Making The Most Of May Is it summer? Isn’t it? Why can’t the skies make their bloody minds up?! Either way, we’ve got a wealth of suggestions for you to get the very best out of Bristol this May come rain or shine. A definite treat and regular highlight now for May in Bristol has to be Mayfest – Bristol’s exciting festival of contemporary theatre. We meet the festival’s co-producer to chat about what delights they’ve organised for us this year (page 9) and check out our recommended Mayfest viewings as part of our Sly look forward at May (page64). May sees the fourth issue of SY On The Sly, the sister publication of Suit Yourself Magazine – Bristol’s number one independent, quarterly magazine which investigates, uncovers and promotes everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant and altogether amazing place to live! Read away and don’t forget to check out the latest issue of Suit Yourself Magazine, our listings service and our constantly updated blog, all found at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk
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3/ Making The Most Of May 6/ Street View – Invasion or Interesting? 9/ SY Meets‌Mayfest 2009 12/ Get Walking Day 2009 15/ Auntie Harper A Sly look back at April 20/ The best of Gigs 32/ The best of Art 38/ The best of Stage 44/ The best of Cinema A Sly look forward at May 50/ Recommended Gigs 56/ Recommended Art 60/ Recommended Clubs 64/ Recommended Stage 68/ Recommended Cinema 70/ Horoscopes by Mystic Ginger For those of you pretending to work, you can also read the maga zine online at www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk or www.bristollist ings.co.uk
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STREET VIEW COMES TO BRISTOL! I can see my house! Well, nearly. I can see the start of Brynland Avenue but I’m just out of range. I don’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved. The Google Maps feature first arrived in 2005 and was well received; a free online map service that saved many from ‘Satnav Syndrome’ (a mental illness inspired by the intonation of Tom Tom’s sarcastic female Stephen Hawkins-sound-a-like protagonist). Now, just over a month ago, the mighty web engine Google added the new ‘Street View’ service to its already formidable internet presence, uploading photos of every nook and cranny of our city centres available for the world to see. Street View has provoked a storm of protest with the British media predictably jumping on the old civil liberties/ privacy bandwagon but are they just trying to flog units or do they have a point – is this new feature a step too far? Where do you draw the line?
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Street View currently covers 25 out of a possible 66 British cities centres, which produces rather uneven coverage - not ideal for espionage. That’s not to say that there is no issue - matey who was unlucky enough to have his car photographed in his mistress’ driveway is not really it though. From all the controversy you might think Google are streaming high def feeds from every letterbox! There is much suggest that we are one of the most spied on nations on Earth but the culprit isn’t Google. Street View is just a series of photos which actually give an honest snapshot of modern Britain, in a certain cynical sort of way. Personally, I think the images of the Rab C wannabe sunbathing in his string vest in Glasgow, matey spewing on his shoes in Shoreditch, someone having a pee on a lamppost in Brum and the two cyclists crashing into each other down by the Lakota in Bristol are amusing, largely harmless and offer an unusually unbiased cultural insight into the places documented. But then that’s easy for me to say, I wasn’t featured. www.google.co.uk/maps Andy Walker
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Bristol’s Festival of Contemporary Theatre running across the city between Friday 1st and Saturday 16th May 2009 2009 will see Mayfest hit Bristol for its 6th year and the festival is really starting to get comfortable in
its shoes as Bristol’s showpiece event in the theatre calendar, as festival co-producer Matthew Austin explains; “Every year it feels more like it’s become a festival rather than just a collection of shows. When
Mayfest started it was basically a month of work which you’d just watch and not engage with, whereas now it feels that you can come for a few days and really get involved and hang out at the festival. “Last year it was a little bit scary because it was the first time we went across the city but the success of it proved that’s what needed to happen with the festival. We were tempted to change, questioning the need for a festival at all, thinking we might achieve more if we just organised and put on shows throughout the year but the reason that festivals work are that they allow people to come together and it really gives people that sense of celebration.”
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2009’s festival will continue to be spread across all of the city’s larger theatre venues but this year notably welcomes back Bristol Old Vic to its ranks where the festival will be based along with the Mayfest Market – a space where every theatre company involved has been encouraged to have a stall to promote and show off their work in an open environment to the public, harking back to the days when the building was a fruit-and-veg market! As usual, this year’s festival has an exciting mix of local, national and international companies performing some fantastic physical, visual and experimental theatre and while the amount of shows and companies is remaining the same, each show will run for 3 or 4 nights rather than in the strings of one-off performances that slightly hindered last year’s atmosphere. So for the first time there will be shows happening simultaneously in different venues, therefore asking a lot more of the general public and making Mayfest feel much more like a proper festival with all the trimmings; “Last year it
felt like we didn’t have all the stuff around the outside to really make it a festival, but this year we’re having a big opening party with music and performances, there’s going to be more workshops, more artists meetings, more post-show discussions, regular blogs and more events and spectacles like the Mayfest Market - we want people to be able to go into the Bristol Old Vic at any time of the day and there’ll be something going on and to see inside.” Mayfest kicks off with a fantastic party at the Bristol Old Vic on Friday 1st May so get yourselves down there! For more details and to see the full, user friendly programme visit: www.mayfestbristol.co.uk Matt Whittle
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Going For A Good Walk Get Walking Day ’09, which aims to enable people to see the physical, mental, environmental and social benefits of walking is now being promoted by the Ramblers, Britain’s walking charity. They are inviting everyone in the south west to a free walking festival over the Bank Holiday weekend of 30 May and 1 June. A whole series of short walks (less than 5 miles) has been organised in towns, cities and countryside all over the region, many of which have associated refreshments and special events. Consider the massive benefits of walking. It can be done at no cost or might even save you money spent on petrol or bus fares, brilliant given the economic downturn. It can easily be fitted into a daily routine and in periods of leisure and is available to the vast majority of us with no need for particularly special equipment or instruction. It helps keep body and mind fit and healthy: exercising the heart and lungs; reducing body fat by efficiently burning calories; helping to improve bone density; increasing muscle tone; boosting metabolism; easing anxiety and stress; raising energy levels; improving
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sleep. It can help prevent illness if done regularly: reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, osteoporosis and arthritis. It’s environmentally beneficial too, helping us use our cars less, reducing carbon emissions which contribute to climate change and given that half of all journeys are two miles or less it can often, with a bit of planning, be practical. It increases contact between people and enhances the vitality of our communities and so is socially beneficial. Get your friends and family to join in - it can be a lot of fun! www.ramblers.org.uk Glenn Vowles http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
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Auntie Harper He’ll diss you to your face
I need to dump my boyfriend but I don’t know how to tell him! Any advice? Let yourself go, stop washing, end every sentence with the word ‘like’ and start shopping in Farm Foods and to finish it off you can threaten to chop his cock off next time he tries to get in bed with you. I’m sure he’ll be happy to dump you after all that and then your problems will be sorted. I can’t afford to go on holiday this summer, what should I do instead? Unlucky you pikey fucker. I’m going to Budapest with my mates for 2 weeks. Suppose I could tell you to check out the thrills of Brean Leisure Park or the donkeys at Weston. However, my mate Ashley recommends ties and lube to waste those summer days away. Harper! I forgot my best mate’s birthday! How do I make it up to him? Get him 2 hookers at central massage. My mate did ‘em right in last month and they proper loved it. He even got a free can ‘a kestral chucked in for free!
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Check out Suit Yourself Magazine, the sister publication of SY On The Sly. Suit Yourself Magazine is a free, quarterly printed magazine that has been going strong for over four years and can be found in every shop, cafe, pub, club, restaurant, hairdresser, gallery and venue all over Bristol! Suit Yourself Magazine is an independent publication, a voice for all those young at heart, those interested in music, fashion, adventure, the arts, their environment and everything in between. A magazine which investigates, uncovers and promoters everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant, and altogether amazing place to live. Pick it up on the streets of Bristol or read back issues at: www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk
Donate Now! Help save our sausages and keep Bristol's No.1 independent magazine! Just go to www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk and follow the links.
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FREE DIY BEER MAT
Eagles Of Death Metal Monday 6th April 2009 @ Academy, Bristol With Support From: The Hot Melts What better way to shake off those back to work, Monday blues than with a raucous rock gig? The band providing tonight’s anarchy in the Academy are Eagles Of Death Metal. The atmosphere was a ridiculous child like anticipation for the headline act; it was almost as though you could feel in the air that this was going to be a good show! Eagles Of Death Metal take to the stage in a flurry of camp dances and Village People moustaches. They are met with almost deafening screams from the crowd – I had honestly not seen such a responsive crowd at the Academy for some time. The band picked up on it instantly and thanked Bristol between every song for being; “a million times better than Birmingham”. As the gig went on, the crowd got more and more frantic and the band fed of it and Jesse literally could not stop smiling through his big moustache. They played a lot of songs from the new album Heart On but what really made the room erupt were the songs Cherry Cola and Speaking In Tongues. Cherry Cola was the true highlight of the evening for me it was the song that first made me aware of the band. Eagles Of Death Metal were so impressed with the Bristol crowd that they stayed for a six song encore. Hopefully they will tell every band they meet so that this city gets more big touring bands here than we do currently.
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Even though there was a huge rumour that Brody Dalle (The Distillers/Spinerette) was to provide backing vocals for the evening, she was no where to be seen. They truly didn’t need anyone else on stage though as Jesse and his crew made this gig one of the most fun shows I have ever witnessed! www.eaglesofdeathmetal.com Stu Freeman Photos www.ianbradleyphotgraphy.com
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PJ Harvey and John Parish Saturday 18th April 2009 @ Anson Rooms, Bristol
This being a home coming of sorts for PJ Harvey and long time cohort John Parish, tonight’s audience stomps its feet, and as Polly sings in new single Black Hearted Love, calls out her name in rapture as they sense the duo about to appear. Harvey, dressed demurely in a white gossamer gown, paces coyly onto the stage behind a disarmingly shy smile, followed by Parish, wearing a pork-pie hat and displaying the slight hint of a pot belly. Besides being able to reach up and feel the sweat in the air – its hot in here, and the audience jam packed – the atmosphere is at boiling point. It’s at shows like this that you can feel the seeds of new bands beginning to germinate.
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Immediately delicate and bashful, Harvey invariably catches you on your heels as she launches into oftdefiant, oft-spitting, oft-ferociously sexual punk-blues songs like Pig Will Not; songs in this case co-written with Parish – Harvey the lyrics, Parish the music. It’s in this collision between ferocious defiance and genuine fragility that she finds her power. It means that when Polly punches, she punches hard! Between dancing seductively around the stage and pushing her voice to extremes (that belie her diminutive frame, and at times approach self-flagellation), Harvey produces an intense theatre using the often disturbing characters she creates in her songs – and embodies in performance – as a vehicle. A case in point being the devastating A Woman A Man Walked By, in which a woman wronged verbally castrates a “mummy’s boy” with “woman parts”, the refrain “I want your fucking ass! Stick it up your fucking ass!” stinging the ears. She’s the sexiest woman in rock, but with this, any tumescent heads in the audience are abruptly squashed. Fictional or not, to write these characters you have to have a dark place somewhere inside of you. The fact that these are the tunes the audience pops loudest for; that we seem to enjoy the view from the periphery of this darkness so much, illuminates something in all of us. And for those of you who consider most of the above to be over-analytical bullshit, but for whom the shear thought of an electric guitar being thrashed through a fuzz-box makes you wet, well, when Harvey and Parish rock they rattle your bones. PJ Harvey and John Parish: gig of the year thus far! Where the fuck were you? www.pjharvey.lucidwebs.co.uk James Davey Photos www.ianbradleyphotography.com
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The Wave Pictures Monday 13th April 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol
The first time I saw The Wave Pictures live, or indeed had ever even heard of them, was on this exact spot just over a year ago as they propped up the bill for a busy, busy night of Moshi Moshi bands. Tonight, they return in their own right as headliners with a new album to promote; the supporting having become the supported. With the audience satisfyingly packed-in and warmed up, The Wave Pictures make their move and what’s immediately obvious since their last outing here, is that the band have really grown in confidence: What used to be nervous awkwardness between songs has been replaced with assertive, friendly banter and lead-man Dave Tattersall has really picked up the gift of the gab. What The Wave Pictures have always had though, is a recognisable love of what they are doing (not to be sniffed at considering they’ve been together for over 10 years now) as well as the genuine quality of their charismatic indie-folk. We were treated to an impressive set of intricate melodies over swooping rhythms, affecting, honest, beautiful ballads and every now and again the sort of blood-curdling, brutal electric guitar solo that would make Dick Dale proud. The Wave Pictures’ new found confidence was showcased wonderfully when they bravely reinvented their standout and best know track, Now You Are Pregnant, by breaking it down to its bare bones and putting drummer Jonny at the helm to sing lead vocals. This minimal reworking gave the song a much more affecting and deliciously fragile edge with Jonny’s coarser and slightly naïve vocals bringing new life to the track. www.thewavepictures.com
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Lemar
Thursday 2nd April 2009 @ Colston Hall, Bristol With Support From: JLS, Effie, The Score
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When I realised I was covering Lemar at the partway through, soon to be right smart, Colston Hall, who in turn was being supported by, brace yourself, JLS and a couple of other acts aimed at the teen market, I was thinking; “Oh my god, it’s Briton’s strictly got the pop factor bla bla bla!” and in a way it was a bit like watching one of those shows, just without the good-cop bad-cop formula judges. But (with a huge ‘B’) whatever you might think, Lemar is a true star; his gravelly voice and vocal range is second to none, swinging between breathtaking high and low notes throughout. He has a talent, is worthy of his ecstatic fan base and performed for them a really good set, treating everyone to his well-known hits like 50 50 and the “If there’s any justice…” one but also a few new tunes/soon to be hits from his new album The Reason. We even got a few outstanding covers, in particular, Sex On Fire by Kings Of Leon, which he excelled at. His performance was professional, relaxed and he gave all the screaming girls what they had come to see; talking to the audience, baring some flesh, audience participation – an all round entertaining show. Lemar’s band were amazing too; an outstanding drummer (with more symbols than a 80’s metal band), guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion and three backing singers, all performing world class musicianship. My only criticism would be the backing singers sang too much as Lemar’s voice sounds best alone. Overall, it was an entertaining evening with a lot of talent. Even JLS were entertaining but I think they need to escape the shadow of the boy band factory if they want to still be around after puberty. Listen out for Lemar though as he stands out head and shoulders above all the other Briton’s got the pop factor, soap star, super star, strictly on ice contestants…apart from Todd of course. www.lemar-online.com Matt Collins Photos www.crushimages.co.uk
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Kill It Kid
Tuesday 14th April 2009 @ The Fleece, Bristol With Support From: Suzy Condrad The Fleece throws its heavy oaken doors open to a small but eventually enthusiastic crowd and ushers in the night with the bittersweet acoustic tones of Suzy Condrad who, with clever vocal harmonies and a talented, if inanimate, backing band, manages to captivate the crowd with her own brand of lush folk. As Kill It Kid prepare onstage, carrying more violins and keys, SY’s heart sinks a little, expecting another indie-folk re-hash…however, as they begin a flowing set, the hairs on the back of our neck begin to stand up. A tight, closely knit band, they play with a sort of cool passion that builds up to a jaw-dropping crescendo. If Jack White held a barn dance in New York, Kill It Kid would be the perfect house band. They combined a sweet folky cluster of violins and keys, (this time justifying Arcade Fire comparisons) with a rock’n’roll swagger in the vein of Modest Mouse. Some vocal-swapping also gives unexpected depth as the deep growl of guitarist Chris Turpin meets the willowy tones of keyboardist Steph Ward, folding a mellow vibe neatly into the bluesy set. A perfect combination of rough, heavy riffs, stomping beats and sweeping, orchestral majesty promise Kill It Kid a very, very big future. www.myspace.com/killitkid Heather McKay
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Phil King Album Launch Saturday 25th April 2009 @ Colston Hall Bar, Bristol
Stunningly powerful vocals made for a smooth, soulful evening of Bristol’s premier male vocalist. From my cross-legged position on the faded red carpet of the Colston Hall Bar, I look around at the audience who have each come to celebrate in the release of Phil King’s much anticipated second album They Come And They Go. There are groups of three or four seated around coffee tables at the front of the room, interspersed with people, like myself, enjoying the comfort of the soft carpeting, with the rest standing around the edges and at the back of the room. While some may see the somewhat crumbling surroundings of the bar a poor substitute for the sheer decadence of the newly refurbished foyer next door, this backdrop created the perfect sense of intimacy that seems embedded within every Phil King performance. We begin with a personal favourite, This Girl Of Mine, a beautiful love song that instantly captures the crowd. The night plays out with the entire new album, together with a few more classics from his first album, Leaves, and the occasional cover thrown in for good measure. It is soulful melodic vocals at their best and each song is met by huge appreciation from the crowd of whom he connects with between each and every song; his endearingly wide smile greeting us at every turn. For the encore we are treated to just Phil and his guitar with South For The Winter which truly showcases his ability to mesmerise an audience even without the support of the superb talents of guitarist James Forster and drummer Sam Hammond. His humble thanks go to all those involved in making the album, as he states that “being in Bristol and being surrounded by all these unbelievably talented artists is a privilege.”
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Phil King has the voice, the presence and the sheer likeability that could keep me listening to his records long into the early hours. He never fails to impress and after this, his second album, may there be many, many more. www.phil-king.net Steph Burns
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Tom White: A Moment in Time
Showing between Saturday 28th March and Thursday 2nd April 2009 @ Centrespace Gallery, Bristol
The subject matter Tom White has chosen for his Moment In Time exhibition; the slightly run down, underground c lets face it, a little rough areas of Bristol. Paintings of Stokes Croft, Easton and Montpelier but with more compass sensitivity than the art these areas usually offer.
It is not just the subjects he picks to paint that are interesting, but the manner in which he depicts them and his feeling area and its residents translates beautifully onto the canvas. I found myself looking at areas like Turbo-Island and p the Star & Garter, which I pass everyday on the way to work, in a way I had never seen them before. What in real lif
non artistic eye at least) appears hard, grimy, run down but with a sort of gritty urban cool is soothed under White’s br something which portrays the places, as well as the people as vividly alive, and as vulnerably beautiful. It is the transie vulnerability of these places and the people that White gets across so well in his exhibition.
It is the decay, the moment in time which is fleeting and may soon me lost, that White captures so well. It is this s wanting to preserve something undervalued, ignored and consequently fleeting that is the heart of this exhibition himself is so involved in the preservation that his paintings have something more than simply an observant eye and with paint; he genuinely cares about his subject, and it shows.
As I left he was waiting for one of his subjects, Neil, a recovering addict from Stokes Croft to drop in for a photograph his portrait. I asked if it was promotional, he said no, the photo was just to give to Neil; “It helps self confidence I thin the same sentiment is present in his art; he gives something that battered and bruised a confidence in its underlying www.greatwhiteart.com Natalie Burns
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Crimes Of Passion: Street Art In Bristol
Exhibiting from Saturday 21st March until Saturday 2nd May 2009 @ The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol 50 Bristol artists, 500 litres of emulsion, 1000+ cans of spray paint, 20 sleepless nights, 1 transformed art gallery: Crimes Of Passion. For too long the people of Bristol have been unaware of The Royal West of England Academy, oblivious of just another grand building along a grand stretch of road but with the gallery’s latest exhibition, Crimes Of Passion, Bristol has been forced to sit up and pay attention – not least because of the 20-foot, green tentacles that have been growing out of the building’s roof over the last couple of months thanks to Filthy Luker – just one of the 50 street artists exhibiting work inside. Crimes Of Passion has really put the RWA on the map, breathing new life into the gallery, attracting new people and breaking records, attracting more visitors than they’ve ever had! “Crimes of passion” has been the buzz-word on everyone’s lips in Bristol for the past two months and it’s easy to see why. As soon as you walk into the five grand galleries, your senses are assaulted on all sides; huge, vibrant walls of colour and imagination lurch at you from all angles, surrounding you. The art’s not just restricted to the canvas, it’s all over the walls, on the floors, on the ceilings, doors; there are sculptures, installations, photographs and every medium imaginable is taken advantage of, going far beyond the lowly spray can. It’s like talking a stroll inside the brain of one of these nutbox artists and, maybe it’s the cardboard armchair and road-cone lampshades, but I get a surreal flashback to the Beano cartoon - Numskulls. I can hear people walking from room to room around me literally exclaiming; “Wow!” to each other, especially when they see Mudwig’s 50-foot Mr Sausage – stick a fork in me, I’m done…
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This is the first graffiti art exhibition in a public gallery in Bristol for over 20 years and there’s a suitable sense of pride and accomplishment. There’s a dilemma to be explored too though about the relevance of exhibiting ‘street art’ in a very traditional gallery like the RWA, but is this really any different then seeing the art hung in Guerrilla Galleries or the Friend and Co. Gallery? At least it is good to see that the street art scene is not being ignored and that this hugely popular, international, cultural phenomenon is being recognised and respected. However, I do think Crimes Of Passion would benefit by putting the art on show here in a bit more context. If this was your first experience of Bristol’s street art then the exhibition would be more than a little confusing. Who are these artists? Where have they come from? How has graffiti grown and evolved from the streets? If the art was put into a bit more perspective and had references back to the streets and the fact that street art is still illegal, then the experience would be a lot more rounded and satisfying. Perhaps the exhibit could
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have had more photos of these artists’ work in the streets of Bristol or at least have a board describing and explaining street art culture. Crimes Of Passion is a brilliantly inspired exhibition even if it has been a long time coming and hopefully it will serve the art as much as it has the gallery, making people stop, take notice and appreciate the art all around them. A browse of the comments book afterwards reveals a lot of inspired people that have walked through these halls too, which is satisfying – hopefully they’ll have all learned a few new Bristol names other than Banksy. www.crimesofpassion.info www.rwa.org.uk Matt Whittle
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BRAVE
Showing between Tuesday 21st and Sunday 26th April 2009 @ Bristol Old Vic The Bristol Old Vic’s young company surprised me with its unique, inspiring and emotive play BRAVE. I didn’t expect a young cast to deliver such a powerful, wise, inventive and thought-provoking performance. Like an abstract dream, I fell into the fantastical and universal experiences displayed in BRAVE. It’s an astounding play, which has been brilliantly directed and explored by all involved. The audience was brought from laughing one moment to silence in the next. For various reasons we look to forget our childhood: the kiss chase, birthdays, divorce, illness, abuse and death. But for one night you get to re-live the highs and lows of childhood, and life. For myself, a lot of these memories on stage were my memories.
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There were moments when you felt like you had been propelled into Toy Story and others when it felt like watching a Hollywood movie. Its ambitious cast of 200 performers from ages 7 – 70 meant they were able to recreate moments which often can only be captured on screen. It brought a new life and experience onto the stage, unlike any I have seen before. Great insights and humour were provided into adult lives including one that played on the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, doing their own version – Who Wants To Be A Parent? The music was too incredible, ranging from surreal music reminiscent of Frank Zappa, classical, ambient, beat-boxing and operatic singing. Each piece was powerfully emotive and accompanied the different stories beautifully. BRAVE demonstrates the talent, professionalism and voice of young people today, and has inspired me to see more productions by young people. It’s definitely fulfilled its promises and then some by creating a brilliant piece of art. Don’t miss out, go and see it quick! www.bristololdvic.org.uk Freya Morris Photos: Toby Farrow www.farrowscreative.com
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The Lost World
Showing between Friday 3rd and Sunday 19th April 2009 @ Bristol Old Vic The Bristol Old Vic has been hibernating for sometime, or so we’ve thought until The Lost World came to the Studio! Following some explorers in the search of the lost Bristol City Council workers and other characters, this inventive, thrilling and adventurous tale seemed all the more plausible because it was weaved into reality. Large crates, fog, mud and people are lost in time and space inside the theatre, and it was our mission to discover the truth! The Lost World is a fantastic, interactive show, resembling a murder mystery tour but with dinosaurs, cave people and Arthur Conan Doyle himself. The children watching couriered letters, fed Maltesers to cave women and speculated on all the truly fantastic sites to behold. After a squeal or two from myself, I realise that this was not only for the kids but the big kid’s too. Through the eyes of a child, things are far more exhilarating and for once I felt my imagination coming alive. I can’t remember a time when I have been so excited during a show! The explorer’s interaction with the audience was extraordinary; sparking off the children’s imaginations, speculating and thrilling without being too scary. Like magnets under a piece of paper, children drew to them as if they were iron filings. A siren marked the end of the exploration but not the end of the tale, and children buzzed home retelling their exciting journey. A brilliant Easter treat for little bunnies and adults too. Bring a torch, stay within the yellow tape and watch out for the dinosaurs set to hatch and get loose in the Bristol Old Vic! www.bristololdvic.org.uk
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Freya Morris
Dictation / No Pyjamas
Showing between Sunday 12th and Wednesday 15th April 2009 @ Alma Tavern Theatre, Bristol Writer’s Block are a performance group dedicated to the work of new, up-and-coming writers. With a university framework, it is a fantastic opportunity for creative minds to collaborate with fresh faced directors and actors who also want to develop their talents. The Alma Tavern was the perfect space to perform the following two short plays: Dictation and No Pyjamas, both written by Amanda Penlington, a lecturer at UWE. Dictation uses sexy humor to subvert the roles of power and game playing. The script is witty, saturated in comedy and revolved around the relationship between boss and secretary. Through this relationship, the issue of control is questioned with a little surprise at the end. No Pyjamas was another sexy comedy: A newly married couple, who like to spend most of their spare time in the bedroom, are nervously interrupted by a pervy man called Frank who they assume is from the water company. You try and throw yourself into the realism of the play and it just doesn’t work, nobody would appreciate Frank in real life, but on the stage he bowls everyone over hilariously. Two fantastic plays brought to you on a budget. Watch out for what they will pull out of their g-string next. What ever it is, the Alma Tavern will be there to cradle it. www.almataverntheatre.co.uk Kayleigh Cassidy
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Antony and Cleopatra
Showing between Thursday 26th March and Saturday 2nd May 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre “Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch of the ranged empire fall” – not exactly the words you’d expect from a leading Roman politician like Mark Antony, even if his gaffe-prone modern counterpart Silvio Berlusconi has probably uttered something equally derogatory – but this is the overwhelming power of Shakespeare’s Egypt. Its stunning opulence and rich sensuousness makes sober politicians forget duty and leave their kingdoms to waste; Antony must decide whether he is a calculating, career driven Roman or a passionate and sensual Egyptian.
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Unlike many companies, SATTF doesn’t need to rely on flashy sets or elaborate staging to bring Shakespeare’s text to life - it has something much more powerful; incredible acting. Each player had not only mastered their character but had developed such a genuine relationship with their fellow performers that at times, it was hard to believe they were actors and that we had not been transported straight to the classical Mediterranean. Whilst playing the hot-headed Cleopatra, SATTF veteran Lucy Black moved expertly from the smug satisfaction of having a besotted Roman at her beck and call to a paranoid hysteria when her lover favoured Rome over her enchanting kingdom. It’s a challenging role to act – like portraying Lady Thatcher as a Romantic lead – and Black captured the pride, rage and insecurity of this larger than life character with immense skill. Black’s counterpart Alun Raglan too is perhaps one of the most natural and unpretentious Shakespearian actors of our generation. He has either gone to great lengths to perfect every facial expression to match the inner workings of Antony’s mind or was simply born for this part. Fantastic performances of earthy Enobarbus (played by Simon Armstrong), the diplomatic yet wet Lepidus (Paul Brenden) and a slimy, round and slightly camp portrayal of Octavius Caesar from Bryron Mondahl (with the help of a pair of incredibly kinky boots) match the lovers in integrity and skill. For me this is one of Shakespeare’s finest works. More relevant than ever, it’s a grown-up version of Romeo and Juliet where a couple no longer in their ‘salad days’ have to decide between their careers and their love. This production is as passionate, heady and violent as the protagonists’ whirlwind relationship. You’d be crazy, unfeeling or simply a dull Roman not to enjoy it. www.sattf.org.uk Laura Snoad
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Encounters At The End Of The World Screening between Friday 24th and Thursday 30th April 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol
This film is saturated in knowledge and rich in beauty. Mapping the icy adventures of the people of Antarctica, director/narrator Werner Herzog plunges his audience into that alien place whose horizons seem never ending. A series of beautiful shots seem to suggest some kind of surrealism, however, unlike the CGI work of the Hollywood whores, Herzog successfully narrates an authentic experience captured honestly. Such a beautiful landscape, which is so fantastical, needs no fiction. The icy landscape is personified by its inhabitants, as an actual character, the residents are but babies inside the icy land’s womb. This authentic and educational docu-film speaks to its audience taking them on a round the Arctic trip for just a few pounds, plucking at any keen traveller’s backpack. My favourite slice of the adventure came in the form of a penguin. A lonely penguin that travels away from the pack, unable to stop, it continues in a straight line, what is its mission? There is no mission inevitably and these stray penguins are running to their death; a nice existential comparison maybe? A slice of ice is twice as nice. www.watershed.co.uk Kayleigh Cassidy
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Tony Manero
Screening from Friday 10th until Thursday 23rd April 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol You may recognise the name Tony Manero as John Travolta’s character in Saturday Night Fever but after watching Pablo Larraín’s movie, the name becomes associated with a selfish illusion, existing upon the protagonist’s yearnings to become ‘The Tony Manero’. Despite a slight resemblance to Leonard Cohen, anti-hero Raúl (Alfredo Castro) is one of the most unlikeable leads in the history of art house cinema. His obsession with Saturday Night Fever seems somewhat absurd but when it is framed against the backdrop of Augusto Pinochet’s oppressive regime in 1978 Chile, the harsh reality sucks away any humour as a large gritty art house straw would. The film’s context elevates Raúl’s character into a metaphor. Not just for the oppressive regime but the destructive nature of an individual’s dream. Raúl is uncompromising and brutally charged in his quest to become the next Tony Manero. He feeds himself with his dream via immoral means: stolen TVs and sneaky cinema tickets. Raúl ignores friendship and denies love, and aware of his age, he does what ever a 52 year old has to do in order to get what he wants, even if it involves shitting all over a youthful competitors white disco dancing suit. If you feel like escaping the sunny glare of the sneaky summer sun and submerging yourself into the dark abyss, then Tony Manero is perfect. With heavy subtitles and shadowy film work, it successfully portrays an environment you are scared of. You will leave the cinema hoping there is no disco dancing buskers outside, because if there is who knows what might happen… www.watershed.co.uk Kayleigh Cassidy
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In The Loop
Screening from Friday 17th until Thursday 30th April 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol This razor sharp political satire is without doubt the best British comedy in years. As the US and UK both start politically gearing up for war in the Middle East, a hapless British cabinet minister is dragged to Washington DC to be waved around as a pawn for both the pro-war and anti-war camps – it all just depends on the spin! His floundering tendencies, inability to make any kind of decision and cripplingly paranoia about his public perception transmit hilariously on screen alongside the egos of Washington and serves him up for a royal roasting at every opportunity by the British Director of Communications; a fine, fiery performance by Peter Capaldi. He never holds back, verbally exploding a machinegun of obscenities at anyone who gets in the way or might damage the party and every scene he bursts through leaves the audience in fits of laughter. His constant vitriol towards everyone and anyone is just one element of this glimpse at the snake-pit of international diplomacy. It’s real playground politics with as much infighting, back-stabbing, manipulation, intimidation and
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name calling as your local comprehensive. The satirical mood is summed up nicely at one point when the Pentagon’s Military Advisor (James Gandolfini) tots up the cost of war with the only thing to hand – a child’s Polly Pocket, singing calculator. My only criticism about In The Loop is that it is a bit overly flippant and disregarding of the reality of the Middle East Conflict, lacking the gravitas about actually going to war. However, if you’re able to put aside your personal opinions and preconceptions about the war and truly watch this as political satire, then you’re in for a rip-roaringly funny watch; a great film with a fantastic British filmmakers’ energy about it. www.watershed.co.uk Matt Whittle
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UK Beatboxing Championship ‘09 Saturday 23rd May 2009 @ The Croft
Beatboxing: The art of producing drum beats, rhythm and musical sounds using one’s mouth, lips, tongue, voice, nasal passage and throat. Think you’ve got what it takes to be crowned UK beatboxing champion? Performers up and down the country are flexing their vocal chords in preparation for the regional heats being contested in Bristol, Nottingham and Newcastle, all trying to go through into the June’s grand final. Head down to the Croft and witness the region’s very best beatboxers in action. www.vauxhallbeatboxchamps.co.uk
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Metric
Saturday 16th May 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol The four Canadian hipsters that make up Metric are without doubt one of the greatest pioneers of electroindie-pop. Back when Bloc Party and Maximo Park were passing their Grade 3 guitar, Metric were pumping out a string fantastic pop songs that were as passionate as they were danceable. Now with a fourth album – Fantasies – to promote, Metric are still a cut above the rest. Go watch. Get initiated. www.ilovemetric.com
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Dot To Dot Festival 2009 Saturday 23rd May 2009 @ Various Venues, Bristol
Featuring Performances From: The Hold Steady, Cage The Elephant, Annie Mac, The Wave Pictures, Ladyhawke, Friendly Fires, Little Boots, Patrick Wolf This May bank holiday sees Dot to Dot cruise back into Bristol for a fifth year of fantastic bands at fantastic venues having fantastic fun. Every venue in Bristol worth its salt will be hosting the kind of cutting edge indie, electro, pop, folk and rock that has seen Dot to Dot rise to become a real favourite on the city’s gigging calendar. An eclectic music festival for broad minded music and fun lovers, 2009 should be the best yet. www.dottodotfestival.co.uk
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Radio 1’s Big Weekend
Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May 2009 @ Lydiard Park, Swindon Hosted by Radio 1 DJs, the Big Weekend is the UK’s largest free ticketed music festival and has an outstanding reputation for bringing some of the world’s hottest and biggest bands to perform at some unlikely spots around the country. Now in its 9th year, expect performances from the likes of Snow Patrol, Kasabian, The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx, Maximo Park and Lily Allen. This weekend promises to be bigger than ever! www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
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Bristol Vegan Fayre
Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st May 2009 @ The Amphitheatre, Bristol If vegan is your thing then head down to the heart of Bristol for the largest vegan event found anywhere in the world for only £10 a day – and if you’re not, there’s still plenty of top reggae, jazz and ska on offer along with more stalls, workshops, talks, demos and circus acts than you can shake a cabbage at. www.bristol.veganfayre.co.uk
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Other Recommended Gigs for May in Bristol Basement Jaxx
Casiokids
Friday 1st May 2009 @ Colston Hall
Wednesday 13th May 2009 @ Start The Bus
Youngblood Brass Band
Graham Coxon
Saturday 2nd May 2009 @ Fiddlers
Thursday 14th May 2009 @ Thekla
Art Brut
Gallows
Tuesday 5th May 2009 @ Thekla
Monday 18th May 2009 @ Academy
Ghostface Killah
Antony & The Johnsons
Saturday 9th May 2009 @ Academy
Sunday 24th May 2009 @ Colston Hall
Andrew Bird
Maximo Park
Sunday 10th May 2009 @ Thekla
Thursday 28th May 2009 @ Academy
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Saturday 16th May 2009 @ Photographique, Bristol A PhotoMarathon is an exciting, one-day event that combines a photo competition with a treasure hunt to produce an exhilarating creative challenge. Entrants are supplied with a disposable camera and a list of twenty photographic subjects that have to be shot in the correct order. The cameras have to be returned to the event staff the same day and all the pictures shot during the event will be shown in a public exhibition the following week. Brill! It’s only £7 to enter and pictures will be displayed at the Southbank Centre, Dean Lane, Bedminster between Friday 22nd and Friday 29th May 2009 with an opening party on the 22nd! For full details and to book a place in the PhotoMarathon please email Second Look at: bristolasecondlook@hotmail.co.uk www.myspace.com/bristolasecondlook
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Weapon Of Choice Gallery Opening Showing between Friday 8th May and Tuesday 2nd June 2009 @ 14 St Michael’s Hill, Bristol
Weapon Of Choice began in January 2008 as a live painting night in Bristol, each month inviting some of the best upcoming graffiti artists and illustrators to collaborate together coinciding with upcoming local DJs, bands and acts. The WOC crew are now spreading their wings and heading for new ventures with a new gallery that will focus on solo artist shows, allowing free reign for the artist to take over the space and to paint the walls how they like. For their opening group show they have many exciting artists including Radiohead’s album cover artist Stanley Donwood, Mysterious Al from London not to mention many artists that have work in the current Bristol RWA Crimes Of Passion exhibition including Inkie, Jody, Mr Jago, Lokey, Andy Council, 45rpm, Sepr and Cheba. Check it out! www.weaponofchoicegallery.co.uk
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Other Recommended Art for May in Bristol The Good Life Exhibition Friday 10th April until Sunday 7th June 2009 @ Arnolfini Belgian artists Katleen Vermeir and Ronny Heiremans develop a new project to turn the former warehouse of the Arnolfini into luxury residential units and sell them off. www.thegoodlife-collection.com
Tale Of Two Cities Saturday 2nd until Wednesday 6th May 2009 @ Centrespace Gallery Four artists from Dublin and Bristol come together to bring you a unique guide to the cities and people that populate their imaginations. www.centrespacegallery.com
Southbank Bristol Art Trail Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May 2009 @ Various Venues, Southville A weekend of arts and performance in homes, churches, community centres, shops and pubs all in and around Southville. There will be over 130 artists showing their work or performing in more than 50 venues throughout the area. www.sbaweb.co.uk
Innovative Two Dimensions Saturday 9th until Wednesday 13th May 2009 @ Centrespace Gallery This work documents an ending to a degree. With 14 exhibiters every piece is different, specializing in illustration, sculpture, styling or photography we have all produced an innovating 2d outcome that pushes the boundaries of two dimensions. www.centrespacegallery.com
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[Regular Club Nights] Monday
Tuesday
Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.
9 Ball Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.
Wednesday
Academy Bierkeller The Cooler Elbow Rooms Mr Wolf’s
Every 2nd Tuesday – Weapon of Choice – Live graffiti. £3
Native
Run – Drum & Bass. £4/£5
Open Mic Night
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Ramshackle – The UK’s biggest alternative night out. £3/£5
Phuct – Punk, metal and rock to make your spine tingle. £3/£5
Ooompah – Boozy mayhem, pefect for Stag/Hen parties. £5.50
Every 1st and 3rd Thursday – Beat Surrender – Live bands and indie DJs. £4/£5
Espionage – Live bands and sixties funk and soul DJs. £4
Klub Kute – Classic and new indie. £4/£5
Crunchie – Party music. Free
By The Pool – Part music. Free
Alternate - Empathy, Byte, Tape, Monterpiece, The Blast. Techno, house, D&B.
Western Soul – Live bands and DJs.
Grass Roots – New and old reggae. Free
Oceana
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Monday Night Chill
Shipwrecked – Student Night
Poker League
Po Na Na
Fatpoppadaddys – Funk and indie classics. £2/£3
Queen Shilling
Treason – Bristol’s only gay alt/indie night. £2
Wednesday Wannabe – Karaoke. £2
Start The Bus Syndicate Thekla
Propaganda – Massive indie night. £3/£4
Gorilla Audio – Indie/pop. £2/£3
[Regular Club Nights] Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Come Play – Themes, live acts.
Commercial RnB, Garage, Pop/ Rock, Dance.
Over 21s.
UK Club Culture – Under 18s.
The Shisha Mashup – Musical mash but free shisha! £1/£3
Soul A-Go-Go – Funk and soul. £3/£4
Po Na Raa – Collars up, cocktails down. £6
Shagtag – Student night. £2/£4
Camp as Tits – Themed chart and dance. £3/£5
Alternate – Glow, Core, Sale, Switch. Dance and funky house.
Bat Cave – Alternative mash-up. Free
Alternate – Wriggle, What A Drag. Alternative.
Alternate – Beef, Juke2000. Alternative.
Voodoo – Dance and old school.
Death From Above – Indie, electro. Free/£3
Alternate – Fruity Antics, Shoestring, Hospitality, Play, Monkey! Knife! Fight!, Blow Pop. Liquid D&B and electro.
Socialism – Indie, electro, punk. Free/£5
Sunday Roasted – Dance and cheese. Free
Various showings between Friday 1st and Saturday 16th May 2009 @ Various venues across Bristol Bristol’s showpiece festival of contemporary theatre returns for a 6th year, bringing with it its usual exciting mix of local, national and international companies performing some fantastic physical, visual and experimental theatre. Particular highlights this year include:
Mayfest 2009 Launch Party
1st May @ BOV – A huge party full of theatre and music to welcome in the festivities!
The Invisible Circus
2nd – 3rd May @ The Island – Bristol favourites Carny Ville return to set the city centre ablaze again with their anarchic pantomime of degradation and delight.
Mayfest Market
3rd – 4th May @ BOV - A space where every theatre company involved in the festival has been encouraged to have a stall to promote and show off their work in an open environment to the public.
The Smile Off Your Face
6th - 7th May @ BOV - You’re blindfolded, tied up and put in a wheelchair for an intensely personal performance for your senses.
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Hard Hearted Hannah and Other Stories
7th – 9th May @ Tobacco Factory – A hilarious show where a new story is improvised on-the-spot, in front of the audience making each performance unique!
Kellerman
11th – 13th May @ BOV – A dark gothic tale that will look absolutely spectacular in the glorious auditorium of the Bristol Old Vic.
My World Is Empty Without You
14th – 16th May @ Secret Location – As you walk across Bristol wearing headphones, an immersive soundtrack fills your ears, turning the world into a poignant and personal cinema and it becomes hard to separate the staged from the real.
The Weepers
15th – 16th May @ BOV – A show by a Czech company who use a thrilling blend of music, dance and physical theatre. For full details visit: www.mayfestbristol.co.uk
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Other Recommended Stage for May in Bristol Bristol Festival Of Ideas: Paddy Ashdown Monday 11th May 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre At a time when politicians are viewed with derision and suspicion, Paddy Ashdown is widely respected and admired, even by his political opponents. He comes to Bristol for the publication of his autobiography, A Fortunate Life - a story of a life lived to the full. www.ideasfestival.co.uk
Anorak Of Fire: The Life And Times Of Gus Gascoigne, Trainspotter Tuesday 19th until Saturday 23rd May 2009 @ Alma Tavern Theatre Bristol Old Vic Theatre School presents Gus Gascoigne. Come with him as he invites you to join him for a night of the other kind of ‘thrills’ and ‘chills’ as he introduces us to his world; the world of the trainspotter. www.oldvic.ac.uk
The Way Of The Drum Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th May 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre The Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers return to the roots of Taiko drumming, performing traditional Taiko pieces from Japan and revealing the history and culture of this fascinating folk art in a lively and entertaining concert. www.taiko.co.uk
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Synecdoche, New York
Screening between Friday 15th and Thursday 28th May 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol Philip Seymour Hoffman leads a first-rate cast as theatre director Caden Cotard. Battling the despair brought on by a failed marriage and an ailing body, Caden uses his ‘genius grant’ that gives him unlimited wealth to write a play. As the years pass, Caden buries himself deeper into his masterpiece, blurring the world of the play and his own deteriorating reality. The hotly anticipated directorial debut from the writer of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, this sprawling, imaginative parable of life, love, death and the creative process itself adds to his growing stature as a truly idiosyncratic cinematic mind. www.watershed.co.uk
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Other Recommended Cinema for May in Bristol Helen Friday 1st until Thursday 7th May 2009 @ Watershed When a young woman disappears, lonely teenager Helen agrees to play her in a police reconstruction. As the missing girl’s persona begins to influence Helen, filling gaps in her own fractured life, the film maintains a sense of slow-burning mystery, treating the characters with heart-twisting compassion whilst keeping their true motivations ambiguous. www.watershed.co.uk
Chéri Friday 8th until Thursday 21st May 2009 @ Watershed Michelle Pfeiffer stars in Collette’s Belle Époque novels of romance between an ageing courtesan and a spoiled youth into a sumptuous period drama. What began as a playful fling develops into a deep passion as Léa educates Chéri, the handsome but callow son of her former rival Madame Peloux, in the ways of life and love. www.watershed.co.uk
Let The Right One In Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st May 2009 @ Cube Oskar is a 12 year old anxious boy growing up in Sweden who craves revenge against his bullies. He falls for Eli when she moves next door, a pale, mysterious girl who only comes out at night. This is part violent teen vampire and part tender coming of age romance. www.microplex.cubecinema.com
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Taurus: Bad things come to those who wait this month, so make sure you are always on the go. If you are forced to wait for something, try running in circles. Wave your arms if you like. Gemini: Avoid suicide attempts this month – you will botch them, just like you mess up everything else. Cancer: This month you will be right about everything, all the time. Don’t forget to remind everyone at every opportunity. They will love you for it. Leo: The pen will be mightier than the sword this month if you use it right. Poke them in the eyes with it, and nick their sword. That’s the way. Virgo: You may feel that your opinion isn’t being listened to at work. Don’t overreact about it, it’s just because you say such stupid things, and no one respects you. Libra: Your love life may feel a little dull this month, but actually it’s the best it will be all year because of that terrible infection. But that’s next month’s horoscope. Stay tuned. Scorpio: Don’t forget who your friends are this month – it’s bad enough that you won’t be able to remember where you live, or feel your hands. Sagittarius: A bad month: your goats run dry of milk, you contract plague, and your wife shows her ankle to a stranger, the slut. Burn her as a witch, I would. Capricorn: It’s not the winning or losing that counts, it’s the taking pills. See how many you can take, and then call your loved ones and tell them about it. Oh, they’ll laugh. Aquarius: Blood is thicker than water, so always stick by your family. But black pudding is thicker than blood so do what your sausages tell you. Pisces: A slow month. Probably the best thing that happens is when you think you might be rescued, but that’s just a moment’s hope. They never hear you shouting. Aries: This month, the number twenty-six is lucky – make sure you touch everything twenty-six times, especially doorknobs and light switches. Don’t forget to wash your hands repeatedly.
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May Issue Editor: Matt Whittle / matt@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk CEO: Faye Westrop / faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Design and Illustration: James Penfold / penfold@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Front Cover: Intimidating The Dog and Pete Brooks: Kellerman – Mayfest 2009 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of Suit Yourself Magazine. Suit Yourself Magazine and SY On The Sly are independent publications distributed throughout Bristol. Advertising Enquiries: faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Contributors for May Issue: Ian Bradley, Steph Burns, Natalie Burns, Kayleigh Cassidy, Matt Collins, James Davey, Anna Freeman, Stu Freeman, James Harper, Heather McKay, Freya Morris, Laura Snoad, Glenn Vowles, Andy Walker, Matt Whittle