OPEN LATE 7 NIGHTS A WEEK
BRISTOL’S BUSIEST BAR
HAPPY HOUR PRICES
HAPPY HOUR ALL NIGHT MON - THURS / UNTIL 11am FRI - SUN
VODKA MIXER £1.70 (£2.90 DOUBLE) PINT OF MBARGO BEER £2.00 PINT OF BLACKTHORN £2.00 SELECTED BOTTLED LAGER £1.50 SELECTED ALCOPOPS £1.50 BOTTLE OF WINE £6.90 MUSIC & DJ’S 7 NIGHTS A WEEK
It’s true what they say, time does fly when you’re having fun. But doesn’t January just drag like an old cat’s back legs? Oh well, all that’s well and truly behind us now. And February’s got so much going for it this year they’ve had to blue-tac on an extra day to fit it all in. This issue is one for the lovers, so we’ll be checking out the best ways to woo the one you love - whatever your budget. Bristol Foodie will give you the low down on where to wine and dine, while there’s plenty going on for all you singles. The Maccabees have been talked up as one of the bands of 2012 and their UK tour takes them to the O2 in March, while much loved French electro duo Justice also take to the stage off the back of new album ‘Audio, Video, Disco’. There’s plenty of steamy back row action on the horizon as Woody Harrelson returns as dodgy LAPD cop Dave Brown in Rampart, whilst Billy Connolly and Mark Watson will have even the dullest of dates wetting his or her little knickers with laughter. Ed. (@SimonSkint)
Cover Art Hero 73 As far as romantic gestures go, painting a moody and majestic water colour for your valentine can come across as a little creepy, so why not leave the artistry to the professionals like the lovely people at 1LoveArt and our cover artist Hero 73. More from both of those on page 30...
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CONTENTS News : 06 It’ll be alright... Love
Love and other drugs : 09 Budget ideas for skin-flint lover
Gigs : 12 The Maccabees, Little Dragon, Roots Manuva, and more...
Clubs : 18 Justice, Julio Bashmore, A-Skillz, and more
Flyposters : 22 Some of the top nights in town
Film : 24 Rampart, A Dangerous Method and more...
Performance : 29 Mark Watson, Blood Brothers and more...
Art : 30 Hero 73, Up Yours Exhibition and more...
Food : 32 Deepthroat some Valentine’s nosh with BristolFoodie...
Coming Up : 34 An eye on the next issue
Copyright © 2011 Skint Media. All rights reserved Legal: Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced without prior permission from Skint Media. Information on events or products does not imply recommendations by Skint Media. Skint Media does not accept any responsibility for mistakes or omissions of content. All opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and are not necessarily shared by Skint Media.
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The R ogue R eporter IT’LL BE ALRIGHT... LOVE!
LOVE IS CERTAINLY in the air this month, carried by the sound of a string quartet and the smell of baking wafting gently from the Love Food Festival’s Valentines Day special. This one off event on Sunday February 12, at Paintworks, amounts to a heady celebration of homemade food and drink and all delivered with lashings of love. Alternatively, Bristol Zoo’s ‘Cheep Romance’ offer gives you the chance to take your beau to feed those lovable lorikeets for just £20 per couple over the Valentines weekend, with an online voucher. With a whole bucket load of restaurants all vying for your Valentines trade it can be a nightmare deciding. Luckily, our very own Bristol Foodie has shortlisted their top three (page 32). But If the idea of a taking that special someone out to a packed restaurant to spend an expensive and uncomfortable evening doesn’t sound like romance to you, then try heading over to Mshed in Princes Wharf on the big night, to enjoy an intimate screening of the Carey Grant classic, ‘An Affair to Remember’. This should avoid those awkward across-table silences and help put you both in the mood. If you're single then fear not, because The Royal West of England Academy are holding their Art Lovers: Single's Night. Just pull on your anorak and mingle among the masterpieces over a glass of wine. However, if that all sounds too cultured, or too much like hard work then Bristol City continue their fight up the table, at home to Crystal Palace (Tickets from £25) at Ashton Gate. Or, if you prefer the blue and white and don't mind a trip up the M5, then Rovers take on Shrewsbury away.
SKINT MAGAZINE BACK AT THE BIG CHILL BAR After the huge success of our Xmas do, we’ve decided to make these happy shindigs at The Big Chill a regular occurrence. The next
adventure takes place on the 4th February and this time we’ve been let loose upstairs too! DJ Amo and Felix Joy are joined by Chango in the study.
PHOTOS
Top: Bristol Zoo’s loveable Lorikeets Bottom: Julie Christie in ‘The Go-Between’ playing as part of the Filmic Festival (31st March).
THE FILMIC FESTIVAL FEBRUARY KICKS INTO life with the inaugural FILMIC festival, a series of film screenings, concerts and talks on the intersection of music and film. Classic Spaghetti Westerns like ‘Once Upon a Time in The West’ hit the big-screen at Watershed, while over at St. George’s enjoy a celebration of the music of Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone by pianist John Law (23rd Feb) or a live performance by film critic Mark Kermode’s skiffle ensemble, Dodge Brothers (March 8th). The festival culminates on the 31st March, when legendary film composer Michel Legrand will be in conversation and gives a one off performance for piano and harp, drawing on works throughout his illustrious and Oscar-winning career.
MISSING PERSONS APPEAL
HAVE YOU SEEN
SAM?
Sam Theobald-Brown, 21, went missing from Swindon on Monday January 9. He was last seen at Bristol Temple Meads station at 11.37am the same day. Sam is 6ft tall, of stocky build with short, dark hair. Anyone with any information should contact Wiltshire Police on 101 or visit www.facebook.com/whereissammo
THE BEST IN UK STAND-UP COMEDY Bristol’s longest serving comedy venue promoting the best comedians from the Edinburgh Festival and the UK comedy circuit
JIMMY McGHIE Fri 10 & Sat 11 Feb
STEVE HUGHES Fri 17 & Sat 18 Feb
MARK WATSON Mon 20 to Wed 22 Feb
CHRIS RAMSEY Thur 29 March
TERRY ALDERTON Fri 30 & Sat 31 March
Full season line-up, video clips and book online:
WWW.THECOMEDYBOX.CO.UK PRE-COMEDY DINING AND BAR UNTIL 1AM Upstairs at the Hen & Chicken, 210 North Street, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1JF
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Be my Valentine...
T
HANK GOD FOR FEBRUARY. A month simply brimming with possibilities for all those romantic opportunists out there, male or female. The coming month offers you the chance to unleash the Casanova in you, or prove to your long term love that the passionate fire still burns bright between you. Either way, whether you’re loved up or not, this month’s got it going on. For the guys, having just recovered from the post-Christmas, credit card bill induced bout of depression and self-loathing - there’s Valentines Day, that happy little stopgap keeping Thorntons and the chocolate industry afloat till Easter. Valentines offers up a gilt-edged chance to throw caution to the wind, put your heart on the line and tell that special someone just how you feel
- with the optional anonymity that Clintons Cards and unremarkable handwriting can bring. For the ladies, this year’s an extra special one. With February’s extra day comes the age old tradition which allows all those bunny boilers out there to get down on one knee, propose marriage and, most likely, scare the living shit out of the man they’ve been trying to tie down for all these years (there’s a very good reason this day only comes round once a year, think long and hard). Either way, romance is in the air. And whether your a frivolous big spender, or a Big Issue vendor, we have got some top tips for turning on the charm. If you’re in the midst of a cash-flow crisis and a couple of big weekends have left you poorer than a public sector pension, Skint have got some ideas for all budgets.
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❝
Just because you’re hard up doesn’t mean you have to resort to petty crime like that feral ginger dwarf Anthony Worral Thompson
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Pretty skint... ...there are some great soup kitchens in Bristol, but if the smell of piss and sound of fighting tramps doesn’t quite set the mood your looking for, then why not get yourself out and about. A day at the Bristol Art Gallery or an evening stroll up to the suspension bridge doesn’t cost. And just because you’re hard up doesn’t mean you have to resort to petty crime like that feral ginger dwarf Anthony Worral Thompson, but grabbing a few daffodils from a hedgerow or neighbours garden won’t hurt anyone. Also, GCSE art does not give you the liberty to play Clintons for the day. Leave the cutting and sticking to the professionals. For all the single ladies you can get into Bunker for nothing on the 13th and up your chances of getting breakfast in bed on the 14th? If Valentines makes you want to commit violent crime then Bristol Folk House have got just the evening for you. They’re showing the 1965 black comedy How To Murder Your Wife, lovely.
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Hit the back-of-the-sofa jackpot.... ...hopefully, amongst all the pens, pants and gangrene that’s back there you might find a few quid, who knows, maybe even a five sheet? If you can scrape together a tenner you’re in business. Bristol Foodie have got some great advice for dining on a budget and websites like moneysavingexpert.com and vouchercloud.com have got loads of discount vouchers. If you fancy staying in, don’t get me wrong, M&S is a British culinary institution, but you’ll not be winning your way into the hearts of anyone if you splurge your hard fought tenner on a couple of posh ready meals. Check out BBC Recipes, stick all your ingredients in their nifty search engine and hey presto, your suspicious, rusty old tins and manky cabbage becomes fabulous five star cuisine. For singles, V-shed are putting a totally new spin on speed dating with their Valentines Rock Paper Scissors and their looking for 32 guys and gals to go head to head in the age old battle.
Bank error in your favour... ...the smell of raw fish has never been my idea of an aphrodisiac, but Your Sushi Cookery School don’t seem to mind. They’re opening a pop-up cookery school on Park Street just for Valentines where couples can scoff down a lush 3-course sushi dinner as well as getting a 30 minute cookery lesson. Chuck in a top notch glass of sake and a pud and your laughing. Places are £40 a head but will be booked up quick as the restaurant is pretty cosy (www.yoursushi.co.uk). If you haven’t been to sushi school don’t try and go all Ray Mears on us, romance is severely impinged upon by Salmonella. Talking of things that definitely won’t get you laid this year, Bristol City play Crystal Palace at the Gate on the 14th and a couple of tickets will set you back about £50. If that’s not enough romance for one evening the Travelodge on Anchor Road does double rooms for less than £40 so fill your boots.
Totally minted... ...if your loan just came through or a wealthy relative just popped their clogs, then why not share your good fortune with your nearest and dearest, or better yet someone you barely know. Nothing brings two people together like a couple of bottles of champagne and some top quality Peruvian import. If you’re not short of a few quid then why shouldn’t you? Or if you’re more New Romantics than My Chemical Romance, then Easyjet do flights to Paris for £100-£150 return, leaving around February 14, or if you want to keep things closer to home Bristol’s Hotel du Vin do a posh room and dinner for £125. But having a wad of cash leaves you with even more scope for a fuck-up. At least with a fiver your options for failure are fairly limited. Ostentatious displays of affection aren’t for everyone, so hiring a band, getting a tattoo or springing a surprise of gargantuan proportions could merely set yourself up for an epic fail. (SL)
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T
HE NEW YEAR’S ONLY A MONTH OLD and there’s already talk of who’ll be the UK band to watch in 2012. And whilst the rest of the chaff have been casually dismissed, the Maccabees are clear frontrunners, having been lauded from every rooftop in the land. With a gleaming new album donning the dusty shelves of HMV the band are already knee deep in a UK and European tour. The momentum is definitely behind them and despite not quite managing that number one album spot that threatened in the first weeks of the year, the Maccabees are still selling records by the boat load.
reverb to rival U2’s The Edge or ❝Enough one of Coldplay’s later, shitter albums
❝
The new album, Given To The Wild, is the bands third outing and one that confidently parts ways with the punchy, punky indie-pop that Maccabees fans will know and love. Instead we’re treated to a symphony of crashing melodies, delicate vocal harmonies and enough reverb to rival U2’s The Edge, or one of Coldplay’s later, shitter albums. Admittedly, on its first play you may find yourself baulking at this new “mature” direction, but there’s no arguing with the fact that the album is tighter and more cohesive, something critics complained the first two albums lacked. The new album aside, what does this mean for us Maccabees fans of old? Well,
you can guarantee ticket prices will be mercilessly hiked to coincide with their new status. And it may mean that you have to crane despondently from afar in more of an arena setting from now on, as opposed to the grimy little venues that have been much beloved of the band thus far. But most importantly is how well the new material will carry over to the live performance. The band themselves have confessed the new material remains untested on a live stage, and none of the songs seem to carry the force of their previous crowd-pleasers, but doubts aside, the upcoming gig at O2 Academy is bound to be packed, so get your tickets pronto. (MH)
O2 Academy Tuesday 13th March
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FEBRUARY/MARCH
James Vincent McMorrow Roots Manuva 3rd February Anson Rooms
Spokesman for urban Britain, Roots Manuva (or Rodney to his mum), makes his long awaited return to Bristol to impart his unique brand of social commentary and distinctive vocal style on the masses. Not one to be pigeonholed, Roots effortless combination of funk, hip hop and dub, delivered in his own inimitable style, deliver credence to subject matter which is sometimes grittier than a Shane Meadows drama. Aided also by a sharp wit, Manuva’s shows are in equal measure,funny,enthralling and inspiring. (MB)
11th February Anson Rooms
2011 was a huge year for the Irish songsmith, as he shot from being a relative unknown to a venue packing anthem builder, through the release of his debut album ‘Early In The Morning’ and a succession of incredibly intimate and memorable performances. Imparting the sort of softly sung, soulfully withdrwn folk typified by Bon Iver, McMorrow & his band are destined for another huge year. Just reward for their exemplary work. (TE)
Two Door Cinema Club Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs 15th Feb Thekla
Wrestling electronic sub-genres with the wile guile of a supercharged Allosaurus comes the Oxford body-shocker, T-EE-D. His well honed live shows are an energetic performance; bouncing boundlessly between laptops, keyboards, drum machine and sampler before imparting soft vocal flourishes. Though the music is serious, T-E-E-D radiates a sense of fun, detonating glitter cannons, and dressing up. A bit like Barney for the chemical kids. (TE)
20th February O2 Academy
Always a big draw for the indie glitterati,this year sees Two Door Cinema Club,Metronomy,Tribes and Azealia Banks bringing their eclectic mix of talents to Bristol. Most intriguing is the much hyped and provocative Harlem rapper, Banks. Having topped the NME Cool List of 2011 and featuring on pretty much every list of ones to watch in 2012,this is an opportunity to see her before she is inevitably and deservedly propelled into the industry A-list. Last year saw The Vaccines open this gig,and with The Drums opening the year before that, being first on this bill is turning into a much coveted role and a good indicator of a glittering future. (MB)
James Morrison 13th February Colston Hall
The Big Pink 8th February Thekla
The Big Pink, descend on Bristol to showcase ‘Future This’, the much anticipated follow up to debut ‘A Brief History of Love’. Whether they can top anthems like Dominoes and Velvet remains to be seen, but after proclaiming this would be their ‘hip hop album’ and citing Kanye West as creative inspiration, one thing is certain; this will be an intriguing and exciting return to live circuit. (MB)
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Despite the disadvantage of his boyish good looks and soulful timbre; with 4.5 million album copies sold worldwide, several stints at the top of the charts and a string of ‘Artist A featuring Artist B’ duets with performers such as Nelly Fertado and Jessie J, it’s safe to say that singer-songwriter James Morrison has been fairly successful. The late Atlantic Records A&R legend Jerry Wexler once said that Morrison’s voice had ‘’its own thumbprint’’; and it’s hard to argue that the man isn’t gifted, whatever your opinion of his music. (BB)
GZA
18th February 02 Academy
Undoubtably one of hip-hop’s most legendary rhyme-merchants, GZA has been dazzling audiences with his considered and razor sharp darts since first breaking onto the scene proper, with the supremely talented Wu-Tang Clan back in the early 90’s. At 45, ‘The Genius’ is showing few signs of slowing down, with the imminent release of ‘Liquid Swords 2’, the follow up to his indelible 1995 original. A poet with unrivaled skills. Bristol, bring da f**kin’ ruckus! (TE)
Kaiser Chiefs 22 February Colston Hall
While the cheeky Leeds five-piece might not be as beloved as they once were, they still know how to put on a live show. This tour marks their first in the UK for almost two years, following the release of their fourth album, The Future Is Medieval. The Chiefs may have lost popularity since the days of I Predict A Riot and Ruby, but with a repertoire including songs like those tickets should fly out. (NR)
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FEBRUARY MARCH
Nero First Aid Kit
29th February Thekla
With influences of bucolic US folk-pop blended with soaring vocal harmonies, Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg - are undoubtedly a cosy tonic of calm to the ears. Despite their occasionally cold lyrics, there’s no denying that the Stockhom-based duo have crafted a distinctively weary, yet altogether uplifting sound which resonates somewhere between the familiar and the fresh, attracting attention from the likes of Fleet Of Foxes and Jack White. (BB)
Dizraeli & The Small Gods
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
Another firm Skint favourite; Dizraeli has been a south west secret for a couple of years now. Along with his band The Small Gods, Dizraeli has found a happy balance of melodic folk combined with an original, honest hip-hop that dwarfs the pretentious urban artists which dominate the radio stations. Singer and band have enjoyed their live collaborations so much that an album is on the horizon, so watch this space. (SL)
After more than 20 years of griming it out across the Atlantic, with the occasional jaunt over here in fair old blighty, the Blues Explosion - the veritable kings of antirock - are welcomed to Bristol’s Trinity Centre for a session of screeching guitar riffs, whiskey driven screams and the occasional melody. Spend a well deserved evening head banging, puking and burning effigies of Justin Bieber. (MH)
1st March The Fleece
7th March Trinity Centre
15th March 02 Academy
"It's just so big now it's not even dubstep. It's dance," said Dan Stephens of Nero talking to none other than the Wall Street Journal recently. Nero are now UK dubstep, sorry dance, royalty having remixed The Street's Blinded by the Lights in 2009 and going on to have a number one single and album as well as producing Example's hit Stay Awake. Not bad for a couple of lads from London suburbia. (AH)
Submotion Orchestra 17th March The Fleece
Seth Lakeman 1st March Trinity
In the wild Devon countryside Seth Lakeman first started playing music and was, at one time, in a band with his brothers Sean and Sam. The Lakeman’s like the letter S. The fiddle playing heart throb is solo now though, although Sean still joins him sometimes, and this tour is for his sixth album,Tales from the Barrel House. Lakeman is used to sell out tours so can bet on a good Westcountry ‘hoedown’. (AH)
Little Dragon 2nd March O2 Academy
Little Dragon vocalist Yukimi Nagano has received more radio airplay featuring on SBTRKT’s post-dubstep smash Wildfire, but the Swedish four-piece have so much going for them that success is starting to take hold. We are entering the Chinese year of the dragon which could well prove to be symbolic as new album Ritual Union continues to turn heads. One of the bands to watch in 2012, especially with Tensnake and Maya Jane Coles on the remix. (SL)
Maverick Sabre with Miss Dynamite 8th March Anson Rooms
Riding in on a wave of soulful revival lead by the like of Plan B and the late Amy Winehouse, Maverick Sabre has been heralded as one for the future. Born in London but raised in Ireland, Maverick Sabre has collaborated with Chase and Status and toured with the likes of Plan B and Snoop Dog. His debut EP went nuts on iTunes and forthcoming album Lonely Are The Brave is set for big things when it comes out next month. Chuck Ms Dynamite in the mix and you’re laughing. (SL)
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When you think of Leeds’ musical output you’d be forgiven for veering towards indie icons Kaiser Chiefs or perhaps the Pigeon Detectives, but Yorkshire seven-piece Submotion Orchestra are one of the UK’s more intelligent dubstep outfits. Leeds College of Music jazz course graduate Ruby Wood’s soothing vocals overset the Orchestra’s soulful, atmospheric, laid back dub sound. Their debut album has brought critical acclaim from the music press and the likes of Gilles Peterson. Having lit up festivals such as Big Chill and Bestival last summer their live show is pretty polished and well worth the Fleece’s £9 ticket price. (SL)
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T
he Anglo-French rivalry can get a little frosty at times. Since 1066 our neighbours to the south have been about as popular on these shores as frogs legs on a chip shop menu. But if truth be told, us Britains have been ever so slightly jealous of the super chic monsieurs and madames from across the channel, with their ooh la las, va-va-vooms and not to mention their je t’aimes. Thankfully, the sweaty discothèques of our fair blighty have been awash with so much quality French dance music in the last 20 years that we’ve put our petty differences aside. Since Justice did ‘the David Walliams’ a few years back, we’ve been knee deep in so many club bangers from across the channel that it’s seemingly impossible to hold a grudge. The duo shot to fame in 2007 when their now anthemic rework of Simian’s Never Be Alone hit the charts. Now better known as We Are Your Friends, the track proceeded to be belted out by anyone with a record bag from San Antonio to the school disco. Justice could do no wrong, they were the most popular French import since Jean Michel Jarre, or brie. When they released their self-titled debut in June the same year, Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay were instantaneously ordained as electro royalty. Tracks like Genesis and D.A.N.C.E ticked so many different boxes it seemed impossible not to love what Justice were doing. At times they were pop-synth, sing-a-long simplicity, whilst in a flash they were darker, heavier but throughout maintaining an electricity that captivated live audiences. Their second studio offering is a more guitar-led affair with heavy riffs, twiddly solos and seventies vocals. Tracks like Canon and On ‘n On evoke more of a stadium rock feel than any warehouse party, whilst Brianvision sounds like a homage to the Queen songwriter, but I find that degree of cross-channel fraternity hard to imagine. Tracks like the first single Civilisation revert back to the trusted electro formula but the majority of Audio, Video, Disco contains more Led Zep than it does Daft Punk, whether or not this constitutes a bad thing is up to you. Were it up to me I’d say yes, très mauvais. (SL)
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The sweaty discothèques of our fair blighty have been awash with so much quality French dance music in the last 20 years
❞
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CLUB nights
J U S T I C E O2 Academy
Thursday 9th February
Justice; Their sound manages to combine electro club classics with seventies stadium rock. Their look however, is 100 per cent 80’s New York rent boy.
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FEBRUARY/MARCH a line-up as long as this one you get some pretty decent bass for your buck!
it’s all about the music and if you like your tunes underground, both literally and metaphorically, then this is a good place to start.
Krafty Kuts and The Nextmen will bring their unmistakable barrage of hip hop and breaks while Bristol institutions DJ Derek and Mr Benn with get the place skanking from the word go.
Bass Kitchen ft. A.Skillz 2nd February TB2
Proud purveyor of party music and general all round breaks legend A.Skillz knows how to get the place jumping. For ten years or so Adam Mills has been flying the breakbeat flag across the globe playing funky, hip hop infused beats to lively dance floors. Skillz started the year with a string of Aussie dates and heads from Brizzle off to Germany, France and beyond. This boy’s in demand and for good reason.
Tokyo Dub ft. Jah Shakah Sound System 10th February Motion
The In:Motion series may have come to a close but the big fella rumbles on with more hefty headliners and speaker stacks to match. Sound systems don’t come much bigger than Shakah’s, as anyone who staggered into the Dance Village on Sunday at Glasto last year will testify. The old boy’s rig was resident there all afternoon, much to the delight of young and old dub fans a like, and with
Skrillex
16th February O2 Academy
Skrillex looks and sounds like someone your mum and dad would not want you to hang out with. But like it or not this 23 year old former post-hardcore front man has struck a chord with ravers and critics in the UK and in his native US where he’s been nominated for 5 Grammys. His video for First Of The Year - where a small girl tortures a pedophile with the power of sub-bass at her finger tips - is definitely worth watching.
Run Tingz ft Topcat Intelligent Beatz ft. Original Sin 18th February Arc
DJ Hype’s rebranded Real Playaz label boasts a host of big acts from the drum and bass scene, and whilst Original Sin might not be a house hold name just yet he’s well on his way to the upper echelons. One half of Geordie jump up duo G Dub, Adam Tindall has been flying on a steep upward curve since his debut album Grow Your Wings was released back in 2009 with tracks like Therapy getting played by the likes of Andy C.
2nd March Blue Mountain
Run Tingz Recordings have been making jungle with a reggae flavour since 2010 and their uplifting, summer vibe has gone down a storm with their PA popping up at St Paul’s, Notting Hill and a host of UK festivals. The Bristol based crew launch the Run Tingz Sessions next month and with lineups like this it’s bound to a regular
Trouble Vision ft. Julio Bashmore, Mosca, Christophe 30th March Timbuk2
Ist Das ft. Ben Klock 17th February TB2
Das Ist is TB2’s own disco/techno/house gathering and regularly welcomes some extremely fine peddlers of the genres to our fair city. Berlin based producer Ben Klock is of the techno variety and has gained a sizeable reputation through his label Klockwork and remixes for the like of Depeche Mode. As with most TB2 club nights,
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Funk From The Trunk XXL ft. The Correspondents 18th February Motion
Extra extra large, you can say that again, this belter of a line-up from FFTT will need it’s own post code. Only Motion could cope with these kind of a-list shenanigans as the Correspondents top a bill filled with all sorts of quality tuneage for a variety of ear drums.
Bristol’s own Julio Bashmore was one of dance music’s breakthrough artists of 2011 with Battle For Middle You getting played left, right and centre by the world’s best DJs. The guy has been at the heart of the deep house that’s been putting Bristol back on the map and looks set for big things in 2012. Playing somewhere as cosy as TB2 is going to be rare for the Futureboogie boy wonder so make the most of it.(SL)
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Big thanks to everyone who made it down to the Skint Christmas Party. Next one’s already lined up for the 4th of Feb at The Big Chill Bar, get involved!
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Oliver Rant and friends play UK Garage and Classic house music Saturday 25th Febuary Free before 11.30 / ÂŁ2 After The Bank of Stokes Croft
»
RAMPART Friday 24th February 2012
1961 was a golden year for wine. In France, it marked the finest vintage since the Second World War, while in Midland, Texas, it marked the birth of one Woodrow Tracy Harrelson. Today, with the 61’ Château Lafite Rothschild now perfectly aged and at its peak, it seems that the 50 year old Harrelson is also maturing nicely, after turning in the performance of his career with a soul-shattering portrayal of rotten LAPD cop, Dave Brown. Complex, full-bodied and dark as hell. Harrelson has come a long way since playing Woody Boyd, the housewives’ favourite in ‘Cheers’. He was quick to realise the dangers of being typecast and so drew a bloody line under those early years, playing mad Mickey Knox in Oliver Stone’s ‘Natural Born KIllers’. Since then his roles have been varied and interesting, culminating in his second Oscar nomination in 2009 for ‘The Messanger’. This film, his second collaboration with ‘The Messanger’ director Orin Moverman, opens on a paranoid and stifling LA during the late 90’s, a time of growing civil unrest after vehement accusations of brutality and corruption among the LAPD’s Rampart division. A bad time for the force. But we are less concerned with the wider context and gravitate to the very sweat-soaked pores of one of the LAPD’s worst, Harrelson’s Dave Brown. A redneck soldier with an agenda all of his own, hiding behind his aviator shades and uniform, sucking cigarettes and whiskey and not even seeing a public he has no interest to protect. His home-life is similarly screwed, as he pursues barfly lust with Linda (the exquisite Robin Wright), a woman he fears is not as she seems, while still living next to his two ex-wives (also sisters), played by Anne Heche and Cynthia Nixon, whom he jokingly still tries to jockey for sex. The heat is cranked up on the department when Dave’s brutal beating of an unarmed suspect is broadcast all over the evening news. Refusing to accept the olive branch of retirement, the old pro ploughs on the only way he knows, cracking skulls and infecting the very earth with his toxic presence as he drives the furrow deeper and deeper, not knowing or caring why but doomed to not stop until he hits the bottom. If your looking for explanations then you won’t find them, which is one of the films’ great strengths and one of the reasons that you can’t look away. Because in spite of the confident direction by Moverman and some unflinchingly close camera work by Bobby Bukowski, it is Harrelson’s movie and Dave Brown is his masterstroke. (TE)
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FILms Last of the renegade cops. Harrelson stakes a real claim this awards season for more of the recognition he truly deserves. An outstanding performance, though not one for the feint hearted.
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I am not a racist. I hate all people - equally.
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FEBRUARY/MARCH
A Dangerous Method 10th February
The latest work from exemplary director David Cronenberg is a dialogue-driven study of two of the great pioneers of psychoanalysis, centrally Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and his mentor, Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen). It is a subject for which Cronenberg has held a longstanding fascination. However, he was unable to find the necessary dramatic lift until he was introduced to Christopher Hampton’s excellent screenplay in which, central to the great men’s dynamic was the presence of a third; Jung’s beguiling patient Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley). Her physicality and hysterical sexual possibility begins scything through Jung’s arms-length, word-driven approach and their subsequent affair threatens both his professional and her mental wellbeing. The film is less a period drama and more an intellectual ménage à trois, as the three very different powerhouses dual through words, wrestling to understand the human condition. All of this is captured with an understated grace through the un-showy direction of Cronenberg, who allows the performances and intelligent script to open and invade the minds of his characters, unlike his previous preoccupation with a body-horror aesthetic. Altogether, it is an exacting piece of cinema that arrives in metronomic synch for The Academy’s consideration. (TE)
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John Carter 9th March
When Pixar legend Brad Bird was selected to direct Mission Impossible 4, I was stunned. But his appointment and the subsequent success of ‘Ghost Protocol’ appears to be starting a trend. This month it is the Oscar winning animation director of both ‘Finding Nemo’ and ‘WALL-E’, Andrew Stanton’s turn to break his live-action duck with his Star Wars-esque blockbuster, John Carter. The film is an adaptation of a 1912 novel by ‘Tarzan’ creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and follows a dispirited American Civil War veteran John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he finds he has the strength of a dozen bears and the ability to jump like Phillips Idowu. Which is handy because he soon becomes unwillingly entangled in the age-old conflict between the various Martian factions while fighting to save the enchanting Princess, Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). Costing a reported $250million, the film represents something of a major risk for Disney as although the source material has a cult status in the US, it is not a surefire moneymaker. Add to this the relatively unknown lead and a CGI-heavy aesthetic and you’ve either got yourself another ‘Avatar’ or a total ‘Phantom Menace!’ (TE)
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FEBRUARY MARCH delusional divorcee at the wrong end of thirty and he’s a happily married man with a beautiful young family. Cue twisted plans to ‘liberate’ her former beau and the unwitting discovery that truth hurts, even when it makes you laugh.
Martha Marcie May Marlene
And so we are treated to this universally appealing effort from John Madden, that brings together the creme-de-la-creme of the UK’s finest over fifties, who retire to the populous technicolor of India to live out their golden years. Dench, Smith, Nighy and Wilkinson serve up the heart-harming, life-affirming mix that’s as refreshing as an ice cold g&t.
sideburns to play lothario George Duroy, in Bel Ami. Set in Paris in the late eighteen hundreds, Duroy begins as a downon his-luck ex-soldier, who’s chance introduction into the upper-middle classes presents him with an opportunity to rise to power, through the seduction of the wives of the wealthy.
3rd February
This eerie, unsettling yet spellbindingly brilliant debut feature from writerdirector Sean Durkin sees the staggeringly gifted Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, on the day she decides to run away from a seemingly serene cult in upstate New York. Taking refuge with her older sister, Lucy and her husband, Martha struggles to adjust. The deep hooks embedded in her core by the indelible cult-leader Patrick (John Hawkes) have left the damaged Martha’s very identity corrupted. Essential viewing; Olsen is just mesmerizing.
The Woman in Black 10th February
This hammy-looking hammer horror tale marks a tipping point in the career the young wizard... I mean actor, Daniel Radcliffe. If he is to successfully distance himself from the smothering bosom of the Harry Potter franchise, he needs to make his next roles count in establishing himself as an adult presence. It’s the difference between a life of low rent TV voice-overs and fanboy conventions like Mark Hamill’s ‘Luke Skywalker’ and the no holes barred megastardom of Harrison Ford’s ‘Han Solo’. All I can say is, good luck Dan!
21 Jump Street 16th March
Safe House
24th February
Denzel Washington plays Tobin Frost, a rogue CIA operative who is brought in to rookie agent Ryan Reynolds’ Cape Town safe house for questioning. But when a group of nasty-ass rebel soldiers blow a hole in the front door looking for Frost, the pair are forced to flee. Slick action abounds as the somehow Mandelalike ‘papa Denz’ (maybe it’s the grey!) works his usual magic in the well-trodden path to find out just who’s playing who?
Young Adult
3rd February
‘Juno’ screenwriter Diabolo Cody and director Jason Reitman join forces once again in this beautifully crafted and wickedly wry tale of a former prom queen (an icily brilliant Charlize Theron), who returns from the big smoke to her small hometown, to win back her childhood sweetheart. The trouble is she’s now a
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 24th February
The huge box office success of last year’s ‘The King’s Speech’ proved beyond all doubt that in these times of economic uncertainty, the ‘grey pound’ is a safe bet.
Bel Ami
2nd March
Another superstar who’s trying to break the associated bonds of an Über-franchise is R-Patz, who trades in his plastic fangs for some killer
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In 1987, 21 Jump Street was the coolest, yet most serious show on TV. In each episode a babyfaced Johnny Depp was sent undercover, back into schools to crack crime at the grass-roots. This latest incarnation sees Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum lampoon such a frankly ridiculous premise to good effect.
Buck
16th March
There are a number of great looking docos coming this spring, but one stands out above them all; that of the real life ‘horse whisperer’, Buck Brannaman. You don’t have to own a horse in order to enjoy this quiet yet beautiful look at the life of a man who transcended his own dark past to realise his unique gift, and to marvel at the way he is able to use it to help those in need; both equine and human. A joy to behold. (TE)
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FEBRUARY MARCH
PERFORMANCE
COMEDY & THEATRE
Mark Watson
20-22 Feb Hen & Chicken
Blood Brothers
20th Jan - 3rd Feb Hippodrome
Proving that musicals don’t have to be set in magical, rainbow filled worlds, Willy Russel’s Blood Brothers follows the lives of twin brothers, separated at birth, who lead very different lives. An unexpected childhood meeting and several heart-warming, toe-tapping songs later, the secret brothers form a firm friendship. But all is not well with various omens predicting doom and as the boys grow up and their lives start drifting further apart, tragedy is in store. (HL)
Carly Smallman Feb 11th Riproar Comedy
Bursting with a delightful and infectious ebullience, improviser and musical comic extraordinaire Carly Smallman brings her trusty guitar and sadly broken foot to Riproar. Her blend of outrageous impropriety and adorable sincerity has established her as a firm favorite at clubs and festivals. Smallman did not begin performing stand-up til 2009, but has wasted little time in establishing herself as a firm favorite on the circuit. (TE)
As The Artist continues to charm the critics, it seems shows without words are a popular choice this year. A run-away success at last year’s Edinburgh Festival, Translunar Paradise is a mask and mime show that recalls the memories of an elderly man following the death of his wife. The poignant story tells of their relationship, from their first meeting to their final parting, performed against the a live accordion soundtrack. An emotional and beautifully performance so be sure to have the tissues at the ready. (LD)
Mike Gunn and Sean Collins 9th-10th march Comedy Box @ The Hen and Chicken
This one’s a complete no-brainer! Two seasoned stand-ups for the price of one, as Gunn and Collins join forces on the back of their cracking performances on Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. A doubleheadline billing to excite any self-respecting comedy lover. (TE)
Bazaar and Rummage
Translunar Paradise 7-11 February The Old Vic
Bristol’s favorite bumbling comedian returns home for the penultimate gigs of his grueling ‘Request Stops Tour’. The creator of marathon 24hr Edinburgh festival shows, like ‘Mark Watson, and his audience, write a novel’ uses his zippy wit and rambling yarns to spin a joyous weave through a mix of old favorites and new material. An often seen highlight on Mock the Week among others, but this is Watson doing what he does best. (TE)
Billly Connolly
18-20th February Colston Hall
Billy Connolly is back! In between travel documentaries, the legendary Connonlly continues to run across stages all over the world in questionable trousers, yelling ‘F***’ and letting his audiences know in no uncertain terms how completely outraged he is at the stupidity of life. Judging by the Australian reviews of The Man tour, the Glaswegian comic god will be sticking to the inimitable style we all know and love when he hits town this month. (HL)
27 & 29 Feb & 2 Mar Alma Tavern Theatre
The small but perfectly formed performance space above the Alma Tavern off Whiteladies plays host the Full Theatre Company with their touching yet hilarious production of Sue Townsend’s Bazaar and Rummage. Set in the early 1980s, the plays tells the story of several agoraphobics and their hapless attempts to deal with their problems by setting up a rummage sale, with the help of their social worker. A witty script from Townsend that captures the poignancies of the challenges these characters face. (LD)
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Simon Munnery
18th March Tobacco Factory
The ‘marginalised eccentric of UK standup’ returns with his second tour, ‘Hats of to the 101’ers. What starts as an ode to the R-101, a British airship that crashed on its maiden voyage in 1930’s gathers often uncontextualised momentum, as Munnery delights the audience, emptying his mind onstage in an endearingly awkward mix of the bizarre and the strange. Expect leftfield, orignial comedy from a razor-sharp mind, armed to the teeth with cardboard props and live instruments. (TE)
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Up Yours Exhibition This month sees 1LoveArt team up with the The Square Gallery again for their first exhibition of the new year. Up yours is a celebration of the best, and worst, of British subculture and will be sure to provide a nice tonic from all the soppy bullshit that Valentines will have subjected us to. The show kicks off on Thursday February 16 with a private view.
Street Art Literature Bristol is literally awash with fantastic street art and the medium has rocketed beyond all expectations. But is anyone really taking this thing seriously. that’s the question author Gary Shove poses in his street art dressing down - Untitled. Romany WG takes a different perspective, looking at street art like buried treasure found in abandoned buildings of the urban wilderness. Both books are beautiful and are available via the 1LoveArt website.
Cover Art - Hero 73 Having studied at Graphic Design at Epson Art College and then Animation at Bournemouth it’s fair to say Danny Capozzi (Hero 73) knows his trade. As well as an impressive portfolio of illustration and canvas work, Danny has also made a short film for Channel 4 and worked for Bristol’s Ardman Animation.
Title: ‘Swing Lo Bubblegum’ Artist: Hero73 Details: Ltd Edition of 100 Screen Print 50 x 70 cms Price: £100.00 Available from: www.1loveart.com
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Bristol Foodie Becci, Gemma and Meg introduce you to Bristol’s food scene
BRISTOL FOODIE’S TOP THREE VALENTINE’S VENUES
Y
es, it’s that time of year again and whether you love it or hate it, Valentine’s day means the pressure is on to take your other half out for a slap-up meal. Not sure where to go? Want to impress? Check out Bristol Foodie’s hot spots… Primrose Cafe This quaint, cosy cafe transforms into an intimate and sophisticated bistro by night – and is arguably one of the best dining experiences in Bristol. Expect wonderful ambience and an interesting menu, which changes regularly and features local, seasonal ingredients. It’s not cheap, but still fairly reasonably priced. Main courses are £10 - £18 but they do offer a week day table d’hote menu which is great value as well offers on vouchercloud etc. Jacks Brasserie This waterside restaurant provides laid back dining in stylish yet cosy surroundings. With head chef Simon Davis at the helm, Jacks has devised an irresistibly seasonal menu, focusing on what’s in season, and what’s local. Whether you fancy fresh venison, home cooked Brixham fish and chips, or a monster of a roast after your Sunday stroll, Jacks won’t break the bank; mains are between £9-£16 Piccolino Ok, so it is a chain, but we have to take into account the student budget here! Piccolino is in the posh bit of Cabot Circus, and offers top notch Italian food. You can spend as much or as little as you like. Pizzas have been praised by Italians and cost from £7.50. Or, if you are feeling flash, starters and mains include things like the old classic parma ham and melon, and swordfish, king prawn and scallop skewers. The restaurant itself is also pretty swanky and sure to impress.
Plantation Big, bold, and vibrant; and I’m not just talking about the food! Plantation matches great quality, traditional Caribbean food with a buzzing, friendly atmosphere which is given a helping hand with regular live music and entertainment. Expect your classic Jerk chicken with rice and peas,
BEST OF THE REST Mystrica Myristicais a five star Indian. Dishes are refined, both taste and quality are superb. More expensive than a regular curry but perfect for those seeking a more upmarket Indian. Goldbrick Modern, fine dining cuisine in a beautiful, atmospheric restaurant. Goldbrick’s cocktails and food menu’s scream class. Food is top quality and beautifully presented. Prices aren’t cheap but mid week offers and vouchers are available. The Lido Delicious, seasonal and local food cooked by Bristol culinary hero Freddy Bird. This year sees a special Valentine’s menu packed full of aphrodisiacs, including a glass of champagne, for £49.50 a head. If that is too much go before 7pm on any other week night and get two courses for a mere £15!
as well as melt in your mouth Goat curry, Creole Prawns with a kick and fried dumplings
so crispy you know they can’t be good for you, but hey, who cares? Portions are whopping and mains are all under the £15 mark. If you’re extra hungry, there’s usually an all you can eat option on the weekends for just over twenty quid, so there’ll be plenty of cash left to wash it all down with a few Red Stripes – perfect!
For more on Bristol’s food scene and the latest reviews visit www.bristolfoodie.co.uk
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In Season
If you’re planning on doing things your way this Valentines, then ensure you use fresh local ingredients. They’ll not only taste great, but having not clocked up thousands of air miles, you’ll be showing the environment a little bit of love as well. Luckily this time of year is great for those classy, seabed treats that will ensure you’ll impress who ever’s on the receiving end of your culinary experiments. Oysters, mussels and scallops are plentiful this time of year and can be sourced locally. The Fish Shop on Gloucester Road has a great selection of local, sustainably sourced seafood and sells oysters out on a stall in the street on a Sunday. If you fancy getting out and sourcing some stuff yourself, you can’t go far wrong with a bit of wild garlic. Drive out to Portbury or Compton Martin and get picking, you’ll know where to look from the smell. The leaves make a tasty salad and the flowers a good garnish. If you’re cooking for someone with a bit of an appetite then venison is great this time of year and Ashton Court produces loads of it. They only sell it in bulk so unless your feeding a family you’ll need to find a local butcher but it’s nice to know you’re eating something reared on your doorstep. Cook it as you would beef and use red wine or port for a delicious rich stock. For desert rhubarb is booming this time of year and lends itself to loads of good puds. Pies, tarts and crumbles all benefit from the good, hearty kick of rhubarb while none of which take a huge amount of effort or skill but will be sure to impress.
NEXT ISSUE... After the spangly festive evening of frivolities that was the Skint Magazine Christmas Party, and having enjoyed ourselves so much, we thought ‘why wait 12 more months?’ So we’ve organised another bash to celebrate little other than the launch of this issue. So DJ Amo and Felix Joy will be back on the decks on February 4, with DJ Chango upstairs in the study. Back by popular demand are the Jazzification Station, who will be on hand to pimp up your good selves with sparkly accessories and glitter make up. Next issue will be full of the joys of spring as April and May usher in the warmer weather and things start to get a bit al fresco in terms of entertainment. Down in the southwest we like nothing more than a good old outdoor knees up with a cold glass of the good stuff, and as April and May have a hefty dose of public holiday between them, there’ll be tons of big nights in store. With summer on the horizon we’ll be scoping some cheap ways to get away after exams. The Bristol Foodie girls will be putting those New Year crash diets behind them and finding the cities best pizzas. The Harbourside will play host to the German Beer Festival and Vegfest, while The Horrors and Major Lazer will be making noises at the O2 and Motion respectively. Sasha Baron Cohen’s latest offensive offering The Dictator will be hitting our screens and if all thats not enough we’ll no doubt be throwing another party at Big Chill so keep an eye out for that.
This issue was painstakingly scraped from the bottom of the barrel by: Simon Lock ● Matthew Hammett ● Tom Elgar Contributors:
Michael Bourne, Lucy Douglas, Hannah Lewis, Neil Ramsden, Amy Hall, Brendan Beale, Tasha Simpson, Sue Richards and Chris Lock
Food: Rebecca Sargent, Meg Pope, Gemma Screen Art: Beth John, Vince John Front Cover: Hero 73 We’d also like to thank the following for putting together an awesome Xmas Party for our beloved Skint Magazine: Pics:
Thomas Poulsom
Tunes:
Laminate Radio, Felix Joy, DJ Amo
Jazz:
The Jazzification station aka Tasha Simpson & Libby Blackwell
Booze:
The Big Chill Bar - much love
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