SY On The Sly – September Forever If you cast your minds back you’ll remember that September 2008 was the sunniest, hottest month of the whole year! Let’s hope history repeats itself because September 2009 has got a wealth of outdoor fun and frolics that are calling out to be enjoyed in the sunshine: Pop over to Ashton Court for the International Kite Festival, run through the backstreets of the Harbourside for Igfest – The Interesting Games Festival – or lounge around the Amphitheatre with sunglasses and cider for the return of Bristol Festival. Whatever you do in Bristol this September, bring on the sun! September sees the seventh 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/September Forever 6/Bristol Loves Pianos 9/Trinity Stories 13/Auntie Harper A Sly look back at August 15/The best of Gigs 20/The best of Art 26/ The best of Stage 27/The best of Cinema A Sly look forward at September 35/Recommended Gigs 40/Recommended Art 42/ Recommended Clubs 45/ Recommended Stage 51/Recommended Cinema 53/Horoscopes by Mystic Ginger For those of you pretending to work, you can also read the magazine online at www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk
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Pianos to be placed around Bristol To help celebrate the opening of the revamped Colston Hall, 20 stand-up pianos are being placed all over the streets of Bristol for the public to play. Luke Jerram has taken his “Play Me, I’m Yours” idea across the globe and now has brought it to his home city. The pianos which were bought from a local piano removal firm for £100 each, will be chained to lampposts or trees and protected from the rain by tarpaulin sheets from 4th September.
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“There seems to be a lot of musicians out there who don’t have access to a piano. It’s a canvass for their creativity.” www.lukejerram.com
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What’s Your Trinity Story? Trinity Community Arts is set to launch a new local history project designed to collect people’s stories and photos of their time spent at the Trinity Centre, Lawrence Hill. The project will feature an oral history and archiving project about Trinity from 1960 until today, with specific reference to its role as a music and community venue. Trinity’s stage has been graced by the likes of U2, The Wailers, Public Enemy, Massive Attack and was an important landmark in the globally exported “Bristol Sound” prominent during the 1990s. The space has also had a number of roles within the community over the years - from a bingo hall to a boxing ring - and is now run as a community arts centre with regular training, projects and events. Do you have a story or photos you would like to share? To get involved please contact 0117 935 1200 or email info@3ca.org.uk www.3ca.org.uk
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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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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
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Auntie Harper 1. I’m moving house this month, any advice to make the process less painful? From what I can remember, moving houses can be quite painful. The last time I carried 10 of them I really hurt my back. That reminds me. I must book that long overdue chiropractor appointment… I’m studying at UWE and about to go back for my third year but I’m not enjoying the course. What should I do? Change? That’s it you quitter. I’m advising you to change course and go back to the 1st year. This will mean that you will spend more time at uni and get yourself more in to debt. You’ll probably graduate with a 3rd, not be able to get a job, be unemployed for the rest of your life and end up on the streets. This sort of advice is hard to come by and I’m giving you this one for free! What sort of a 3. Whenever is it gonna stop fucking raining!!!! question is that? I may look like a god, but I definitely don’t have the wisdom of one. Take your ridiculous question to another Agony Aunt who works for an equally as good magazine....Oh! I’m sorry. There aren’t any.
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[gig review]
Hunting Bears
Tuesday 18th June 2009 @ The Croft, Bristol With Support From: In Your Honour
One wouldn’t expect too much from a Tuesday night gig at The Croft but it was a pleasant surprise to see the venue filled with young students all waiting for the appearance of In Your Honour. This group of extremely young musicians (three of the members ageing 16!) took to the stage with surprising confidence and let loose an energetic frenzy of catchy lyrics and original guitar riffs. It was clear that they are in the early stages of their musical development but with the charisma and talent that they showed tonight, I am certain that they will leave their footprint. I was shocked as a huge crowd of energetic youths materialised from the gloom to watch the headlining band Hunting Bears. Being a Tuesday night, you are never going to be disappointed for a ticket but this young trio had mustered a wild fan base and it wasn’t until they started playing that I realised why. The very simplistic guitar melody opened the set into a captivating swing of powerful tunes and the unique nature of the music left it hard to place into a genre. There was a definite trace of jazz and the well co-ordinated drum fills and guitar riffs gave this very thin looking trio a great, full sound. There was a strong atmosphere in the room as they wove a psychedelic skin around their audience. For old and young alike, this band are an absolute must see. www.myspace.com/huntsbears Thomas Dunn
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[festival review]
Bristol Harbour Festival 2009
Friday 31st July until Sunday 2nd August 2009 @ The Harbourside, Bristol Featuring Performances From: VV Brown, Candi Staton
Much talk of the credit crunch dogged the preparation of this year’s Harbour Festival with sponsorship options becoming limited as companies tighten their belts. For a while the people of Bristol held their breath waiting to see if the event would be scaled down to a recession sized Harbourside special and that the biggest non-ticket festival in Europe, the crown they took from Ashton Court Festival, would be awarded to another event, held by another city; heaven forbid Bristol should loose that accolade! Panic over! A few partners signed up and were desperate to charge forwards; Bristol Harbour Festival 2009 was on, bigger and better than ever! More directional, more integrated and more inspiring. The sun gods smiled upon us, despite the MET Office’s woeful forecast, sealing the fate of this year’s event as a rousing success. 2009’s event added more programmes to the offering, a few new fringe venues and an extensive range of music never seen before on the Harbouside. To say I was impressed by this year’s programme would be a phenomenal understatement; I was entirely bowled over by the incredible success story Bristol Harbour Festival. The organisers must have been working against and around the clock, against a tight budget and against the odds and they’ve come up trumps!
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This year’s event saw a killer line-up: VV Brown was incredible; a tremendous vocalist, winning smile and incredible gravity defying hair. Candi Staton stormed the stage, back to her folky soul roots and I personally loved it. The best thing about the Harbour Festival is the sheer number of Bristol bands playing at the event; a huge success in programming, a huge success in organisation. With seven performance stages and three fringe stages, this event is the biggest of its kind in the city. The Harbour Festival shows other events just how it’s done! A fabulous event bringing together history, music, dance, culture, music, great food, bunting and of course boats, lots and lots of boats. Proudly showcasing a huge number of local bands, local dance acts and local people, this really is a celebration of all things Bristol and the people of Bristol turned out in force to help celebrate our city and everything that makes it great. This weekend is truly one which awakens the city from slumber and shouts very proudly‌I am a Bristolian, gert lush!!! www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk Faye Westrop Photos by Ian Bradely - www.ianbradleyphotography.com
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In Pictures – Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2009
Thursday 6th until Sunday 9th August 2009 @ Ashton Court Estate, Bristol
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www.bristolfiesta.co.uk Photos by Ian Bradley www.ianbradleyphotography.com
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[art review]
Jody
Showing between Friday 14th August and Sunday 13th September 2009 @ Weapon Of Choice Gallery, Bristol The Weapon Of Choice Gallery on St Michael’s Hill is a very small, pretty cool venue and I headed down to see Bristol native Jody’s exhibition, which, like the gallery, was smaller than I expected, consisting simply of eight large pieces. The best of these is in the window of the gallery, raising expectations of the works inside. The theme of the show is portraits, highly stylised spray-painted pieces which aim to show the dark underside to the air, brushed media and fashion portrayal of beauty. The pieces show sexy women and chiseled men with an urban edge, both who are perfect beauties apart from their macabre red and blank staring eyes, bleeding lips and partially visible skulls, presumably indicative of the very real, but well hidden mortality that underlies our aspirations toward beauty as set out by the fashion media. The women are in stockings and Basques, or staring out with faces contorted in ecstasy, or giving what would be ‘bedroom eyes’ if their eyeballs had not been blotted out with spray paint. However, while the pictures are undoubtedly striking and will no doubt appeal to the stylised gothic
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crowd (I’m thinking the sort of people who love films like Van Helsing and Queen Of The Damned), the effort at macabre and sinister art is obvious, contrived and has been done plenty of times before. There was nothing subtle or thought provoking about the pieces, but rather they are as glossy and cool as the media representations they attempt to satirise and the aim at the surreal came off as a bit of a cock-up in proportion. There was nothing new to consider if you are genuinely interested in artistic expression but as I said, the pieces are striking, pretty cool and worth a look if you want a bit of original urban art for your glossy, gothic walls. www.weaponofchoicegallery.co.uk Natalie Burns
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[art review]
Sequelism Part 3: Possible, Probable or Preferable Futures
Exhibiting between Saturday 8th July until Sunday 20th September 2009 @ Arnolfini, Bristol Even before entering the Arnolfini’s whitewashed innards, I’d already discovered that this exhibition’s title alone required a hefty amount of brainwork. Sequelism is a made-up term that has been constructed to mimic the recent phenomenon for moulding new words from hybrid mutants of already existing and quite sensible terms – think ‘synergy’ – to represent emerging concepts and movements. In this case, the title is intentionally void of a concrete meaning and anticipates definition in the future. It might seem a little odd to name an exhibition with a seemingly meaningless moniker but for a show that is all about what our visualisation of the future say about present social identity and fears, it makes a certain amount of sense for a future date to allow us to define a current exhibition. Lost yet? As often happens when an exhibition is dictated by a concept rather than a particular artist or movement, Sequelism is a motley crew of very different pieces. Immediately visible is Haegue Yang’s Holiday For Tomorrow, whose rainbow coloured blinds and lattice panels give the impression of forming an intimate chamber within the gallery space. Light and not entirely solid, it houses a film featuring images of Seoul during the Korean harvest holiday Chuseok. Using a rather miserable sounding female voice, the piece explores both the emotional anticipation of holidays and the oddness of experiencing socially contrived days of rest. On the opposite wall, Graham Gussin’s Hypnotic/Dystopic/Optic is a kaleidoscope of whirling science fiction novels where – the original cover indecipherable – the books form hypnotic blurs of colour. The way that the artwork has been supplied with power means that each sunflower-like head has an electric stem, which all join on the floor in a tangle of cable and socket roots. For me the strongest work of the show, it
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almost acts as traditional landscape painting made from modern technology and unidentifiable fictions of the future. In the second room a taxidermy fox head stares blankly at the viewer, suspended by wrought iron supports. Somewhere between a voodoo fetish and a mechanical altar, it seems to hark back to the primeval animal deities and yet draws on present day controversy over the hunting ban. Another piece by Romanian Victor Man sees patent black text on wall reading “we die,” crossed out with wiggly neon cross. The use of a comma rather than full stop anticipates future syntax, and perhaps the afterlife, but is instantly negated by the gaudy neon tubing. Sequelism is a challenging exhibition that was at times thought provoking but often alienating. Although this is often an intentional feature of both sci-fi and futurology, much of the work felt cold and introverted rather than awe-inspiring. It’s important, however, for galleries to put on difficult shows like this to avoid becoming crowd-pleasing, art-for-postcards merchandise factories and even if this one wasn’t entirely my cup of tea, I’ll definitely be back to see what boundaries the Arnolfini are crossing next time. www.arnolfini.org.uk Laura Snoad
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SAT 5TH SEPT
BIGGA T & URBAN FRONT RECORDS PRESENTS TRIBAL DANCE
MUSIC: JUNGLE/DnB (ROOM 1), DUBSTEP (ROOM 2), DnB (ROOM 3) ROOM 1: KENNY KEN, NICKY BLACKMARKET, SCOTTY, SOULJAH, DONOVAN “BADBOY” SMITH, RATTY, RAMJACK ROOM 2: `PETER D ROSE, JOKER, HEADHUNTER, SICKMAN D ROOM 3: LEWI, BALOO, CHARLZEY, TROUBLESOME, MOD, MORNY, HEMMINGS MC’S: WILEY, SWEETPEA, COWBOY RANGER, YOUNGA C, MELLO-D, REMIDY, FUNATIC TIME: 10PM – 6AM PRICE: £15.50 TICKETS/ MOTD EXTRA’S: SUGAR DEE AND FIRE DANCERS, LARGE SMOKING AREA, DECOR, LAZORS, HOT & COLD FOOD, GAMES ROOMS INFO: 07779021067 FRI 11TH SEPT
NU-CLEAR SOUNDS
MUSIC: DRUM & BASS (ROOM 1), DUBSTEP/JUNGLE (ROOM 2) ROOM 1: CALYX (90 MINS SET), ISOTONE, ANDY SKOPES, FRATERNAL AND STONE AND HOSTED BY MC REMIDY ROOM 2: PHELEH, ILLUSIVE, GZUS, SVEUGALI, BARRIX TIME: 10PM – 4AM PRICE: £5 TICKETS/ MOTD EXTRA’S: LARGE SMOKING AREA, LAZORS, GAMES ROOM, HOT AND COLD FOOD SUN 13TH
ABSOLUTE HARDCORE PRESENTS THE HARDCORE HEAVEN AFTER PARTY
MUSIC: HARDCORE (ROOM 1) ROOM 1: DICE & REALITY, JAMIE RITMAN, VIBES, NAUGHTY, PROJECT PROTOCOL, A1 & CALLUM G MC’S: ENEMY, LIVELEE, ANGEL TIME: 4AM – 8AM PRICE: £3 EXTRA’S: UV DECOR, LAZOR SHOW, VIDEO PROJECTIONS, DANCERS, HOT & COLD FOOD, LARGE SMOKING AREA, GAMES ROOM INFO: 07973734701
FRI 18TH SEPTEMBER
MASTER RAVERS 2ND BIRTHDAY
MUSIC: HARDCORE (ROOM 1), HARDSTYLE (ROOM 2) ROOM 1: ERYK ORPHEUS, VIBES & DURID, DJ SC@R, UPLIFT, CAT-KNIGHT (LIVE PA), MASTER VODKA B2B DJ SC@R, NAUGHTY, TAZ, NIACIM ROOM 2: N-ZIME, CALED, TOUCHE & WORM, MASTER & EVIL, TYRONNSTER, NUGENT, TEKSTEPPA, DJ/MC ANGEL TIME: 10PM – 5AM PRICE: £6 EXTRA’S: UV DECOR, LAZOR SHOW, VIDEO PROJECTIONS, DANCERS, HOT & COLD FOOD, LARGE SMOKING AREA, GAMES ROOM INFO: 07912222076 19TH SEPT
RAVE ON AVON (PART OF THE BRISTOL FESTIVAL)
MUSIC: FREE PARTY MASS UP (ROOM 1), ROOM 1: FREE PARTY MULTI RIGS ROOM 2: HOSTED BY CLUB CHOKE WITH HUNTING LODGE, BIG JOAN, KILKA SERCO, CHOKE DJ’S AND FROM 2AM MONGREL TAKES OVER WITH DJ GENERAL DISSARRAY ROOM 3: GIRLS TAKE OVER ROOM 3 WITH DJ’S FROM BASS BINTS V’S RIG SLUTS TIME: 10PM – 6AM PRICE: £18 WEEKEND FESTIVAL PASS OR £10 DOOR EXTRA’S: UV DECOR, LAZOR SHOW, VIDEO PROJECTIONS, DANCERS, HOT & COLD FOOD, LARGE SMOKING AREA, GAMES ROOM INFO: www.thebristolfestival.org FRI 25TH SEPT
TRAKTION PRESENTS VIPER RECORDINGS “ACT OF MAD MEN LP” LAUNCH
MUSIC: DRUM & BASS (ROOM 1), DUBSTEP/ELECTRO/D&B (ROOM 2) ROOM 1: MATRIX + FUTERBOUND (2 HRS SET), SHOCKONE, DC BREAKS, METRIK (ALL VIPER RECORDINGS), CAUSE + EFFECT, CONTAKT B2B ELTEL MC’S: TEXAS, CARASEL, REMIDY, KAYDEN ROOM 2: SUBSCAPE + FLAK MC, KAON SOUND, UNDERSTUDY, TRICKY1, JP MCKENZIE, DJ AVEC MOLEY ROOM 3: HOSTED BY 5TH BASS WITH INSIGHT, DIGGINIT, BOY-C, DENZAL, BUDAKAN, JUMEAUX TIME: 10PM – 5AM PRICE: £10 TICKETS / MOTD EXTRA’S: UV DECOR, LAZOR SHOW, VIDEO PROJECTIONS, DANCERS, HOT & COLD FOOD, LARGE SMOKING AREA, GAMES ROOM SAT 26TH SEPT
TRIBE OF FROG 9TH BIRTHDAY
MUSIC: PSY TRANCE & PROGRESSIVE (ROOM 1), ACIDIC BEATS ( ROOM 2), CHILL & ELECTRO BREAKS (ROOM 3) PA’S & DJ’S OVER 3 ROOMS EARTHLING (LIVE PA – IBIZA), NEUTRAL MOTION (LIVE PA – JAPAN), FLOOTING GROOVES (LIVE PA – SOUTH AFRICA), LLOYD POSITIVIST, WEETAMIX, RED RHYTHMIC DRAGON. RYO + TRIBE OF FROG RESIDENTS TIME: 10PM – 7AM PRICE: £5 EARLY BIRD £10 MEMBERS £12 NON MEMBERS EXTRA’S: UV DECOR, LAZOR SHOW, VIDEO PROJECTIONS, DANCERS, HOT & COLD FOOD, LARGE SMOKING AREA, GAMES ROOM, INFO: www.tribeoffrog.com
[stage review]
Simon King: Wild Life Friday 21st August 2009 @ Theatre Royal, Bath
I used to watch Big Cat Diary in 1996 every Thursday night, marvelling at the kitty whisperer that is Simon King, avidly tracking the progress of the beautiful beasts. The King’s voice has been imprinted into my childhood. A storyteller for the fantasies of my natural world imaginings, he flew me to the Masai Mara and forged a love for the Big Cats that has never left me. Thus I was exceptionally excited about the hero himself, film man for Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Big Cat Diary, Spring Watch and Autumn Watch, in the district of Bath, chatting about his diverse and exhilarating life accompanying his new book, Wild Life. The smart, tanned King sat on the Theatre Royal’s stage and told tales of dwindling at the guillotine’s edge, with a snake/cheetah/lion at the handle’s helm. He described situations involving, for example, a snake on the end of his camera, reared head, ready to strike and a stand-off where he merely waited for senor “incredibly stunning” snake to slink off. What was marvellous was the camera imagery to accompany many of his experiences like the rabid cheetah on the edge of an enclosure: He approached it like it was tame until it attempted to attack him and he kicked it in the face. Then later he found the cheetah attacking a park worker so he grabbed it by the tail and the scruff and threw it to the side, enraged. He was bitten in the process and blood was pouring into the camera lens from both men. Woah! Beautifully described and frightfully fantastic to see. He also talked of habitualising with the Meerkats, Bushmen and Spring and Autumn Watch, which he sees as acquainting the British with nature in their own backyard. He is fascinated by wildlife and sees humans as species to wonder at too. Perhaps we should all get out of our introverted urbanised worlds a little and get closer to the millions of other species on this globe. When it came to him signing my copy of his book, unfortunately all I managed was an; “Amazing…” but it will still be a treasured, if clichéd, moment. www.simonkingwildlife.com Helen Martin
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[cinema review]
Antichrist
Showing between Friday 24th July and Thursday 4th August 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol Since critics have been disgusted by Lars Von Trier’s new film, Antichrist, which premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, there has been a continued hype and ongoing dispute about the film’s horrifying visuals and their necessity. Thrown into the most horrifying situation at the films outset, the nameless couple (known as ‘She’ and ‘Him’ played most authentically by acclaimed actors Charlotte Gainsbourg and William Defoe) embark upon a secluded retreat which explores the haunting nature of their relationship and the way they identify themselves through nature. ‘He’ is the more rational and slightly obnoxious husband who slowly tries to build ‘Her’ confidence after her understandable breakdown following her son’s bereavement. But after we move deeper into the Eden retreat and further into the couples sexual sanity, it becomes clearer that maybe the evil is more innately rooted. By the time we have endured the gruesome bloodbath chucked all over us at the end, the graphic opening is quickly forgotten and it is sadistic violence and vaginal mutilation which steals our dreams from us as we sleep. I did not enjoy this film, and I dare say it will not break any box office records when it is released onto DVD as it is not the type of film you would want festering around your clean living room. However, its ability to reintroduce the relationship between audiences and cinema was fascinating; while I was watching someone actually fainted in front of me! This excited me as it was the first time in ages I was interested by an audience in terms of their relationship to such a contained piece of cinema .Their reactions were live, real and disturbed, and despite Von Trier’s bloody visuals being a bit too masochistic and unnecessary, his ability to provoke such real reactions within his audience proves that cinema can still shock. The next step would be to bring this avant-garde dialogue to the stage and see how a live audience might interact with scenes of such an extreme pain relating nature. Guided by pure intrigue, I would go see it. Would you? www.watershed.co.uk Kayleigh Cassidy
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[cinema review]
Inglourious Basterds
Released 21st August 2009 @ Showcase De Lux, Bristol After over ten years on the drawing board but only 9 months in the making, we finally have the finished product of the script Tarantino has been talking up for well over a decade, and which was originally touted as his follow up to Jackie Brown. Inglorious Basterds has always been the one which Tarantino aficionados considered would save his somewhat waning career and, to a certain extent, they were right. From the offing we are presented with a tense one-on-one scene between Christopher Waltz’s excellent ‘Jew Hunter’ and a French dairy farmer, played by Denis Menochet, who is suspected of hiding a Jewish family. This, the first of several tense, dialogue heavy scenes between camp but terrifying Nazis and those trying to foil their attempts at world domination. These scenes demonstrate Tarantino’s characteristic deftness with dialogue and show that Inglourious Basterds certainly lives up to Tarantino’s original promise of the film being; “a big fucking night at the movies”. The core of the film consists of The Basterds, a group of American Jewish soldiers led by Brad Pitt’s superb Lt. Aldo Raine’s exploits trying to kill as many Nazi officers as possible. But in true Tarantino style, this storyline is interlinked with several others which come together towards the end in a plot to blow up a cinema where the premiere of a Nazi propaganda film is being held. The film is a potent mix of Tarantino’s characteristic gratuitous violence, ever present nods to the cinema which has influenced him as a filmmaker, with the addition of an element of screwball comedy somewhat reminiscent of the work of the Coen Brothers. Although the criticism often levelled at Tarantino that he has recessed into a state of adolescence as a filmmaker since the release of his most mature offering, Jackie Brown in 1997, is still apparent after viewing Inglourious Basterds, it cannot be denied that Tarantino is still one of the few directors who produce films truly worthy of viewing on the big screen. To pass on this opportunity and wait for the DVD would truly be a mistake. www.inglouriousbasterds-movie.com Sean Griffiths
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[cinema review]
Moon
Showing between Friday 31st July and Thursday 6th August 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol Duncan Jones’ feature-length directoral debut, Moon, is a superb psychological thriller. Sam Rockwell shines as Sam Bell, a worker on a one-man mining base who is alone for 3 years on the dark side of the moon. As he nears the last few weeks of his contract on the base, Sam’s long-term loneliness and depression starts to show and his health and mental stability rapidly deteriorates. Desperately clinging to the thought of returning to his wife and young daughter, Sam encounters what appears to be a clone of himself. Set in the near future and with all the hallmarks of a sci-fi classic, Moon is a gripping and original characterdriven story about personal intimacy, self-inquiry and being alone in the infinite emptiness of space with no-one but yourself. When you have to look really hard in the mirror, do you like who is staring back at you? The absorbing plot twists and turns as the film unravels and you are completely absorbed in the film’s dark themes and its claustrophobic undercurrents. Moon’s intensity is beautifully complimented though with some tender, heartfelt and funny moments including the memorable scenes of Sam talking to his daughter for the first time and telling Gerty, the base’s uptight robot that he should get laid. Whether you’re a sci-fi nut or a follower of true, original cinema with proper, original stories with proper, original characters, Moon is a must. www.watershed.co.uk Matt Whittle
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Mesrine: Killer Instinct & Mesrine: Public Enemy No.1
Part 1 showing between Friday 7th and Thursday 20th August 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol Part 2 showing between Friday 28th August and Thursday 10th September 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol Jacques Mesrine was a notorious French gangster in the 1970s and, as has become the staple with any famous criminal, here we have the biopic based on his autobiographical manuscripts and it is being hailed as “the French Scarface”. Mesrine’s story is a long one – the trailer exciting tells us he robbed 32 banks, broke out of 4 high security prisons and killed countless people – and so the biopic has been sliced down the middle into two chunky, suitable epic parts. While each movie is undoubtedly well directed and excellently acted, there is a strong element of repetition. Far from documenting different elements or perspectives of his life, Mesrine: Part 1 and Part 2 are tediously similar, he’s just a lot fatter and hairier in the second: he robs banks, he goes to prison, he escapes prison, he runs, he sleeps around, he kidnaps a millionaire, he goes to prison…and amongst it all we are thrown odd scenes of extreme violence and tender emotion. Apart from documenting his crimes, the only other angle the films explore is his obsession with the media. The films begin and end with a marathon scene of Mesrine finally being caught for good by the Paris police and while it bookmarks the films nicely, it underlines the lack of journey the audience really go on. His story itself is not a very original one for a film and so you look for that little extra, something more to set it apart. Maybe the truth is however, that though his criminal CV is undoubtedly impressive, Mesrine the man just wasn’t that interesting. As becomes abundantly clear in the films, Mesrine had no idea what he was fighting for; he talks about revolution but is ultimately selfish in his motivations, just wanting to be famous, respected and remembered, and although the films highlight this, they explore it no further. Yes the bank heist scenes are exciting, but when you know he’s only robbing them because he can, by the fifth or sixth heist, the novelty has worn off.
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Personally, it would have been infinitely more interesting to explore Mesrine’s head rather than his exploits. Perhaps we could have investigated his obvious, psychotic and insane tendencies; he beats a reported to death just for writing a bad story about him and at one point returns to a prison only weeks after breaking out armed to the teeth to try and break his former inmates out! Similarly, we have a taster of his past at the very beginning of Part 1 with some traumatic scenes from the 1960s Algerian War, pointing possibly to where it all started to go wrong for Mesrine, but the scene is little more than a minute long. Ultimately the Mesrine films are slick, sexy and explosive, with a superb performance by Vincent Cassel as the lead, but when the crime film bar has been set so high by the likes of Scarface, Mesrine falls a little short. www.watershed.co.uk Matt Whittle
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The Hurt Locker
Showing between Friday 28th August and Thursday 10th September 2009 @ Watershed, Bristol Every day we hear in the news about suicide attacks and roadside bombs in Afghanistan and Iraq but we have the ability to switch off and ignore if we want, but with The Hurt Locker we are taken to the very front line. This intense war thriller follows the fortunes of a small American bomb disposal unit in Baghdad – one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Of all the current crop of Iraq War inspired films, The Hurt Locker is the first I’ve seen which really got to me and put across the daily struggle and horror of war. This is no simple film of soldiers’ stories though, The Hurt Locker is about ideas and it intimately asks you how you would deal with being at war, how would you cope being put in a situation where every day is life or death? Following our three principal characters in the bomb squad, each answers this question differently: There’s the guy who puts on a brave face, is scared and unhappy at times but does his duty, gets on with it and copes as best he can; There’s the guy who can’t cope and lets his fear and depression get the better of him; And then there’s Sergeant James, a guy who’s adapted to war and has learnt to thrive off the fear and adrenalin around him. He’s the best and bravest soldier of the three but being addicted to the drug of war has its comedowns too. It’s not fair just to pigeonhole these three as clichés of soldiers though, in the film they’re all very complex and interesting characters, especially our lead, Sergeant James. www.watershed.co.uk Matt Whittle
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[gig preview]
Roni Size and Reprazent (with orchestra and choir) Friday 25th September 2009 @ Colston Hall, Bristol In a one-off evening with Bristol’s own world master of drum ‘n bass, Roni Size comes to Colston Hall accompanied by Bristol’s chamber orchestra, The Emerald Ensemble, and a choir for a special gig as part of the venue’s opening ceremony. www.myspace.com/ronifullcycle
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!WIN! Tickets to Joe Brooks’ Bristol Gig Friday 25th September 2009 @ Academy 2, Bristol Joe Brooks, the online phenomenon who was the #1 artist on the MySpace UK (unsigned) Chart for over a year, is now celebrating a major label record deal and preparing for his second-ever UK tour. The 22 year-old singersongwriter from Southampton with his pitchperfect voice, uplifting lyrics and youthful spirit plays the Academy 2 on 25th September and to win tickets, just enter your details on the SY Blog www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/blog www.myspace.com/joebrooksmusic
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Other Recommended Gigs for September in Bristol Dinosaur Jr. Saturday 5th September 2009 @ Anson Rooms
Quantic Saturday 5th September 2009 @ Academy
John Parish Wednesday 9th September 2009 @ Thunderbolt
Rachael Dadd Friday 11th September 2009 @ The Folk House
Mumford & Sons Tuesday 15th September 2009 @ Thekla
Charlotte Hatherley Monday 21st September 2009 @ Thekla
The Temper Trap Tuesday 22nd September 2009 @ Thekla
Beth Rowley Thursday 24th September 2009 @ Colston Hall
Zero 7 Monday 28th September 2009 @ Colston Hall
Kate Walsh Wednesday 30th September 2009 @ Thekla
Florence & The Machine Thursday 17th September 2009 @ Academy
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[festival preview]
Bristol International Festival of Kites & Air Creations 2009
Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September 2009 @ Ashton Court Estate, Bristol On show will be an action packed aerial extravaganza featuring spectacular flying displays, kite fighting battles, breathtaking synchronised routines flown to music and awesome power kites as well as colourful ground-based inflatables and air sculptures of all shapes and sizes. International kite guests will be winging their way from across the world to join flyers and enthusiasts from the UK and Europe. This www.kite-festival.org.uk
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[festival preview]
Bristol Festival 2009
Friday 18th until Sunday 20th September 2009 @ The Amphitheatre, Bristol Bristol Festival is a volunteer built celebration of Bristol culture, inspiring passion and creativity; an exciting community festival showcasing the best music, dance, cabaret and art talent from the Southwest region. Following last year’s debut success, Bristol Festival returns again in two parts: Brizzolfest - the daytime music and art shenanigans in the Amphitheatre. Rave-on-Avon – the night time dance party taking over ten of Bristol city centre’s very best clubs. Programmed events include a huge street art show featuring Bristol’s internationally renowned graffiti artists, ground breaking interactive new media installations and projections, local films and animations, educational workshops, free classes in break-dancing, hula-hooping, and a variety of dance styles, fire shows, live gigs, a 10-club multi link up after hours party and circus and theatre performances across the city! www.thebristolfestival.org
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Recommended Art for September in Bristol Triple Drop
Sunday 13th until Tuesday 15th September 2009 @ Centrespace Gallery Following their success at the RWA ‘Crimes of Passion’ show, Bristol based graffiti artists DICY, ACER and ZIML link up for a brand new exhibition of fresh and unseen work at the intimate Centrespace Gallery. www.centrespacegallery.com
Mash Media
Thursday 17th September until Sunday 11th October 2009 @ Weapon Of Choice Gallery Byroglyphics, James Baker and TRXTR, already having shows in LA, Philadelphia and London under their belts, recent record breaking sell-out print releases and major works coming up at prestigious urban and contemporary art auctions in London and New York, this trio of artists bring their work to Bristol’s Weapons Of Choice Gallery. www.weaponofchoicegallery.co.uk
All Around You
Friday 18th September until Saturday 5th December 2009 @ Arnolfini and other venues All Around You is a season of sound performances, installations, talks, workshops and film events, featuring artists and musicians who utilise and respond to space and surroundings. It brings together some of the most respected international practitioners of sound art, locally based sonic adventurers, and a group of Bristol venues and groups, with the aim of pushing deeper sonic experimentalism and awareness of the sounds of human surroundings. www.allaroundyoubristol.blogspot.com
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[Regular Club Ni Monday
Tuesday
Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.
9 Ball Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.
Wednesday
Academy Bierkeller The Cooler Elbow Rooms
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Mr Wolf’s
Every 2nd Tuesday – Weapon of Choice – Live graffiti. £3
Native
Run – Drum & Bass. £4/£5
Open Mic Night
ights] 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
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[Reg 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 Propaganda – Massive indie night. £3/£4
Syndicate Thekla
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Gorilla Audio – Indie/pop. £2/£3
gular 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.
Sunday Roasted – Dance and cheese. Free
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
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[festival preview]
Igfest 2009 – The Interesting Games Festival Friday 11th until Sunday 13th September 2009 @ Watershed and other venues, Bristol
There is a festival where you hunt moose with your mobile phone and run away from zombies, where you treasure hunt and throw paint over strangers, where the city becomes a giant playground for the weekend and the consoles and computers are left behind; that festival is Igfest: Bristol’s international celebration of street games, social play and mucking about. It’s back, and they want to play with you. There are dozens of games from the best international artists and street games designers to choose from and best of all, it’s entirely free! Some Igfest games will test your stamina, others will challenge your wits. Some will have rich themes and narratives whilst others just ask you to chuck paint. Some games last hours and others take just a few minutes. Some are high tech and some use no tech. Every single one, however, is pure, unabashed fun!!! www.igfest.org
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[stage preview]
Bristol Poetry Festival 2009
Thursday 3rd until Sunday 13th September 2009 @ Arnolfini and other venues, Bristol Bristol Poetry Festival brings together the most entertaining, inspirational and award winning poets and performers from Bristol, the UK and the world in an annual celebration of language, imagination and life. Expect poetry slams, exhibitions, music, open mics, films and lots and lots of inspiring poetry! www.poetrycan.co.uk
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Other Recommended Stage for September in Bristol Muscle
Tuesday 8th until Saturday 12th September 2009 @ Bristol Old Vic 3 men. 1 gym. A disaster waiting to happen. This is Muscle: a perverse comedy about pumping iron, loving thy brother and battling with the man in the mirror. A new show by local playwright, Tom Wainwright. www.bristololdvic.org.uk
Glasshouse
Friday 18th until Saturday 26th September 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre Science, sex and politics collide in Glasshouse, a controversial new play which lifts the lid on some of the vested interests and power games being played out in the highly charged world of climate science. www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com
The Glass Mountain
Monday 28th until Wednesday 30th September 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre The Glass Mountain is the story of Olek, a Polish baker by day, dreamer by night, who boards a bus for England and finds himself on a much bigger journey than he had bargained for. This exciting international production weaves together the Polish fable and contemporary stories of migration combing song and music inspired by Eastern European traditions of singing stories with Trestle’s process of devising physical storytelling theatre. www.trestle.org.uk
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[cinema preview]
31 North 62 East (Too Close To The Truth)
Released 18th September 2009 @ Showcase De Lux, Bristol This psychological, political thriller tells the story of a British Prime Minister who gives up the position of an elite special forces (SAS) unit in Afghanistan to ensure a UK ÂŁ80 billion arms deal goes through and thus assuring his re-election. All soldiers in the SAS unit are thought to have died, until 2 months later when their Captain is found by Italian special forces and returns to the UK to investigate matters. www.31north62east.com
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Recommended Cinema for September in Bristol Afterschool
Friday 21st August until Thursday 3rd August 2009 @ Watershed Robert is a shy teenager obsessed with the internet at an elite American school. While Robert doesn’t have many friends, he does have a habit of documenting his class with a video camera and he accidentally captures the fatal drug overdoses of two classmates. Afterschool uniquely captures the anxiety of those for whom reality is largely virtual. www.watershed.co.uk
Moon
Tuesday 1st until Friday 4th September 2009 @ Cube For three years, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) has dutifully harvested Helium 3 from the moon with only his computer Gerty (voiced by Kevin Spacey) for company. As he nears the end of his contract, the lonely astronaut’s health begins to deteriorate, and when a routine extraction goes horribly awry Sam’s world is turned inside out. www.microplex.cubecinema.com
Fish Tank
Friday 11th until Thursday 24th September 2009 @ Watershed Foul-mouthed and feisty, 15 year-old Mia lives with her single mother and dreams of being a dancer and leaving behind her council flat existence. With intimate realism and subtle complexity, Fish Tank bravely explores the uncertainties of female adolescent sexuality. www.watershed.co.uk
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Virgo: Pluto, planet of alligators, moves into your chart, so beware innocent-looking logs. Avoid all standing water, including puddles, baths, toilets and cups of tea. Libra: Pink is your lucky colour this month, especially roses, hairless mice and the shade found at the edge of a developing bruise, so surround yourself with those things if you can. Your lucky earthworm this month: Gerald. Scorpio: You’ve always been the sign with a sting in its tail, but this month it’s more like the ring of fire for you, Scorpio. Funny how it hurts the same no matter how much you wipe. Sagittarius: With Mars, that old red communist giant, rising in your chart, embrace the spirit of sharing this month. Offer your toothbrush round, or throw a good old-fashioned orgy. Capricorn: Atomic bombs are unlucky for you this month, so avoid those if you can. Romance at work has surprising teeth. Aquarius: Either wine or whining is lucky for you this month, I’m not sure which. Still, most Aquarians are alcoholic moaners so you should be alright. You’re used to being lonely, aren’t you? Pisces: Haircuts spell disaster for you this month, so don’t get one yourself and avoid anyone who has one. Also definitely don’t say the word – if you have just read out this horoscope it is too late for you, I’m afraid. Aries: Looking hot, Aries! You are sizzling this month. Make sure you run that under a cold tap or it’ll scar. Romance this month: still nothing. And those pus-filled blisters aren’t going to help. Taurus: Tensions in the home reach a high point this month when a family member nearly escapes. My advice? Don’t feed them for a while. Show them what happens when they mess with you. Gemini: Things are very exciting at the beginning of the month, but then they slow right down. The dying a horrible death is pretty action-packed, but after that it’s just lying around really. Cancer: This month is all sunshine and puppies for you, Cancer. That probably sounds nice, but that’s before you factor in the rabies, dehydration, and the whole thing where there’s nowhere to run. Leo: Such a shame. And you had all those plans. Never mind, where you’re going they let you eat jelly with a plastic spoon. That’s the high point of your day from now on.
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SY On The Sly – September Issue Editor: Matt Whittle / matt@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Executive Editor: Faye Westrop / faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Design and Illustration: James Penfold & Louisa Christadoulou / penfold@ suityourselfmagazine.co.uk Front Cover: Mike Clarke 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 Issue: Ian Bradley, Natalie Burns, Kayleigh Cassidy, Thomas Dunn, Anna Freeman, Sean Griffiths, James Harper, Helen Martin, Laura Snoad, Faye Westrop, Matt Whittle
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