre stage this year. Separate students claimed collaboration with both the sea and an apple tree for their final show. The student whose work manages to perfectly balance sincerity with humour is Toby Mills, who presented lovingly reared eels and a mockAttenborough film focussing on a bird morgue. The stickers are always a downer, with the prize-giving encouraging competition and distracting from the collaboration and community that give shape and meaning to post-art school life and practice. But, this year, GSA Students Association shone with its series of support events to guide new grads into independent artmaking. [DP & KD]

THE SKINNY

Words: Charis Edward Wells, Danny Pagarani, Katie Dibb, and Donald Butler

EDINBURGH This year in Edinburgh, alongside the various prizes (read: value systems to dodge), a vigilante awarded every artist The Snaatchi Award for ‘A Damn Good Piece of Work that You Should Feel Proud Of and Happy About’. In that spirit of avoiding the competitive mores of the art world, Emma Kate Roberts’ heart-warming installation is an impressively rendered spaceship-for-one, offering solitude as one salve for art school burnout. More broadly, the ‘ethos of the [artist] is to provide works of art that explicate aspects of autism’. Beginning in a large gallery, a convoluted line drawn using hundreds of fake Brexitthemed newspapers is the path laid by Lauren Holehouse to a three-television installation. Its jarring off-kilter delay plays combine power struggles in Libya and Cuba with the glitz of Strictly Come Dancing. The death toll in the Mediterranean continues to rise, and all the while Brexit slithers along the floor. A giant white and grey deer-dog kneels forming the dramatic centre of Emelia Kerr Beale’s collection of mixed media works. What could be a medieval hunt scene is made out of papier-maché in places, including a sun, herons, a red-faced comet and brick stacks. It is captivating and ambiguous. Also setting the scene, Rucky Chen has created a grotesque arable tableau of figures in states of decay on astroturf. The clothed sculptures are largely made of expanding foam; wigs give them an uncanny anthropomorphic vivacity even when they have no discernible faces. Do their suits imply a gross crony-capitalism? Niamh Ferguson’s work is a series of black and white polaroids mounted on a wall in a straight line. A series of two-foot high concrete-cast watch towers stand on the floor in an equally straight formation. The photographs depict the Borders, Bases and Barricades which give this work its name. Eerie and difficult to place, are these watchtowers the remnants of a defunct infrastructure or one that is dormant?

Junha Lee similarly explores borders in their work on North and South Korea, and the Korean War. This wall-mounted study is comprised of detailed handdrawn maps which overlay one another. The tracing paper on which they are drawn adds new information, but as the layers build a fog obscures what is beneath. Edith Hicks’ work exists as minimal sculpture and the remains of a walking street performance. Wooden two-by-fours are painted yellow and hung at different heights, with bowls of green liquid balanced around their centre. Photographs show the tough journey made by the artist through urban environments with these unwieldy sculptures. Imogen Richards’ work is comprised of a wall based painting-assemblage titled Untitled. Bodily forms and hints at limbs and sutured skin appear in a densely rich colour palette and airy composition. The separate work Terracotta Jug is more emphatically figurative, though appearing at moments like the inside of a diabolical body. Cherie Li’s site-specific installation sets fragments of photos alongside glass noodles strung on fishing wire across the window of the small and bright room. A heap of rice bears imprints of fingers traced through. Audiences are offered glimpses at the possible autobiographical origins of the work in the form of photographs but they are torn and fragmented. This is a taste of home, but it’s not home. This is not a kitchen though it feels like one. Yashasvi Harikrishna has collected a series of stories from Edinburgh through video documented interviews. Seven screens across three walls show, for example, a Leith shopkeeper with Kenyan and Pakistani parents. In it, she retrospectively appreciates her mother’s banning of Barbies and Snow White to avoid damaging Eurocentric beauty standards. In another, an older white man remembers trading cigarettes for his first banana during rationing, then swapping it again for an embarrassment of marbles. The works on show demonstrate a breadth of ideas, styles and undeniable skill.

Sofia Tagor

Those that offered visitors an empathetic entry point managed to hold attention, though all deserved it. [DP & KD]

ABERDEEN Aberdeen brought large scale showstoppers this year, which sometimes veered into spectacle at the expense of focus. However, there are some outstanding examples of thematic precision around cultural, national and queer identities alongside intelligent timely explorations of environmental concerns. In the rather cramped and not so well sign-posted portacabins at the back of the school, Meg Miller draws on her apiarist experience, presenting a working glass and wooden beehive with objects made in collaboration with the bees, subtly celebrating their vital and intelligent labour. Geological forms, sites and materials are explored by a number of artists working in sculpture this year. Kristina Abburow presents salt samples collected from various coastal areas of Scotland alongside a haunting dress encrusted in salt crystals after months of being embalmed in sea water. Emanuela Agnoni’s boulder-like forms inset with voids speak to a fascination with primordial timescales, and entering her largest piece Temple allowed for a greatly appreciated moment of stillness as the sounds of the show were temporarily muffled. Aberdeen has seen rapid urban development in the past few years as the citywide redevelopment masterplan is implemented, so Duncan Boyne’s impressive large scale paintings of its derelict sites feel particularly poignant. Space, and access to it, is a contentious issue within the North East’s cultural sector and one can’t help but feel disappointment at the isolation Boyne embeds in these pieces. Kirsty-Maree Gunn turns her focus to the poetic invisible energy of non-places, with clouds of pastel mark scrawled across glass cupboard doors and a window inset into her space. It is as if all the years of navigation of these sites have been evidenced, their gestures frozen.

Sofya Tagor and Joseph Buhat both address the complexity distance places upon relating to cultural and national identities in their works, presenting two of the standout bodies of work in the degree show. Tagor’s paintings of childhood memories from Russia are projected over with footage from her home country, but it is her video My SKY(pe) Life, which sings with clarity. Personally charged moments from Tagor’s life are intersected with the searing geopolitical reality of the Salisbury nerve agent attack as it unfolded on world news. Across several tightly composed paintings of anonymous figures, Buhat explores the rituals of his Philippine heritage. Pukpok Tull is particularly moving, showing a boy in the midst of a public circumcision at the hands of a violently rendered red figure. Figurative work has had a bit of a resurgence among the painters this year. Andrew McCallum blends an interest in historical portraiture with camp opulence. In one, two models are painted as ogres in green and purple with a lace of pearls wrapped between them. In the next space along, Jayne Fiskin similarly looks to art history to explore moments of feminine strength, her take on the beheading of Holofernes by Judith in collage is especially endearing, as Holofernes’ limp paper hand slumps just off the canvas. Digital silk prints are a bit of a degree show cliché at this point, but Jacob Hoffman’s work in silk is nevertheless an appropriate choice of medium. An image of a luxuriously presented silk bow is belied by the difficult nature of working with the fabric, frayed raw cut edges slumping down to the floor. It forms the largest piece in his research around the classic men’s suit and the sensuality of becoming a character through the process of measuring, fitting and styling one. Editing down a presentation of work is a challenging process, and although at times this year’s show felt claustrophobic with the amount of work on show, it is exciting to see the sheer enthusiasm of the 2019 cohort to tackle complex subject matters. Perhaps born out of the striated political climate we find ourselves in, these artists feel primed to take it on. [DB]

Imogen Richards, Hold My Hand

July 2019

ART

Feature

Artform Each year the Platform exhibition presents four early career artists in the prestigious context of Edinburgh Art Festival. For 2019, the artists have been selected from an open submission by Monster Chetwynd and Toby Paterson

Harry Maberly

(Born 1993, Ipswich, based in Glasgow) Maberly graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2017 with a BA in Intermedia Art, and as part of this course he studied for an exchange semester at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn, Estonia. Recent exhibitions include Casual Nexus, The Glue Factory, Glasgow (2018); Simply Beaming, Screened at HOPE, Engaru, Hokkaido, RAT HOLE GALLERY, Tokyo and Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh (2018); The Waiting Room, The Number Shop Studios & Gallery, Edinburgh (2017). Documenting his efforts and motivations as a Kate Bush fan, Harry Maberly makes recreations of the music videos for Bush’s Wuthering Heights and Babooshka. Combining performance and film, he investigates the phenomenon of fandom and the role of re-enactment in society’s consumption and regurgitation of mass media. harrymaberly.com

Harry Maberly, The Waiting Room, 2017

Anna Danielwicz, Weather Channel, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, 2017

Feature

ART

Photo: Courtesy of the artist

Anna Danielewicz

(Born 1991, Koszalin, Poland, based in Glasgow) Danielewicz graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2018 with an MLitt in Theatre Practices and from Edinburgh College of Art in 2016 with a BA in Intermedia. Recent exhibitions and performances include Performore, Pipe Factory, Glasgow (2018); It’s Fine To Say No, Gilmorehill Theatre, Glasgow (2018); Shh! The Octopus, Pipe Factory, Glasgow (2018); Autocue, Intermedia Gallery, CCA Glasgow (2017); Save the Death Star, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, Edinburgh (2017); Cat Regime, Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh (2016). Driven by research into fantasy fiction and environmental responsibility, Anna Danielewicz considers critical ecological questions by exploring the relationships between human and non-human subjects. Voun Town is based on a speculative fiction story about Vouns, a species who exist between verbs and nouns. Danielewicz expands her fiction beyond writing itself to include sculpture and video in an installation environment. annadanielewicz.com

THE SKINNY

Suds McKenna

(Born 1994, Belfast, based in Glasgow) McKenna graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2016 with a BA in Communication Design. Recent exhibitions and performances include KNOCK KNOCK: Humour in Contemporary Art, South London Gallery, London (2018) and Total Enlightenment, Good Press, Glasgow (2018). McKenna has performed at Fantom Salon, Old Hairdressers, Glasgow International (2018) and was recently awarded a place on the Dumfries House Scottish Artist Residency (2019). He has published three books including HEY YOU! (Umpteen Press); Total Enlightenment (selfpublished) and Bunged (O PANDA GORDO) and is a regular illustrator for Elephant magazine. Suds McKenna’s series of crowd studies record busy high streets, food courts, train stations and parks, often employing the aesthetics of cartoon and comic traditions as a mode of communicating character and identity. McKenna uses humour to address issues of identity, personal narrative and mental wellbeing, in a series of character-driven works that include drawings, comics, prints and sculpture. sudsmckenna.com

Suds McKenna, Outside Pret (Inside Central), 2019

Joanne Dawson

Photo: Malcolm Cochrane

Joanne Dawson, Keep the Pavement Dry

(Born 1993, Sheffield, based in Glasgow) Dawson graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 2015 with a BA in Fine Art: Painting and Printmaking. Recent exhibitions include Passé, with Aniela Piasecka and Francis Dosoo, as part of the MScR in Collections and Curating Practices, The Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh (2019); It Leaks, Enclave Lab, London (2018); Rousing, Slugtown, NewcastleUpon-Tyne; Watertight, Holmwood House, commissioned by Glasgow Doors Open Days, Glasgow (2017) and Keep the Pavement Dry, VoidoidARCHIVE, Glasgow (2017). Dawson was the recipient of the Dewar Award in 2016 and has recently been awarded the commission for a new public mural at Queens Park Arena in Glasgow, due to open summer 2019. Inspired by her research into the history of smocking and pleating, Joanne Dawson’s sculptural works are derived from traditional textile techniques and related social histories. Smocks often had embroidered symbols or imagery of the occupation or trade of the wearer; drawing on these histories of object and place, Dawson explores how our social histories and identity can often be shaped through embellishment. joannedawson.co.uk

Joanne Dawson, Quilt 1–4 and Aniela (boiler suit) for Aniela Piasecka: Passé, 2019

July 2019

ART

Photo: Daniel Cook

Platform, The Fire Station at Edinburgh College of Art, 25 Jul-25 Aug, daily, free

Feature

Photo: Julian Hayr

Start the Cavalry Husband and wife team Steve Clarke and Rachel Goswell discuss domesticity, creativity and that other band she may be pretty well known for

ntroducing The Soft Cavalry, the hot new sound of rural Devon. And because music hacks are lazy and unimaginative, we take one look at the line-up, spot Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell amongst the dramatis personae, and the whole endeavour becomes some kind of Slowdive spin-off; a Slowdive frame of reference, when the reality is more prosaic, more interesting, and nowhere near as pastoral as the countryside setting suggests (even if, later on, talk turns to swallows and swifts, the birds nesting in the rafters). “I don’t see this as a side project,” Goswell confirms as The Skinny floats the inevitable question. “I see it as a band. “It’s a completely different process. The writing, the musicianship on it are incredibly strong – I’m really proud of this record.” “And as it’s a husband and wife duo,” Steve Clarke, the other half of the pair adds, “it’s something we can keep developing.” Duo in multiple senses, they met when Clarke was tour managing Slowdive, marrying last year. A gifted musician himself – including a spell playing bass in early 00s noise merchants Dumdums – he had nonetheless spent the intervening years hiding in the underbelly of the music biz – you may even recognise him as a member of Ricky Gervais’ surly backing band in the hit or miss comedy David Brent: Life on the Road. Yet the past is a curious beast, and sometimes thoughts take time to ferment; with input from Goswell and the likes of Jesse Chandler (Midlake; Mercury Rev, a coalescence of ideas into something brooding and complex, unafraid to explore vulnerability or lyrical honesty – their self-titled debut LP

Feature

suggests something long-crafted rather than a frenzy of marital bliss. “I think if you race the whole thing through on a record like this, I don’t think it would end up sounding the way it sounds now,” says Clarke of the album’s matriculation. “The writing, most of the time it’s been about three or four o’clock in the morning. A lot of the songs on this particular record were formed from dropping off to sleep. Sleepless nights, waking up, got an idea.

“ I’ll write something and Rachel will then tell me that it’s rubbish” Steve Clarke

“In terms of the recording of the record, it was trying to fit it in around schedules,” he adds, their commitments including Goswell’s disabled son Jesse, which puts their work with both Slowdive and Minor Victories families into context. “It was slightly more long-winded than I’d have liked it to have been, but I also think it’s a good thing. It gives you time to put a bit of perspective on it. To take away where you were at with the mix or an idea, then go back and say ‘actually that’s good, but in hindsight I think I would try and do this.’ “We recorded all of Rachel’s vocals at home here in Devon and that was kind of

interesting because the second we added those to the picture, it was like – this is starting to sound like a record now because we’ve actually got a real singer on it.” They both laugh. But doesn’t working with your other half come with its own challenges? Goswell thinks about this. “In some ways, Steve and I are very different in what we like,” she says. “We’ve got common ground, but there are some things that I love that he absolutely hates, and vice versa. It’s finding a balance between the two.” “That’s certainly a challenge,” Clarke agrees. “I crave space, the headspace to dream up some of this stuff. That can easily be cluttered by the day-to-day, but for all the niggles we’ve got a good way of working together.” Then, as an obvious tease, Clarke adds: “I’ll write something and Rachel will then tell me that it’s rubbish.” But playfulness is only one of multiple elements that make The Soft Cavalry such an interesting listen. Contrasting flavours, from the nesting birds referenced in the lyrics to deceptive yet considered chord structures. “Growing up, I spent my entire life listening to guitar bands, so I actually wanted to make an album that wasn’t actually a guitar record,” Clarke explains. “I didn’t want it to be ‘let’s slam a load of bar chords out’.” Yet more than this, the album carries an introspective yet redemptive quality (see: Home, lead single Dive, and album closer The Ever Turning Wheel, a study in involuntary inner-monologue). At times, it’s like a contemporary interpretation of pre-millennial tension – and both are keen to credit the web of collaboration that made the record a reality, from Steve’s brother Michael (who

Music

Interview: Duncan Harman

produced the LP) through to Chandler and the wider threads of working with others – a theme that Goswell picks up on. “It’s the physicality of sitting down and playing music with other people. Everybody on the record are just incredibly talented people – I feel a bit of a fraud,” Goswell admits, a little modestly. “Working with different people – you get so many ideas that come into it.” “For me,” Clarke adds, “the big turning point of when the record began to take shape was when Jesse added his ideas, and guitarist Tom [Livermore], they kind of threw curveballs into it. If it was left to me it probably would have been a lot straighter in places – it’s amazing to have people around you that you can entrust that to. “To try to get away from guitar,” he continues, “I started many of the demos by playing a lot of single-note piano lines, which we ended up using across the record. It was always the idea, lyrically, to create something textured that had different elements going on.” Chatting with both, there’s also a real sense of momentum, over and above plans and commitments elsewhere (of which… well, you can understand if they stay coy). A couple of gigs this summer, more to come in the autumn, and “there’s another record written already which is gagging to be recorded. We’re going to try to set aside some time later this year to do that.” Domestic life doesn’t suggest being quiet – but then again, you’d suspect The Soft Cavalry rather like it that way. The Soft Cavalry is released on 5 Jul via Bella Union thesoftcavalry.com

THE SKINNY

Thinking In Colours Ahead of her debut LP as Ada Lea, we chat to Alexandra Levy about Virginia Woolf, the colourful visualisation of music and breaking down the barrier between the public and the private

da Lea is both a person and a project – the pseudonym of Montréal-based musician and visual artist Alexandra Levy, who takes Ada from both her middle name and the name of her grandmother. On the day of our conversation, a bilingual version of her single the party was released, performed half in English and half in French. Levy explains that her relationship with the two languages is somewhat unbalanced, English being her preferred method of expression. “It felt a bit strange to do a whole song in French but really natural to do it in English and French. That’s how I communicate too – I kind of switch back and forth.” This summer will see the release of Levy’s debut LP under the guise of Ada Lea, curiously titled what we say in private. The record is a beautiful conundrum; a kind of controlled chaos achieved by layering bases of songs with unsettling sound effects, extracts of voice memos, the noise of trucks and aeroplanes. Levy’s enchantingly gentle voice takes centre stage, despite the busyness, imbuing the record with human tenderness at even its most frenzied moments. Despite the obvious magnitude of her recent signing to Saddle Creek, the Nebraskabased label that has represented the likes of Bright Eyes, Big Thief and Hop Along, Levy remains determinedly modest. “I still don’t feel like a professional musician,” she explains, sounding somewhat bewildered at the suggestion that she might be. “I never want to approach things as being a professional – the idea really frightens me. I feel if I did start to do that I would lose the curiosity that amateurs have. There’s always that magic at the beginning of something that is kind of lost once you gain some sort of knowledge.”

because I wasn’t able to play bass, this was the perfect opportunity to practise singing. No one could really judge me for it and I could make an excuse… I was kind of hiding the fact that I really wanted to sing so badly and I think after a while of doing that I just became more comfortable with owning up to it and not being so shy.” Though the final realisations of her songs are collaborative, they originate in a very personal place. “The songs and lyrics themselves are something I really need to do by myself. I’m most creative when I’m by myself. I like to write structures and the base of the songs, as if it’s a plant and I’m planting the roots and then I can go to the full band. We play it a bunch and we tour with it and slowly it changes.” As well as a musician, Levy is a painter and visual artist, often finding inspiration for her art in music and vice versa. Her artwork is much like her music – abstract, vivid and disarming. With the new record, she took her creative duality a step further by producing ten paintings, each with a clear association to each track on the album. “I just purchased big canvases and let the album play and did the rough draft of each painting while listening to the songs and switched paintings every three-and-a-half minutes.” Colour in particular is important to Levy, whose latest artist photos show her in a flower-

ed chiffon blouse with a pastel pink and olive trim, lips, cheeks and eyelids in pink and odd nails painted bright yellow. She describes how visual compositions are at the heart of her creative process: “I do find myself thinking in colours and forms, lines and shapes, and scenes whenever I’m working on music. Sometimes I’ll begin a song and it’s just feeling… it sounds stupid to say but just feeling blue or green – it’s just this mood.” True to character, what we say in private is vibrant, visceral; it bleeds colour and emotion while maintaining an overall feeling of understated power. Despite the variation in style, Levy sees it as a whole rather than a collection of parts. “We recorded all the songs in two days, so they came from the same place. It does feel like a time and a place.” The record is also characterised by Levy very visually. “Each song is different,” she muses. “But I think overall it’s kind of different shades of blue green, like a sea foam. Sea foam is a colour that I see when I think of the album as a whole.” Despite being relatively new on the scene Levy is already making waves, challenging the typical structures and traditions of the industry she has come to inhabit. “We’re shown that things need to be presentable and manicured. I definitely want to be respectful of the industry but I also want to challenge that. I personally want to see more of what

Interview: Katie Cutforth

goes on behind closed doors; what people don’t share. That’s more interesting to me.” Amongst a plethora of fantastic female influences (Sylvia Plath, Karen Dalton, Frida Kahlo, Eva Hesse) Levy cites the works of Virginia Woolf as the foundation of ideas explored on the new record, quoting from Woolf ’s diaries down the phone: “If one lets the mind run loose it becomes egotistic, personal, which I detest.” There is respect for the formality, the performativity of art and music alongside a desire for it to come from a genuine, albeit slightly messy, place. “The public and private are kind of side by side,” Levy explains. “I wanted something like that with this album – I didn’t want it to feel organised. I like the chaotic aspect.” The record certainly achieves this musically, flicking seamlessly between raucous and subtle, impulsive and steady, candid and surreal. Lyrically too, Levy finds ways to blur the line between the public and the private. On wild heart she sings ‘God watches over us in disbelief / And I take your head with my hand’, constantly zooming in and out on herself and her life as though afraid of the egotism described by Woolf – searching for meaning in this world which seems ever more individualistic. what we say in private is released on 19 Jul via Saddle Creek adaleamusic.com

“ I personally want to see more of what goes on behind closed doors; what people don’t share. That’s more interesting to me” Alexandra Levy

Levy took up singing almost by accident – she was studying jazz double bass at The New School in New York City when tendonitis forced her to redirect her musical attention. “I needed to rest my arms and my body. I knew

July 2019

Music

Feature

Vive la Evolution Ahead of their appearance at Doune the Rabbit Hole, and with the recent departure of Dave Konopka, we speak to Ian Williams about the evolution and future of Battles

Interview: Stuart Holmes

“Y

ou only live if you evolve,” says Ian Williams, now one-half of Battles, speaking from the band’s New York rehearsal space to explain recent line-up changes. Battles formed in 2002 before releasing several EPs. Their breakthrough came in 2007 with the inventive, experimental rock of debut album Mirrored for which they were cover stars of The Skinny. At the time of its release, the original line-up saw Williams (guitarist/ keyboardist) joined by John Stanier (drums), Dave Konopka (guitar/bass/effects) and Tyondai Braxton (vocals/guitar/keyboards). In 2010, it was announced that Braxton had decided to leave the band to concentrate on solo endeavours. It left a noticeable void. The remaining trio could’ve easily disbanded, but they instead embraced change, returning triumphantly the following year with Gloss Drop, which featured the likes of Gary Numan as guest vocalists. Their third album La Di Da Di arrived in 2015 and was toured sporadically over a two year period. Last summer, prior to their next release taking shape, Konopka decided to leave too, which the band communicated to fans via social media in May this year. As Williams speaks to us again, Battles are in the process of evolving once more, with the duo’s outlook for the future being positive, albeit uncertain. We begin by discussing Konopka’s reasons for leaving. “Being in a band is a long, strange, thankless journey, so I don’t think Dave had it in him to make another record,” he answers, honestly. “He wanted to do other things with his life, but I can’t really get too much into the soul of another person and say exactly why he didn’t want to do it anymore.”

“ Being in a band is a long, strange, thankless journey, so I don’t think Dave had it in him to make another record” Ian Williams

Williams adds that while the departure was sad, he did find a silver lining within the cloud. “It’s almost a selfish thing to say, but I’ve always been pursuing a certain path in what I’m trying to accomplish while making songs, only for the people around me to then change,” he explains. “To me, the fact that it’s not going to be the same now is actually the reason to keep doing it. That’s the interesting part, but the overarching point of making new music is still the same.” The next album is in progress but a completion date is not imminent. How did the duo feel about continuing without the support they’d been accustomed to? “At first, I think

Feature

John and I thought maybe we wouldn’t do another Battles record,” says Williams. “I knew it would be different, but I was like, ‘I think we can make a good record’ – and to me, that’s the only reason to try it – so we’ve been moving forward together and part of that is us playing some shows again.” Battles will begin to mark their return with a select number of UK live dates, including a performance in Scotland at Doune the Rabbit Hole, the Stirling festival which celebrates its tenth birthday this year. It currently remains to be seen whether Williams and Stanier will be accompanied by additional musicians on stage, but whatever happens, their recent rehearsals have provided them with a modest arsenal of new material to play. Williams tells us that he’s having fun experimenting with his beloved Elektron Octatrack and guitar pedals, while Stanier has added a few new elements to his drum kit. “It’s still unfolding – and people will see some of it unfold at the shows – but describing it any further would be an insult to the experience, so people should just come and see it,” he says, somewhat tongue-in-cheek. Beyond a few snippets of rehearsal footage on Twitter last year, there’s little indication of the new Battles sound, but the looping synonymous with the band is confirmed as featuring in some shape or form. Williams discussed his love of looping in detail during the 2015 short film Battles: The Art of Repetition and maintains this passion years later. “We are nothing but an accumulation of our technical tools,” he

accepts. “But those things are definitely different at this point compared to where they were on the last record.” During the film, Williams also comments on his perfectionism in the recording studio. “By saying that I’m a perfectionist, it implies that I end up making things perfect – which I think is probably not the case – but I am a weirdo who will seriously spend a week doing a little part, working on a particular sound or something,” he laughs. “I’ll tell John – who is a ‘first take, best take’ kind of guy – and he’ll be like, ‘What the fuck is wrong with you?’ so I know that, for better or worse, I can be kind of ridiculous about things like that.” Outside of the band, Williams and his wife have been raising a family since Battles last released new material. Their two young children both “get exposed to great music all the time” but aren’t yet old enough to show signs of musicianship. Elsewhere, Stanier featured as a guest member of the 8G Band on Late Night with Seth Meyers last year. The former Helmet drummer also worked with the French electronic producer Rone – contributing to his most recent record Mirapolis, before joining him on tour – which is likely to have provided influence on his rehearsals with Williams. Our conversation turns to Mirrored. Williams is proud of the band’s full-length debut but admits that making such an ambitious record as a four-piece took its toll. “It was a great record – I felt like we had fired on all cylinders,” he says with fondness, before elaborating. “It was a good time for us, but I

Music

could never put myself through making another Mirrored again because it would be torture. When it came to collective decisions, we used to work as a ‘democracy’ and it was always really messy to get everybody to agree on anything. It was a nice adventure to make such a statement with the album, but I couldn’t do it again.” However, despite the challenges of recording, he still believes that pushing boundaries in the studio is essential. “The most honest way of existing is being at a point where you think you can do something; you’re not sure, but you’re trying. It’s the most authentic artistic effort: you might fail, you might succeed, you might come up short or you might end up doing something totally different to what you were trying to do. When you say, ‘I know I can do this thing well, so I’m going to do it’, that’s when it dies.” Ahead of their UK dates, Williams cautiously considers his hopes for this third incarnation of Battles. “Now it’s only two of us, maybe we’ll be a little lighter on our feet and be able to make quicker decisions,” he says. “Right now, we’re just trying to play a few shows to have people remember we’re a band. We want to get back into the swing of things and get some practice, playing our new material. We’re not going for broke yet – that comes later – but I hope we can grow and continue to evolve.” Battles play Doune the Rabbit Hole, Cardross Estate, Port of Menteith, Stirling, 19-21 Jul bttls.com

THE SKINNY

July 2019

Music

Feature

THE SKINNY

Letting Go Three years after reckoning with their self-destructive tendencies, Bleached emerge from a storm of their own making with a sunny, sharp third album

Interview: Joe Goggins

“ I realised that I can’t control how people interpret my writing, so there’s no point in holding back” Jennifer Clavin

The record was the sound of her working through regret, trauma and inertia with laser-guided focus, an album characterised by a steely determination to turn a new leaf and take back control. By way of comparison, this month’s third LP, Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough?, feels like the calm after the storm. It’s defined by its clarity; it’s the first record from the sisters since they both achieved sobriety, and it shows. There’s a bright-eyed bounciness to the sound of tracks like Somebody Dial 911 and Valley to LA, and an emotional balance to Jennifer’s lyrics, from the wry Rebound City to the irrepressible Hard to Kill. “It’s a healing record, I think,” says Jessica on a call from Chicago, where the band

July 2019

Photo: Nicky Giraffe

hree years ago, Bleached exorcised their demons. Their second record, Welcome the Worms, marked a lurch into darkness that both casual fans and longstanding followers were taken aback by. There wasn’t much on their first LP to suggest it was something they were capable of; surface listens to Ride Your Heart indicated this was another Los Angeles outfit in thrall to the melodic pop-rock greats of the city – The Runaways, Fleetwood Mac, The Go-Go’s – and closer inspections only reinforced that view: lyrically, love, loss and defiance were the crux around which the album revolved. Anybody who’d followed the Clavin sisters prior to them forming Bleached, meanwhile, would have been familiar with their old thrash-pop outfit Mika Miko, but wouldn’t have been able to draw obvious parallels between the manic energy and off-the-wall lyricism of that group and the comparatively measured cool of their new one. With Welcome the Worms, then, came a turning point. Every aspect of the Bleached sound was suddenly fuller, the guitars heavier, the energy sharper, the production grungier. Ride Your Heart’s fizzing guitars, persistent melodies and intertwined vocals remained the bedrock, but the cleaner presentation was striking in its forcefulness; this was an album with statement of intent written all over it. It was born out of the most turbulent period of singer-guitarist Jennifer Clavin’s life, one in which she’d allowed her drinking habit to get away from her, her dalliances with drugs to become a longer-term preoccupation and her relationships – both romantic and platonic – to take on a suffocating toxicity.

are about to play their first show with their new live line-up. “It goes back to us recovering, getting sober and finding new characters and confidence within ourselves. We got to go back to the innocence in us that we had when we first picked up our instruments.” Most of the songs came together properly in LA, but before writing began in earnest, the Clavins decamped to Nashville to jam out ideas with a wide cast of friends and collaborators. That included members of Paramore, with whom Bleached toured in 2017 and to whom they credit the palpably danceable nature of Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? “We got to see them play every night,” says Jennifer, “and the energy they have, especially on their new songs, was really inspiring. Jessie and I both love disco, and to see this band that I’d always thought of as maybe being a little more emo doing this really dancey thing with their new record, that rubbed off on us. I remember thinking, ‘I want to do that – I want to write songs that we can have that much fun performing’.” A new division of labour helped make Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? such a clear-eyed effort too. Rather than muddling

through songs together in the same room, as had previously been the modus operandi, Jessica handled most of the instrumentation alone, and Jennifer did likewise with the lyrics and melodies. Producer Shane Stoneback was then drafted in to oversee the recording from behind the desk, after a painstaking process of finding the right person for the job. “I want us to have a very specific sound, one that people are going to recognise as being Bleached,” explains Jessica. “The bands I love that Shane’s worked with, like Cults and Sleigh Bells and Vampire Weekend, they have that, but there’s something vintage about it too, you can’t quite pin them down to a specific era. We did a lot of one-take stuff, which was exciting – it felt genuine and a little bit raw. We’ve had producers in the past who would edit the shit out of the songs so that everything’s on the grid and there’s no mistakes. Shane was into the mistakes, and so were we.” For Jennifer, though, making sense of the album’s themes remained a solitary affair, albeit a less torturous one than on Welcome the Worms. Distance from the turbulent events that came to define that last album allowed some clarity on them. “I was letting go of things

Music

this time because I was almost writing them as if they were stories. They’re from a different time, to the point that they feel like they could have happened to a different person. It was really obvious, working on these new songs – that’s not who I am any more.” Crucial to her renewed confidence and relentless forward thinking on Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? were her experiences on the road in support of Welcome the Worms; everywhere she went, she’d meet fans who related to her struggles, and who’d found their own catharsis through hers. “I realised that I can’t control how people interpret my writing, so there’s no real point in holding back. We went out on tour and it seemed like it was going to be a scary prospect, to be singing these songs every night that are about depression and self-sabotage, but I came out of it healthier, with a solid foundation, and realising that actually, the songs are a good reminder for me. Every night on the road, we play them and I’m like, ‘yep, don’t wanna go back there!’” Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough? is released on 12 Jul via Dead Oceans hellobleached.com

Feature

Home and Away Following the release of Hope Downs last year, we speak to Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s Joe White about the Melbourne band’s success, privilege and his perception of home

bigger, louder, more insistent sound that we were going for as we added more. Having three singers on the stage is refreshing; it’s different enough. We don’t really think about that idea of like whether we are just a bunch of white guys playing guitars – there’s not much we can do about that.” After what seemed like a deliberately patient rise – their full-length debut Hope Downs was released just last year after two scene-setting mini-albums of quite blissful and rapidly evolving, melancholy-stroked jams – they are being branded the most exciting guitar act to see at this summer’s festivals. “That’s one person’s opinion. They’ve just got a bigger loudspeaker that they can project it through,” White pings back, nonchalantly modest. The five-piece set themselves apart thanks to the care, craft and thought they inject into their songs. They may just be white dudes with guitars, but they are acutely aware of their position and the demographic factors that have been at least part of getting them there. On Fountain of Good Fortune, there is a self-awareness and privilege checking that is, at the very least, welcome, if not something necessary to applaud. “That came out of a lot of political stuff that was happening in Australia – some fairly right-wing politicians doing stupid things that I didn’t agree with,” says White. “It’s about understanding who you are and where you are in the world and where you sit in terms of privilege and opportunity.” And he is keenly aware that their social standing means Rolling Blackouts’ rock music can’t simply be nonsense backed by hook candy. “We’re definitely conscious of that notion of ‘what do we have to offer’. We think deeply about our lyrics. Of course, it’s about

touching on social ideas and political messages, but also if you find yourself singing a song that you might not believe in, or get behind entirely, you’ll be over it really quickly and lose interest.”

“ It was a big surprise to me when our government got re-elected. It was a shocking realisation of what Australia is” Joe White

Despite expressing disillusionment with the Australian political scene, White and his bandmates seem indebted to their home, a place of community and support. “There’s a culture of just going out. Instead of going to clubs, you go to a pub and watch a band. And half your mates are probably in a band. It’s a healthy scene in that way. There are two community radio stations that are good to listen to, supportive and champion local Australian music as well. It means when you’re starting out, you have these little achievements that you can tick off: getting played on the radio, selling out a small venue. You can keep chipping away and stepping up. It’s really

encouraging, and it makes everyone want to play more and play better.” That doesn’t mean they’re not prone to cheekily ribbing their hometown, as they do when skewering Melbourne cafe culture on Cappuccino City. “We use the concept of home and away – not the TV show,” he laughs, “a lot in our songwriting. We definitely feel that separation – when you’re away, you long for home and when you’re there you can see its faults. But Melbourne is home to me. I’ve lived there all my life, and it’s been good to me.” Calling from a stop along the US west coast, where there are a “few less hotel rooms that smell like someone’s been smoking cigarettes in there for two weeks straight” compared to last time, the band will soon be on UK shores again and playing Glasgow, a city that, White says, they have an affinity for. “We’re well aware of Glasgow’s strong musical history. We definitely get excited about getting up there to feel that history. You can tell when you play in a place that it suits you.” Considering Rolling Blackouts have about an hour-and-a-half of music to their name – not including the 7" of In the Capital and Read My Mind they released in April, the latter of which was recorded in Berlin, some of the first music they put together outside the confines of antipodean familiarity – the deceptively slow-build nature of their success is even more remarkable. They may not be rock stars of old, but with heads as considerate as White’s behind them, Rolling Blackouts are all the better for it – guitar music is in good hands. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever play St Luke’s, Glasgow, 15 Jul rollingblackoutsband.com

Photo: Warwick Baker

hen Joe White answers the phone in Seattle, he’s over 8000 miles from home. There, national broadcasters are being raided by federal police over a series of reports detailing volatile national security information. It’s a chilling move that threatens press freedom and the safety of government whistleblowers. No, White doesn’t hail from a dictatorial banana republic – this is happening in Australia. “What’s been going on there…” White tails off, sounding more than a little weary, dejected even. “It was a big surprise to me when our government got re-elected. It was a shocking realisation of what Australia is and how we see ourselves now and in the future. It seems short-sighted and selfish. I got pretty worked up on election night. I went on a big walk and had to sort of process it all. And then in the end you realise: ‘Okay, I was wrong about what I thought Australia was’. The reality of it is you’ve got to press on and be who you can be – be as good as you can be – and realise the truth of where you’re from.” That White, as a modern musician, should take the right-leaning fervour of the Australian voting majority as an affront to his values is perhaps unsurprising. A little more unusual is that he should be as outspoken as he is. White plays guitar in a band of white guys and, while in the UK we have groups like IDLES flying the flag of rock-led subversion, purveyors of politically-charged punk, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever most certainly are not. But neither are they your average guitar band. From the four-worded, multisyllabic mouthful they named themselves, Rolling Blackouts are decidedly non-traditional. Along with Joe Russo and Marcel Tussie on bass and drums respectively, White, Fran Keaney and Tom Russo are a triplet of songwriting collaboration, vocal chops and interlocking riffs and rhythms. There is no leader, no frontman, no face. Their guitars don’t so much duel as weave and meander and tie themselves together in beautiful melodic bows. Often that manifests as dizzyingly euphoric. Take The French Press and its one-two knockout blow of a title track followed by Julie’s Place: acoustic guitar that acts more as percussive propulsion glues the dovetailing, spiralling melodies of the outro to pure and unflinching grooves that pleasantly gulp you up. “We’ve definitely always had that dynamic,” says White. “It was a songwriting project in a bedroom between the three of us. We were just trying to write sweet melodies with energetic beats, and that evolved into the

Interview: Tony Inglis

Feature

Music

THE SKINNY

July 2019

THE SKINNY

Braveheart 2: Bravehearter You wait years for a Robert the Bruce film... and then two come along at once. Hot on the heels of Outlaw King, Angus Macfadyen reprises the role he played in Braveheart and tells us why he felt compelled to write an anti-war version of the Bruce legend

Interview: Jamie Dunn

very now and then, the film world offers up the phenomenon of the twin film, the anomaly where two movies on the same subject appear on our cinema screens almost simultaneously. In 2017 we had two Winston Churchill movies (Churchill and Darkest Hour); in 1998, animations about ants were suddenly all the rage (Antz and A Bugs Life); and in 1991, we got double Robin Hood (Robin Hood and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves). The latest film twins to give us déjà vu are a pair of movies about nobleman-turned-freedom fighter Robert the Bruce. Last autumn, David Mackenzie’s mud and blood-flecked action film Outlaw King landed in our Netflix queues to tell of how a matinee idol Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) became the King of Scots. Now, less than a year later, we have a film titled simply Robert the Bruce, a lower-key take on the Scottish folk hero with Angus Macfadyen reprising the role he played 24 years ago in Mel Gibson’s bombastic Oscarwinner Braveheart. It’s easy to see why Macfadyen might want to take another stab at the character. In Braveheart, the future king of Scotland is hardly portrayed in the most flattering of lights. Next to Gibson’s alpha male William Wallace, poor old Robert comes off as a rather ineffectual soft boy who’s dominated by his father. Braveheart does end on Robert leading the charge at the Battle of Bannockburn, but rather than show his outnumbered army defeat the English, his triumph is simply described in voiceover by Wallace (who’s been executed at that point) while the Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond blares cheesily on the soundtrack. “I never felt we did right by him,” a stoic Macfadyen tells us on a crackly phonecall from his home in North Berwick. “I never felt we’d finished the process after the first film.” He found himself coming to the Bruce’s defence around Hollywood. “I was always sort of talking him up. I realised I was going around seeing if there was any interest in making a follow-up film about him, the story of how Robert the Bruce then became the King. People would go, ‘Oh, that could be interesting’.” Eventually all this talk turned into a concrete script. “In 2006 I got together with my co-writer [Eric Belgau], and finally sat down and wrote a big sweeping historical epic.” Macfadyen describes a film of Cecil B DeMille-esque proportions. His script combined the regional conflict between Scotland and England with the wider geopolitical machinations of early 14th-century Europe. A major subplot included the goings-on in France, where Philip IV was backstabbing the Knights Templar and taking control of the papacy. This globe-trotting period film proved a hard sell though. “It was gonna cost 65 million to make – we couldn’t interest anybody on a budget like that.” In 2010, Macfadyen and Belgau sat down to retool their historical epic into something more intimate. “We shrank it down to focus on this family of crofters, these three children and a widow,” he explains. “The woman’s

July 2019

husband, the children’s fathers, they all died in various battles waged by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.” Essentially this makeshift family represents the collateral damage of the blood and glory we see in Gibson’s Braveheart and Mackenzie’s Outlaw King. “We really wanted people to be emotionally affected by the story, so this family became really the heart and soul of the film. And it became about Scots versus Scots rather than the twists and turns of an Empire.” The title character also features, of course. The film opens with him meeting John Comyn, his chief rival for the Scottish throne, at Greyfriars Monastery in Dumfries. History tells us that the Bruce stabs his unarmed adversary in this sacred place, but the scene we see play out in Robert the Bruce is quite different. Here, Macfadyen’s unarmed Robert is ambushed by Comyn, who’s hidden a broadsword in the church’s pews. Robert is forced to defend himself against this cowardly attack with a wooden cross he pulls from the altar. This rose-tinted version of history is soon undercut, however, when it’s revealed to be a bedtime story read by the widowed croftswoman Morag (New Zealand actor Anna Hutchison) to her boisterous son Scot (American actor Gabriel Bateman), who likes the bloody bits. We then cut to the real Robert the Bruce, who’s moping in a snow-covered wood, exhausted and dejected, after another

crushing defeat. “Our film was always going to be the story of a guy whose dream falls apart,” says Macfadyen. “He’s almost passive in a way because the story is about all of these other people who are either pursuing him or pushing him to fight, and he just wants to vanish from history.” Those people pushing him are the family who find him near death after his famous encounter with a spider in a cave. Pursuing him, meanwhile, are a group of his own men, who are after the 50 gold piece bounty on his head. Once rescued by the family, the film starts to take on the shape of a Western rather than a traditional historical drama. Bruce is the outlaw who’s taken in by the kindly family, whom he has to defend when a gang of thugs from the neighbouring village come to kill them for harbouring the traitor to King Edward. Perhaps the Western vibe is partly due to the landscape. There are a few shots of Scotland in Robert the Bruce, but the meat of it was shot in a snow-dusted Montana. “It was the middle of winter where we were shooting it,” Macfadyen recalls. “So it gives the whole film the feel of a very brutal, cold, kind of epic looking Scotland. We did come to shoot for two weeks in Scotland after that to link it in – and I do defy anybody to tell me which shots are of Scotland and which aren’t.” Macfadyen should be applauded for his

FILM

tenacity in getting his passion project to the screen. “It’s been a long journey to get here,” he agrees. “At one point I was in utter despair. I felt like Robert the Bruce in the cave, you know? I just felt like giving up.” While Macfadyen was trying to gather financing for the movie he then discovered Netflix had their own Robert the Bruce film in the works. But we can’t sense any bitterness when we bring up the streaming giant beating him to the punch. Quite the opposite, in fact. “[Netflix] actually helped us because if you can make one film about Robert the Bruce it means that there’s an interest out there. I felt it opened the portal because I was able to argue, ‘well look, they’re making it, there must be some kind of interest’.” Macfadyen’s film is also helped by the fact it’s very different in tone to Mackenzie’s, with its brutal battles and gratuitous disembowelling. “Basically we wanted to make an anti-war film,” he says. “It’s not glorifying what Robert the Bruce did.” The focus on ordinary people rather than the titular freedom fighter also sets it apart. “I wanted to represent the people of Scotland, the people who fought for Robert the Bruce and the families who suffered the consequences. I wanted to tell that story.” Robert the Bruce is released 28 Jun by Signature Entertainment

Feature

Love Hurts Glasgow plays a pivotal role in the new romantic drama Only You, which follows a couple from a New Year’s Eve hookup to the trials of conceiving a baby. We speak to director Harry Wootliff and stars Laia Costa and Josh O’Connor about the film

Interview: Josh Slater-Williams

ake the captivating Spanish lead (Laia Costa) of the single-take German wonder Victoria, the breakout star of God’s Own Country (Josh O’Connor), and a BAFTAnominated writer-director of acclaimed shorts (Harry Wootliff), and you have Only You, a romantic drama that makes some of the most vibrant use of Glasgow as a cinematic setting in recent memory. Following a shared taxi-based meet cute, Elena and Jake start a passionate relationship that turns into something long-term. Ominous signs are afloat, though. Elena, nearing 40 and nine years older than Jake, is insecure about her age, and their romance struggles under pressure to have kids. Complications with conceiving and the ordeal of fertility treatments don’t always get the most nuanced explorations onscreen, if they’re depicted in depth at all, but Wootliff ’s film is an intimate and touching exploration of an issue sometimes still considered taboo. Ahead of Only You’s world premiere at last year’s London Film Festival, Wootliff and her stars spoke to us about their drama.

Why Glasgow for the film’s setting? Harry Wootliff: It was going to be set in Leeds because that’s where I’m from. And then we got Scottish money [including from Creative Scotland], so we set it in Glasgow. But I love Glasgow. I’m so happy to have set it in Glasgow, even just to have characters have a Scottish accent; dialogue-wise, everything sounds a bit better in a Scottish accent. So, it was partly to do with the funding, but partly because it’s a northern city, so it’s quite easy for me to relate to. It was perfect being there. We filmed in a small area, barely left Finnieston. Where did the film’s story originate? HW: I wanted to write a relationship film that had a problem at the heart of it that felt very contemporary, and also was quite a taboo subject that people didn’t talk about. And I wanted it to feel like you’re a fly on the wall in that relationship; that it’s very intimate and real. Josh and Laia, what drew you to the material? Josh O’Connor: I really fell in love with the relationship. I liked the idea it presented that love isn’t just as straightforward as, ‘It’s love, you either love each other or you don’t’. There are other aspects to it or societal norms that can influence where that journey goes. It was a love story that I hadn’t seen before, told in a way that was really new and exciting. And also, I met Harry and I really liked Harry. Laia Costa: I loved the story a lot, but I was very aware there was a lot of stuff that I was not really getting about both characters: why they’re saying that or why they are acting this way. And then I talked to Harry over Skype, and then I was like, “Oh, I’m realising there’s a lot of stuff that actually is very far

Feature

away from my reality.” And that was something really interesting to me. If you have a role where someone is inviting you to discover new realities, I think we as actors go crazy about this stuff. It’s been one of the most interesting projects for me because I think that I’ve been growing up a lot as a human being with it. Harry, evidently, they love you. What did you love about them? HW: I don’t want this to sound like an insult towards Josh, but Josh, when he read it, managed to capture the naïvety and the wisdom that the character has. He managed to make him lacking self-awareness, manipulative and very charming at the same time. I think it’s a really difficult part to play because of the lack of self-consciousness of that character. He has lines which are so romantic that could just sound cheesy and terrible, but they needed to sound real. I knew that you could read them on the page and think, ‘Who would say that?’ But I knew there was a version in my head where they would sound natural and real. And in a way, when you meet someone and you say those things to them, they are real; they are so romantic but they are so real. He’s not a player in any way. And Laia I had seen in Victoria and she’s amazing. I was just 100 percent that I wanted Laia, without the need for reassurance from others. I want Laia and I don’t care what anyone else says.

It’s a very emotionally raw film, but also very funny in places. HW: What was interesting with the humour is that I knew that it was on the page, but I think we must all have a shared sense of humour because they really picked up on it and ran with it. The couple have a really good sense of humour. JO’C: I think that was it for me. It was always just that Jake and Elena are, I think, very funny. I find them funny. Did you take anything from your real life relationships that influenced how you played this one? LC: Elena is so far away from my real life that I could not take anything from myself. That’s why I was like, “Maybe I’m not getting her at the beginning.” That’s why I think being an actor is such a gift because it’s about trying to really become people that you are not like. JO’C: To go on what Harry was saying earlier, where there’s lines like ‘You’re my everything’ I think, to a certain extent, of course you have to glean from human experience. If I look at a line like that and I think of when I’ve been in love, I would say things where in my head afterwards, I would think, “Fuck, it’s actually kind of mental that I said that.” But in the moment, you don’t think that. You don’t have that kind of self-consciousness. You’re just saying it because that’s how powerful love can be. So, I’m gleaning stuff from that, but nothing specific because,

FILM

as Laia said, the joy of what we do at work is that we get to make something up. LC: And also, it’s not just about the actors but also the director, because when my husband saw the movie, he told me, “I’ve never seen you talking like this or doing these gestures ever.” He’s my husband and we’ve been together 12 years, so he knows me very well, and he was like, “I’ve never seen you convey these emotions.” And I think it’s because of Harry. JO’C: I also think that there’s this really cool relationship in this film with [the cinematographer] Shabier Kirchner, who’s like a third lover in this relationship. It almost felt like we were dancing, moving or arguing with him in some scenes. Elvis Costello’s song I Want You features prominently in the film’s opening meet cute and also later in the film. Was it always in your mind when writing? HW: I put that really early in the script. Okay, what are they going to dance to? Oh, Elvis Costello’s cool. That would be really good. Sort of romantic but edgy. I wrote it in and then kept it from the very first draft. For the whole soundtrack in the film, you hear lots of tracks played out quite long and quite high in the mix. So, you really feel the music, but it’s not manipulative and feels very eclectic. Only You is released in cinemas and on-demand 12 Jul by Curzon Artificial Eye

THE SKINNY

July 2019

Fact or Fiction The Lives of Others director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck is back with new movie Never Look Away, a decade-spanning epic inspired by Gerhard Richter. The German director talks to us about blurring fact and fiction Interview: Gianni Marini

“N

ine months,” says Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck when we ask how long it takes for his scripts to take shape. “In the time it takes one body to weave another it must be possible to make a screenplay.” The Academy Award-winning German director’s self-imposed time limit is designed to combat his own perfectionist weakness. Even for Never Look Away, his new feature that spans three decades of German history, the limit was enforced. The challenge was not in the writing, however, it was in the filmmaking. “It was a lot harder than anything I’ve ever done, than The Lives of Others or The Tourist.” The film shows Dresden before, during and then after the bombing in 1945 – it all had to be built even though it is only the backdrop. The opening scene sees the film’s child protagonist, Kurt (Cai Cohrs), visiting the Nazis’ ‘degenerate art’ exhibition. “We had a whole troupe of painters reconstruct this artwork, much of which the Nazis destroyed,” says von Donnersmarck. Even then he did not know how long his exploration of the relationship between trauma and art would be. This would only be discovered in the editing suite when the film’s natural rhythm appeared. “There comes a point when you realise if you take away a scene it makes the film feel longer, because it changes the natural structure.” The editing flows and time passes at a different pace. The pace of Never Look Away is forceful. Young Kurt experiences a childhood full of tragedy: his beloved aunt is violently committed to a mental institute never to be seen again, the beautiful city of Dresden becomes a hellscape in the firestorm, his two uncles are killed in the war and his father kills himself. This little boy watches it all with an unflinching gaze from the moment his aunt tells him to “never look away” because “everything that is true is beautiful.”

Feature

Von Donnersmarck’s screenplay sows the seeds of artistic expression throughout Kurt’s childhood and lets them grow to bear fruit later in the film. “Everything that the artist has experienced is necessary for him to create the work he has made. This is what I wanted to explore with the film.” Adult Kurt (Tom Schilling) eventually achieves artistic maturity in spite of successive ideological impositions. For von Donnersmarck, “every little thing that Kurt suffers has been necessary.” The central terrible secret that creates tension throughout the film is that Kurt’s father-in-law directly facilitated the murder of his schizophrenic aunt. It is almost too wild to believe but it is “the factual point of inspiration” for the movie. Von Donnersmarck’s story is inspired by the life of Gerhard Richter, one of the world’s most important contemporary painters, who grew up in Nazi Germany. In communist East Germany, he found success as a painter of socialist realist murals before escaping to the West. His paintings of photographs brought him great acclaim across the Western world while his murals were destroyed as the work of a traitor. In his 70s Richter found out through the work of a journalist that his father-in-law had managed to escape execution despite being a high-ranking SS officer who had been the administrator of the hospital where his aunt had been forcibly sterilised. Richter had painted not only his aunt and father-in-law but also the architect of the Nazi euthanasia programme that led to his aunt’s murder. It is the existence of these mysteriously connected artworks that formed the starting point of a story about artistic development. “An artist doesn’t have to have understood something, they can know something subconsciously and process it through their emotions.” At moments throughout the film the

focus is blurred, inspired by Gerhard Richter’s use of the Renaissance technique sfumato – a process making the painting look blurry or smoky. “You take a very soft brush and go over the sharp contours and it creates a magical effect,” says von Donnersmarck. “It allows the viewer room for interpretation. If I took a photograph and throw it out of focus it suddenly becomes uncertain, allowing you to make it your own.” Von Donnersmarck believes this is in part a result of “too brave a child looking everything right in the eye.” There are times when childhood Kurt raises his hand before his eyes, temporarily blocking his view – and ours. The movement mimics the shutter of a camera. He also uses his hands to frame what he sees, such as in a scene when some mental institute nurses get their portrait taken. It highlights Kurt’s act of seeing the world but also draws attention to the idea of perspective. Gerhard Richter himself explored the notion of authenticity through his photo-realistic paintings, playing with the sense that the paint on the canvas captured some sort of objective reality. Von Donnersmarck believes “fiction can get closer to truth than a mere enumeration of facts.” For him, Richter’s paintings of photographs are not simply replicas. The act of transmuting turns what may merely have been an objective piece of evidence into a document of his emotions with more density than the original ever had. “In German, the word for fiction is also the word for density and poetry. Fiction is condensed reality; it is somehow more real.” Von Donnersmarck illustrates this idea by way of an example. “Take Citizen Kane for instance, I think it is a more interesting exploration of what is fascinating about the life of someone like William Randolph Hearst than a biographical film using the exact facts.”

FILM

Never Look Away is heavily peppered with references to Gerhard Richter’s biography but von Donnersmarck insists on its fictional nature. Richter himself has been notorious in swaying between both elusiveness and openness about any meaning behind his work. It is a fascinating irony that the film and Richter’s life are now inevitably linked but that the truth is no clearer. The film builds towards Kurt’s artistic freedom of expression. It is, for von Donnersmarck, a cathartic climax in which art is a healer. He quotes from Hollywood legend Elia Kazan’s autobiography describing art as the scab that forms on the wound of trauma. Perhaps Never Look Away is part of the scab that is still forming over Germany. “My grandparents’ generation spoke very little about the twelve years of Nazism. It is a social psychological phenomenon often reported throughout Germany.” Von Donnersmarck thinks this silence is from a fear of inciting the anger and disgust of the younger generation. “My parent’s generation were obsessed by the period of the Third Reich.” The silence, he thinks, is mentally unhealthy and so the trauma continues to be passed down. But he is hopeful about the next generation, who he thinks can use the increased separation to approach what happened with more sobriety. The trouble with von Donnersmarck’s philosophy – that great trauma is the genesis of great artwork – is the uncomfortable proximity in which it places creative expression and war. But he says it does not mean we need another war in order to have glorious art. “Unfortunately, the world will always provide plenty of opportunities to do despicably evil deeds that will be enough fuel for there to be great art until the end of time.” Never Look Away is released 5 Jul by Modern Films

THE SKINNY

Desperately Sleeping Susan We catch up with Funny Women runner-up Susan Riddell in the lead up to her first full Fringe run

Interview: Jay Richardson

July 2019

starring alongside Burnistoun’s Robert Florence in satirical series The State of It. “I don’t like getting on my soapbox at all, I try to avoid that as much as I can,” she reflects. “But we were all just submitting ideas and it’s become more structured since the pilot. There’s a theme for each show – the state of relationships or the state of alcohol in Scotland for example. I don’t know how it’s going to look. But it was really funny when we were filming, so hopefully that’s going to come across.”

“ Loads of people have told me to pretend that I’m not with someone. But I cannae, I’d feel like an absolute fraud” Susan Riddell

Photo: Mark Liddell

hen Linda Evangelista famously said that she wouldn’t get up for less than $10,000, it encapsulated the supermodel lifestyle. And when Susan Riddell discloses that she’s conducting our interview in similar circumstances, it’s every bit as on-brand. The Glaswegian comic wanted to call her first Edinburgh Fringe hour Lazier Susan, but she switched it to the equally indolent Duvet Day to avoid confusion with sketch duo Lazy Susan. Performing a full hour less than four years after your first gig, and having a burgeoning number of television credits, is hardly the mark of a shiftless layabout though. So how accurate is the persona Riddell projects on stage, casting admiring glances at women shuffling round supermarkets in their pyjamas? She laughs. “That’s so funny because I’m actually in my bed just now. It’s really bad. I need to stop writing here because it’s really buggering up my back. I’m not even lazy in a work-sense, it’s more other parts of my life, like relationships and appearance. The whole crux of my show is that I’d rather have a duvet day than a wedding day. The whole hassle of a wedding; I just can’t be arsed.” As one of the few unmarried women in her social circle, the 36-year-old is forever the reluctant bridesmaid, bemoaning the pomp and expense of friends’ overblown nuptials during the course of her show. “Once you’ve been to 20 weddings and you’ve seen behind the curtain, it just loses its appeal a little,” she suggests. “It’s the same with kids. My sister has three so I know how much work it takes. And I’m going to put that off a wee bit longer, thanks.” Runner-up in last year’s Funny Women competition and nominated for best newcomer in the Scottish Comedy Awards, Riddell has plenty of routines about singlehood, with her current relationship a mixed blessing for her Edinburgh run. “My boyfriend is from Leith, which is really handy for me to stay there. And he asks me if I’m just using him for my comedy career,” she admits. “But so much of my material is about being single that making it retrospective is tough. Loads of people have told me to pretend that I’m not with someone. But I cannae, I’d feel like an absolute fraud. Years ago I knew this comedian whose dad had died and he went up on stage and was talking about his father as if he was still alive. That was mind-blowing to me.” She was previously in an on-off, sevenyear relationship with Kevin Bridges. “Which is awkward,” she reflects, “because he’s like the biggest thing in Scottish comedy.” Her stand-up career post-dates their time together. But “he was always really encouraging of my writing,” she says. And when she ventured beyond penning sketches for the BBC to star in them too, trying to get into improv but stumbling into stand-up instead. “Because I’d seen him doing it, it didn’t seem impossible. The intimidation factor wasn’t there.” Bridges was also crucial in landing Riddell her first big writing break, albeit unintentionally. For three years, she was a columnist for the Daily Record, opining on everything from Holyrood politics to the most annoying aspects of Christmas. The paper had been seeking to recruit a young, female voice.

And they “had obviously been snooping around on his social media, where they came across my Twitter page,” Riddell recalls. “I’d just been tweeting loads of rubbish. But they did an article: ‘Is Kevin Bridges’ girlfriend funnier than him?’ And that led to the column.” Unlike her friend and regular collaborator Rachel Jackson, she’s more of a writerly comic than one with a burning desire to get up on stage, rarely nervous in competitions “because stand-up isn’t my be-all and end-all. “I’m a really reluctant performer,” she admits. “I don’t get a buzz out of it the way some comics do. I don’t hate it. I enjoy it when

I’m up there. But when I come off stage, I only feel alright. I don’t get the buzz of adrenaline that others seem to. And stand-up really interferes with my telly watching.” Certainly, it’s no coincidence that her signature routine, about sexbots and dishwashers, was inspired by a bizarre item that she once saw on This Morning. But after joining the BBC’s Writer’s Room scheme and supplying jokes for Ed Gamble on Mock The Week, she’s increasingly popping up on TV herself. Having appeared on BBC Scotland’s topical panel show Breaking The News and stand-up showcase The Comedy Underground, she’s also

COMEDY

Such is the BBC’s faith in her, that Riddell is also developing a number of sitcoms with them. One, provisionally titled Dregs, is an extension of the short-form videos that she’s been making with Jackson, about Glaswegian women in their thirties returning to single life. “I don’t think that’s really been done before, because it’s a lot different to being single in London at that age, it’s a whole other vibe,” she argues. “Most of my friends got married in their early twenties and had kids. And the Glasgow single scene in your thirties is grim. Having been in an on-off relationship for a long time, you think you’re in a stable thing, then you find yourself too old to go anywhere, to meet anyone. And everything’s changed with internet dating. I just think there’s something really funny about it. “My character has just been dumped when she thought she was going to get married. He’s a Mr Tumble-type children’s entertainer, who’s got his face plastered everywhere. Rachel’s character is in the dregs of another pile – she wants fame and celebrity. But in Glasgow, that’s perhaps even grimmer than trying to find a man.” Damningly perhaps for Bridges and her new partner, Riddell has “always thought of myself as single. I’ve been single more than I’ve been in relationships.” So she’s not overawed about standing alone on stage every night for 23 nights at the Fringe. At least not too much. Her ambition for the festival is just to “not have a nervous breakdown. Because I know people who have. “This might sound disingenuous but I only want to enjoy it and have people walking away feeling good. That’s it really. And a wee sitcom afterwards wouldn’t go amiss either.” Susan Riddell: Duvet Day, Monkey Barrel 5, 2-25 Aug (not 12), Edinburgh

Feature

Welcome to Supper Club Lara Williams’ debut book is about taking up space, particularly bodily space, subverting the expectation that women need to shrink themselves down. The Skinny speaks to Williams about writing Supper Club, gross food and abject bodies

means to lean into something that might make you feel repressed or anxious. I have this weird theory that something that would help me overcome my shyness would be joining an improv class. It’s something I’ve been thinking about for years but I haven’t actually done because I think I’d be devastated to find out it didn’t work. I was thinking about this idea of leaning into something to a ridiculous extent and reaching a level of neutrality through that behaviour.” Williams first came up with the idea of the supper club as the novel’s central idea and built her characters and narrative around that. “I wanted to do a first person voice – I thought third person would give it too much of a removal of personality. So, I knew it had to be a central protagonist.” Roberta is that central protagonist, a sympathetic, often frustrating millennial woman who’s a little lost when we meet her. In flashbacks to Roberta’s past, we start to piece

Photo: Justine Stoddart

ove over Chuck Palahniuk, there’s a new underground club in town. In Lara Williams’ debut novel Supper Club, Roberta, close to 30 and in a dead-end job, starts a supper club with a group of women, all fed up and trying to reckon with their respective pasts. They meet irregularly to cook together, eat until they vomit, take enough drugs to tranquilise a horse and dance the night away in the hopes of finding a catharsis to their daily boredom. The club and Williams’ book are about taking up space, particularly bodily space, exploring the expectation that women need to shrink themselves down, as well as ideas of gendered power dynamics, friendship and anger. “I knew I wanted to write something about women taking up space and thinking as broadly as possible about that: about appetite and taking up space and what those things mean,” recalls Williams. “The other thing I was thinking of was transgression and what it

Feature

together why she is the way she is and the trauma she’s carrying inside her, the catalyst for the supper club. “When I started writing the primary timeline, where we see Roberta at university, it was me getting to know the character and exploring the things that might make somebody crave that kind of transgressive experience,” explains Williams. “I wanted to set some of it at university because I was quite conscious of that being a vulnerable time. I come from a smaller town and that experience of moving to a city is quite an overwhelming or dizzying one. I wanted to characterise that, and also because it’s a very definite moment when you enter adulthood. I wanted to ask what it means to go into that as a woman. “I was also mindful of the narrative being focused on specific, individual stories, particularly Roberta’s story,” she continues. “So, one manifestation of trauma over a decade. There are ten years between the two timelines and she’s still reckoning with trauma and hasn’t really openly dealt with it or acknowledged it until she has that feeling of sisterhood and support and compassion. There’s no crystallizing moment of resolution: it goes away for a bit and then goes away for a bit and then comes back.” A lot of the issues Williams explores in the book are very nuanced; was she careful about generalisations? “I was very conscious of taking an intersectional approach to it and thinking about my experience being wildly unrepresentative of other people’s experiences. That was something I wanted to dignify. The story is told through Roberta’s voice. Everything is filtered through her experience and her understanding of other people’s experiences. That was something I was conscious of because I can’t speak for other people outside my experience. I can just filter my understanding of it in the same way Roberta can filter her understanding of it.” In the novel, Williams characterises that trauma through Roberta’s relationship to food and her body. “In the food sections, I was interested in taking up space in a meticulous way on the page and how I could take up space as an author, making the reader stay with me through that level of meticulous detail,” Williams notes. “I feel like that’s a slightly more male writing tendency, to go into the level of detail and almost test the reader’s ability to stick with that meticulous, methodical detail. “I was also interested in the methodical elements of cooking. Cooking is something I find quite soothing and something that forces me to slow down. It’s work that involves using my body in a pleasurable way, so I was interested in characterising that. I also wanted to draw links between Roberta’s state of mind and different recipes. There’s a Thai red curry recipe and I used quite a simplified and anglicised version of what the recipe should be and I like the idea of it being a domestic and self-satisfied recipe, something you’d make to tell yourself that you’re at a good point in your life. But it’s also a little thin.” While so much food writing fetishises food, in Supper Club food is gross and enjoyable in its unpleasantness. “That was something I’ve been

BOOKS

Interview: Katie Goh

thinking about,” she says. “A lot of the language that’s associated with food is phonetically interesting, a lot of hard consonants and longer vowel sounds. I always thought it was a slightly lazy way of working in illustrious description into writing and getting some sort of sensory feeling into writing. And there’s also something voluptuous and eroticised about food writing, so I was also mining for this disgusting quality which is something I’m interested in and I find quite appealing – food that is fundamentally a bit gross and slimy or undercooked. That feeling of abjection and indulgence and leaning into something that is quite unpleasant but still pleasurable.”

“ I was thinking about this idea of leaning into something to a ridiculous extent and reaching a level of neutrality through that behaviour” Lara Williams

Similar to food, writing about bodies, particularly women’s bodies, tends to be voluptuous, eroticised and objectified. “One of the things I was interested in exploring is the two messages we receive, or I definitely received about the female body, the idea of constantly striving for perfection but also the messaging that the female body is inherently abject or a bit gross. How do you consolidate or reckon with those two states and ideas of what the female body should be?” That question comes together during the supper club scenes. “They were probably the parts I found hardest to write because that kind of teetering energy, where it could topple into something else and reach an insurmountable point, is quite a hard energy to capture,” she explains. “One of the things I was thinking about was the idea of the transgressive novel and those typically tend to be quite masculine novels, like American Psycho, A Clockwork Orange or even Fight Club to a lesser extent. Those were novels I found exciting but retrospectively am quite troubled by them. “In them, women tend to be the course through which men transgress or reach a greater truth – I was interested to know what that would look like from a female perspective and the idea of women using their own bodies to do that.” Supper Club is released by Penguin on 4 Jul

THE SKINNY

July 2019

Spotlight on: Audiences at the Fringe The second instalment of the Fairer Fringe series looks at how accessible Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe is for audiences with disabilities

dinburgh can be a tricky city to navigate at the best of times. Built on rolling hills and full of cobbled streets and narrow passageways, the (admittedly picturesque) inconvenience of its topography is only amplified during the Fringe, when crowds pour into the city to enjoy the countless pieces of theatre, dance and comedy on offer. Combine Edinburgh’s urban geography with the fact that many shows at the Fringe are staged in temporary pop-up venues – like attics, lifts and basements – and you’ve got a festival that can seem dauntingly inaccessible to wheelchair users and people with disabilities. Thankfully, progress is being made. After years of vocal frustration from festivalgoers with disabilities, The Fringe Society are addressing the problem. For 2019’s festival, they have been working on a variety of new initiatives, including the installation of a 24-hour Changing Places toilet next to Fringe Central and the inclusion of a Fringe Disabled Access Day (13 July 10am-6pm, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe shop), which will offer advice and support to people with various access requirements. This year, 61% of shows on sale are accessible to wheelchair users, with 49% of Fringe venue spaces boasting full accessibility. At just less than half, it’s still nowhere near good enough – but, when only 40% of venues were accessible in 2017, it’s a step in the right direction. The danger, however, is that venues, festival organisers and theatre companies assume that improving accessibility ends with just that: enabling easier physical access. While increasing the number of wheelchair-friendly venues is great, a huge number of people with disabilities do not use a wheelchair – or do, but also have additional needs and requirements that aren’t being addressed. “Disability is a huge and wide ranging spectrum, and people’s access requirements can be related to physical, sensory or attitudinal barriers,” says Richard Matthews of Graeae, a theatre company with an artistic mission to place D/deaf and disabled actors centre stage. The lack of focus on catering for audiences with other disabilities is reflected in the 2019 programme – while 2452 shows out of the total 4074 offer wheelchair access, there are only 48 that feature captioning, 36 with signed performance and just 72 relaxed performances. To their credit, the Fringe Society have been working on reducing these barriers too. They are increasing the availability of sensory

Feature

backpacks for children and adults on the autism spectrum in venues across the city to 80 this year, and have created a new filter on their website that allows theatregoers to search for shows that meet their individual needs. If very few shows exist that cater to audiences with specific disabilities, however, there is little that the organisers can do. Matthews argues that creating shows that are as accessible as possible is also the responsibility of theatremakers and companies who are using the festival to platform their work. “The relatively small number of accessible shows will be for several reasons,” he says. “One of these will be the issue of cost. Sign language interpreters are paid well (quite rightly – it takes seven years to train!) and it can also be expensive to caption a show as equipment often needs to be hired in. When a large proportion of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe are produced on a shoestring budget, the costs and lack of expertise can often be prohibitive.” However, Matthews insists that there are creative solutions for artists and companies determined to make their art accessible for all. “[Options include] hiring an actor in the cast who can sign, so that BSL can be embedded into the show, or using PowerPoint to project captions onto a clear part of the set,” he says. “Its also crucial that access is woven into a production budget from the outset – if we consider it as integral a part of a show as costumes and set design, then we will start to see broader change.” The lack of relaxed performances programmed at the Fringe – a term for shows that have been especially adapted for

Interview: Eliza Gearty Illustration: Kaitlin Mechan

audiences who might benefit from a more relaxed environment – could also be due to a broader problem within the UK’s arts scene. The removal of an autistic woman from a screening at the BFI for laughing too loudly in 2018 is symptomatic of a wider culture of gentrified intolerance that is all too prominent in theatre. “In recent history, attending theatre has had a very strict protocol attached to it, and a specific etiquette that audience members are expected to follow,” Matthews asserts. It’s a protocol that often creates a hugely exclusionary environment – one where audience members feel under pressure to behave in a conventional way, and create no disturbance whatsoever for the duration of the show. The format can create anxieties for people with disabilities that prevent them from attending altogether. Fringe producers may be worried that diverting from this blueprint may alienate audiences who expect a certain kind of environment at the theatre – but, Matthews suggests, by failing to adapt performances they’re missing a trick. “d/Deaf and disabled people make up approximately 20% of the populous, so we’re a significant market,” he says. “If [inclusive] performances aren’t offered then the audience won’t exist. As the audience base grows, the demand will start to increase and producers will want to continue to meet that.” Matthews hopes that the programming of relaxed performances by major commercial producers, such as Disney with their production of The Lion King, will filter down through the rest of the industry and reach emerging companies at the Fringe.

THEATRE

Creating relaxed performances and other types of accessible performance can be a creatively stimulating challenge for companies too. “At Graeae, we aim to make our productions as accessible as possible through the creative use of sign language, audio description and captioning, and through offering relaxed performances,” he tells me. “These features aren’t an add-on, but are creatively embedded into the fabric of the production and intrinsically linked to the aesthetic of the show.” Carrie-Ann Lightley, the Marketing Manager of AccessAble, an organisation that seeks to provide detailed access guides to thousands of venues across the UK, believes the key to change is better education. “As a disabled person and wheelchair user who likes to go to shows, I think there needs to be an education. That could be in the form of a campaign, featuring high profile disabled people saying theatre is for everybody, actually – and I want to be able to enjoy this,” she says. “It’s about bringing [outdated attitudes about theatre] into this century – in a way that the wider industry can get behind.” Lightley acknowledges that steps towards greater accessibility and inclusivity made by the Festival have been “fantastic.” But she maintains that a truly accessible festival would see venues and companies giving “accessibility information as much importance and prominence as opening times and ticketing details,” on flyers and posters as well as online and in the programme. “It’s a case of: okay, I know where you are, and I know when you open – but do I know if I can get through the door?”

THE SKINNY

LI FE ST Y LE

Lessons to be Learned TEFL: an enriching experience for all or yet another form of neo-colonialism?

hen I was at university I had a teacher who, for the sake of anonymity, shall be called Mr. Z. Mr. Z was a short, passionate man who often tended to croon when he had a controversial point to make. The left corner of his mouth would twitch upwardly for a moment and his eyes would part with a mischievous glint as he threw tremendous assertions into the room to see what kind of discussions he could detonate. “Is it not so,” he crooned softly one day, “that the British Council, by shipping out the country’s young TEFL conscripts, barely qualified as teachers and often with little to no awareness of the cultural and classroom customs of their destination, are merely endorsing a modern kind of neo-colonialism?” His eyes glinted as he surveyed the room to see what the first reactions would be. Despite the wall of blank faces, he ventured on, undeterred. “Are these young travellers, admirable in their desire to enrich their perspectives by seeing more of the world, not merely using their linguistic privilege to take jobs off other countries’ own teachers, most of whom have trained for years, and all the while endorsing the perception that an inexperienced Westerner is a better role model for teaching English, despite the majority of those who speak English doing so as a second language?” As a person who has always considered TEFL as a wonderful means of travel, I buried this ugly assertion. However, as I consider the things TEFL could do for me this summer, I find my mind dwelling once more upon the soft voice of Mr. Z, and why my reaction was to immediately discredit his proposal. Clearly, something he said had hit a nerve, something that shook my belief in TEFL as an invaluable experience for everyone. On the surface, it’s difficult to argue with the benefits of TEFL. While it teaches what is arguably one of the most valuable linguistic currencies in the world, TEFL is an almost unparalleled cultural exchange, provides economically sustainable opportunities for the young to travel, and better still, does all these things in the name of education. But what realities lurk beneath the surface of TEFL and how far do we need to scratch to uncover these truths? Why exactly do other countries desire young, inexperienced Westerners to come and do a job in lieu of their own professionals? According to the International TEFL Academy, it is extremely rare for any student to fail an International TEFL Certification

July 2019

course, which has a pass rate of over 90%. This raises the question... do you pass simply by the virtue of birthright? Take Vietnam for example, a country which has recently overtaken Thailand as one of the most popular destinations for TEFL alumni. Vietnam is also a place where education is considered the second most corrupt sector after the police force, and bribery is commonplace among parents who can afford it. A public school teacher in Vietnam can still only expect to make an average of £60 per month, less than a fifth of what you could be earning with a bachelors degree and a TEFL. So why is it that, in a place where a local teacher has to moonlight to make a mere fraction of what an English speaking traveller makes, and bribery makes access to education incredibly unequal, the government is keen to promote a regime that could be said to mask and perpetuate these problems? Instead of using the money to encourage more people within the country to become teachers, improve salaries or change the curriculum to teach students more practical skills – a topical issue in Vietnam right now – money is being thrown into encouraging less experienced people like us, who apparently look the part, to come from abroad and do the job for more money. If we view TEFL as a product there are some key questions that stand out, questions like: What is the product? Who produces it? Who are they trying to sell it to? And why? Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s erstwhile president who first coined the term neo-colonialism in the 1960s, argued that it utilised foreign capital for the exploitation rather than furthering of less developed countries, therefore increasing, rather than decreasing, the gap between rich and poor countries. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I say this reeks of TEFL. If we view TEFL as a product, we are selling a product that exploits a win-lose situation with no regard for how beneficial it is

to those receiving it. In fact, when I think about it, I don’t think I know anyone who wanted to do TEFL solely out of altruism. I know I certainly didn’t. From the way TEFL is packaged, altruism never even occurred to me.

“ Why exactly do other countries desire young, inexperienced Westerners to come and do a job in lieu of their own professionals?” Besides, how useful can we really be as teachers if we can’t communicate in a common language? There is a highly debated issue amongst linguists right now about the effectiveness of classrooms that enforce an English only policy. Until now, despite there being no scientific evidence, the consensus that this is the best way to learn has been endorsed. Why, you ask? Because it allows people who can’t speak Vietnamese to walk into Vietnamese classrooms and demand full attention, comprehension and respect. Because it pays, in some places, for the flights, accommodation and pocket money of tourists in exchange for a few hours of teaching. It is an exercising of soft power that hauntingly echoes of a time not so long ago, where ideologies considered superior were altruistically enfor-

TRAVEL

Words: Leora Mansoor

ced without respite. It is a form of neo-colonialism that has kept the UK and US at the heart of English language teaching for years. While we can justly argue that we, as native English speakers, can offer knowledge of the subtleties and nuances that those who know it as a second language cannot, it is worth remembering that the majority of the world’s English speakers know it as a second language. The argument is rendered even weaker when you consider those nuances are hardly even relevant until you are of an expert level. In fact, by our inability to speak to students in their mother tongue, we are immediately less qualified. What else can TEFL be then, if not a form of neo-colonialism? A teacher should be a relatable role model for students, someone who can explain difficult concepts in a common language and foresee obstacles in the language acquisition process, having gone through the same process themselves. Yet despite all this we still endorse the idea that TEFL is needed, perpetuating neo-colonialism by keeping the US and UK as developing world educators. Ultimately is it fair of me, as a relatively affluent British person with an almost guaranteed TEFL based on my haul in the linguistic lottery and money to spend on the qualification, to impose on young impressionable minds that could genuinely be affected by my actions? Was I voluntarily impervious to the fact that with my intentions of sustaining a lifelong dream of travel I was willing to become an agent of British soft power? This misplacement of responsibility in people without adequate training is not empowering, it’s an example of us exploiting opportunities from developing countries which disallows for any real change to emerge. So as my mind dwells again Once Upon A TEFL, I hark back to the probing voice of Mr. Z. He himself was a man who came as a glistening example of teaching abroad, having lived in Malaysia for several years, learned the language and really invested in his role in the community there. To me, he proves that TEFL is not necessarily bad, but that we need to question the reasons behind our actions and the impact these decisions can have. Is TEFL a form of British soft power and neo-colonialism? I think that in cases where the young are satisfying their wanderlust at the expense of others yes, it is. Teachers are not born, they are made, and while I believe we adhere to this belief here in the UK, it worries me that we have conveniently forgotten this sentiment elsewhere.

Lifestyle

Apply Yourself Phones get a bad rap for harming our mental health but one writer explores how apps and social media can be harnessed for good

Words: Emily Benita Illustration: Katie Smith

he first thing I should do when I wake up is meditate. But I don’t. Instead, I reach for my phone. Draw today’s Tarot card from Mystic Mondays. Do my best to decipher the cryptic poetry of Co-Star. Assess where I am in my cycle on Hormone Horoscope. Draft a pithy Tweet to post later if it’s as hot a take as I hope it is. Set my intentions or ‘write my wins’ for the day in WinStreak, while looking back on yesterday’s list to prove to myself that, yes, I am informed, I am inspired, I know I can survive today, I will dare to dream that I can thrive today. I am a sensitive person with a history of mental illness. Needy, seeking external reassurance, often from less than healthy sources. But I did fall back on my mum because she made sure she was there for me. When I was in primary school, she had to commute, leaving the house long before I woke up. She would leave notes on my pillow, telling me to remember to take my swimming kit to school, to do my best to ignore the bullies, that she loved me. Once I moved out, she sent me an email every evening, part report of her day, part horoscope. My mum died eight months ago. Losing her pillar of constant reassurance made me feel like a circus without a tent pole, flapping in the wind, full of wild animals on the loose. My friends and family are a solid, loving support network. They promised that I could call any time, that they were always there – but I knew that wouldn’t work on a pragmatic level. They have their own lives to lead. Besides, I have always been terrified of being too much, of becoming a burden. I knew I could lean on my friends and family but I didn’t want to crush them. I had to build my own scaffolding of solace. There will never be a substitute for my mother. But I started to patch myself together again using the relatively new constant in my life: apps on my iPhone. Designed for attention and immediate response, I had a companion I could turn to at literally any time of day, that was incapable of finding me a drain on its resources. Well, so long as I kept the battery charged.

“ My night time app routine is similar to my night time skin care routine – cleanse, slough, replenish” But am I doing myself more harm than good by turning to apps? Not being face to face with actual people, am I setting myself up for a cycle of addictive dopamine highs and cortisol spikes? Fiona Thomas, author of Depression In a

Lifestyle

Digital Age: The Highs and Lows of Perfectionism, found that Instagram provided her with a lifeline to a community when she needed it the most. During a depressive episode, she could use Instagram to reach out to other people, sharing their lived experiences of mental health, when leaving the house seemed impossible. “There just aren’t that many studies about the possible positive effects of social media on mental health,” she tells me over the phone. “It’s a powerful tool and there’s plenty of issues that shouldn’t be overlooked, but it’s not all bad, though you wouldn’t know from the widespread media coverage.” One of the few surveys that does exist shows that 40% of British adults would seek online support through anonymous chat forums, phone apps and social media. The figure shoots up to 65% for 16-24 year olds who will typically turn to Google with symptoms or questions, with only 33% of that age group answering they would reach out to a mental health professional. Is this a surprise when thousands of young people in crisis have to wait over a fortnight to access NHS mental health services? Online is always on. A screen can act as both a window and a barrier, which is perhaps a safer position to explore from than a doctor’s office, fearing judgement or dismissal. However, in the current landscape of harmful content online, the darker side of social media can put vulnerable people even

more at risk. Instagram was heavily criticised when it was implicated in the suicide of Molly Russell, who was 14 when she died in 2017, after viewing accounts that posted graphic material of self-harm through the platform. It is difficult to see in the face of such awful loss why this was allowed to be widely circulated, when photos of women’s nipples can be taken down in a matter of minutes. The difference between protecting users from harmful material and censorship is hotly contested but little has been done to terms and conditions since Molly’s death in 2017. There is no shortage of gloomy statistics that connect heavy smartphone usage to the national rise of mental health issues. But do the figures reflect a causal link between social media and app usage and mental health issues or a surge in people able to get diagnoses precisely because of what they have learned and shared online? “Putting that thought or feeling out there in a post and having it liked makes you feel recognised, even just by one or two people,” says Fiona, whose own Instagram profile has 3,700 followers. “You feel like you might be helping someone else too, by opening up.” More mental health and bereavement specific apps are being developed, while Instagram accounts for organisations, like Let’s Talk About Loss, help young people access their services who wouldn’t necessarily attend an event without exposure to that publicity. “The more you can hear that encouragement from a range of different sources, the

INTERSECTIONS

more likely you’ll get that validation you need to get you through,” says Fiona. “If you’re only hearing it from your friends and family, your thoughts may tell you they’re just giving you lip service. When everyone you’re talking to is saying the same thing, it can help you believe that this will pass. You don’t have to worry about being a burden.” My night time app routine is similar to my night time skincare routine – cleanse, slough, replenish. I fire up WinStreak to put in tomorrow’s goals. I scroll through Twitter to ensure I have enough nightmare fuel. I select a nature sound from Rain Rain, praying that 30 minutes is the right amount of Ocean Waves so that sleep can sneak in and take hold. But I hear it fade out to silence. I’m having difficulty being at peace with what I ate, the plumes of my eating disorder threatening relapse after a good run of recovery. I used to send my mum an email with everything I’d eaten that day, granular amounts, including cups of tea. She’d reply quickly, pointing to this or that reason, that everything was alright, darling. I hover over MyFitnessPal. Get the hard data, crunch my self-worth into stats, make myself smaller, more manageable. Opening my Notes app, my thumbs rattle out breakfast, snacks, lunch, more snacks, drinks. Looking at each entry resting on its grey line, almost like a real notebook, like the one on my bedside table, it doesn’t look so bad. WinStreak, one last entry for the day. Soothed myself. Lights out.

THE SKINNY

July 2019

Lifestyle

Welcome to Unbound’s 10th Edition Words: Roland Gulliver

or 16 nights, Unbound with Edinburgh Gin takes place in the Book Festival’s Spiegeltent in Charlotte Square Gardens. It’s free, it’s informal and it’s fun. It begins around 9pm, finishes around 11.30pm, and each night is different – there’s no need for a ticket, just drop in. You’ll discover authors, performers, musicians and artists; from the much-loved to your new literary and artistic obsessions. Unbound celebrates its 10th edition this year. Over the last decade it’s changed, grown and flourished, responding to the Book Festival in the Gardens and listening to the beat of the cultural world outside. There’s been spectacle and the odd heckle. There’s been dancing and joy as we’ve crowded the aisles watching antics unfold; emotion and intimacy as we’ve sat captivated, enthralled by the readings or music on stage. In our fabulous Spiegeltent we’ve experimented, challenged preconceptions and celebrated the power of stories, books, readings and performance. All that’s wonderful about Edinburgh nights at the Book Festival in August. The 2019 programme is no different. We’ve taken what people love about Unbound and made it bigger and better, adding a few things new; capturing the best that Scotland has to offer while welcoming a plethora of international stars to light up the nights. Unbound has always revelled in the richness of the Scottish independent music scene – we just love the chemistry that’s created bringing musicians and authors together on stage. Music is at the heart of Unbound and we’ve invited some of Scotland’s best record labels to create nights with us: Armellodie Records will bring us Dan Lyth and the Euphrates, The Scottish Enlightenment, and Thirty Pounds of Bone who’ll perform alongside three of the world’s best short story writers: Nicole Flattery, Wendy Erskine, and Kevin Barry. Night School Records will warm our nights with a journey to where love and romance collide, with music and readings

from J. McFarlane’s Reality Guest, Michael Amherst, and Sean Nicholas Savage. We’ve invited back familiar friends, but with an unfamiliar twist. Neu! Reekie! will explore the astonishing archipelago of Indonesia, spilling out of the Spiegeltent in their usual rambunctious style, offering a rare opportunity to experience some incredible international artists. Inspired by Will Ashon’s astonishing book on the hip-hop legends Wu Tang Clan, Vic Galloway will give us a night with Joseph Malik, Callum Easter, Saskia Vogel, Dean Atta, and maybe a wee exclusive from Vic’s new band. Hip-hop and spoken word have broken down the old stereotypes of book festivals being foostie affairs. The brilliance of Babble On (a strand of the best spoken word artists that runs throughout the Festival programme) ignites the middle weekend. Courtesy of Luke Wright and Becky Fincham, one of Britain’s best poets Inua Ellams stages his R.A.P Party, a night of hip-hop, dancing and poetry, in partnership with our friends at Edinburgh International Festival; the irrepressible Bang Said the Gun, celebrating 20 years, noises up one of our Saturday nights; and Ted Hughes Award-winner Hollie McNish will, with some talented friends, give an intimate and memorable performance of words and music. If that wasn’t enough, the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers will return home after another incredible year, the mud of Glastonbury fresh on their boots and their literary day jobs an even hazier memory. No Unbound can be complete without them! Our musical storytelling adventures explore the land we live in too. An Unbound first will bring the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to the Spiegeltent. As part of Faber & Faber's 90th birthday celebrations, artist Richard King celebrates landscape and music from post-war art to the 80s rave scene culture. Aidan O’Rourke and James Robertson’s 365 is a very special project which has brought together

Roland Gulliver

many voices and musicians over the last year to record all 365 stories and pieces of music. They invite a few of those who joined them on the journey for a night of celebration, stories and song. In true Book Festival style Unbound looks beyond our borders to welcome international friends. We celebrate the launch of Outriders Africa with readings and performances from the artists involved including Tsitsi Dangarembga, Donna Ogunnaike and more. Scotland goes Basque offers the unique poetry spectacle that is Bertsolaritza – audience participation guaranteed! Efe Paul Azino, director of the Lagos International Poetry Festival, hosts Finding Home, a series of poems and conversations on migration and nationality with a multinational line-up from Iran, Canada and Nigeria. And there’s so much more… including a very special final night beneath the festival fireworks. See the following pages for the full Unbound with Edinburgh Gin line-up. So come join us! Escape the cluttered city, wearied world of work, the frantic festival day. Don’t be shy, come and relax, enjoy a drink and find friends. You’ll discover something new, maybe not what you expect, but if you yearn for a great night out inspired by books and stories, this is where you’ll find it.

This year, thanks to the support of our good friends Edinburgh Gin, the Book Festival is once again the place to be. At the Edinburgh Gin Bar, you can experience free ‘Over a gin with…’ pop-up readings and performances every weekend outside in the Gardens – and our own Festival bookshop will be open until 11pm every night for browsing and buying.

Sponsored by

Editors: Heather McDaid & Rosamund West Designer: Fiona Hunter Production Manager & Picture Editor: Rachael Hood Illustrator: Susie Purvis

July 2019

Feature

UNBOUND

Lifestyle

THE SKINNY

Finding Home Poets and performers come together around Finding Home, an event that will explore traditional ideas of home and place, as well as timely political barriers to finding a home, such as borders, nationality and xenophobia

rom the classic The Odyssey to the other classic Home Alone, concepts of home have been rooted in our artistic and cultural consciousness for as long as we’ve had stories. For those who find themselves unmoored, rejected or displaced from or within a physical home, the idea of finding a home in art has become a comforting, as well as radical, one. For Nigerian poet Efe Paul Azino who is heading up the event, the concept of Finding Home is rooted in the complicated relationship he has to his physical home of Lagos. “I was born here,” Azino explains. “It is home and it is not. This is because there are subtle political realities that limit how much claim I can lay to the city. I can’t easily run for a municipal position or a legislative seat, for example, as I will be swiftly reminded of my ethnic background. I come from an ethnic minority in the Niger Delta. But I have never been to the village of my fathers, cannot speak the language, weirdly shielded from my roots by the colonial anxieties of my parents which demonised the traditions and religion of their forebears. So, there is a sense in which I find myself not exactly belonging, fully, anywhere, even within the country of my birth. This is a common experience for most Nigerians of my generation.” Home, for Azino, has taken root in words and in his art. “Where home in a geographical sense might elude me, a life of the mind enables me to find my place in poems, and in the many ways poetry connects me to the universality of the human experience, and creates opportunities for me, and my work, to be welcome almost anywhere in the world.” Scotland-based poet-performer, Hannah Lavery, another contributor, met Azino at StAnza Poetry Festival and discovered that their work shared similar themes. “The powerful thing for me was that through our work, and sharing the stage together, we found our poetry

July 2019

was creating a dialogue between us, one that explored borders, racism, migration and the idea of home,” Lavery explains. “But I am wary about putting art forward as the answer as artists are not separate from the world they live in. Their work reflects the world; the putting up of a mirror can be a force for change, but artists have to also be aware of their own privilege and prejudices. We are not immune to the divides and not free from furthering them too.” Nigerian spoken word artist and MC, Yomi Sode, agrees that storytellers have powerful tools at their disposal. “Poetry could bridge the gap or rattle the floor that we stand on – or do both simultaneously,” he says. “Some people are not as ready to hear, not as ready to hold a mirror to themselves. But they can do so while sitting in audiences, they can read some truths in the comforts of their homes and ponder on change. What it looks like and what it takes to build bridges.” While the ideas at the heart of Finding Home – borders, migration and displacement – feel timely, Azino emphasises that these subjects are old concerns as well as contemporary ones. “Right-wing populism is near global, clean ideological divides are locking us up in right- and left-leaning echo chambers globally, fake news is everywhere, undermining even the most formidable democracies. So yes, the issues facing poets and artists everywhere today are quite similar and the battlefield is an old one, and our duties, in certain respects, have always been the same – to conjure the language that points us to our common impulses, good and bad, to insist on mutual respect and equality on all fronts, and more than ever today, to restore, in the hearts of our readers and listeners, the ebbing belief in truth and facts.” While it feels like nation borders and walls are becoming increasingly hostile and unyielding, poetry shares a fluidity in its

language with migration’s ability to break down boundaries. “In different ways they both poke at the superficiality of borders and boundaries,” says Azino about the similarities between poetry and migration. “Movement, whatever the factors that necessitate it, is essential to human existence and the viability of it, just as fluidity is essential to the art. But where bodies are restricted by fear-induced practicalities, poetry, as art, can move unrestricted in the realm of ideas, and at its most effective, can confront the fears that underpin othering and the political restriction of bodies.” This ability for language and art to cross borders has been a result of technological advances, as well as globalisation. Many modern spoken word poets have become YouTube hits while Instapoet has developed as a genre in itself. Poetry, maybe more than any other literary genre, has the ability to be shared instantaneously and its recent accessibility stands as a leap away from traditional poetry’s reputation as impenetrable. “There is certainly more engagement with poetry, and poets no longer have to wait for ‘permission’,” says Lavery. “I think this has been important to poets who have often been marginalised, ignored and restrained by the elite, those appointed ‘gatekeepers’. This revolution in delivery has introduced more diverse voices and this can only be a good thing.” Azino agrees that poetry’s ability to adapt to the internet and social media is a positive thing but has noted the criticism from some people within poetry’s circles over quality. “The fixation has been on how much this has lowered the barrier of entry, so to speak, and allowed for the existence of what might be considered as bad poems, with less regard for how technology has and is bringing poetry to wider and newer audiences, without diminishing the existing publishing structures

UNBOUND

Interview: Katie Goh

that serve us poems that have benefited from more critical appraisal. I think accessibility has always been a bit of a tricky issue with poetry, almost like the more people it reaches and that readily understand it undermines it in some way. However, there is no evidence, historically, that is the case.” For Sode, it’s about finding a balance between more traditional forms of poetry and technological advances. “While I’m like ‘get with the times,’ I am also like ‘purchase some poetry books.’ Social media is a stomach that is constantly growling. The attention, while amazing, can also be fast food. The books never go though; they remain, awaiting one’s full attention.” While Finding Home is an event around finding commonality amongst artists, Lavery emphasises that the most important thing the poets have in common is, ironically enough, their differences. “I think the different perspectives, places, and positions of privilege that we experience these issues through will be really enlightening and challenging. The coming together of these voices has the potential to be very important especially in those points of difference as well of course, in those points of connection.” Azino hopes Finding Home will build bridges through art sorely needed at this time. “The core objective of Finding Home is to stretch language to build bridges where political expediency has erected walls,” he concludes. “We have to believe that poetry and art in general has the capacity to do this, and that poets can be legislators of the world, perhaps not in sweeping political sense of it, but in their ability to urge, demand even, a second look, a different way of seeing, to force a conversation.” Finding Home, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens, Thu 22 Aug, 9pm, free and unticketed

Feature

Killtopia D

ive into Killtopia, the comic by Dave Cook and Craig Paton, and you're met with a technicolour, cypberpunk mega city where heavily-armed Wreckers hunt rogue mechs for money, fame and glory. There doesn't seem much leeway to just kick back and relax, to be honest. But for one night only the creator duo will descend to Unbound for an evening of interactive storytelling and drawing, joined by Max Brooks (of World War Z fame), who will read from his new Minecraft-inspired novel. So get your games hat on, get competitive (but not Killtopia competitive) and join the fun.

Writers vs the Apocalypse , Edinburgh International Book Festival, Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens, Sun 18 Aug, 9pm, free and unticketed

Feature

UNBOUND

THE SKINNY

African Journeys We meet Donna Ogunnaike, one of the writers taking to the stage as part of the new Outriders Africa

n shifting, disorienting times, a writer can make a unique contribution to our understanding of the world. This is the basis of Outriders, which saw five Scottish writers and five international writers journey across the Americas and offer a creative work in response. In 2019, phase two launches, bringing writers together on journeys through Africa to engage in new discussions. At Unbound, we get a sneak peek into Outriders before they embark on their adventures. It’s not often you come across a woman like Donna Ogunnaike, one of the leading names in the project. An oil and gas lawyer and partner in the Nigerian law firm ACAS-Law, she was awarded Outstanding Professional of the Year in the 40 Leading Lawyers Under 40 Awards and ranked as a leading lawyer in oil, gas and energy in 2017 by the IFLR 1000. But she’s not just a leading law expert. Ogunnaike is also a poet and theatre practitioner whose accolades span across the globe. She has been awarded Queen of Spoken Word Poetry across many years and was the

Interview: Beth Cochrane

only Nigerian published in National Poetry Month: Uplifting Verses From 11 Strong Female Poets, alongside Maya Angelou, Carol Ann Duffy and Kate Tempest. Ogunnaike will be descending on Charlotte Square Gardens for an evening of music, performance, dance and readings, a celebration of Africa and preview of the journeys to come. Those attending can see Zimbabwe’s Tsitsi Dangarembga and Kenya’s Okwiri Oduor, plus a string of musical delights. And that’s just for starters. “I believe that it was on the basis of the event last year that I got recommended to be a part of Outriders Africa, 2019!” begins Donna. “I could not believe it when I got the email. I closed it, shut my eyes and told myself that I was dreaming… until I woke up and the mail was still there. It is all so amazing!” Her journey began back in 2017 when she wrote, produced and directed an experimental art installation called Strelitzia… An Experimental Journey to Self. “With Strelitzia, I sought to explore human vulnerabilities using

nostalgia as its premise for an intimate walk through a physical box, with the aim of unburdening at the end of the journey,” she explains. “To achieve this, I fused poetry, dance, music, film and visual cues into a swirling, emotional journey through the past, present and future.” The performance proved incredible, as shown by its remarkable run over several stages. Its first was hosted at the British Council’s Lagos Theatre Festival in 2017. Strelitzia then found its home in the World Cultures Festival, Hong Kong’s Kwai Tsing Theatre in November, 2017, and in the Lagos Theatre Festival, 2018. It was here that Scotland first crossed paths with her work, leading to further international opportunities. She continues, “I then got invited to visit Scotland to see if opportunities to bring Strelitzia to the Festival exist; it was in the course of these discussions that a further invitation was given for me to perform poetry at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and at the BBC Arts Hour on Tour. I am still

chuffed! It was such an honour performing at both shows. The experience at the Book Festival for me was pure joy!” Ogunnaike performed her poetry to an awestruck audience at last year’s Book Festival, where she was accompanied by folklorist, guitarist, musician and producer Tonie ‘The Emperor’ Akinola. She fondly remembers the warmth of the audience, and goes so far to say that the experience felt like home. It's fair to say excitement is brewing at the prospect of new incredible Outriders journeys, more so to see Ogunnaike accompanied by such an esteemed and vibrant line-up. The thrilling fusion of poetry, dance and music that Ogunnaike and her team have created is sure to leave the Spiegeltent inspired, moved and invigorated to engage with more international poetry and conversations. Outriders Africa, Edinburgh International Book Festival Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens, Wed 14 Aug, 9pm, free and unticketed

Inua Ellams’ R.A.P Party Poetry and hip-hop combine at R.A.P Party. Inua Ellams tells us more

emember a couple of years ago when the Nobel committee had us all yelling at each other about whether or not Tangled Up in Blue was actually literature? Well, the poetry community has kind of been having that debate in miniature ever since hip-hop came crashing through and shook up our whole understanding of what is and isn’t poetry. “I discovered poetry at the same time as I discovered hip-hop, in Ireland where I lived for three years,” explains Inua Ellams, acclaimed poet, playwright and rap aficionado. “When I came back to the UK and started working as a poet, I discovered this growing discourse and argument between

Theresa Lola

July 2019

various camps of rappers and poets. Specifically, more from the poetry camp who were declaiming hip-hop and saying ‘No, it’s not poetry!’ blah blah blah.” So what do you do when your two loves are at war? How do you reconcile the fact that two of your great passions, rap and poetry, can’t seem to get along? You throw a party. A R.A.P (Rhythm and Poetry) party, to be specific. Bringing together an eclectic selection of poets for rap-inspired readings and melding their flow with a rap-stacked DJ set, Ellams’ R.A.P Parties look to tear down the barriers and bring together everyone who loves writing and rhyme. “I really wanted to democratise poetry and just take all the stuffiness out of it,” he explains. “One way to do that was to surround the experience of poetry with music and a relaxed environment. And that’s where the R.A.P Party came from.” It’s a big ask, requiring the deprogramming of some very deep-seated ideas about what poetry is or can be. Ellams is well aware of this challenge, and of where it comes from. “For me, that’s all plugged into how poetry has been taught for centuries here. It’s always been seen as the preserve of the upper middle class. It’s always been seen as if the poets were incredibly conceited and were trying to hide something from the public, and you had to mine it for the truth. And if you got it wrong, you’d be seen as stupid.” Overcoming attitudes that are instilled in school is tough, but Ellams won’t be taking on the challenge alone: from London’s Young People’s Laureate Theresa Lola to Scottish spoken word poet Jenny Lindsay, slam wunderkind Harry Baker and Welsh polymath

Interview: Ross McIndoe

Joe Dunthorne, he’s assembled a ferocious team to help him rewrite the narrative at their Edinburgh International Book Festival Unbound evening. “R.A.P parties tend always to be fun. Even if the poems are terrible, the song choices are good. If the song choices are terrible, the poems are good,” Ellams jokes. “So we cover all the bases and people come for either. It always feels like you’re at a house party where some guests get up to make very eloquent speeches rather than a literary night or a club night.” Maybe your bedroom is filled with dog-eared Yeats collections, maybe Wu-Tang Clan CDs. Maybe Lauryn Hill turned your world upside down the first time you heard her, maybe it was Sylvia Plath. Maybe, like Ellams and his friends, you’re just as crazy about both. Whatever your background, if you’ve got a love for words and rhythm, this party is the place for you. If you aren’t sold already, maybe Ellams’ own description of what to expect on the night will entice you: “I expect to be surprised and to see very beautiful subversion at play. And, above all, I expect to shake my ass and have fun.”

Inua Ellam

PLAYLIST Need some music to get you in the mood for the R.A.P party? Inua Ellams has the playlist for you: Skwod - Nadia Rose Water - Kojey Radical Dear Mama - 2Pac U.N.I.T.Y. - Queen Latifah One Mic - Nas

The R.A.P Party, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens, Fri 16 Aug, 9pm, free and unticketed

UNBOUND

Feature

Stinging Songs Scottish record label Armellodie presents three bands and three authors inspired by the Irish Literary Magazine The Stinging Fly

ometimes the best things in life are simple. For one night only, three bands and three authors will come together in the corner of the Book Festival for a night of classic Unbound revelry. This year sees Glasgow-based label Armellodie bringing three of their finest to perform alongside authors all published by Irish wonders The Stinging Fly. What’s not to love? Ahead of the Unbound event, we get to know the Scottish side a little better. “Armellodie Records started in earnest in 2007 to try to give a launching pad to bands we were fans of and who (we felt) deserved the opportunity to be heard,” explains co-founder Scott Maple. “Whatever was required (e.g. production, post production, artwork, and/or manufacture, along with PR and distribution) – we wanted to fill the gaps. We started in earnest and, unhindered by any measurable success, we continue in earnest!” Both Scott and Al Nero were playing gigs and had put their own music out on independent labels; like all good partnerships, they thought their combined skills could allow them to forge their own path. They secured distribution, worked with Cuddly Shark on their debut album, working on a press pack and settling on a release date. When they tried to make some noise around the upcoming release, they were pleasantly surprised to find people listening. And so they continued, with a core ethos in mind: “Work hard to try and achieve reward for the talented people who work hard with no expectation of reward.” A decade on, that hard work continues. The evening will provide a place to celebrate some of the fantastic music coming through Scottish labels, including Thirty Pounds of Bone. Dr. Johny Lamb has made five albums and two EPs under the moniker. He’s a songwriter, composer, producer, multiinstrumentalist, to name but a few, and has worked on some more unusual projects including The Ships Log as part of Lone Twin’s Boat Project for the Cultural Olympiad. He’s also worked on Still Every Year They Went, a collection of maritime songs recorded at sea on a commercial fishing boat with composer/ phonographer Philip Reeder. He’s undertaken doctoral research into songwriting’s relationship to place and the making of alt-folksong, and will be making the trip up from Cornwall especially for Unbound, bringing his interest in fidelity, drones, timbre and more to revel in. Then comes Dan Lyth and the Euphrates. His album Benthic Lines was recorded across four continents and entirely outdoors, presented as a 60-page book packed with photos from the various locations around the world so listeners could get a real sense of the journey undertaken. His goal was to re-explore the relationship between music and the environment in which it is created, when the surroundings can’t be controlled – will there be anomalies? Can the unpredictable sounds of nature blend with music to create

Interview: Heather McDaid

something newly exciting and innovative? The consensus seems to be yes. It was a journey of wonder and one of battle – as lugging instruments around new environments would tend to be; it's also a journey ready to entertain you on the Spiegeltent stage. Closing the Armellodie trio, The Scottish Enlightenment’s debut St. Thomas documented the crumbling of faith through a loss of belief. Shifting from the huge ideas, their recent follow-up Potato Flower moves to the microscopic, oft-missed moments of everyday life.

“ There’s freedom to express without fear of being metaphorically ‘shot-down’” Scott Maple

With the Scottish label being well represented on this evening, Glasgow coming up time and time again in global artists’ top gig cities lists, an abundance of quality coming through across the board, what exactly is it that makes Scotland’s music scene so thriving? “That’s a difficult one to answer,” begins Scott. “We’re a nation of individuals, all

ploughing our own furrow – heid doon. So you would think that means self-centred, but there’s a dichotomy in that – at the same time everyone’s supportive of each other and enjoys seeing other’s successes. I suppose what I’m saying is that there’s freedom to express without fear of being metaphorically ‘shot-down’.” This Armellodie and Stinging Fly crossover proves an ample opportunity to celebrate the successes of excellent companies and creatives across music and literature. Books are the most obvious storytellers that take readers on a journey across worlds both real and imagined; here, all the bands bring their own stories to transport listeners into new climes from their seat. So who will be completing this stellar line-up? Kevin Barry is a highly acclaimed author, with his debut story collection There Are Little Kingdoms winning the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, and his novel City of Bohane being awarded the 2013 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, with his work branded vibrant, intelligent and original, to pluck just a few of the compliments levied at him. Wendy Erskine’s debut collection Sweet Home is set in contemporary East Belfast, showcasing the struggle of her characters trying to maintain control in a world that often seems beyond it. From a reclusive cult-rock icon ending his days in the street where he was born, to a couple intrigued by the pair they pay to do their cleaning and gardening, it’s a startlingly brilliant collection, and a reading to anticipate. Completing the bill, Nicole Flattery is

recipient of a Next Generation Artists’ Award and The White Review Short Story Prize, whose debut Show Them A Good Time has been dubbed ‘a masterclass in the short story’ by Sally Rooney, and explores types – men and women, their assigned roles – in modern society. She is an exciting new voice in Irish literature, and one to watch. With Armellodie presenting three great bands, and Irish literature here to showcase the wonders that lie just across the sea, what exactly is it about music and literature that, while different, work so well together? “Both literature and music tell stories without pictures,” notes Scott, “but the art and mechanics of pure literature vs. pure songwriting are very different. The result though – I believe that the result of either endeavour fires the same part of the brain of the reader or listener.” That’s what can be expected from Armellodie and The Stinging Fly’s fine exports – a transformative firing of the brain, but what do they hope people take from the event? “Product, hopefully! … and inner peace … which can be found again and again by returning to said product.” On a slightly more serious note, Scott simply promises “great, personal songs from talented people with beautiful hearts and minds” and “no fronts”. No frills, no fuss, just good music and good stories coming together for one night only. A Sting in The Armellodie Tale, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens, Mon 12 Aug, 9pm, free and unticketed

Dan Lyth

Feature

UNBOUND

THE SKINNY

Beyond Unbound While the Unbound programme takes over the Spiegeltent every night at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, it’s the cherry on top of the day, each packed full of amazing authors from across the globe Compiled by: Heather McDaid

Russ Litten & Chris McQueer Saturday 10 Aug, 8.30pm Chris McQueer has made waves since his debut Hings was published, offering hilarious and often dark short stories from the streets of Glasgow, and being dubbed “Charlie Brooker on Buckfast” in the process. McQueer debuts on the main festival programme alongside novelist Russ Litten, who has been compared to James Kelman through his first short story collection centring on Hull. Two authors who bring a strong sense of their cities, it’s a cracking way to launch the festival.

Raymond Antrobus

Jenny Lindsay Tuesday 20 Aug, 8.30pm Anyone who’s been in touching distance of Scotland’s spoken word scene will know the name Jenny Lindsay. Founder of Flint & Pitch, she’s not only one of the core voices in the spoken word scene, but one of the driving forces in the country’s stellar reputation in the artform. It’s with excitement, then, that she brings her new collection This Script into the world – a powerful dose of poetry that has left audiences in awe. One not to miss.

DeRay Mckesson Sunday 11 Aug, 5pm One of this year’s guest selectors, DeRay Mckesson is an activist who is best known for bringing the Black Lives Matter movement into existence, quitting his job and moving to Ferguson, Missouri to protest against the shooting of Michael Brown Jr – an unarmed African American teenager – by police. He joins the New York Times Race/Related editor Lauretta Charlton, to discuss his incredible and powerful book On the Other Side of Freedom in this event, and will also appear across the festival chairing numerous events including Casey Gerald and Jeanne Marie Laskas. Candice Carty-Williams & Annaleese Jochems Thursday 15 Aug, 8.30pm When the word millennial appears, it tends to be accompanied by the claim that the generation has yet again killed off something random. But in this case, it’s in reference to two fantastic books showcasing the millennial experience in upbeat and hilarious ways. Candice Carty-Williams’ Queenie follows a Jamaican British woman searching for her identity and finding her feet after a breakup; Analeese Jochems’ Baby has made similar waves in New Zealand. Both hilarious, both brilliant, it’s going to be a fantastic event.

July 2019

Kerry Hudson

Photo: Lily Richards

Candice Carty-Williams

Raymond Antrobus & Joe Dunthorne Sunday 18 Aug, 8.30pm The book world has been taken by storm of late by Raymond Antrobus, whose debut collection The Perseverance explores themes of identity and the experience of living with deafness. Following on from a stellar performance last year as part of Out-Spoken Press’ Unbound evening, he returns with a highly acclaimed debut to join Joe Dunthorne, who has made the leap from prose to verse in O Positive, a collection threaded with the trademark peculiarity and punch of his novels Submarine and The Adulterants. Two debut poets doing incredible work.

Photo: Mark Vessey

Chris McQueer

Photo: Sinead Grainger

n its tenth edition, the spirit of Unbound runs beyond the Spiegeltent and has suffused events across the Book Festival programme. Here are just a few of the highlights beyond Unbound offering an opportunity to extend a night out at the Book Festival with more words, stories, songs and debates.

Photo: Caleb Femi

Kerry Hudson & Sarah Smarsh Sunday 25 Aug, 1.30pm Join two writers as they revisit their experiences of working-class life from both sides of the Atlantic. Award-winner Kerry Hudson explores what being poor means today in Lowborn, through returning to the povertystricken towns from her own life in the UK. She joins American author Sarah Smarsh who brings her book Heartland, bringing readers into the destitution of Kansas farming life and, in her words, “being broke in the richest country on Earth”. The duo will explore one of the pressing topics of our time. View the full festival programme and buy tickets at edbookfest.co.uk

UNBOUND

Feature

What’s On Your nightly guide to the events of Unbound with Edinburgh Gin, taking place in the Book Festival's Spiegeltent, Charlotte Square Gardens, from 9pm. Each and every one is FREE – get down early to secure your seat

Gun is a rollercoaster of emotions: loud, raucous, political, trivial, serious and very funny. Featuring wordsmiths Salena Godden, Rob Auton, Laurie Bolger, Martin Galton and Daniel Cockrill, with music from jazz legend Gwyneth Herbert. Let tonight grab you by the collar and drag you into another world. As Kate Tempest said: “It’s like mud wrestling with words”!

Wed 14 Aug Sun 11 Aug

Scotland goes Bertsolaritza! Bertsolaritza is a phenomenon, an improvised competitive poetry form founded in the Basque region which attracts 10,000 people to the grand final every year. Tonight, novelists Uxue Alberdi and Danele Sarriugarte (translator of the likes of Angela Davis and David Foster Wallace) take you on a poetic journey with a dash of audience participation. Eñaut Elorrieta, lead singer of Ken Zazpi, one of the best Basque rock bands, provides musical entertainment. Discover extraordinary poetry as you’ve never heard it before. Part of Scotland Goes Basque

Mon 12 Aug

A Sting in the Armellodie Tale From Glasgow-based record label Armellodie come some of the most interesting, clever and quirky bands playing today. One of Scotland’s best indie labels arrives at Unbound for a night of fresh entertainment: revel in the music of Dan Lyth and the Euphrates, The Scottish Enlightenment and Thirty Pounds of Bone, who perform alongside three of the world’s best short story writers – Nicole Flattery, Wendy Erskine and Kevin Barry – who all cut their teeth in The Stinging Fly literary magazine.

Tue 13 Aug

Vic Galloway Brings the Ruckus! Taking inspiration from Will Ashon’s future-classic Chamber Music: About the Wu-Tang (in 36 Pieces), BBC Radio Scotland DJ Vic Galloway is back at the Book Festival exploring ideas of identity, love, soul and struggle. Live music comes courtesy of Joseph Malik, Callum Easter, Heir of the Cursed and an acoustic set from Vic’s own band. Saskia Vogel reads from debut novel Permission, Dean Atta brings poetry collection I Am Nobody’s Nigger and debut novel Black Flamingo, and they’re joined by Will Ashon himself. Bring the ruckus!

Feature

Outriders Africa Five Scottish and British writers have been paired with five African writers, with each embarking on a different journey across Africa later this year. Outriders is one of the Book Festival’s most exciting projects, and to celebrate its launch, tonight’s Unbound reveals some of the continent’s incredibly rich culture, through music, performance, poetry and dance. Join artists including Tsitsi Dangarembga from Zimbabwe, Okwiri Oduor from Kenya and Nigeria’s Donna Ogunnaike with her band.

Thu 15 Aug

Hollie McNish & Friends Hollie McNish is one of Britain’s best poets and spoken word artists. She has released one album and five books of funny, forthright and fearless poetry, the latest being Plum in 2017. After several brilliant Unbound appearances, she hosts her very own night, bringing her inimitable style as well as her top picks from the worlds of music, poetry and performance.

Fri 16 Aug

The R.A.P Party R.A.P stands for Rhythm and Poetry and this party promises an exhilarating live literature experience. Founded by the acclaimed Inua Ellams, R.A.P is a nostalgic, no-clutter evening of poems inspired by hip-hop culture, wrapped up in fresh beats from the scene. Joining Ellams himself are Theresa Lola, Rachel Long, Malaika Kegode, Jenny Lindsay, Harry Baker, Joe Dunthorne, Tania Nwachukwu, Tyrone Lewis, John Osborne and resident R.A.P Party DJ Sid Mercutio. Produced in association with Edinburgh International Festival.

Sat 17 Aug

Bang Said the Gun This is poetry for people who don’t know they like it. Normal rules don’t apply. One of the brilliant UK poetry scene’s best nights, Bang Said the

Sun 18 Aug

Writers vs the Apocalypse Two authors must fight for survival in an apocalyptic dystopian hellscape designed at random by sadistic audience members. Max Brooks (Minecraft: The Island, World War Z) and Dave Cook (Killtopia, Vessels) talk about their books and careers while trying to survive their increasingly brutal scenario. Come along and make their lives a dystopian nightmare. All the while artist, Craig Paton (Killtopia) will record the adventure drawing the adventure as it develops.

Mon 19 Aug

Back to Night School Glasgow-based Night School Records are at the beating heart of the city’s famed music scene; a label and promoter commanding huge respect with an eclectic mix of electronic talent. They’ve helped foster some of the country’s finest sounds and introduced international friends to our headphones, all while staying true to a vision of emotionally-charged, infinitely listenable synth-driven music. Tonight they take us on a journey to that special place where love, romance and music collide, with performances and readings from J. McFarlane’s Reality Guest, author Michael Amherst, and Canadian artist Sean Nicholas Savage.

Tue 20 Aug Tongue Fu

One of the UK’s best spoken word shows, Tongue Fu brings awesome energy and improvisation to the Spiegeltent. Poets jostle with storytellers, rappers rub up against comedians as they perform to jaw-dropping improvised soundtracks and films from the genre-hopping Tongue Fu Band, led by creator and host Chris Redmond. Prepare to be dazzled with deathdefying, deftly-delivered doses of poetry and music. You couldn’t make it up. But they do!

UNBOUND

Wed 21 Aug

Sat 24 Aug

Our countryside isn’t all babbling brooks and skylarks: it’s rife with power struggles, protest movements, and poetic inspirations. From Vaughan Williams’ romantic orchestral The Lark Ascending to 60s counterculture and the rave scene of the 80s, tonight’s entertainment travels across the decades. Artist and author Richard King is your host for a lyrical, literary journey through our landscapes with music inspired by classic poetry from the 90 years of Faber & Faber. Join musicians Marcus Barcham-Stevens and Christina Lawrie from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish folk great Karine Polwart and a few surprise guests for a joyful night.

On the back of their 2016 tour of Indonesia, Edinburgh’s original cultural noisemakers present some of the most exciting artists from the archipelago. Yoshi Fe, a poet and stand-up tragedian, joins video artist Sinar Ayu Massie, whose 2007 road movie 3 Hari Untuk Selamanya (Three Days to Forever) has become a cult classic, and Benk Riyadi, a poet and activist involved in the Sebumi community. The trio are introduced with the usual panache of hosts and poets Michael Pedersen and Kevin Williamson. Supported by Ministry of Education and Culture, Republic of Indonesia and Creative Economy Agency of Indonesia (BEKRAF)

Thu 22 Aug

Sun 25 Aug

Where, or what, is home? It’s one of the fundamental questions of our age and will be for a long time. Tonight’s Unbound explores burning questions around migration, racial division, the rise of populist nationalism, otherness, and the language that frames them all. Finding Home features and follows poets and storytellers through fractured lives and national crises, over perilous routes and across borders, as they stretch language and build bridges over the walls put up by politicians. A night of vital words and verse.

365 is a gorgeous written-andrecorded call and response. After James Robertson penned a story each day for a year, LAU fiddler Aidan O’Rourke reacted with music – and all their songs and stories can be experienced in the Book Festival’s George Street Bookshop. For Unbound, the duo are joined by Kit Downes and a collection of incredible collaborators including musicians Kate Molleson, Esther Swift, and Sorren Maclean, and readers Gerda Stevenson, Tam Dean Burn and Matthew Zajac. Celebrate something truly special tonight. Presented in association with the PRS Foundation’s New Music Biennial, newmusicbiennial.co.uk

The Lark Ascending

Finding Home

Fri 23 Aug

Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers It’s been another astonishing year for the most well-read, well-written rock’n’roll band. The Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers have hit new heights with radio and festival appearances over the last few months, even taking to the stage at Glastonbury. This August they return to their roots, to where it began – a set in the Spiegeltent for Unbound. Prepare to murder some tunes and welcome back this limitlessly talented lot: Luca Veste, Stuart Neville, Doug Johnstone, Chris Brookmyre, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid.

Neu! Reekie! Indonesia

365 Tunes & Tales

Mon 26 Aug, 7pm

Flint & Pitch: We Need New Stories Poet, performer and spoken word scene dynamo Jenny Lindsay brings us a special edition of Flint & Pitch for the firework-infused Festival Finale. Using the Book Festival’s theme ‘We Need New Stories’, this night brings some of Scotland’s best new voices to the Spiegeltent stage and bounces in a few big hitters to send the place sky high. Some sneaky special guests might take a turn too! Celebrate the Festival’s end with a carnival of literary cabaret.

THE SKINNY

Sex on the Brain Dating is difficult enough as it is but throw a neurological disorder in there and things become even more complicated. One writer asks those with dyspraxia how the condition affects their love life

ounting insecurity, unpredictable outcomes, unspoken rules and the stress of making a good first impression. There’s no doubt about it: dating is a puzzle. But imagine for a second that your brain is predisposed to communicate, interpret and present yourself differently to everyone around you. When you throw that into the mix, cracking the search for love enters Da Vinci Code levels of complexity. Dyspraxia is a developmental disorder that creates these very barriers. Stemming from childhood, it causes difficulty in activities requiring coordination and movement. It’s a condition that directly impacts physical movements like walking, speech or grip, and causes internal difficulties with memory, perception and thought processing. For me, dyspraxia has always had a significant impact on my love life, from not being able to hold cutlery on a date, to completely missing my partner’s face when I go in for a kiss. The idea of explaining these shortcomings to a new romantic partner fills me with crippling anxiety. But it’s nothing on the reality that they’ll find out sooner or later, likely in the humiliating situation, like me dropping a drink on them, stumbling over words, or falling flat on my face. I’ve long since accepted that trying to present myself as a poised and elegant potential partner might as well be the thirteenth Labour of Heracles, yet there is still a dread that hangs around opening up to someone intimately, burdened

July 2019

with the worry that your communication and their understanding might not sync up. Interacting with a world that doesn’t understand you is a rarely discussed symptom of neurological disorders and it’s perhaps the most isolating. My own dating debacles lead me to wonder: am I alone in this? Have other people with my condition found the road to romance easy, or are we united in our ungainly isolation? 23-year-old Anna Hughes McIver found out she had dyspraxia when she was 15. While the diagnosis came as a relief that helped shape her understanding of herself, it had an unexpected impact on her love life. “I was happy to be told I had dyspraxia as I felt it made me understand myself better,” she says, “but when I told my boyfriend – my first ever boyfriend – he laughed at me and said that the condition sounded made up.” Despite an early unsupportive response, McIver explains that the experience has shaped a full disclosure policy with future dates. “I tell people quite quickly,” she says. “I’m not ashamed to have dyspraxia – it’s a part of me. I’d rather explain how it affects me, so my partner can have a better idea of who I am. If I go for drinks and spill something, the first reaction from my date is to ask if I’m already tipsy, and I’ll reply that it’s dyspraxia and try to define it. Sure, it would be nice to not have to always explain myself, but it makes me who I am and I’m pretty happy with that.” “My life would be exponentially easier if I

didn’t have dyspraxia,” explains 29-year-old Sarah-Louise Kelly. “I think it can make me a very awkward person to date.” Kelly was diagnosed with the developmental disorder when she was five. She notes that her dyspraxia directly affected her ability to communicate with a partner – both in speaking and listening. “I find dates somewhat stressful because they’re often in noisy pubs or restaurants and the different sounds make it hard for me to comprehend isolated speech,” she says, “I have difficulty speaking out loud; I get confused mid-sentence and forget how to pronounce certain words, which is overwhelming.” Kelly also highlights that dyspraxia has had a multifaceted impact on her love life. From not wearing heels on a date and avoiding dinner dates like the plague, to the more isolating ingrained feeling that she was asking a lot from potential partners, requesting changes in their behaviours and habits simply to understand and fit her. “But my type is always extremely empathetic, and I guess having this condition makes it easier to filter out people that aren’t.” 26-year-old Dylan James was diagnosed with dyspraxia last year and details how the condition affected the physical side of his love life. “I don’t think I’ve ever hugged someone without treading on their feet or bumping into them,” he says. “I always bump heads or noses going in for a kiss, so I end up waiting for the other person to initiate so I can stand as still as possible and brace myself. It definitely

INTERSECTIONS

Interview: Madeleine Dunne Illustration: Harry Woodgate

affects my confidence because poor motor skills mean I have no rhythm so can’t dance, and I can’t really hold a knife and fork properly. I drop things all the time and it can get really embarrassing.”

“Interacting with a world that doesn’t understand you is a rarely discussed symptom of neurological disorders and it’s perhaps the most isolating” Similar to Kelly, James highlights that dyspraxia impacted on his ability to communicate with potential partners. “I’m really bad at putting the thoughts in my head into words, so I’m bad at explaining my emotions or actions. I also get sensory overload with noise and touch if I’m stressed, which leads to me snapping at people – that probably isn’t good in a relationship.” “Dyspraxia is fairly unheard of in my experience so the thought of explaining what it is puts me off,” Dylan continues. “I mean, I can barely get thoughts into words so it’s a big effort trying to explain something I don’t really know much about yet. I’m trying to learn more about dyspraxia so I can recognise traits in myself and be able to adapt better.” For everyone, dating is like a jigsaw with no reference picture, littered with countless pieces that don’t make sense. Having a brain that doesn’t work like most in the dating pool around you only throws in a thousand more parts. But full disclosure, self-understanding, and the confidence to ask for empathy are excellent corner pieces to start with. Every puzzle holds the potential to be a final picture, more satisfying a triumph when it’s a hard one. For all its frustration, those pieces might just come together to make a better understanding of your own heart and mind – and that can’t be a bad thing.

Lifestyle

THE SKINNY

Pints of View We take a deep dive into the fizzy and surprisingly blue world of non-alcoholic beers

f you delve into these pages every month, it probably won’t surprise you to learn that we enjoy a beer or two. But with Scottish booze sales at their lowest for 25 years and an increasing focus on the impact that prolonged boozing can do to our physical and mental well-being, we decided it was a good time to check out the crop of non-alcoholic beers on offer to find out which ones are worth bothering with. First up, let’s define some terms. ‘Alcohol-free’ beer means negligible traces of alcohol (up to 0.05% by volume), whereas ‘no-alcohol’ beers have zero alcohol in them whatsoever. In UK law, drinks only start becoming ‘alcoholic’ at 0.5% abv, so ‘non-alcoholic’ drinks might have up to that level of alcohol in them. You’ll need to check the label if you’re particularly keen on keeping away from alcohol, but you can start winnowing down your options by heading to the beer aisle and looking for the blue cans, because it turns out there are three steps to designing non-alcoholic beer packaging. Step one: copy your regular packaging. Step two: colour part of the design in blue. Step three: take the afternoon off.

“ Take a sip and the flavour just evaporates on your tongue. This. Tastes. Of. Nothing.” With all that in mind, we’re on the hunt for drinks that look the part, remind us of the nice elements of a regular beer, and are tasty enough to warrant their existence when cans of Irn-Bru are readily available in every pub in the land. For this challenge, we’ve broken the contenders down into four distinct categories, starting with the lighter end of the spectrum, and the bit that seems like it should be the easiest to ape without alcohol. If a beer doesn’t have a whole lot going on to begin with, there’s only so much damage you can do by making tweaks, right? Well, sort of. Pour out a Heineken 0.0 and it has the same straw colour as a standard mass-market beer, but then take a sip and the flavour just evaporates on your tongue. This. Tastes. Of. Nothing. Things are a bit better with Beck’s Blue; the colour’s a bit more vibrant and the flavour lingers just a little bit longer. There’s a bit of a tang and a pleasing fullness to each swig. We had high hopes for the Clausthaler, a bespoke low-alcohol beer that features a Very Serious and Professional label without a hint of blue on it. It’s super floral, with a flavour that lingers, very specifically, in the jowls. It isn’t too sharp or fizzy, but then it tastes like shower gel so the sharpness is a bit of a moot point. We return to safer ground with the low-alcohol version of Pistonhead Flat Tire

July 2019

Words: Peter Simpson Illustration: Jacky Sheridan

Lager. It looks good – nice shade of yellowbrown – and it actually tastes pretty decent. There’s a nice citric flavour and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. A solid contender. We kick off the ales with two from Dutch low-alcohol brewery Braxzz, their 0.2% Rebel IPA and Orange IPA. The Rebel is what you might politely call a ‘flavour bomb’, while the Orange pairs bitterness with a fruitiness not dissimilar to an iced tea. Much simpler is the Without ale from St. Peter’s brewery, a completely alcohol-free dark ale. It pours to the colour of an old pub table and packs a sweet, fudgy mouthfeel. For a low-alcohol ale that actually tastes pretty damn good, we recommend the 0.5% version of Adnams’ Ghost Ship. It’s a citrus-heavy pale ale but with almost all of the alcohol taken out. In a shocking turn of events, that’s exactly what it tastes like. There’s a nice hint of bitterness, but it’s extremely light and a little bit on the watery side; more of a polite hug than a big dramatic proclamation, but that’s fine by us. With the ales and lagers out of the way, it’s on to the Weissebiers. A classic German beer style, weisses are packed with spicy and banana-adjacent flavours so we have high hopes as we kick off with Erdinger’s alcoholfree offering. Those hopes may have something to do with the fact that one of our tasters absolutely swears by the stuff and is rattling through a short speech on its merits as we crack the bottle open. It’s light but with a little bit of a kick, and a pleasing background fizz that really helps things along. The non-alcoholic beer from Schneider Weisse is slightly darker and more mysterious, and more flavoursome as a result. The flavour lingers a little longer on the palate, which means that it will dry your mouth out like nobody’s business, but that’s a small price to pay. Also, how do you solve a dry mouth? Put liquid into it. What’s that in your hand? Oh, it’s a delicious liquid. Truly, a problem that solves itself. Also tasty is the alcohol-free edition of Franziskaner. It looks like swamp water, but it tastes just like the regular thing – nice and herby, good level of fizz and a very jolly monk on the blue bottle. The final two drinks on the list are wild cards. First up is the 0.5% Raspberry Blitz sour from BrewDog. On pouring, it looks a bit like the kind of drink you’d give a small child in the 90s only for them to spend the next few hours running around the garden in circles. Tastewise, it has the requisite sour funk, but it’s super-duper fizzy. That adds to the sharpness, but there’s a weirdly close mouthfeel to this one, a bit like you’ve just run your tongue along a patch of nettles. Eminently drinkable, providing you like sours in the first place. And if you don’t like sours, boy oh boy is Kopparberg Alcohol Free mixed fruit cider for you. It’s like there’s a party in your mouth, but all of the guests are made of sugar. After two sips, it feels as though we may never sleep again. If you need a non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drink next time you’re out and about, hit the nearest weissebier or track down the Ghost Ship or Flat Tire. And if you feel like that can of Irn-Bru on offer isn’t quite sweet enough, we’ve got just the thing...

FOOD AND DRINK

Lifestyle

Chews Bulletin This month’s events round-up is filled with fancy beers, big ideas and a lot more spray-painting than usual

e kick off with news of Young Folk Doing Good, as the Heriot-Watt brewing and distilling course presents its latest beer under the Natural Selection banner. This year’s beer is a cracker – The Altruist is a raspberry and blackcurrant Berliner Weisse that’s sweet but still packs a sharp tang, and it’s also carbon neutral, which is very nice indeed. 27 Jun from 7pm, Six Degrees North, 24 Howe St, Edinburgh, £10, tickets via naturalselectionbrewing.com First up in July proper is a chance to both consider and quaff as Drinking Coffee, Thinking Coffee brings together the fine coffee folk from Artisan Roast with Edinburgh University’s Philosophy Department for three evenings of bean-powered chat. July’s three sessions each come with a slightly nebulous title – ‘Why we like it?’, ‘Art’ and ‘Time’ – as well as the chance to get stuck into some tasty coffee. 1, 8 and 15 Jul, 6.30-8.30pm, Artisan Roast, 138 Bruntsfield Place, £3, tickets via artisanroast.co.uk

Over in Glasgow, it’s the return of the excellently-titled Glasgow’s West End Beer Festival. 14 bars across the site, loads of beers to taste and brewers to annoy, live music… what more could you want? Nothing. You could want nothing more. 5-6 Jul, various times, Hillhead Sports Club, 32 Hughenden Rd, £8 plus booking fee, tickets via Eventbrite Also returning this month is Vegan Connections festival, Glasgow’s indie celebration of all things plant-based. In its fourth year, VC brings together more than 40 stalls to pack the Briggait with the best of vegan grub. And in the evening, to celebrate veganism’s long-running association with raucous live music, Vegan Connections host a gig featuring Acid Cannibals, IDKID and Bratakus at The Old Hairdressers. 7 Jul, The Briggait and The Old Hairdressers, £3.50-10, tickets via Eventbrite, facebook.com/VeganConnections Next up is the chance to bother some brewers in their own gaff instead of waiting for

West End Beer Festival

Photo: Gabriel Reynolds

them to come to a beer festival, as Top Out Brewery host an open day at their base in Loanhead. Try some beers, ask them about their topographically themed beer bottles, stoke a neighbourhood rivalry with Stewart Brewing at the other end of the road – a standard Saturday afternoon. 13 Jul from 12pm, Dryden Rd, Loanhead, free entry Good news for fans of Belgian beer and paint fumes, as Stonehaven’s own Six Degrees North bring their Street Jam festival of beer, graffiti and assorted arty things to their Edinburgh and Glasgow bars this month. The set-up sees a collection of street artists work together on canvases throughout the day, while you the public stand nearby sipping a delicious beer and marvelling at the handiwork. There’s also a mini art fair, and an open

canvas upon which you can leave your tag. 13 Jul from 2pm, 24 Howe St, Edinburgh; 27 Jul from 2pm, 566 Dumbarton Rd, Glasgow; free entry, sixdnorth.co.uk And finally for July, the Barras Art and Design Centre is filled with beer for the Barras Beer Bash. OK that’s not literally the case (imagine the clean-up), but it’s pretty close, as twenty of the country’s best small breweries will come together to fight it out. OK, that’s not strictly true either; there’ll be beers from each of the breweries to try in an effort to find out which one is best and crown it Beer of the Barras. It’s a real festival of beer, or ‘beer festival’, and we reckon it’s an idea that just might catch on. 26-27 Jul, various times, BAaD, 54 Calton Entry, Glasgow, tickets £8 via TicketTailor

Nailed It!

these, so if you drop it… I don’t know what happens” – and the frequent appearances from stagehands and crew members as extra props in the unfolding carnival. Byer and her co-host, award-winning French pastry chef Jacques Torres, are a brilliant double act. Torres is the straight man, offering helpful baking tips and critiquing the contestants’ technique, while Byer brings an absurd amount of vibrancy and fun to the simple act of sitting behind a desk watching people’s cakes go to shit then consoling them afterwards. Where Nailed It! falls down is when it crosses the line from shambles to stitch-up. Some of the challenges are actually fairly tricky and complicated, and the time constraints on the bakers are borderline unfair at times. If you create the conditions for an absolute fiasco, that’s what you’ll get; see the contestant trying to staple two pieces of fondant together, or the cupcake which falls apart while the judges are critiquing it. But for those moments to land, they really need to come organically as a result of disgusting hubris or unforeseen calamity, rather than as a result of someone just not being very good at making cakes. Still, Nailed It! is a welcome change to much of the foodie competition on our screens, and proof that there’s plenty of joy to be found in simply taking part. [Peter Simpson]

Lifestyle

Photo: Adam Rose/Netflix

Nailed It!

Photo: Adam Rose/Netflix

rrrrr

Nailed It!

Photo: Gabriel Reynolds

Words: Peter Simpson

For as long as we’ve been pitting people against one another for our televisual amusement, there have been TV cookery contests, their contestants impressing us all with their skill and creativity. Nailed It! takes a slightly different tack – this baking competition is all about what happens when people take a big swing at something they have very little chance of hitting. Nailed It!’s format is essentially the same as every other show of its kind. Contestants take part in a small-scale challenge (to establish the contestants’ characters and help build a bit of narrative suspense) followed by a larger, more interesting challenge (where the shit really hits the fan) before a winner can be crowned. The twist here is that the amateur bakers involved really aren’t very good at the craft. It’s basically The Average American Bake Off. It may be a well-worn set-up, but there’s something cheerfully post-modern and anarchic about Nailed It!’s execution. You can find it in the OTT sound effects, and the bizarre challenges faced by our contestants – ‘make a giant puff pastry bust of Napoleon’ isn’t the most absurd challenge set in this third series, and that says a lot. That energy is also present in host Nicole Byer’s references to the show’s streamlined budget – she tells a contestant holding an intricately-detailed cake that “there’s only one of

FOOD AND DRINK

Nailed it! is now streaming on Netflix theskinny.co.uk/food

THE SKINNY

July 2019

THE SKINNY

RE V IE W

The Art of Rebellion We speak to Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis and Jackie Morris about The Lost Words: Spell Songs, and how art and music can form an act of rebellion against climate change

“O

nce upon a time, words began to vanish from the language of children. They disappeared so quietly that at first almost no one noticed – fading away like water on a stone.” In 2007, the Oxford Junior Dictionary began a process of replacing words concerning the natural world with words deemed more relevant in the 21st century. Among the erased were bluebell, dandelion, otter, kingfisher, willow and heron. When Robert Macfarlane published his much-acclaimed book Landmarks in 2015, he included an introduction illustrating how this decision re-edifies an increasing tolerance of the “outdoor and the natural” being replaced by the “indoor and the virtual.” Upon reading this, a spark of inspiration entered the mind of artist and illustrator Jackie Morris. “When the Impressionists first took their paintings to be exhibited they were all rejected, so they had this kind of exhibition of refused paintings,” she says, “and I thought you could do something similar around these words.”

“ In these times when you see people using such ugly language, trying to make things as beautiful as possible can be an act of rebellion”

The idea of a musical adaptation began to take shape when Macfarlane and Morris were approached by Caroline and Adam Slough, directors of Folk by the Oak festival, and coordinators of a variety of collaborative musical projects. In September of last year, they invited Macfarlane, Morris, and a curated group of musicians to the Lake District, to climb mountains and figure out how this project might take form. They were chosen based on a variety of qualities, including a concern for conservation, a love of nature, and generally being ardently talented. Karine Polwart tells us how excited she was at the prospect, having been aware of The Lost Words before being asked to get involved. “I really loved the book and saw the recent exhibition of its work at the Botanics [in Edinburgh],” she says. “I actually performed in the wee space when it opened. It really speaks to a lot of the things I explored in my recent album Wind Resistance, which is all about land and language and how culture is embedded in landscape.” After this initial meeting, it was decided that the album would be both recorded and written as part of a residency in Herefordshire, with Caroline and Adam working out the logistics (and the food), and the musicians bringing the creativity. “Going into that first day I was quite apprehensive about the whole thing,” explains Julie Fowlis. “Knowing that there had been a promise to make an album, and more importantly that there were five sold-out shows already booked, definitely made me feel that pressure. By the time we got together in January we hadn’t written a note, and yet we knew we had to make it work somehow.” Those nerves soon began to settle, though, as the musicians were brought

together the night before the songwriting started. “Caroline and Adam put on this amazing meal of foraged foods by Liz Knight,” explains Fowlis. “It was really amazing, and kind of like an edible reflection of The Lost Words. It brought everyone together, talking and chatting, when it would have been easy to sit and get worked up.” When the musicians woke up the next day, Fowlis explains that “everything just started rolling out of us and it was kind of unstoppable.” The subject matter provided fertile ground for creativity. Polwart leads on opening track Heartwood, written by Macfarlane as part of a protest that took place in Sheffield last year. “Heartwood is rooted in this city-wide uproar about the maintenance of the city’s trees being contracted out to private companies,” she says. “This has led to the indiscriminate chopping down of trees because it’s convenient. That’s really part of the political context for all of this.” Polwart and Fowlis took a lead on The Snow Hare, written about the mountain hare, the only Arctic mammal that resides in Scotland. “I guess [The Snow Hare] is one of the [songs] that most explicitly nods to climate change,” says Polwart. “The snow hare has evolved over vast periods of time to go white in the winter. But then what’s the point of going white if your landscape no longer goes white?” Fowlis explains that her experience of singing in Gaelic means that she’s no stranger to writing about the natural world. “To me it feels totally natural. Gaelic songs are so rooted in the environment around us. There’s that sense of songs being of a place, both geographically and historically. On this project it just became that Robert’s words were the way in. “If you don’t know the word for say a

Interview: Amy Hill

bluebell or a conker, then you don’t see them, they’re not on your radar. Therefore you don’t care for it, you don’t know if it’s gone,” Fowlis continues. “These are big, weighty topics, and yet they’re packaged so simply around the image of a dandelion or an acorn. It’s so beautifully simple, it just whacks you between the eyes.” “The whole book seems to sit on that line between hope and despair,” muses Polwart. “It’s not trying to say that everything’s going to be ok, but it’s more about the generations to come, this idea of being a good ancestor. It’s kind of saying that things might be shit, but if we remember to notice these things and know what they are, and if you speak and sing about them, then you can love and care about them.” “I’ve been told before that it’s all very well doing these books with art and poetry,” says Morris, “but what we need is people out marching on the street, we need anger – time’s running out. And, well, I realised that this is the shape of my anger. A protest doesn’t have to be ugly, you don’t have to shout. And I think in these times when you see people using such ugly language, then trying to make things as beautiful as possible can be an act of rebellion.” “When we’ve performed the songs live, there have been people weeping, and it’s palpable in the room,” says Polwart. “Yet they don’t go away feeling depressed, or sad. It’s a funny feeling, I don’t quite know what it is. But it’s what music does, and it’s one of the most powerful things that music can do.” “It’s the most simple message, but it’s so powerful,” says Fowlis. “Just care for what is there because we can’t ultimately recreate it.” The Lost Words: Spell Songs is released on 12 Jul

Jackie Morris

July 2019

Photo: Elly Lucas

She soon wrote to Macfarlane with her ideas, and the result was 2017’s The Lost Words, a large, captivating book consisting of a series of acrostic poems (“spells”) by Macfarlane, which aspire to summon these words back to life. Each poem is accompanied by a triptych of illustrations by Morris: the first tells us of a world without, the second a calling back, and the third a celebration of return. The reception that followed the book’s release was huge, with a Kickstarter beginning in Scotland that has successfully delivered a copy to every primary school in the country. Now, serving as the birds in the trees of The Lost Words’ forest, the book has been transposed into music. On 12 July The Lost Words: Spell Songs, a collaborative album inspired by the book, will be released. The line-up of artists involved is dizzying with Scottish folk musicians Julie Fowlis, Karine Polwart, Rachel Newton and Kris Drever working alongside London-based composer Kerry Andrew, kora virtuoso Seckou Keita, cellist Beth Porter and multi-instrumentalist Jim Molyneux.

Music

Review

The King of Scotland Savage Mansion’s Craig Angus gets up close and personal with bandmate Romeo Taylor ahead of his release of The Kingdom of Scotland on Lost Map Records

omeo Taylor is the natural meeting point between Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Gary Rhodes and World Wrestling Entertainment’s beloved ‘Attitude Era’, making a mockery of the idea that in music, everything’s been done before and we’re just repeating ourselves. The Coatbridge native is making quite a name for himself with an astonishing live show that demonstrates both his accomplished songcraft and comedic sensibilities. A cross-platform entertainer, he ‘reviews’ burgers, makes omelettes with John Smiths beer and has a penchant for making nightmarish short films and surreal sketches. New single The Kingdom of Scotland was the hit of the festival at Lost Map’s Howlin’ Fling, and is the first release by Pictish Trail’s label that you would file under happy hardcore. This summer he’ll open for Mac DeMarco at the Kelvingrove Bandstand, blow minds at Doune the Rabbit Hole and live tweet from the toilet. What goes on in your mind, Romeo? Craig Angus: Hi, young man. How are you today? Romeo Taylor: I slept in today and just woke from a nightmare where a nasty guy in a shop stopped me from buying a cool Del Boy-style jacket for £5 by pretending he wanted to buy it, then he never actually bought it. Just stood holding it ‘til I left. I’m good apart from this! CA: Tell us a little about your life up until this point? RT: I grew up in Airdrie and Coatbridge. The first house I lived in was once Fred West’s girlfriend’s house on Beechwood Drive. When I was young, I loved The Matrix, making films and WWE. Now, I love The Matrix, making ‘films’ and the prospect of AEW. I’ve been lucky in that, when I was young, my mum and dad always let me do what I want. No pressure to become a lawyer or something shite like that, just happy for me to live my life happily and try to get rich in unrealistic ways instead. I’ve been playing in bands since I was in high school; my first band Laws of Alchemy played grime-influenced nu-metal. I still play in

bands, mainly Herbert Powell and Rapid Tan, and of course we play together in Savage Mansion, but at the moment Romeo Taylor is my main thing. CA: Congratulations on The Kingdom of Scotland – an extremely addictive romp of a song. Is it a political statement? Could this be your pro-independence anthem much like Gerry Cinnamon’s Hope Over Fear? RT: It would be really cool to me if it became a pro-independence anthem. I’m very much pro-independence, as most, if not all of the younger people I know are at this point and have been since we were old enough to know what it meant. Obviously the words of the tune itself don’t really touch on the matter, but it’s not about what I say... it’s about what the people FEEL! I love Scotland and I want what’s best for Scotland. We simply need independence ASAP or else!

“ When I was young, my Mum and Dad always let me do what I want. No pressure to become a lawyer or something shite like that” Romeo Taylor

CA: Where in the Kingdom of Scotland is your favourite place? RT: The Isle of Eigg. I have been to Eigg three times now and it’s definitely the first place I think of. It’s a mad wee island full of dead nice

Romeo Taylor

folk and extremely confident children who absolutely tore me to shreds for having a bad haircut at this year’s Howlin’ Fling [one Lewis Capaldi comparison too many led our subject to give himself a homemade mullet]. It’s a beautiful and peaceful place and I would one day like to live there, once I’m rich and fed up with the city slicker life. I love it! CA: Along with your music, your food-based videos have a cult following online. So, you are having a dinner party and can invite three people. Who do you ask and what would you rustle up? I hope it’s not an egg-based dish... RT: I would make Buffalo wings (using the deep fat fryer my wee sister got me) and ‘Taylor style’ cheeseburgers – which are just trendy smash burgers I copied from YouTube – and chips. The guests I would invite are Bob Pollard from Guided by Voices, my music hero! I would just let him talk for as long as possible,

I would probably annoy him with all the questions I have. I would ask him to teach me to write songs as good as he does, and he would be like ‘I can’t teach you!’ This man loves pints, I would love to see what he thinks of Belhaven Best. Limmy, my comedy hero! Simply put, I have – for most of my life – thought Limmy was the funniest person alive. My cousin Ciar showed me his website when I was about eight, and everything I saw from him onwards really shaped my sense of humour and had a massive influence over everything I’ve done since then. [And] Super Mario. What else can be said about this wee guy other than he’s a legend? Would love to share a burger and chips with the guy... who wouldn’t!? The Kingdom of Scotland is released on 28 Jun via Lost Map Records Romeo Taylor plays Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow, 26 Jun; The Hug & Pint, Glasgow, 28 Jun; Doune the Rabbit Hole, Cardross Estate, Port of Menteith, Stirling, 20 Jul

Review

Photo: Ben Douglas

Savage Mansion

Joan as Police Woman

Joan As Police Woman @ The Pleasance, Edinburgh, 7 Jul; St Luke’s, Glasgow, 9 Jul A prolific artist, Joan Wasser began her career in music as violinist for The Dambuilders, later going on to play with Those Bastard Souls, Black Beetle – a band she created with the remaining members of her boyfriend Jeff Buckley’s band following his death – and Antony and the Johnsons. Since 2006, she’s been releasing music under the name Joan As Police Woman, and following the release of her retrospective Joanthology at the end of May, you can catch her in both Edinburgh and Glasgow this month.

ALL DAY PAL @ The Wash House, Portobello Community Centre, Edinburgh, 13 Jul Our lovely chums at OK PAL Records are throwing their first all dayer this July which they’ve described as a “beachy all day extravaganza”, and it sounds bloody magical! Taking place at The Wash House, throughout the day there’ll be music from Blue Tiger (Mario Cruzado from Plastic Animals’ solo project), Storm the Palace, Hailey Beavis and the majestic Jonnie Common, among others. There’s also a plethora of visual art stalls planned – including one from Faith Eliott – plus DJs, inflatables and games, and you can even screen print your own T-shirt if you like. OK PAL!

Music

Hailey Beavis

Photo: Greg Ryan

Strange Behaviours Summer Party @ Tolbooth, Stirling, 29 Jun Rounding off a month of pop-up events around Stirling city centre to celebrate their fifth birthday, Strange Behaviours return to their home for a multi-stage night of “running about the Tolbooth… catching familiar names and new favourites while you wear out your trainers.” Sounds like a top night to us. Helping them celebrate in style are the following excellent artists: Savage Mansion, LUNIR, Brownbear, CROOQ, L-space, Jonnie Common and Moonsoup. Happy Birthday!

Photo: Allison Michael Orenstein

romeotaylor.bandcamp.com

Do Not Miss

Photo: Stephanie Gibson

Interview: Craig Angus

Gossip

Gossip @ SWG3, Glasgow, 19 Jul Beth Ditto and her knockout party band Gossip first came to prominence with the release of 2006’s Standing in the Way of Control, which can still easily bring a waning dancefloor back to life in 2019. Basically, it’s the epitome of bangers. After calling it quits on Gossip in 2016, Ditto went on to release her debut solo record Fake Sugar the following year, but 2019 sees her getting the band back together to celebrate ten years of Music for Men, meaning they’re hitting the road for what will be their first tour in seven years. Catch them at SWG3.

THE SKINNY

Get Jazzed This year’s Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is shaping up to be one of the most hotly anticipated in years; we select our top picks for the ten-day festival

another artist at the jazz vanguard, harnessing the raw energy of grime, bashment and jungle to create a style of music with serious street appeal. A drummer, composer and producer, he’s collaborated with everyone from Gilles Peterson and Lonnie Liston Smith to Four Tet and Little Simz, while also recently taking up a residency with BBC Radio 1Xtra. Breakout hit Rye Lane Shuffle has proven to be just as adept being played at peak time by DJs in clubs as it is performed by a band in a jazz bar, further emphasising the cross-genre appeal of Boyd’s sound. Moses Boyd Exodus play George Square Spiegeltent, 19 Jul, 7.30pm

Nubiyan Twist Much like Sons of Kemet, Nubiyan Twist represent the new school of British jazz, drawing on everything from soul and reggae to hip-hop and modern dance music – yet still finding a way to conjure up something quintessentially British. Boasting a ten-piece live band that includes a four-piece horn section, two vocalists, electronics and an international rhythm section, the Leeds-born, Londonbased collective might just be the most striking live act you see this year. Nubiyan Twist play George Square Spiegeltent, 13 Jul, 10pm

Ibibio Sound Machine Fronted by Nigerian singer Eno Williams, Ibibio Sound Machine gloriously blend elements of post-punk and electro with West African funk and disco. Reviewing latest album Doko Mien, released back in March, The Guardian wrote: “Ibibio Sound Machine’s trademark sound – a groove-driven melange of styles which also takes in gospel, funk, post and electro-punk and contemporary R’n’B, alongside African polyrhythms, horns and guitar – is lively and luxurious enough for the eight-piece outfit to pursue next-level popularity with their third album.” Ibibio Sound Machine play George Square Spiegeltent, 18 Jul, 9pm

Advance Base @ Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 19 Jul Formerly known as Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, since 2012 Owen Ashworth has been releasing music under his Advance Base moniker. Following on from releasing five albums in ten years as Casiotone, since 2012 he’s already released four as Advance Base. The words “unstoppable music-making machine” spring to mind. Following on from the release of Animal Companionship last September, you can catch Ashworth tonight at Sneaky Pete’s before he heads to the Cardross Estate for an appearance at Doune the Rabbit Hole.

July 2019

Doune the Rabbit Hole @ Cardross Estate, Port of Menteith, Stirlingshire, 19-21 Jul Stirling’s Doune the Rabbit Hole festival is celebrating its tenth birthday this year – Happy Birthday!! – and they’re most certainly doing it in style with a massive family friendly summer blowout. Across the course of the weekend, Doune will offer up a veritable feast of activities, from acrobatics workshops to yoga for kids; there’ll even be a gramophone picnic and a light field art installation. Plus, their music programme is truly exceptional, with John Grant, Battles, Sister Sledge, Kathryn Joseph, Faith Eliott, Kaputt and Free Love all playing.

John Grant

Photo: Shawn Brackbill

Advance Base

Photo: Jeff Marini

Nubiyan Twist

Photo: Blue Laybourne

Moses Boyd Exodus Two-time MOBO winner Moses Boyd is

The New Wave of Scottish Jazz: Graham Costello’s STRATA, Matt Carmichael Quartet Things are looking similarly rosy north of the border, with boundary-pushing sextet Graham Costello’s STRATA doing their best to turn Glasgow into an unlikely jazz hotbed. Costello, a drummer, composer, visual artist and graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, formed STRATA in an attempt to bridge the gap between the DIY and jazz scenes of his hometown. Reviewing their latest album OBELISK, released at the start of the year, we wrote: “...although the bombastic but groove-laden moments could easily become overwhelming, there’s just enough variation in tempo to make sure that the listener can catch their breath. Filled with texture, OBELISK is an hour-long journey that demonstrates all of the most gripping aspects of a rising ensemble.” Meanwhile, fellow Scots prodigal talent comes in the form of the Matt Carmichael Quartet, with 20-year-old saxophonist Carmichael already demonstrating his folk-influenced prowess on last year’s eponymous debut EP. The New Wave of Scottish Jazz takes place at Teviot Row, 13 Jul, 7pm The Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival takes place across various venues in Edinburgh from 12-21 Jul edinburghjazzfestival.com

Ibibio Sound Machine

Jenny Lewis

Jenny Lewis @ The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, 27 Jul Formerly the frontwoman of Rilo Kiley, and a past member of everyone’s favourite one album wonders The Postal Service, Jenny Lewis has had a pretty strong solo career too. She released her fourth solo record On the Line earlier this year, featuring contributions from Beck, Ringo Starr and Ryan Adams: “I hate that he’s on this album,” Lewis confessed in an interview with Pitchfork following the serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Adams. We do too Jenny, we do too, but we still love you and we look forward to seeing you in Edinburgh.

Music

Photo: Dan Wilton

Sons of Kemet Led by visionary saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings, Sons of Kemet are arguably the most important band in jazz today. Drawing

on his Barbadian heritage, Hutchings throws a number of Caribbean rhythms into the melting pot, with the aforementioned Your Queen Is a Reptile LP carving out a new, intrinsically political path that transcends any kind of musical boundary. “I read and think a lot about my positionality within British society from a post-colonial perspective and my artistic license gives me a chance to allow visibility to concepts and ways of seeing/being which might be considered unorthodox to the general public,” is how Hutchings articulated the complex themes underpinning the album to us. Sons of Kemet play George Square Spiegeltent, 14 Jul, 8.30pm

OK Button @ King Tut’s, Glasgow, 28 Jul Back in May it was announced that this year’s King Tut’s Summer Nights festival was expanding from a compact fortnight to SEVEN WEEKS’(!!) worth of shows instead, with gigs taking place most Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It’s certainly ambitious, we’ll give them that. Kicking off on 18 July with Bubbatrees, the first show that has our interest well and truly piqued comes when relative newcomers OK Button are set to take to the famous Tut’s stage. Goodnight Louisa, Talker and Baby Taylah also play.

OK Button

Review

Photo: Neet Mnt Goatess

018 was something of a landmark year for British jazz. We Out Here, a nine-track compilation released on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood Recordings imprint, introduced the blossoming London jazz scene to a youthful new audience more in tune with club culture. The Guardian ran an extensive feature inviting its readers to “meet the [jazz] musicians rewriting the rulebook”, while Your Queen Is a Reptile, the third studio album from Mercury Prize-nominated four-piece Sons of Kemet, finished the year at number one on The Wire’s Top 50 Albums of 2018 list – hailed by music journalist and jazz buff Phil Freeman as a “musical juggernaut designed to hammer home the black immigrant experience.” With things showing no signs of letting up in 2019, this year’s Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival is shaping up to be one of the most hotly anticipated in years. Established in 1978 by banjo player and guitarist Mike Hart, the festival has evolved somewhat over the past four decades; with that in mind, we take a closer look at this year's impressive Cross the Tracks strand, selecting our top picks for the ten-day festival.

Photo: Autumn de Wilde

Words: Michael Lawson

Album of the Month Ada Lea

what we say in private [4AD, 19 Jul]

rrrrr

rrrrr Shite rrrrr Boring rrrrr Solid

what we say in private guides in its humanlike, hyperreal qualities, as Alexandra Levy’s sultry smooth bedroom pop is meshed against excerpts from voice memos and lo-fi recordings of nature’s ambience. Her debut record under the moniker Ada Lea is a winter born companion, delivered to soften the sickly nostalgia that we find in our summer. The record is paradoxical; sun and moon, dark and light. Levy’s lyrics offer a silken nuance on the human condition, where that condition is despair. Her sound is delicately unique: soft and sombre. She hints towards despair as her waxing lyricism dances through the record’s soundscape that is best described as dark disco. Even the guitar solo that draws wild heart to a close carries such emphatic emotion that matches her croons. 180 days affirms itself as the record’s most enchanting track. “Smash your head on the pavement”, Levy laments tenderly, “just to feel near to something new”. Her delivery of such sentiments returns to this concept of

Trash Kit

rrrrr

Following on from 2014’s Untune and 2016’s Undone, Uncovered marks the closing of a trilogy for Zamilska, charting her development from burgeoning talent to established artist, and it’s tenser and more haunting than her previous works. A genuinely bracing record, it’s full of muffled sounds and cramped spaces. Built around a machine-like synthetic bounce, Hospital is wrought with a spectral tension, its kick mutating from a dulled mechanical thud to a more cacophonous slap as the whole soundscape gets thicker and more claustrophobic. Front manages to combine the album’s heaviest drums and some truly ghostly vocals. Even lead single Hollow, probably the album’s least dissonant moment, is writ through with a pulsing murk, and her lyrics, which appear on a couple of tracks, are full of a skeletal hushed menace. Interspersed within the more familiar techno tunes are shorter, largely beatless vignettes, pieces that ratchet tension in a more subdued manner. However, they never feel like filler as these shorter pieces so often can; they all contribute to the album’s weighty, malevolent atmosphere. Uncovered is far from a pleasant listen, actively unsettling for the most part, but it clings to you like little else this year. A true soundtrack for these paranoid times. [Joe Creely] Listen to: Hollow, Back, Still

Review

paradox, as her dealings with despair render the record beautifully cathartic. for real now (not pretend) continues this trend. Unsure as her claims that “Today is gonna be a good day” are the textures that lead the track to its spiralling climax of synth-laden mutterings, finding clarity in chaos. Levy, the visual artist, unfolds her relationship with colour through the party, as she laments: “The moon was a strange shade of green / Orange, was I wrong? / Because I couldn’t tell the difference at all”. As such, the record in parts is autumnal, Levy’s palette composed of the warmest auburn, in others we find this sense of warmth polarized. In the depth of its humanness what we say in private teases the surreal; the honesty of Levy’s lyricism finds itself embossed with the catcalls of nature, culminating in a sense of the ethereal. just one, please rests as the richest example of this, as samples of birdsong are married with mournful scratches of guitar strings. With a multi-layered

Zamilska

Uncovered [Untuned Records, 19 Jul]

rrrrr Brilliant rrrrr Life-changing

Ada Lea

narrative, Levy sings between abstract and Auto-Tuned clippings of her purchasing a dove, and in this proves the success of her experimentalist artistry. By welcoming the world into her record, Alexandra Levy has created something much

The Soft Cavalry

Horizon [Upset the Rhythm, 5 Jul]

The Soft Cavalry [Bella Union, 5 Jul]

rrrrr

London trio Trash Kit are celebrating their tenth birthday this year, though the slow-burning nature of their output suggests otherwise. Their third album Horizon continues the leaps and bounds they made between the scrappy post-punk idealism of 2010’s self-titled record and 2014’s worldview-expanding Confidence. Given its members’ other commitments in Sacred Paws, Shopping, Bas Jan and Bamboo, however, the band’s slower approach makes sense. Regardless, Rachel Aggs’ success with Sacred Paws and Shopping appears to have directly informed the ambition and scope on Horizon, as they complete their butterfly transformation with a deeply satisfying and rewarding piece of work. Expanding on Afrobeat rhythms, their willingness to expand their sounds with strings, brass and synths only makes things all the more enticing. Opener Coasting is a gorgeous starting point, an initially understated track that subtly grows until it washes away in a sea of violins. Meanwhile, Every Second shows the band’s more immediate tendencies are still prevalent, while the album’s heart lies in the one-two punches of Get Out of Bed and the expansive jazz-influenced Disco. The melancholia that underpins Trash Kit’s music remains while they expand their palette, resulting in an impressive piece of work. [Adam Turner-Heffer] Listen to: Coasting, Every Second

“If only I could change the way I count” sings Steve Clarke on album closer The Ever Turning Wheel. It’s a revelatory lyric; a peek at inner monologue, the metronomic mechanics of self and an indication of the record’s texture. It's an adult listen – the paradox of being a grownup, where we’re all supposed to know what it is we’re doing, but few of us actually do. The Soft Cavalry is a husband and wife affair, with Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell alongside Clarke. A similar, vernal undercurrent to her ‘day-job’ outfit, perhaps, but The Soft

Tycho

Weather [Ninja Tune, 12 Jul]

rrrrr

Fresh from picking up a Grammy nod for 2016’s Billboard-topping Epoch, Tycho, the San Francisco-based electronic music project led by Scott Hansen, return with their fifth studio album, featuring vocals from Hannah Cottrell, aka Saint Sinner. Opener Easy sees Cottrell nudge her way gently into the track over an earworm of a minor key synth riff, while Into the Woods summons the globetrotting sounds of Gold Panda, a distant heat haze flooding the mix as if you’re sat watching the sun go down on

RECORDS

more whole and warm than perhaps it might have been. [Bethany Davison] Listen to: 180 days, wild heart, for real now (not pretend)

Cavalry’s latticework features much besides; tidal hooks and obtuse, unexpected chord structures (The Velvet Fog, Dive) framed against moments of backlit, butterfly grace on tracks such as recent single Bulletproof or the Goswell-led Passerby. Musically there’s a surprising amount going on; swathes of piano, brooding synth, woodwind, eidetic guitar, a late 90s rock vibe subjugated by the intelligence of its songcraft and the confidence to be itself. The album’s highlight is undoubtedly The Ever Turning Wheel, flexing through the contours of the epic finale without ever appearing sticky or over-earnest. A track whose presence is indicative of the record as a whole: tender, considered, personal. [Duncan Harman] Listen to: Bulletproof, The Velvet Fog some tropical island. While lyrically Cottrell can sometimes swing and miss (“You’ve been asking all about my diet / Daily I find the time to be quiet” probably isn’t in the running for a Pulitzer), she’s great at summoning sultry warm evenings, cooing over skittering percussion on Pink & Blue and dispatching a cool travelogue on Japan. After 13 years in which Tycho has grown from a part-time solo project into a Billboardcharting success story, Weather sees Hansen and co teasing out some new strands to their winning formula of blissful electronics. At just eight low stress tracks, this isn’t so much a headlong dash for horizons new as it is a gentle evolution, but you could do far worse than kick back and enjoy the weather. [Max Sefton] Listen to: Skate, Easy

THE SKINNY

The Best Albums of 2019 So Far In a year where Scottish wunderkind Lewis Capaldi has dominated the charts, we polled our writers for their favourite albums of 2019 so far and here’s what they’ve decided

#10: Carly Rae Jepsen – Dedicated [Schoolboy / Interscope, 17 May] When you’re smitten, four years is a long time to wait. Yet that’s been the plight of the army of pop lovers, sad indie lads and previouslyjaded music critics caught in the wake of Carly Rae Jepsen’s fantastic synth-pop opus E•MO•TION. The good news is that CRJ’s fourth full-length album is, for the most part, well worth the wait. While there’s nothing with the immediate ‘wow’ of I Really Like You or Run Away With Me, Dedicated is packed with the sort of earworms that burrow into your subconscious, only to burst free later in a hail of bus stop humming and unaccompanied impromptu karaoke. [Peter Simpson] #9: Weyes Blood – Titanic Rising [Sub Pop, 5 Apr] On her fourth album as Weyes Blood, Natalie Mering makes the apocalypse sound strangely inviting. An album of two halves, Mering’s soaring, haunting vocals are enough to carry Titanic Rising alone, but accompanied early on by piano-led melodies and glorious string sections then later by more experimental, electronic soundscapes, the brilliance of the songs are emphasised. Cinematic and epic in scale, yet inherently intimate, on the album Mering tackles topical issues like climate change, emotional disconnect and the impact of changing technologies on modern existence. [Nadia Younes] #8: Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow [Jagjaguwar, 18 Jan] Veering away from the guitar-driven sad indie rock anthems that permeated her previous records, on Remind Me Tomorrow Sharon Van Etten experiments with more electronic sounds, and instead of writing songs that focus on themes of heartbreak and despair, the songs here are more upbeat and reflective, detailing her newfound contentment. While many Sharon Van Etten fans may be disappointed by the lack of sadness and darkness

July 2019

on Remind Me Tomorrow, there are still elements of both in the album’s undertones, with a hopefulness and sense of promise that suits her just as well. [NY] #7: James Blake – Assume form [Polydor Records, 18 Jan] At its bleeding heart, James Blake’s Assume Form is a love letter to his girlfriend. The producer, known for his insular songwriting, bares all on an album that toes the line between tender and mushy. The glacial electronics of his 2016 record The Colour in Anything are gone, melted into a pool of dreamy pads, fragile strings and soft organ chords. At last allowing himself to be vulnerable, Blake has made the most romantic album of the year. [Alexander Smail] #6: The Japanese House – Good at Falling [Dirty Hit, 1 Mar] Good at Falling is the long-awaited debut LP from Amber Bain’s The Japanese House, a deeply personal account of love and loss set against a soothing electronic soundscape; a lucid dream, it’s tumultuous and tender, steeped in self-reflection, self-appreciation, and self-growth. Good at Falling has a feeling of the relief that comes after crying. It takes a moment to sit in sorrow, to feel every inch of it, only to find it washed away by hope and gratitude. [Katie Cutforth] #5: The National – I Am Easy to Find [4AD, 17 May] I Am Easy to Find is an album defined by compositional daring and a wholehearted embrace of the spirit of collaboration. The National have never wanted for sparkling supporting casts, but here they take the courageous step of sharing top billing with a slew of illustrious peers. Matt Berninger is the band’s lead vocalist and yet it only feels as if he actually takes on lead vocals on two tracks. Every other song sees at least one featured vocalist afforded so much prominence as to

effectively turn the tracks into duets, or trios, or choruses. [Joe Goggins] #4: Julia Jacklin – Crushing [Transgressive, 22 Feb] On her debut album Don’t Let the Kids Win, Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin framed a quarter-life crisis in stinging alt-country tones. The title of her new record Crushing gives a glimpse into the refined atmosphere she sets to conjure this time round. Building on the mood of her debut, it explores differing aspects of love and heartbreak that are often quietly devastating. Remarkably generous in its open nature, it further cements Jacklin’s place as a future alt-country great. [Eugenie Johnson] #3: Lizzo – Cuz I Love You [Nice Life / Atlantic Records, 19 Apr] Believe it or not Melissa Viviane Jefferson, aka Lizzo, has been releasing bangers since 2013 when she burst onto the underground hip-hop scene with Batches and Cookies taken from her debut album, the aptly titled Lizzobangers. 2015 then saw her release Big Grrrl Small World, continuing to go relatively under the radar until the release of Boys in 2018, which astoundingly still failed to chart in most countries. With Cuz I Love You Lizzo is finally getting the recognition she deserves as she sings about female empowerment, the importance of self-love, self-worth and body positivity. All hail Queen Lizzo. [Tallah Brash] #2: Big Thief – U.F.O.F. [4AD, 3 May] As their lives become more intertwined, this naturally informs the music Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, Max Oleartchik and James Krivchenia make as Big Thief, and the four consider U.F.O.F. (the second F stands for friend) their “first record as a fully realized band.” More restless and abstract than their previous records, Krivchenia’s hypnotic drumming consistently sounds as though it’s

RECORDS

Words: The Skinny Music Team

on the verge of either collapsing into ruin or kicking things up a gear. On U.F.O.F. Big Thief lead us gently from the beaten path and into the wilderness. There are lessons to be learned underwater, in the cold and among the shadows. [Fraser MacIntyre] #1: Solange – When I Get Home [Columbia, 1 Mar] The latest album from the younger Knowles sister serves as a love letter to her native Houston, but When I Get Home doesn’t feel like an album in the traditional sense. Instead of following a typical album structure, Solange’s surprise-released, self-produced fourth album sounds more like a free-flowing journey of stream-of-consciousness ideas. This doesn’t prohibit it from carrying all the weight of Solange’s continuing explorations of black history and womanhood though, in fact the potency of her lyrics is exaggerated by the record’s expansive exploration of genre. [NY] theskinny.co.uk/music

THE REST OF THE TOP 20 #11: American Football – American Football (LP3) #12: Holly Herndon – PROTO #13: The Twilight Sad – IT WON/T BE LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME #14: Tyler, the Creator – IGOR #15: Fat White Family – Serfs Up! #16: Show Me the Body – Dog Whistle #17: Fontaines D.C. – Dogrel #18: Jessica Pratt – Quiet Signs #19: Siobhan Wilson – The Departure #20: Vampire Weekend – Father of the Bride

Review

Basic Instinct Ahead of releasing More Fyah, the accompanying soundtrack to futuristic stage show KID_X, we speak to Glasgow’s Mungo’s Hi Fi and Bristol-based MC Eva Lazarus

ass is the only truly universal language, and it’s what has fuelled the outernational adventures of Mungo’s Hi Fi for almost two decades now. An inspirational sub-low force, their reggae-centric experiments with wobble have stormed festivals across the globe, working with everyone from underground heroes to Jamaican dancehall legends in the process. The Glasgow collective’s latest project might just be their most ambitious to date. New album More Fyah – incoming via their own Scotch Bonnet imprint – is paired to the stage show KID_X, a timely dissection of social media and technologically driven dystopia crafted alongside Bassline Circus. Collaboration, it seems, is key. More Fyah is voiced by Eva Lazarus, the Bristol-based vocalist who also takes the lead role in KID_X. The two were brought together by the bass ley line that stems from Glasgow to Bristol, and Eva Lazarus is very much a kindred spirit in the Mungo’s Hi Fi universe. “You find your tribe,” she smiles, opening up to The Skinny. “They aren’t one dimensional. They’re just

really comfortable in experimentation, and finding what’s good.” Mungo’s spotted Lazarus onstage two years ago and she was immediately made at home among the Glasgow crew. The two share a similar vibe, with repeated journeys to their Glasgow studio helping her to immerse herself in Caledonian dub abstraction. “Both cities like to party,” laughs Mungo’s Hi Fi selector Craig MacLeod. “I would say we all feel as at home in Bristol as we do in Glasgow, in many ways. In terms of the people there, the reactions of the crowd and just the general up-for-it atmosphere… always!” Switching between live sets and studio sessions, work on More Fyah has been ongoing for around 18 months. But it took the introduction of stage show KID_X to allow the project to truly find its focus – essentially a reworking of Mathias Malzieu’s novel The Boy with the Cuckoo-Clock Heart, it blasts the roots of Mungo’s deep into the future. Tom Tattersall of the Glasgow crew was immediately impressed. “When they told us the

idea for the project, a futuristic world and a love story between avatars, and having a virtual dancehall… it just sounded really interesting!” Macleod adds: “The album actually started before the stage show came about. Once that came into the mix the two things kind of merged naturally, and for us it gave us an extra element of something different we’d never tried before, which was really quite exciting.”

“ Every good rave needs a bad gyal! Every single one!” Eva Lazarus

A multifaceted object in its own right, More Fyah could well be the most advanced, intricate and varied album Mungo’s Hi Fi have completed. Lazarus pushes them in a huge number of directions – whether that’s the driving hip-hop beat of Gasoline, the ragga energy of Bad Gyal or the way Babylon Raid samples the voice of reggae great Max Romeo, it’s an absolute feast that gorges on the full weight of the bass spectrum. It’s an eclecticism that is close to Lazarus’ heart. “Even though there is a diverse range of sounds on More Fyah they’re all from the same world,” she explains. “They’re relatives – they’re cousins, brothers and sisters. “From the roots of reggae and dub – and all of the things that it stands for – right out to the branches of where it’s gone and where it’s going to. All of those things are on the record to a greater or lesser degree. I feel like we’ve explored all of these aspects of what this culture is and I want people to be able to explore that with us.” But while Mungo’s Hi Fi have traditionally rocked the party – check out 2014’s outrageous full length Serious Time for some truly inspired riddims – this new album is permeated by threads of paranoia, distraction and dystopia. It’s a righteous affair, for sure, but that doesn’t mean the darkness of the outside world can be discarded, especially given the link between More Fyah and KID_X. “I think the energy of what Mungo’s Hi Fi do with their productions suits this future tech world really well,” Lazarus comments. “It’s fierce, and in some parts really dark, and that’s this story – it’s very future, it’s very dark and, in parts, quite funny. I’m proud of this work.”

Interview: Robin Murray

Working from their Glasgow base, Mungo’s Hi Fi road-tested More Fyah in their sets, tweaking it on one of the country’s best sound systems. That energy seeps into the album itself – whether that’s Lazarus’ soulful approach on Amsterdam or the darkness of Warrior Code. “It’s a reflection of a modern day nightclub, where genres are mixed up a lot more,” says Tattersall. “I think people are more used to hearing a mix of stuff these days and we want to reflect that with our music. As much as we’re reggae, we definitely don’t feel we have to be pigeonholed that way. It can be quite nice and surprising in a dance – sticking to the same theme but very slightly spinning it, making it a bit more party vibes, and people definitely respond positively to that.” An eclectic, emphatically creative experience, More Fyah has an unfathomable volume of party vibes. Take Bad Gyal, with its anthemic cry set to resonate across festivals and free parties all summer. The mere mention of the song sends Lazarus into hysterics: “Listen, every good rave needs a bad gyal! Every single one! “I’ve always listened to bass music,” she continues. “My mum is a junglist. I always had that sound in my home. It’s actually part of the reason why I moved to Bristol, because of the music that I listened to at home. I was like, ‘I’m going to go and find my people!’ It was everything that I hoped it would be and more.” The bond between Eva Lazarus and Mungo’s Hi Fi resonates on a deeper level, a sound system relationship sparked by a very pure love of music. It’s that bass quality that bonds them together, something that long ago grabbed hold of their imaginations. “It’s a physical thing,” shrugs Macleod. “Whether you’re into the music or not, you can’t help but feel those bass aspects physically on your body.” “It’s the first thing you notice about a track,” Tattersall agrees. “If you’re approaching a free party or a festival, the first thing you hear is the throb of bass and it always gets a bit of excitement going, knowing that around that bass is going to be a crowd of people and good vibes.” With More Fyah, Mungo’s Hi Fi and Eva Lazarus have ignited an inferno – battling against tech conspiracies with little more than music, and the power of bass. More Fyah is released on 19 Jul via Scotch Bonnet Records KID_X takes place at Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh, 20-25 Aug facebook.com/mungoshifi

Eva Lazarus

Review

Music

THE SKINNY

July 2019

Review

B2B: Nightwave x Nathan Fake Ahead of both their sets at Kelburn Garden Party this month, close friends Nightwave and Nathan Fake have a B2B chat about their respective musical careers

s Kelburn Garden Party returns to the glorious surrounds of Kelburn Castle this month, it continues to be one of the most exciting festivals in Scotland, and this year’s line-up is once again packed with a diverse range of musical acts. On the Saturday of the festival, we take over the Pyramid Stage once again, with a headline set from electro-pop duo Bossy Love and performances from the likes of Callum Easter, Heir of the Cursed, Maranta and Makeness. Elsewhere, there are other stage takeovers from Optimo Music, Rebecca Vasmant’s Era Suite, Wee Dub Festival and more, with further performances across the weekend from the likes of Leftfield (DJ set), former Noisettes frontwoman Shingai and The Allergies. On the electronic side of things, just two of the acts performing include Slovenian-born, Glasgow-based DJ Maya Medvesek, aka Nightwave, playing a DJ set and London-based Ninja Tune signee Nathan Fake, who brings his exhilarating live set to the festival. The pair are close friends and have been strong supporters of each other’s work over the years, with Medvesek including one of Fake’s tracks in her recent Crack Mix, so we asked them to have a B2B chat about their musical careers ahead of their sets at the festival.

Nightwave: How did you get into electronic music and what inspired you to start creating? Nathan Fake: I was basically listening to music as a kid and also figuring out how to play tunes on my keyboard, then learning in a very amateur way how to make tunes – buying a cheap drum machine and sampler. You’re well known for your epic live sets but you’re also a great DJ – what’s your favourite stuff to play? I feel like my DJ sets are quite novelty. I play a lot of quite old techno and house stuff, with some more recent stuff. I like anything that’s quite heavy and emotional, and I’m quite particular about the drums in stuff. I like to throw the odd weird thing in here and there but they don’t always go down that well. Where’s your favourite place to play and why? Any memorable experiences? I don’t have a single favourite place to play, but whenever I’ve played in Japan it’s been amazing; people are so responsive there. Also, coincidentally, Glasgow is always so good. I feel like people really get my music there, so much more than anywhere else in the UK. Also, Italy and Holland are among my favourite European countries to play.

Nathan Fake

What would be your alternative career to music? I literally have no idea. I’m really into geography and languages, so maybe a teacher? How boring! I don’t know. Or I’d run a little cafe somewhere.

“ I do love a fullon party DJ set where I can go all out with trippy, euphoric and high-energy tunes, but I also like to play slower sets and take the crowd on a different kind of journey” Nightwave

Nightwave

Review

Nathan Fake: What music did you grow up listening to? What stuff really got you into DJing and making music? Nightwave: My dad was in a popular Yugoslavian band, and my mum and I traveled about with them a lot so music’s been with me since day one. At home they played a lot of disco, jazz and funk. Later on, in the 90s, it was actually happy hardcore and Scooter (you

CLUBS

Photo: Timothy Saccenti

Interview: Nadia Younes

know I still love them!) that got me into electronic music and rave culture. I then started learning about techno, acid, house, electro and became obsessed with it. It was when I first heard Trax on Da Rocks by Thomas Bangalter that I decided I want to learn to DJ, make music and make other people dance. How would you describe your DJing style? I’d say it’s like total party vibes but very tasteful! I do love a full on party DJ set where I can go all out with trippy, euphoric and high-energy tunes, but I also like to play slower sets and take the crowd on a different kind of journey. I love to play music with emotion and I’m not shy to drop in the odd vocal classic. I used to experiment a lot more with mixing genres but at the moment I’m feeling kind of settled in a ravey club music hybrid. Where’s the weirdest place you’ve DJed? There have been a few random ones, but a disused Victorian public toilet is one that springs to mind. Did growing up in Slovenia influence your music at all, or were you always kind of looking beyond there music-wise? The scene in Ljubljana was fantastic back then. It was all about Detroit and Chicago music but also electro, D’n’B and jungle; the clubs were my education. Apart from that, my window into the global scene was GROOVE-Magazin (print obviously) and I read that religiously. We only had one record shop in town, so I used to just hang around there as a teenager which in hindsight was a bit odd! My move to London got me into dubstep, grime and garage, and that had a big effect on me as well. Nightwave plays The Landing stage, Kelburn Garden Party, 6 Jul; Nathan Fake plays The Landing stage, Kelburn Garden Party, 7 Jul Kelburn Garden Party takes place at Kelburn Castle, near Largs, 5-7 Jul

THE SKINNY

Ain’t No Party Like An elrow Party Clubbing extravaganza elrow Town makes its Scottish debut at Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre this month, bringing with it all its usual weird and wonderful themes. Creative producer Zoë Wellman explains how these themes come to fruition

iant babies and chopsticks, walking showers and dancing dragons; these are just a few of the wacky characters you’ll be able to see roaming around Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre as elrow Town makes its Scottish debut in the capital this month.

“ We wanted to give people the most immersive experience imaginable – a chance for our audience to think about which elrow world they wanted to be a part of” Zoë Wellman

Following elrow’s official Scottish debut at the same venue back in 2017 with its Halloween Haunted House event, which saw sets from the

likes of Richy Ahmed, The 2 Bears and Mall Grab, the festival’s organisers will be bringing its elrow Town series north of the border for the first time on Saturday 27 July. Well known for its madcap themes and wild sights, the festival is a clubbing experience unlike any other and has won numerous awards for its various strands, with the London edition of elrow Town most recently winning the award for Best Festival Production at the 2018 UK Festival Awards. “Our dream has always been to see all of our themes in one place,” says creative producer Zoë Wellman. “We wanted to give people the most immersive experience imaginable – a chance for our audience to think about which elrow world they wanted to be a part of,” she continues. “Every year we want to make sure we are offering our audiences a new experience, so we try to use themes that haven’t been seen at the festivals yet. elrow’s lead creatives come together to discuss which of the remaining themes could be blown up to have the most impact in a festival environment and a final selection is made.” The Edinburgh edition of elrow Town will be headlined by British electronic duo CamelPhat, with the line-up also featuring a DJ set from Basement Jaxx and further sets from elrow regulars Detlef, Joris Voorn and Paco Osuna. Meanwhile, performance collective Little Gay Brother take charge of the Absolut Pink Cathedral, bringing their queer rave to

the festival, while satirical online publication Wunderground host the Rescue Stage, following a recent outing at Terminal V’s spring party, The Rising. As for the festival’s themes, the outdoor stage will centre around the Singermorning theme, with stilt walkers, inflatable games and activities, while the indoor stage, held in the warehouse, will feature ping-pong players, karaoke and sumo wrestlers, following the Chinese Row Year theme. “Singermorning is created around a comic book full of crazy characters called Cantamañana. It’s about not worrying about yesterday or thinking about tomorrow, but living in the now,” says Wellman. “We felt for all festivalgoers that this is something that they can relate to – the feeling of letting go and being free. “There are many crazy, fun games that

Interview: Nadia Younes

can be played, where revellers can win Singermorning money for some hilarious prizes. It’s a real wild ride,” she adds. “With the Chinese Row Year theme, we allow our audience to celebrate with that special New Year feeling every time… Expect the unexpected because nothing is quite as it seems.” With 18 themes in total and more currently in the pipeline, elrow’s creative team are constantly pushing themselves to develop new and exciting ideas for their upcoming festivals. “The new Rowmudas stage is mind-blowing,” says Wellman. “Our newest theme, Growenlandia, is also a favourite, as each year we are growing bigger and better, continually striving to create an elevated experience.” elrow Town takes place at Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, 27 Jul

Club, Actually Test your stamina with back to back Edinburgh/Glasgow parties at the start and end of the month, and pick from one of two in either city halfway through Overground: Borai The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, 5 Jul Before Bongo closes for the Fringe, with Underbelly taking over the venue throughout August, they’ve got some cracking parties up their sleeve, including this one from Edinburgh promoters Overground. They’ve invited Bristol-based Boris English, who goes by the much more dance music friendly alias of Borai, and whose massive 2018 track Make Me with Denham Audio finally received a full release in April. The track, which made it on to Mixmag’s Top 20 Tracks of the Year list last year, samples Donna Allen’s 1986 single Serious and transforms it into a 90s rave banger. Melting Pot with Floating Points Queen’s Park Arena, Glasgow, 6 Jul For the first in a string of parties from Melting Pot in collaboration with Heverlee at Glasgow’s Queen’s Park Arena this summer, they’re well and truly kicking things off with a bang. Sam Shepherd, aka Floating Points, is undoubtedly one of the most exciting DJs around, whose DJ sets and own productions explore all realms of dance music and are completely without boundaries. He’ll kick things off at the start of the month, before a Queens Park Disco Sessions party and a headline set from Gilles Peterson later in the month.

July 2019

Words: Nadia Younes Illustration: Joren Joshua

Telfort’s Good Place: Cinthie Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, 19 Jul Edinburgh producer and Lionoil affiliate Telfort returns to Sneaks this month to bring you even more lovely dancefloor fun. This time, he’s bringing along Berlin-based DJ and producer, and queen of multi-tasking, Cinthie. Just one of the many record labels she helps run includes 803 Crystal Grooves, which she launched last year as a platform to release her own productions, along with *deep breath* Beste Modus, Unison Wax, Beste Freunde and we _r house, as well as assisting in running record store Elevate.

Bigfoot’s Tea Party with Powder Lunacy Module, Glasgow, 26 Jul Tokyo-based Momoko Goto began her DJing career juggling a day job working for an electronics company in Shinjuku with playing in clubs at night. Now in a more flexible day job, Goto, who DJs and makes music under the name Powder, is able to travel further afield and take her music across the world. Bigfoot’s Tea Party have seized the opportunity and are bringing her to Glasgow this month for a late night party at the secretive Lunacy Module, with proceedings kicking off at midnight and running straight through until 8am.

Mind Yer Self: Mafalda The Berkeley Suite, Glasgow, 19 Jul You’ve probably spotted Mafalda’s name on many a festival line-up this summer, including Primavera, Kala, Lost Village, Dimensions and even Glastonbury. A former fashion designer from Porto, Portugal, Mafalda moved to London to pursue a career in music five years ago and has since completely immersed herself in the UK club scene. With her Red Bull Radio show, Tropic of Love, she explores the sounds of modern jazz, soul and rare groove from the UK and worldwide, demonstrating her immense knowledge of global music.

Pulse x Overground: Manni Dee & Forward Strategy Group The Mash House, Edinburgh, 27 Jul Pulse and Overground are not shy of a collaboration, and for their latest joint party they’re bringing Manni Dee to the capital for his Edinburgh debut, alongside Leeds via Edinburgh duo Forward Strategy Group. As well as releasing tracks on renowned techno imprints like Tresor and Perc Trax as Manni Dee over the years, he also releases ambient music under his Nuances alias, if you’re looking for something a bit more chilled to ease your way into his back catalogue.

CLUBS

Review

Sweet Home

By Wendy Erskine

rrrrr Wendy Erskine’s short story collection Sweet Home is populated with very ordinary people, ordinary actions, the minutia of the everyday that in someone else’s hands may seem dull. In Erskine’s, however, small actions open the door to her characters and, in doing so,

become real enough to stay with you for days. In the quietly humorous Last Supper, a café’s future hangs in the balance when staff are caught in a compromising position. There are hints to the troubled back stories of each character but nothing obvious. Its conclusion is a delightful resignation of their situation, which proves very recognisable. In the title story, a middle class couple move to a town in which she, an architect, has designed the community centre. The relationship with their gardener is unusual from the start but a later incident increases tension so palpable the reader will feel as if they are spiralling out of control as much as the characters. Each story brings something new, an insight into lives that seem completely ordinary, but are shadowed by larger issues that ultimately shape the world and characters. Each re-read delivers new facets of the story; different takes on society, on class, even a new view on your own actions. Erskine has created snapshots of life that force the reader to see the whole picture. [Rebecca Smith] Picador, 27 Jun, £12.99 panmacmillan.com/authors/wendy-erskine/sweet-home

Rhyme Watch Before the Fringe swamps us all, take a peek at our pick of July's new releases, publication launches and spoken word events Words: Beth Cochrane

n what may be a first, it’s a delight to announce Scotland’s first poetry pamphlet that’s inspired by the well-known business and professional networking social media platform: LinkedIn. Ross McCleary’s Endorse Me, You Cowards! takes inspiration from the platform and seven years worth of office temping jobs. The pamphlet is full of stunning concrete poetry, interview tips and pieces of writing which deny the page to stage divide. Coming out with Stewed Rhubarb on 26 July, the launch will take place in Edinburgh’s Lighthouse bookshop. Staying with news in spoken word publishing, Kevin P. Gilday will be releasing his Sad Songs for White Boys with Speculative Books this month (just in time to promote alongside his upcoming Fringe show, Suffering from Scottishness). The collection spans Kevin’s work from 2010 to 2020 – that’s ten years worth of poetry in one collection, one of which hasn’t even happened yet. Kevin doesn’t just look back though, but also into the future: where will Scotland be at the end of this decade? Sad Song for White Boys is launching on 16 July at Inn Deep, Glasgow. And the launches keep coming, this time with a slightly different event. Blackwells Edinburgh will be hosting WITCH: An Evening of Poetry and Zines with Rebecca Tamás. The event, of course, is celebrating the launch of Rebecca’s new collection WITCH, but her reading and conversation (chaired by Helena Fornells) will be followed by a spell zines workshop. Led by the Edinburgh Zine Library, materials will be provided but attendees are encouraged to bring along any poetry, illustrations or similar to use. WITCH is Rebecca’s first full collection, following her three pamphlets, The Ophelia Letters, Savage and Tiger. She is also the co-editor of the

Review

The Sun on My Head By Geovani Martins (translated by Julia Sanches)

Water Shall Refuse Them By Lucie McKnight Hardy

rrrrr

From Brazilian author Geovani Martins comes his debut The Sun on My Head, a short story collection exploring the realities of life in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. The stories work together to paint an overall image of life on the fringes of the city, showcasing the poverty, toxic masculinity, corruption, but above all the resilience which underlies the lives of the young men growing up in the city’s underbelly. Despite the common circumstances these men face, Martins highlights their individuality: the draw Paulo feels towards his father’s gun, young Breno’s wonderment at a butterfly, the sense of togetherness drug use brings to Felipe and his friends. Together, they may weave one tapestry, but Martins shines a light on the wealth of individual experience within Rio’s underclasses. With the subject matter at hand the outcome could seem so bleak, yet Martins’ writing injects the vibrant colours of Rio into these poverty-infused narratives. Part of this comes down to the way he uses language to evoke the natural slang of the favelas in certain stories. His writing is almost reminiscent of Scottish authors like James Kelman and Irvine Welsh, representing their lives in the language they themselves speak. Rio may be a long way from Edinburgh and Glasgow, but suddenly it doesn’t seem quite so far. [Emily Hay]

It’s the heatwave of 1976 and, struggling with grief after her little sister’s death, sixteenyear-old Nif finds herself on a family retreat in Wales. But Nif is plagued by dreams and questions. Who rang the phone, distracting her mother, while her sister lay drowning in the bath? Nif seeks answers from witchcraft, collecting dark talismans and putting faith in ‘the Creed’. Feeling lost and distant from a grief-stricken mother and a busy father, she finds solace and company in the village loner, Mally, a teen boy who indulges in secret rituals of his own. With a haze of themes including duality, neglect and folk horror, Water Shall Refuse Them is a vaporous exploration of malice and teenage angst. Hardy has crafted spellbinding prose, forcing the reader to confront the oppressive burn – palpable, scorching the pages – and darker aspects of human behaviour, such as animal cruelty (consider that your trigger warning). Yet, towards the end, the novel seems to go cold: there are some unlikely switches in character behaviour and the pace lags, giving the reader too much time to figure out how the captivating plot will conclude. Despite the shift in the closing chapters, this is a darkly evocative coming-of-age narrative, sweltering in intrigue and suspense. [Rebecca Wojturska]

Faber, 20 Jun, £10.99

deadinkbooks.com/product/water-shall-refuse-them/

Dead Ink, 4 Jul, £9.99

faber.co.uk/catalog

newly published anthology Spells: Occult Poetry for the 21st Century. Head along to Blackwells on 6 July from 6-8pm for some poetry, spells and zine-making. It wouldn’t be a poetry news column without a brief round-up of Carcanet’s upcoming publications. All being released on 25 July, we have Jeremy Over’s Fur Coats in Tahiti, Stanley Moss’s God Breaketh Not All Men’s Hearts Alike and Helen Tookey’s City of Departures. The latter collection is currently shortlisted for the 2019 Forward Prize for Best Collection. Fingers crossed for you, Helen. Finally in the poetry calendar, we have Imploring the Territory: Taking the Language for an Unwalk, on 3 July at the Scottish Poetry Library. Created by Polly Atkin, Vahni Capildeo and Harry Josephine Giles, the evening takes a three-part format. Firstly, the trio will lead a performance untangling (or tangling? That’s the joy in poetry) the act of walking. It’s uncertain where the performance will lead its audience, but between the second part (a brief excursion into anti-flânerie) and the third (a Q&A for the audience to unpick the evening with the poets), the end of the journey will surely be enlightening. July, as always, is a fairly quiet month for poetry. There’s the usual weekly and monthly events ticking along, including Poetry at Inn Deep (weekly) and Inky Fingers (first Tuesday of the month) as two of the most popular events in Glasgow and Edinburgh. But let’s use the time to take a deep breath before delving into the wealth of spoken word that the Edinburgh Fringe brings to Scotland. Much of it will be great, much of it may not be so great, but at least we have some precious last weeks to examine that weighty tome that is the Fringe brochure.

The Last House Guest By Megan Miranda

My Past is a Foreign Country By Zeba Talkhani

rrrrr

The Last House Guest is a psychological thriller set in Littleport, Maine, which doubles both as a summer vacation spot for the wealthy, and a small harbour town for the local residents. Avery, a local, is drawn into the world of wealth when she’s ‘adopted’ by Sadie Loman to be her best friend. For years, the girls are inseparable, until one summer Sadie is found dead. The police rule her death suicide; a year on, Avery believes it’s not so simple, and is forced to investigate her best friend’s death before she is the one blamed. With a strong premise and balanced writing, this has all the elements of a good psychological thriller: a deceptively simple death, characters each hiding their own secrets and continuous suspense. Miranda is a skilled author, feeding the reader information at a slow and steady speed towards a highly anticipated reveal. Despite this, the novel lacks punch. Its timeline feels messy and most of the cast lack sufficient back story to provide an emotional connection. The Last House Guest has all the necessary ingredients, including a striking plot and skilled writing, but lacks the wow factor that would make this truly first-rate. However, it does deliver an easy and enjoyable read. [Mika Cook]

Zeba Talkhani was four when she ran away from home for the second time. This is how we’re introduced to My Past is a Foreign Country, and the inherent power in the silences of her life, as much as the words that shape it. It’s within this discordance that she explores her journey to independence and living on her own terms as a Muslim feminist. Following her childhood growing up in Saudi Arabia amid its patriarchal customs, through seeking personal freedom in India, Germany and finally the UK, Zeba navigates her relationship with her mother and discusses the challenges she faced when she was younger through hair loss, to financial independence, and marriage – it’s the warmth and candour around such topics that truly welcomes the reader in. Still in her 20s, it’s a shining example of why memoirs don’t need to be later in life to have something important and insightful to offer. Zeba’s is a hopeful story, one of casting off differing cultures’, and indeed other people’s, expectations and fighting for the right to individuality. This is a book of refusal – to be defined, to be told what to be, to be anything other than yourself. It’s a brilliant and fantastic memoir. [Heather McDaid]

Atlantic Books, 20 Jun, £12.99

Sphere, 27 Jun, £14.99

atlantic-books.co.uk/book/the-last-house-guest

hodder.co.uk/titles/zeba-talkhani

BOOKS

THE SKINNY

Where Art Now? Come outside, it’s July! No bad weather, only bad clothes, and loads of great art to see through July which brings the Edinburgh Art Festival and new exhibitions across Scotland opportunity to work together after ten years of being around each other’s work. For this, they look to domestic mess as a grounds for experimental collaboration, and look to expose the “hidden network of artistic support and friendship that keeps Glasgow’s artistic community thriving.” Titled StoopStoop-Stooping is Stoopid, it runs from 13 July to 15 September in the Studio Pavilion. Edinburgh Art Festival will take over many of the galleries and art spaces of the city

through the end of July and August. Their commissions programme is themed around uncertain geopolitical shifts, and brings together a range of established artists to create site-specific works in public, including New York-based Alfredo Jaar’s publicly sited neon sign I Can’t Go On, I’ll Go On outside the National Museum of Scotland. See our Showcase spot this month for more info on the emerging artist strand Platform at The Fire Station at ECA.

V/DA Sonic Séance, The Gathering, 2019

Photo: Tiu Makonnen

Exhibitions and Events CCA presents a new exhibition from multidisciplinary collective V/DA following their performance earlier in the year, Sonic Séance. Titled Some things want to run, this month-long show is “a vent; a push; a rage of reason. A call for empowerment from the ancestors”, and brings together a range of artistic practices from the V/DA members and collaborators, as well as a host of workshops and events. Throughout the month, David Dale Gallery and Studios in Glasgow presents an exhibition by artist and writer Morgan Quaintance, interviewed in last month’s issue, in which he tracks interrelated personal, cultural, political and theoretical histories for possibilities of progressive thought and action in the present. There are also three club nights, presented by guest artists, on 13, 20 and 27 July. July also brings Transmission’s members’ show in Glasgow through the entire month. Every year, the gallery is opened up to the artworks of the membership, which is open to all. It’s always a jam-packed salon hang, and this year also brings a weekend of collaborative projects to coincide with the Merchant City Festival during 25-27 July. In House for an Art Lover, artists Rachel Adams and Tessa Lynch have their first

Words: Adam Benmakhlouf Opportunities Calling all experimental sonic visual artists, as Cryptic are welcoming proposals from emerging, Scottish-based artists to develop existing visual sonic work for their 2020/21 Cryptic Night Programme. Deadline: 8 July For readers who enjoy eccentrically illustrious surroundings, Mount Stuart are offering socially engaged artists who graduated in the previous five years the opportunity to take residence in their mansion and grounds for a period of four-to-eight weeks. Deadline: 12 July An opportunity to extensively engage in interdisciplinary practice is open for applications. Swansea University is advertising a year-long artist opportunity for an artist to create new work inspired by research at the university, providing a stipend of £10,000 for the year-long residency. Deadline: 30 July Megalo is an Australian-based print prize with prizes of up to $12,000 AUD for artists working using traditional print processes (even if partly digital). Deadline: 31 July This is an advance warning for the open exhibition for the Royal Scottish Academy, back for its 193rd edition. Submissions via: royalscottishacademy.oess1.uk, and there is a fee of £15 per work or £10 for students.

Fiona Tan, Disorient, 2009 (film still)

July 2019

Photo: Courtesy the artist and Frith Street Gallery

Set on either side of the room, in the grid system of Glasgow it’s easy to identify the East and West Screens of Fiona Tan’s video work, Disorient in the GoMA building. The placement feels as significant as it does accidental. Both this system and the building are entrenched in Glasgow’s industrial era, which was reliant on colonial lines of trade of cotton and tobacco. On the East, the footage is of different areas of Asia and the Middle East, mainly poorer populations variously travelling on the road, or suffering traumatic violence, staring out at the viewer, washing outside, at war. There’s a loose relationship with the voiceover of the observations of these areas by the historical colonising explorer Marco Polo. Facing this video track, the West screen shows a slow panning of a room filled with statuettes, ornaments, fabrics and foodstuffs that all speak to the kinds of trinkets that appeal to Western ideals of exoticised cultures. The East screen footage is shown slightly slowed down, immediately suggesting the hand of the editor. Three of the people shown in succession look directly at the camera, allowing for the unsettling of the audience, and the violence of war is shown in unflinching and traumatic detail. While the soundtrack and two video tracks remain distinct, the moments when they glance off one another offer moments of reflective insight. The documentary footage of the East screen might contrast with the Polo’s confabulations, but is recognised as having its own embedded problems of commodifying the people represented, with the detached gaze of the filmmaker mapping onto objectifying colonial power dynamics. [Adam Benmakhlouf] Until 26 Jan 2020

Emilia Beatriz, A forecast, a haunting, a crossing, a visitation, 2019

Emilia Beatriz CCA rrrrr Both pieces of gallery furniture (a large sofa and a bench) are covered in moss. They smell like the fur of a pet’s back, and with a similar comforting softness. In this setting, artist Emilia Beatriz presents politicised narratives of contested territories, reconnecting them with a pleasurable engagement with nature. In the first of two ‘film clusters’, there are atmospheric and landscape shots of Puerto Rico on a large screen. Underneath, a smaller monitor shows interviews with Ana Elisa Pérez Quintero, a beekeeper and activist based in the politicised territory, Vieques. Another speaker describes the dangerous radiation left here after the US military used it as a testing ground for bombs. From this misery of the devastated and carcinogenic landscape, Pérez Quintero speaks passionately about the ‘magical world’

ART

Photo: Alan Dimmick

Fiona Tan GoMA rrrrr

of swarm removals in beekeeping. The close-up footage of the bees captivates as it makes visible the micro movements that make up their processes of gathering and building. In its steady gaze, the film practises the close observation that the beekeepers describe, learning collective practices from the behaviour of bees. A bassy track beckons from the adjoining space. In the second film cluster, the landscape is now Scottish and fisherman, crofter and minibus operator James Mather describes a struggle around land ownership. This time instead of bees, there are long shots of the formations of leaves on moss piles. The quiet objectivity of natural documentary is shaken by powerful bass and unexpected dark lit scenes of moss and water. Through sensitive investigation and experimental filmmaking, new possibilities are found for action-based and sensuous resistance to state and private land grabs. [Adam Benmakhlouf] Until 30 Jun

Review

In Cinemas Varda by Agnès

Director: Agnès Varda Starring: Agnès Varda

rrrrr

This isn’t the first time Agnès Varda has delivered her own eulogy. In 2008, just as the Mother of the French New Wave turned 80, she made The Beaches of Agnès, her magnum opus of self-examination and autobiography. Then, nine years later, in what we now know was the twilight of her life, she thrust herself back into the public consciousness – arguably with more visibility than ever before – with Faces Places. Though the film is often affectionate and funny, there was little ambiguity about what it signalled: Varda would not be here much longer. Yet, the exact timing of Varda by Agnès, which premiered just over a month before Varda’s death in March, makes it a little more definitive. Largely composed of clips from various speaking engagements Varda held in

the final years of her life interspersed with morsels of select films from her six decade career, it’s her final film – but it also feels like the final word on her legacy. In that regard, Varda by Agnès’ very existence is as good a testament to its director’s irrepressibility as any; it’s as if she can’t bring herself to put down the camera until it becomes impossible to pick it back up. But that’s the film’s main pitfall. It picks apart Beaches of Agnès in a similar fashion to how Beaches picked apart her other films. Why try to improve on perfection, though? Hearing Varda analysing an analysis isn’t nearly as fun as just watching the original, not least because the original’s presence in this film serves as a reminder of how much better it was at meta-commentary than Varda by Agnès. Here, the construction is just as bald, but it’s only as inspired as its predecessors when it throws itself into their same wacky mode. [Thomas Atkinson] Released 19 Jul by BFI; certificate 15

The Dead Don’t Die

Director: Jim Jarmusch Starring: Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones

rrrrr

Jim Jarmusch was never going to make a regular zombie flick. A Jarmusch zombie doesn’t bleed, it explodes in a puff of smoke. A Jarmusch zombie eats human flesh, but also gravitates towards the things they cherished when they were alive, whether that’s WiFi or Chardonnay. The zombie apocalypse didn’t begin because of a virus, but from the Earth shifting on its axis due to polar fracking. The film is so intent on being smarter than its predecessors, its characters even know they’re in a zombie flick. When the croon of Sturgill Simpson’s song The Dead Don’t Die plays over the radio, police chief Cliff Robertson (Murray) asks why it sounds familiar. “Because it’s the theme song,” his partner Ronnie

Peterson (Driver) replies. This self-awareness pervades The Dead Don’t Die, but there’s a distinction between a film that is smart and a film that thinks it’s smart. Outrageous fourth-wall breaking should be in service of something. Like the simplistic joys of Jarmusch’s previous film Paterson, The Dead Don’t Die thrives when it observes the idiosyncratic inner-workings of small-town life. The film takes time to acquaint ourselves with the town’s eclectic residents like Caleb Landry Jones’ nerdy gas station clerk or the local hermit played by Tom Waits. Tilda Swinton is the scene-stealer, as a Scottish samurai sword-wielding coroner. ‘We’ve all been zombified’ is the film’s ultimate hypothesis. Humanity is even more simple-minded than the undead. But none of this zom-com’s deadpan wisecracks feel deserving of such a lofty message. The Dead Don’t Die is exactly the kind of zombie movie you would expect from Jim Jarmusch, for better or for worse. [Iana Murray] Released 12 Jul by Universal; certificate 15

Varda by Agnès

Knife+Heart

Gwen

Only You

Never Look Away

rrrrr

Director: William McGregor Starring: Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Maxine Peake, Richard Harrington, Mark Lewis Jones Director William McGregor’s feature debut captures the spirit of the age with this Victorian-era folk horror. Maxine Peake proves her mettle as the ultra-hard Elen. Her older daughter, Gwen (Eleanor WorthingtonCox), with her windswept hair, fiery temper and mixture of frustration and longing, may suggest a Brontë-esque heroine, but Elen is the film’s truly fearsome creation. Clad in a thick woollen cloak befitting Macbeth’s witches as much as Cathy Earnshaw, Elen’s wolfish features are cut seemingly from the rocky hills themselves. Her undiagnosed epileptic fits and medieval habit for bloodletting suggest the monstrous feminine, while an unseen menace is brutally killing the community’s livestock. The real star, however, is Adam Etherington’s richly bleak cinematography; its oak-coloured shadows, grey skies and black nights invoke the folk-gothic spirit that underpins McGregor’s sociopolitical satire. Indeed, the true monster of the piece is not Gwen’s fierce mother, but a masculinised notion of progress blithely pillaging the land she inhabits. [Christopher Machell]

Director: Harry Wootliff Starring: Josh O’Connor, Laia Costa, Natalie Arle-Toyne, Isabelle Barth, Tam Dean Burn Conception and IVF aren’t the most romantic of topics, but Harry Wootliff’s tender debut feature makes it seem so. It begins with the cutest of meet cutes, like something straight out of a Nancy Meyers romcom – Elena (Costa), an office worker at the CCA shares a cab with PhD student-cum-DJ Jake (O’Connor) on a chilly Glasgow New Year’s Eve. It doesn’t take long for their drunken one night stand to blossom into an intense relationship. It’s these blissfully idyllic standards that Only You continuously subverts with ease and care. Elena slowly reveals she’s older than she first let on, which is no problem until the couple try to have children. Romantic clichés are never considered, instead it’s the biological clock that becomes the biggest threat. It’s for this reason Only You resonates with its honest vulnerability. Charming performances from O’Connor and Costa elevate the slow-moving drama, and though it stretches itself thin over its lengthy two-hour runtime, Only You is never less than compelling. [Iana Murray] Released 12 Jul by Curzon; certificate 15

Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck Starring: Tom Schilling, Sebastian Koch, Paula Beer Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s (The Lives of Others) third feature film is an epic tale of an artist constrained by ideology. It’s an ambitious, challenging watch, the tone shifting from biopic to camp melodrama to heightened thriller. It’s all part of the film’s metanarrative dealing with the nature of art’s relationship with reality. We begin in 1937, with the young Kurt Barnert visiting a Dresden museum. The boy is taken by a selection of expressionistic pieces the Nazis have deemed ‘degenerate’ art. This first chapter covers a childhood strewn with tragedy: his aunt is diagnosed with schizophrenia, two uncles are killed in the war, and he watches the city of Dresden burn. What follows is the maturation of Kurt (Schilling) from someone with artistic talent used for the purposes of serving East German communist ideology, then misdirected by the unbridled freedom of the West, to the discovery of his own artistic style – one which allows him to deal with his own history and the tragedies of the past. [Gianni Marini] Released 5 Jul by Modern Films; certificate 15

Knife+Heart

Director: Yann Gonzalez Starring: Vanessa Paradis, Kate Moran, Nicolas Maury, Noé Hernández

rrrrr

This stylish French erotic thriller plays in the spaces between reality and dreamland, paying homage to the giallo tradition in tone, style and subject matter, while exploring and celebrating queer connections. While the mystery surrounding the murders of young gay porn actors may not quite deliver on its promise, the familial, multifaceted relationships between aspiring porn director Anne (Paradis) and her cast and crew show a genuine love underlying this competitive industry. The film exhibits a playfulness as scenes dart between creatively sensationalised scenarios and the real world, aided by impeccable lighting and electronic score. Knife+Heart is entirely comprised of LGBTQ+ spaces and characters, and seeing these safe havens violated by the masked killer is troubling, illustrating the police’s lack of protection for Anne’s community. While the narrative arc may ultimately fall flat, the thriller’s vibrant worldbuilding – from the nightclub's neon lights to the killing's lurid details – make it a compelling watch that parodies and pays tribute to the 1970s’ blue films and overblown slashers. [Carmen Paddock] Released 5 Jul by MUBI; certificate 18

Released 19 Jul by Bulldog Film Distribution; certificate 15

Review

FILM & TV

THE SKINNY

At Home Chernobyl

Always Be My Maybe

Black Mirror: Season 5

rrrrr

Director: Johan Renck (Creator: Craig Mazin) Starring: Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård There are many remarkable things about this dramatisation of the 1986 nuclear accident at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant: its attention to period detail, its oppressive, haunting score by Hildur Guðnadóttir, which melds immaculately with Joe Beal and Stefan Henrix’s deeply unsettling sound design, and the calibre of the acting from top to bottom. But the most remarkable thing may be that the script comes from the same man that gave us The Hangover Part III, Scary Movie 4 and Superhero Movie. In the history of film and TV, there may have never been a more bewildering jump in quality and tone. Working from Craig Mazin’s scripts, director Johan Renck brings the 80s Soviet Union to bleak life. Its opener, 1:23:45 – the time at which the Chernobyl’s nuclear reactor exploded – is one of the most atmospheric, claustrophobic and paranoid hours of television you’re likely to see. After a short prologue, we’re thrown into the chaos of the power plant moments after the core has become exposed, and the engineers are being told again and again that everything is fine. After all, Russian power plants don’t explode. Once the plant’s assistant chief engineer has told his subordinates that there’s been no explosion, the die is cast. Engineers, firefighters and military personnel are thrown at a problem that few truly understand, and which fewer still are willing to acknowledge is even happening. Death pervades every corner and every atom of the screen, and in the corridors of power, little is done, as Orwellian self-denial meets the wilful Kafkaesque nightmare that was Soviet politicking. In its closing stretch, the miniseries catches its breath as it takes stock of the fallout (nuclear and otherwise) and delves into the mechanics of how the plant failed, but it’s never less than utterly compelling. [Tom Charles]

Director: Nahnatchka Khan Starring: Ali Wong, Randall Park Sasha (Wong) and Marcus (Park) are childhood BFFs and nearlysweethearts who lose connection as their adult lives draw them into different worlds. She’s a celebrity chef with a taste for experimental haute cuisine while he’s an AC repair guy who rocks the local dive bars as the lead singer of Hello Peril (kind of like Lonely Island doing a Tribe Called Quest tribute, they’re great). Sasha’s restaurants take the authentic home cooking she grew up with and re-mixes it for a (post)modern audience. In the end, of course, she learns to go back to her roots and serve the dishes as straight and simple as they were always meant to be: prioritising full-flavoured comfort over clever subversion. The main problem with Always Be My Maybe is that Nahnatchka Khan’s film never quite picks which side of this line it wants to be on. You can make a great movie by adhering religiously to a time-honoured genre recipe; you can put a fresh spin on it by switching out some key components or even deconstruct it completely to analyse each flavour in isolation. Scene to scene, Khan’s film flits between each of these approaches and the end result is kind of messy. Fortunately though, Wong and Park are strong enough as both writers and performers to lend it an overwhelmingly pleasant flavour, and never more so than when they’re used in tandem with the film’s secret ingredient: Keanu Reeves. Rather than playing himself, this is Reeves playing his ‘too pure’ internet persona. He’s weird, pretentious, overly intense and still oddly likeable. It’s a performance that perfectly understands both the popular abstraction of Keanu Reeves and how best to mine it for comedy, without ever allowing it to dominate the movie. [Ross McIndoe]

Creators: Charlie Brooker, Annabel Jones Starring: Anthony Mackie; Andrew Scott, Miley Cyrus The harrowing, hollowing dread and emotional vulnerability of Black Mirror ’s first three series is significantly dampened in this fifth outing. The newest releases are perfectly watchable, even entertaining, but lack the terrifying bite or compelling moral quandaries that have defined the best of Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones’s work. The real world may be partly to blame for this series’ disappointment: with concerns about data privacy and the omnipresence of smart devices and social media in the news daily, the nightmare scenarios may lack the shock value they had back in 2011. Likewise, the corporate powers-that-be at Netflix may be too focused on star talent and shock value endings than they are on nurturing the human side to those chills. It could also be that the show is running its course. Striking Vipers, this series’ first entry, is its weakest, wasting a cast of MCU and DCEU supporting characters by refusing to fully invest in and interrogate the ethics and personal stakes behind its latest technological gimmick. Fortunately, the second episode Smithereens takes the series to its chilling heights. Its title references a social media conglomerate and the shattered lives it hides, exploring both through a highly personal hostage crisis. Unfortunately, it is let down by a finale that – while bleak – lacks the humanity that makes Brooker’s trademark cynicism so unnerving. The third and final episode – Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too – is fun but safe. Considering star Miley Cyrus’s own popstar reinvention, this music industry satire could have hit harder had it not skirted the most twisted aspects of a sanitised public persona. [Carmen Paddock] Black Mirror Series 5 is currently streaming on Netflix

Always Be My Maybe is currently streaming on Netflix

Available to watch on Sky Atlantic and Now TV

Dying, Laughing What’s so funny about the walking dead? With Jim Jarmusch’s starstudded zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die about to hit cinemas, we look back at the horror movies that make gags out of these undead ghouls

orror and humour have long been eager movie bedfellows. Scares and laughs co-exist in films as different as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), An American Werewolf in London (1981) and the entire Scary Movie series (2000-2013). Now, with the release of Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die, the zombie comedy sub-genre has risen from the grave yet again. But why is the zom-com such a popular cinematic cocktail? Blame George A. Romero. His hugely influential zombie masterpiece Night of the Living Dead (1968) spawned legions of undead copycats with macabre laughs interlaced with scenes of abject horror. The scene in which a little girl murders her mother with a masonry trowel is particularly demented but so outrageous that it provokes shocked laughs even half a century after its release. Romero’s satirical sequel Dawn of the Dead (1978) is perhaps even more renowned for its comedic impact, with the ridiculous sight of a zombie getting a portion of his head lopped off by a moving helicopter blade just one of its chucklesome moments. Since the Dead films proved the undead hordes could be prime fodder for giggles, many have pushed the comedy much harder. Edgar Wright’s breakthrough Shaun of the Dead (2004) saw its star and co-writer Simon

July 2019

Pegg expand a sketch from their TV sitcom. Spaced with hilarious results, as zombies terrorise north London and the laughs flow as frequently as the blood. In one key scene, the cast of living characters openly mimic the funereal moans and staggering gait of the dead. There’s another scene where the age-old method of killing a zombie by ‘removing the head or destroying the brain’ is mined for belly laughs as Shaun (Pegg) and best mate Ed (Nick Frost) sling records at heads of the dead, ideally using their worst albums first. Once again, Wright and Pegg correctly spot the potential for zombie silliness and exploit it. The commercial and critical success of Shaun meant what it normally means in Hollywood: its zom-com recipe would soon be baked again and again. Back on the other side of the Atlantic, Zombieland (2009) sees Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) fight the hordes in postmodern fashion, introducing his film with tips on how to survive a zombie apocalypse including “beware of bathrooms” – clearly a man who’s also braved a few pub toilets at closing time on a Saturday. Later in the film, the narrative takes an unexpected turn when Bill Murray arrives on-screen playing himself, only to meet a bloody end when he scares Columbus as a joke. With the zombie feature, laughs and death are

Words: Lou Thomas

The Dead Don't Die

seemingly never far away and often linked. All of which leads us back to The Dead Don’t Die. American indie auteur Jim Jarmusch is seemingly obsessed by death, having made alt-western Dead Man (1995), two off-kilter assassin pictures in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) and The Limits of Control (2009). He also knows his way around comedy, with the majority of his fiction feature films from Permanent Vacation (1980) onwards having a whimsical or absurd edge to them and some being out-and-out funny – Down by

FILM & TV

Law (1986) and Broken Flowers (2005) being the most obvious examples. Jarmusch, for his part, seems to innately understand that grief and death scare us but make us laugh, in the way that the most serious subjects often do. To laugh is a human response and, perhaps, the only response to things we’d rather not face. And as any zombie worth its unbeating heart knows, it’s better to laugh than cry. The Dead Don’t Die is released 12 Jul by Universal

Review

Stage Directions Get warmed up for the Fringe with July’s top picks

anting to get your theatre on before the Edinburgh Fringe whirlwind hits? Or off on holiday during August and worried you’ll be missing out? Don’t fret: there’s some great shows to catch in July, and we’ve sourced them especially for you. In Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest Shakespeare festival, Bard in the Botanics, continues throughout July with its exhilarating Muse of Fire programme; featuring As You Like It (26 Jun-13 Jul), a brand new production of Henry V (27 Jun-13 Jul), Hamlet starring Nicole Cooper (18 Jul-3 Aug) and Richard III (18 Jul-3 Aug). The Scottish Premiere of Marius von Mayenburg’s play The Ugly One is taking place at the Tron Theatre this month – a comedy about the inventor of a new electric plug who is told he is too ugly to sell his product, which sounds like a savagely dark and funny take-down of consumerist culture (6-20 Jul). Fun, family-friendly shows include the musical version of Little Miss Sunshine at the Kings Theatre (1-6 Jul) and Wee Hansel and Gretel, a ballet for young children at the Theatre Royal (13-14 Jul). Also promising to delight children is Pop Up Opera’s presence at the Scottish Canal Festival on the 20 July, including three accessible opera-performances in their programme: A Little Bit of The Magic

Flute, A Little Bit of Iolanthe and Puffy McPuffy and the Crabbit Canals. For dance-lovers, Y Dance company are presenting Project Y at the Tramway on 24 July, a collection of four new contemporary works, created by established choreographers and performed by some of the UK’s most promising young contemporary dancers. An Edinburgh Fringe preview of groupwork’s new dance-theatre piece Afflicted, based on the true story of a mysterious illness that spreads across a community of young women in America, is also taking place at the Tramway (25 Jul). In Edinburgh, a dementia-friendly performance of Lauder will relay the story of Sir Henry Lauder, the Portobello boy who became the most popular entertainer of his time, at The Studio, Festival Theatre (1 Jul). Also at Festival Theatre, Helen Edmundson’s National Theatre adaption of Andrea Levy’s prize-winning novel Small Island will be played on the big screen to celebrate National Theatre Live’s 10th birthday (2 Jul). The National Trust for Scotland is hosting a site-specific theatre experience, A Game of Death and Chance, from award-winning writer and director Ben Harrison at Gladstone’s Land – an immersive production spanning Edinburgh’s history from 1603 to 1707, great for

Project Y

those keen to learn and participate (16 Jul). Last but not least, Dundee Rep has two fascinating shows in the pipeline: Illegal (3 Jul) and The Angry Brigade (4-6 Jul). The former, an Edinburgh Fringe preview by Scandal Theatre and Riotbox Productions, places two female characters, one American and one Guatemalan, in parallel as they both decide whether to defy immigration law. The premise of Dundee Rep

Young Company’s The Angry Brigade is a little too close for comfort: a revival of James Graham’s 2014 portrait of young anarchists who terrorise MPs, embassies, the police and other authorities against a backdrop of Tory cuts and underemployment in 1970s Britain, exemplifies the Rep’s commitment to daring, relevant drama, and certainly isn’t one to miss. theskinny.co.uk/theatre

David Edgar on Trying It On We chat to David Edgar about the 1960s, identity politics and catching up with his 20 year old self

’m talking to the author of more than sixty published plays and one of the UK’s most prolific post-1960s dramatists. After 50 years of working at the forefront of British theatre as a writer, David Edgar’s treading the boards for the first time in his autobiographical solo show, Trying It On. The decision was catalysed by his 70th birthday last year – and I’m about to ask him the question I’m most nervous about. “I’m a millennial, and our generation tends to vilify the older, white, successful man,” I say. “I suppose we feel that your demographic is responsible for most of society’s ills. Do you think every generation thinks it’s more radical than the one before it?” “Well, we were the same,” says Edgar. “In my generation… in the late 1960s, one of the

“ The rise of intersectionality... shows [that] there are other, exciting ways of thinking about how you pursue policies that meet the undoubted need to liberate people from oppression”

key slogans was “don’t trust anyone over 30.” Obviously, I’ve spent forty years in the over-thirty bracket. So who am I to talk?” With Trying it On, Edgar has created a piece of work that sounds truly unique: in it, the current-day Edgar imagines a conversation with his 20-year-old self. At twenty, he was a fierce Marxist, involved in radical politics at the height of the counter-cultural revolution of the 1960s; the show sees him examine his former and current beliefs, reflect on what has changed politically and personally, and speculate as to whether his young, idealistic self would approve of his life choices. The intense self-appraisal doesn’t gloss over questions of privilege – in a sense, ‘who am I to talk?’ is one of the themes of the play.

David Edgar

Review

Photo: Arnim Friess

David Edgar

“I was 20 in 1968, bang in the middle of the worldwide student uprising, which was also about cultural, sexual and social relations,” says Edgar. “Any of us who were excited about that at the time have seen parallels over the last five years – from Occupy, to the

THEATRE

Interview: Eliza Gearty movement against student fees in this country to the Arab Spring.” What’s the biggest difference between radical politics now and then? Edgar sites technology as a distinction, and seems excited about its potential – “the Arab Spring was planned on Twitter and Facebook, and promoted on YouTube. That’s very different to what was happening to those grainy pictures of Paris [in 1968].” But the most powerful difference, he says, is the focus on identity politics. “As a young socialist, I was convinced Marx and Engels got it right. Now I’d still be inclined towards Marx, but there’s no doubt that the model has been severely contradicted by history,” he says. “The rise of intersectionality... shows [that] there are other, exciting ways of thinking about how you pursue policies that meet the undoubted need to liberate people from oppression.” Edgar is more than positive about the future of theatre, too. He says the National Theatre’s new season, staging work predominantly by female writers, is “terrific”; and that we have more young writers “who are really good at their craft” then ever before. It’s refreshing to hear an established activist and playwright express faith in the next generation, who hold the world in their hands. Hopefully, his younger self isn’t too hard on him. The Scottish Premiere of Trying It On will be at the Traverse Theatre, 28 Jul - 25 Aug traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/trying-it-on

THE SKINNY

Photo: Paul Watt

Words: Eliza Gearty

ICYMI BBC New Comedy Award Finalist Hari Kanth takes us on the ultimate journey through time and space Illustration: Emer Kiely

’m stubborn. If I decide not to watch something, then I’ll stick to it no matter what (like not wanting kids – the theme of my new Fringe show). That’s how I’ve avoided watching The Lord of the Rings for the last 18 years, all because I couldn’t finish the books. Unfortunately, The Mighty Boosh also fell into this camp. My wife is a fan, and would occasionally suggest watching an episode with dinner, but I was never convinced. (Alas, all she had to do was let me promote my new stand-up show: 3.50pm, Long Room at Cabaret Voltaire, 1-25 August, not 12.) I just got the impression it was too surreal for my tastes; a nihilistic collection of dreams, talking moons and shamans that wouldn’t make any sense. The Mighty Boosh revolves around Vince Noir (Noel Fielding) and Howard Moon (Julian Barratt): two friends who work in a zoo (initially). It’s clear within seconds that this isn’t a normal sitcom: starting with a casual address to the audience before a stage curtain – perhaps an homage to their Edinburgh Fringe roots – then dropping us into the animated opening credits. And yet, I was wrong to think it would be an incoherent, surreal mess. Howard still has a clear goal: to defeat a killer kangaroo in a boxing match, so his boss stops circulating nude photos of him. Not a traditional sitcom goal admittedly, but a goal nonetheless which gets resolved neatly by the end. Plus, the show is funny. A particular highlight were the videos Vince finds to learn more about the viciousness of kangaroos.

July 2019

But, I can’t say it’s aged well. I imagine if watched anew in 2004, it would’ve felt fresh and exciting, like nothing else on television. But while something like classic Simpsons has stood the test of time because it was so good at what it was trying to do, this feels like a collection of ideas that others have done much better. Yes, the training montage was funny, but was it as good as Team America‘s one? I liked the running joke about pocket cups – especially the unacknowledged visual punchline of Naboo selling them for €2 – but was it as skilfully done as those in Arrested Development? And sure, it was funny when Howard felt sad and broke into song, but did it make me laugh as much as Flight of the Conchords’ I'm Not Crying? I’ll try at least one more episode, but feel I’ve missed the opportunity to fall in love with Boosh. It’s a shame, because I know how beloved it is, and also because Noel Fielding is great and should be in way more stuff (he’s a complete natural on Bake Off, and Big Fat Quiz of the Year still haven’t topped his GothDetectiving 2006 appearance). If nothing else, writing this has taught me to perhaps not be so stubborn with avoiding stuff in future. After all, I can’t believe I nearly missed Howard brilliantly punching a kid in the face, followed by a shot of him lying unconscious on the floor. Hilarious! (Did I mention I was doing a show about not wanting kids?) Hari Kanth: This Train Terminates Here, 1-25 Aug (Not 12), Laughing Horse @ Cabaret Voltaire, Long Room, 3.50pm, Free/PWYW

COMEDY

Review

Grow Urban

New in Edinburgh From urban jungles to barry wee microbreweries, we take a look at the newest venues catching the attention of Edinburghers this summer Words: Izzy Gray Cheese Lounge by I.J. Mellis It’s hard to imagine a better marriage of words than ‘cheese’ and ‘lounge’. Connoisseurs of all things fromage-y, I.J. Mellis are onto a winner with their new addition, a cosy nook at the back of their store where customers can enjoy the produce, along with a carefully selected glass of wine of course! Their accompanying menu is simple, delicious and lovingly-sourced from small-scale producers, with plump olives, rich French onion soup and burrata and pesto just a few of the options on offer. 330 Morningside Rd, mellischeese.net/cheese-lounge Grazing by Mark Greenaway “What’s that wonderful smell?”, you might ask as you enter The Caledonian hotel. That would be the fine smell of triple AA Rosette awardwinning chef Mark Greenaway’s latest venture. After a hugely successful run with his North Castle Street restaurant, Greenaway is bringing his self-penned ‘grazing concept’ to a suitably plush West End abode. Sharing platters take centre stage here, where the concept is to ‘relax, unwind and graze’ in comfort, as you tuck into modern Scottish cuisine with lashings of flair. Princes St, markgreenaway.com/grazing-restaurant Cold Town House Barriest location? Cold Town House wins the prize. Hard not to when you have a beer garden overlooking the castle, after all. The newest addition to the already beer-saturated Grassmarket has done a grand job of making its presence known. Spread over three floors – one of which is dedicated solely to pizza and prosecco – this bar promises epic scenes with its spacious layout, steady stream of live entertainment and eponymous working brewery, which feeds directly into the bar below. It’s sure to be a hit during the Fringe. 4 Grassmarket, coldtownhouse.co.uk Fierce Beer In their own words, Fierce Beer don’t do ‘boring’. This craft beer company hail from Aberdeenshire and, much like brewing

Listings

legends BrewDog and six°north, have made a bit of a name for themselves with their Doric brethren. Thankfully for us Central Belters, they’ve also set up shop in the heart of the capital. Their Rose Street bar promises great vibes and fine tipples, with 20 of their own micro-brewed creations on tap, along with some fine collaborations to sample. Their beer comes in four categories: Hop Forward, Fruity/ Sour, Stouts & Porters and Seasonals & Specials. Don’t know where to begin? Try ‘em all! 167 Rose St, fiercebeer.com Collective Exciting things are happening atop Calton Hill. The City Observatory, once fallen to rack and ruin, opened its doors once again last year after a major five-year renovation. The occupiers? Collective, who since 1984 have been paving the way for Edinburgh’s emerging artists. Spread across a collection of historic buildings including the Playfair Monument, Observatory House, City Dome and Transit House, Collective have quite literally taken the contemporary art gallery experience to new heights. There’s also the Lookout by Gardener’s Cottage on hand if the climb up the hill works up an appetite. Trust us, the views are worth it. 38 Calton Hill, collective-edinburgh.art Grow Urban Serial plant killers of Edinburgh, fear not! Now there’s an answer to all your wilting woes. It comes in the shape of Grow Urban, an urban plant shop with a difference. That difference being that they serve up a mean cup of coffee too; after all, plants need nourishment and so do you. Whether you’re naturally green-fingered or just want to brighten up that stairwell/balcony/window frame, Grow Urban stock a weird and wonderful range of botanicals, from Mexican Ponytail Palms to sprawling Strawberry Begonias. They’ve also got some nifty planting pots and gardening tools to satisfy the inner Charlie Dimmock in us all. Caffeine and foliage fun? Sold! 92 Grove St, growurban.uk

THE SKINNY

Glasgow Music Tue 25 Jun

MOKA BLAST & THE FGC DYNASTY SCOTTISH INVASION

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £10

Moka Blast leads a group of rappers in this hip-hop invasion. SUM 41

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £31.70

The Canadian pop-punk skater group return to perform all the hits plus new tracks. TAKE TODAY (TOREADOR)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £6 - £8

Killer local line-up including “one of the hardest working new bands to break onto the Glasgow scene.” LAURA STEVENSON (EL MORGAN FEAT. KATIE GATT)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £12.10

New York-based singer-songwriter pulling influence from the great American songbook and showcasing the core strength and organic beauty of her writing.

Wed 26 Jun JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £17.50

Nashville singer/songwriter (and, yes, son of Steve Earle) infusing his songs with a Memphis-soul sound. DISTRACT #6: CHAPTER AND VERSE

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

Alt-rock quartet from East London. FLAT WORMS

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £14.85

Three-piece punk band from LA. JESSIE BUCKLEY

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £17.05

Star of the hit film Wild Rose, Jessie Buckley plays a full band show featuring music from the film.

LYNYRD SKYNYRD (STATUS QUO + MASSIVE WAGONS)

THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £51.10 - £73.80

The Jacksonville rockers bring their southern charm to the UK, triple-lead guitar well and truly in place.

Thu 27 Jun

JEANICE LEE (QUOTES OF THE DEAD + BURN THE MAPS)

BIG BAND BUBLÉ (MICHAEL HASTIE + THAT SWING SENSATION) PLATFORM, FROM 19:30, £4 - £13

An evening of sensational music and big band classics by Scotland’s number one Michael Bublé tribute act. GAYGIRL

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, FREE

Gaygirl make howling alt-grunge noise, with goth and shoegaze undertones and up-front “indie-noir” vocals with lashings of attitude. ORGANIC GROOVES

PIE & BREW, FROM 18:00, FREE

A fusion of Glasgow’s finest DJs collaborate with talented vocalists and exceptional musicians to offer something fresh and exciting to the city’s vibrant music scene. LOLA IN SLACKS

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £10

Collaboration between singer/ songwriter Lou Reid and music composer Brian McFie.

Sat 29 Jun

DYLAN JOHN THOMAS (RIANNE DOWNEY)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.50

Indie solo artist from Glasgow playing a hometown show. PAT MARTIN (MAN MACHINE)

CATHOUSE, FROM 19:00, £12

Pixies tribute. KATE NASH

THE ART SCHOOL, FROM 19:00, £18

Nash keeps it reliably chirpy with her vocally-loose melodic ramblings. POSSIL MOR

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7 - £9

A blend of Americana and Scottish roots music, with influences like Shania Twain and The Corrs. Intriguing. BOSSA NOVA BEATS

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Artists Angela Higney and Pete Parisetti take the public on a voyage of discovery into the mesmerising world of Brazilian music. EMILIE BOYD QUINTET

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5

Illa J’s latest album, John Yancey, focuses on his time in California, after his explorations of growing up in Detroit on 2017’s HOME.

THE LOVE BAND (JOHNNY ECHOLS + SAM FORREST)

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £30.80

MICK N PHIL

JESSIE BUCKLEY

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £17.05

Star of the hit film Wild Rose, Jessie Buckley plays a full band show featuring music from the film. MUSE-IC

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Talented singer-songwriters Nicola Evans and Olivia Ennemoser invite local singers and songwriters to join them every week.

PIETRO FAUNO FINIZIO’S PÉLAGOS

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5

A ten-piece ensemble that performs original compositions inspired by musical atmospheres from across the Mediterranean area.

Fri 28 Jun

THE BUCKY RAGE (THE BLACK DRONGOS)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

The veritable noisefest that is Glasgow’s The Bucky Rage, still riding along on their new line-up, new songs and the ever-present hard-ass ethic.

July 2019

Catch the whimsical soul of British-Caribbean/Dutch multi-instrumentalist EM|ME. FFO Ibeyi, Lianne La Lavas or Izzy Bizu on a chilled day. EXTINCTION A.D

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £10

Long Island heavy metal lot delivering a fresh, energetic thrash attack.

DONNY BENÉT (DOUBLE DISCONE)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £12.10

Australian artist described as the favourite nephew to uncles Giorgio Moroder, Alan Vega and Michael McDonald. TANK AND THE BANGAS (BOSSY LOVE)

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £15

Winners of the 2017 NPR Tiny Desk Concert, bringing their soul/R’n’B/hip-hop/spoken word hybrid to UK stages.

HEY PIXIES

Sun 30 Jun

The creation of vocalist and frontman Carl McCoy.

EM|ME

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5 - £6

THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £39.75 - £67.55

Gary Numan tribute.

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £14.85

FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM

Tue 02 Jul

CARRIE UNDERWOOD (THE SHIRES)

Four-piece, Edinburgh-based, female-fronted rock band with a spectrum of rock songs. ILLA J

Five pals from the Upper Midwest with a mutual passion for using music as a means to express and connect, taking their sound from blues to screamo as they go.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £10

The quintet bring unique and original contemporary arrangements of their favourite songs from the jazz repertoire.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5 - £7

LA DISPUTE ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £24.19

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £18

Celebrating the music of Arthur Lee and LOVE. NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £7

Twin brothers from Hamilton have an easy listening country sound taking influence from artists such as Dan and Shay and Daughtry. TASH SULTANA

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £35.20

Melbourne musician who has gone from recording songs on a GoPro in her bedroom to playing across the world. MARINA ROLINK

STEREO, FROM 19:00, TBC

Glasgow-styled indie-pop singer-songwriter.

SYSTEMS_THEORY: ENSEMBLE THING

CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 19:30, £6 - £9

A meditation for cello, electronics and video, performed by Emily De Simone.

Mon 01 Jul

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, FREE

Chilled open mic session with Gerry Lyons.

MUSE-IC PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Talented singer-songwriters Nicola Evans and Olivia Ennemoser invite local singers and songwriters to join them every week. GRAEME WILSON QUARTET

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Formed to play the music of saxophonist Wilson, who moved to Newcastle after a long stint on the Scottish jazz scene including Scottish National Jazz Orchestra and Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra.

Fri 05 Jul

REJECTIONIST FRONT (THE BRINK + SHE BURNS RED) NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5

IndieGenius Music bring New Yorkers Rejectionist Front to Sleazys on their UK tour.

JACK BROTHERHOOD (JEFFREY ANDREWS)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £7

Jack Brotherhood return with their blend of emotive and energetic indie rock. JAMIE LENMAN

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £20.25

The former singer, guitarist and songwriter for underground heroes Reuben returns, with his twiddly moustache all well and in place.

BASIC HINGE (ORDER OF THE TOAD + DARIA + PAINTS) THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:30, £6

Multi-national band with two members based in Australia and one in the UK. THE ALLERGIES (ANDY COOPER)

DRYGATE BREWING CO., FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

The Oklahoma-born country singing legend who shot to fame after winning American Idol in 2005.

DJs Moneyshot and Rackabeat are joined at this live show by Ugly Duckling’s Andy Cooper.

Wed 03 Jul

Live bands and more, all in aid of Sunny Govan Community Radio.

MATTIEL

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £15

Mattiel Brown currently juggles her life as a musician with a job as an ad designer and illustrator at Mailchimp. And you thought you were busy. HIPPY AND EDDIE DANKS (PISHY TISSUE + JOE CRAWFORD + RONNIE PARK + GARY MCINDOE)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5

A night of acoustic music and comedy. MINISTRY

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £20

Industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen back in the early 80s. HEAVY LUNGS (FIENDZ YT)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £8

Bristol band Heavy Lungs make seriously fun thrashy punk, and are about to embark on a tour with IDLES. L.A. WITCH (WOMENSAID + AUFBAU PRINCIPLE)

STEREO, FROM 20:00, £10

L.A. trio comprising the achingly cool Sade, Irtita and Ellie. Punky rock on reverb overdrive. FRONTIERER

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £10

SUNNY GOVAN FUNDRAISER

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 19:30, £10

THE NICKAJACK MEN

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £10

The four-piece indie-rock / altcountry unit from Denny. ORGANIC GROOVES

PIE & BREW, FROM 18:00, FREE

A fusion of Glasgow’s finest DJs collaborate with talented vocalists and exceptional musicians to offer something fresh and exciting to the city’s vibrant music scene. MATT GOUGH QUINTET

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Matt Gough is a trumpeter and composer who has recently re-connected with his Scottish roots and made Glasgow his new home.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, TBC

Aberdeen pop punk/emo four-piece.

INDOORSMAN (SLOW BLOOD)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £5

MIC CLARK - ACOUSTIC BUTTERFLY

Mic Clark began his musical journey on violin then moved onto piano during his childhood and eventually picked up the guitar in his mid 20s.

Sun 07 Jul

NULL / VOID PRESENTS (AUTUMNS + SOUTH HEIGHTS + SOFT RIOT + STABLE + NULL / VOID DJS) NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5

A two-hour non-stop improvised set of strings and guitars.

A night of music and Djs from Sleazys regulars NULL / VOID.

THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £79.45 - £227

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £24.19

EAGLES

The longstanding American rockers perform a set of classics (aka Hotel California).

Mon 08 Jul GIODYNAMICS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, FREE

Improvised open mic with Jer Reid. SLEAZYOKE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:00, FREE

The big sleazy karaoke sesh with Gerry Lyons. THE BOTTOM LINE

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £11

Contributing a fresh sound for younger audiences and a modernised take of nostalgic pop punk for an older generation, The Bottom Line provide a unique offering, priding themselves on energetic live performance.

Tue 09 Jul

RACHAEL SAGE (CARRINGTON MACDUFFIE + PETRA TAYLOR + STUART BLANCE)

ANDY BLACK

The alter-ego of Black Veil Brides’ Andy Biersack hits the road.

THE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING SUPPOSITORIES (THE BIKINI BOTTOMS + THEE RAG & BONE MAN)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5

Controversial rock’n’roll from TPES.

HANDS OFF GRETEL (FIGHTMILK)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £7

Twisted, grungy pop from South Yorkshire.

PANDACAR (QUOTES OF THE DEAD + PEPLO) THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:30, £8

A three-piece post-punk band from Glasgow. SLOW RENEWAL (LAKE PLEASANT + TRIPTYCH + ANYONE’S GHOST)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £5

Post-hardcore/emo quartet from Perth, Scotland whose furious live shows are sincere and powerfully dark. ORGANIC GROOVES

PIE & BREW, FROM 18:00, FREE

A fusion of Glasgow’s finest DJs collaborate with talented vocalists and exceptional musicians to offer something fresh and exciting to the city’s vibrant music scene. BEN WILCOCK AND THE JELLY ROLLS (JOHN RAE)

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

Tue 16 Jul JUDAH & THE LION

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £11

Alternative band from Nashville, featuring mandolins and banjos. TAFFY

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:00, £7

Taffy are a shoegaze outfit from Tokyo, Japan. They headline a night of effective pedals, jazzmaster guitars, loops, shoegaze and distorted/lush melodies. HONEYGRIP (JUNIPER GRAVE + DEAD COYOTES)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £6

Honeygrip return to the venue of their debut show, this time for a headline slot. PRISON RELIGION

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £11

Hardcore duo from Richmond, Virginia fusing club beats with industrial sounds and lots of shouting, in other words lots of noise. BLACK STONE CHERRY

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £32.06

Kentucky rockers riding along on their anthemic tunes and long-flowing locks. KISS

THE SSE HYDRO, FROM 18:30, £51.10 - £73.80

Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer swing by on their European tour.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5

WILL HOGE

Sat 13 Jul

Hailing from Spain, Brazil and London, GHUM bring together a mesmerizing, diverse mix of grunge, dark pop and post-punk.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £15

A soulful vocalist and innovative multi-instrumentalist. BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £16.50

Nashville country crooner, who made his name honing a blend of soulful Americana and heartland rock’n’roll. JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £25.31

NYC chanteuse Joan Wasser performs solo, playing many of her finest songs from the first 15 years of her career along with new interpretations. GALS FOR SAMH

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £6

Benefit gig with six acts in aid of the Scottish Association for Mental Health.

Wed 10 Jul

THE STROPPIES (LAS MITRAS + RAPID TAN)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7.50

Forming around a kitchen table in 2016, the Melbourne-based band have worked their way out of the kitchen and on to stages around the world. REBECCA VASMANT PRESENTS: CHIP WICKHAM

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £10 - £12

Thu 11 Jul ORAN MOR, FROM 21:30, FREE

Fully trained folk harp player who also plays the guitar and sings, bringing his multiinstrumental talents to a regular Oran Mor crowd. ERISKA (AVOCET)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £7

Six-piece Glasgow-based folk band.

THE LUKA STATE (ATLAS RUN + THE MOTION POETS)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £6

Hard-working unsigned rock act from the north west of England. VEMODALEN (ROBBIE HUTTON AND BAND + ELECTROBUDDHA + GUS HARROWER)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £6

Alternative rock trio from the west coast of Scotland. MUSE-IC

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Talented singer-songwriters Nicola Evans and Olivia Ennemoser invite local singers and songwriters to join them every week. ACT SHY

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

A new group gathered by keyboardist Paul Harrison, playing beautiful, adventurous, melodic and dangerous music.

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

Fri 12 Jul

Swinging New Zealand piano trio who began their career in a speakeasy called The Black Sparrow.

DECLAN HEGARTY

DUDE TRIPS (EVERYDAY PHARAOHS + MOONRUNNERS)

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

RE: FORMATION – IMPROVISERS NIGHT (JOSEPH QUIMBY JR + RAFE FITZPATRICK + JER REID + LUKE SUTHERLAND)

HILANG CHILD (TOMMY ASHBY)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £10

Half-Welsh, half-Indonesian musician originally from South London, now residing in Brighton.

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £5

CATHOUSE, FROM 20:00, £11

Thu 04 Jul Fully trained folk harp player who also plays the guitar and sings, bringing his multiinstrumental talents to a regular Oran Mor crowd.

Vegan Connections returns for its fourth year, with an evening of live music at The Old Hairdressers following the daytime market at The Briggait.

Black Sabbath tribute.

SABBRA CADABRA

Glasgow four-piece Indoorsman bring the noise.

DECLAN HEGARTY

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:00, £7 - £10

Chip Wickham mixes globetrotting, spiritual jazz expeditions with hard-won schoolings in the UK jazz scene.

Sat 06 Jul

Unsigned rock band based between Edinburgh, Scotland and St Louis, Missouri.

ORAN MOR, FROM 21:30, FREE

VEGAN CONNECTIONS 2019 (ACID CANNIBALS + IDKID + BRATAKUS)

HEY COLOSSUS (CARTILAGE + DEATH BEDS)

The “London-based tinnitus machine” Hey Colossus stop by for a Sleazy’s set. GAMA BOMB (SISTER SHOTGUN)

STEREO, FROM 19:00, £12.50

The Northern Ireland speed thrash metallers tear it up in their usual raw and introspective way.

LAST NIGHT FROM GLASGOW: GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES (STEPHEN SOLO + THE MARTIAL ARTS + THE GIRL WHO CRIED WOLF) CCA: CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, FROM 19:30, £9

A showcase of three LNFG acts. DICK 50

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, £4

Glasgow’s Dick 50 play live with support. OLIVIA ENNEMOSER QUINTET

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Singer of Austrian-Scottish parentage with an authentic Billie Holliday jazz feel and an Amy Winehouse edge.

Sun 14 Jul JIGS & REELZY

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 18:00, FREE

Trad/folk open floor with Neil McDermott. JOHN EDGE & THE KINGS OF NOWHERE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £7

John Edge & The Kings of Nowhere provide an energetic live show with songs about love, life, death and all else in between. THE PHYSICS HOUSE BAND (GREATER THE DIVIDE)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £13.75

Brighton-based math-rock trio with a hardcore following of loyal fans.

Mon 15 Jul

THE DANGEROUS SUMMER (MISERY KIDS) KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £14.30

Emo/indie quartet hailing from Maryland, influenced by the likes of Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World, amongst others. ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT

GHUM (AUFBAU PRINCIPLE)

BOY DIVISION

Fri 19 Jul DIVAS UNLEASHED

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £15

A night of diva bangers from the producers of Girls Night Oot. FOLDA (LAKYOTO + NEON SEAS + FALSE FRIENDS)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Folda create their own brand of dark electronic pop. DANIEL HIGGS (CAITLIN BUCHANAN)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, £8 - £10

The ex-Lungfish legend and his banjo return to the UK. GOSSIP

SWG3, FROM 19:00, £27.50

The Beth Ditto-fronted trio are back for a reunion tour, following the announcement of their split in 2016. LAUREN ALAINA

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £16.88

ROOSEVELT COLLIER

South Florida-bred Roosevelt Collier does his hollering on the pedal steel guitar.

Wed 17 Jul

CARTILAGE (THOU + MOLOCH)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £10 - £13

A death metal band, of course. BABY SHAKES

THE FLYING DUCK, FROM 19:30, £7

A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS (KNIGHT$)

THE ART SCHOOL, FROM 19:30, £20

MARK MORRISS (ORGANIC GROOVES)

PIE & BREW, FROM 18:00, FREE

Mark Morriss is a singersongwriter who famously made his name fronting English indie outfit The Bluetones. SCOTT MURPHY’S CODE SWITCHERS

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Garage rock’n’roll from the dynamite all female New Yorkers.

A reunion of long time collaborators and friends, featuring five of Scotland’s finest young musicians.

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £11.25

Sat 20 Jul

THE KATET VS JOHN WILLIAMS

A night of diva bangers from the producers of Girls Night Oot.

MOKA BLAST & THE FGC DYNASTY SCOTTISH INVASION

Moka Blast leads a group of rappers in this hip-hop invasion. THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £10

After four years of their sell-out Stevie Wonder show, the eightpiece Edinburgh superband tackles their next legendary artist, John Williams.

Thu 18 Jul DECLAN HEGARTY

ORAN MOR, FROM 21:30, FREE

Fully trained folk harp player who also plays the guitar and sings, bringing his multiinstrumental talents to a regular Oran Mor crowd. SLINGSHOT DAKOTA (FRESH)

BLOC+, FROM 21:00, FREE

Husband/wife duo from ‘murica, making indie/pop/rock tunes with keyboards and drums.

DIVAS UNLEASHED

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £15

FABRIC BEAR (THE STONED IMMACULATE + CERTIFICATES + WHO’S OLIVIA?)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Fuzz-fueled riffage.

80S SYNTH POP FEST NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £10 - £15

Pretty much what it says on the tin. TWISTER

CATHOUSE, FROM 19:00, £6

High-energy rockers. SINGLE BY SUNDAY

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £12

Glasgow’s own Single by Sunday bring a high level of pop sensibility and infectious catchiness. PLANET

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £9

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

PLANET is Johnny from DMAs’ younger brother’s band, and the two bands share some musical as well as fraternal DNA.

RAYS

BARROWLANDS, FROM 19:00, £6

BUBBATREES (BOOK KLUB + WYLDE + BEAFETS)

Glasgow three-piece playing rock music with a twist.

CENTRILIA

MONO, FROM 20:00, £7.50

Scottish metal band.

JAMIE REILLY & THE PRIME CUTS (BLUE MILK)

The abbreviated musical guise of Californian artist Andrés Aparicio.

Jangle indie a la The Pastels from Oakland, USA. NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

Solo artist Jamie Reilly and his band play Sleazys. SAE SHOWCASE

ANDRÉS

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7.50

SEAN MCGARVEY

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Afro night run by SAE Students, with live African musicians.

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

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7.50

Sun 21 Jul

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 19:30, TBC

The solo project of Tom Massey, whose offbeat pop songs are introspective and reflective lyrically and excitingly idiosyncratic musically.

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £5

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Leaders of the Burt MacDonald Quartet, a jazz-based outlet for the pair’s compositions.

Legendary 80s icon Mike Score brings the flock back together.

ROLLING BLACKOUT COASTAL FEVER

Melbourne indie rock five-piece releasing music on Sub Pop.

GEORGE BURT & RAYMOND MACDONALD

Former American Idol contestant proving that talent show rejects can make it!

GHOSTBUSTERS VHS (MINT GREEN + SLOWLIGHT)

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £16.88

Talented singer-songwriters Nicola Evans and Olivia Ennemoser invite local singers and songwriters to join them every week.

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, FREE

Chilled open mic session with Gerry Lyons.

MUSE-IC PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

CHEAP TRICK

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £44.05

Cult Illinois rockers, now inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Turbo stadium pop from a young trio.

Listings

CHRIS GREIG & THE MERCHANTS (PRIMES + JOSEPHINE SILLARS & THE MANIC PIXIE DREAMS + MOTHER FOCUS) KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Glasgow indie pop.

DAMN SMOOTH JAZZ

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 18:00, FREE

Jazz night at Sleazys brought to you by Sybren Renema. RAMBOOTAN

THE BLUE ARROW, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

Rambootan are a young funk four-piece from Glasgow bringing funky vibes and neo-soul to the dancefloor.

Mon 22 Jul

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, FREE

Chilled open mic session with Gerry Lyons. THE BODY (BLACK TO COMM)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £13.20

Lee Buford and Chip King continue to defy the constraints of what it means to be a heavy band, combining a cross-genre approach. K.D. LANG

GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL, FROM 19:00, £45.20

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of her multi-platinum, Grammyaward winning album, Ingénue. BOB DRAKE (BIG HOGG + SNOUT)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Midwestern recording artist performing his solo albums with nothing more than his trusty guitar.

Tue 23 Jul

LIVING COLOUR (WAYWARD SONS)

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £27.50

Grammy winning New Yorkers led by Vernon Reid.

Wed 24 Jul JOSH RITTER

ORAN MOR, FROM 19:00, £25

The American singer/songwriter, guitarist and now author performs an all-acoustic set rich with his usual countrified folk sounds and heartening lyricism. GOMEZ

O2 ACADEMY GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £31.70

Fri 26 Jul

THE NAKED FEEDBACK (BLACK CAT BONE + NEONWAVES + THE BLOOD & GOLD)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Glasgow natives touting fast’n’hard riffs and lashings of swag.

TERRITORIES (THINGS THAT AREN’T THERE + TINY MURDER)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £5

Five-piece from Glasgow who aim to take listeners on a meditative journey with their music.

ECHO MOON (NEON MARAUDERS + KAMORA + BIGHT)

STEREO, FROM 18:30, £6

Glasgow-based five-piece, playing on home turf.

CARTILAGE (INTRUSIVE THOUGHT + NULL) THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £5

A death metal band, of course. ORGANIC GROOVES

PIE & BREW, FROM 18:00, FREE

Marky Ramone (yes, that one) takes his band on the road. SWVN (MAVEEN)

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £6

Pronounced ‘swan’, SWVN is Zayn Grieve, a South Africanborn rapper based in Glasgow.

MOKA BLAST & THE FGC DYNASTY SCOTTISH INVASION

ST LUKE’S, FROM 19:00, £11.25

Moka Blast leads a group of rappers in this hip-hop invasion.

SWEARWOLVES (RED HEARTED VIBRATIONS + LLOYD JAMES FAY)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £5

Indie trio based in Glasgow.

Thu 25 Jul DECLAN HEGARTY

ORAN MOR, FROM 21:30, FREE

Fully trained folk harp player who also plays the guitar and sings, bringing his multiinstrumental talents to a regular Oran Mor crowd. LAND OF RUBBER MEN (THE RANZAS + BRONSTON + RUBIAN)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Glaswegian alt-rockers.

PARLIAMO (THE NOVACS + BLACK TILES + CAMEO HABITAT)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Rock’n’roll guitar music with pop melodies alike to the 60s, all the while carrying a punk energy and the huge echo-y drums of 80s dance music.

RAMAGE INC. (STORM OF EMBERS + CLOUD CARTEL + DIVINATORS) NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:00, £8

Ambient metal quartet formed by Ramage for the purpose of bringing life to his musical work on stage. NO VACATION

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £16.50

“Wavy-gravy dream-pop” from San Fran via Brooklyn. WHITNEY ROSE

BROADCAST, FROM 19:00, £16.50

Canadian-American country musician.

CALLUM EASTER (THE STEVEN THOMAS BAND + FRANK)

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £7.50

LATIN RHYTHMS

Acoustic Latin rhythms hosted by Portugese musicians, Sergio Prazeres and Mariana Moreira.

Sun 28 Jul

OK BUTTON (GOODNIGHT LOUISA + TALKER + BABY TAYLAH)

KING TUT’S, FROM 20:30, £8.80

Aberdeen-based dream-pop trio, fronted by singer-songwriter Amber Wilson.

TWENTY FOUR (DRAMALOVE + CROWN STATE + SCOTT SWAIN)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, £4 - £5

Four-piece indie band from Coatbridge / Glasgow. SUFI FESTIVAL

TRAMWAY, FROM 10:30, £0 - £10

A music and arts spectacular showcasing the mystery and majesty of the ancient devotional practices of the Sufis.

ADOLESCENTS (CRITIKILL + DELINQUENTS + THE MANKY HOORS)

Founders of the suburban Orange County punk scene, whose songs contributed generously to the melodic sensibility and musical style of later SoCal punk bands. LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Porter McClister is a journeyman guitarist from Nashville Tennessee, making his debut in Scotland’s capital.

Thu 27 Jun GAYGIRL

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £6

Gaygirl make howling alt-grunge noise, with goth and shoegaze undertones and up-front “indie-noir” vocals with lashings of attitude.

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 20:00, FREE

Chilled open mic session with Gerry Lyons.

PRESSURE VALVE UNPLUGGED

BANNERMANS, FROM 17:00, FREE

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

Weekly showcase featuring live touring and local Americana performers.

Thu 04 Jul TAYNE (VAULT VI)

REFUGEE BENEFIT GIG (MARIACHI DEATH SQUAD + DREAM TOBACCO + THE MATRONS) LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £7.50

The 29th benefit gig, organised by Solidarity with Displaced Humans, to raise funds for refugees.

Sat 29 Jun BLAKK SABBATH

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £8 - £10

Black Sabbath tribute.

CATANDFI4MND FUNDRAISING CONCERT

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £10

CatandFi4MND are raising money for MND Scotland by trekking the Great Wall Of China in September. PERSONAL BEST (CRYPTIC STREET + LAKE MONTGOMERY + COMA CAT)

WEE RED BAR, FROM 19:00, £3 - £6

After party gig for the Edinburgh Anarchist Feminist Bookfair.

Sun 30 Jun OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 15:00, FREE

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

BANNERMANS, FROM 21:00, FREE

PRESSURE VALVE UNPLUGGED

BANNERMANS, FROM 17:00, FREE

Local artists play stripped back sets, before the public get to be the stars at karaoke. CITY MOUSE (WERECATS + GET IT TOGETHER + GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY)

THE BANSHEE LABYRINTH, FROM 19:00, £5

HER CROOKED HEART

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £10 - £12

Minneapolis singer/songwriter Her Crooked Heart tours her new album, To Love To Leave To Live.

Wed 03 Jul

THE ELEPHANT MEN (GRUFUS)

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £5

Alternative rock night.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, FREE

Up-and-coming band in the heart of Glasgow, intent on delivering high-energy performances.

BASIC HINGE (ORDER OF THE TOAD + BUFFET LUNCH)

T-J CONNELL BAND

Multi-national band with two members based in Australia and one in the UK.

London-based experimental noise pop outfit by Matthew Sutton. THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £5

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Funk-tinged tunes from Edinburgh-based three-piece High Fade. HEADLAND

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £10

Headland take to the Sneaky’s stage this summer on their debut official tour.

ALL I SEE IS AN EMPTY CIRCLE (LITTLE LOVE + SLEET WALLS + STUFRASM) LEITH DEPOT, FROM 14:00, £6

Fuzz Bat Gigs presents a double matinee, featuring a range of weird and wonderful acts.

MARTHA L. HEALY (AL SHEILDS + CALLUM MACKINNON)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £7

T-J Connell and his band are a superb blend of originality and familiarity, bringing a relaxed stage presence and great new songs.

Sun 07 Jul Free music all day from acoustic to blues and rock.

Three of Scotland’s top singer/ songwriters, Martha L. Healy, Al Sheilds and Callum Mackinnon will take part in a rare songwriters circle.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £7

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

Sun 14 Jul

HEAVY LUNGS (FIENDZ YT)

Bristol band Heavy Lungs make seriously fun thrashy punk, and are about to embark on a tour with IDLES. FOLK NIGHT

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Monthly folk night and open session.

Fri 05 Jul

F.I.S.T. (MIDNIGHT FORCE + CELTIC BEAST)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £7 - £9

A killer night of NWOBHM. CHILDREN OF ZEUS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 18:30, £25

Children of Zeus is a soul project from two of Manchester’s most respected artists, Konny Kon and Tyler Daley.

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £4

A night of very eclectic music.

THE VIGNETTES (WYLDE + LUCID HOUND)

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £5

Another heavy-hitting line-up of local talent, including headliners Pleasure Pool.

Soulful punk rock from California.

Tue 25 Jun

SUMMERHALL, FROM 19:30, £6 - £9

A meditation for cello, electronics and video, performed by Emily De Simone.

FRESH PRODUCE (PLEASURE POOL + REMI & THE MORTALS + ACTION GROUP)

DEPECHE CHOAD (GRAVELLE + CAMEO HABITAT + CASPER HEYZEUS)

Tue 02 Jul

Mon 29 Jul

SYSTEMS_THEORY

Fri 28 Jun

THE HUG AND PINT, FROM 19:30, £6

Emerging in early 2015 in Kilmarnock, The Cairds provide their own take on the indie music scene.

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:00, FREE

Listings

Wed 26 Jun

Classic rock covers from the 60s to present day.

MUSE-IC

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

THE CAIRDS (ST MUNGO + FLEW THE ARROW + JOHN RUSH)

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

Talented singer-songwriters Nicola Evans and Olivia Ennemoser invite local singers and songwriters to join them every week.

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

Sat 27 Jul

PIE & BREW, FROM 21:00, FREE

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 19:00, £22.50

ROOTSBASE (WESTWARD THE LIGHT)

PORTER MCCLISTER

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 19:30, TBC

MARKY RAMONE’S BLITZKRIEG

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £6

Cora Pearl have cemented their place as one of the most promising breakout bands of 2019 with two acclaimed releases in quick succession this year.

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:00, £12.50 - £15

Gomez celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their second album Liquid Skin. The psych-rockers return to Sleazys following the release of their latest EP, Zero Fucks.

CORA PEARL

A fusion of Glasgow’s finest DJs collaborate with talented vocalists and exceptional musicians to offer something fresh and exciting to the city’s vibrant music scene.

Edinburgh-based singer of otherworldly rhythm and blues songs often accompanied on stage by his trusty accordion.

HELICON (MDME SPKR)

Edinburgh Music

HIGH FADE WEE RED BAR, FROM 19:00, £10

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £7

POETRY CIRCUS (THE JENNIFER EWAN BAND)

ASSEMBLY ROXY, FROM 20:30, £8 - £10

A non-stop cabaret-style assault of music, visuals and performance poetry.

Sat 06 Jul

NINTH DEGREE (DETER + SECRET PUBLIC + LIAM T CLAYTON)

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £6

Single launch night for Ninth Degree.

BROWNBEAR (BILLY MITCHELL AND THE BRIGHT SKIES)

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 19:00, £8

Musical collective led by singer/ songwriter Matt Hickman, whose debut single Dead or Alive gained them national radio exposure and high profile gigs. JANE MCDONALD

THE EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE, FROM 19:30, £29.90

The former seafaring warbler takes another turn around the UK. THE BUCKY RAGE

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 19:00, £5

The veritable noisefest that is Glasgow’s The Bucky Rage, still riding along on their new line-up, new songs and the ever-present hard-ass ethic. STEVEN OSBORNE (ALBAN GERHARDT)

THE QUEEN’S HALL, FROM 19:30, £8 - £32

Steven Osborne is widely recognised as one of the finest pianists of his generation. He gives solo recitals and plays with major orchestras both in Britain and around the world. AL BROWN AND THE BLUE LIGHTERS

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £10

Glasgow-based guitarist Al Brown has a natural feel for playing the blues and is widely known for his authentic style. BANANA SESSIONS

TRAVERSE THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £11

The delightful experimental Edinburgh pop troupe formed by Roberta Pia and Calum Wood.

OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 15:00, FREE

TRAMPLED DAISY

Trampled Daisy are a trio of noisemakers whose music will make you feel unashamedly giddy, a bit sad and angry as all hell. JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN

PLEASANCE THEATRE, FROM 19:00, £22.50

NYC chanteuse Joan Wasser performs solo, playing many of her finest songs from the first 15 years of her career along with new interpretations.

Mon 08 Jul

JED POTTS & THE HILLMAN HUNTERS

BANNERMANS, FROM 21:00, FREE

More intimate and electric blues from Potts and his merry band.

Tue 09 Jul

PRESSURE VALVE UNPLUGGED

BANNERMANS, FROM 15:00, FREE

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

Wed 10 Jul

THE BROTHERS OUTLAW

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £5

Killer rock and groove.

LAKE PLEASANT (SLOW RENEWAL + ALL I SEE IS AN EMPTY CIRCLE)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

A triple bill of moody east coast shoegaze from Harvest of Stars records.

Thu 11 Jul DANNY VAUGHN

BANNERMANS, FROM 17:00, £15 - £17

The Tyketto frontman takes to the road for a solo set of his trademark melodic rock. ELECTRONIC MUSIC OPEN MIC

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, FREE

The Electronic Music Open Mic tour comes to The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh courtesy of Martin Christie.

GARY OVENS (JODI FINLAY + GARY MCLEAN)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

Esplanade Records presents Gary Ovens’ EP launch at Sneaky Pete’s.

Fri 12 Jul

CONFLICT (BLACKLIST + HAPPY SPASTICS)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £12.50

Anarchic punks hit Bannermans for a night of killer songs.

SAFER BY SOUND (LOUIS ALBERRY + ROELLE BLUE) LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Two solo performances from Roelle Blue and Louis Alberry, exploring new directions in British folk.

Sat 13 Jul

HANDS OFF GRETEL (SHE BURNS RED + POWDERKEG)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £7 - £10

Twisted, grungy pop from South Yorkshire. JAN GARBAREK GROUP

FESTIVAL THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £30 - £41

The ECM signed Norwegian saxophonist and composer Jan Garbarek performs with his group.

OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 15:00, FREE

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

BANNERMANS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Classic rock covers from the 60s to present day.

Thu 18 Jul SUZITOY

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £6

New killer punk outfit.

THOU (MOLOCH + ENDLESS SWARM)

WEE RED BAR, FROM 19:00, £11

Thou’s sound blends the shuddering heaviness of doom with the oppressive atmospherics of black metal. KROW (EBB)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, FREE

Edinburgh-based punk EDM group Krow play their unique and theatrical brand of music. TWISTER

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 19:00, £6 - £8

High-energy rockers. AGUSTITOS NIGHT

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Flamenco, Scottish traditional folk and a little bit of everything with special surprises.

Fri 19 Jul

MAID OF ACE (RATS NEST + BRATAKUS + SPC + ZALU)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

Down and dirty street punk.

JOOLS HOLLAND & HIS RHYTHM & BLUES ORCHESTRA

FESTIVAL THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £30 - £54.50

Wed 24 Jul

CORNERSTONE (SALT + JEANICE LEE)

BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £6

The Austrian pop-rock group make their Bannermans debut.

Thu 25 Jul JOSH RITTER

THE QUEEN’S HALL, FROM 19:00, £27

The American singer/songwriter, guitarist and now author performs an all-acoustic set rich with his usual countrified folk sounds and heartening lyricism. SUGARSPUN (THE SHOALS + THE BRIGHT SKIES + THE CAPOLLOS)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £6

Sugarspun stop in Edinburgh on their UK tour with a line-up of great local acts in support.

SCOTT CANDLISH (YOU ARE LOST BE CAREFUL + CARI Q + VENUS AS A BOY)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

Singer/songwriter Scott Candlish blends folk fingerstyle with alternative rock in his unique craft.

Fri 26 Jul

SAMH FUNDRAISER (NOT ROBOTS + TICKLE + TEXTURE + URANG MUTANG + BIG FAT PANDA)

THE HIVE, FROM 15:00, £8 - £10

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

STEVE RODGERS

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £10

THE SAY AWARD 2019: LIVE AT THE LONGLIST (C DUNCAN + KOBI ONYAME + MODERN STUDIES AND ROD JONES + TALLAH BRASH)

AKA NOEL GALLAGHER

Live announcement of the Scottish Album of the Year Award longlist, live performances and DJ sets.

HIVEFEST 2019

Eight bands and eight hours of HIVEfest. THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 19:30, £12

Steve Rodgers’ songs reflect his passion for life’s depth, mystery and wonder. TAFFY (FIRES IN THE ALPS + THE CHERRY WAVE)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £8

Taffy are a shoegaze outfit from Tokyo, Japan. They headline a night of effective pedals, jazzmaster guitars, loops, shoegaze and distorted/lush melodies.

KERMES (DANGERS OF LOVE + THE KIMBERLY STEAKS + WOOLEN)

THE BANSHEE LABYRINTH, FROM 19:00, £5

Four-piece agit-pop from Leicester.

DR. VZX MOIST (CLAQUER + MNDMTH)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 14:00, £6

Fuzz Bat Gigs presents a double matinee, featuring a range of weird and wonderful acts.

Mon 15 Jul

1919 (THEN COMES SILENCE) BANNERMANS, FROM 20:00, £10

The legendary post-punks play their first Edinburgh show in 30 years.

THE PHYSICS HOUSE BAND (TRANSIENT SUNS)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £10

Brighton-based math-rock trio with a hardcore following of loyal fans.

Tue 16 Jul

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD (MATT SCHOFIELD BAND)

FESTIVAL THEATRE, FROM 19:30, £26.50 - £30.50

American blues rock guitarist with five Grammy nominations to his name.

EDINBURGH JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL PRESENTS: THE GIL SCOTT-HERON SONGBOOK (AKI REMALLY + FRASER URQUHART)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £10

ADVANCE BASE (SUPER INUIT)

As Advance Base, Chicago native Owen Ashworth crafts bittersweet, real and honest pop gems. LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 19:00, £5 - £10

A very necessary Noel Gallagher tribute. HARRY HARRIS

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £10

The album launch for Harry Harris’ third album, I Feel Drunk All The Time.

Sat 20 Jul

THE GIMMIE GIMMIE GIMMIES (PARALLEL LIGHTS + THREATS)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, TBC

Annual fundraiser in support of the Scottish Association for Mental Health.

THE QUEEN’S HALL, FROM 19:00, £12

MELLOR (GENTLEMEN JACKALS)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £5

Reading boys Mellor hit up Sneaks on their current tour. REFUGEE BENEFIT GIG

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, TBC

The 29th benefit gig, organised by Solidarity with Displaced Humans, to raise funds for refugees.

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £10

Sat 27 Jul

POETRY CIRCUS (THE JENNIFER EWAN BAND)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £5 - £7

The combat jock tour hits Edinburgh.

TRAVERSE THEATRE, FROM 20:00, £8 - £10

A non-stop cabaret-style assault of music, visuals and performance poetry.

SUGARHILL GANG WITH GRANDMASTER MELE MEL AND SCORPIO’S FURIOUS 5

LA BELLE ANGELE, FROM 19:00, £22

Pioneering rap group whose track Rappers Delight was the first ever rap song to hit the top 40 charts. STU DALY (GRAHAM LOUGH + PAYTON ROSE + RYAN WYNESS)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:00, £5

CHRIS CORNELL TRIBUTE NIGHT

A host of acts pay tribute to the Soundgarden legend. JENNY LEWIS

THE QUEEN’S HALL, FROM 19:00, £20.50

The Rilo Kiley co-founder makes magic on her own with her impressively evocative lyrics and crystal clear voice.

GNAWA TRANCE FUSION (SANKOFA BEATS)

THE HIVE, FROM 18:00, £10 - £12

An irresistible celebration of existence, addictive rhythms and chants creating a unanimity of heart, mind and soul. OCEAN COLOUR SCENE (DANIEL MEADE)

Solo show from the frontman of Dublin punk rock band Chewing on Tinfoil.

USHER HALL, FROM 19:00, £35.75 - £41.25

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, FREE

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 14:00, TBC

AMBIDECKSTROUS (BILL SPICE + DUNC)

Funky house DJs back at Leith Depot.

Sun 21 Jul OPEN MIC

BANNERMANS, FROM 15:00, FREE

Free music all day from acoustic to blues and rock.

The Birmingham Brit-poppers return to a live setting. DAYGLOW FOR SAMH 2019

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

SUPPER CLUB (FUTURE GET DOWN + PLEASURE POOL) THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 21:00, £5

Classic rock covers from the 60s to present day.

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

JAMMIN’ AT VOODOO

Mon 22 Jul

Sun 28 Jul

THE VOODOO ROOMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

WEE RED BAR, FROM 19:00, £5

Extraordinary guitarist and vocalist Aki Remally and outstanding young pianist Fraser Urquhart join forces to pay homage to Gil Scott-Heron.

Wed 17 Jul Monthly Live Jam Session with some of Scotland’s leading musicians playing lounge grooves from many genres. SLINGSHOT DAKOTA (FRESH + NELSON SAVAGE)

THE BANSHEE LABYRINTH, FROM 19:00, £7 - £9

Husband/wife duo from ‘murica, making indie/pop/rock tunes with keyboards and drums. TOO SLOW (POVERTY BAR + MIN DIESEL)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £5

CRANACHAN

BANNERMANS, FROM 21:00, FREE

FIRST OFFENCE

A fun-filled night of rock’n’roll. BOOGARINS

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 19:00, £10

Psyche and post-punk sit deep in the Brazilian musical psyche, and Boogarins are proof of that.

Tue 23 Jul

PRESSURE VALVE UNPLUGGED

BANNERMANS, FROM 17:00, FREE

A RITUAL SPIRIT (DARKNESS DIVINE + MULTISTOREY LOVER)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £5 - £8

A night of cracking metal from the hard rockin’ Edinburgh ensemble.

AILSA AND THE SEAHORSES (WISE L LEATHERMONK)

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 19:30, £6 - £7

Ailsa and the Seahorses perform as a trio to launch their new EP.

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

Indie rock/power pop from Finland.

THE SKINNY

Mon 29 Jul

CHOKING SUSAN (BAD ASS + HAPPY SPASTICS)

BANNERMANS, FROM 19:30, £8 - £10

Detroit-hailing punk band, formed in 1991 and headed up by Colleen Caffeine.

Glasgow Clubs Wed 26 Jun FREAK LIKE ME

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Soul, hip-hop and funk.

Dundee Music

CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

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

Tue 25 Jun

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB

FAT SAM’S, FROM 19:00, £13

Bangor indie-rock outfit comprised of Alex Trimble, Kevin Baird and Sam Halliday, built on a bed of angular guitar pop with electro undertones.

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

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

EUTONY (TEMPLE + UNKWN + ODD HILLS + SNCTR)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5

ELISCO (CRAIG MOOG + DAHL PACINO) LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

Eddie C’s name and sounds are constantly on the lips and in the bags of some of disco’s most influential figures. RUMSHACK STEVE PRESENTS JAGGER (MOTHER)

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, £5 - £10

Rumshack Steve invites Supreme’s London store manager and legendary skateboarder, Jagger, to showcase his reggae collection.

Sun 30 Jun SLIDE IT IN

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, TBC

Sat 29 Jun

London’s underground techno sound from Temple Recordings residents.

Classic rock through the ages from DJ Nicola Walker.

CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:00, £7

Thu 27 Jun

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

SOLAR SONS (JUNIPER GRAVE)

Progressive heavy rock. FUNK CONNECTION

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

Aberdeen’s finest 10-piece funk, soul and R’n’B band.

Tue 02 Jul JOHN NEWMAN

FAT SAM’S, FROM 19:00, £16.50

The young singer/songwriter and producer does his thing, responsible for a slew of UK dance hits in recent years.

Sat 06 Jul TAPEDECK 45

CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:00, £5

The Dundee indie-pop trio continue gigging after their reunion.

Mon 15 Jul KRIS BARRAS BAND

CHURCH, FROM 19:00, £12

Blues-rock guitarist blending soul-wrenching melodies with blistering technique.

Fri 19 Jul

POVERTY BAR (MIN DIESEL + TOO SLOW + OPUS FLUKE)

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

Majestic melodic indie-pop magic with distinctive brogue currently residing in Finland.

Sat 20 Jul

JEANICE LEE (BURN THE MAPS + QUOTES OF THE DEAD)

CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:00, £5 - £7

Four-piece, Edinburgh-based, female-fronted rock band with a spectrum of rock songs.

Sat 27 Jul

THE BILLY JOEL EXPERIENCE LIVE

CHURCH, FROM 20:00, TBC

The UK’s ultimate tribute to the songs and music of Billy Joel.

CRONOS DEBE MORIR (PMX + FAIR DO’S + BED OF WASPS)

CONROY’S BASEMENT, FROM 19:30, £5 - £7

Superrapid radical engaged stratospheric skate-punk/ melodic hardcore madness from Santiago, Chile.

Sun 28 Jul THE VINTAGE GIRLS

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

The Vintage Girls are a trio based in Dundee, performing close harmony songs from the 1940s right up to the present day with a vintage twist.

BREAKFAST CLUB

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

An 80s mega-mix party. UNHOLY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

CRATER COVE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Funk, disco, boogie and house. #TAG TUESDAYS

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

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

July 2019

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

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

Mon 01 Jul

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

ELEMENT

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

RUSH (BASH MAN + MI$$ CO$MIX + JOHNNY5 + BONZAI BONNER) LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5

RUSH returns for midweek madness, with residents taking you to a world beyond all night long.

Fri 28 Jun EASY PEELERS

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Bangers ripe and ready for your enjoyment. A CELEBRATION OF CHILDISH GAMBINO (& FRIENDS)

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £5 - £10

Scotland’s biggest dedication night returns to SWG3, this time celebrating Childish Gambino and friends. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

BARE MONDAYS

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

Tue 02 Jul ONLY THE SUBJECT

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

New wave of underground Glasgow DJ talent. #TAG TUESDAYS

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

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

Wed 03 Jul IT’S NOT A PHASE, MOM!

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

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

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

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

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

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

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

FRESH BEAT

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

ACID FLASH (NEIL LANDSTRUMM + LISALOOF)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £6 - £8

Bass heavy techno courtesy of Edinburgh legend Neil Landstrumm, with support from Lisaloof.

MISSING PERSONS CLUB (DJ NOBU)

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £12

Glasgow party collective with an exciting outlook on the dance music scene, as demonstrated by their frequent exciting bookings.

Sat 29 Jun SHAKA LOVES YOU

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Hip-hop and live percussion flanked by wicked visuals. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

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

Tue 25 Jun

SESH

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

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

GLITTERED! WEDNESDAYS

DJ Garry Garry Garry in G2 with chart remixes, along with beer pong competitions all night. SUNNY SIDE UP (ROOM SERVICE + LYLA) LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3

A charity club night focused on developing a more sustainable world and delivering quality music to dancefloors.

Thu 04 Jul STAR SIGNZ

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Flamboyant disco dream weavers. UNHOLY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

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

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5

Foundry invite Dundee collective Sessions to La Cheetah.

Fri 05 Jul FRESH! FRIDAY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Disco divas and Euro-pop anthems for those ready to sweat.

CATHOUSE FRIDAYS CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

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

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

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

MISSING PERSONS CLUB (CADENCY)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

Wed 10 Jul

Sun 14 Jul

PARTIAL PRESENTS: DOWN BY THE RIVER III (SNO)

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

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

Partial welcome DJ SNO back to La Cheetah to soundtrack an evening of joyous selections for the third installment of their Down By the River series.

RETRONIC W/ FRANKIE ELYSE

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

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

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

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

SESH

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

MOTHER (LIVE) (SHAWLANDS ARCADE (LIVE) + FERGUS CLARK + THE PEEBLES PUNISHER)

THE OLD HAIRDRESSERS, FROM 19:00, FREE

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

Two live sets and two DJ sets from a group of local acts.

Thu 11 Jul

BARE MONDAYS

SCIENCE FICTION

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

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

Mon 15 Jul THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

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

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

MIND YER SELF (MAFALDA + C-SHAMAN + FEENA)

THE BERKELEY SUITE, FROM 23:00, TBC

MYS is a club night with bigger aims, raising awareness of mental issues among young people. ANTISOCIAL MOTHERS

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 21:00, £5

Reggae, dub, punk, post-punk, synth, dancehall and new wave from the Antisocial Mothers DJ duo.

Sat 20 Jul

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

Glasgow party collective with an exciting outlook on the dance music scene, as demonstrated by their frequent exciting bookings.

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

Tue 16 Jul

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

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, £8 - £10

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

DOPPELBANGER (PEREL)

New queer night by Glasgow duo LEZZER QUEST, who’ll be bringing some pals along to join.

Sat 06 Jul

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

ELEMENT

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

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3

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

Afloat invite Rubadub kingpin Wilba to the basement, a veteran selector.

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Fri 12 Jul

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

EXCELLENT WOMEN

Hip-hop, bass and trap. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

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

FRESH! FRIDAY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

Resident DJ John McLean brings you the biggest tunes and best deals to make your weekend one to remember. ANNA & HOLLY’S DANCE PARTY

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

I LOVE GARAGE

Rock’n’roll, garage and soul.

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

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £0 - £5

Dance music aficionado collective, continuing to charm dancefloors all over Scotland. SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 22:00, £5

The long running club comes to the Southside of Glasgow. Funk, soul, Latin, psyche and more.

Sun 07 Jul NULL / VOID

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Industrial goth rock disco. HELLBENT

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

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

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

Mon 08 Jul BARE MONDAYS

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

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

Tue 09 Jul #TAG TUESDAYS

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

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

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

CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

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

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

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

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £0 - £5

The La Cheetah residents take a break from setting the tone for some of the hottest names around to unleash their sound on La Cheetah’s intimate basement from start to finish. ADVENTURES IN PARADISE

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 22:00, TBC

80s electronic funk, soulful disco and more from Grooveline/Big Break Records’ Wayne Dickson.

Sat 13 Jul

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Hip-hop and live percussion flanked by wicked visuals. CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

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

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

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 22:00, £4

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

I WAS MADE FOR LOVIN’ YOU, BABY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

THE LANCE VANCE DANCE

A celebration of KISS.

Exotic dreamy disco.

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

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

#TAG TUESDAYS

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

Wed 17 Jul DON’T BE GUTTED

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

All-out decadence in the name of euphoria. CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

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

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

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

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

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £6

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

Ezup bring a rare residents night to La Cheetah and you can expect to see a few familiar faces joining them.

ATTENTION//PLEASE

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

SUBCULTURE

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

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

Thu 18 Jul

THE BERKELEY SUITE, FROM 23:00, £10

After inviting various guests and local crews down, it’s time for the A/P residents to hold the booth all night long. PRAY 4 LOVE

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

All love songs + all bangers. UNHOLY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

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

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £0 - £5

They say residents do it best. Pala hold the fort from doors to close.

Fri 19 Jul FRESH! FRIDAY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Beans + Divine explore the hits on 7” vinyl. DOJO SUMMER SESSION

SWG3, FROM 21:00, £6

Expect the latest and best in house and techno from residents Mark Fazzini, Darran McNeil and Neil Robertson. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

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

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

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

HORSE MEAT DISCO (OOFT!)

The Horse Meat Disco crew bring their usual mischief and disco mayhem. MOJO WORKIN’

THE RUM SHACK, FROM 21:00, £2

60s rhythm and blues, ska, Motown and Northern soul.

Sun 21 Jul

CHEERS FOR THIRD SUNDAY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

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

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

Mon 22 Jul BARE MONDAYS

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

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

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

RUSH (BASH MAN + MI$$ CO$MIX + JOHNNY5) LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £0 - £5

RUSH returns for midweek madness, with residents taking you to a world beyond all night long.

Thu 25 Jul BREAKFAST CLUB

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

An 80s mega-mix party. UNHOLY

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £2 - £4

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

THE GARAGE GLASGOW, FROM 23:00, TBC

Ross MacMillan plays chart, house and anthems with giveaways, bouncy castles and, most importantly, air hockey. RENEGADES OF FUNK (SILVER DOLLAR CLUB + KROKAKAI + ALSHY)

LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £5

Renegades of Funk go head to head with Silver Dollar Club all night long.

Fri 26 Jul FRESH! FRIDAY

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £6

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

Bangers ripe and ready for your enjoyment. SKREAM + SLAM

SWG3, FROM 22:00, £25

Oliver Jones, aka Skream, makes his debut in the Galvanizers joined by Soma Records bosses Slam. CATHOUSE FRIDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 22:30, £5 - £6

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

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

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

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

A firm favourite and good friend of the club continues her residency series with an all night journey flying solo. ALL U NEED IS EJECA

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

Belfast chap Ejeca plays a trademark set of genre-hopping beats – inspired by the 90s garage house he grew up listening to.

Sat 27 Jul

SATURDAY SHAKEDOWN

ORAN MOR, FROM 23:00, £8

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

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, £3

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

Hip-hop and live percussion flanked by wicked visuals.

Tue 23 Jul

STREEETrave celebrate 30 years with this summer all day party, headlined by Soul II Soul.

#TAG TUESDAYS

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

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

Wed 24 Jul FREAK LIKE ME

NICE ‘N’ SLEAZY, FROM 23:30, FREE

Soul, hip-hop and funk.

CATHOUSE WEDNESDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £4

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

STREETRAVE30 SUMMER ALLDAYER

SWG3, FROM 13:00, £25 - £30

CATHOUSE SATURDAYS

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

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

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

Listings

ELISCO (EDDIE C + CRAIG MOOG + DAHL PACINO) LA CHEETAH CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

Eddie C’s name and sounds are constantly on the lips and in the bags of some of disco’s most influential figures. SUBCULTURE

SUB CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

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

RUMSHACK STEVE PRESENTS 12TH ISLE THE RUM SHACK, FROM 20:00, £5

Rumshack Steve invites the label running DJ mavericks with outer limit vinyl selections of dub, wave, jungle, house and erratic synth sounds.

Sun 28 Jul SLIDE IT IN

CATHOUSE, FROM 23:00, TBC

Classic rock through the ages from DJ Nicola Walker. SESH

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

Twister, beer pong and DJ Ciar McKinley on the ones and twos, serving up chart and remixes through the night. BFLF GLASGOW (HANS BOUFFMHYRE)

DRYGATE BREWING CO., FROM 14:00, £0 - £8

Family-friendly daytime rave with a Hawaiian Luau theme and tunes by Sleaze label boss Hans Bouffmhyre.

Mon 29 Jul BARE MONDAYS

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

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

Edinburgh Clubs PARADISE PALMS 5TH BIRTHDAY: FRIENDS AND FAMILY PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Kick off Paradise Palms’ 5th birthday bonanza with a good old knees up at Edinburgh’s tropical local.

Fri 28 Jun FLY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £10

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

SSL XL 1ST BIRTHDAY (NOODLES + PROC FISKAL + SKILLIS)

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

Sound System Legacies explores the legacy of dub, reggae, roots music and sound system culture on more contemporary club and dance music styles. FLIP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and novelty-stuffed. Perrrfect. SKOOP

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £5

Skoop is an Edinburgh-based collective focused around experimental hip-hop and electronic music in all shapes and sizes. PROPAGANDA

HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday. MIDNIGHT BASS

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £1 - £5

Weekly Bongo night by Electrikal Sound System, dishing out drum and bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage. TRASH

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

Wed 26 Jun WILD ONES

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures.

HEATERS & RINSE FM PRESENT (LAURENCE GUY + THE MIRROR DANCE) SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

Rinse FM take over Heaters at Sneaky’s every Wednesday in June, teaming up Rinse residents with local supports.

Thu 27 Jun

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill. TASTY

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour. SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al.

POPULAR MUSIC: CLASH SPECIAL

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

Peaky and Nick shine a spotlight on The Clash and their incredibly danceable hits all night long.

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion. PARADISE PALMS 5TH BIRTHDAY: EH-FM TAKEOVER

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 18:00, FREE

The final act in the Palms birthday weekender, as EH-FM takeover from 6pm til close.

Mon 01 Jul MIXED UP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

The Fleeto mob return to Sneaky Pete’s for another resident showdown.

Tue 02 Jul HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday. MIDNIGHT BASS

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £1 - £5

Clubber’s favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like.

Weekly Bongo night by Electrikal Sound System, dishing out drum and bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £2 - £6

LIONOIL (DAVID GARRETT)

Matchmaking Edinburgh label and party people Lionoil Industries return to Sneaks.

PARADISE PALMS 5TH BIRTHDAY: JACUZZI GENERAL PRESENTS… (SOFIA)

TRASH

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

Wed 03 Jul WILD ONES

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

MISS WORLD (JESS COHEN + FEENA) SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

A musical beauty pageant from Miss World DJs, bringing you everything from techno, disco, house, soul, funk, garage and everything in between.

JACUZZI GENERAL PRESENTS… (ROOM SERVICE) PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Weekly evening hosted by Palms own musical big man ‘The General’. Expect towels, shower curtains, dancing and maybe a hot tub.

Sat 06 Jul PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

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

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

Conscious roots and dub reggae rockin’ from the usual beefy Messenger Sound System. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

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

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £4 - £5

Monthly party night celebrating the best in soul, disco, rock and pop with music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and current bangers. HECTOR’S HOUSE: BYRON THE AQUARIUS

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, TBC

House music don Byron the Aquarius blesses the sweatbox of Sneaks for Hector’s House. LUX

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £8.50

The birthday party continues as host of Prolific Sessions on EHFM Sofia returns to Palms to play alongside Jacuzzi General.

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures.

A club experience in collaboration between two of Edinburgh’s finest DJs and Scottish make-up school and studio, GlamCandy.

Sat 29 Jun

Weekly Wednesday hosted by C-Shaman, who welcomes house and techno friends from near and there.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Tue 25 Jun

COALITION SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

Regular Saturday night at Cab Vol, with residents and occasional special guests. SOULSVILLE: HOBBES VINYL RELEASE LAUNCH PARTY

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £3 - £6

Residents Cameron Mason and Calum Evans spin the finest cuts of deep funk, Latin rhythms and rare groove into the early hours. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

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

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £15 - £24.86

The mighty Clubland returns to The Liquid Room with an even bigger line-up than last time. RIDE

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

Live fast die yung, Ride gals do it well. Teacha El and Checkyer Strides play 00s rnb and 90s hip hop and put their lighters up. PULSE (SIGHA)

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £5

HEATERS (YVES)

Thu 04 Jul

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill. TASTY: INDEPENDENCE DAY

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Go red, white and blue for our friends across the pond. Two rooms of club and student anthems. SILK THURSDAYS

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 20:30, TBC

Sun 30 Jun SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

WILD ONES

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures. HEATERS (C-SHAMAN + TOM ELLIS)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

Weekly Wednesday hosted by C-Shaman, who welcomes house and techno friends from near and there.

Thu 11 Jul

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill. TASTY

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour. SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al. POPULAR MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

DJs playing music by bands to make you dance: Grace Jones to Neu!, Parquet Courts to Brian Eno, The Clash to Janelle Monae.

Fri 12 Jul FLY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £12

Edinburgh and Glasgow-straddling night, with a powerhouse of local residents joined by a selection of guest talent. STREET BOUTIQUE 5 PRESENTS INNER CITY DISCO

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 23:00, FREE

Soundsystem partystarters, part of a music and art collective specialising in all things bass. FLIP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Clubber’s favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like.

COALITION

PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £2 - £6

LALA LAND (LALA B2B K-RAY)

Fri 05 Jul FLY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £8 - £15

OVERGROUND (BORAI)

Lo-fi raw house and techno. FLIP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and novelty-stuffed. Perrrfect. PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £2 - £6

Clubber’s favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like.

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £0 - £4

After two guest bookings at The Mash House, Agora take the party to Sneaky Pete’s for a residents all-nighter.

Tue 09 Jul HECTOR’S HOUSE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, TBC

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday. MIDNIGHT BASS

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £1 - £5

Weekly Bongo night by Electrikal Sound System, dishing out drum and bass, jungle, bassline, grime and garage.

NATURAL HIGHS (C-SHAMAN)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

A rapturous night of musical adventurism soundtracked by Edinburgh up-and-comer C-Shaman.

Sun 14 Jul SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, FROM 22:30, FREE

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

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion. EN FRANCE (DJ YVES + MONSIEUR MAIN)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Bastille Day party, featuring DJs playing tunes by French artists or with French lyrics or connection.

Mon 15 Jul MIXED UP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Monday-brightening mix of hip-hop, R’n’B and chart classics, with requests in the back room. WACK #7: SNEAKY SUMMER SOIRÉE

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £0 - £3

HECTOR’S HOUSE (DEEJAY BLOOM + HOMETOWN) CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday. TRASH

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Mon 08 Jul MIXED UP

An all you can eat mind buffet of cosmic sounds and visuals with DJ Cheers.

Wed 17 Jul

FLY Club resident Lala takes her party to Sneaky Pete’s.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

POPULAR MUSIC

TEESH

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £6

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

Weekly evening hosted by Palms own musical big man ‘The General’. Expect towels, shower curtains, dancing and maybe a hot tub.

DJs playing music by bands to make you dance: Grace Jones to Neu!, Parquet Courts to Brian Eno, The Clash to Janelle Monae.

Expect to hear, feel and taste Brazil at the most authentic Carnival club experience yet.

Tue 16 Jul

ELECTRIKAL

Sun 07 Jul THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £9.90 - £15.90

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

Resident Andrea Montalto hosts a night of new wave, Italo and other electronic oddballs, with special guests often joining him.

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

RIO CARNIVAL

WACK is a club night in Edinburgh looking to throw some of the best nights in town.

Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and novelty-stuffed. Perrrfect.

SUNDAY CLUB

Berlin-based DJ, producer and label owner Len Faki takes out a night of being in constant international booking demand and orchestrates some tech and house for your delectation.

From disco to techno via underground house music, with edits, white labels and rare cuts from resident DJ D.O.P.E and guests.

JACUZZI GENERAL PRESENTS… (HAN SOLO)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

A night of dub, reggae and ska bangers.

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Wed 10 Jul

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, £4 - £7

REGGAE GOT SOUL

RIVIERA PARADISO (ANDREA MONTALTO + DJ MARIEDDU)

Get in the mood for summer festivals before setting off, or make up for not going. Rock, pop-punk, metal and indie.

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion.

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

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

Davie Miller and Kirsty P provide dark beats, apocalyptic rhythms and heavy vibrations, continuing Palms’ 5th birthday celebrations.

The house and techno crew bring in jungle legend Mrs Magoo for a headline set.

PULSE: LEN FAKI THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £15 - £20.05

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al.

Slamming techno from guests and Pulse residents Darrell Harding and Sean Laird.

PARADISE PALMS 5TH BIRTHDAY: MANY ANIMALS WITH KIRSTY P

METROPOLIS (MRS MAGOO)

TRASH: SUMMER FESTS PREPARTY THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Sat 13 Jul PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

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

THE BONGO CLUB, FROM 23:00, TBC

Bongo throw a big summer closing party before Underbelly takeover the venue throughout August for the Fringe.

WILD ONES

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures. HEATERS (DAVIE MILLER + JACUZZI GENERAL)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill. TASTY

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

POPULAR MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

DJs playing music by bands to make you dance: Grace Jones to Neu!, Parquet Courts to Brian Eno, The Clash to Janelle Monae.

Listings

Weekly Wednesday hosted by C-Shaman, who welcomes house and techno friends from near and there.

Thu 25 Jul

UNDERGROUND SOCIETY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

Weekly party every Thursday with residents Merlot and Dave Hill.

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £2 - £6

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

PROPAGANDA

Clubber’s favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like.

TELFORT’S GOOD PLACE (CINTHIE)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £7

Edinburgh DJ and producer Telfort introduces his own party night; expect mixes of ethereal house, leftfield hip-hop and techno thumpers along with special guests.

JACUZZI GENERAL PRESENTS… (GRIM LUSK) PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Weekly evening hosted by Palms own musical big man ‘The General’. Expect towels, shower curtains, dancing and maybe a hot tub.

Sat 20 Jul PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

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

HENRY’S CELLAR BAR, FROM 23:00, £5

A mix of classic goth, post-punk, new wave, dark wave, synth, deathrock and more. BUBBLEGUM

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

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

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, TBC

Dan Juice is back for another four hours of dancefloor music magic, with all proceeds going to charity.

THE OTHER GUY (NIKKI + TRACEY)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Another installment of Palms’ newest residency, blending party bangers with some serious selection.

Sun 21 Jul SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion.

MISS WORLD DJ WORKSHOP (JULIA + EMILY)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 16:00, FREE

Miss World bring their DJ class into Palms to play their first live set. Laid back and easy going.

Mon 22 Jul MIXED UP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

POOLSIDE (REES)

Poolside Records present Paradiso Records founder REES for his Scottish debut and the label’s inaugural party in Sneaks.

TASTY

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour. SILK THURSDAYS

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £0 - £5

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al. POPULAR MUSIC

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

DJs playing music by bands to make you dance: Grace Jones to Neu!, Parquet Courts to Brian Eno, The Clash to Janelle Monae.

Fri 26 Jul FLY

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6 - £10

Edinburgh and Glasgow-straddling night, with a powerhouse of local residents joined by a selection of guest talent. FLIP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and novelty-stuffed. Perrrfect. PROPAGANDA

THE LIQUID ROOM, FROM 22:30, £2 - £6

Clubber’s favourite of indie classics and baggy greats, from Primal Scream and the like. MINISET (CHRIS FARRELL)

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5 - £7

Headset’s Skillis brings his Bongo Club party to the smaller surrounds of Sneaky’s and invites some friends to join him.

JACUZZI GENERAL PRESENTS… (MISS WORLD) PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Weekly evening hosted by Palms own musical big man ‘The General’. Expect towels, shower curtains, dancing and maybe a hot tub. SHOOT YOUR SHOT (BONZAI BONNER)

PARADISE PALMS, FROM 21:00, FREE

Discotheque provocateurs SYS take you higher with a programme of Italo and synthetic house DJs.

Sat 27 Jul PLEASURE

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £8

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

BUBBLEGUM: PRIDE EDINBURGH

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Everyone is welcome! Rainbows and dancing. Chart, R’n’B and pop. RIDE

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £5

Live fast die yung, Ride gals do it well. Teacha El and Checkyer Strides play 00s rnb and 90s hip hop and put their lighters up.

PULSE X OVERGROUND: MANNI DEE (FORWARD STRATEGY GROUP)

THE MASH HOUSE, FROM 23:00, £8 - £10

Pulse and Overground team up to bring London-based DJ and producer Manni Dee to The Mash House for his Edinburgh debut. REGGAE GOT SOUL

LEITH DEPOT, FROM 20:30, TBC

Tue 23 Jul

A night of dub, reggae and ska bangers.

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £5 - £6

Sun 28 Jul

HECTOR’S HOUSE (PILA T + ADA)

Since May 2012, Hector’s House (known affectionately to many as Hector’s) has become Edinburgh’s stalwart midweek shindig, drawing in capacity crowds each and every Tuesday. TRASH

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

Wed 24 Jul WILD ONES

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

Perfect blend of modern club chart, and 90s and 00s guilty pleasures.

HEATERS (OCTO-TRAX) SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £1 - £3

Yer all-new Friday at Hive. Cheap entry, inevitably danceable, and novelty-stuffed. Perrrfect.

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £4 - £5

CITRUS SATURDAY

Expect the usual Citrus blend of indie mixed with some soul classics and maybe a few 80s hits.

FLIP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Thu 18 Jul

Weekly Thursday chart, house, R’n’B and indie night with DJ Big Al.

WEE RED BAR, FROM 23:00, £5

CABARET VOLTAIRE, FROM 23:00, £6

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

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

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, £0 - £4

Happy Birthday to The Hive! Free cake, balloons and presents soundtracked by chart, R’n’B and pop.

FLY

Weekly Wednesday hosted by C-Shaman, who welcomes house and techno friends from near and there.

Delicious start to the weekend with a chart, R’n’B and club anthem flavour.

THE HIVE’S 12TH BIRTHDAY

Fri 19 Jul

SUNDAY CLUB

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, FREE

Believe presents the best in bass DJs from Edinburgh at his weekly Sunday communion.

Mon 29 Jul MIXED UP

THE HIVE, FROM 22:00, FREE

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

THE SKINNY

HOMETOWN SNEAKY PETE’S, FROM 23:00, £3 - £4

The Fleeto mob return to Sneaky Pete’s for another resident showdown.

Dundee Clubs Fri 28 Jun

DICKY TRISCO AND MIDDLEMAN

UNDERWORLD CAFE, FROM 20:00, FREE

Dicky Trisco and Middleman join forces once again and ride hard against the forces of musical whack.

Fri 05 Jul

DISTORTED EUPHORIA PRESENTS INFEXIOUS

CHURCH, FROM 21:00, £12 - £15

A celebration of hardstyle, headlined by Rooler.

Glasgow Theatre

Theatre

Comedy

Tramway

Festival Theatre

2-6 JUL, 7:30PM, PRICES VARY

15 JUL, 6:30PM, £5

Glasgow Comedy

NATIONAL THEATRE OF SCOTLAND: THEM!

A visionary new performance event from Stewart Laing and Pamela Carter exploring identity in a changing world. SHARED SPACE

30 JUN, 2:00PM, TBC

A Moment’s Peace and Küche present the first in a new series of regular events seeking to raise the creative profile of anyone with lived experience of the immigration system. Y DANCE PRESENTS PROJECT Y

24 JUL, 7:30PM, £5 - £7

A collection of four new and exhilarating contemporary dance works, created by top choreographers and performed by some of the UK’s best young contemporary dancers. THE AFFLICTED

25 JUL, 7:30PM, £7 - £9

Inspired by real events, this new dance theatre piece tells the story of a mysterious illness that infects a group of young women in small town America.

CCA: Centre for Tron Theatre Contemporary THE UGLY ONE 4-20 JUL, TIMES VARY, £9 - £17 Art HAIRY DEATH SPIRAL

4 JUL, 7:00PM, FREE

A live art event providing a collective reflection and drawing attention to the climate change crisis through a visible and sensory situation. ICEBERG: STORYTELLING IN IMPROVISATION

6 JUL, 7:00PM, £5 - £7

An evening of instantly composed music, dance and storytelling performances by members of four improvisation groups. ACT OF REPAIR

19-20 JUL, TIMES VARY, £7 - £10

A brand new piece of political theatre concerned with Brexit, emerging forms of Capitalism and the technological forces at work around us, on us, in us.

Oran Mor

DRACULA: REVAMPED

2-20 JUL, TIMES VARY, £15

Oran Mor present a stage adaptation of the story of Dracula for their summer panto.

The King’s Theatre AVENUE Q

25-29 JUN, TIMES VARY, £15.90 - £56.90

Tony Award-winning production set in downtown New York, featuring brightly-coloured puppetry, people and catchy tunes from the same guy behind the songs of Disney’s Frozen. You’ve been warned. THE CARPENTERS STORY

21 JUL, 7:30PM, £26.40 - £28.40

A musical dedication to the life and times of The Carpenters. THE DREAMBOYS

20 JUL, 7:30PM, £21.50 - £49

The UK’s top ‘male glamour’ show. Expect gallons of baby oil, miles of abs and an audience full of yelping onlookers.

A hilarious, fast-moving and scalpel-sharp comedy about external beauty and identity and the brutality of capitalism.

Edinburgh Theatre Assembly Roxy

FORMATION FESTIVAL: PINK HOUSE

28 JUN, 6:30PM, £5 - £8

The story of a fractured household touched by loss and anti-Semitism.

FORMATION FESTIVAL: BEING LIZA

28 JUN, 6:45PM, £7 - £8

Fusing classic Liza Minnelli songs, Being Liza is an original story about a girl discovering who she really is behind the mask of an icon. FORMATION FESTIVAL: DR MOREAU EXPLAINS

28 JUN, 8:00PM, £8 - £10

An unflinching look at the undiminished barbarism of our treatment of our fellow animals. FORMATION FESTIVAL: MOON FLY READINGS

28 JUN, 8:15PM, £3

Moon Fly Theatre present an evening of staged readings from their works in development.

FORMATION FESTIVAL: SHOW PONY

29 JUN, 8:15PM, £5

An American novelist flies to Scotland to put an ocean of distance between her and her mistakes, and to finish a book. Instead, she makes all new ones, and writes a play. FORMATION FESTIVAL: DEFICIT

29 JUN, 7:00PM, £6.50 - £8.50

A new piece of devised theatre that exposes the magical realism of our everyday lives.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

FORMATION FESTIVAL: SAD EYES TO SMILE WITH

2-6 JUL, TIMES VARY, £13 - £55.90

5 JUL, 7:00PM, £5

Based on the Oscar-winning film, this show is a new musical comedy from Tony Award-winners James Lapine and William Finn.

Theatre Royal

CAPTAIN CORELLI’S MANDOLIN

25-29 JUN, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Louis de Bernières’ epic novel is brought dramatically to life in this stage adaptation by director Melly Still and writer Rona Munro.

Queer identity plus slam poetry divided by austerity and multiplied by three. FORMATION FESTIVAL: TOAST

5 JUL, 6:45PM, £7 - £8

A funny yet compelling story of two twenty-somethings dealing with mortality in the midst of finding themselves.

Dovecot Studios FELT

4 JUL, TIMES VARY, £4.85 - £6.98

New solo performance by dance artist Elisabeth Schilling, supported by Creative Scotland and the Goethe Institute.

July 2019

CHINESE ARTS AND CULTURAL SHOW

Edinburgh’s annual revue of traditional and contemporary Chinese arts, featuring Chinese dragon and lion puppets, opera, dance, circus and music ensembles.

Blackfriars Basement

King’s Theatre Edinburgh

One hilarious show, completely improvised by two teams, based off an audience suggestion. Improv comedy at its finest.

AMÉLIE THE MUSICAL

25-29 JUN, TIMES VARY, £19 - £34

A new musical based on the much loved five-time Oscarnominated film.

THE BEYOND BROADWAY EXPERIENCE PRESENTS LEGALLY BLONDE

18-20 JUL, TIMES VARY, £17.50 - £20

All-singing, all-dancing musical adaptation of the hit movie featuring teen queen Elle and her trusty chihuahua, Bruiser.

Scottish Storytelling Centre

MARY, IT BEGAN WITH A LASS

3 JUL, 7:30PM, £8 - £10

A fast-paced journey through the life and loves of Mary, Queen of Scots, exploring her love for Scotland and the men around her.

GLASGOW HAROLD NIGHT

2 JUL, 8:00PM, FREE

LIGHT BULB

9 JUL, 8:00PM, FREE

Stand-up, characters and sketches for fans of weird and silly things.

Drygate Brewing Co. BREW HAHA

7 JUL, 8:00PM, £5

Spend your Sunday enjoying some of Scotland’s finest comic talent.

Glee Club

FRIDAY NIGHT COMEDY

5-26 JUL, 7:00PM, £8 - £20

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

6-27 JUL, 7:00PM, £8 - £17

The Basement Theatre

An evening of award-winning comedy, with four superb standup comedians that will keep you laughing until Monday.

9 JUL, 7:30PM, £5

O2 Academy Glasgow

FRINGE PREVIEW: MADAME GEORGE

Award-winning playwright Keir McAllister previews his brand new comedy following the success of 2018 Fringe sell out, The Bench.

The Edinburgh Playhouse THE BODYGUARD

9-20 JUL, TIMES VARY, £13 - £100

Musical based on the blockbuster film of the same name, with XFactor winner Alexandra Burke taking on warbling Whitney duties. GIRLS NIGHT OOT!

5 JUL, 7:30PM, £20.25

Sequel to feel-good production I Will Survive, featuring songs from the 60s right through to modern hits. Frothy as it comes. UK PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE

28 JUN, 7:30PM, £13 - £73.50

Recreating the atmosphere of a Pink Floyd live performance, including impressive video projection on a large circular screen and a stunning light show. SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK

4 JUL, 7:30PM, £21.50

Brand new theatrical production celebrating the career of one of rock’s greatest icons, Rod Stewart.

Dundee Theatre The Gardyne Theatre SLEEPING BEAUTY

12-14 JUL, TIMES VARY, £6

JAMES ACASTER: COLD LASAGNE HATE MYSELF 1999

20 JUL, 7:00PM, £21.80

Named after a drunken meal and the best year of his life, god only knows what hilarious antics James Acaster will deliver in this new show.

Oran Mor NAE BOTHER

12 JUL, 7:30PM, £10

The Weegie boys are back again, this time with an even bigger and bamier show than the last.

The Hug and Pint

JUDY ALFERETI: DON’T TALK TO ME ABOUT LOVE

14 JUL, 7:30PM, FREE

After getting to grips with her borderline personality disorder, Judy is desperate to find love and spends her time shagging, drinking, being cool and wallowing in a pit of self-loathing.

The Stand Glasgow

MICHAEL REDMOND’S SUNDAY SERVICE

18 JUL, 8:00PM, £5

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. ROAST BATTLE

6-20 JUL, 11:00PM, £9 - £10

1 JUL, 8:30PM, £3

6-27 JUL, 4:30PM, £5

MONDAY NIGHT IMPROV

Comedian improv battle.

LARRY DEAN: WORK IN PROGRESS

14-15 JUL, 8:30PM, £4 - £5

Fresh from an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination, Larry Dean is here to try out some brand new jokes. BENEFIT IN AID OF WORKING RITE

10 JUL, 8:30PM, £10

Comedy benefit gig with proceeds going to Working Rite. TONY LAW IDENTIFIES

29 JUN, 6:00PM, £10

Does identity always equal tribalism or is it glue that binds people together? Many questions, answered in many voices. FRINGE PREVIEW DOUBLE BILL: MARC JENNINGS & STEPHEN BUCHANAN

20 JUL, 5:00PM, £5 - £6

Join two of Scotland’s best comedians as they preview their Edinburgh Fringe shows. FRINGE PREVIEW DOUBLE BILL: SUSAN RIDDELL AND ROSCO MCLELLAND

22 JUL, 8:30PM, £5

Join two of Scotland’s best comedians as they preview their Edinburgh Fringe shows. BENEFIT IN AID OF ST ANDREW’S FIRST AID

24 JUL, 8:30PM, £7

Comedy benefit gig with proceeds going to St Andrew’s First Aid.

FRINGE PREVIEW DOUBLE BILL: SUSIE MCCABE AND CHRISTOPHER MACARTHUR-BOYD

28 JUL, 5:00PM, £5

Join two of Scotland’s best comedians as they preview their Edinburgh Fringe shows.

Edinburgh Comedy Monkey Barrel Comedy Club SPONTANEOUS SHERLOCK

11-25 JUL, 8:00PM, £5

An entirely improvised Sherlock Holmes comedy play from Scotland’s hottest improv troupe. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG FRIDAY SHOW

5-26 JUL, 7:00PM, £10 - £12

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SATURDAY SHOW

6-27 JUL, 7:00PM, £14

Monkey Barrel’s flagship night of premier stand-up comedy. TOP BANANA

3-24 JUL, 7:00PM, £0 - £3

1-30 JUL, 8:30PM, £3

9-23 JUL, 7:00PM, £0 - £3

PROJECT X

THE WEE SHOW

Saturday afternoon comedy show at Monkey Barrel. SNEAK PEEK

16 JUL, 7:00PM, £0 - £3

Comics doing the Edinburgh Fringe 2019 try out sections of their new shows.

SNEAK PEEK: BEN VERTH, RICHARD BROWN & CHRIS GRIFFIN

2 JUL, 7:00PM, £0 - £3

Comics doing the Edinburgh Fringe 2019 try out sections of their new shows. I SCREAM SUNDAY

7-28 JUL, 4:00PM, £0 - £3

Join a collective of Scotland’s best emerging comedians for a brand new Sunday afternoon show.

The Basement Theatre THE COMEDY SHOW

5-20 JUL, 8:00PM, £10 - £12

Bringing you top notch line ups from the best in the world of comedy for a side-splitting evening every Friday and Saturday at 8pm. BESOMS

27 JUN, 8:00PM, £6

A monthly night bringing you the best from across comedy’s glorious communities, hosted by self-confessed cheeky besom Jay Lafferty. THE COMEDY SHOW: NEW SH*T

3 JUL, 8:00PM, FREE

The Comedy Show’s wee sister, where old pros and new talent try out fresh material for free. BELTER COMEDY

11 JUL, 8:00PM, £6

Bringing you the best and brightest of the comedy scene, showcasing brand new gags alongside tried and tested material.

FRINGE PREVIEW: MAISIE ADAM & CATHERINE BOHART

30 JUN, 7:30PM, £5

Some of the UK’s best comedians give you a sneak peak at their Fringe shows. FRINGE PREVIEW: FERN BRADY & LARRY DEAN

2 JUL, 7:30PM, £5

Two of the UK’s best comedians give you a sneak peak at their 2019 Fringe shows before the madness of August. FRINGE PREVIEW: BEN POPE & ELLIOT STEEL

4 JUL, 8:00PM, £5

Two of the UK’s best comedians give you a sneak peak at their 2019 Fringe shows before the madness of August. FRINGE PREVIEW: RAY BRADSHAW & JOHN HASTINGS

7 JUL, 7:30PM, £5

Two of the UK’s best comedians give you a sneak peak at their 2019 Fringe shows before the madness of August. FRINGE PREVIEW: LIAM WITHNAIL & JOJO SUTHERLAND

Legendary new material night with up to 10 acts. Every Monday in Edinburgh and Tuesday in Glasgow.

Iain Campbell hosts an experimental and new ideas alternative comedy showcase every Tuesday.

10 JUL, 7:30PM, £5

4-25 JUL, TIMES VARY, £5 - £10

8 JUL, 7:30PM, FREE

FRINGE PREVIEW: LAURA LEXX & STEPHEN BUCHANAN

THE THURSDAY SHOW

Start the weekend early with five comedians. THE SATURDAY SHOW

6-27 JUL, 9:00PM, £17.50

28-29 JUN, 7:30PM, £24

5-26 JUL, TIMES VARY, £6 - £12

BE BOP A LULA

7-28 JUL, 7:00PM, PRICES VARY

Roast Battle puts two comedians head-to-head in a battle of wit and put-downs.

The Stand’s popular Sunday show has resident Irish funnyman Michael Redmond at the helm. RED RAW

FRINGE PREVIEW: ELEANOR TIERNAN & ALICE SNEDDEN

The country’s best comedians battle it out.

3 JUL, 8:30PM, £4 - £6

Monkey Barrel’s comedy competition for new folk on the scene, hosted by Liam Withnail every Wednesday.

7-28 JUL, TIMES VARY, £5 - £6

Joseph Purdy Productions offer a new spin on the old Sleeping Beauty yarn. The West End smash hit comes to town starring five giants of rock’n’roll: Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Billy Fury, Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison.

COMEDIAN RAP BATTLES

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY’S BIG SUNDAY SHOW

The big weekend show with five comedians. THE FRIDAY SHOW

The big weekend show with five comedians. FRANKIE BOYLE: WORK IN PROGRESS

30 JUN-22 JUL, 6:00PM, £12 - £15

Leading Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle tries out some new material.

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

PETER PANCAKES’ COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA

Phil O’Shea brings a handpicked selection of riotous lols to Monkey Barrel on the second Monday of the month. SPONTANEOUS POTTER

4-18 JUL, 8:00PM, £5

A brand new Harry Potter play from some of Edinburgh’s most top notch improv wizards. MONKEY NUT LIVE

22 JUL, 7:00PM, £5

A monthly round-up featuring sketch, character, musical and stand-up comedy all from the minds of Joe McTernan, Megan Shandley and Jojo Sutherland.

Two of the UK’s best comedians give you a sneak peak at their 2019 Fringe shows before the madness of August. 14 JUL, 7:30PM, £5

Two of the UK’s best comedians give you a sneak peak at their 2019 Fringe shows before the madness of August.

The Stand Edinburgh RED RAW

1-30 JUL, 8:30PM, £3

Legendary new material night with up to 10 acts. Every Monday in Edinburgh and Tuesday in Glasgow. THE THURSDAY SHOW

The Gardyne Theatre JIM SMITH: BACK TO THE TEUCHTER

6 JUL, 7:30PM, £11.50 - £13.50

The Perthshire farmer returns with another trailer load of tales of rural life and how country people view the outside world.

4-25 JUL, TIMES VARY, £5 - £10

Start the weekend early with five comedians. THE SUNDAY NIGHT LAUGH-IN

7-28 JUL, 8:30PM, £5 - £6

Chilled Sunday night comedy to see out the weekend. THE SATURDAY SHOW

Glasgow Art

6-27 JUL, 9:00PM, £17.50

The big weekend show with five comedians. THE FRIDAY SHOW

5-26 JUL, TIMES VARY, £6 - £12

The big weekend show with five comedians. BRIGHT CLUB

23 JUL, 8:30PM, £5

Bright Club’s unique blend of comedy and academia has made waves across the country, with a storming sell-out show at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and support from the likes of Robin Ince, Josie Long, Susan Morrison and Bruce Morton. STU & GARRY’S FREE IMPROV SHOW

7-28 JUL, 1:30PM, FREE

Improvised comedy at its very best every Sunday. VIVA LA SHAMBLES

3 JUL, 8:30PM, £4 - £5

Anarchic comedy mayhem from Scotland’s finest young acts. BONA FIDE

9 JUL, 8:30PM, £5 - £6

New comedy show with a different theme every month.

LARRY DEAN: WORK IN PROGRESS

14-15 JUL, 8:30PM, £4 - £5

Fresh from an Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination, Larry Dean is here to try out some brand new jokes. JOJO SUTHERLAND AND SUSAN MORRISON: FANNY’S AHOY!

30 JUN, 5:30PM, £4 - £5

Set sail with the award-winning grand dames of Scottish comedy. THE END OF THE WORLD SHOW

17 JUL, 8:30PM, £5 - £7

Armageddon is not so much nigh as teabagging the world in the face. So now that we’ve bought the tickets to Hell in a handcart and this really is the end of civilisation, surely we can still find the time to trivialise it?

CCA: Centre for Contemporary Art EMILIA BEATRIZ: DECLARATIONS ON SOIL AND HONEY

25-30 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Emilia Beatriz draws on ongoing research between Scotland and Puerto Rico in sites connected by military occupation, land struggle and environmental toxicity. SONIC SÉANCE: THE GATHERING

2-28 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of dance, live performance, video work and practical workshops, bringing together the artistic practices of Jen Martin, Patricia Panther, Ashanti Harris, Letitia Pleiades, Mele Broomes, as well as other invited artists.

CARRIE SKINNER: LET THE MUSIC PLAY ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ON

13 JUL-18 AUG, TIMES VARY, FREE

A variable, ongoing event that plays with the experience of attending a gallery space, bringing together a series of non-actors, objects and choreographies.

Cyril Gerber Fine Art

FYFFE CHRISTIE 1918-1979

6-27 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

Fyffe Christie’s influences were early Italian painting in his drawings, composition and designs. A draughtsman of rare ability, he made many fine ink drawings and sensitive portraits of his students capturing their personality.

26 JUN, 8:30PM, £4 - £5

David Dale Gallery and Studios

BENEFIT IN AID OF ROYAL BLIND

4-27 JUL, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, PRICES VARY

FRINGE PREVIEW: RAHUL KOHLI & STEPHEN BUCHANAN

See two fantastic Fringe previews for the price of one. 2 JUL, 8:30PM, £5

Comedy benefit gig with proceeds going to Royal Blind.

FRINGE PREVIEW: JOJO SUTHERLAND – RICHES TO RAGS

14 JUL, 6:00PM, £5

Aged 14, JoJo’s family moved overnight from castle to caravan, and she has steadily worked her way down ever since. FRINGE PREVIEW: THE CABARET OF DANGEROUS IDEAS

16-24 JUL, 8:30PM, £5 - £6

The freshest thing in stand-up – straight from the (research) field to funny with a new crop of comedic academics from Scotland’s universities every month.

SCOTT GIBSON TRIES NEW JOKES (WITH PALS)

FRINGE PREVIEW: VLADIMIR MCTAVISH – 60 MINUTES TO SAVE THE WORLD

17 JUL, 8:00PM, £5

21 JUL, 6:00PM, £5

Multi-award-winning comedian Scott Gibson is joined by some handpicked comedy pals as they road test new material, halfbaked ideas and ramble on about a story or two.

Dundee Comedy

Fake news, global warming, austerity, terrorism and the car crash that is Brexit.

MORGAN QUAINTANCE: HYSTERESIS

An installation of three films, each work deals with how past events have impacted, or been occluded from, the UK’s artistic and socio-cultural present.

Glasgow Print Studio

ALASDAIR WALLACE: OSCILLATE, VACILLATE, ORBIT & REVOLVE

2-28 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

New paintings and prints by Alasdair Wallace examining the parallel processes across painting and printmaking, where they overlap and diverge and how they can inform each other. ANDREA MCILHATTON CARDOW: PAPER DOLLS

25-30 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

This series explores contradictions in representations of women, depicting female confidence, beauty, exposure and manipulation, and is ongoing.

Listings

Art

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum THE LINDA MCCARTNEY RETROSPECTIVE

5 JUL-12 JAN 20, TIMES VARY, FREE

A major retrospective of photography by Linda McCartney will be shown in the UK for the first time, curated by Paul, Mary and Stella McCartney. It features iconic names and moments in music from the 1960s along with more intimate and emotional later work.

Platform

SOGOL MABADI AND BIRTHE JORGENSEN: HOME WHERE HOME IS NOT

1 JUL-3 AUG, TIMES VARY, FREE

An ambitious exhibition by Glasgow-based artists Sogol Mabadi and Birthe Jorgensen, focusing on reimagining fixed notions of home, and what it means to be of more than one place.

Project Ability THE RESIDENCY SHOW

9-13 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A large and varied group show with a mix of disability artists and others, all of whom have worked in Residence at Project Ability over the last year.

Six Foot Gallery

MOIRA BUCHANAN: MORPHOLOGY

2-5 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Moira Buchanan’s latest exhibition at Six Foot Gallery transforms photography with traditional and contemporary material processes in an inquiry of organic forms and the natural landscape.

The Glasgow Art Club

FEATURED ARTIST: ANDREA CARDOW

1-27 JUL, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Annual exhibition of work by Artist Members of the prestigious Glasgow Art Club.

GAVIN MACQUEEN: JOURNEY TO THE EDGE

22 JUL-26 AUG, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A photographic road trip of otherworldly landscape and fashion imagery across Scotland by acclaimed photographer Gavin Macqueen. HANNAH LYTH: APPLE OF MY EYE

1-15 JUL, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

GSA Graduate Hannah Lyth explores symbolic narratives connected to the apple in watercolour, pencil and printmaking. GAC SUMMER EXHIBITION

1-27 JUL, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Annual showcase of work by the talented artist members of the Glasgow Art Club, featuring a wide selection of work, ranging from small drawings, paintings and prints to sculpture and large canvases from respected established artists.

The Lighthouse ARCHITECTURE FRINGE

25-30 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Architecture Fringe takes over The Lighthouse with a series of exhibitions and installations exploring the theme of ‘In Real Life’.

The Modern Institute

NICOLAS PARTY: POLYCHROME

1 JUL-24 AUG, TIMES VARY, FREE

New York-based artist Nicolas Party’s exhibition will divide the gallery’s space into three uniquely crafted interiors linked by arched doorways of incremental height.

Listings

The Modern Institute @ Airds Lane

MONIKA SOSNOWSKA @ THE MODERN INSTITUTE

4 JUL-7 SEP, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

Warsaw-based artist Monika Sosnowska’s large-scale sculptures will occupy both the gallery’s Aird’s Lane location and outside green space. JULIA CHIANG: SPIT SWEAT SHHH

4-20 JUL, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

Brooklyn-based artist Julia Chiang presents a grouping of vibrant new abstract paintings balanced across the distinctive architecture of Aird’s Lane Bricks space.

Tramway

THE THEATRE OF ROBERT ANTON

2-7 JUL, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

KIMBERLEY O’NEILL: ENIGMA BODYTECH 25-30 JUN, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE

A new exhibition by Glasgowbased artist and filmmaker Kimberley O’Neill, exploring the interconnection between energy, technology and the body.

Dovecot Studios

ORLA KIELY: A LIFE IN PATTERN

25-29 JUN, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, £0 - £9

This exhibition offers a privileged insight into Orla Kiely’s world, and explores the story of pattern and how some designs can come to epitomise the style of their time. JULIE COPE’S GRAND TOUR: THE STORY OF A LIFE BY GRAYSON PERRY

25 JUL-2 NOV, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, £0 - £9

Tramway presents an exhibition of the extraordinary theatrical puppets, props and drawings of the late artist Robert Anton (1949–1984), marking the first time this incredible archive of Anton’s work has been seen in the UK.

An exhibition showcasing the complete set of tapestries designed by Grayson Perry for A House for Essex and exploring the creation of the house.

iota @ Unlimited Studios

MARY MACKAY: BETWEEN FLOOR AND CEILING

CLARA BRASCA: ATELIER

25-29 JUN, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

Atelier presents large format work and a carousel from the Milan born and raised artist.

Dundas Street Gallery 16-21 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

A celebration of colour and form, and of the landscape surrounding us through paintings, prints and photographs.

Edinburgh Printmakers

THOMAS KILPPER: THE POLITICS OF HERITAGE VS. THE HERITAGE OF POLITICS

Edinburgh Art Arusha Gallery ALL THAT THE RAIN PROMISES AND MORE...

25 JUL-14 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

This group exhibition takes the mushroom and its symbolism of hope, renewal and reproduction as a starting point, with 18 selected artists sharing a preoccupation with the symbiotic connection we each have with our environment.

City Art Centre VICTORIA CROWE: 50 YEARS OF PAINTING

1 JUL-13 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

Embracing every aspect of her practice, this exhibition of Victoria Crowe’s work will feature over 150 paintings, stemming from youthful student works to the assured, timeless landscapes and portraits of recent years.

Collective Gallery

PETRA BAUER AND SCOT-PEP: WORKERS!

25-30 JUN, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE

Workers! is a new film resulting from a long-term collaboration between Collective, HER Film, Swedish artist and filmmaker Petra Bauer and SCOT-PEP, a sex-worker led organisation in Scotland. JAMES RICHARDS: MIGRATORY MOTOR COMPLEX

26 JUL-20 OCT, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE

James Richards’ exhibition features a six-channel electroacoustic installation that explores the capacity of sound to render artificial spaces and locate sonic and melodic events within them. IF PLAY IS NEITHER INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE, WHERE IS IT?

13 JUL-6 OCT, 10:00AM – 4:00PM, FREE

A new film by Perthshire-based artist Helen McCrorie, showing as part of Edinburgh Art Festival 2019, which centres on a childled outdoor playgroup that meets in the grounds of a former military camp in Scotland.

2-13 JUL, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

An ambitious exhibition comprising a large-scale site-specific floor carving, commissioned by Edinburgh Printmakers to celebrate the launch and heritage of its new home at Castle Mills.

HANNA TUULIKKI: DEER DANCER

26 JUL-5 OCT, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

A new cross-artform project by artist, composer and performer Hanna Tuulikki, investigating the mimesis of deer, specifically representations within dance from across cultures.

Embassy Gallery

BLESS YOUR HEART

5 JUL-4 AUG, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

EMBASSY presents a summer full of performances and workshops; learn to fall in love with yourself and learn to acknowledge what you like, as these artists will bring something that you may be missing.

Ingleby Gallery CHARLES AVERY: THE GATES OF ONOMATOPOEIA

3-13 JUL, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Scottish artist Charles Avery continues his lifelong project The Islanders, begun in 2004, realised in drawing, painting, sculpture and text. DAVID BATCHELOR: MY OWN PRIVATE BAUHAUS

24 JUL-28 SEP, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition by David Batchelor that marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus by Walter Gropius in 1919.

Jupiter Artland

DANIEL LIE: THE NEGATIVE YEARS

4-14 JUL, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The culmination of a two-year research partnership focusing on decentring human agency in favour of other actors in our shared ecological and emotional field. TRISHA BROWN: TIME, SPACE, GRAVITY

27 JUL-29 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £4.50 - £9

The first retrospective of the artist’s moving-image archive, traversing her 40+ year career, from early site-specific pieces performed across New York streets to her later large-scale collaborative productions.

JOANA VASCONCELOS: GATEWAY 28 JUL-29 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £4.50 - £9

Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos unveils her highly anticipated new permanent commission for Jupiter Artland, Gateway: an intricately designed pool set within a landscaped formal garden.

Museum of Childhood BRINGING UP BABY

1 JUL-29 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

A new exhibition exploring the choices and challenges faced by parents, featuring a range of objects from the museum’s collection.

National Museum of Scotland

BODY BEAUTIFUL: DIVERSITY ON THE CATWALK

1 JUL-20 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Discover how today’s fashion industry is challenging perceptions and championing alternative ideals of beauty on the catwalk, in advertising, editorial and behind the camera.

Open Eye Gallery

RACHEL ROSS: SILVER AND BONE

1-22 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

Edinburgh-based artist Rachel Ross presents beautifully arranged compositions, encapsulating thoughts and memories suggested by the placement and intrinsic beauty of seemingly mundane everyday objects. HELEN WILSON RSW RGI PAI: LASTING IMPRESSIONS

1-22 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of new paintings and box constructions by Glasgow-based artist Helen Wilson, originally inspired by one of Liz Lochhead’s early poems, Poem for My Sister.

Royal Scottish Academy RSA

PHILIP REEVES RSA: FRAGMENTS OF FORM

1 JUL-13 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

A retrospective exhibition of the pioneering printmaker and collagist Philip Reeves RSA. OUR INFINITE LAND

1-21 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

This exhibition will highlight the emotive power of the Scottish landscape and show the contrasting approaches taken by Royal Scottish Academicians toward the subject.

Scottish National Gallery BRIDGET RILEY

1 JUL-22 SEP, TIMES VARY, TBC

A comprehensive exhibition, and the first museum survey of Bridget Riley’s work to be held in the UK for 16 years, spanning over 70 years of the artist’s work.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

NOW: ANYA GALLACCIO, CHARLES AVERY, AURÉLIEN FROMENT, ROGER HIORNS AND OTHERS

1 JUL-22 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The fifth instalment in the NOW series will be centred on a major survey of work by Anya Gallaccio. CUT AND PASTE: 400 YEARS OF COLLAGE

1 JUL-27 OCT, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, TBC

The first survey exhibition of collage ever to take place anywhere in the world, with a huge range of approaches on show, from sixteenth-century anatomical ‘flap prints’ to computer-based images.

Scottish Talbot Rice National Gallery TRADING ZONE 2019 Portrait Gallery 1-22 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE THE MODERN PORTRAIT

1 JUL-27 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

A display collating paintings, sculptures and works from the Portrait Gallery’s twentiethcentury collection, feat. a variety of well-known faces, from Ramsay Macdonald to Alan Cumming, Tilda Swinton to Danny McGrain. ART AND ANALYSIS: TWO NETHERLANDISH PAINTERS WORKING IN JACOBEAN SCOTLAND

1 JUL-26 JAN 20, TIMES VARY, FREE

A small exhibition focusing on two 17th century artists, Adrian Vanson and Adam de Colone, showcasing a group of paintings which have been examined by paintings conservator Dr Caroline Rae, along with the findings from her research. IN FOCUS: THE EXECUTION OF CHARLES I

1 JUL-26 JAN 20, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition centred around a painting of the execution of Charles I – based on eye-witness accounts and contemporary engravings – by an unknown Dutch artist.

THE REMAKING OF SCOTLAND | NATION, MIGRATION, GLOBALISATION 1760-1860

1 JUL-21 JUN 20, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition exploring the lives and careers of the Scots behind the period of dramatic change between 1760 and 1860, when Scotland rapidly attained a central role in European cultural life and in Britain’s industrial and imperial expansion. It documents the material and artistic benefits of their achievements, while also confronting the darker shadows they cast. ARTIST ROOMS: WOODMAN, ARBUS AND MAPPLETHORPE

1 JUL-20 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

Trading Zone 2019 will reflect work from second year to PhD level students at University of Edinburgh’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. SAMSON YOUNG: REAL MUSIC

24 JUL-5 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

The first major UK solo exhibition of Hong Kong artist and composer Samson Young, featuring an ambitious collaboration with the University of Edinburgh’s Next Generation Sound Synthesis research group.

THE ANNOTATED READER

25 JUN-14 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

A publication-as-exhibition and exhibition-as-publication conceived by Ryan Gander and Jonathan P. Watts.

The Queen’s Gallery RUSSIA: ROYALTY & THE ROMANOVS

1 JUL-3 NOV, 9:30AM – 6:00PM, £7.20

An exhibition exploring the relationship between Britain and Russia and their royal families, through more than 170 works of art in the Royal Collection.

Upright Gallery SOOSAN DANESH: RHYTHM

1-12 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

Soosan Danesh’s interpretations of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile closes. There are nine on display and although they are similar in style and size, each piece of wood is carefully designed and coloured in a specific way.

Whitespace

WE ALSO ASKED FOR LOVE: GAY MEN’S NARRATIVE PORTRAITS OF RESILIENCE AND RESISTANCE

25-27 JUN, 12:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

1 JUL-27 OCT, TIMES VARY, FREE

@WORKSHOPB16

THE LONG LOOK

St Margaret’s House

1 JUL-22 DEC, TIMES VARY, FREE

Exploring the innovative and diverse approaches artists have taken in their creative practice. Whether representing the real world, abstracting elements from it or depicting a realm from the imagination, each artwork is unique and individual. WISE WAYS: TRAVELS OF A DUNDEE DOCTOR

1 JUL-25 AUG, TIMES VARY, FREE

Thanks to a loan from the British Library, this exhibition reunites the maps and objects collected by physician and surgeon Dr Thomas Alexander Wise.

The Fruitmarket V&A Dundee MAEVE REDMOND Gallery 1 JUL-15 SEP 20, 10:00AM – 5:00PM,

Celebrating the work of three of the twentieth century’s most influential photographers, with a particular focus on selfportraiture and representation. The Long Look is a collaboration between the painter Audrey Grant and the photographer and printmaker Norman McBeath.

AS WE SEE IT: TWENTIETH CENTURY SCOTTISH ART

FREE

A compelling piece of graphic design that unpacks the wider context around a 19th century trade catalogue by cast iron manufacturers Walter MacFarlane & Co. CIARA PHILLIPS

1 JUL-15 SEP 20, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

A new commission, championing the often-unseen process of making by evoking a moment suspended in time where vital decisions about materials and their composition are made. SCOTTISH DESIGN GALLERIES

1 JUL-15 SEP 20, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Explore the everyday relevance of design and how it improves our lives, experience the processes that underpin it and discover little-known stories of Scottish design with international impact. VIDEOGAMES: DESIGN/PLAY/ DISRUPT

1 JUL-8 SEP, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, TBC

Gain a unique insight into the design process behind a selection of groundbreaking contemporary videogames.

Visual artist Eleonora Scalise responds to research conducted by Dr Edgar Rodríguez-Dorans with ten gay men from different ages and backgrounds. 19-21 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

Sometime new order collaborator and professional design technician at Edinburgh Napier University, @workshopb16 presents his first solo exhibition showcasing unseen works.

PEPSI 2

6-7 JUL, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

New exhibition from the a group of artists formerly known as the Pepsi Collective, made up of twenty graduates of DJCAD in Dundee.

Stills

CINDY SHERMAN: EARLY WORKS, 1975-80 1 JUL-6 OCT, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

An exhibition showcasing seminal early works by Cindy Sherman, one of the most influential artists of the last 40 years.

Summerhall

NICKY BECKETT: BROKEN IMAGES. BROKEN LIVES

26-30 JUN, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Rather than being interested strictly in the aesthetics of photography, self-taught photographer Nicky Beckett is drawn to the documentary potential of the medium. JENNY BRUCE: COSMIC TIMELESSNESS

26-30 JUN, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

Jenny Bruce’s experimental work in this exhibition sometimes uses natural dyes, from coffee, tea, turmeric, dandelion, nettle, beetroot and lemon juice instead of traditional paint mediums. MICHAEL KAY TERENCE: THE MARKS TO PROVE IT

3-7 JUL, 11:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

The largest solo show of the works by artist Michael Kay Terence to date. His practice combines minimalist sculptural forms with video and contains an element of performance.

Dundee Art DCA: Dundee Contemporary Arts PATRICK STAFF: THE PRINCE OF HOMBURG

1 JUL-1 SEP, TIMES VARY, FREE

This exhibition by British artist Patrick Staff will debut a major video installation and series of sculptural works reinterpreting 19th century German writer Heinrich Von Kleist’s play The Prince of Homburg.

LifeSpace

PARA-SITE-SEEING: DEPARTURE LOUNGE

6 JUL-31 AUG, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An art/science collaboration between Rod Dillon and Jen Southern, inviting you to imagine life from the perspective of the Leishmania parasite.

The McManus LINKS WITH THE PAST

25-30 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

A partnership project between The McManus and the University of Edinburgh’s Unit for Forensic Anthropology Research has uncovered new details about a Pictish man’s life and death, which are revealed in a new display.

THE SKINNY

Competitions Win a pair of tickets to Art Late Ahead of the launch of the 16th edition of Edinburgh Art Festival on 25 July, we’re giving away a pair of tickets to one of EAF’s Art Late evenings, their special culture crawls across the city with artists’ talks, hands-on workshops and one-off performances. Also included are some festival goodies and treats from Bellfield Brewery. This year the Art Festival will include the work of over 300 artists from around the world at partner galleries and venues throughout Edinburgh, alongside a lively programme of events – find out more at edinburghartfestival.com For the chance to win a pair of tickets to one of the Art Late evenings (on 1, 8, 15 or 22 Aug) alongside an artist-designed festival tote

bag and treats from Bellfield Brewery, including a box of Bellfield beer and a tour and pint at their new Taproom on Stanley Place, simply head over to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question: When does Edinburgh Art Festival launch? a) 25 July b) 25 August c) 25 December

The SAY Award

Competition closes midnight Mon 22 Jul. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or the prize will be offered to another entrant. The Skinny’s Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms

Win tickets to the SAY Award ceremony and Live at the Longlist Featuring live performances from some of Scotland’s best creative talent, Live at the Longlist takes place in the iconic Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh on Friday 26 July and will see the announcement of the 20 outstanding albums which will make up The SAY Award Longlist for 2019. The unmissable night will see performances from previous SAY Award nominees C Duncan, Kobi Onyame and a special collaboration between Idlewild’s Rod Jones and Modern Studies in a true celebration of the strength and diversity of Scottish music. With a record 293 eligible albums submitted to The SAY Award this year, the Scottish music scene is more vibrant than ever – for your chance to experience Live at the Longlist book tickets now at sayaward.com. We have a pair of tickets to the exclusive ceremony on 6 September at The Assembly

Edinburgh Art Festival

Rooms to give away, plus a pair of Live at the Longlist tickets too. Fifteen runners-up will also win a pair of tickets to Live at the Longlist. To enter the competition, simply head over to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question: Which Scottish band is Rod Jones part of? a) Franz Ferdinand b) CHVRCHES c) Idlewild Competition closes midnight Sun 21 Jul. Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or the prize will be offered to another entrant. The Skinny’s Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms

Lindisfarne Festival

Photo: James Hughes

Win tickets to The Cauldron, Edinburgh's newest potion-making experience

Win a pair of weekend tickets to Lindisfarne Festival The ultimate end-of-summer party festival is back for its fifth year of music, magic and mayhem on the spectacular Northumberland coast from 29 August to 1 September. Less than an hour away from Edinburgh and Newcastle but a world away from reality, Lindisfarne Festival provides a wonderful hedonistic weekend escape. With more than 200 acts over ten unique stages, get ready for an eclectic, genre-hopping line-up of must-see performances in the UK's best-kept-secret festival location overlooking Holy Island! This year, the main stage line-up includes Ocean Colour Scene, Peter Doherty & the Puta Madres, Goldie, Gentleman's Dub Club, The Showhawk Duo, DJ Yoda, Ferocious Dog, Elvana: Elvis Fronted Nirvana, Dutty Moonshine Big Band, Tankus the Henge, Smoove & Turrell, Louise Distras and many more. As well as the live music, you’ll find DJs until 4am, comedy, spoken word, indie disco, a blues tent, yoga and meditation, alternative therapies, workshops, camping, glamping,

July 2019

bonfire, fire shows, street performers, market stalls, street food, chill out zones and so much more! And with an over 18s only rule, you can shed all responsibility and revert to that carefree, childlike state of being, for one weekend of the year. To win weekend tickets, simply head over to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question:

Magical pub and immersive experience Cauldron has already taken London, New York City and Dublin by storm, and Edinburgh can get in on the potion-making action. Don a wizard's cloak and use a working magic wand to summon a welcome drink and brew two molecular potions under the guidance of your potion's master. The Cauldron are working with Innis & Gunn in their first UK collaboration to brew "Three Witches Pale Ale," a beer that uses ingredients from real magical history – it’s only available at The Cauldron! Be among the first in Edinburgh to be part of this experience! We’ve two pairs of tickets to take part in The Cauldron experience. For your chance

to win one of these pairs, simply head over to theskinny.co.uk/competitions and correctly answer the following question: Which of these cities do not have a Cauldron? a) London b) New York c) Wolverhampton Competition closes midnight Mon 22 Jul. Over 18s only. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms Learn more about The Cauldron at thecauldron.io

Lindisfarne Festival overlooks the tidal island of Lindisfarne. By what other name is Lindisfarne better known? a) Wild Island b) Holy Island c) Royal Island Competition closes midnight Sun 21 Jul. Over 18s only. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms Check out the full line-up at lindisfarnefestival.com

COMPETITIONS

The Cauldron

Listings

Jennifer Gray, The Surface Tiles and Condiment Set in Abigail

Designs on Parliament This month we unveil an evolving curation of Scottish design housed in the personal office of the First Minister Words: Stacey Hunter

e’re delighted to see an exciting project announced this month that has been unavoidably delayed by the B word. There is admittedly more than one B word now, so to be clear, the Brexit one. As we approach two years of this regular design column, it is hugely encouraging to see our endeavours recognised with an invitation to curate a collection of contemporary design and craft at not only the Scottish Parliament, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s personal office. The opportunity to see a selection of Scotland’s most interesting, innovative and well-crafted design sharing display space with some of the most important artefacts of our modern political times is a powerful reflection of the strength of Scotland’s vibrant design industry. The room is smaller than you might expect, but with pale concrete walls, understated furniture upholstered in Bute fabric, and floor-to-ceiling windows, it is a subtle yet elegant setting for receiving important guests and displaying our first collection. The ten pieces of work we have selected represent the best of contemporary Scottish creativity. To be rotated on a rolling six month basis, the pieces will act as talking points for visitors and guests of the First Minister. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Scotland is home to world class artists and designers and I’m proud to be able to support the sector through the Local Heroes project. I welcome visitors from both home and abroad and across the public and private sectors to my office at parliament and it’s a privilege to help raise the profile of Scotland’s exceptional design expertise. The initial collection has already been positively received, with well-deserved praise from visitors. I look forward to welcoming further collections in

Last Word

the future.” From fine ceramics, glass and furniture to high tech jewellery and product design engineering, this initial collection demonstrates that Scotland is at the forefront of innovation and a producer of the highest quality design and craft. Pieces include: the minimal, sleek design of Glasgow based Instrmnt’s A-12 clock, Skye-based Patricia Shone’s raku fired pot, inspired by the landscape around her, and Jonathan Pang’s precision engineered lightweight standing Phloem Lamp in maple and richlite. Colour and painstaking technique come to the fore with handmade pieces by Edinburgh’s Juli BolañosDurman’s and Frances Priest. BolañosDurman’s trio of delicate glass vessels and Priest’s Gathering Places mosaic-like bowl are jewel-like in their intricacy and craftsmanship. Andreu Carulla Studio and Jennifer Gray have both designed and made conceptual pieces that employ the use of tactile materials like aluminium and jesmonite. Lynne MacLachlan’s 3D printed nylon neckpiece demonstrates that high-tech design can embody timeless elegance. Gabriella Marcella’s Balancing Act illustrates design’s playful side while Natalie J Wood’s minimalist yet functional Detsu water carafe can be enjoyed by the First Minister’s visitors and guests in a practical way. The collection provides an opportunity to promote the industry, process, place and people behind Scottish design. As a changing collection it is intended to be an evolving environment that demonstrates Scotland’s diverse, modern and world class design community. Clive Gillman, Director of Creative Industries, Creative Scotland, said: “This collection not only celebrates the richness of

design practice in Scotland today, it also demonstrates the range of ideas and origins that form Scotland’s design community. From technical sophistication to spectacular aesthetics, this work reflects the wealth of ideas and the breadth of influences that exist in Scotland today. Emblematic of Scotland’s desire to be understood as an open, contemporary, creative place.” Designer Juli Bolaños-Durman said: “This is a great opportunity to not only showcase the level of contemporary craftsmanship and design in Scotland, but more importantly, using this direct platform with decision-makers to highlight the importance of creativity on wellbeing, fostering joyfulness and the future of education; moving forward from the knowledge-based to a more dynamic non-traditional learning, fostering collaboration, empathy, values and problem solving. I believe creating a space for play, thinking with our hands and fostering joy is vital.”

Instrmnt, A-12

The First Minister’s Local Heroes collection is made possible with the support of the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and will be exhibited within the First Minister’s personal office at The Scottish Parliament The collection can be viewed online at localheroes.design

DESIGN

THE SKINNY

Photo: Shannon Tofts

Patricia Shone, Contour 50 'watershed', hand formed raku fired ceramic, 2018

Lynne MacLachlan, Quintuple Necklace

Juli BolaĂąos-Durman

Andreu Carulla, Plat de Pa

Gabriella Marcella, Balancing Act

Frances Priest

July 2019

DESIGN

Last Word