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TAKE ON ONE ACTION! SCOTTISH MENTAL HEALTH ARTS AND FILM FESTIVAL GARY: TANK COMMANDER PROF BRIAN COX 26/08/2016 11:11

THE ONLY SCOTTISH DATES ‘THIS ISN’T FEEL GOOD. IT’S FEEL FANTASTIC!’ SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

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FRONT

CONTENTS

Realist

1 SEP–3 NOV 2016 | LIST.CO.UK

ooray for autumn. Sure, it’s getting darker and colder, but what’s that when theatres across the country are bustling with life, Oscar season approaches at the cinema and publishers start coming out with the best books of the year? Over the next couple of months, we’re super excited about a range of theatrical endeavours, from the heralded tour of The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil (page 20) to smaller, one-night-only live art escapades like Louise Orwin’s A Girl and a Gun (page 15). Plus, it’s nearly time for the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival (page 23), a wonderful event that celebrates its 10th birthday this year. And social change film festival Take One Action! (page 14) is back, at just the right time in a year that’s been full of political turbulence. Of course, autumn means back to school too – so welcome, students. If you’re new to Glasgow and Edinburgh, turn to page 95 and pour over our essential Student Guide. We’ve got the lowdown on everything you need to know, from the best bars and cafes to our top picks for gigs.

Justin Bieber

FEATURES

Take One Action!

Louise Orwin

Gary: Tank Commander

FOOD & DRINK

Let’s Eat Glasgow!

Norn

Highlights

BOOKS

46 47

Highlights

Elis James & John Robins

Highlights

Scotland Loves Anime

COVER STORY

THE CHEVIOT, THE STAG AND THE BLACK, BLACK OIL

SCOTTISH MENTAL HEALTH ARTS AND FILM FESTIVAL

As it winds its way from Dundee Rep to the Citz, we wonder why so few post-war plays have resonated quite like this 1973 classic about the history of exploitation in Scotland.

This year’s festival features a new play from Alan Bissett about Syd Barrett, the original Pink Floyd frontman whose psychological problems led him to hide from the world.

Win a 12-week course at Dance Base Win a Bronze Sumatran Tiger adoption at Edinburgh Zoo

Win tickets to Edinburgh Art Fair

2-for-1 at La Favorita Delivered in Glasgow

Win tickets to The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil at the Lyceum

Free £25 gift voucher from Gousto

Free £10 voucher for Beer52

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54 55

The Girl With All The Gifts

Highlights

KIDS Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

61 61

Highlights

MUSIC

PJ Harvey

Pictish Trail

Savage Mansion

Highlights

Classical Highlights

THEATRE

Scottish Ballet

Trainspotting

Billy Elliot

Highlights

VISUAL ART

American Honey

Ella Kruglyanskaya

Jacqueline Donachie

Highlights

GREAT OFFERS

COVER PHOTO: FIELD & MCGLYNN

PHOTO: JANNICA HONEY

PHOTO: TOMMY GA-KEN WAN

Kerry Godliman

FILM

The Lesser Bohemians

COMEDY

Orwin analyses the culture which states that a girl holding a gun is somehow an empowering image. Having dissected acres of creative works revolving around females with firearms, she’s delivered her own spin on such sex and death stereotypes. Ahead of a CCA date as part of Buzzcut Double Thrills, we spoke to her about the delicate balancing act of writing something honest without being preachy.

Arika

Wigtown Book Festival

A GIRL AND A GUN In her new live art show, Louise

News

AROUND TOWN

Editor

The Night Of

The Walking Dead

FIRST & LAST Prof Brian Cox

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GRAPHIC CONTENT

CONTRIBUTORS

What we’ve been talking about John Carpenter, the master of spooky films and even spookier music, is on his way to the Usher Hall in October, so we thought it might be fun to find out which pieces of music still send shivers down the spine. Our sample research also discovers that a fair number of ten-year-olds have watched some psychologically scarring movies

The music from Halloween because after watching it as an impressionable young adolescent, I thought Michael Myers was gonna get me Was thoroughly impressed with the It Follows soundtrack which transported me right back to my ten-year-old self bingeing on horror films via Sky Movies while sleeping over at my gran’s

Lux Aeterna by György Ligeti from the 2001: A Space Odyssey soundtrack sounds completely alien and fits perfectly with the otherworldly imagery on screen

Who thought using In the Hall of the Mountain King to advertise Alton Towers was a good idea? That’ll be where my fear of rollercoasters stems from Read the lyrics to Camouflage by Stan Ridgway and tell me you’re not scared

Midnight, the Stars and You by Al Bowlly. Preferably with some empty ballroom reverb

I used to play Michael Jackson’s Thriller in my room really loudly to scare away my four-year-old cousin who used to follow me round everywhere

I can’t hear Blue Moon now without thinking of American Werewolf

There’s a passage about halfway through the first movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, where the music builds with tension and foreboding. On a good recording it’s seriously disturbing Thanks to the crappy noughties horror film, the seemingly sweet 30s classic song Jeepers Creepers now puts me on edge I first heard Tom Waits’ What’s He Building in There? on a dark night and home alone. It’s so clever because it never mentions anything criminal in particular, it’s more about paranoia and nosy neighbours

It’s a toss-up between the theme to Psycho or Halloween. But Halloween wins as it’s a wee bit more subdued which makes it scarier The Jonathan Creek theme tune, an arrangement of Danse Macabre. That show is responsible for my lifelong fear of dead bodies falling out of wardrobes

The music from War of the Worlds scared the shitters out of me as a kid and had a lasting effect: I panic and think aliens are coming

Aphex Twin’s music is freaky enough without Chris Cunningham’s videos. The skeletal figure silently screaming at the old lady in Come to Daddy is the stuff of acid techno nightmares

Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells always takes me back to my tenyear-old self, when I first watched The Exorcist. I spent several months afterwards convinced I was possessed by the devil

Goblin’s main theme from Suspiria; it’s the creepy ‘la la las’ that really set you on edge

EDITORIAL Editor Yasmin Sulaiman Senior Digital Editor Scott Henderson Research Manager Rowena McIntosh Senior Researcher Murray Robertson Research Alex Johnston, Rebecca Monks, Henry Northmore, Kirstyn Smith, Louise Stoddart Subeditors Mercy Breheny, Paul McLean, Tracy Taylor Editorial Assistants Louise Stoddart, Arusa Qureshi SALES & MARKETING Media Sales Manager Chris Knox Senior Media Sales Executive Debbie Thomson Media Sales Executive Rachel Cree Sales Support Executive Jessica Rodgers Promotions Executive Jade Regulski Digital Business Development Director Brendan Miles Partnership Director Sheri Friers PRODUCTION Senior Designer Lucy Munro Designers Stuart Polson, Carys Tennant DIGITAL Senior Developer Andy Carmichael Digital Designer Sharon Irish Software Developer Iain McCusker Senior DBA Andy Bowles ADMINISTRATION Accounts Manager Sarah Reddie Publisher Robin Hodge Director Simon Dessain SECTION EDITORS Around Town / Music Kirstyn Smith Books / Film Scotland Yasmin Sulaiman Comedy / Front Brian Donaldson Dance / Kids Kelly Apter Film Reviews Nikki Baughan Food & Drink Donald Reid News / Student Guide Rebecca Monks TV Henry Northmore Theatre Gareth K Vile Visual Art Rachael Cloughton

Published by The List Ltd HEAD OFFICE: 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE Tel: 0131 550 3050, Fax: 0131 557 8500, list.co.uk, email editor@list.co.uk GLASGOW OFFICE: at the CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD Tel: 0141 332 9929, glasgow@list.co.uk ISSN: 0959 - 1915

End credits for It when the lights are still out in the room

© 2016 The List Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the written permission of the publishers. The List does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. The List provides this content in good faith but no guarantee or representation is given that the content is accurate, complete or up-to-date. Use of magazine content is at your own risk. Printed by Acorn Web Offset Ltd, W.Yorkshire.

2 THE LIST 1 Sep– 3 Nov 2016

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Monteverdi Vespers 1610 Hear Monteverdi’s spectacular masterpiece of 1610, the most lavish of all the music that this peerless genius wrote for the church in early 17th century Venice. John Butt Director

Fri 09.09.2016 Lammermuir Festival, St Mary’s Haddington 7.30pm | £25 – £12 Booking: 0131 473 2000 Sold out. Returns only

Sun 11.09.2016 Perth Concert Hall 3pm | £25 – £11 Booking: 01738 621031

Purcell, Shakespeare & Cervantes

Fantasy & Madness

Celebrate Shakespeare and Cervantes’s 400th anniversary with Purcell’s music to Don Quixote, The Tempest and The Fairy Queen, in a new co-production between Cryptic and Dunedin Consort. John Butt Director Mhairi Lawson Soprano Matthew Brook Bass Josh Armstrong Stage direction Dave Evans Lighting

Tue 18.10.2016 Edinburgh, Assembly Roxy

7.30pm £20 & £15 Unreserved Booking: 0131 623 3030

Wed 19.10.2016 Glasgow, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Stevenson Hall

7.30pm £20 & £15 Unreserved Booking: 0141 332 5057

www.dunedin-consort.org.uk

The

REALIST R E B M E T P SE

FILM

2 Take One Action

PHOTO: TOMMY GA-KEN WAN

A film festival which aims to show that we can all make a difference, featuring documentaries such as A Good American about NSA whistleblower Bill Binney and Sonita (pictured), a documentary about an Afghan female rapper who’s also a refugee in Iran. See preview, page 14. GFT, Glasgow; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Wed 14–Sun 25 Sep.

THEATRE

1 The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil Dundee Rep’s acclaimed production of John McGrath’s play about historical exploitation and change in the Highlands goes from the 18th century crofter eviction to the 19th century stag hunts, and again through to the North Sea oil boom of the 1970s. All of this is performed as a ceilidh in Joe Douglas’ evocative revival. See feature, page 20. Dundee Rep Theatre, until Sat 10 Sep; Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 14–Sat 24 Sep; Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 18–Sat 22 Oct.

FILM

3 Hunt for the Wilderpeople Writer-director Taika Waititi (pictured) delivers the offbeat tale of an unusual friendship in this comedy-drama, which was a big hit at the Edinburgh International Film Festival this summer. See review, page 57. General release, Fri 16 Sep.

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So much culture, so little time. We boil it down to 20 of the best events

MUSIC

KIDS

4 Animal Collective

5 Gangsta Granny

Baltimore’s experimental pop dudes make their return surfing the wave of latest album Painting With, a collection of energetic and catchy tunes which hark back to their glory days of 2007. See Highlights, page 75. O2 ABC, Glasgow, Tue 6 Sep.

David Walliams’ bestselling novel will certainly put the Birmingham Stage Company through their paces as they attempt to adapt some fast-paced action into the live arena. See preview, page 62. King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 7–Sun 11 Sep; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 5–Sun 9 Oct. PHOTO: MYLES ARONOWITZ/NETFLIX

PHOTO: EOIN CAREY

PHOTO: CLEAR PHOTOGRAPHY

THEATRE

BOOKS

DANCE

6 Trainspotting

7 Bloody Scotland

8 COAL

9 Luke Cage

‘Who need reasons when you’ve got heroin?’ We’re all going Trainspotting crazy again, what with the upcoming movie sequel and this Citz production of Irvine Welsh’s landmark 1993 novel. See preview, page 82. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 14 Sep–Sat 8 Oct.

Another excellent BS line-up features Ian Rankin, Martina Cole, Lin Anderson (pictured) and Nicci French plus various panel discussions and the heavily-anticipated England v Scotland crime writers’ football clash. See preview, page 47. Various venues, Stirling, Fri 9–Sun 11 Sep.

A piece about resilience, spirit and camaraderie, COAL pays tribute to the Yorkshire community choreographer Gary Clarke grew up in, where he witnessed the turmoil of the miners’ strike at first hand. See feature, page 18. Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 30 Sep & Sat 1 Oct.

Everyone’s favourite chilled subscription TV channel delivers its third collaboration with Marvel which follows Luke Cage (previously seen in Jessica Jones), a tough guy with amazing strength and totally unbreakable skin. See Highlights, page 92. Netflix from Fri 30 Sep.

CHOSEN BY JOURNALIST, AUTHOR AND BROADCASTER GRAHAM SPIERS

10 RSNO: MUSIC AT THE MUSEUM Until maybe ten years ago I was a classical music ignoramus; and I still am to a degree. But since a Damascus Road experience I had one night at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall in the company of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, I have almost wept with the sheer joy of hearing a full live orchestra in all its glory. The way it can fill the senses is something I had never appreciated before. In September, the RSNO is performing in Kelvingrove Art Gallery with Angel Blue (pictured). The night will resound to some of the greatest scores from stage and screen. It has taken me three decades and more to realise that such an experience is the equal of – if not better than – football. Hugh McIlvanney in Conversation with Graham Spiers, Òran Mór, Glasgow, Thu 29 Sep; Brunton, Musselburgh, Sat 1 Oct; RSNO: Music at the Museum, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, Fri 16 & Sat 17 Sep. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 5

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R E B CTO

AROUND TOWN

1 Scottish Mental Health Arts and

Film Festival

PHOTO: PETER DIBDIN

The theme of ‘time’ dominates the tenth year of SMHAFF as some 300 events are staged across the country, challenging preconceived ideas about mental health once more. Among the special events this year are Alan Bissett’s play One Thinks of it All as a Dream (the story of Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett; see feature, page 23), the Adam World Choir (pictured left, for their Home Away event in October), and acclaimed Australian stand-up Felicity Ward. The full programme is launched on Tue 6 Sep. Various venues, Mon 10– Mon 31 Oct.

BOOKS

FILM

2 Dundee Literary Festival

3 Scotland Loves Anime

Dundee celebrates its tenth annual literary festival with another fiesta of bookish delights on Tayside in an event that gets bigger and better every year. Plus, there’s the announcement of the Dundee International Book Prize victor. The full programme is launched on Wed 14 Sep. See Highlights, page 48. Various venues, Dundee, Wed 19–Sun 23 Oct.

This year’s Japanese animation fest features five EU premieres (take that, Brexit) and nine UK debut showings among its lineup, which features A Silent Voice (pictured), Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’, Empire of Corpses and Miss Hokusai. See preview, page 54. GFT, Glasgow, Wed 5–Tue 11 Oct; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Wed 12–Tue 18 Oct.

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The

REALIST PHOTO: EBRU YILDIZ

MUSIC

COMEDY

MUSIC

4 Arab Strap

5 Gary: Tank Commander

6 Mitski

To mark 20 years since the lads Moffat and Middleton broke into our psyches and a decade since they went their separate ways, two soldout gigs will see them come together once more to pour out all their greatest tunes. See Highlights, page 75. Barrowland, Glasgow, Sat 15 & Sun 16 Oct.

Get your cheesy pasta on the boil as Greg McHugh’s tremendously camp squaddie fires his way into the Hydro for three stirring nights of quality entertainment. Mission Quite Possible is as apt a title as anyone could have come up with. See feature, page 27. SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Thu 20–Sat 22 Oct.

The New York-based Japanese indie rocker, who has toured and played with the likes of Speedy Ortiz and Hundred Waters, is in Glasgow on the back of her critically loved fourth album Puberty 2, a record which veers from rowdy to tender and rapid to wistful. See Highlights, page 75. Stereo, Glasgow, Tue 4 Oct. PHOTO: PAUL KOLNIK

FILM

7 American Honey A passionate and ambitious work which marks another peak in Andrea Arnold’s already glittering directorial career, as she takes us on a startling road trip with Star (impressive newcomer Sasha Lane) on a Yellow Brick Road-esque journey across the US. See review, page 55. Selected release from Fri 14 Oct.

DANCE

8 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre The ever-popular US troupe return to Scottish shores performing works by Paul Taylor, Christopher Wheeldon and Rennie Harris. Plus they’ll be signing off with their traditional closer, ‘Revelations’. See preview, page 84. Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 18 & Wed 19 Oct.

KIDS

9 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Jason Manford, Claire Sweeney and Phill Jupitus star in a new production of the classic tale with the flying car and truly scrumptious show tunes. And get your booing tonsils ready for the appearance of the Child Catcher. See preview, page 61. Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 5–Sun 16 Oct; King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 19–Sat 29 Oct. CHOSEN BY COMEDIAN SUSIE MCCABE

10 Blues Brothers Approved

Can I have your attention . . . your attention please! We need to be vigilant people. Two men wearing black suits, hats and sunglasses are on their way to Glasgow on a mission . . . a mission from God! These men are simply known as the Blues Brothers. The film itself will always hold a special place in my heart; I remember as a ten-year-old watching it with my older brother and laughing so hard I could barely breathe. As well as the antics in the film, the music itself is phenomenal and still remains one of my favourite soundtracks. If you go to the Royal Concert Hall and come out without shaking your tail feather, I would be shocked and stunned. Susie McCabe is at The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 13–Sat 15 Oct; Blues Brothers Approved, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Mon 31 Oct. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 7

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READER OFFERS WIN A 12-WEEK COURSE AT DANCE BASE

WIN A BRONZE SUMATRAN TIGER ADOPTION AT EDINBURGH ZOO

The List are giving away a full 12-week course at Dance Base to be taken in the Autumn Term 2016. This is your chance to take flight and leap into the dance style you’ve always wanted to master. Options include ballet, hip hop, Bollywood, burlesque, and contemporary dance, plus dozens more. To be in with a chance of winning just log on to list. co.uk/offers and tell us:

Which three-letter word is a style of dance known for its percussive rhythm and metal-soled shoes? Dance Base 14-16 Grassmarket Edinburgh, EH1 2JU 10 Sep–2 Dec 2016

dancebase.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Fri 9 Sep. Subject to availability. Non-transferable and no cash alternative. The List’s usual rule apply.

WIN TICKETS TO THE RIVALS AT CITIZENS THEATRE

Up in the tree tops of RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, a brand new dynamic enclosure has been created for the zoo’s critically endangered Sumatran tigers, Jambi and Baginda. Around four times larger than the tigers’ current home, the new and improved enclosure has many new and exciting features including a ground level viewing tunnel for visitors, feeding posts and cubbing den. To celebrate the opening of this dynamic enclosure, Edinburgh Zoo are offering one reader the chance to win a Bronze Sumatran Tiger adoption. This prize includes a certificate and animal fact sheet, pen, notebook, bookmark and money box with a photograph of Jambi or Baginda. To be in with a chance of winning, just log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What are the names of Edinburgh Zoo’s Sumatran tigers? edinburghzoo.org.uk/tigertracks TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Mon 31 Oct 2016. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. The List’s usual rules apply.

FREE £25 GIFT VOUCHER FROM GOUSTO

In the summer streets of Bath, social climber and ‘pineapple of politeness’ Mrs Malaprop is determined to make her niece Lydia Languish a fortuitous match. Lydia, however, fuelled by an excessive indulgence in romantic fiction, has other ideas and plans to fall in love with a penniless man. The Rivals is a hilarious 18thcentury comedy of manners inspired by Sheridan’s own romantic entanglements, which fed the gossip-mongers of his day with endless scandal and tittle-tattle. Citizens Theatre Artistic Director, Dominic Hill, directs this coproduction with Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse. The List are giving away a pair of tickets to see The Rivals on Tue 8 Nov. To be in with a chance of winning, log on to list.co.uk.offers and tell us:

Who is the director of the The Rivals? The Rivals Citizens Theatre Glasgow 2–19 Nov 2016

citz.co.uk TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competiton closes Tue 1 Nov 2016. No cash alternative. Subject to availability. The List’s usual rules apply.

Gousto lets you choose recipes online and get the ingredients delivered to your door in exact portions. It’s home cooking made easy! Each week, they post a new menu of 10 recipes from cuisines across the globe online. You pick the ones you like the look of and they’ll send you all the ingredients in measured portions (so there’s no food waste) and easy-to-follow recipe cards. Recipes take around 30 mins to cook and they’re passionate about sourcing quality produce. You can get £25 off your first Gousto box by using the LIST2016 at the checkout.

gousto.co.uk/list2016 TERMS & CONDITIONS: £25 voucher is valid against a first-time order for new customers, when you buy a 3-meal box. Customers buying a smaller trial box will be rewarded with a £22 discount. Put on hold or cancel deliveries by logging in to your account. The List’s usual rules apply.

8 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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READER OFFERS WIN TICKETS TO EDINBURGH ART FAIR

WIN TICKETS TO THE CHEVIOT, THE STAG & THE BLACK, BLACK OIL AT THE LYCEUM

Scotland’s premier art fair returns this November with close to 1000 artists from around the world showing with the 65 exhibiting galleries who are descending on Edinburgh from the UK and abroad. Now in its 12th year, the Edinburgh Art Fair has firmly established itself on the international art scene and is known for its friendly and informal approach to buying art and introducing first time buyers and seasoned collectors alike to a wide and eclectic mix of contemporary art not widely available in this country. The List are giving away 25 pairs of tickets to the Preview Evening and Drinks Reception of this year’s Edinburgh Art Fair on Thu 17 Nov. To be in with a chance of winning log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

How many years has the EAF been running? Edinburgh Art Fair Edinburgh Corn Exchange New Market Road, EH14 1RJ Thu 17 Nov, 6.30–9.30pm

EAF2016

artedinburgh.com

Edinburgh Art Fair

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Sun 30 Oct 2016. Entrants must be over 18 years of age. The List’s usual rules apply.

LIST EXCLUSIVE: 2-FOR-1 AT LA FAVORITA DELIVERED IN GLASGOW

★★★★★ The Scotsman ★★★★★ The Herald ★★★★★ The Guardian ★★★★★ The Independent ★★★★★ The Stage Dundee Rep’s 5-star, sell-out production of John McGrath’s The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil arrives in Edinburgh for just 10 days this September. The highly acclaimed production tells the history and the tragedy of Scotland, performed as a Highland ceilidh, with song, humour and drama intermixed; creating a unique theatrical event, that remains as vital and relevant today as it was when 7:84 Scotland first presented it, over 40 years ago. The List are giving away a pair of tickets for The Cheviot, the Stag & the Black, Black Oil on Thu 22 Sep, 7.30pm. To be in with a chance of winning log on to list.co.uk/offers and tell us:

What is The Cheviot in the context of the title?

The List have teamed up with La Favorita Delivered to offer readers 2-for-1 at their Gibson Street Pizzeria. Enjoy Scotland’s Best and Glasgow’s favourite log-fired pizza fresh from the oven at La Favorita’s funky basement restaurant on Gibson Street and when you order any 14” pizza they’ll give you the second absolutely free!

Dundee Rep Ensemble presents: The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil by John McGrath 14–24 Sep 2016 Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

lyceum.org.uk @lyceumtheatre

Simply quote the code LAFAV1295 when booking and at the check out. La Favorita Delivered 23–25 Gibson St Glasgow, G12 8NU Booking recommended call 0141 2126070.

lafavoritadelivered.com TERMS & CONDITIONS: OFFER ENDS MON 31 OCT 2016. MINIMUM SPEND £12.95 APPLIES TO QUALITY FOR A FREE 14” PIZZA. OFFER EXCLUDES THE FLYING PIG, HOT STAR AND MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZA. FREE PIZZA APPLIES TO THOSE LISTED ON THE MAIN MENU THAT ARE £12.95 OR LESS. AVAILABLE FOR SIT IN ONLY. 7 DAYS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. THERE IS A £2 SUPPLEMENT FOR GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA AND A £2 SUPPLEMENT FOR VEGAN CHEESE. OFFER ONLY AVAILABLE AT GIBSON STREET, GLASGOW STORE.

TERMS & CONDITIONS: Competition closes Thu 15 Sep 2016. No cash alternative. The List’s usual rules apply.

1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 9

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61-63 NETHERLEE ROAD, GLASGOW G44 3YU

A new exhibition celebrating the collaboration between Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, and Glasgowborn artist and designer Daniel Cottier.

Exhibition open until 31 October, Thurs–Mon 12–4pm

The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty is a charity registered in Scotland, Charity Number SC 007410

WWW.FINDHORNBAYFESTIVAL.COM

10 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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LIST.CO.UK /NEWS ANNOUNCEMENTS, LINEUPS AND OPINION

PHOTO: ANDY HUGHES

NEWS

For more news go to

T R I B U T ES TO L A P E L L ES FRONTMAN Tributes have been pouring in for Gary Watson (pictured), frontman of East Kilbride band the Lapelles, who sadly died after falling into the River Clyde. Watson was rescued from the river, but died the following morning on his 22nd birthday. A memorial fund set up online has raised over £9000 for Gary’s family, while Baby Strange, WHITE, Declan Welsh and the Rockalls played at ‘Grab Life By’: a remembrance event at The Priory.

I N FO R A P E N N Y Penny Boxall has won the biennial Edwin Morgan Poetry Award, awarded to poets aged 30 or under. Boxall won with Ship of the Line, her collection which was published by Eyewear in 2014. Edinburgh Makar Christine De Luca announced Penny’s win of the £20,000 prize money at a special event at Edinburgh International Book Festival. The competition was judged by National Poet for Scotland Jackie Kay and former Edinburgh Makar Stewart Conn.

SCOTTISH TEN HONOURED A team of digital experts from Glasgow School of Art have been recognised for their part in helping an industrial site in Japan achieve World Heritage Status. The Scottish Ten, as they are known, helped to digitally document Nagasaki’s Giant Cantilever Crane, and as such were presented with a set of commemorative coins and stamps.

R OYALLY G OOD FOR M US I C ST U D E N TS Plans to transform the former Royal High School building at the foot of Calton Hill into a music school have been approved. The A-listed neoclassical building is set to become the new home of St Mary’s Music School, which is currently based in Haymarket. Plans include a 300-seat concert hall and three performance spaces.

N EW H OME FOR WI S H ART Martin Wishart is set to guest chef once a quarter at Home on Queensferry Street: a restaurant from the team behind Social Bite, which offers jobs and food to the homeless. The Michelin-star chef will

be joined in the new venture by restaurateurs Dean Gassabi and Simon Littlejohn. There’ll be a blend of Scottish and French food on offer, and it will provide training and employment programmes.

T RE AT US TO MO R E R EBUS Ian Rankin’s much-loved detective John Rebus may not be around for much longer. The crime writer appeared at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and said that ‘the clock is ticking big time’, for old Rebus, sparking rumours that he may be killed off. Say it ain’t so.

S MH AFF & N TS FTW The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival has partnered with the National Theatre of Scotland on their new Home Away Festival, for a whole day of events on 9 October exploring theatre and mental health. Artists involved include Shona Reppe, Pamela Carter and Jo Clifford, and the day climaxes in a promenade performance by the Adam World Choir: a transgender choir created as part of NTS’ new Eve / Adam project, directed by Cora Bissett. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 11

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NEWS There’s nothing vile about Scotland’s cultural scene Scottish art is inclusive and accessible while still celebrating tradition, argues Rebecca Monks

COMING UP • BLOODY SCOTLAND Literary festival celebrating crime writing and all things tartan noir. See preview, page 47. Various venues, Stirling, Fri 9–Sun 11 Sep. • TAKE ONE ACTION FILM FESTIVAL Politically slanted film festival, founded on the belief that ‘cinematic experiences can inspire lasting change’. See feature, page 14. Various venues, Edinburgh & Glasgow, Wed 14–Sun 25 Sep. • SCOTTISH QUEER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Or, happily, SQIFF. Four days of film screenings, workshops and parties. CCA, Glasgow, Thu 29 Sep–Sun 2 Oct. • LUMINATE: SCOTLAND’S CREATIVE AGEING FESTIVAL Country–wide festival offering arts activities for older people, as well as events for audiences and participants of all ages. Various venues, Scotland, Sat 1–Mon 31 Oct. • OKTOBERFEST Drink beer, eat bratwurst and have a right old kneesup at this traditional and much–loved beer festival. See feature, page 31. Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, Wed 5–Sun 9 Oct.

Alasdair Gray

‘S

cotland’s cultural scene is becoming vile, venal and parochial’. Or, at least that’s what the headline for James MacMillan’s piece in The Spectator (published online 13 Aug), says. It’s not exactly sitting on the fence, is it? MacMillan argues that Scottish artists should aim to transcend and transform, instead of colluding with politicians and embracing venality. He references the move to teach more Scottish literature in schools, the way that Scottish critics interact with Scottish work, and he dredges up once again the controversial words of Alasdair Gray, whose ‘settlers and colonists’ essay on English people north of the border was widely disagreed with. Ultimately, MacMillan asks us to consider whether, in the current arts climate, ‘is it still anglophile vs anglophobe? Is it still class vs class?’. As an English woman, living in Scotland and working in the arts and culture sector, I can tell you that in my opinion, the answer is a resounding no. One thing that struck me, is that the headline on MacMillan’s article doesn’t exactly marry with the points he was making. If Scotland’s cultural scene was really becoming as vile and parochial as he fears, then why mostly cite events from pre-2014? MacMillan worries over the 2012 policy change to introduce more Scottish literature to schools. Gray made his ‘settlers’ remarks in 2012, but MacMillan brings up writer and pro-independence figure Kevin Williamson for being a ‘defender’ of Gray’s anyway. The significance of these events is not lost in three of four years, but what MacMillan overlooks is that they all happened pre-referendum, when the idea of

Scottish identity was something with which the arts was engaging. Put simply, that’s because the whole country was engaging with it. It’s not that there was necessarily a distinction being made between Scottish and non-Scottish works in a hurtful way, it’s just that if you are asking a country to decide if it can be independent, surely working out where its art scene stands independently is an important issue. Post-referendum, the independence debate is still prevalent, and has filtered through to the arts. Good. Political and artistic connections should not be resented. Dismissing key cultural figures such as Alan Bissett as ‘one of the emerging court jesters of the new political establishment’ (which MacMillan does), is damaging, because it devalues his position as a writer of four novels and an impressive collection of plays. Kevin Williamson is known as a key political voice, and is vice-convenor of the Scottish Independence Convention, but he’s also a well-respected poet, writer and publishing figure, and it is his artistic right to express an opinion. It doesn’t make him a mouthpiece, it makes him a writer with thoughts and beliefs, and a right to express them. I don’t have to agree with them to respect their art. I am an English writer at this publication, but have also worked on plays, gigs and performances in Edinburgh. Not once in nine years have I felt as though the arts scene here is in any way ‘tartaned’. Scotland’s cultural scene is not becoming vile, venal and parochial: it is inclusive while celebrating tradition, and I am proud to work in a country where art engages with politics as much as people do.

• SCOTLAND LOVES ANIME Festival showcasing the latest Japanese animation with talks from experts. See preview, page 54. Various venues, Scotland, Mon 10–Sun 23 Oct.

• BOTANIC LIGHTS Follow light installations around the Botanic Gardens, and see nature illuminated in new ways. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Thu 13 Oct–Sun 6 Nov. • AFRICA IN MOTION FILM FESTIVAL Film festival showing the diversity of African cinema. Various venues, Scotland, Sat 21–Sun 30 Oct. • SAMHUINN FIRE FESTIVAL Welcomes in the Celtic New Year, and marks the end of summer. Various venues, Edinburgh, Mon 31 Oct.

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JUSTIN BIEBER From scraps with London photographers, speculating on whether Anne Frank would have been a Belieber and having his 14-week-old capuchin monkey Mally seized by German customs, Justin Bieber’s European tours have not always gone especially smoothly. Perhaps we’ve seen a more light-hearted, self-aware side to the 22-year-old Canadian recently, what with him allowing his body to be pummelled with bullets for Zoolander 2. Let’s just hope that nothing untoward happens in Glasgow to leave him having to say ‘Sorry’ once more. SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Thu 27, Sat 29 & Sun 30 Oct.

BIG PICTURE

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TAKE ONE ACTION! FILM FESTIVAL

LOUDER THAN WORDS Niki Boyle ﬁnds out how the latest edition of politically minded ﬁlm fest Take One Action! is tackling 2016’s year of global unrest

016 – what a year it’s been so far, eh? Any other year might be remembered on the basis of its seismic cultural shifts alone. Prince, David Bowie – any other time, and these departures would be among the biggest, most shocking headlines of the year. In 2016 though, the passing of these artistic figureheads seems positively frivolous next to actual news – stories so omnipresent you know at least roughly what they’re about from a single word. Orlando. ISIS. Zika. Erdoğan. Calais. Brexit. Trump. ‘2016 does feel like a particularly eventful year,’ says Tamara Van Strijthem, executive director of Take One Action! Film Festival. She’s responding to my question about how a politically minded festival such as TOAFF reacts to such global unrest. Unlike me though, she’s refusing to dwell exclusively on the negatives. ‘The Colombian government recently signed a ceasefire agreement with the FARC, marking the end of a 50-year conflict that caused over 250,000 deaths and led to more than 6 million people being displaced,’ she says. ‘It’s a momentous step forward.’ Not only that: ‘The Paris Climate Agreement last year was justly criticised for not going far enough to address the urgency posed by a changing climate, but that 145 signatories could come round the table to devote time, energy and political will to end the stalemate is remarkable and encouraging in itself – it means the conversation is changing.’ This theme of optimism in the face of adversity is apparent in TOA!FF 2016’s opening film. ‘At a grassroots level, there are countless examples of inspiring, fabulous initiatives bringing people together to fight for a fairer and more sustainable world, and we want to celebrate this,’ says Van Strijthem. ‘Tomorrow is a wonderfully uplifting reflection of that desire to shine a light on the good stuff, not just the bad. It’ll put a smile on your face and make you want to roll up your sleeves to join a community garden, support local community power initiatives and question the status quo.’ It’s that ‘questioning the status quo’ bit that’s key – the world isn’t all sweetness and roses, no, but TOA!FF wants you to recognise the badness and then actively try to change it. ‘We seek films that offer an inspiring, empowering and accessible take on the most important issues affecting our planet and its inhabitants,’ says Van Strijthem. ‘Our focus is on social and environmental justice – and people power, of course. We love to present films that allow our audiences to find their own connection to stories of global significance, and will always contextualise our programme through post-screening conversations with a fantastic range of contributors.’

Such contributors this year include Bill Binney, a pre-Snowden NSA whistleblower and the subject of Friedrich Moser’s documentary The Good American (Moser will also be in attendance). Frequent Ken Loach writer Paul Laverty will pop up alongside director Iciar Bollain at an outdoor, bike-powered screening of The Olive Tree, a European road trip dramedy with a socially conscious edge. Director Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami will present the double Sundance award-winning Sonita, about an Afghan refugee who dreams of becoming the next Rihanna. Calib Behn, a law graduate and activist for Canada’s First Nations population, will be in town to discuss the impact of fracking on the country’s indigenous communities – Canada isn’t all Justin Trudeau hugging pandas, you know. ‘The key aspect of our work lies in the communal experience we foster,’ says Van Strijthem, underlining the importance not only of TOA!FF’s guests but also its audiences. ‘Watching films with others and being able to explore our relationship to the issues they raise through inclusive, empowering post-screening discussions affords a sense of community that TOA!FF capitalises on to motivate and inform audiences further. Our post-screening conversations are programmed as carefully as the films themselves: we combine our organisational expertise and networks with our volunteers’ involvement in a wide range of organisations and initiatives to identify relevant contributors whose perspectives will enhance the film’s reach and provide a real opportunity for audiences to get involved, here in Scotland, in the issues they care about.’ If that last paragraph left you breathless, you have some measure of Van Strijthem’s passion and enthusiasm. ‘I’ve had the pleasure and honour of working for Take One Action! for just over three years,’ she says. ‘I was obviously interested in world politics and global movements before joining – indeed, that’s the very reason I wanted to become part of this fantastic organisation – but whereas I used to feel defeated by the violence, racism, sexism, inequity, environmental destruction and intolerance that exist in the world, I now focus on those who are fighting to bring about their opposite: tolerance, equality for women, sustainable transport, energy and fiscal policies, tax justice, ethical business practices . . . There are so many people standing up for what they believe. Let’s take more notice of all the amazing achievements their relentless optimism and dogged hard work have brought about.’ Take One Action! Film Festival, various venues, Edinburgh & Glasgow, Wed 14–Sun 25 Sep.

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TAKE ONE ACTION! FILM FESTIVAL

Top to bottom: Sonita, Trials of Spring, Hooligan Sparrow

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Botanic Lights 2016 presents

13 October – 6 November 2016 The award-winning Botanic Lights returns this October & November, with a month of exploration at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. As darkness descends, a trail of light will take you on a global journey to discover the Garden’s trees and landscape spectacularly transformed by light, sound and visual eﬀects.

Tickets on sale now botaniclights.co.uk 0844 573 8455 16 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 S N 2016 Nov

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LOUISE ORWIN PHOTO: FIELD AND MCGLYNN

s s i k s kis g n a b g n ba

Ahead of her upcoming performance at Buzzcut Double Thrills, feminist live artist Louise Orwin talks to Gareth K Vile about Spring Breakers, Playboy bunnies and the importance of ambiguity

f the patriarchy had a catchphrase, it would probably be Jean-Luc Godard’s famous statement that all he needed to make a movie was ‘a girl and a gun’. Louise Orwin has taken Godard at his word, and catalogued the films, YouTube videos, posters and pornography that evoke this minimalist approach to sex and violence. ‘I watched Spring Breakers and the scene where two teenage girls lie on a bed surrounded by guns and using them as sexual props stuck with me,’ she explains. ‘And I came across the work of B-movie mogul Andy Sidaris, who makes low-grade action films which always star Playboy bunnies running around with guns.’ From these inspirations, Orwin decided to challenge both the films and her own feelings. ‘I wondered about the economy of power when a woman in a bikini holds a gun: can it ever be empowering?’ she says. ‘I wondered who these images were for. I then started thinking about

my own appetite for these images, perhaps starting to realise that there was something almost unconscious about my response to these kinds of films. I decided I wanted to make a show that interrogated the allure of the image of the girl and the gun on film, and interrogated how deeply embedded these kinds of films can become in our psyches.’ Having presented the work in progress at the 2016 Buzzcut Festival in Govan, it is appropriate that she is part of September’s Double Thrills at the CCA, which is curated by the same team. It also signals Orwin’s roots in the live art tradition – a genre which defies classification but usually challenges expected notions of theatre and has a strong association with progressive and provocative ideas of identity. Orwin’s willingness to grapple not only with the social context of the woman and weaponry trope, but also her own attraction to the imagery, is recognisably complicated within a live art performance. ‘I consider my feminism queer and intersectional, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some labelled this show as post-feminist. I show the clear struggle I have in being both attracted and repulsed by the idea of the femme fatale,’ she says. Orwin examines the tension between rejecting the kind of stereotypes that action films trade in and the ingrained appreciation of their titillating mixture of sex and death because, she adds, ‘It’s important to me that my work is never didactic; I want to be honest about the complexity of modern life.’ This commitment to honesty often leads to comparisons with a group of artists who use

their personal experiences to fuel their art, from Bryony Kimmings to Tim Crouch, to Action Hero. ‘I used to struggle with these sorts of comments,’ she admits, ‘as I wanted my work to be unique and be independent on its own. However, saying that, none of us make work in a vacuum, and there will always be similarities between my work and the work of my peers.’ But while Kimmings uses the detail of her life on stage, Orwin is more concerned with using it as a springboard into almost academic analysis of a wide subject. However, A Girl and a Gun is far from an uptight polemic, or a dry treatise. Each performance sees her take to the stage with a different male performer (playing ‘Him’), and deconstructing ideals of masculine behaviour, which are as formulaic as the female stereotypes in action movies. But above all, Orwin recognises the importance of discussion within theatre. ‘I dislike being preached to, and I think many people feel the same,’ she says. ‘I like to play with ambiguity a lot in my work. In my mind, ambiguity can activate an audience – keep them alive with questions, and part of the conversation. That’s not to say that I don’t have strong opinions, but often the work I make covers a topic where there isn’t black or white. I want to make work that provokes discussion and debate, that keeps you thinking, or keeps coming back to you, niggling at you long after you’ve left the theatre.’ A Girl and a Gun, CCA, Glasgow, Wed 14 Sep. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 17

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COAL

dark matters Growing up in a Yorkshire village, choreographer Gary Clarke was at the sharp end of the miners’ strike. He talks to Kelly Apter about COAL, his homage to the communities still hurting

n 1994, Grimethorpe in Yorkshire was listed as the poorest village in England, a direct result of the decision to close its colliery a year earlier. Growing up in the village during the 1980s, choreographer Gary Clarke was surrounded by turmoil as his community battled to save its livelihood. Today, his powerful dance work COAL pays tribute to the people who were quite literally at the coalface during that time – and are still living with the consequences today. ‘COAL is a very personal work and I see it somewhat as an autobiography,’ says Clarke. ‘I’ve always been very connected to Grimethorpe, where I still live, although it’s a very different village to how it was back then. I was only a child at the time of the miners’ strike, but still have vivid memories.’ It wasn’t until Clarke was older, however, that he realised just how much his village had suffered during 1984, and how the strike – and ultimate pit closure some years later – has shaped future generations. COAL started life as a small production in 2009, but in 2014, with the

30th anniversary of the strike looming, Clarke revisited the piece. ‘It felt like the right time to create a dance work which looked at the mining industry,’ he says. ‘I wanted it to act as a mark of respect and add to the coal mining legacy that is too easily being forgotten. I felt as if contemporary dance was being shaped into a very conservative way of thinking, so I wanted to create a piece which was typically working class and told the stories and views of real people.’ To support his own experience, Clarke interviewed ex-coal miners and their families and collected photographs, videos, stories and artefacts to create the backbone of the piece. The story of the strike had been covered before many times, through television, film and theatre, but at that point never through contemporary dance (Mark Baldwin has since choreographed a work for Rambert on the subject), so Clarke was keen to explore how the story could be conveyed through movement. ‘I began by looking at the typical day of a coal miner and their family,’ explains Clarke,

‘domestic scenes, the act of work, the social element and the strike. I very much wanted to tell the story through physicality as much as I could, but didn’t want to abstract it too much or change something that was so steeped in history and legacy. I knew the work had to tell a story and I couldn’t overcomplicate it, yet at the same time I tried to pack it to the brim with startling images and intricate choreography.’ Authenticity was paramount, as was making the work accessible to all – especially those who had experienced the strike first hand. ‘The piece is about the resilience of a community, the spirit and camaraderie,’ says Clarke. ‘How people can come together to fight for what they believe in and then ultimately be crushed. Yes, times move on but my village, along with many others, is still suffering badly and the scars run deep. So when ex-coal miners and their families come to see COAL, it’s guaranteed there’s not a dry eye in the house.’ COAL, Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 30 Sep & Sat 1 Oct.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR AUTUMN SEASON MUSIC AND LYRICS AND WEST YORKSHIRE PLAYHOUSE PRESENT

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THE CHEVIOT, THE STAG AND THE BLACK, BLACK OIL

‘It’s become part of the fabric of the country’ More than 40 years after it was ﬁrst performed, David Pollock discovers radical play The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil remains just as relevant in today’s political climate then still in its infancy. McGrath’s concerns weren’t just for Scottish independence, although he was an advocate for it, as well as a socialist; many on the left and even some on the right may find common cause with The Cheviot. It was a play, in fact, which spoke of wider concerns about the effects of capitalism and of globalisation upon the world, and it was the bedrock upon which the 7:84 theatre company (founded by McGrath, his wife Elizabeth MacLennan and her brother David, later founder of Glasgow’s A Play, a Pie and A Pint season) would base its huge reputation. ‘I think quite quickly [after it was decided to create a new version] there was a momentum behind it,’ says Douglas. ‘The question then was one of scale, of how to do a play which is arguably best seen in a community hall in Fife on a big theatre stage. There are epic moments in there, but myself and (designer) Graham McLaren very early on realised it had to retain the simplicity of the original, of the actor putting on a jacket and pretending to be another character before us. As an audience member, I find that Brechtian sense of honesty very enjoyable.’ He speaks of the play as though it were a gig, as though a certain sense of the unpredictable is expected. ‘I don’t think it will ever end,’ he says of The Cheviot, whether in Dundee Rep’s version or some new take 40 years from now. ‘It’s become part of the fabric of the country, certainly of its theatre culture. Hopefully it might one day also be possible to do a smaller-scale version, to take it into community centres and schools. I think that would stay true to the spirit of the thing.’ PHOTO: TOMMY GA-KEN WAN

t’s only been a year since director Joe Douglas was given the chance to stage his brand new version of the classic Scottish play of the 1970s, The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, and if anything, he sees the political landscape shifting to accommodate its presence to an even greater degree this year. In 2015, the Scottish independence referendum was still fresh in the mind and raw in this show, and it was gleefully made reference to in the staging. ‘Now you look at what’s happening down south, with Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party, and the vote for Brexit,’ says Douglas, ‘and there’s a sense of real hunger for the representative politics which the play speaks of.’ Dundee Rep’s new production, the first since the early 1990s, was a big hit last autumn, and that it’s earned this new national tour is entirely unsurprising. When it first appeared in 1973, The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil was a phenomenon. Touring the major venues and village halls of Scotland, it eventually appeared on television the following year as a BBC Play for Today directed by Edinburgh man John Mackenzie (later director of The Long Good Friday). It was, says Douglas, eventually seen by five per cent of the Scottish population. Written by Liverpudlian socialist and former Z-Cars writer John McGrath, and edited by the writer and its cast on a daily basis while on tour, it was a piece which spoke strongly to a Scotland just waking up to its own identity. Only in the few years previous to The Cheviot’s debut had knowledge of the Highland Clearances become public, and the piece fed into many Scots’ desire to know more, with a researched historical story presented as a Highland ceilidh with dramatic elements of farce and tragedy applied. It told of the man-made introduction of the Highland sheep (the cheviot and the blackface) to the land, and the forced eviction of the people to make room for this stock; the rise of the Highland landowner, and their love of hunting; and the coming of the Scottish oil industry,

The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil, Dundee Rep Theatre, until Sat 10 Sep; Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 14–Sat 24 Sep; Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 18–Sat 22 Oct.

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22 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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SMHAFF

PHOTO: JANNICA HONEY

INTERSTELLAR

overdrive Rebecca Monks chats to Alan Bissett about his new commission for the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, a play about the life of Syd Barrett

‘C

an I ask you something?’ Alan Bissett says to the barista, as he brings the coffee to our table. ‘Do you know who Syd Barrett is?’ The answer is no, he doesn’t, and Bissett nods his head. ‘But have you heard of Pink Floyd?’ Of course he’d heard of Pink Floyd: most people with ears and even the vaguest interest in music have. ‘That kind of proves my point,’ Bissett says: the point being that though Pink Floyd are one of the most famous bands in history, their founding member and one-time frontman Syd Barrett is not necessarily a household name. Barrett was at the helm of Pink Floyd when they released their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. He has been credited with naming the band, and in the early days was their lead singer, principal songwriter and lead guitarist. When fame knocked on the band’s door, however, he was ready to latch the bolt, turn off the lights and wait for fame to move on to the next house. Barrett wanted to make good art, and he did, but he struggled. He struggled with poor mental health, the pressure of being in the public eye, and ultimately, it affected him and his performances. He was excluded from Pink Floyd in 1968, and while they went on to achieve unimaginable fame, he kept himself well out of the limelight, staying that way until his death in 2006.

It’s an interesting, harrowing story, and Bissett is ready to tell it. His new play, One Thinks of it All as a Dream, is the first theatre commission from the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, starring Euan Cuthbertson as Barrett (pictured above) and directed by long-term Bissett collaborator Sacha Kyle. Bissett’s research led him back to the late 60s, when Barrett was beginning to struggle with the lifestyle fame had dumped on his doorstep. ‘It was 1967,’ Bissett explains. ‘He was taking a phenomenal amount of LSD, and if you’ve already got underlying mental health problems, then LSD isn’t really the drug for you. He just had a complete breakdown and the band suddenly found themselves with this problem: their main singer, songwriter, frontman was incapable of performing on stage. ‘He was this darling of the underground. He was beautiful, he had this corkscrew hair, and as a songwriter, singer, and guitarist was incredibly talented. He was a brilliant mind, unique in all sorts of ways. When Pink Floyd found themselves in the top ten albums charts, he completely retreated from it. He hated it, he was in it for the music. After that he had this slow decline, recorded scratchy solo albums, and then disappeared. ‘He went back to Cambridge, moved in with his

mum and lived there until his death in 2006. The world never heard from him again. He completely checked out, and there’s no other story like that in rock history. You’ve got suicides and early deaths, but nobody who just checks out from fame completely. He just said, “no” to it all, and that in itself is fascinating.’ Barrett’s mental health is at the forefront of the play, which is in turn at the forefront of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. The full programme will be announced on 6 September, but includes theatre, film, talks and workshops. ‘It’s good because first of all you can explore mental health creatively,’ says Bissett, explaining why SMHAFF is important. ‘If people see art work about any kind of theme they think about it in a different way. It very visibly gets people talking about it. The way I’ve always thought about it is, if you go through your entire life without any mental health problems, there’s something wrong with you.’ One Thinks of it All as a Dream, Òran Mór, Glasgow, Mon 17–Sat 22 Oct; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Mon 24–Sat 29 Oct. The Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival programme is released on Tue 6 Sep. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 23

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AUTUMN THEATRE

UP CURTAIN The List’s theatre editor Gareth K Vile previews some of the theatrical highlights coming your way this autumn very autumn, Scotland’s major theatres present their new seasons, from the Traverse’s new writing commitment through to the Tron’s interest in contemporary classics. But there are plenty of idiosyncratic popup events across the country, one-off happenings, cabaret nights and touring productions too. Here’s a selection to look out for this autumn that takes in scripts, risks, vaudeville and more.

his reputation as a playwright, but he is taking bold risks as artistic director at Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum, getting classical with his version of Aeschylus’ The Suppliant Women. He is backing this up with Jumpy, from Cora Bissett, who has reminded audiences of her skills through the recent remounting of Glasgow Girls. With Jumpy, Bissett’s created a comedy that touches on a troubled mother / daughter relationship.

The Britannia Panopticon shuts up during the winter – it is too cold in the beautiful yet damaged venue. However, it holds its regular variety evenings throughout September and October with a drag special and film nights. Its most prominent event is its tribute to the music hall genre, in which the memories of the place are conjured back to life for one more turn around the great era of working-class variety.

GET EXPERIMENTAL Buzzcut’s Double Thrills evening has moved the spirited festival’s live art and queer-friendly community into Glasgow’s CCA for a monthly dose of performance fun. Recent shows have included Christeene and Ira Brand. Our cover star Louise Orwin features in September with more acts to be announced. Nic Green became internationally famous for her Trilogy, but in September she keeps it local with a series of shows in Govan. Turn (pictured) features a community chorus and a composition for hand-cast bells. Celebrating the maritime history of the old docks, and the rhythms of the tides, it reflects Green’s interest in nature and its unities. relationship to human communities. In Edinburgh, Anatomy continues to be the place for post-modern variety. Developed with a punky, DIY sensibility, this regular evening of spoken word, solo choreography and anything else that refuses easy definition has grown into a showcase for experimental artists.

CABARET KINGS Often the unwanted cousin to mainstream theatre, cabaret has been re-inventing itself for decades, and Edinburgh’s Clown Cabaret is taking a trip across the M8 to set up shop in the Tron. The cabaret, and its sister event Buffoon Scratchings, has exposed a rich seam of comedic talent in Scotland – drawing from the many European schools of clowning, including Commedia dell’arte and, of course, Lecoq. Far more than big shoes and a red nose, the clown is a poignant figure and, when performed with the skills that Scotland seems to have developed quietly, a symbol of human hope and frustration. The loose format of the evening allows a range of clowns to get their moment of pathos or triumph.

TOURING TREATS Gary McNair didn’t enter a piece into 2016’s Fringe, perhaps to allow others a chance for awards and celebratory reviews. Instead, he’s touring his 2015 success, A Gambler’s Guide to Dying. He mixes comedy and personal sadness – in his trademark, amiable style – in a tale that follows an old man’s wager with life and death. Alongside the longest running play in British history, The Mousetrap, arriving in Scotland, Dogstar are touring Mungo Park, after its Fringe run. While it delves into the comedy of colonial ambition, its study of imperial exploration of Africa pulls no punches in exposing the brutality of the supposedly civilised nations.

RESPECT THE SCRIPT Fringe favourite Robb Drummond’s new script joinss the fashionable obsessionn with converting comic bookss into theatre: his version off The Broons goes on a nationall tour, bringing Scotland’ss favourite family onto thee modern stage. At Glasgow’s Tron, Gerryy Mulgrew plays the hero of e. Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape. ry Mulgrew is a contemporary nd Scottish theatre legend, and al Krapp is the quintessential et man who lives a life of regret and longing. de David Greig may have made Nic Green’s Turn 24 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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List st Co-Promotion

EXPLORATHON ‘16 ENTICING EVENTS TO CELEBRATE EU RESEARCHERS’ NIGHT IN EDINBURGH

Looking for something new to do? Release your creativity and unleash your science skills during a three day programme of events celebrating European Researchers’ Night and Fun Palaces Scotland. On Friday 30 September, explore the Curiosity Forest from 5–9pm, joining artists, scientists and researchers at an indoor woodland evening event for adults. Let Edinburgh’s brightest minds stimulate your brains as they regale you with stories and challenge and engage you, bringing academic research to life before your eyes in the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, Nicolson Square. Curiosity Forest family events will take place on Saturday 1 (10am–5pm) and Sunday 2 October (2–5pm). Fancy hearing about local university research while shopping? Got a science question that you want answered? Visit Leith Labs in Ocean Terminal for a special two-day extravaganza of hands-on science demonstrations, art-science fusion workshops and research-inspired discussions over tea and biscuits. Suitable for all, find us at our hacked Lab Space on Ocean Terminal’s ground floor and the Living Memory Association on Friday 30 September, noon–6pm and Saturday 1 October (10am–4pm).

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GARY: TANK COMMANDER

MAN ON A MISSION Greg eg McHugh gives Murray Robertson e lowdown on transforming Gary: Tank the om mmander from small-screen success Commander o are ena-ﬁlling mega-show into arena-ﬁ

“I

t’s not a musical, thankfully. There are musical numbers in it but it’s not noot like when I went to see Les Mis at the cinema and no one had told me they sing every fucking word of it. “Ga G ry: The Musical”.’ It’s not going to be “Gary: ctor and writer Gregg McHugh M Hugh is finalising his battle plan ahead Mc Actor hree dates at the Hydro in October. Before he was the oddball, of three able Howard in Fresh Meat, McHugh graced the small screen loveable as Corporal Gary McLintoch in three BBC series of Gary: Tank mmander. In this new two-hour ‘mission’, he’s assisted by the other Commander. mbers of his regiment (read: his comedy pals). ‘It’s increasingly members kers,’ he admits. ‘I started off o f with a slightly bizarre idea that I’ve of bonkers,’ run with, and my hopes and aspirations of writing a very poignant Worrld of Madness”.’ piecee have turned into “Gary’s World though he firmly asserts that the show is definitely not a Although ical, there will be some songs and dancing from his friends musical, tage. ‘It’s like a stand-up show sh how with a big long narrative with on stage. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 27

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GARY: TANK COMMANDER

monologues and dance, then a couple of surprise numbers which I won’t give away,’ he explains. ‘It’s going to be a heightened version of the show except it’s a real-time mission being played out in front of a big arena audience.’ McHugh himself will have to go easy on the dance moves after he injured his ankle, suffering a double break and dislocation. ‘I slipped down some steps and a guy saw my ankle, and from the look on his face I thought he was going to be sick. But the people who operated on it were fantastic; our dying NHS did an amazing job so I’m very lucky.’ British sitcoms have experienced a resurgence on the big screen in recent years, albeit with mixed fortunes. Has McHugh ever wanted Gary to make the transition to the movies? ‘I could not think of anything more fun than doing a Gary film,’ he enthuses. ‘If Scottish Screen or any of the cultural bodies or any big-earning producers want to back a film I would do it in a heartbeat. In fact, the storyline for the live show is kind of based around an outline for a film I wrote a few years ago.’ In 2014, McHugh played Smee in the Glasgow King’s production of Peter Pan and he inflected his performance with more than a hint of Gary McLintoch, something he’d quite happily expand for a future pantomime. ‘I think Gary is a bit of a panto character: he’s big and broad and bold. It just depends on the writing,’ he reasons. ‘Any job I do, whether I’m writing it or it’s someone else’s script: that’s obviously the key. So if someone allows me the freedom to do a panto then we could make something really good of it.’ There are currently no plans for a fourth TV series, although that hasn’t kept Gary from our screens entirely. In the run-up to this year’s Scottish election, he famously interviewed the leaders of the Scottish political parties. It might have given everyone concerned good reason to

be nervous but the result was a painfully funny series of conversations bringing some much-needed humour to an otherwise typically po-faced contest. ‘The Scottish political leaders showed themselves to be really brilliant and unfazed by it, confident and up for a laugh,’ he says. But having started his interviewing career with such high-profile subjects it would seem to be a very tough act to follow. ‘Where do you go after you’ve spoken to the six leaders of the political parties?’ he says. ‘I want to avoid speaking to the – dare I say – celebrities of my level; I want to keep the stakes high.’ He’d relish the chance to speak with Donald Trump or Boris Johnson, although he knows that would likely never happen. McHugh is remarkably calm at the prospect of performing to an arena audience of up to 13,000 per night. ‘I’ve looked out to two and a half thousand on my own, doing stand-up several times at the Edinburgh Playhouse, and no nerves on this earth – apart from a bad flight I had over the Atlantic many years ago – compare to stand-up nerves. But I feel far more secure on a stage with my buddies.’ While Gary McLintoch’s TV role may be fluid (sometime tank commander / occasional political interrogator), the character himself is unlikely to go through much change. ‘The rules of sitcom state we have to reset the character after every episode so that he never learns – that’s how everyone keeps making the same mistakes. But in this twohour show, Gary has to go on a bit of a journey.’ McHugh laughs as he admits, ‘it’s debatable at the end of that journey whether he has really learned anything.’ Gary: Tank Commander – Mission Quite Possible, SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Thu 20–Sat 22 Oct.

‘It’s turned into “Gary’s World of Madness”’

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THE MUSIC OF

AND FRIENDS USHER HALL, EDINBURGH Fri 24 Feb 2017 : 7.30pm GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL Sat 25 Feb 2017 : 3pm & 7.30pm CAIRD HALL, DUNDEE Sun 26 Feb 2017 : 3pm

Experience legendary soundtracks being performed live by Scotland’s National Orchestra, including Star Wars, E.T., Indiana Jones, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan and more! Book online now! rsno.org.uk/ﬁlm

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HALLOWE’EN

Trick

or treat

Katherine McLaughlin rounds up some of the best scary movies to watch at Hallowe’en, with pals, with your signiﬁcant other, or all on your lonesome . . . FOR FRIENDS

FOR COUPLES

JUST FOR YOU

GREEN ROOM (2016) When punk band the Ain’t Rights are asked to play at a neo-Nazi bar, they relish the chance to wind the punters up by opening with Dead Kennedy’s ‘Nazi Punks F**K Off’, but it’s after they’ve finished playing that the real trouble begins. Locked backstage after witnessing a murder, the group are forced to make controversial decisions in order to save their lives. Director Jeremy Saulnier doesn’t waste a second in his taught sophomore film. It’s gleefully gory and features Patrick Stewart as a softly spoken white supremacist.

NINA FOREVER (2015) The Blaine Brothers’ examination of grief reaches deep down into the pit of loneliness and despair with an insightfulness that is almost overwhelming as it shrewdly connects death and desire. It’s a raw and funny look at the residue of past relationships, which takes the form of squelchy and sarcastic corpse Nina (Fiona O’ Shaughnessy) who appears between her ex-boyfriend and his new lover at the most awkward of moments. It features music from Amanda Palmer which adds to its haunting ambience.

HUSH (2016) Mike Flanagan’s finely tuned and tense home invasion horror sees deaf writer Maddie (played by co-writer Kate Siegel) ward off danger and a cruel intruder in brutal fashion. It’s made even more chilling and suspenseful as the audience hears creaking around the house before Maddie, as she unsuspectingly taps away on her keyboard. But it turns out her lack of hearing is in fact her superpower, as she uses loud noises to protect herself from harm in a particularly effective and ear-piercing smoke alarm sequence.

THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987) A beloved 80s treasure which sees a group of close-knit friends come up against a mummy, Wolf Man, Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It plays out like a scarier version of The Goonies with the kids going on a mad adventure across their suburban town in order to save the world. Shane Black and Fred Dekker’s creation is a fun and incredibly sweet love letter to old-school horror and Universal Studios’ monsters that is extremely quotable.

SPRING (2014) An homage to Lovecraftian horror that sees a young American head abroad to Italy in the desperate search for a new life and new love. Much of the film is spent observing two potential lovers, Evan and the mysterious Louise, getting to know one another, recalling Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise in its casual chats and stunning backdrop. When the disturbing stuff kicks in, it’s squishy and gross, yet the film retains its allure thanks to Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson’s beautiful visuals and strong characterisation.

AVA’S POSSESSIONS (2015) In Jordan Galland’s amusing and perceptive debut feature, we meet a young woman who is in recovery after being possessed. She attends Possession Anonymous meetings and has to beg the forgiveness of anyone she hurt while under the influence of a demon. It takes inspiration from films such as Beetlejuice and The Exorcist and plays out as a moving metaphor for the aftermath of drug and alcohol addiction, with a strong handle on the surreal nature of being ostracised from friends and family.

30 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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You’ve nothing to fear if you’ve nothing to Hyde

Are you a Jekyll or a Hyde? - Find out 7th-31st October Avoid horrible disappointment - book now we WILL sell out

www.thedungeons.com/edinburgh 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 31

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OKTOBERFEST

r e e Bwe go! Millions travel to Munich annually for the 16day marathon that is Oktoberfest, enjoying folk music, traditional foods and, of course, lashings of German beer. With its popularity spreading across the globe, Rowena McIntosh rounds up some locations closer to home where you can get into the Oktoberfest spirit (lederhosen optional)

BAVARIA BRAUHAUS While many a bar will embrace a Bavarian theme this autumn, Bavaria Brauhaus Glasgow is dedicated to the region all year round. The bar serves six German beers, or biere, on tap and more than 40 bottled varieties. The big six are Hofbräu, Paulaner, Augustinerbräu, HackerPschorr, Spatenbräu and Löwenbräu. Soak up the booze with their menu of Bavarian cuisine, including venison sauerbraten and sharing platters featuring three types of gourmet sausage. BLYTHSWOOD SQUARE Launched in 2013, Glasgow Oktoberfest (Wed 19–Sun 23 Oct) moves from Glasgow Green to Blythswood Square this year for five days of celebration. Inside the 1800-capacity tent, waiting staff dressed in dirndl and lederhosen serve up specially brewed Bavarian beer and traditional grub including bratwurst, schnitzel and pretzels. Guests sit at communal tables bierhalle-style, and standing on benches to sing along with the band is actively encouraged. WEST BREWERY This independent brewery now has two Glasgow bars and restaurants, one on Glasgow Green, the other on Woodlands Road, and both specialise in German fare such as wiener schnitzel and currywurst. All their beer is brewed in strict accordance with the German Purity Law of 1516 and they started brewing their Oktoberfestbier in August ready for the celebrations. Those wanting to brush up their knowledge can take a tour of the micro-brewery to check out the process of production before putting the beer to the test in a tutored tasting.

WEST PRINCES STREET GARDENS Held over five days, Edinburgh Oktoberfest (Wed 5–Sun 9 Oct) can accommodate 1500 people in their tent. Enjoy German Oktoberfest beer and snacks while a Southern German band plays modern Tyrolean music, with schlager songs inbetween. If you want to brush up on the classic bierhalle singalong anthems before you visit, they’ve published a list on their website. Entrance is free on Wednesday if you fancy a midweek bevvy and on Sunday you can take the kinder with you, as they host a familyfriendly lunch. BRAUHAUS This Lauriston Place bar boasts the widest range of German and Belgian beers in Edinburgh. Expect extra Oktoberfest bier and Märzen to be in the fridges this October along with seasonal brews from the likes of Paulaner, Spatenbräu, Löwenbräu, Erdinger, Weihenstephaner, Schneider Wiesse and Hacker-Pschorr. Accompany your beverage with a pretzel or meaty snack such as droëwors or organic chorizo. JEREMIAH’S TAPROOM There’s craft beer galore in Edinburgh bar Jeremiah’s Taproom, with the chance to sample both local and international offerings. German beers include Paulaner, Weihenstephaner (Weissbier and Dunkel) and Schlenkerla, which is described as a ‘liquid bacon sandwich’. If that doesn’t make you thirsty, nothing will. If you want to honour Oktoberfest at home, you can buy bottled beers from their fridge or a twopint carry-out growler. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 33

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FOOD & DRINK

For the latest news, listi n reviews, ggs and o list.co.uk to /food&dr ink

LET’S EAT GLASGOW! Food festival with a social conscience returns One of the most dynamic food festivals to debut in recent years, Let’s Eat Glasgow! is back under the railway arches of SWG3 in Finnieston over the weekend of 3 & 4 September with double helpings promised: twice as much space, 16 pop-up restaurants offering dishes from £5 to £10, an expanded marketplace of west coast producers and local social enterprise initiatives, as well as a demonstration programme and livestock display. Behind the festival is the Real Food,

Real Folk cooperative of restaurants including Crabshakk and Ox & Finch (pictured) along with Cail Bruich, Guy’s Restaurant, Mother India, Stravaigin, the Gannet and Ubiquitous Chip, with profits channelled into projects challenging food poverty and food inequality in Glasgow. There’s no entry fee, but if you’re planning to go, it’s worth buying food vouchers in advance from letseatglasgow.co.uk (Donald Reid) ■ SWG3, Sat 3 & Sun 4 Sep

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FOOD & DRINK

DRINKS NEWS

NEWS & REVIEWS

If gin’s your thing, Juniper Fest is happening at SWG3 in Glasgow on 10 September, with Pickering’s, Daffy’s, Caorunn, Minus 33, and Glasgow gin Makar all in attendance. You can make it an double when the separate Gin Festival rocks up at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh on 7–9 October with tastings from a range of over 100 spirits. One of the tonic makers appearing at Juniper Fest is Bon Accord, the Scottish soft drinks manufacturer recently brought back to life by Karen Knowles, great-granddaughter of the original founder, and business partner Nathan Burrough (pictured). Their range, which avoids refined sugar or artificial sweeteners, also includes a cloudy lemonade and a sparkling rhubarb.

NORN LIGHTS

It’s an Edinburgh newcomer with more than a whiff of zeitgeisty Scandi-chic going on. Yet Norn suggests to Donald Reid that the best way for a fad to stick around is to deliver great food

or all that Norn, the new restaurant set up by chef Scott Smith and his wife Laura in the Leith venue previously occupied by Plumed Horse, is a card-carrying representative of the freshly foraged, home-fermented, chef-served zeitgeist, it would be wholly unfair to dismiss it with a roll of the eyeballs as yet more Scandi-fad. Sure, as you sit on sharply designed bare-wood chairs considering a no-choice, seven-course menu and a complementary list of natural wines, the first things you eat are crusty homemade beremeal sourdough and hand-churned butter made using the kitchen’s very own butter culture. So far, so hip. But on the other hand, it’s also the natural continuation of a journey that began when black pudding suddenly started coming from Stornoway and soup was no longer ‘of the day’ but ‘homemade’. If the trend is indeed for the simpler, the closer and the more honest then let’s welcome its hard-won triumph. Ingredients from local seas, shores, hedgerows and kitchen gardens dominate Norn’s menu and define the efforts of the kitchen to capture and present flavour, whether in vinegars, infusions or fermentations, or adventurous (but rarely wacky) combinations of ingredients. While Scandi-influenced, the concept here is grounded in a Scotland that’s embracing Northern European naturalness. Squares of cured

mackerel have a summery freshness alongside equally common-or-garden sweet cicely and sharp, crisp radish, while organic tomatoes from the Isle of Wight are dressed to showcase their deep, rich flavour alongside a curl or two of virtuously white crowdie. For a place that could be eyed warily as a fancy restaurant – and prices do come in at an average of nearly £10 per modestly sized dish across the multi-course experience – they display a determined simplicity in serving something as humble as half a baked potato with crab and buttermilk (those paying attention will recall the homemade butter earlier); if this one is a little bland, it’s followed by a main dish that’s essentially an intense, reduceddown, lick-the-plate-clean roast chicken dinner, a worthy example of the kitchen’s flavour-driven focus. With woodruff ice-cream studded with caramelised popcorn following as a dessert, this is not a place that’s willing to settle for predictable crowd-pleasers. Fresh, bold and committed, Norn offers plenty of evidence that contemporary Scottish dining is both on the ball and on the move.

A homegrown flavour adventure

Room awaits a little more colour and character

NORN 50–54 Henderson Street, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6DE, 0131 629 2525, nornrestaurant.com Tue / Wed 7–9pm; Thu–Sat 12.30–2pm, 7–9pm. Closed Sun / Mon.

RECOMMENDS . . .

BRELBAR GLASGOW

Ashton Lane’s most magical venue with a huge beer garden, alfresco dining, cosy conservatory, amazing food and extensive drinks selection including Birra Moretti. brelbar.com

Set 3 course lunch £20; set dinner £40 (4 course) / £65 (7 course) 36 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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SUPPORTED BY

SIDE DISHES

Following in the vein of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurants, Home Restaurant is to open in the former Wannaburger site on Queensferry Street in Edinburgh in September with the aim of both supporting and giving opportunities to the homeless. The venture is a joint one between Josh Littlejohn of Social Bite sandwich shops and Dean Gassabi of Maison Bleue,

who will oversee operation of the venue, with restaurateurs Simon Littlejohn and David Wither also on the board along with Martin Wishart, who will be guest chef once a quarter. Alongside a core professional staff, Home will provide training and employment programmes for homeless people, and diners will also be encouraged to ‘Pay Forward’ meals for the homeless.

News to nibble on In Glasgow, it’s hello to Halloumi and their Greek Cypriot menu in the former Bistro Beaumartin on Hope Street. In the Kelvingrove area, Elena’s has opened serving Northern Spanish tapas at 90 Old Dumbarton Road, while at Charing Cross, Black Sparrow has become Liberté, a place with a revolutionary ring from the owners of Yesbar. The kitchen at Glad Café is to be run by the friendly crew from Duke Street’s McCune Smith, while new openings for October include a Sauchiehall Street branch of Tuk Tuk, the colourful purveyors of Indian street food from Tollcross in Edinburgh.

restaurant Shri Bheemas has opened both opposite the Festival Theatre and on Constitution Street in Leith, while stylish retro London Indian operation Dishoom is soon to arrive in St Andrew Square. The Market Street Chop House in the Waverley Arches is a sister venue to the Leith version, while down in Leith, Rib-Aye is a meaty venture from the team behind the fishier Kilted Lobster in Stockbridge in the premises previously home to Khublai Khan Mongolian Barbecue Restaurant. Daylight Robbery is the new name for Spit / Fire on Dublin Street, Bourbon is a new Frederick Street bar, club and late night lounge serving Asian-style food from the Ninja Kitchen, while Cadiz is a new seafood restaurant above Café Andaluz on George Street.

The capital, meanwhile, now has a branch of Glasgow’s Topolabamba on Lothian Road, and there are also new branches of Argentinian steakhouse CAU on Castle Street and Thomasina Miers’ Mexican operation Wahaca on South St Andrew Street. Having started in Aberdeen, Indian

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SUPPORTED BY

FOOD & DRINK

KINGS OF THE CASTLE

RECENT OPENINGS

Albert Roux has teamed up with son Michel Jr to tantalise fine diners on Glasgow’s outskirts, as Andrea Pearson discovers

here are no subsidies in the culinary arts. Every restaurant depends on private patronage to survive – one pretty compelling reason why the industry needs to keep producing top-notch chefs. Some of the credit for the UK’s credentials in this are due to the Roux family, who, in the form of a partnership between Albert Roux and Michel Roux Jr, are now in evidence on Glasgow’s outskirts. It’s the second venue in Scotland for the pairing, while father Albert has five Chez Roux operations already. Crossbasket head chef Mike Mathieson has set the bar very high with a taster menu that changes daily. The seven-course journey opens with canapés in the bar and ends with petits fours on the balcony overlooking the Calder Valley. In between are some perfectly executed French classics such as a labour-intensive lobster bisque, dishes that showcase Scotland’s larder (rack of Borders lamb) and exhilarating, joyful combinations (treacle-cured salmon in a liquorice consommé served under a smoke-filled cloche) served in the ornate dining room. Of course it comes at a price – but with more than 30, sometimes highly complex, elements required, it feels like an art form worth supporting. ALBERT & MICHEL ROUX JR AT CROSSBASKET CASTLE Crossbasket Estate, Stoneymeadow Road, High Blantyre, Glasgow, G72 9UE, 01698 829461, crossbasketcastle.com Tue–Sat 12.00–2pm; 7–9.30pm. Closed Sun / Mon Set 3 course lunch £30 / Set 7 course dinner £67

The best of the new restaurant, café and bar openings in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Prices shown are for an average two-course meal for one.

Glasgow

beers. Nachos ‘crunch’ more than elsewhere, burritos have quirky options (pulled lamb, peanut crema), taquitos have vibrant, citrusy brown chicken meat, and chorizo fries are stupidly munchable. Pub grub at its best. Sauchiehall Street is a risky location, but the quality on offer is enough to draw punters in.

DDOCE

SHILLING BREWING COMPANY

ITALIAN CAFE Level 1, St Enoch Centre, City Centre, 0141 248 9655, ddocecafe.com, £11 (lunch) Looking a little forlorn in the St Enoch shopping complex, newcomer Ddoce deserves more attention – at least for its speciality pastries from Naples and quality caffeine fix. Past the glass frontage, it’s contemporary rather than cosy and dominated by white, from the tables to the patterned tiles. Savouries are, by comparison, less appealing: while the menu of Neapolitan specialities reads well with layered pasta, pizza, arancini and timballo, what’s available on any given day can be much reduced. Still, the mainly ricotta-based delicacies – including a mesmerising ‘riccia’ of semolina and ricotta in a puff pastry case – plus the doted-over coffee should have samplers singing like divas.

BARS & PUBS 92 West George Street, City Centre, 0141 353 1654, shillingbrewingcompany.co.uk, £10 (lunch/dinner) UK-wide Glendola Leisure – owners of Alston Bar & Beef, Gordon St Coffee and so on – have crafted a brewpub from an attractive former bank (check out the loos’ vault doors). There’s a unicorn mural and IPA named after Scotland’s national animal (yes, really), part of the core range from brewer Declan McCaffrey (previously of Clockwork Beer Co) also featuring Glasgow Red (their best), and The Steamie, a blonde ale, plus a regularly changing small-batch tap. Pizzas are dished up from cupola ovens, mixing classics with the more intriguing. It’s all decent, even if Shilling’s hipsteresque, craft-minded ambitions can get muddied in the blur of city-centre suits.

THE HIPPO TAP ROOM BARS & PUBS 323 Sauchiehall Street, City Centre, 0141 353 3400, hippotaproom.co.uk, £12 (lunch/dinner) Glasgow hasn’t much pedigree with US-style ‘taprooms’, nor in its Mexican food. So this place, from the owners of the much-celebrated Hippo Beers shop in the West End, is most welcome, with six rotating kegs, three casks, a heavy presence from Scots brewers Alechemy, Cromarty, and Fallen, plus an impressive selection of West Coast American

Edinburgh EDUCATED FLEA BISTROS & BRASSERIES 32b Broughton Street, East End, 0131 556 8092, educatedflea.co.uk, £10 (set lunch) / £21 (dinner) The latest in a run of new openings down Broughton Street, this light, easygoing, 25-seater venue comes from the same stable as popular neighbourhood restaurants Three Birds and the Apiary. A variety of menus make for flexi-options at most times of day, with approachable, colourful and upbeat dishes predominating. The main ingredients are what you might expect: salmon, lamb, aubergine, but there’s a hip or unusual element on almost every dish, from

elderflower-cured biltong to smoked halloumi rosti. Most dishes are gluten free.

FOUNDRY 39 BURGERS, PIZZAS AND BRUNCHES 39a Queensferry Street, West End, 0131 510 6766, foundryproject.com, £17 (lunch/dinner) Dark wood, metallic glints and warm leather tones abound in new opening Foundry 39, thanks to a splashy, urban-inspired makeover. The menu is more or less split between burgers (surprise, said no one ever) and pizzas. The latter bring more of a frisson to the menu, featuring sourdough bases and toppings like smoked salmon with samphire. There’s a good cocktail list plus beer from Innis & Gunn. If none of that floats your boat, breakfast options are strong: expect pancakes, Turkish eggs and a swoonsome-sounding salt beef bubble and squeak.

INDABA DELI SPANISH & SOUTH AFRICAN DELI/TAKEAWAY 17 Causewayside, Southside, indabadeli.com, £10 (lunch) A spin-off from Tollcross’s quietly admired Indaba restaurant, this former corner shop near Summerhall adds another appealing dimension to the cultural swirl of Newington. While droëwors can seem a bit incongruous alongside boquerones and bocadillo on the menu, they rub along admirably thanks to the mix’n’match tapas format and the owner’s keen eye for decent quality food from whatever source. Good for a toast and cortado breakfast, daily puchero (stew) or a jambon sandwich to munch on a Meadows bench, there are also a few shop shelves with Spanish fish, jams, biscuits as well as home-fromhome South African favourites including biltong.

Independent write-ups on all the restaurants worth knowing about in Glasgow and Edinburgh are available on our online Eating & Drinking Guide at list.co.uk/food-and-drink 38 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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(VIRTUALLY) REAL BEER GOGGLES Distorting reality is something beer has been achieving successfully ever since it was invented. Can technology do it even better? Donald Reid tried out Innis & Gunn’s new virtual reality experience

f truth be told, it is a bit of a faff. Hamfistedly fitting my mobile phone inside a flap of a rectangular cardboard viewing box, getting headphones untangled and then fiddling around with volume settings and blurry lenses, I wasn’t seamlessly immersing myself in a virtually real world. As a prelude to a beer drinking experience, I was wondering if the traditional analogue alternative wasn’t just as good: a look around the pub and its clientele, an admiring glance at the barman’s pint-pulling skills and a smack of the lips in anticipation of that first frothy sup. However, while Edinburgh beer makers Innis & Gunn do like a wee bit of tradition, they were born from slicing through ancient brewing wisdom by putting fresh beer into old whisky casks, and they believe that their explorations of new dimensions in beer production lie at the centre of the company’s DNA. Added to that, there’s little doubt that innovation, adventure and technological advances are key features of the booming craft beer scene. By introducing ‘Immersive & Gunn’ VR headsets at their Beer Kitchen outlets in Edinburgh and Dundee as well as Tabac in Glasgow, Innis & Gunn are attempting to hitch a technological ride on a journey into new taste sensations. As you sip your beer (not a simple task when you’ve got your eyes jammed against a cardboard box), the wrap-around landscape playing on the screen of your phone inside the headset takes you from forests to sunsets to gently lapping waves, triggering the brain to focus on, in turn, the oak-aged tones in I&G’s Original ale, its sunny sweetness and then the oceanic smoothness of the beer. It’s a project they’ve worked on with Dr Jacob Jolij, assistant professor in cognitive psychology and neuroscience at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. His work analyses influences on perception and cognition, understanding how, for example, an evocation of wide water landscapes can trigger the brain to focus on a beer’s refreshing characteristics. This, he explains, then ‘causes the brain to reinterpret signals from the mouth, telling the drinker that the pint tastes even smoother and more thirst quenching than they first thought.’

It’s not just gamers but many in other branches of entertainment, music, sports, education and training are getting excited about the possibilities of VR. Mark Zuckerberg was saying a couple of years ago that VR will become ‘part of daily life for billions’ – and he’s put a couple of his own billions of dollars where his mouth is with Facebook’s purchase of VR headset developers, Oculus Rift. What VR has to offer the world of food and drink is less apparent at this stage, however, not least from the challenge that, of all our senses, taste and smell are the toughest for technology to penetrate convincingly. Yet the study of neurogastronomy – what’s going on in the brain while we eat, drink, anticipate and experience flavour – is itself a coming thing. The authors of the 2014 book The Perfect Meal gathered all the latest research into how so many different factors beyond the actual taste of the food influence how we perceive and process the flavours we experience, from the colour and shape of the plate to the weight of the cutlery we use. ‘The search for the perfect meal,’ they suggest, ‘will be facilitated as much by knowing about the mind of the diner and what makes it tick as it will by gaining further insights into the physiology of the human flavour system or by sourcing the most seasonal of ingredients.’ A bit more straightforwardly, food writer Bee Wilson calls it the ‘retsina effect’, understanding how and why ‘that resonated white wine that is so refreshing when sipped on a Greek island tastes of paintstripper back home in the rain’. Could a pair of VR beer – or retsina, for that matter – goggles pull off the trick? Innis & Gunn’s slightly gimmicky cardboard box might not quite manage to transport you to a land where beer tastes oakier, sweeter and more refreshing, but make no mistake, it’s a clear sign that brewers, chefs, mixologists and food manufacturers are out to play with your mind. The truth is that in the coming years they’ll be doing it in ways more amazing and intriguing than a couple too many pints at 6.5%ABV has traditionally achieved.

40 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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AROUND TOWN

F the latesotr listing news, reviews,sgand list.c .uko to /aroundoto wn

HALLOWE’EN GHOST TOURS Events to make sure Hallowe’en’s a scream It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Night times are properly dark again, everyone’s a bit gloomy that summer is over, and pumpkin spice is back on the shelves. Scotland is pretty good at giving Hallowe’en the respect it deserves, as befits our grisly history. As such, you can get in about the ghosts and ghouls all over the country at this time of year. The Pearce Institute Ghost Hunt (Pearce Institute, Glasgow, Fri 28 Oct), led by the Scottish Ghost Nights’ crew of paranormal investigators is an opportunity to explore the apparently haunted listed building. The night

consists of ghost hunt workshops, a tour, a medium and vigils (if you’re brave enough). If you don’t like being above ground, the truly scary-sounding Hell’s Gate Horror Tour (Scotland’s Secret Bunker, Troywood, Fife, Fri 28 Oct) is an interactive overnight terror-themed event based in the not-at-all-terrifying nuclear bunker 100 feet below good old terra firma. Another underground option is right there in the title of Ghostly Underground (Mercat Cross, Edinburgh, Thu 1 Sep—Tue 1 Nov), a daytime (thankfully) tour of Edinburgh’s haunted vaults with a guide who’ll try their best to scare you

shirtless with tales of the city’s mischief-makers and murderers from days of yore. Back to overnight fun – Hallowe’en Special Sleepover (Lapwing Lodge, Paisley, Sat 29 Oct) is a sleepover with little sleep and ample opportunity to wander the former sanatorium to see if any patients’ spirits got left behind. Glasgow Horror Festival (Blackfriars, Glasgow, Sat 29 Oct) is a less intense, but still scary all-day horror festival featuring live music, film screenings, Q&As and FX demos – something for horror fans of all stripes. (Kirstyn Smith)

42 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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Previews | AROUND TOWN

list.co.uk/aroundtown MINI FESTIVAL

ARIKA EPISODE 8: REFUSE POWERS’ GRASP Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 21–Sun 23 Oct There’s little doubt that the mini festivals organised by Edinburgh-based promoters Arika are among the most essential works being presented in Scotland; not in terms of their slim popular appeal, but in the depth of thought which goes into their challenging and resolutely political lineups, a dazzling convergence of music, performance art, activism and academia. Their purpose isn’t summed up simply. ‘It explores the messy, unruly and ungovernable ways queer, trans and women’s anti-racist, decolonial, anti-deportation and prison abolitionist struggles imagine themselves, their social entanglements with each other, the worlds they want to live in and the ways they bring those worlds about, now and in the future,’ says co-organiser Barry Esson of the themes of this eighth instalment. Among many highlights, Esson selects an in-conversation event with black American transgender former convicts and prison reform activists Miss Major (pictured) and CeCe McDonald; a performance by New York writer, performer, artist and DJ Juliana Huxtable; and ‘Against Inclusion’, a talk featuring Maria Galindo of ‘fiercely incredible Bolivian anarchafeminist street movement’ Mujeres Creando, plus writers and organisers Dean Spade and Eric A Stanley. There will also be a strong music strand, with Huxtable hosting a club night at the Art School. ‘How do communities most affected by the prison industrial complex organise themselves socially without resorting to the logic of punishment and exile?’ ponders Esson. ‘How can we work to dismantle rather than reform the repressive structures of violence that cause the most harm? How can we think, organise and bring about entirely different societies? And do those societies exist already, even if only in part and under duress, in everyday practices of abolition, entanglement and care?’ Few pieces of art any of us are likely to see this year will be quite as relevant. (David Pollock)

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Knitting Club Every Tuesday from 7pm. Clothes Swaps 14th Sept – bimonthly. Open mic – Every Sunday from 8pm. Saturday sessions

Hemma Beer Pong Thursdays – Starting 8th Sept

Joseph Pearce JP’s Jogging Club – Every Tuesday from 7pm.

Akva Student Wednesdays - Beer n’ pong,, Xbox, board games, discounts and much more starting September. Burger and a pint of Pilot Beer for only £10 - Sun, Mon, Tue from 6pm.

Victoria Singles night – 1st October.

Check out the full calendar at bodabar.com

1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 43

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Highlights | AROUND TOWN

HITLIST

DOORS OPEN DAY FESTIVAL Various venues, Glasgow, Mon 12–Sun 18 Sep, doorsopendays.org.uk Free admission to see inside some of Scotland’s finest buildings, plus guided walks around the cities. Glasgow venues include the Britannia Panopticon Music

Hall, Tron Theatre and STV Studios, while in Edinburgh you can visit Leith Theatre, the Royal Observatory or Saltyard, among many others. Also various venues, Edinburgh, Sat 24 & Sun 25 Sep. ANDY MURRAY LIVE SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Wed 21 Sep,

Young People’s Futures and Unicef.

thessehydro.com The tennis champion plays a singles match against Gaël Monfils then teams up with his brother

Jamie for a doubles match against Monfils and British tennis icon, Tim Henman. All profits go to Glasgow charity

GLASGOW HORROR FESTIVAL Blackfriars, Glasgow, Sat 29 Oct, popcorn horror.yapsody.com Popcorn Horror presents this all-day horror festival featuring Q&As, indie film screenings, FX demos, live music, DJs and more.

AROUND TOWN HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

GLASGOW CORONATION STREET ON TOUR SECC, until Sun 1 Jan 2017, coronationstreetontour.co.uk Get behind the scenes of Corrie with this guided tour of the set. Discover the Duckworths’ and Platts’ inner secrets and get a picture behind the bar in the Rovers Return. PROFESSOR BRIAN COX Pavilion Theatre, Fri 23 Sep, apolloschildren.com Professor Brian Cox takes audiences on a journey through space and time in his new stage show. See Q&A, page 128. EXPLORATHON EXTRAVAGANZA! Glasgow Science Centre, Fri 30 Sep, explorathon.co.uk Meet hundreds of researchers from the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde and learn about their cutting-edge research through activities, talks and comedy. BEAR GRYLLS: ENDEAVOUR SSE Hydro, Tue 11 Oct, beargrylls.com The popular adventurer’s first live arena show features intimate storytelling and aerial stunts as Grylls takes audiences on an interactive journey around the world, from the comfort of their seats. ARIKA EPISODE 8: REFUSE POWER’S GRASP The Art School & Tramway, Fri 21– Sun 23 Oct, arika.org.uk A three-day exploration of the ways people’s bodies are violently categorised and segregated by race, class, gender or ability, and a celebration of those who reject normative culture. Featuring performances, discussions, screenings and workshops. See

Bear Grylls

preview, page 43. PEARCE INSTITUTE GHOST HUNT Pearce Institute, Fri 28 Oct, ukghostnights.co.uk The Scottish Ghost Nights crew of mediums and investigators explore the Pearce Institute, and any paranormal activity which may occur there. Over 18s only.

EDINBURGH RIDING OF THE MARCHES Royal Mile, Sun 11 Sep, edinburghridingthemarches.co.uk A re-enactment of the return of the Captain of the Trained Band to Edinburgh with the tragic news of defeat at the battle of Flodden in 1513. Watch the Edinburgh Captain and Edinburgh Lass lead 250 horses up the Royal Mile to Mercat Cross.

EDINBURGH SCOTCON Edinburgh Corn Exchange, Sun 4 Sep, scotcon.scot A celebration of all things Scottish, and particularly Outlander, with events including battle re-enactments, Highland games and Outlander filming site tours.

CELTS National Museum of Scotland, until Sun 25 Sep, nms.ac.uk/celts A major exhibition reviewing what we know about the different people who, over the centuries, have been identified as ‘Celts’, with artefacts, manuscripts, weapons and stunning art objects. A special exhibition

organised between the National Museum of Scotland and the British Museum in London. BOTANIC LIGHTS Royal Botanic Garden, Thu 13 Oct–Sun 6 Nov, rbge.org.uk Follow a trail of light through the Botanic Garden and see features such as the Victorian Palm House, the Chinese Hillside and Inverleith House illuminated, as this award-winning winter event returns to Edinburgh. CELTIC MYSTERY FESTIVAL Teviot, Sat 22 & Sun 23 Oct, fenetwork.org A weekend celebrating the ancient Celts and their beliefs, with everything from psychics and tarot readers to lectures and workshops. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 45

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BOOKS WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /books

Yearly celebration of books welcomes Juno Dawson, Helen Sedgwick, Michel Faber and many more Scotland’s official National Book Town, Wigtown is renowned for drawing in hordes of book lovers: year-round thanks to its bustling network of bookshops, and every autumn for its ten-day book festival. The Wigtown Book Festival returns this year to host around 200 events and activities, from music to visual arts. Highlights include author talks by the likes of Michel Faber, Helen Sedgwick (see review, page 47) and Graeme Macrae Burnet, who’s been longlisted for the Man Booker Prize for His Bloody Project. There are also events with music journalist Sylvia Patterson, comedian Susan Calman and record-breaking cyclist Mark Beaumont, among many others. Guest festival director Hardeep Singh Kohli will be bringing his pop-up restaurant to the festival on Saturday 24 September, and will also be compering Wigtown’s Got Talent, where anyone can compete for the ‘Golden Pencil’. There are lots of events aimed at younger audiences, including an appearance by YA author Juno Dawson (pictured) and screenings of Paper Towns and Cyberbully. Plus, YouTube star Jen Ross will be leading a YouTube video workshop, Theresa Breslin and Kate Leiper will discuss Scotland’s many mythical creatures and the YA Quiz will see teams battle it out to become festival champions. (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Wigtown Book Festival, various venues, Fri 23 Sep–Sun 2 Oct.

46 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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Previews & Reviews | BOOKS

list.co.uk/books BOOK FESTIVAL

BLOODY SCOTLAND Various venues, Stirling, Fri 9–Sun 11 Sep

PHOTO: EOIN CAREY

Scotland’s crime writing festival returns for a fifth instalment in Stirling this September. The audience will be treated to a creepy menu of authors from ten different countries, including international superstars Martina Cole, Yrsa Sigurdardóttir and Brooke Magnanti. Among the tartan noir contingent will be Val McDermid (pictured), Ian Rankin, Caro Ramsay, Chris Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone and Louise Welsh, plus Bloody Scotland founders Lin Anderson and Alex Gray, and Bookerlonglisted author Graeme Macrae Burnet. ‘Crime writers are a convivial bunch,’ says McDermid, ‘and this is like our Scottish AGM. I’ve got a full slate of activities, including a fascinating session talking about the great Scottish crime writer Josephine Tey.’ She is also excited about the new, interactive Escape Room she’s had a hand in, where members of the public are locked in a room in Stirling’s shopping centre and can only get out by solving clues and puzzles. ‘Apparently I have a sufficiently twisted mind to offer them the right possibilities for a dark and complex set of puzzles,’ she tells us. ‘They’ve chosen my Tony Hill and Carol Jordan novels as a template for the escape, so I’m going to be very embarrassed if I can’t set myself free!’ Among this year’s highlights are the annual Scotland v England crime writers’ football match and the inaugural McIlvanney Prize, named after writer William McIlvanney who passed away last year. McDermid is looking forward to getting back to whisky bar Curly Coo and catching up with several fellow crime writers. ‘There are too many writers to name!’ she says. ‘Just look at the programme and you’ll see that I’m spoilt for choice over who to hang out with until the wee small hours.’ (Tina Koenig)

FICTION

DEBUT

HISTORICAL FANTASY

FICTION

EIMEAR MCBRIDE

HELEN SEDGWICK

CAROL BIRCH

GAVIN EXTENCE

The Lesser Bohemians (Faber & Faber) ●●●●●

The Comet Seekers (Harvill Secker) ●●●●●

Orphans of the Carnival (Canongate) ●●●●●

The Empathy Problem (Hodder & Stoughton) ●●●●●

Fans of Eimear McBride’s Joycean debut A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing – the book that famously sat in a drawer for ten years then went on to win the Baileys, the Desmond Elliot, the Goldsmiths and the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize – will not be disappointed with her latest effort, The Lesser Bohemians. Told in McBride’s structure-defying stream-of-consciousness style prose, Bohemians is the story of a young woman who makes her way to London for drama school, shedding virginity and Catholic guilt along the way. McBride takes a sinister pairing of an older man and younger woman (38 to her 18) and makes of it a complex and rich portrait of first love. Surprisingly tender for all the sex and violence in it, The Lesser Bohemians shows off McBride’s strength as a writer. The book shines thanks to her beautiful writing, but also in the way it cuts to the quick of a young woman’s innermost thoughts. It stays with you, and bears rereading. (Sasha de Buyl) ■ Out Thu 1 Sep.

Physicist Helen Sedgwick’s debut novel is framed by the appearance of comets in the sky – Halley’s Comet, Comet Hale-Bopp, Comet McNaught. The arrival of each one is significant to both protagonists: Róisín studies the sky, devoted to the pursuit of scientific knowledge, while across Europe the comet means François’ mother is visited by the ghosts of her family. The novel is a beautiful balance of contrasts, of characters who work the earth and those who study the sky, of those driven to travel and those tied to home, of the wonders of both science and the supernatural. It journeys across geography and time, with snapshots of Francois’ ancestors at key points in their lives. It is ambitious in scope but Sedgwick can distil a complex situation down to its essence. The imagery is bewitching, encapsulating the glory of skies and the tender emotions of loss, in a book that will make you want to look beyond yourself, into the cosmos. (Rowena McIntosh) ■ Out now.

As with Jamrach’s Menagerie, the novel for which Carol Birch was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize, Orphans of the Carnival succeeds in wholly immersing the reader in a historical, almost fantastical, world. Julia Pastrana is a ‘bear woman’: covered in hair and made to sing and dance for the masses. Birch writes about Julia’s surroundings beautifully. Hers is a world of slow-moving steam trains, warm, ornate auditoriums, and judgemental men and women, afraid of anyone and anything different. While Julia’s life is pieced together expertly, her story is woven in with that of Rose, a collector of curios in modern day London. Rose’s character is almost incidental, a tool to connect Julia with the 21st century, and it’s difficult to connect with her narrative. Birch is a skilled historical-world builder, but forcing her readers to leave the visceral, heartbreaking setting of the Victorian carnival to spend time in the two-dimensional 21st century is simply jarring. (Rebecca Monks) ■ Out Thu 1 Sep.

Like his previous novels, The Universe Versus Alex Woods and The Mirror World of Melody Black, Gavin Extence’s new work is remarkable for its strong voice. In this case, it’s something of a hindrance to begin with, the central character, Gabriel, being so unlikeable at first. But The Empathy Problem evolves into a poignant, compelling story. Gabriel is a disgustingly wealthy, shallow hedge fund manager, embedded in all the excesses of the City of London. He’s just been told he has a terminal brain tumour, and it’s doing weird things to him – like, quite possibly, making him a nicer person. Extence excels at rich scenesetting, and Gabriel’s metamorphosis takes place in 2008 against the backdrop of the Occupy camp at St Paul’s Cathedral. It’s here that he meets violin-player Caitlin, and their relationship becomes mesmerisingly complicated. Sure, the plot is a little far-fetched but it’s a touching story with an ending that will leave you unexpectedly teary. (Yasmin Sulaiman) ■ Out now. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 47

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BOOKS | Highlights

HITLIST

BLOODY SCOTLAND Various venues, Stirling, Fri 9–Sun 11 Sep, bloodyscotland. com Authors at the 2016 crime writing festival include Louise Welsh, Ian Rankin, Melanie Raabe, Brooke Magnanti, Martina Cole and Christopher Brookmyre. There’s

also a crime quiz, a live escape game and writing workshops. See preview, page 47. NEU! REEKIE! CELTS National Museum of Scotland, Fri 23 Sep, nms.ac.uk The Celts exhibition at NMS comes to a close with this music and spoken word night from

Scotland’s avant-garde noisemakers, Neu! Reekie!. Charlotte Church is headlining with her ten- piece band Charlotte Church & the Late Night Pop Dungeon. Also performing is Scotland’s much-loved poet and former Makar Liz Lochhead, and Scots indie popsters Ette,

fronted by Teen Canteen singer Carla Easton. WIGTOWN BOOK FESTIVAL Various venues, Wigtown, Fri 23

Sep–Sun 2 Oct, wigtownbookfestival. com For ten days, Scotland’s National Book Town buzzes with around 200 events, covering not only books but also theatre, music and visual arts, site-specific events in quirky venues, a pop-up restaurant and a traditional ceilidh. See preview, page 46.

BOOKS HIGHLIGHTS PHOTO: THURSTAN REDDING

Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

George the Poet

GLASGOW RUSSELL MCLEAN: AND WHEN I DIE Waterstones Argyle Street, Fri 2 Sep, waterstones.com Russell McLean, author of the acclaimed J McNee series, launches his latest standalone crime novel, And When I Die. UNBOUND AUTHORS IN GLASGOW The Spoon Café, Fri 2 Sep, 559 5515 Three Unbound authors, Ian Skewis, Tabatha Stirling and Helen Taylor, read from their new novels and discuss the ultimate disruptive publisher, Unbound. THE GLASGOW COMIC MART Britannia Panopticon Music Hall, Sat 3 Sep, britanniapanopticon. org Get your paws on comics, memorabilia, collectibles and original artwork. DOUGLAS SKELTON: THE DEAD DON’T BOOGIE Waterstones Argyle Street, Thu 8 Sep, waterstones.com Crime writer Douglas Skelton talks to fellow author Caro Ramsay about his latest novel, The Dead Don’t Boogie, the start of a new series following Dominic Queste. THE SPECULATIVE BOOKSHOP PRESENTS #8 The Old Hairdressers, Sat 10 Sep, theoldhairdressers.com An evening of speculative fiction, in a variety of forms. Lineup includes Ken Mcleod, EW Harris, Sam Small and more. GEORGE THE POET O2 ABC, Wed 19 Oct, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Words from poet George Mpanga, who is known for his socio-political verse and urban beats.

EDINBURGH COLLECTIVE HUSH Scottish Poetry Library, Wed, weekly, scottishpoetrylibrary.org. uk Drop-in reading and writing group, where you can study, write or read in perfect peace while having your lunch. ELIZABETH MAY AND LAURA LAM Waterstones West End, Thu 8 Sep, waterstones.co.uk Authors discuss their books The Vanishing Throne and False Hearts. HELEN SEDGWICK Waterstones West End, Wed 14 Sep, waterstones.co.uk Physicist-turned writer Helen Sedgwick discusses her marvellous debut, The Comet Seekers. See review, page 47. SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL Scottish Storytelling Centre, Fri

21–Mon 31 Oct, tracscotland.org/ scottish-storytelling-centre A ten-day celebration of live storytelling and imagination uniting Scottish and international storytellers and musicians. Performance, workshops, talks and children’s events radiate out from the capital with guest storytellers from Spain, Portugal, and Central and Southern America. PETER HOOK Waterstones West End, Thu 6 Oct, waterstones.co.uk Musician and founding member of Joy Division and New Order will be signing copies of his book, Substance. EDINBURGH INDEPENDENT RADICAL BOOK FAIR Out of the Blue Drill Hall, Wed 26–Sun 30 Oct, outoftheblue.org. uk Five days of free readings and discussions plus bookstalls with an emphasis on small and independent

presses and writings from outside the mainstream.

DUNDEE DUNDEE LITERARY FESTIVAL Various venues, Dundee, Wed 19–Sun 23 Oct, literarydundee. co.uk A mix of events including internationally renowned authors, local names, children’s authors and the Comic Conference, which features graphic novelists. The festival programme will be announced on 14 Sep, but it’s bound to be a good one: highlights from last year included talks with Janice Galloway, Matt Haig, Jackie Kay and Nick Frost, comic workshops and plays. There’s also the announcement of the winner of the Dundee International Book Prize, which last year went to Martin Cathcart Froden for Devil Take the Hindmost, published this year by Freight Books.

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COMEDY KERRY GODLIMAN

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /comedy

Comedian and actress tackles life-changing decisions as she heads on tour with Stick or Twist Like a breath of fresh post-summer air, witty and intelligent comedian and actress Kerry Godliman is heading on tour with Stick or Twist. The show zeroes in on asking why people take certain decisions and make particular choices in life. Especially when it comes to that potentially life-transforming (or ruining) moment when they start to think about moving house, city or country. ‘It was prompted by whether I should move out of London with my family,’ recalls Godliman, best known as ultra-caring care worker Hannah in Derek. ‘But it opens up beyond that to why people live where they live: some people choose it, others are forced to stay where they are or forced to move. Whether I’m happy where I live is the 64-million-dollar question.’ As Godliman acknowledges, this is an age where we are constantly encouraged to consider alternatives to everything, but nowhere is this more prevalent

than in decisions about where we put down our roots. ‘Generations ago, people were born somewhere and lived there and died there. Whereas now, people go on Rightmove on a daily basis to find out what they can get for their house. It seems as though we are 24-hour consumers considering alternative lifestyles all the time.’ While she began work on her show around this central theme, it wandered into some familiar areas of concern for her. ‘It was originally about considering moving and then questioning why and how where you live influences all other parts of your life such as your friendships and parenting choices. It seemed to open out into things that I’ve covered before. When you do a few shows, you do notice that you revisit things. Parenting is an ongoing subject, and as your kids grow up, your material also changes.’ (Brian Donaldson) ■ Òran Mór, Glasgow, Sat 15 Oct; The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Oct.

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COMEDY | Previews MAGIC / STAND-UP

JERRY SADOWITZ King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 23 Sep; Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 30 Sep The debate over offensive comedy might feel as though it’s been raging forever, but one person stands way out on the extreme fringes of that discussion. From quips about the then imprisoned Nelson Mandela (‘a cunt’) to the entire Canadian population (‘moosefuckers’) and the missing Madeleine McCann (no, we’re not printing any of that stuff here, sorry), Jerry Sadowitz has pulled not a single punch in his decades of stand-up gore. As if to soften the outrage for those meek-mannered liberals among us, the oft-repeated suggestion is made that there’s no greater target for his material than himself. Certainly, in interviews and onstage, Sadowitz emanates a deep self-loathing and appears brimful of regrets; in a 2011 Guardian interview he bemoaned his ‘completely wasted life’. His ire is particularly aimed at those he views as pretenders (Jimmy Carr, Ricky Gervais and Frankie Boyle are continually namechecked in this regard) who have nabbed all the glory and recognition that should rightfully have been his. But he does have one skill that none of the above can wield: the ability to throw an amazing sleight-of-hand card trick into the mix, almost as a means of temporarily leavening the unfiltered degradation of his routines. There’s no doubt that Sadowitz is one of the most talented comics of his generation (everyone from Janey Godley to Richard Herring have touted him as an influence). But you have to wonder just how far he might have gone had he been more inclined to play the game. In an age when stand-up and the internet have gone stratospheric in terms of both quality and quantity, Jerry Sadowitz remains comedy’s version of the dark web. (Brian Donaldson) LIVE PODCAST

THE ELIS JAMES AND JOHN ROBINS EXPERIENCE The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 9 Oct; The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 10 Oct Given that Elis James and John Robins both predominantly work live, it’s little surprise that their Radio X show and podcast would escape the studio to go rampaging across the country. James recalls how it came about: ‘We did a live reading in London of A Robins Amongst the Pigeons, the autobiography John wrote as a feature for the show. We’d only advertised through the podcast so the gig sold out solely to fans of the radio show.’ They only did a few shows but then decided to tour properly in the autumn. James insists that he’s very much looking forward to hitting the road, and no wonder: as anyone who regularly tunes in to their bromance will testify, James likes nothing more than spending time with Robins. ‘I love improvising with John, he is the funniest person I know,’ he states fondly. ‘We haven’t had an argument in almost three years of doing the show, largely because he is usually right and I don’t mind that.’ There’s plenty to expect, perhaps a #keepitsession ale, a few obscure ‘Sacred Cows’, textual healing live, and possibly a new chapter of A Robins Amongst the Pigeons. But James’ favourite section of the radio show is when the listeners get involved. ‘One of us made a lighthearted remark that you can guess a person’s political persuasion by what they put on their chips. Within minutes we had hundreds of texts from people saying things like “BROWN SAUCE, SALT BUT NO VINEGAR: UKIP!” I love the immediacy of radio.’ And taking their double act into live spaces guarantees even more amusing interaction. (Marissa Burgess)

LOCAL LAUGHS GARETH MUTCH

ANOTHER UP AND COMER HAS A GO AT OUR Q&A Can you tell us about the moment when you thought: ‘stand-up is for me’? I’m an only child so I’ve always been a bit of an attention seeker. I found drama at a young age but didn’t like sharing the stage with the other kids so when I was 17 I did my first stand-up gig and remember loving the bareness of it all: no costume, nobody else just me and a mic, and people laughed.

laughed at all types of jokes. I alwayss remember a quote by Ricky Gervais about offensive comedy: ‘offence is taken not given’. There are a lot of comedians being asked to apologise for jokes just now which I think is ridiculous. Often the person demanding the apology wasn't even there: they just heard about it.

Where do you draw the line when it comes to ‘offensive comedy’? I’m not an ‘offensive comedian’, far from it, but I see no need to draw the line at anything if it’s funny. I have

■ Gareth Mutch is at The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 1–Sat 3 Sep, Sun 16 Oct; The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 11, Mon 26 Sep, Tue 4 Oct. See more of this Q&A at list. co.uk/comedy

What’s the one thing you remember about your very first gig? Do you have any pre-show I remember talking about kayaks rituals you can tell us about? and canoes. Bad. I also spoke There’s nothing right before I go about wetting the bed until I onstage, but I do have one weird thing was 14 or 15 which was good in that I’ll listen to ‘Ooh La La’ by the because that was when I realised Faces. I have no idea when it started; that comedy should come from I just realised a few years ago that I a real place and sharing those often listened to that song before a gig horrifically real stories could be a so it stuck and became a weird thing. positive thing.

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Previews | COMEDY

list.co.uk/comedy IMPROV STAND-UP

ROSS NOBLE Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 30 Sep; Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Fri 4 Nov There are very few comedians in the world like Ross Noble. While he is now a more prominent voice on radio and face on TV, he built up a vast fanbase mainly on the back of relentless gigging and touring from the moment he arrived on our stages in the late 90s. And perhaps more uniquely for a popular global comic, he pretty much makes the whole lot up on the spot. Risk could well be his middle name. ‘The “risk” is all relative,’ he insists. ‘It’s like driving a car; after 25 years you don’t get in a car and go, “what if this goes wrong?” If you hit a few bumps in the road you just think, “oh, this is fun, let’s bounce around for a bit!”’ His rather aptly titled new touring show, Brain Dump, was born after a skip through an online search of critical reaction to his work. ‘I got it from a customer review on Amazon for one of my DVDs. They wrote, “this is just like a massive brain dump”, and I thought, “oh yeah, that’s exactly what my stuff is! I’ll have that”.’ As well as doing his freewheeling improv stand-up thing, Noble has veered into the world of genre movies, having debuted as a killer clown in Stitches. ‘I’ve just filmed another horror, and that’s a straight horror film; there are no laughs in it. It’s definitely easier for a stand-up to do straight acting than an actor to do comedy. It sounds mad because I was playing a killer clown, but in Stitches, I wanted to play it as truthfully as possible. I didn’t want people to go, “oh, that’s just Noble dressed as a clown”.’ (Brian Donaldson)

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COMEDY | Highlights

ROMESH RANGANATHAN: IRRATIONAL Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 27 Sep, edtheatres.com In this brand new show, Ranganathan explores the rationality of his worldview and explains why it’s everyone else who is wrong.

ELIS JAMES & JOHN ROBINS EXPERIENCE The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 9 Oct, thestand. co.uk Readings and chat with the Radio X firebrands. See preview, page 50. Also The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 10 Oct, thestand. co.uk GARY TANK COMMANDER: MISSION

QUITE POSSIBLE SSE Hydro, Glasgow, Sat 22 Oct, thessehydro. com Gary brings his camp charm to a special show featuring the cast of the award-winning TV series. See feature, page 27. NISH KUMAR: ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS UNLESS YOU SHOUT

THE WORDS REAL LOUD Òran Mór, Glasgow, Wed 2 Nov, oran-mor. co.uk Quirky observations and intelligent storytelling.

PHOTO: IDIL SUKAN / DRAW HQ

HITLIST

JERRY SADOWITZ: COMEDIAN, MAGICIAN, PSYCHOPATH King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 23 Sep, edtheatres.com Angry brilliance, with magic and stand-up. Adults only, and hard-to-offend ones at that. See preview, page 50. Also Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 30 Sep, paviliontheatre.co.uk

COMEDY HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

Daniel Sloss

DANIEL SLOSS: SO Gardyne Theatre, Fri 30 Sep, gardynetheatre.co.uk The Scottish comedian, and recent recipient of the 2016 Sydney Comedy Festival ‘Best of the Fest’ International Award, presents his latest show. Also Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, Sat 1 Oct, onfife. com/venues/adam-smith-theatre; Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock, Sun 2 Oct, beaconartscentre. co.uk; Byre Theatre, St Andrews, Thu 13 Oct, byretheatre.com; Howden Park, Livingston, Fri 14 Oct, howdenparkcentre.co.uk; Paisley Arts Centre, Sat 15 Oct, whatsonrenfrewshire.co.uk/ listings/paisley-arts-centre/.

GLASGOW JASON BYRNE IS PROPPED UP The Stand, Sun 2 Oct, thestand.co.uk Bringing back prop comedy in a way that’ll make you forget all about Gallagher and Carrot Top. Also Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling, Sat 8 Oct, macrobertartscentre.org KERRY GODLIMAN: STICK OR TWIST Òran Mór, Sat 15 Oct, oran-mor.co.uk The stand-up and actress muses on (mis)communication in a modern age. See preview, page 49. Also, The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Oct, thestand.co.uk MATT FORDE: IT’S MY POLITICAL PARTY (AND I’LL CRY IF I WANT TO) The Stand, Sun 23 Oct, thestand.co.uk Political jokes (which, to be fair, seem pretty easy these days) from Forde, former New Labour adviser. THE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS FACE IS TAPE FACE Òran Mór, Fri 28 Oct, oran-mor.co.uk It’s comedy but without the chat. A chance to see the phenomenon of BWTOHF, in a show which is kinda cabaret, kinda theatre and kinda beautiful. JIMEOIN: RENONSENSE MAN Pavilion Theatre, Sat 29 Oct, paviliontheatre.co.uk Refining a lost art of the commonplace, Jimeoin is a comic with a delightful sense of the absurd and a uniquely low-key style. GARY LITTLE: A LITTLE BIT OF PERSONAL The Stand, Mon 31 Oct, thestand.co.uk Stand-up from the very large Gary Little.

DUNDEE

EDINBURGH AHIR SHAH: MACHINES The Stand, Wed 14 Sep, thestand.co.uk Stirring, politically driven comedy from Shah, covering topics as diverse as democracy, internationalism and lizards. PAUL CURRIE: FFFFFFFMILK The Stand, Sun 18 Sep, thestand.co.uk High-energy performance from Currie, mixing stand-up with street clowning for a nonsensical, surreal evening of comedy. Also The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 19 Sep, thestand.co.uk

GARY DELANEY: THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT GARY The Stand, Tue 18 Oct, thestand.co.uk The something about Gary is that he has a lot of opinions on jokes and is going to let you hear them (and hopefully some jokes) on his latest tour. Also The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 19 Oct, thestand.co.uk ISY SUTTIE: THE ACTUAL ONE The Stand, Sun 23 Oct, thestand.co.uk The Actual One is a show about that late-20s realisation that everyone’s growing up without you and what you should do about it from the award-winning actress and comedian.

ROSS NOBLE: BRAIN DUMP Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 30 Sep, edtheatres.com The wildhaired Geordie, prone to wondrous tangents and surreal interludes, wanders back out on tour with a brand new show. See preview, page 51.

ADAM HESS AND RHYS JAMES The Stand, Sun 30 Oct, thestand.co.uk Surreal one-liners from Hess alongside poems and stand-up from James as they both perform an hour of their latest material.

JOEL DOMMETT The Stand, Tue 11 Oct, thestand.co.uk The young comedy star with a cupboard full of accolades and dreadfully modern hair. Also The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 12 Oct, thestand.co.uk

HA HA HAMILTON COMEDY GALA The Town House, Sat 17 Sep, haha-hamilton.com A comedy gala in aid of the STV Appeal, featuring Des Clarke, Robert Florence & Iain Connell, Gary Little, Jo Caulfield, Dave Fulton, Rob Deering and more.

HAMILTON

RUSSELL KANE: RIGHT MAN, WRONG AGE Gardyne Theatre, Fri 21 Oct, gardynetheatre.co.uk Russell Kane discusses why it’s perfectly OK to be 20 but feel 40 (or vice versa) and explains why nobody really feels their age. Also Albert Halls, Stirling, culturestirling. org/albert-halls/

DUNFERMLINE SEAN LOCK: KEEP IT LIGHT Alhambra Theatre, Fri 7 Oct, alhambradunfermline.com You know fine well who he is, now pop along and see his latest show. Also Caird Hall, Sat 8 Oct, leisureandculturedundee.com/ culture/caird-hall.

MUSSELBURGH JENNY ECLAIR: HOW TO BE A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN (WITHOUT GOING INSANE) The Brunton, Sat 22 Oct, thebrunton.co.uk Jenny Eclair is younger than Madonna, but you won’t catch her falling down any stairs at the Brit Awards. Her new show is about being middle aged and whether you’re better off accepting it or fighting to the death.

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FILM

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /film

SCOTLAND LOVES ANIME Annual festival of Japanese animation and ﬁlm returns Characterised by its infusion of vivid colours, imaginative storylines and vibrant graphics, anime is a distinctive part of Japanese popular culture and an icon of its modern artistry. For Andrew Partridge, director of local festival Scotland Loves Anime, it’s the variety and breadth of the genre that makes it so special. ‘By and large,’ he says, ‘there are more animated works in Japan aimed at adults than in the west. The content you get is rather different to how animation is perceived internationally too. So one of the key reasons people respond to it, I think, is that it is so different (and cool).’ Offering enthusiasts and newcomers the opportunity to see top anime films on the big screen, Scotland Loves Anime is responsible for bringing pre-eminent Japanese animation

to Glasgow and Edinburgh annually. This year’s festival boasts another terrific lineup. Partridge’s top picks are A Silent Voice (pictured), Belladonna of Sadness and Your Name. ‘If we’re going to label any film as being “on the level of Ghibli” in 2016, Your Name is it,’ he says. ‘This screening is well ahead of its November main theatrical [release] too.’ Anime fans at the festival will get to enjoy premieres, special guests and an education day. ‘There is helpfully an introduction before every film from Dr Jonathan Clements, co-author of The Anime Encyclopedia,’ adds Partridge. ‘It may not help beyond a pub quiz in the future, but you should walk out with some new knowledge from every film.’ (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Glasgow Film Theatre, Sun 9–Tue 11 Oct; Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Wed 12–Tue 18 Oct.

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Reviews | FILM

list.co.uk/ﬁlm

DRAMA

COMEDY DRAMA

CRIME DRAMA

CAFÉ SOCIETY

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC

THE INFILTRATOR

(12A) 96min ●●●●●

(15) 119min ●●●●●

(15) 127min ●●●●●

The clockwork-like regularity with which Woody Allen turns out his movies is comforting to a degree, but he’s more hit-and-miss than ever these days. Café Society is a beautiful-looking 1930s-set romance that feels like a film of two halves. Offering Allen a reunion with Jesse Eisenberg, who starred in 2012’s wayward To Rome With Love, the actor takes on exactly the sort of role the director would have played in his youth – a wide-eyed Jewish New Yorker named Bobby Dorfman. Arriving in Hollywood, where his uncle Phil (Steve Carell) runs a top-level talent agency, Bobby is soon being shown round town by Phil’s spiky secretary Vonnie (Kristen Stewart). But as he begins to fall for her, there’s a hitch: Vonnie is also seeing the married Phil. While Café Society feels like a 45-minute short that never develops properly, it is visually stunning. Allen is collaborating with the legendary cinematographer Vittorio Storaro, who conjures some arresting images amid the mansions and swimming pools of LA’s glitterati. But, ultimately, it’s a glistening confection that falls some way behind the likes of Midnight In Paris and Blue Jasmine. (James Mottram) ■ General release from Fri 2 Sep.

Viggo Mortensen finds one of the best roles of his career in Captain Fantastic, a quirky, crowd-pleasing ode to the joys and pitfalls of unconventional parenting. His bearded, mountain man patriarch Ben Cash has raised a family of six off the grid in the Pacific Northwest of America. Home schooling may have its virtues but it leaves the family ill-prepared for the real world they are obliged to confront on a cross-country trip to New Mexico. The road trip carries echoes of Little Miss Sunshine, and the film doesn’t entirely escape the soft-hearted sentimentality of more commercially minded American indie fare. Ben is presented sympathetically, but there is no acknowledgement that he seems closer to a cult leader than a fantastic dad. Even when tensions grow and he is accused of having turned all the children into freaks, it never feels like a blinding revelation. Captain Fantastic is contrived and contradictory as it champions rugged idealism without really challenging the practicalities of non-conformity. On the other hand, it is undeniably entertaining, with Mortensen a delight as an uninhibited free spirit. (Allan Hunter) ■ General release from Fri 9 Sep.

Adapted from the memoir of Robert Mazur, a US Customs official who apparently wormed his way into the most notorious drug cartels, The Infiltrator talks us through the Reagan administration’s mission to take down Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar via the international bankers happily laundering his cocaine-dusted millions. What have become the clichés of the Donnie Brasco and co mini-genre make you sigh wearily at times. Pity, for example, Juliet Aubrey playing the resentful wife and having to deliver the usual set speeches about hubby neglecting his family, putting them in danger, getting too chummy with his female partner and his criminal targets. Sundry interchangeable, exaggeratedly Latino villains impulsively blow people’s brains out. And so on. Bryan Cranston carries the movie as Bob, at home in guises from bowling alley sleazebag to slick mafioso accountant and sympathetic throughout. Director Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer) lulls us with character study rather than delivering a sharp jab, violent twist or shock you didn’t see coming in a generally unremarkable screenplay credited, in what may be a first, to Furman’s mum, Ellen. (Angie Errigo) ■ General release from Fri 16 Sep.

DRAMA

AMERICAN HONEY (15) 164min ●●●●● This is British director Andrea Arnold’s Wizard of Oz, taking the form of a vibrant and epic journey across America that sees a young woman named Star (impressive newcomer Sasha Lane) attempt to find a place to call home. It’s a rite of passage road trip that is incredible to behold, utterly transportive and packed full of wickedly alluring choreography and tunes. When 18-year-old Star spots a rowdy group of teens in a supermarket singing and dancing to Rihanna’s ‘We Found Love’ she’s intrigued. She meets Jake (powerful work from a deliciously gross Shia LaBeouf), who asks her to come to Kansas City and join his crew of door-to-door magazine sellers. She’s hooked by his cocky attitude and starts falling for his charms, because anything seems brighter than her present state of affairs: living in an abusive home as a stand-in mother for two kids who aren’t her own. On the road, Star learns to take risks and let loose. Her relationship with Jake is portrayed as a heady romance, with the two exploring one another in sun-dappled fields and convertible cars. There’s a grimy ambience to it all which recalls the films of Harmony Korine and Larry Clark, and the music videos of Melina Matsoukas. The group of youths Star travels with are a mix of pot-smoking, vodka-swilling lost boys and girls who work hard and party hard, and the performances are suitably naturalistic. The pumping, almost continual blast of music is turned up to the max and includes songs from Lady Antebellum, E-40, Kevin Gates and Fetty Wap. Accompanied by the evocative cinematography of Robbie Ryan (who worked on Arnold’s three previous features, Red Road, Fish Tank and Wuthering Heights), it creates a spinetingling and uplifting tale of untamed youth and rebellion. This is passionate and ambitious filmmaking. (Katherine McLaughlin) ■ General release from Fri 14 Oct. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 55

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FILM | Reviews

DRAMA

FREE STATE OF JONES (TBC) 139min ●●●●●

HORROR

THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS (15) 111min ●●●●●

PHOTO: JOYCE KIM

The Girl with All the Gifts opens disturbingly. Children kept in a military prison, cruelly shouted at by adult guards, strapped into wheelchairs and pushed with fearful precision into a grim classroom. It seems to be institutional abuse of children. But their teacher, Miss Justineau (Gemma Arterton) is kindly. Far more bewildering, Melanie (12-year-old newcomer Sennia Nanua) seems cheerful and eager to learn. The unsettling mood set by director Colm McCarthy (Peaky Blinders) is only just beginning to unfurl. While much of the sheer brilliance of the film comes in not being able to anticipate where it’s going, it’s no spoiler to say that this is science-fiction horror set in a dystopian near future, ringing bells that resound of everything from 28 Days Later to Day of the Triffids to Lord of the Flies. But Girl . . . , adapted by Mike Carey from his own novel, stakes out its own place in a familiar sub-genre in extraordinarily moving and deeply unnerving ways. With strikingly fresh imagery and exciting extrapolations of stock SF ideas, it takes you on a journey full of surprises that aren’t about cheap plot twists but crafting a vividly told tale in a fully realised alternate world populated by richly conceived, unforgettable characters. Nanua and Arterton are joined by Paddy Considine, bringing subtle depth to a soldier whose relationship with Melanie evolves, and Glenn Close, powerfully challenging as a doctor studying Melanie and an embodiment of the moral dilemmas at the heart of the tale. This is a movie to reignite your love of movies, if you’ve despaired of seeing anything different amid a sea of tired sameness. It is a movie that asks a big question – what does it mean to be human? – and its answers will haunt you. It is a movie that is everything we go to the movies for. Do not miss it. (MaryAnn Johanson) ■ General release from Fri 23 Sep.

In writer / director Gary Ross’s attempt at an adult, historically based blockbuster, Matthew McConaughey plays Newt Knight, a Mississippi farmer and Confederate soldier who rebelled against corrupt authorities to form his own progressive free state, organising a group of escaped slaves into a militia to oppose their overlords. Coming off the back of his global hit The Hunger Games, Ross manages the similarly rustic set-pieces with considerable visceral style, helped by McConaughey’s haunted, intense presence. But as with Steven Spielberg’s recent biopic of Abraham Lincoln, this version of history feels far too heavily filtered through 21st-century sensibilities; Knight is presented as such a fiercely progressive white saviour that it’s hard to believe he could ever have been such a saint, his relationship with Rachel (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is somewhat coyly developed, and a series of flash-forwards to a courtroom case involving one of his grandchildren unnecessarily interrupts the action. Free State of Jones deserves credit for bringing a stillcontroversial figure to life, and attempting to put some meat and gristle into the silly blockbuster season. But cramming so many historical events into nearly two and a half hours means that these good intentions rarely spark. (Eddie Harrison) ■ General release from Fri 30 Sep.

COMEDY DRAMA

I, DANIEL BLAKE

SWISS ARMY MAN (TBC) 97min ●●●●●

(TBC) 100min ●●●●● Fifty years on from Cathy Come Home, Britain feels even more divided as the rich get richer and the poor get stigmatised. It is fertile ground for director Ken Loach and screenwriter Paul Laverty who, in I, Daniel Blake, tackle an age of austerity that harks back to the values and attitudes of the Victorian era. It is a film that wears its heart firmly on its sleeve in its depiction of the plight of decent Newcastle joiner Daniel (Dave Johns), whose doctor has told him that he is unfit to work. That is not, however, the view of a ‘healthcare professional’ who sits in judgement on his assessment for employment and support allowance. Much of the film’s bleak humour comes from the catch-22 bureaucracy that ensnares Daniel and seems designed to discourage, demoralise and humiliate him. It’s familiar territory for director and screenwriter, but Loach has grown a little more sentimental since the days of Cathy Come Home and I, Daniel Blake is unapologetic in the way it tugs at the heartstrings. It’s hard not to be won over by the warmth of its human spirit, as it confronts a subject that sadly remains just as relevant as ever. (Allan Hunter) ■ General release from Fri 21 Oct.

In Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s debut feature, a flatulent, reanimated corpse named Manny (an extremely game Daniel Radcliffe) utters the profound statement ‘If my best friend hides his farts from me then what else is he hiding from me, and why does that make me feel so alone?’ While it may sound like gross-out comedy, Swiss Army Man effectively explores the human condition through the story of castaway Hank (Paul Dano) who finds friendship with a dead man. Recalling the best and worst aspects of Michel Gondry’s body of work, the film is at its strongest when dwelling in surreal territory. The soundtrack, by Andy Hull and Robert McDowell from Manchester Orchestra, utilises the natural surroundings of the forest through which Hank and Manny navigate loneliness, love and the meaning of life. Indeed, the film finds beauty in the revolting and does so in a unique and heartfelt manner that extols the importance of honesty and friendship. It’s a moving and often hilarious romp around the wilderness that eloquently taps into the fundamental things we do in order to survive. (Katherine McLaughlin) ■ General release from Fri 30 Sep.

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Reviews | FILM

list.co.uk/ﬁlm

DRAMA

WAR DRAMA

ANIMATION

IMPERIUM

ANTHROPOID

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS

(15) 106min ●●●●●

(15) 120min ●●●●●

(PG) 101min ●●●●●

FBI analyst Nate Foster is dismayed by the agency’s habit of framing young, impressionable Muslims in its fight against Islamic fundamentalism. So when he’s given the opportunity to go undercover and take on a different threat – white supremacy – he grabs it. He does have one misgiving though: ‘I can’t defend myself.’ When Nate is played by Daniel Radcliffe we easily believe it. And that goes to the heart of what’s wrong with Imperium: implausibility. Racial hatred and home-grown terrorism are red-hot themes, but this drama doesn’t deliver on the potential. It’s all very by the numbers. And all the while we keep thinking, ‘But Daniel is so small. He looks so nice.’ There’s a heavy irony here: the actor is playing an undercover agent trying to prove to monsters that he is one of them; while the character succeeds, the actor fails to convince. To be fair, so does everyone around him. Even Toni Collette’s hard-boiled, gumchewing turn as fellow agent Zamparo feels as though it’s been lifted from a template. Director Daniel Ragussis co-wrote the script with a former FBI agent, so we assume a degree of authentic detail. A shame, then, that the whole feels so terribly rote. (Demetrios Matheou) ■ Selected release from Fri 23 Sep.

Directed by Sean Ellis (Metro Manila), Anthropoid tells of the eponymous World War II operation to assassinate high ranking SS officer General Reinhard Heydrich in German-occupied Czechoslovakia, focusing in particular on soldiers Josef Gabcik (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubis (Jamie Dornan). Heroes in the truest sense, Ellis ensures these men (and women) of the resistance are also human and, crucially, fallible. Josef and Jan carry the scars of battle in their shaking hands, grim-set faces and outright fear, and their endeavours, while valiant, are a poignant reminder of the human cost of warfare. Anthropoid’s blanched colour palette and detailed production design encapsulate a sense of both history and helplessness. Similarly, Ellis – who also acts as cinematographer – has chosen to shoot in super 16mm, which gives a suitable grittiness and texture to the visuals. This is most effective in the frenetic climax where the men hold a cathedral against the Nazi army, a blistering contrast to the more restrained nature of all that has come before. It’s a powerful conclusion to a film that, while fairly traditional, is a fitting homage to these extraordinary men. (Nikki Baughan) ■ General release from Fri 9 Sep.

This meticulously assembled stop-motion adventure is the fourth feature from LAIKA, the animation studio behind Coraline, ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls. The directorial debut of CEO Travis Knight, Kubo similarly combines humour and emotional storytelling with breathtaking animation. Set in ancient Japan, the story focuses on one-eyed origami expert Kubo (voiced by Game of Thrones’ Art Parkinson), who has been hunted since birth by his evil grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes). To defeat him, Kubo joins forces with no-nonsense Monkey (Charlize Theron) and goofy half-human, halfinsect warrior Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) to find three magical artefacts. The stop-motion animation is stunning, drawing visual inspiration from both origami and Japanese woodblock printing, and is coupled with striking character design. This is augmented by excellent voice performances and an emotionally literate script which doesn’t shy away from addressing complex themes, with sensitive observations on death and grieving. While it’s occasionally unclear what is fantasy within the narrative, this ultimately enhances the dream-like atmosphere. (Matthew Turner) ■ General release from Fri 9 Sep.

COMEDY

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE (12A) 101min ●●●●● There’s been something funny emanating from New Zealand for some time, which can be traced back to Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement’s beloved parody group Flight of the Conchords. Writer-director Taika Waititi worked on the Conchords television show, as well as creating breakout cinema hits like Eagle vs Shark, Boy and What We Do in the Shadows; his latest, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, is an offbeat story of mismatched friendship that fuses character comedy with heartfelt sentiment. Urban malcontent Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) has been through a series of unhappy situations that leave him on a last warning before juvenile detention; he reluctantly heads for the New Zealand countryside to stay with foster aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and gruff husband Hec (Sam Neill). When the boy runs off into the bush after a tragic event, Hec locates him, only to discover that the authorities have assumed he’s kidnapped Ricky. As they close in, Ricky and Hec forge an odd couple friendship that lends them the aura of folk heroes. Adapted from Barry Crump’s book Wild Pork and Watercress, Hunt for the Wilderpeople escalates in deliberately episodic form, swinging from gentle comedy to full-on action, and Waititi handles the gear changes with style. There is a neat digression in the form of some hostile pigs, deft pop culture nods to The Terminator and The Lord of the Rings and, best of all, Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby), an amusingly deranged denizen of the forest. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a simple, affecting comedy; its grizzled elder and young upstart camaraderie may be as old as the rolling hills it’s played out against, but Neill and Dennison’s chemistry ensures this story is so knee-deep in charm that even moments of gloopy pathos feel thoroughly earned. (Eddie Harrison) ■ General release from Fri 16 Sep. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 57

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FILM | Reviews

DRAMA

URBAN HYMN (15) 111min ●●●●●

CRIME DRAMA

HELL OR HIGH WATER (15) 102min ●●●●●

PHOTO: ERIC MCNATT

‘God, I love west Texas,’ remarks lawman Marcus (Jeff Bridges) after an encounter with yet another colourful local. Hell or High Water has much the same motto, revelling in lavish quantities of Southern sass as it winningly combines Heat-style action, social commentary and character comedy. Despite its affection for tarnished Americana, one of England’s finest is at the helm: director David Mackenzie, following the formidable, grimly British Starred Up. The story follows flamboyantly reckless career criminal Tanner (Ben Foster at his showstopping best) and his taciturn brother Toby (Chris Pine) as they rob multiple branches of Texas Midlands Bank. On their tail are gruff Texas Ranger Marcus – mere weeks from retirement, he’s like an elderly bulldog working his way through a mouthful of wasps – and his half-Indian, half-Mexican partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham). The leisurely pace of the older men’s pursuit is in stark contrast to the brothers’ apparent rashness. Working from a terrific script by Taylor Sheridan (Sicario), Mackenzie has crafted a crime film of rare warmth and charm – one that delights in its downtime, in speech inflections and region-specific humour, and that amusingly notes that a local fondness for weaponry and a tendency toward bloody mindedness add a certain je ne sais quoi to a hostage situation. Hell or High Water wears the twists and turns of an intelligently conceived, all-is-not-asit-seems narrative lightly; it boasts ample vitality but opts to keep things largely low key, undermining its own swagger and giving a sensational cast room to do their thing. Moreover, Mackenzie’s tenth feature cultivates great compassion for its characters, while making salient wider points about exploitation and community erosion. Its salty flavour and penchant for tomfoolery can’t mask the aching heart at its core. (Emma Simmonds) ■ General release from Fri 9 Sep.

This heart-warming British drama marks a welcome return for director Michael Caton-Jones (Scandal, Rob Roy) after nearly a decade away from filmmaking. Set in the aftermath of the 2011 London riots, Urban Hymn stars Letitia Wright as troubled young offender Jamie Harrison, whose time in care is drawing to a close as she nears her 18th birthday and whose dreams of becoming a singer cause a rift with her jealous best friend Leanne (Isabella Laughland). Graduating from a string of TV roles, Wright delivers a vibrant turn as Jamie’s tough exterior slowly cracks and reveals a smile that lights up the screen. Laughland is equally good, managing to find a measure of sympathy in what could easily have been a monstrous caricature, while Shirley Henderson is superb as a haunted social worker driven by her own tragic past. Keeping tight control of the tone, Caton-Jones (who describes the film as ‘a sort of Ken Loach musical’) maintains an effective balance of strong social realism and feelgood elements. Transcending the occasionally familiar beats of Nick Moorcroft’s script, he delivers something that strikes a powerfully emotional note, augmented by some off-the-beaten-track soundtrack choices and pitch-perfect performances. (Matthew Turner) ■ Selected release from Fri 30 Sep.

DRAMA

LITTLE MEN (TBC) 85min ●●●●●

COMEDY

WAR ON EVERYONE (15) 98min ●●●●● After his celebrated debut The Guard and the equally revered follow-up Calvary, writer-director John Michael McDonagh stumbles as he makes his first foray into American moviemaking. Like The Guard, War on Everyone deals with cops that walk a fine line between upholding and breaking the law. But while Brendan Gleeson brought poignancy and pathos to The Guard, War on Everyone feels more like pastiche as it filches from Starsky & Hutch, Pulp Fiction and more besides. Alexander Skarsgård and Michael Peña play two outfor-themselves New Mexico cops, who think nothing of casual violence, drug-taking and petty larceny in their everyday (dereliction of) duties. There’s a labyrinthine plot, involving Theo James’ arrogant aristocrat, the mastermind behind a racetrack heist that initially lures in our two anti-heroes with the promise of a quick buck. McDonagh’s nose for twisted absurdist humour serves him well, typified by the opening scene which sees a cocaine-smuggling mime artist mown down. If it had stayed in this realm, War on Everyone could have worked. But amid a very violent third act, McDonagh’s insistence on wrapping up the plot with the leading men suddenly gaining consciences spoils proceedings. (James Mottram) ■ General release from Fri 7 Oct.

Ira Sachs’ last film, Love Is Strange, focused on the enduring love between two men, one middle-aged, the other late in life. Yet it ended with a gesture that kick-started a teenager’s passage from petulant kid to considerate young man, and Little Men picks up where that film left off, at least thematically, with coming-of-age now the primary focus. It’s the story of 13-year-old Jake Jardine (Theo Taplitz), who moves to Brooklyn with his parents (Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Ehle) when his grandfather passes away. The Jardines have inherited a retail premises currently occupied by dressmaker Leonor (Paulina García) and, as the adults bicker over Leonor’s rent, her son Tony (Michael Barbieri) and Jake become friends. The film forgoes clichés and the obvious emotional angles to fruitfully explore the frustrations of ‘kidulthood’ – in particular, the boys’ futile attempts to affect change in the fractious communications between their families. The central tenancy dispute is engaging too, for what it says about changing neighbourhoods, class and intergenerational relations, but Little Men is frequently insightful, superbly performed and presents us with a rainbow of recognisable humanity. (Emma Simmonds) ■ Selected release from Fri 23 Sep.

58 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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BACK FOR ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SEVENTH YEAR!

art by Abe-san

EDINBURGH 14th- 16th

17th - 23rd

OCTOBER FOLLOW US ONLINE

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FILM | Highlights

HITLIST

TAKE ONE ACTION FILM FESTIVAL Various venues, Edinburgh & Glasgow, Wed 14–Sun 25 Sep A film festival with a political slant, founded on the belief that ‘cinematic experiences can inspire lasting change’ and offering a series of talks and programmes showing how films can be used to empower communities on

an international stage. See feature, page 14. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS General release from Fri 23 Sep A scientist and a teacher living in a dystopian future embark on a journey of survival with a special young girl named Melanie. See review, page 56.

AMERICAN HONEY General release from Fri 14 Oct When 18-year-old Star (Sasha Lane) meets Jake (deliciously gross Shia LaBeouf) and his crew of magazine sellers, all ruled over by the straight-talking Krystal (Riley Keough), she joins them on an epic roadtrip across America. See review, page 55.

to provide behind-thescenes information. See preview, page 54.

SCOTLAND LOVES ANIME Various venues, Scotland, Mon 10–Sun 23 October The latest Japanese animation, with experts on hand

DOCTOR STRANGE General release from Fri 28 Oct When his career as a surgeon fails, a sorcerer gives Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) a new interest; defending the world against evil.

FILM HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

MARK KERMODE LIVE IN 3D Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Sun 2 Oct, A live Q&A session with the veteran broadcaster and critic.

THINGS TO COME Selected release from Fri 2 Sep. A philosophy teacher soldiers through the death of her mother, getting fired from her job, and dealing with a husband who is cheating on her.

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN General release from Fri 7 Oct. Mystery thriller based on the enormously popular novel penned by Paula Hawkins.

BEYOND BORDERS FILM FESTIVAL Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Mon 5–Sun 11 Sep, beyondbordersscotland. com A film festival exhibiting documentary-style films and offering the chance for audiences to engage with the people who made them. BEN-HUR General release from Wed 7 Sep. A wrongly accused nobleman endures many years of slavery in order to seek revenge on the friend that betrayed him.

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: KING LEAR Selected release from Fri 7 Oct.RSC associate artist Antony Sher plays King Lear in one of the Bard’s most powerful plays, directed by RSC artistic director Gregory Doran. Rain the Colour of Blue With a Little Red in It, Africa in Motion Film Festival

affecting comedy that builds into fullon action. See review, page 57.

coming-of-age tale, forgoing clichés and obvious emotional angles to explore the frustration of ‘kidulthood’. See review, page 58.

HELL OR HIGH WATER General release from Fri 9 Sep. A divorced dad and his ex-con brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their family’s farm in west Texas. See review, page 58.

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: THE THREEPENNY OPERA Selected release from Fri 16 Sep. A darkly comic new take on Brecht and Weill’s raucous musical broadcast live from the stage of the National Theatre. Starring Rory Kinnear, Rosalie Craig and Haydn Gwynne.

BRIDGET JONES’S BABY General release from Fri 16 Sep. The continuing adventures of British publishing executive Bridget Jones as she enters her 40s.

WHEN TWO WORLDS COLLIDE Glasgow Film Theatre, Sun 18 Sep. An indigenous environmental activist takes on the large businesses destroying the Amazon.

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY: CYMBELINE Selected release from Fri 23 Sep. Melly Still directs Shakespeare’s rarely performed romance.

FIM IN THE OLD COLLEGE QUAD Old College, Edinburgh, Fri 16–Sun 18 Sep Classic films screened across three days, including Jaws, Labyrinth (both Fri), Aliens (Sat), Die Hard and Deadpool (Sun).

AFRICA IN MOTION FILM FESTIVAL Various venues, Scotland, Fri 21– Sun 30 Oct, africa-in-motion.org. uk Dedicated to showing the diversity of African cinema, AiM has screenings of animated films, features, shorts and documentaries, as well as a short film competition to develop the next generation of African filmmakers.

CAMEO VINTAGE SUNDAYS Cameo Cinema, Sundays until 25 Sep. Classic screenings including The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE General release from Fri 16 Sep. Urban malcontent Ricky (Julian Dennison) reluctantly goes to the New Zealand countryside with foster aunt Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her gruff husband Hec (Sam Neill). Simple,

LITTLE MEN Selected release from Fri 23 Sep. Insightful and superbly performed

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN General release from Fri 23 Sep. Star-studded remake of the 1960 western which was itself, of course, a remake of the 1954 film Seven Samurai.

SCOTTISH QUEER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CCA, Glasgow, Thu 29 Sep–Sun 2 Oct, sqiff.org The second SQIFF is a four-day event hosting features, short film screenings, workshops, discussions and nights out.

URBAN HYMN Selected release from Fri 7 Oct. In the aftermath of the 2011 London riots, Jamie (Letitia Wright) is a troubled, talented orphan about to leave a care home, torn between loyalty to crack-smoking bestie Leanne (Isabella Laughland) and compassionate care worker Kate (Shirley Henderson). Heartwarming social realist drama with perfect performances from the leads. See review, page 58. BOLSHOI BALLET: THE GOLDEN AGE Selected release from Fri 14 Oct. The ensemble present Shostakovich’s satirical take on jazz and cabaret. I, DANIEL BLAKE Selected release from Fri 21 Oct. Newly widowed Newcastle joiner Daniel (Dave Johns) has worked all his life, but when his doctor tells him that his heart condition means he can’t work any longer, the welfare system disagrees. From director Ken Loach and screenwriter Paul Laverty. See review, page 56. JOHN CARPENTER Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sat 22 Oct. The legendary horror film composer performs his notable works from films including Halloween, The Fog, Village of the Damned and many more. See preview, page 69.

60 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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KIDS

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /kids

CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG

PHOTO: ALASTAIR MUIR

Claire Sweeney talks about her child-hating role in the popular family musical Claire Sweeney has a confession to make. Although she loves it now, the former Brookside and Clocking Off star was unfamiliar with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang until just before she joined the cast alongside Jason Manford and Phill Jupitus. ‘I came to it late and only saw the film recently,’ she says. ‘But when I did, I completely got it. It’s absolutely beautiful, and I think it’s that magical quality that people of all ages fall in love with.’ Following successful West End runs in Chicago and Guys and Dolls, Sweeney is now as well known for her work on stage as on screen. In particular, her portrayal of the spiteful Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray won her acclaim – and proved the perfect breeding ground for her role as the equally nasty Baroness Bomburst in Chitty. But as new mum to a two-year-old son, she’s found the part a tad ironic. ‘Velma in Hairspray is absolutely vile, so playing the Baroness, another baddie, is the same kind of character, although I’m finding different elements to her as we go along,’ says Sweeney. ‘But it’s funny, because since my son was born I’ve been obsessed with babies – and, of course, the Baroness hates kids!’ (Kelly Apter) ■ Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Wed 5–Sun 16 Oct; King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 19-Sat 29 Oct.

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KIDS | Previews BOOK ADAPTATION

GANGSTA GRANNY King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 7–Sun 11 Sep; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 5–Sun 9 Oct Underneath all the wild, sensational happenings in David Walliams’ 2011 book, Gangsta Granny, lies a gentle message. A suggestion that older people may not be quite as tedious as the younger generation thinks – something Walliams himself found to be true as a child. ‘I would spend lots of time with both my grandmas,’ he recalls. ‘Sometimes I would think it would be boring, but when I got them onto a subject like living in London during World War II, when bombs were raining down, they would become very animated and I would be enthralled.’ In Walliams’ book, a young boy is forced to spend Friday night with his gran, a woman whose love of cabbage knows no bounds and is sure to be unbearably boring. Except, of course, she isn’t and he ends up having the adventure of a lifetime. ‘So the moral of the story is don’t assume old people are boring just because they are old,’ says Walliams. ‘In fact, they’re likely to have had a much more interesting life than yours, so talk to them and listen to their stories.’ Birmingham Stage Company, the people behind the hugely popular Horrible Histories theatre productions, have transferred Walliams’ story from page to stage, and everyone – author included – thinks they’ve done a fine job of it. ‘People seem to really like Gangsta Granny, it’s my bestselling book by far, and it’s a huge thrill seeing it have this whole new life on the stage,’ says Walliams. ‘There’s a lot of action in it, especially when they try to steal the Crown Jewels, so it was quite a challenge for Birmingham Stage Company to bring those scenes to life. But they do it so well, I think it’s a brilliant show – better than the book!’ (Kelly Apter)

FESTIVAL

MAGIPUP FESTIVAL Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, Glasgow, Sat 15–Sun 23 Oct There’s something almost magical about puppetry – the way, within seconds, we stop seeing the handler and build a meaningful relationship with what is essentially an inanimate object. So what happens when you fuse puppetry and actual magic? A special kind of alchemy worthy of its own festival, thinks the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre. ‘The MAGIPUP festival was created five years ago to highlight the ancient and popular link between magic and puppetry,’ explains the centre’s executive director, Malcolm Knight. ‘The name is a fusion of the words magic and puppets, and came out of a desire to work in partnership with puppeteers and magicians, and with anyone who uses both magic and puppets in their acts. We also wanted to programme popular and accessible shows that would combine surprise and entertainment with mystery and fun.’ This year’s MAGIPUP features a wide-ranging mix of shows and workshops, including magic, puppetry and music performed in a caravan by the Great Ta-Da, family show The Magic Circus, a traditional Japanese folk tale and ancient European legend. ‘All our shows are generally suitable for age three and upwards, and we look for material that will appeal to people of all ages,’ says Knight. ‘We aim to create a quality child-friendly experience in an artform that is a root, and not simply a branch, of the theatre. And in previous years the public response has been consistently solid and enthusiastic.’ (Kelly Apter) BOOK GROUP

LITERARY LITTLES Fruitmarket Gallery, Edinburgh, Sat 10 Sep When a group of adults meet to discuss a book, there’s lots of chatting, tea and perhaps the odd glass of gin. But children need a far more interesting way to express how they feel about reading, which is why Allison Everett, bookshop manager at Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery, set up Literary Littles – a book group with a difference. ‘I started running the monthly events as a way to share fantastic children’s books with the families who frequent the gallery,’ explains Everett. ‘I make a programme for each exhibition based on what great books are coming out, which authors are available to read them. And then work out how we can frame the book with a craft activity to help children think about the story and process it visually. The events are always laid-back, informal and centred around how fun reading can be.’ Previous Literary Littles have featured Mac Barnett reading from Leo, A Ghost Story, after which everyone made heraldic family shields, and the hugely popular Vivian French, again with a craft activity to follow. The next event will take place on 10 September, when Everett herself will be reading from Tatiana Glebova’s Where am I?. ‘It’s a Russian visual novel that invites you to find the missing person or animal in each image,’ explains Everett. ‘The book is aimed at 3 to 9-year-olds, so after reading it we’ll all create our own hidden image drawings.’ (Kelly Apter) 62 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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Highlights | KIDS

HITLIST

GANGSTA GRANNY Wed 7–Sun 11 Sep, King’s Theatre, Glasgow, birminghamstage.com Theatrical adaptation of the book. See preview, page 62. Also King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Wed 5–Sun 9 Oct. CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG Wed 5–Sun 16 Oct,

Glasgow, Wed 19–Sat 29 Oct, atgtickets.com

Edinburgh Festival Theatre, edtheatres.com The much-heralded stage version of the popular family film (pictured). See preview, page 61. Also King’s Theatre,

MAGIPUP FESTIVAL Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre, Sat 15–Sun 23 Oct, maskandpuppet.co.uk Eight days of puppet shows, magic performances and workshops. See preview, page 62.

SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL Scottish Storytelling Centre, Fri 21–Sun 30 Oct, tracscotland.org A celebration of live storytelling uniting storytellers and musicians from Scotland, Spain, and Central and South America.

CHILDREN’S CLASSIC CONCERTS: OWEN & OLLY’S BEASTLY BASH Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 29 Oct, childrensclassic concerts.co.uk Owen and Olly are joined by the RSNO and Junior Chorus to celebrate Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday. Also Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sun 30 Oct.

KIDS HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

& Sun 11 Sep, funbox.co.uk A brand new show from Funbox, exploring animals from the tops of the trees to the bottom of the seas.

GLASGOW

PONDLIFE The Brunton, Musselburgh, Fri 23 Sep, catherinewheels.co.uk The powerful story of a boy who moves school and finds himself becoming the focus of bullies. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

GARY DUNN’S FAMILY FEAST The Stand, Sun 4 Sep, garydunn. com Gary Dunn mixes magic and comedy, alongside his sidekick, Colin the mind reading chicken. HOGGANFIELD WILDFEST FAMILY DAY Hogganfield Park, Sat 10 Sep, glasgow.gov.uk/parks Join the Countryside Rangers for a day of environmental arts and crafts, workshops and games FOX STAR FESTIVAL Kelvingrove Bandstand and Amphitheatre, Sat 24 & Sun 25 Sep, twitter.com/foxstarfestival A non-profit family-friendly weekend with music, spoken word, visual art and kids activities galore. BIG MUSIC FOR MINIS Glagow Royal Concert Hall, Sat 1 & Sun 2 Oct, glasgowconcerthalls. com A weekend of concerts, workshops and creative fun for babies, toddlers and children aged up to seven years old and their families, with many events free to enter. JAN TAIT AND THE BEAR CCA, Thu 6, Sat 8 Oct, ensemblething.com A comedic chamber opera following Shetlander Tait on an adventure-laden journey to Norway, through a perilous encounter with the king and onto his triumphant journey home, accompanied by a ferocious brown bear.

EDINBURGH MINI ZOOMERS Summerhall, Mon, Wed & Fri, lensonlegsworkshops.co.uk Sensory play and messy action art adventures for under fives and their grown ups.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS Paisley Arts Centre, Tue 4 Oct, starcatchers.org.uk Puppet show about two shapes called Cubert and Triantán and their adventures finding their way back to each other. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details.

Big Fish Little Fish

LITERARY LITTLES Fruitmarket Gallery, Sat 10 Sep, fruitmarket.co.uk Saturday morning book reading of the Russian visual novel Where am I?, followed by crafts. Suitable for children aged three to nine. See preview, page 62.

theyardscotland.org.uk On Sundays the Yard opens its doors to the public. Kids can enjoy the adventure playground, get messy in the art room, roll about on the soft play or build a castle in the sandpit.

THE STORY KIST: INCLUSIVE STORYTELLING Scottish Storytelling Centre, Sat 10 Sep, tracscotland.org Multi-sensory stories, games and crafts from Ailie Finlay and Fiona McDonald for children with additional needs and their families.

BIG FISH LITTLE FISH La Belle Angèle, Sun 30 Oct, bigfishlittlefishevents.co.uk Big Fish Little Fish brings together globally renowned DJs, fun craft and play activities for children, and a multisensory dancefloor experience. This is a Hallowe’en themed ‘Skeleton Rave’ with DJ Alex Paterson.

GREAT WATER OF LEITH DUCK RACE AND FAMILY FUN DAY Water of Leith Visitor Centre, Sun 11 Sep, waterofleith.org.uk Not just one but a whole afternoon of charity duck races, with lots of prizes to be won. Fun day starts from 2pm, races start from 3pm.

HALLOWE’EN AT THE CASTLE Lauriston Castle, Sun 30 Oct, edinburghmuseums.org.uk Come in full costume and enjoy an afternoon of treats and fun in the creepy old castle. Watch out for their ghosts and ghouls.

OUTSIDE THE CITIES SUNDAY FUNDAY The Yard Adventure Centre, Sundays until Sun 2 Oct,

FUNBOX: ANIMAL MAGIC The Brunton, Musselburgh, Sat 10

CINDERELLA Macrobert Arts Centre, Sat 8 Oct, macrobertartscentre.org Cheer for poor Cinders and boo the ugly sisters in this classic rags-to-riches tale. WHITE The Brunton, Musselburgh, Sat 8 Oct, catherinewheels.co.uk Catherine Wheels’ popular show set in a world of white, until bright colours start to appear and change everything. Perfect for tinies. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details. DON’T DRIBBLE ON THE DRAGON Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, Fri 14 Oct, ptc.org.uk An adventure about friendship featuring a magical dragon. Also touring, see list.co.uk/kids for details. ALL DAY HALLOWE’EN PARTY Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Sat 29 Oct, almondvalley.co.uk A day of Hallowe’en fun with games, songs and more. The train and tractor rides are open and there is a competition for best dressed and the best carved pumpkin. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 63

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MUSIC

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /music

PJ HARVEY

PHOTO: MARIA MOCHNACZ

Singer-songwriter brings a body of socially conscious work to Glasgow Three years of travelling across Kosovo, Afghanistan and Washington DC with photographer and filmmaker Seamus Murphy led to PJ Harvey’s latest release, The Hope Six Demolition Project. The title references the HOPE VI projects in America where derelict public housing was knocked down to build better homes in which the previous tenants could no longer afford to live, a project that invited justified accusations of social cleansing. With a sense of candidness at its very core, the album was recorded as part of an installation – Recording in Progress – where the public could watch the sessions through one-way glass. This commentary on constant surveillance ties in with this particular release’s documentary vibe – Harvey also wrote a book

of poems about what she experienced at the same time as she wrote the songs for the album. Although she hasn’t always been so globally politically charged in the past, Harvey’s recent wanderlusting is reminiscent of her continued need to diversify in her work. Early in her solo career, Harvey experimented with bluesier sounds, wandering through indie, pop and piano ballad records, and now, if The Hope Six Demolition Project is anything to go by, this European tour can expect a destination of menacing, end of the world anthems. Her Glasgow gig will be at the SECC, the cavernous venue befitting the seismic vibe she will no doubt bring with her. (Kirstyn Smith) ■ SECC, Glasgow, Wed 2 Nov.

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MUSIC | Manuela

FAMILY

GUY Meet Manuela: that’s Manuela Gernedel and her husband, ex-Franz Ferdinand guitarist Nick McCarthy. David Pollock spoke to them about their new project together

t’s been three months since Franz Ferdinand announced possibly the most polite departure of a founding member that popular music has experienced. ‘We’d love to say this is a result of personal or musical differences, but it’s not,’ said the band in a statement at the start of June, which laid out guitarist Nick McCarthy’s reasons for leaving. ‘Those differences are what we formed the band around in the first place.’ Following the release of Franz’s excellent collaboration with Sparks last year, FFS, the recording of the follow-up to their 2013 fourth album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action is imminent. Yet McCarthy now won’t be a part of it. ‘I’m going to concentrate on production and writing some completely different things for a bit,’ he said in the same statement, ‘and we can all look forward to hearing the new Franz Ferdinand album.’ Most pressing of all, one of the things he has to concentrate on is his young family; he and his wife Manuela Gernedel live in London now, and his main reason for leaving the band is to avoid being away from their young children for months at a time. Handily combining child-raising with writing those completely different things, then, McCarthy’s first post-Franz project is Manuela: a collaboration with Gernedel that takes her first name. A debut album is due but currently unscheduled for release on Johnny ‘Pictish Trail’ Lynch’s Eigg-based Lost Map label (see feature, page 68). It’s a suitable home, given the imprint’s track record of releasing interesting and offbeam indie-pop. One track from the collaboration has so far been made public through Lost Map’s site, the irresistible ‘Cracks in the Concrete’. A louche post-punk groove, it’s immediately apparent what Franz Ferdinand will miss – McCarthy’s steely, dramatic guitar-riffing – and

yet Gernedel’s vocal steals the show. It’s warm but reserved, arch but involving, as she sings ‘a baby was born in my house last night / and I dreamt of money and success’, calling to mind Stereolab’s Laetitia Sadier in her open-hearted cool. The album, when it arrives, will feature collaborations with Django Django’s Jim Dixon, Mystery Jets’ William Reese, Veronica Falls’ Roxanne Clifford (herself another Glasgow émigré) and Franz drummer Paul Thomson. Of course, to those who know their music, Gernedel and McCarthy’s new venture has stronger roots in the pair’s Box Codax project (alongside Alex Ragnew) than it does Franz Ferdinand. Responsible for the albums Only An Orchard Away in 2006 and Hellabuster in 2011, this was another outing with a strong collaborative element, with both Metronomy and the artist / musician Martin Creed involved in the latter album. The partnership goes back further than that; Gernedel and McCarthy were both brought up in Bavaria, Germany (she’s from Austria originally, while he was born in Blackpool) and it’s there they started dating and collaborating in 1999. ‘We first met at a summer party in the local youth club in Rosenheim,’ says Gernedel, of the town where they lived. ‘Nick was playing free jazz with his band. I’d played guitar when I was a child but didn’t keep it up, then as a teenager I played bass in a band. I’ve been singing with people on and off, and I’m a visual artist. I mainly make paintings and sculpture.’ She is, in fact, the reason McCarthy was in Glasgow to form Franz Ferdinand in the first place. Although they were often described as an ‘art school’ band, only bassist Bob Hardy went to Glasgow School of Art. As did Gernedel, to study painting, which is why McCarthy moved to Scotland with her.

66 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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Manuela | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music

The Super Tour 21.02.17 Glasgow Clyde Auditorium 22.02.17 Edinburgh Playhouse Buy tickets online: ticketmaster.co.uk atgtickets.com petshopboys.co.uk

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The couple both became embedded in the fertile art school / musician crossover scene in the city, though. Gernedel was in a band with Dixon, Clifford, sometime Franz member Andy Knowles and Celia Hampton named White Night, which released a single on Thomson’s label (David Shrigley created the cover). Gernedel and McCarthy were married in Bavaria in 2005, then she moved to London in 2008, with him following after. ‘It’s been about eight years now, which is shocking,’ she says. ‘I thought we’d just stay for a year or two. Did we move for the weather or because we wanted to go somewhere else? I can’t really remember . . . ’ In London, she studied a Masters at Chelsea College of Arts, then worked as an art teacher for people with learning difficulties. ‘I think it’s more slow than music I’ve done previously, it’s got a stoner vibe,’ says McCarthy of the album, which was recorded in his Hackney studio, Sausage, and is due later this year. ‘It became much more musical than I thought,’ says Gernedel. ‘I had something like spoken word in mind, with minimum instrumentation. But that’s the magic of working with someone else.’ It’s little wonder the record has arrived so quickly, because Sausage is like a second home to the couple. ‘I spend most of my days there,’ says McCarthy. ‘It’s pretty much been a dream of mine since I was 16, to have a room stuffed full of stuff to make music with. So that’s what I’m going to do. And it gives me a chance to go home now and again to watch my children grow up and make me laugh.’ ‘Cracks in the Concrete’ is out now on Lost Map. Manuela play Lost Map’s Howlin’ Fringe presents Future Echoes at Leith Theatre’s Thomas Morton Hall, Edinburgh, Sat 1 Oct.

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MUSIC | Pictish Trail

TRAIL BLAZER David Pollock chats to Pictish Trail (aka Johnny Lynch) about falling apart, moving on and avoiding being a miserable sod

‘T

he album’s about coming to terms with the death and finality of things, and then experiencing new beginnings and all the responsibilities that come with that,’ says Johnny Lynch, aka Pictish Trail (he’s dropped the ‘The’), of his latest album Future Echoes. The follow-up to 2012’s Secret Soundz Vol.2, it’s been the result of a period in Lynch’s life which featured all of the above. ‘I toured that album for over two and a half years,’ he says. ‘By the time that had finished, Fence Records had ended, my relationship with my best friend and mentor had unexpectedly collapsed, I had left Fife and moved to the Isle of Eigg full time, and I found myself having to start again.’ Fence Records, of course, was the semi-legendary (and still running) label founded by Fife’s Kenny ‘King Creosote’ Anderson, the mentor to whom Lynch refers, which both men made into something pretty special through a great bunch of connected artists and their Homegame events. Then they fell out, and Fence as was ended. ‘I felt a strong responsibility to the acts on the Fence roster to keep things going, so Lost Map was born,’ Lynch says, referring to his new, Eigg-based label. ‘Inevitably all these changes fed into the writing and recording of Future Echoes, leading up to the birth of my son last year. I managed to finish the recording just before he was born.’ For this album, Lynch has moved towards something fuller and more streamlined than the old DIY methods of recording which have served him well in the past. His voice still sounds fragile and wistful, but there’s now a depth of electronic texture which adds a plaintive edge to his music, courtesy of an old friend. ‘I began writing in my caravan on Eigg, recording unfinished lo-fi demo ideas on my porta-studio,’ says Lynch.

‘Basically, self-indulgent sad-sack shite. I needed a pal, so I phoned up Adem [Ilhan, his collaborator in Silver Columns six years ago]. He’d just finished producing the Philip Selway album in Radiohead’s studios and was looking for a new project, so I travelled down to his studio space in London.’ It soon became apparent, says Lynch, that ‘this couldn’t be a miserable sod album. Adem could see I was feeling pretty fragile, and made me realise this needed to be a collection of cathartic pop songs. That approach really helped me come to terms with what I was writing about.’ Old friend Rob Jones also helped with production, and drums were played by Alex Thomas, who plays with Squarepusher and Air (‘respectively the fastest and slowest bands of all time’). Lynch’s favourite song from the record changes; at the moment, ‘Who’s Comin’ In?’ and ‘Half-Life’ stand out to him. ‘“Who’s Comin’ In?” is about confronting self-doubt and trying to assert yourself, changing from a deep hip hop-sounding opening to a blissed-out waltz-time ballad. It feels like a new step for me, something that wouldn’t translate easily to just acoustic guitar and vocal. “Half-Life” is a proper heart-thumper, about how things eternally decay, they never really end. It’s pretty dramatic, and the fitting centre-piece of the album, I think. The subject matter of the album is pretty heavy for me, but it’s something I want to watch people dance to. As a musician, there’s no better feeling.’ Future Echoes by Pictish Trail is released on Lost Map on Fri 9 Sep. Lost Map’s Howlin’ Fringe presents Future Echoes is at Leith Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 1 Oct.

68 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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Previews | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music

COSMIC JAZZ

POP CLASSICS

KONSTRUKT

DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE AND HUGH CORNWELL: THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL

Glad Café, Glasgow, Wed 14 Sep Istanbul’s cosmic jazz stars, Konstrukt, unite lo-fi electronics, space rock and free jazz to create their utterly unique sound. Guitarist Umut Çağlar is modest, if bluntly realistic, about the mass appeal of the band’s music. ‘Curiosity helps, but we don’t believe in educated ears. You either like it or you don’t.’ The group – completed by Korhan Futacı on sax, bassist Barlas Tan Özemek and Ediz Hafızoğlu on drums – bring their psychedelic world sounds to Glasgow’s Glad Café in September, with special guest bass saxophonist and improv innovator Tony Bevan. Bevan’s name was a new one to them, Çağlar says, ‘but we always get excited to meet new musicians and discover new possibilities.’ Konstrukt are hardly strangers to tenacious collaborations. Over the years, their gravitational pull has drawn in jazz and improv greats such as Marshall Allen, Evan Parker, Akira Sakata and Thurston Moore. ‘The experimental music scene and audience was very immature when we started to play back in 2008. As we played more and more with those names, we discovered that it taught us to be more flexible, musically, so we’ve never stopped. ‘Anything can happen,’ he says of their Glasgow gig. ‘Considering that this is our first show in Glasgow, excitement and curiosity will shape the music a lot. The place and the audience play a huge role in the music, so it would be appropriate to say that the gig will reflect the fresh energy of performing in Glasgow for the first time. You should come with an open mind and heart.’ (Kirstyn Smith)

Out Fri 14 Oct on Sony Music ‘No one knew he could sing,’ says Hugh Cornwell of John Cooper Clarke, who’s taking to the mic as lead vocalist for the first time in his 67 years. ‘When you tell people, they go: “are you kidding me?”’ It’s an understandable reaction to JCC, snarling, motor-mouthed performance poet that he is. An awkward collaboration with the Invisible Girls a few decades ago is the closest we’ve come to anything remotely related to music from Cooper Clarke, but Cornwell, singer-songwriter and founding member of the Stranglers, has brought him round. ‘I was drunk and listening to “MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris, and I thought: “Wouldn’t it be weird, John, with his very distinctive voice, doing this song?”’ Weird, perhaps, but it works. After mastering ‘MacArthur Park’, the duo decided to go the whole hog and banged out ten hand-picked songs for an album, This Time It’s Personal, a celebration of the classic British and American pop songs the pair grew up with. Think, alongside Harris, the likes of Lieber & Stoller, Richie Valens, Ricky Nelson and Conway Twitty, all given a new aural aesthetic by these most likely of admirers. Their shared influences might raise a few eyebrows, but it’s not like the duo could give a shit. ‘These are great tunes,’ says Cooper Clarke, ‘and we’ve done our very best to respect them and bring them back to life.’ (Kirstyn Smith)

MOVIE SOUNDTRACKS

JOHN CARPENTER

PHOTO: KYLE CASSIDY

Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sat 22 Oct At the age of 68, with only one feature-directing credit to his name in the last decade and a half (the unheralded, Amber Heard-starring 2010 horror The Ward, the follow-up to 2001’s Ghosts of Mars), John Carpenter has stepped into the unexpected position of being one of the most exciting musical draws of 2016. And nobody will grudge him that, for the New York-born film director turned electronic music pioneer has a career which is truly remarkable, both in terms of the range of cult classic films he’s made and the enduring legacy of the electronic scores he wrote for them himself. Back then, these scores were budget-saving devices, but now they’re remembered as vital components of synthesised music’s early days. His greatest hits came throughout the 1970s and 1980s, a run of films which began with the humorous, low-budget 1974 sci-fi epic Dark Star (although the short film The Resurrection of Bronco Billy had already won an Academy Award in 1970, with Carpenter as composer, editor and co-writer) and ended with the anti-establishment action thriller They Live in 1988, after which his edge softened somewhat. His golden period of directing did, however, encompass classics like edgy siege thriller Assault on Precinct 13 (1976), the definitive slasher flick Halloween (1978), dystopian actioner Escape from New York, and the sci-fi horror The Thing (1982). That last film is one of the few that you won’t hear anything from at this show, as Carpenter didn’t compose the score, but reports from early US dates suggest we can expect a fivepiece band which includes his son Cody to recreate the driving tension of most of the above, alongside music from his recent original albums Lost Themes (2015) and Lost Themes II (2016). (David Pollock) 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 69

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MUSIC | Records ALTERNATIVE ROCK

ALBUM OF THE ISSUE

INDIE ROCK

PIXIES

ANGEL OLSEN

Head Carrier (PIAS)

My Woman (Jagjaguwar)

●●●●●

There are many words to live by on this excellent new album from Angel Olsen. ‘Have whatever love you wanna have,’ she commands on alt-country aria ‘Heart Shaped Face’; ‘Let the light shine in’, she advises on galloping grunge chorale ‘Not Gonna Kill You’. And as for ‘Shut Up, Kiss Me’ – well, a woman’s patience has its bounds. Olsen’s earlier albums and previous work leaned more towards downtime Americana and folk, but My Woman thrives on fuzz-pop, indie rock, alt-country and psychedelic soul, variously recalling St Vincent, the Pretenders, Fleetwood Mac and the Shangri-Las. The album was co-produced by Justin Raisen (Charli XCX, Sky Ferreira) and features Seth Kauffman (guitar), Emily Elhaj (bass), Joshua Jaeger (drums) and guitarist Stewart Bronaugh (more guitar). The Missouri-raised singer-songwriter has said of My Woman that although she never strives to make explicit feminist statements in her work, related themes nonetheless make their presence felt. She suggests that one idea at the heart of this record relates to ‘the complicated mess of being a woman and wanting to stand up for yourself, while also knowing that there are things you are expected to ignore, almost, for the sake of loving a man.’ As befits such comments, Olsen’s third long-player affirms her position as a singular, strident rock’n’roll artist, tired of putting up with shit. She questions the power balance of love, and trust, on alt-rock groove ‘Give It Up’ (‘What is it you think I need? Everything? It’s not true’) and refuses to budge on ‘Shut Up, Kiss Me’ (‘Stop pretending I’m not there’). Overlook her at your peril. (Nicola Meighan) ■ Out Fri 2 Sep.

‘I met this real cool dude today / lookin’ like Jack Palance / he said I wanna get through to you / and help you find your talent,’ rumbles Frank Black in the opening seconds of ‘Talent’, and it’s impossible to love a cheap excuse for a rhyme more. Pixies are back, which may be to the excitement of very few after 2014’s drawn-out and meagre comeback record proper Indie Cindy. Yet this feels like the album they should have been making back then, for the most part at least deserving of a place on the shelf alongside Surfer Rosa and Doolittle. What this means in practice, we now discover, is for the Bostonian indie-rockers to remain forever trapped in 1989, to forego maturity for cheap but loveable pop lyrics like the one quoted above, meaty guitar riffs, and Black’s undying, throatily delivered enthusiasm for both. It’s also, crucially, a record which retains Pixies’ sense of essential femininity; bassist Paz Lenchantin (A Perfect Circle, Zwan) became the second replacement for the band’s lone female co-founder Kim Deal in 2013, a few months after the latter had left to concentrate on the Breeders, and this is the record which fully integrates her as a member. Namely, that’s because the charming rawness of her vocal complements Black’s lead parts perfectly on tracks like the more reflective ‘Bel Esprit’, while she takes effective lead herself on ‘All I Think About Now’. This isn’t a record to gather armies of new Pixies fans together – it feels as though their ways are set now, that if you don’t know what you’re expecting you’ve come to the wrong place – but it’s comfortably one which consolidates all that they already had. In its best moments, it’s pretty thrilling, from the sludgy ‘Hey Hey My My’-isms of the title track to the breezy, bittersweet anthemics of ‘Might As Well Be Gone’ and ‘Um Chagga Lagga’s spiky garage rock, a welcome testimony that Pixies are at least back, two years after their first false start. (David Pollock) ■ Out Fri 30 Sep.

CHAMBER POP

PUNK ROCK

MODERN STUDIES

DANNY & THE DARLEANS

Swell To Great (Song, By Toad) ●●●●●

Bug Out (In the Red) ●●●●●

They’re officially a four-piece, but there are five protagonists in chamber-pop cartographers Modern Studies. Emily Scott, Rob St John, Pete Harvey and Joe Smillie craft exquisite hymns and shanties on analogue synths, double bass, cello, drums, guitars and wine-glasses – but the character at the heart of this Glasgow-via-Yorkshire alliance is an old Victorian pedal harmonium, whose creaks and wheezes, puffs and drones, breathe history and life into these melancholy landscape psalms. Swell to Great’s elemental meditations on memory, nature and bodies of water (oceans, rivers, tears, ourselves) are calming and evocative, with a colour palette of bright moons, black streets, hidden depths and bottle greens, all shot through with unspoken blues – from the gorgeous, undulating folk-rock of ‘Dive Bombing’, through the nocturnal reverie of ‘Black Street’, to longing songs awash in salt like ‘Bold Fisherman’, ‘Ten White Horses’ and ‘Swimming’. St John has long excavated nature and environment in his work – from debut album Weald through environmental art explorations like Water of Life and Concrete Antenna. His aesthetic and warm Lancastrian burr chimes beautifully with Scott’s gorgeous voice and rich, poetic song-craft, as gently embellished by Smillie (also boss of Glasgow’s splendid Glad Café) and Harvey (The Leg, King Creosote). The latter’s typically spacious, sublime arrangements are understated and mesmerising. And the old harmonium speaks volumes, conjuring a sense of yearning and times past, as love letters to memories and the faraway slowly unfold. Lilting, orchestral opener ‘Supercool’ yearns across distance (‘Oh the summer, long ago’ . . . ‘Oh the water, so far out’), ‘Father Is A Craftsman’ is a stunning folk-pop ode to tradition, kinship and lineage, and ‘Bottle Green’ marvels at (and perhaps also mourns) ‘The Ocean, deep as hell, flat as stone’. This is a treasure trove of songs that embrace, and transcend, place and time. (Nicola Meighan) ■ Out Mon 12 Sep.

If Bug Out was a flatmate, they’d be the worst. Nocturnal, allergic to the leccy bill and a repeat fridge raider, they’d make you look like a total killjoy by establishing themselves as the life and soul of every party. Danny Kroha, acclaimed graduate of the Gories and the Demolition Doll Rods, has returned as the frontman of messy punk rockers Danny & the Darleans. Consisting of Kroha on vocals and guitar, tornado drummer Richie Wohlfeil and bassist Colleen Burke, they’re a light-hearted, fun rock act. On their second album, they’re not wasting time – only two of the record’s 11 tracks are over three minutes long, and all but one maintain a frenetic tempo. Of course, just because it’s a party album doesn’t mean it won’t make you think. Hidden behind Kroha’s wolfish vocals, leatherback guitar riffs and slackjawed rock’n’roll vocabulary is a rich seam of songwriting dealing with anxiety, science fiction-inspired dread, and on woozy dirge ‘Dr. Finger’, prescription drug addiction. It’s an interesting combination, but doesn’t leave a lot of room to manoeuvre heavy subjects – a problem demonstrated on ‘Leaving Here’. An album highlight featuring guitar riffs that railroad through your headphones, it blends politics with fast-paced rock, throwing proto-feminist statements (‘Hey there have you heard the news / The women in this town have been misused!’) about with wild abandon. Kroha appear to enjoy toying with the vulgarity of hairy, unkempt garage rock, and it seems to work – if they were more refined, they’d probably just sound like Jet. It poses a tough question to listeners though – can you write a decent feminist rock song and still chuck about epithets like ‘chicks’? Maybe, just as with a crappy flatmate’s past crimes against kitchen etiquette, it’s best not to dwell on whether a band who describe themselves as ‘apocalyptic party rockers’ can deliver liberation in a two-minute rock song. Maybe it’s best to just focus on the guitar solos. (Sam Bradley) ■ Out Fri 7 Oct.

70 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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Records | MUSIC

list.co.uk/music EXPERIMENTAL

ELECTRONIC POP

WREKMEISTER HARMONIES

BANKS

Light Falls (Thrill Jockey) ●●●●●

The Altar (Virgin EMI) ●●●●●

‘I wanted to sonically convey the idea of slow, creeping change,’ explains JR Robinson, who forms the core of Wrekmeister Harmonies with Esther Shaw. ‘When I came up with the title I was thinking of how, when daylight turns to night-time, it’s a very gradual process. You are lulled into watching this slow, peaceful sunset but then all of a sudden you look up and it’s dark.’ Light Falls effectively captures his vision with stunning results. The opening triptych starts with ‘Light Falls I – The Mantra’ and gentle looping acoustic guitar, organ and keys subtly build underneath as croaking vocals repeat ‘Stay in / Go out / Get sick / Get well / Light Falls’. ‘Light II – The Light Burns Us All’ drops in a grisly heavyweight guitar dirge before seguing into the gentler ‘Light III – Light Sick’ which repeats the trick. There’s a hypnotic energy in the repetition. A continual progression from light to dark, dragging you deeper and deeper into a sea of shadows. The fragile strings of ‘The Gathering’ contrast with crashing distortion, while the harrowing ‘Some Were Saved, Some Drowned’ is powered by screaming desperation. However, it’s the haunting ‘Where Have You Been My Lovely Son?’ that carries the most emotional weight, inspired by Robinson's fractured relationship with his own son. There are elements of Pink Floyd, Nine Inch Nails, Mogwai and Nick Cave thrown into the mix, but Robinson and Shaw still manage to walk their own distinct path. Less brutal than previous Wrekmeister Harmonies releases, the new lineup features Thierry Amar, Sophie Trudeau and Timothy Herzog of Godspeed You! Black Emperor and you can feel their influence in the song structures; starting quietly then building to monstrous, crashing crescendos. Moments of downbeat delicate grace highlighted by vicious chaos, the apocalypse has never sounded so beautiful. (Henry Northmore) ■ Out Fri 16 Sep.

BANKS is an edgy person. She only ever wears black. She never uses her first name. She raps. There’s a danger though, with the current vogue for cool, electronic pop, that all those beats and synths leave the listener a bit bored. That’s certainly the fate that befell BANKS’ debut album Goddess, lost amid 2014’s flood of nonchalant female-fronted electronic pop. Her second LP sees considerable improvement, navigating empowerment and anxiety while providing shiny, slick pop moments throughout. Promising new single ‘Fuck With Myself’ has BANKS’ voice swooning to and fro in a bold, taut take on self-doubt, while ‘Gemini Feed’ works up from a sombre piano opening to a remixtempting refrain. Similarly on ‘Trainwreck’ and ‘Mind Games’, disquieting songs about paranoia, regret and jealousy are disguised by chart-worthy arrangements while lyrics that would otherwise sound overwrought (‘We were so depressive’) are used as ammunition for synth-saturated bridges and chorus lines, keeping a potentially challenging album accessible. Despite her foray into the territory of the authentic, confessional chanteuse, BANKS makes some pretty heavy missteps. On ‘Judas’, her obsession with 90s R&B tips over into sounding like something that could have genuinely been released by Mis-Teeq, while on ‘Weaker Girl’, she tells us she’s a ‘bad motherfucker’ which is absurd because her first name is Jillian. The Altar is about four tracks too long, and minimalistic strings number ‘Mother Earth’ is not enough to relieve the sense of ennui that descends when you’ve been listening to over an hour of oppressive trap beats. BANKS uses every weapon in the arsenal of the electro-pop siren – from mesmerising choruses, sultry, pulsing electronic beats and tales about relationships too complicated for Facebook – when what she really needs is to cut her material down. (Sam Bradley) ■ Out Fri 30 Sep.

FOLK

ROCK

KING CREOSOTE

TEENAGE FANCLUB

Astronaut Meets Appleman (Domino) ●●●●●

Here (PeMa) ●●●●●

He’s never been an artist who’s given the impression of playing the game or of grasping for fame, but there’s been something of an air of returning to the big(gish) time for Kenny Anderson recently. A cult hero as King Creosote since the late 1990s, he finally hit the wider public consciousness with 2011’s Mercury Prizenominated Diamond Mine, a perfect distillation of his delicate, wistful, perfectly Fife muse, produced in collaboration with Jon Hopkins. The immediate aftermath of this burst of success, however, saw him seem to recoil from the strictures of mainstream fame; efforts to record a Diamond Mine follow-up were resisted, and his next success was of the slow-burn sort, with 2014’s soundtrack to the film From Scotland With Love taking longer to let its sometimes astonishing quality sink into the bones of listeners. Amid the usual plethora of recordings on his own label Fence, then, this return once more to Domino feels like some kind of conscious comeback, a follow-up of sorts to the last half-decade’s two sizeable critical successes. Once more, it’s a great album, yet there’s a greater sense of wistful reserve to Astronaut Meets Appleman than either Diamond Mine or From Scotland With Love bore. Anderson has become a father again and the confusing blend of optimism, fatigue, romance and resignation which accompanies that state is evident here. Opener ‘You Just Want’ moves to a glacial rhythm, a breathy female vocal part and eventually a gorgeous harp in the background; on ‘Melin Wynt’ Anderson dreamily realises ‘with my track record jaws will hit the floor / but all that has to change’; ‘Love Life’ is perhaps cheeriest of all, but still resigned, in this case to not getting any: ‘all my chemicals cry out with desire,’ he sings, ‘Scarlett Johansson was never in my house.’ He dreams of escape to where ‘life is a whole lot safer underground’ on the buzzing, imploring ‘Surface’, but once again his urge to come up for air and put it all out there is heaven for the listener. (David Pollock) ■ Out Fri 2 Sep.

The notion of contentment gets a lacklustre rap in rock’n’roll. But easing into life’s quiet pleasures, and revelling in what we’ve got, are the philosophies at the heart of Teenage Fanclub’s tenth long-player – and it could not be more inspiring or beautiful. The album’s in-the-moment title and pacifying cover art (mountains, forests, waterfalls) set the scene for this heartening record. Opening track, ‘I’m In Love’, is a chiming power-pop serenade whose chorus – ‘It feels good, when you’re next to me, that’s enough’ – recalls 1997’s glorious ‘Ain’t That Enough’. Harmonic folk-rock shimmy ‘Live In the Moment’ urges us to ‘embrace the here and now’, while ‘Hold On’ is a classic pop call-to-arms (‘I don’t hear much fanfare for the common man these days’ . . . ‘Simple pleasures are all we need’). Over 25 years into TFC’s career, there is – perhaps unsurprisingly – more of a sense of looking back these days. It’s in the past tense yearning of shimmering psych-rock psalm ‘I Was Beautiful When I Was Alive’; it’s in the sun-kissed punk of ‘Thin Air’ (‘I was hiding, I was always in disguise’); and it’s all over the longing (yet celebratory) brass fanfares on kaleidoscopic soul-rock trip ‘The First Sight’ (‘To simpler ways I’ll return’. . . ‘Things will pass, it’s just the way it’s always been planned’). The album’s songwriting was split equally between Norman Blake, Raymond McGinley and Gerry Love – each wrote separately, with no prior discussion of over-arching themes – but what emerges is an enlightening, intuitive body of work whose ideas echo and reinforce each other as they venture into unexplored corners, casting welcome light on the darkness of the night, and life. The album’s all-but-final words may be ‘disappear into shadows’, but that only serves as a timely reminder to never lose sight of TFC’s bright wonder. (Nicola Meighan) ■ Out Fri 9 Sep. 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 71

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MUSIC | Records – Jazz & World

JAZZ & WORLD JAZZ

EXPOSURE PHOTO: CAMERON BRISBANE

STEVE LEHMAN Sélébéyone (Pi Recordings) ●●●●● Composer and saxophonist Steve Lehman is one of the sharpest conceptualists in contemporary jazz. Here, he aims to create an uncompromising jazz and hip hop fusion in which all elements are fully integrated. Rather than have his band recreate hip hop loops in real time and then improvise over them, Lehman has developed complex tracks in which the MCs flow and horn players blow over asymmetric beats and shifting metres. The manic Wolof chatter of Senegalese rapper Gaston Bandimic is a good match for HPrizm's gruff New York philosophising, and both MCs negotiate the metrical hurdles and rhythmic traps Lehman sets for them with remarkable skill. Drummer Damion Reid sets off a series of controlled explosions around Lehman and co-composer Maciek Lasserre’s intricate drum programming, while keyboardist Carlos Homs creates sonic fictions from spectral harmony. JAZZ

NATE WOOLEY, HUGO ANTUNES, JORGE QUEIJO, MÁRIO COSTA, CHRIS CORSANO Purple Patio (No Business) ●●●●● Chris Corsano can do the job of several drummers at once, so teaming him with two other percussion maestros might seem like overkill. It’s testament to the skill and musicality of this US-Portuguese quintet that Purple Patio sounds as open as it does. While Corsano can play with astonishing speed and agility, he’s primarily interested in extending the sonic range of the drumkit. As such, he’s a brilliant foil for fellow drummers Jorge Queijo and Mário Costa, as well as Nate Wooley, one of the most innovative trumpet practitioners around. The first few minutes are a high-energy stramash, but it soon settles into a more exploratory mood, with Wooley working through a series of ideas while the drummers find ways to resist the gravitational pull of Hugo Antunes’ bass. WORLD

NOURA MINT SEYMALI Arbina (Glitterbeat) ●●●●● When Noura Mint Seymali played Glasgow's Counterflows festival in 2015, she instigated a full-blown Scottish-Mauritanian ceilidh, the audience dancing wildly in a circle to her band’s psychedelic desert-rock. Her second album Arbina wisely eschews guests and gimmicks to focus on the essentials: Seymali’s soaring, intricate vocals, and the warm storm of her husband Jeiche Ould Chighaly’s guitars, backed by a fluid rhythm section steeped in funk, reggae and rock. Chigaly burns through hypnotic riffs and serpentine coils of quarter-tone flash, while Seymali declaims majestically, a true 21st-century griot. WORLD

METÁ METÁ MM3 (Jazz Village/PIAS) ●●●●● 2016 has been a strong year for Brazilian avant-rock, with septugenerian Elza Soares receiving deserved acclaim for her searing The Woman At The End of the World. Metá Metá might be younger, but their ‘samba sujo’ (dirty samba) pulls off a similar trick of fusing the melodic delicacy of Brazilian song with the energy of punk. Metá Metá guitarist Kiko Dinucci was a key player on that album, and brings jagged post-punk riffs, spacey textures and buoyant Afropop licks to the rhythm section’s chunky grooves here. Saxophonist Thiago Franca plays a largely melodic role, making occasional forays into free-jazz all the more exciting, while Juçara Marçal is a compelling vocalist. WORLD

PAT THOMAS Coming Home: Original Ghanaian Highlife & Afrobeat Classics 1967–1981 (Strut) ●●●●● Pat Thomas, aka ‘The Golden Voice of Africa’ released his first international studio album last year, a selftitled effort with the Kwashibu Area Band. The album found the great Ghanaian singer in fine voice. This compilation fills in the back story, taking us from the highlife of the late 60s, through to the Afrobeat classics of the 70s. Highlights include the remarkable electro-disco banger ‘Gyae Su’ and two fierce collaborations with the mighty Ebo Taylor. (All reviews by Stewart Smith)

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SAVAGE MANSION It’s all potent power pop and dreamy fuzz from Glasgow’s Savage Mansion. Comprising Craig Angus and pals – namely Catholic Action’s Jamie Dubber and Andrew MacPherson, plus Rapid Tan’s Taylor Stewart – the group have an EP on the way in October. We caught up with Angus for a chat about the record, civic pride and who they rate on the scene these days. On their upcoming EP All the songs on Everyone to the Savage Mansion were written in the space of a week – it was quite liberating. I’d recently moved back to my parents’ house and I was crossing paths with people from my childhood and adolescence, and my cat had just died, so there was a lot going on in my head. On their creative workings I write all the songs, I demo them by myself and send them to everyone and then we jam it out. At that point they improve significantly. I’m lucky to have the other guys on board, they’re absolutely brilliant musicians and they’ve all made contributions to the songs that make them what they are. On their peers Spinning Coin are excellent – they’re doing things on their own terms and reaching people who don’t like them just because they’ve been hyped relentlessly. I’m a big fan of the Yawns and Sean [Armstrong, Yawns vocalist]’s solo stuff. Lush Purr are excellent too. Anxiety are incredible and one of the best live acts I’ve seen in a long time. On Scotland’s music scene There’s so many folk making music it’s hard to keep up, which is a positive thing. There’s a community spirit, y’know? But I listen to music from all over the place and don’t let the civic pride take over too much. I notice a lot of the bands are making connections across the UK and Europe and putting on like-minded bands. That kind of networking keeps everyone going. (As told to Kirstyn Smith) ■ Everyone to the Savage Mansion is out via Cool Your Jets on Fri 7 Oct.

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COMING UP IN THE FRINGE AT THE QUEEN’S HALL

TINA MAY & ENRICO PIERANUNZI Thu 29 September Jazz singer and pianist make beautiful music together

ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM Sat 1 October The two legends celebrate their 30th Anniversary

STEVE HOWE Sat 15 October Homebrew 6 tour. Don’t miss this superb artist.

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Highlights | MUSIC

HITLIST

beloved Fannies play through their melodic indie classics.

TEENAGE FANCLUB The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Tue 6 Sep, liquidroom.com The

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE O2 ABC, Glasgow, Tue 6 Sep, academymusicgroup. com/o2abcglasgow Psychedelic experimental music from Baltimore, back with new album Painting With.

ARAB STRAP Barrowland, Glasgow, Sat 15 & Sun 16 Oct, glasgow-barrowland. com Scottish rock duo (Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton) reunited for the group’s 20th anniversary. JOHN CARPENTER Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sat 22 Oct, usherhall.

co.uk Soundtracks and electronic soundscapes from the horror / sci-fi director. See preview, page 69. AMANDA PALMER The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Wed 26 Oct, liquidroom.com One awesome half of the Dresden Dolls, mixes Weimar cabaret with old

school blues. PJ HARVEY Secc, Glasgow, Wed 2 Nov, secc.co.uk See preview, page 63. ANNA MEREDITH CCA, Glasgow, Wed 2 Nov, cca-glasgow. com Autumn gig from composer and 2016 SAY Award winner .

MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

GLASGOW RODDY WOOMBLE Òran Mór, Fri 9 Sep, oran-mor. co.uk The Idlewild frontman has established a formidable back catalogue of contemporary folk solo work. MATIAS AGUAYO & THE DESDEMONAS Nice’n’Sleazy, Tue 13 Sep, nicensleazy.com Full live band show from the house / techno producer and vocalist. FLATBUSH ZOMBIES The Garage, Sun 18 Sep, garageglasgow.co.uk Dark, political R&B trio from Flatbush in Brooklyn. RAT BOY Barrowland, Mon 19 Sep, glasgow-barrowland.com Hip hop and punk from Chelmsford singer and producer, Jordan Cardy. ELVANA O2 ABC, Sat 24 Sep, Feeder

The Amorettes

academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Elvis-fronted Nirvana tribute combining rock’n’roll with grunge. THE AMORETTES King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Sat 24 Sep, kingtuts.co.uk Glaswegian hard rock trio. Also Electric Circus, Edinburgh, Sun 25 Sep, theelectriccircus.biz WATSKY King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Tue 27 Sep, kingtuts.co.uk Aka San Francisco rapper / slam poet George Watsky. FEEDER O2 ABC, Wed 28 Sep, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Britrock which is as comfortable and safe as a pair of old slippers. MITSKI Stereo, Tue 4 Oct, stereocafebar. com Gutsy indie rock from Mitski. MICHAEL KIWANUKA The Vic Cafe Bar, Glasgow School of Art Students’ Association, Thu

6 Oct, theartschool.co.uk Soulful / jazzy singer-songwriter who topped the BBC’s Sound of 2012 poll. SKINNY LISTER Nice ‘n’ Sleazy, Fri 7 Oct, nicensleazy.com Folky sounds from the London five-piece. TENEMENT TRAIL Various venues, Sat 8 Oct, tenementtv.com/tenement-trail The likes of Milburn, Crash Club, Be Charlotte, Tijuana Bibles, Declan Welsh, the Van T’s, the Paper Kites, the Spook School, Phoria and many more play this Tenement TVpromoted gig crawl, which takes in Nice’n’Sleazy, O2 ABC2, Broadcast, Flat 0 / 1 and King Tut’s.

o2academyglasgow A celebration of punk rock, ska, reggae and roots with a lineup of Less Than Jake, The Skints and Mariachi El Bronx. BOB MOULD BAND The Garage, Mon 10 Oct, garageglasgow.co.uk American singer / songwriter / guitar hero and giant of US alternative rock, founder member of seminal bands Hüsker Dü and Sugar. JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW O2 ABC, Mon 10 Oct, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Indie folk singersongwriter from Dublin with a tremulous tone.

WILD BEASTS Queen Margaret Union, Sat 8 Oct, qmunion.org.uk Flamboyant Weimar cabaret-like sounds and mellower, broodier material from touted Lake District quartet Wild Beasts.

STEVE MASON The Vic Cafe & Bar, Glasgow School of Art Students’ Association, Wed 12 Oct, theartschool.co.uk Ex-Beta Band frontman plays material from his beguiling solo albums.

FIREBALL: FUELLING THE FIRE TOUR O2 Academy Glasgow, Sun 9 Oct, academymusicgroup.com/

RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY TOUR Various venues, Thu 13–Sun 16 Oct, redbullmusicacademy.com 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 75

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MUSIC | Highlights

MUSIC HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED Red Bull Music Academy returns to Glasgow on its UK tour. This year’s lineup features nights from Numbers, La Cheetah, Jackmaster, a full live show from Kölsch and a conversation about music and politics with Mercury-winners Young Fathers.

Honeyblood

ANGEL OLSEN SWG3, Sat 15 Oct, swg3.tv Chicago-based electro pop singersongwriter. See album review, page 70. BARB WIRE DOLLS Stereo, Sun 16 Oct, stereocafebar. com The quartet, formed on the Greek island of Crete, perform hard-edge punk-rock. Also Bannerman’s, Edinburgh, Sat 15 Oct, bannermanslive.co.uk JAMIE T O2 Academy Glasgow, Mon 17 Oct, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow London-based rap and reggae artist. JENNY HVAL Stereo, Mon 17 Oct, stereocafebar.com Experimental singer-songwriter from Norway. SLEAFORD MODS O2 ABC, Wed 19 Oct, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Nottingham punk and electro duo. LE BUTCHERETTES King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Fri 21 Oct, kingtuts.co.uk Mexican garage punk two-piece outfit. BIRDY O2 ABC, Fri 28 Oct, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow The vocalist, also known as Jasmine van den Bogaerde, performs gentle folk pop including her well-known cover of Bon Iver’s ‘Skinny Love’. Also Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Sat 29 Oct, edinburghcornexchange.com AMON AMARTH O2 ABC, Tue 1 Nov, academymusicgroup.com/ o2abcglasgow Swedish Viking metal warriors, with support from thrash pioneers Testament and Grand Magus.

EDINBURGH MT DOUBT Henry’s Cellar Bar, Fri 2 Sep, henryscellarbar.co.uk Dark pop and alt.rock noises from Mt Doubt as they launch their single, ‘Thirst’.

SCRUFF OF THE NECK RECORDS SHOWCASE Sneaky Pete’s, Sat 3 Sep, sneakypetes.co.uk The company shows off its recent signings with We Came From Wolves, Exit the Theatre and We Came From the North. WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS La Belle Angèle, Tue 6 Sep, la-belleangele.com Breakneck alt. rock with strident, jangling guitars. REVOLUTION GIRL STYLE NOW Leith Depot, Sat 17 Sep, leithdepot.com Regular live music nights featuring Edinburgh’s best female artists, this time with Fistymuffs, Playing With Punkarella, Spat and The Twistettes. RICHARD HAWLEY The Queen’s Hall, Thu 22 Sep, thequeenshall.net Solo acoustic show from the former guitarist with The Longpigs and Pulp, now punting his swooning, crooning sound. SUPA & DA KRYPTONITES Electric Circus, Fri 23 Sep,

theelectriccircus.biz Scottish hip hop, reggae and funk seven-piece. VINNY PECULIAR The Voodoo Rooms, Fri 23 Sep, thevoodoorooms.com Salfordbased art pop singer-songwriter and poet. THE WONDER STUFF The Liquid Room, Fri 30 Sep, liquidroom.com Fraggle rockers from the late 80s and early 90s, scattering their perky, subtly clever indie pop around once more. FUTURE ECHOES Thomas Morton Hall, Leith Theatre, Sat 1 Oct, lostmap.com Lost Map’s Howlin’ Fringe presents Future Echoes, an all-day cosmic party, featuring off-kilter indiefolktronica from Pictish Trail, The Comet is Coming, Kid Canaveral, Rick Redbeard, Monoganon and more. See Pictish Trail feature, page 68. HONEYBLOOD Electric Circus, Thu 6 Oct, theelectriccircus.biz Glasgow-

based grunge rock duo featuring Cat Myers on drums and Stina Tweeddale on guitar and vocals. BOO HEWERDINE The Voodoo Rooms, Thu 6 Oct, thevoodoorooms.com Admired pop / blues songsmith, founder of cult band the Bible and frequent collaborator with Eddi Reader. MYSTERY JETS The Liquid Room, Sat 8 Oct, liquidroom.com London band who are the missing link between Can, Dexy’s and The Zutons, now with an added 80s electro edge. VIC GODARD & SUBWAY SECT The Wee Red Bar, Sat 15 Oct, weeredbar.co.uk Punk-pop pioneer Vic Godard and Subway Sect. TELEMAN Electric Circus, Thu 20 Oct, the electriccircus.biz London trio who have been described as ‘like the Beach Boys if they were from Hackney’.

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OPEN O PEN S SEVEN EVEN D DAYS AY S ’T ’TIL TIL 3 3AM AM

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MUSIC | Classical

L A C I S AS

NEW COMMISSIONS

BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: THOMAS DAUSGAARD City Halls, Glasgow, Thu 22 Sep After signing off with the final bars of Schoenberg’s ‘Gurrelieder’ in the closing concert of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival, Donald Runnicles stepped down as chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Taking up the role from September is Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard. His first season has a strong Scottish emphasis, with a focus on new orchestral music through the launch of Scottish Inspirations, a series of five new BBC commissions inspired by Scottish culture and a sense of national identity. The first of these, by Scottish composer Helen Grime, takes inspiration from a painting – Catterline in Winter – by Scottish artist Joan Eardley and can be heard in the 2016 / 17 season’s opening concert, paired with Bruckner’s ‘Symphony No 9’ in a recently completed version which has its first outing in Glasgow. Further into the season, as well as a second Eardley-inspired piece by Helen Grime, new music from Sally Beamish, Jay Capperauld and Edmund Finnis will complete the Scottish Inspirations commissions. ‘We’ve asked composers to write for us inspired by this unique part of the world, Scotland,’ says Dausgaard. ‘There’s going to be world premieres, UK premieres, great music and I look forward to sharing it in my first season here.’ Sitting in on rehearsals of the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra as a boy, he became curious about conductors and conducting, taking up the cello so that he could be part of a youth orchestra. Inspired further by their conductor, Dausgaard became hooked on orchestral conducting and has never looked back. ‘It’s about connecting us all and making us speak with one voice.’ (Carol Main)

CLASSICAL HIGHLIGHTS SCOTTISH OPERA: THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Wed 12, Fri 14, Sun 16, Tue 18, Thu 20, Sat 22 Oct, atgtickets.com Hit production of Mozart’s much loved opera by Sir Thomas Allen opens Scottish Opera’s new season with Emerging Artist Ben McAteer in the title role. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ theatre for details DUNEDIN CONSORT: MONTEVERDI VESPERS St Mary’s Church, Haddington, Fri 9 Sep, lammermuirfestival.co.uk Opening this year’s Lammermuir Festival, the Dunedin Consort present Monteverdi’s spectacular masterpiece from 1610, written for grand scale Venetian church performance. Also Perth Concert Hall, Sun 11 Sep.

PHOTO: MARK HAMILTON

HITLIST

GLASGOW BBC SSO: THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS City Halls, Candleriggs, Thu 20 Oct, glasgowconcerthalls.com/ city-halls An evening of Berlin style decadence with smoky, sultry German cabaret and radical politics coming together in Kurt Weill’s final piece for the theatre. Great chance to hear Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman in the central role of Anna.

EDINBURGH THE MARIAN CONSORT St Mary’s Church, Haddington, Mon 12 Sep, lammermuirfestival. co.uk The Lammermuir Festival welcomes the early music vocal ensemble of young singers as part of their Breaking the Rules tour. An exploration of the weird and wonderful world of Renaissance composer Gesualdo, it’s a cross between a play and a concert. SUNDAY CLASSICS: STÉPHANE DENÈVE CONDUCTS BRUSSELS

The Marriage of Figaro PHILHARMONIC Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Sun 2 Oct, usherhall.co.uk Held in affection by Scottish audiences from his time with the RSNO, the charming French conductor returns to the Usher Hall with the Brussels Philharmonic, of which he is now Music Director. SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: BERLIOZ ‘L’ENFANCE DU CHRIST’ Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Thu 20 Oct, usherhall.co.uk. The story of Christ’s birth and early years is vividly told in this grandiose piece for choir, soloists and orchestra with many magical moments in addition to the well known ‘Shepherd’s Farewell’ not generally heard until Christmas time.

Also City Halls, Glasgow, Fri 21 Oct, glasgowconcerthalls.com/ city-halls GILDAS QUARTET St Vincent’s Chapel, St Stephen Street, Stockbridge, Sat 22 Oct, gildasoct22.brownpapertickets. com A good opportunity not only to hear some intriguing music by an excellent up-and-coming string quartet, but also to see inside the little church, nestled in a corner of Stockbridge.

OUTSIDE THE CITIES ECHOES AND TRACES: NOBILIS HUMILIS Stirling Castle, Old Town, Thu 1 Sep, echoesandtraces.com Eight new choral works by Scottish composers, performed by Cappella Nova, in a world premiere tour in historic Scottish venues around the country. The music is based on a 900-year-old plainchant fragment from Orkney in celebration of St Magnus. Also Glasgow Cathedral Fri 2 Sep; Duff House, Aberdeenshire, Sun 4 Sep; St Magnus Cathedral, Orkney, Mon 5 Sep; Iona Abbey, Wed 7 Sep; Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh, Thu 8 Sep.

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THEATRE

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /theatre

SCOTTISH BALLET: EMERGENCE

PHOTO: ANDY ROSS

Crystal Pite’s vision of swarm intelligence buzzes with beauty In a buzzing vision of social organisation, Crystal Pite’s Emergence uses classical technique to draw lines between insect colonies, bird flocks and ballet corps. The Canadian choreographer was inspired by ideas of swarm intelligence – solving problems as a group – and her piece forms half of Scottish Ballet’s autumn double bill, alongside Sophie Laplane’s Sibilo. At first we see only principal dancer Sophie Martin, the lighting making an insectile cocoon of her body, which hatches into a duet of twisted limbs and inhuman angles. At the back of the stage, Jay Gower Taylor’s striking set of nesting black lines burns into a tunnel and suddenly the full charge into the hive begins. There’s an infectious energy to the irregular movements flowing through the corps: a

shoulder shift passing from one dancer to another; the teeter of pointe shoes rattling across the stage. You feel their impenetrable solidity in being part of a mass. But conflicts also emerge. In one darkly gleeful moment of gender power-play, a glamour-packed chorus line of women marches, locked at the arms, towards incoming men, each of whom are repelled before their force. Though precise, the divisions and defections never feel militaristic; on the contrary, Pite’s patterns thrum with a beautiful asymmetrical, imperfect vision of order. (Lucy Ribchester) ■ Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Thu 29 Sep–Sat 1 Oct. Emergence reviewed at Edinburgh International Festival. ●●●●●

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rating b e l e c stival at Platform e f g n nth lo creativity o m A ars of 10 ye Through ou see web t October si www.pla te for details tform-on line.co.u k

80 THE LIST 1 Sepâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;3 Nov 2016

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Previews & Reviews | THEATRE

list.co.uk/theatre POLITICAL DRAMA

DEMOCRACY Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Tue 6–Sat 10 Sep; King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Thu 29 Sep–Sat 1 Oct; touring Scotland through Sep & Oct Although writer Michael Frayn is best known for his playful parody of theatre folk, Noises Off, his play Democracy is a weightier look at cold war politics. Based on true events, it goes back to 1969 to capture the anxiety of Willy Brandt, newly elected chancellor of West Germany, as he faces internal and external threats. With his party plotting against him, and a possible East German spy in his inner circle, Brandt’s predicament is suddenly, and sadly, relevant in the aftermath of the Brexit vote, but director Michael Emans notices an even deeper resonance. ‘The play is one that I have always wanted to tackle,’ he says, ‘as it has echoes of the great Shakespearean power plays that I love.’ Emans’ Rapture Theatre has long toured great scripts around Scotland – including Arthur Miller’s All My Sons and Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, given a Scottish twist. Yet Democracy is an explicitly political story. ‘It is extremely prescient in a world that is becoming increasingly politicised,’ he admits. However, he sees theatre as, if not a remedy, part of the political narrative. ‘The feedback we receive at post-show discussions tells us that theatre is the ideal forum for discussion: our work is there to entertain but by entertain we mean to stimulate, challenge and provoke and that feedback tells us we do that.’ Having enlisted a couple of famous Scottish actors, Colin McCredie from Taggart and River City’s Sean Scanlan, Emans maintains the vision that has marked Rapture’s productions: a serious script, given his distinctive directorial touch, with popular appeal. Democracy is timely, but it also has the intrigue of a classic spy story, evoking John Le Carré, and places the current problems in the EU within their historical context. (Gareth K Vile)

PHOTO: CLEAR PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: SALLY JUBB

POLITICAL THEATRE

CRIME DRAMA

ADAPTATION

THE RED SHED

A STEADY RAIN

TRAINSPOTTING

Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 6–Sat 8 Oct, then touring. Reviewed at Traverse Theatre as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe ●●●●●

Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 16–Sat 24 Sep

Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 14 Sep–Sat 8 Oct

Well known for his ability to sweeten his socialist message with a spoonful of comedy and effortless theatricality, Mark Thomas is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wakefield Labour Club, where he first engaged in political theatre. He begins a quest to discover whether the romantic story, upon which he has built his political beliefs, has any basis in truth, making a show that is part tribute to the resilience of the labour movement and part local history. Thomas’ usual tactics – interviews with allies and supporters, a personal take on large events (this time, the miners’ strike) and his amiable persona – are placed at the service of the big question: is it important that a story tells the complete truth? Inevitably, this isn’t resolved, but his adventure allows him to cast light on an increasingly marginalised era. It also reaffirms his socialist beliefs. Less interested in persuading the audience of the rightness of his cause than strengthening its importance, Thomas strays from his central story, adding detail but occasionally shifting attention from the cause to himself. Nevertheless, it provides the passion and thoughtfulness that has characterised his recent theatrical outings. (Gareth K Vile)

Theatre Jezebel has a reputation for selecting scripts that are unafraid of addressing provocative issues: A Steady Rain, from Mad Men and House of Cards writer Keith Huff, dives into themes of friendship, police corruption and violent crime. A familiar scenario – two cops on the mean streets of Chicago – becomes a raw study of men surviving on the edges of justice. Enlisting Robert Jack (Gary: Tank Commander) and Andy Clark (who is becoming a contemporary legend on the Scottish stage with his performances in Lanark and Prudencia Hart), director Mary McCluskey sees this production in the company’s tradition. ‘Theatre Jezebel has a belief in the strength of creatives working in Scotland today,’ she says. ‘We produce plays that Scottish audiences have not had the opportunity to see. Our approach is simple yet stylish, allowing the actors to tell the story and shine.’ With Kenny Miller on design duties, Jezebel promise a subtle yet striking set, and, for all its streetwise plot, McCluskey recognises A Steady Rain’s deeper qualities. ‘It deals with universal issues that challenge the human condition. What is loyalty? How does a good man turn bad? Are people born evil or does circumstance make it so? How far is too far?’ (Gareth K Vile)

Citizens Theatre stage director in residence, Gareth Nicholls, is taking on an iconic story 22 years after it first arrived at the Gorbals’ theatre. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh’s famous 1980s-set story of a group of drug addicts from Leith, will this year be adapted for the stage by Harry Gibson and directed by Nicholls. Having recently received plaudits for his uncompromising work on Vanya and Into That Darkness, Nicholls has enjoyed the challenge. ‘I think we’ve such a good balance between honouring the book, play and all those iconic scenes,’ he says, ‘while also subverting a few expectations, popping in a few surprises and reimagining the world for a 21stcentury audience.’ Having confessed to never seeing any stage productions of Trainspotting before, Nicholls believes he can bring a fresh perspective, and that it still speaks volumes as a meditation on contemporary society. He adds: ‘What the piece explores, politically, socially, culturally, seems more urgent than ever, and the more we work on it, the more I realise just how important this story is . . . of a disenfranchised group of people marginalised by society, struggling to escape their own limited circumstances – and that story feels very modern indeed.’ (Lorna Irvine) 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 81

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THEATRE | Previews PHOTO: ALASTAIR MUIR

PHOTO: KEVIN CUMMINS

BIOGRAPHICAL MUSICAL

MUSICAL

SUNNY AFTERNOON

BILLY ELLIOT

King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 11–Sat 15 Oct

Edinburgh Playhouse, Tue 20 Sep–Sat 22 Oct

This Kinks-inspired production has more going for it than your average retro cash-in. For one thing, the Kinks – while undeniably part of the bedrock of 1960s British-made pop-rock – don’t have the same level of mainstream ubiquity as, say, the Beatles, Abba or Queen. Sure, you’ll recognise a fair whack of the soundtrack – particularly ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Waterloo Sunset’ and the title song – but there’ll just as likely be moments where you say, ‘Oh, this is the Kinks as well? I love this one.’ Sunny Afternoon also benefits from travelling down the biographical route – rather than rifling through the band’s back catalogue and shoehorning in a plot around the hits, the show tracks the Kinks’ rise to fame in the rapidly changing Great Britain of the 1960s. It’s got a lot more in common with Let It Be or the highly lauded Jersey Boys than it does with Mamma Mia or the dismal We Will Rock You. It picked up a slew of Olivier awards last year, including Best New Musical and an Outstanding Achievement in Music gong for Kinks frontman Ray Davies. The only negative thing to say about it is that it doesn’t feature that sublime number ‘The Village Green Preservation Society’, but you can’t have everything. (Niki Boyle)

A coming-of-age, triumph-over-adversity tale it may be, but at the core of Billy Elliot beats a political heart. So when writer Lee Hall was asked to turn his heartwarming yet gritty film into a stage musical, it understandably gave him pause for thought. ‘I was initially quite worried,’ says Hall. ‘Because although Billy Elliot has a fairytale structure, it came from my own experience of growing up in the northeast of England during the Thatcher years and the miners’ strike. It’s about some of the hardships those communities suffered, and I didn’t want that to be sentimentalised in any way.’ Speaking to the show’s co-creators, director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling, and songwriter Elton John, however, Hall realised they weren’t the first people to use musical theatre to make a point – and that Billy Elliot could follow in those footsteps. ‘I thought about the very strong tradition of plays with music that aren’t glitzy, a lot of which came out of Scotland with John McGrath and 7:84,’ says Hall, ‘and also Joan Littlewood’s Oh, What a Lovely War, and I realised if we inhabited that space we could tell a story about ordinary working class characters that wasn’t patronising or sentimental, and make something really unique.’ (Kelly Apter)

GREEK TRAGEDY

THE SUPPLIANT WOMEN Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 1–Sat 15 Oct David Greig begins his tenure as artistic director at the Lyceum with a bold choice, adapting Aeschylus’ The Suppliant Women. ‘It is one of the oldest plays in existence,’ he explains. ‘It was written at the moment when theatre and democracy were beginning, at the point where Athens was becoming an empire, and had to deal with immigration.’ Not only is Greig placing the play in a tradition reaching back to classical Greece, he uses the tradition to engage with a pressing concern through a mythological plot. ‘Fifty women from Egypt ask the king for asylum,’ he explains, ‘If he takes them in, he invites war: if he doesn’t, he brings pollution for refusing suppliants. He doesn’t know how to respond, so he puts it to a vote.’ This early description of a democracy marks a foundational moment of western civilisation, and theatre was already part of the conversation. Reuniting Greig with director Ramin Gray and composer John Browne – the team behind his Fringe success, The Events – the production also reintroduces a lost instrument, the aulos, once used in Greek tragedies. Recognising that Athenian drama comes from a distant culture, Greig balances familiar themes against the unfamiliarity of the tragic format: he emphasises the ‘highly poetic, highly formal language, and its ritual nature’. But more than this, he concludes ‘it’s an incredible way to look at the issues through the prism of a two and a half thousand-year-old script’. (Gareth K Vile) 82 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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The Herald

The Guardian

The Scotsman

The Stage

The Independent

“Joe Douglas’s glorious revival of what’s arguably the single most important show in the whole history of Scottish theatre.” The Scotsman

Dundee Rep Ensemble presents

John McGrath’s

The Cheviot, the Stag & the Black , Black Oil 14th - 24th September TICKETS 0131 248 4848 lyceum.org.uk

Royal Lyceum Theatre Company Ltd is a Registered Company No. SC062065. Scottish Charity Registered No. SC010509.

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DANCE | Previews AMERICAN MODERN DANCE

E C N A D

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 18 & Wed 19 Oct

PHOTO: PAUL KOLNIK

Dance fans can often be vocal with their appreciation, but nobody gets a response quite like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater does. Every few years, when the company visits the UK as part of a Dance Consortium tour, it attracts hardcore fans and newcomers alike – both of whom throw a whole lot of love at the stage. A dancer with the Ailey company for 21 years, Linda Celeste Sims has had her fair share of curtain calls, and knows one of the reasons the applause is so boisterous – Revelations. Created in 1960 by the company’s founder, Alvin Ailey, and set to traditional African-American gospel songs, the work closes every performance on tour. ‘It’s such a powerful work, the music is so touching and the movement speaks for itself,’ says Sims. ‘We’re the only company who does it, so if we go back to a theatre after a couple of years and we don’t do Revelations, people get kind of upset.’ Revelations may be the jewel in the Ailey company crown, but a whole host of other treasures are headed our way. The tango-inspired Piazzolla Caldera by dance luminary Paul Taylor, Christopher Wheeldon’s gentle After the Rain Pas de Deux and Exodus by hip hop choreographer Rennie Harris are all on the bill, along with two works by Ailey regular Ronald K Brown – crowd-pleasers all. ‘Because we bring a little bit of everything, we find our shows really change people who have a certain idea of what dance is, and think it can be kind of boring,’ says Sims. ‘So people who don’t even like to go to the theatre love it, which is so cool.’ (Kelly Apter)

PHOTO: JANE HOBSON

CONTEMPORARY DANCE

RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 23 Sep Born in the dance halls of late 19th-century Argentina, tango has reinvented itself many times, but it’s not often you find the style cropping up in contemporary dance. It fired the imagination of choreographer Martin Lawrance, however, whose tango-inspired work Tangent receives its world premiere in Edinburgh, as part of a quadruple bill from Richard Alston Dance Company. ‘Not many people know this, but I first started ballroom and tango at the age of nine,’ says Lawrance. ‘My grandparents used to take me and my sister to weekly lessons, and that’s where the fascination started.’ Set to the music of the late great tango nuevo exponent Astor Piazzolla, Tangent follows in the wake of previous Lawrance creations for the Richard Alston company, none of which have been short on passion.‘I find the closeness of pure Argentinian tango passionate and sensual, and that influenced me while making the piece,’ he says. ‘However I’m not recreating tango, this is a Lawrance version.’ Lawrance’s dramatic work Stronghold is also on the autumn programme, alongside two works by Alston himself, An Italian in Madrid and Mazur – none of which have been seen in Edinburgh before. For the former dancer turned company associate choreographer, owning half the bill is a big step ‘My previous work, Burning, was such a big success with Edinburgh audiences, it will be interesting to see how it works having two Lawrance pieces on the bill.’ (Kelly Apter)

PHOTO: BILL COOPER

NEO-CLASSICAL BALLET

BALLET BLACK Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 28 & Sat 29 Oct It was during a trip to New Orleans that choreographer Christopher Hampson hit upon a name for the central character in Storyville, his 2012 work for Ballet Black. A popular acronym for the city, NOLA (short for New Orleans, Louisiana) became a woman living in the 1920s. ‘It’s the age old story of a simple country girl who goes to make a life for herself in the big city, but it doesn’t go quite according to plan,’ explains Hampson. ‘And two of the characters who have the biggest impact on Nola’s life are actually real people who lived in Storyville, which was a district in New Orleans in the early 20th century.’ Set to the music of Kurt Weill, including ‘Mack the Knife’, Storyville was a big hit with audiences and critics when it premiered in London four years ago – hence its place on the company’s UK tour. It’s one of three diverse works the award-winning Ballet Black are bringing to Glasgow this autumn, along with Arthur Pita’s duet Cristaux and Christopher Marney’s To Begin, Begin. The UK’s only ballet company for dancers of black and Asian descent, Ballet Black has received criticism for being separatist. But as far as Hampson is concerned, its work is nothing short of essential. ‘I really do think that what Cassa Pancho the artistic director is doing is absolutely vital,’ he says. ‘Because what she constantly says is she’s waiting for the normalness of it all. It might be that we’re beginning to have ethnic diversity on stage, but until that’s mirrored in the audience I don’t think her job is done.’ (Kelly Apter)

84 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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THE LEMON TREE, ABERDEEN / DANCE LIVE FESTIVAL 2016 Saturday 22 October THE NORTH WALL ARTS CENTRE, OXFORD Wednesday 26 October TRON THEATRE, GLASGOW Tuesday 1 November & Wednesday 2 November EASTWOOD PARK THEATRE, GIFFNOCK Thursday 3 November THE BRUNTON, MUSSELBURGH Friday 4 November PAISLEY ARTS CENTRE Saturday 5 November BIRNAM ARTS CENTRE, DUNKELD Thursday 10 November BYRE THEATRE, ST ANDREWS Sunday 13 November AROS CENTRE, ISLE OF SKYE Tuesday 15 November EDEN COURT, INVERNESS Thursday 17 November MULL THEATRE, TOBERMORY Saturday 19 November www.chordelia.co.uk / www.solarbear.org.uk

A CITIZENS THEATRE PRODUCTION

TRAINSPOTTING

P SE 14 LY! ES ON RI V KS A R W EE 3

artistic exchange between the U.K. and China. Last year, there were two performance delegates participated in this festival; this year they have the following six performance and exhibition teams to join: Hubei Provincial Peking Opera, Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University (Chinese singing and dancing), Shanghai Theatre Academy (puppet show), Fudan University Drama Troupe (Richard II), Suzhou Museum of Inscribed Stone Tablet and Mr. Lifan Wu, modern Chinese Ink Painting Artist. As an important part of Edinburgh Senior officials from Consulate Fringe Festival, Scotland China General of the People’s Republic of Chamber of Commerce has organised China in Edinburgh, General of Hubei the 2nd Chinese Arts and Culture Provincial Department of Culture, China, Festival on the 14th of August, 2016. South Ayrshire Council, Visit Scotland It has attracted about 2,000 audiences. and Scotland Confucius Institute The Chinese Arts and Culture Festival delivered speech or made comments at the festival’s Chinese Art Seminar and has grown from strength to strength, VIP Welcome Session. greatly promoting the cultural and

By Irvine Welsh Adapted by Harry Gibson

www.scotchinachamber.org TEL: +44(0)131 4782130 info@scotchinachamber.org

BOOK NOW

0141 429 0022 citz.co.uk Citizens Theatre Ltd. Registered in Scotland No. SC022513 and is a Scottish Charity No. SC001337

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THEATRE | Highlights

THE CHEVIOT, THE STAG AND THE BLACK, BLACK OIL Royal Lyceum Theatre,

Edinburgh, Wed 14–Sat 24 Sep, cheviottour. co.uk The welcome return of John McGrath’s 1973 play which tells the story of economic change in the Scottish Highlands. See feature, page 20. Also touring, see list.co.uk/ theatre for details. TRAINSPOTTING Citizens Theatre,

Glasgow, Wed 14 Sep–Sat 8 Oct, citz. co.uk Irvine Welsh’s iconic 90s novel about heroin addiction in Edinburgh is brought to life on stage. See preview, page 81. COAL Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 30 Sep & Sat 1 Oct, tramway.org Gary Clarke Dance Company pays

PHOTO: PAUL KOLNIK

HITLIST

LOUISE ORWIN: A GIRL AND A GUN CCA, Glasgow, Wed 14 Sep, cca-glasgow.com The artist explores the use of guns within film, music and video games. See feature. page 17.

homage to the communities rocked by the 1984 miners’ strike, and still feeling the effects today. See feature, page 18. ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATRE Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Tue 18 & Wed 19 Oct, edtheatres.com/ festival The prestigious

American modern dance company (pictured) returns with a series of new works, plus the jewel in their crown, Revelations. See preview page 84.

THEATRE HIGHLIGHTS Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

examination of Shakespeare’s most complex female character. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details.

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH

DEMOCRACY Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Tue 6–Sat 10 Sept, rapturetheatre.co.uk Michael Frayn’s dynamic spy thriller. See preview, page 81. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details.

BILLY ELLIOT: THE MUSICAL Edinburgh Playhouse, Tue 20 Sep– Sat 22 Oct, atgtickets.com/venues/ edinburgh-playhouse Adaptation of the film about a miner’s son, who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. See preview, page 82.

THE WAY YOU LOOK (AT ME) Tramway, Glasgow, Thu 15 & Sat 16 Sep, tramway,org A collaboration between renowned dancer / choreographers Claire Cunningham and Jess Curtis. MAYBE Tramway, Glasgow, Sat 17 & Sun 18 Sep, tramway.org Performance art from the Marc Brew Company exploring the inevitability of love, using light as a third performer. PLAN B FOR UTOPIA Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock, Thu 22 Sep, joanclevilledance.com Superb Dundee-based company, Joan Clevillé Dance, mix humour, pathos and emotive choreography. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details. COUNTERACTS Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 23 & Sat 24 Sep, tramway.org A double-bill of work from one of the UK’s finest integrated dance troupes, Candoco Dance Company. SCOTTISH BALLET Theatre Royal, Glasgow, Thu 29 Sep–Sat 1 Oct, scottishballet. co.uk Double bill featuring Emergence by Crystal Pite, and the world premiere of Sophie Laplane’s Sibilo. See review, page 79. Also touring, see list. co.uk/theatre for details. KRAPP’S LAST TAPE Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 5–Sat

COAL

8 Oct, tron.co.uk Samuel Beckett’s timeless, one-man study of time, character, isolation and bananas, in which an old man listens to his life played back from his indexed tape collection. RED SHED Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 6–Sat 8 Oct, markthomasinfo.co.uk Incisive humour and satire as Mark Thomas explores where he began stand-up: a red wooden shed in Wakefield. See review, page 81. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details. ROSIE KAY DANCE COMPANY: DOUBLE POINTS: K / MOTEL Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock, Tue 11 Oct, beaconartscentre. co.uk Two dance duets, including a study of synchronicity and stamina set to a soundtrack of Bach, dub step and electronica, and a sensuous piece inspired by the paintings of Huntley Muir. SUNNY AFTERNOON King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 11–Sat 15 Oct,

sunnyafternoonthemusical.com British singer-songwriter Ray Davies recalls his early life and his career in pop-rock group, the Kinks, in this musical biography set during the 1950s and 1960s. Directed by Edward Hall. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details. SHINING SOULS Saint Luke’s, Glasgow, Thu 20–Sat 22 Oct, stlukesglasgow.com Chris Hannan’s unique play set on the streets of Glasgow. BALLET BLACK: TRIPLE BILL FEATURING STORYVILLE Tramway, Glasgow, Fri 28 & Sat 29 Oct, tramway.org Three diverse works from Britain’s only neo-classical ballet company of dancers of black and Asian descent. Bill includes Christopher Hampson’s Storyville. See preview, page 84. LADY MACBETH: UNSEX ME HERE Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 1 & Wed 2 Nov, chordelia.co.uk Chordelia and Solar Bear present an

RICHARD ALSTON DANCE COMPANY Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Fri 23 Sep, richardalstondance.com A tango-inspired world premiere by associate choreographer, Martin Lawrance, plus three other exciting works. See preview, page 84. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details. THE SUPPLIANT WOMEN Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 1–Sat 15 Oct, lyceum.org. uk Aeschylus’ ancient Greek story, a tale of refugees (and one of the oldest surviving plays), is brought to life by David Greig. Featuring up to 50 citizens of Edinburgh playing the ‘suppliant’ women. See preview, page 82. THE MOUSETRAP King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, Mon 17–Sat 22 Oct, mousetrapontour. com Agatha Christie’s play has been performed more than 25,000 times. Now celebrating its diamond anniversary in London’s West End, it’s embarking on a UK tour. Also touring, see list.co.uk/theatre for details. JUMPY Royal Lyceum Theatre, Thu 27 Oct–Sat 12 Nov, lyceum.org.uk Cora Bissett directs April De Angelis’ comedy about a mother-daughter relationship in turmoil and the challenges the mother faces dealing with a truculent teenager.

86 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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VISUAL ART

Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /visualar t

ELLA KRUGLYANSKAYA Bright, bold ﬁgurative paintings from Latvian artist You might not have heard of Ella Kruglyanskaya, whose exhibition is a headliner in Tramway’s autumn season. This is, in fact, the first museum show for the Latvia-born, Brooklyn-based artist (it comes to Glasgow from Tate Liverpool) but she has been making waves on the art scene for several years in an unexpected medium: figurative painting. This retrospective of work from the last ten years charts Kruglyanskaya’s development as an original and, in some ways, unexpected voice. The subjects of her paintings are usually women, voluptuous and colourfully dressed figures who have been described as ‘sexy, sassy and often extremely stroppy’. Drawing influences from as diverse sources as ancient Etruscan painting, German expressionism and 1950s cinema, she creates her own playful dialogue with the objectification of women in the history of art. Initially, she says, she shied away from painting, so loaded was the medium with history and association. ‘There is so much

representation of women in our visual culture,’ she explains. ‘I’m interested in that, but also in giving [the woman] a bit of agency, making her the protagonist of the work.’ She rarely paints nudes because, she says, it’s difficult to fight when you’re naked. But there is nothing preachy about her pictures: her women are often having fun. She’s having fun, too, one suspects, with her medium. Recently, she has been incorporating drawings into her paintings by rendering them photorealistically in paint. Everything made by an artist is a representation of a thing, not the thing itself, so why not a painting of a drawing? Another recent development has been a series of paintings of objects made by avantgarde German designers Bauhaus, painted not from life but from pictures in books, her take on the still life. Kruglyanskaya likes to shake up genre a little, but her work is celebratory too. This is unlikely to be the last we hear of her. (Susan Mansfield) ■ Tramway, Glasgow, Wed 12 Oct–Sun 11 Dec.

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VISUAL ART | Previews & Reviews PHOTOGRAPHY

YOHANNE LAMOULERE & FRANCK POURCEL False Towns / At Twilight, Trongate 103, Glasgow, until Sun 25 Sep; Institut français d’Écosse, Edinburgh, Fri 7 Oct–Sat 26 Nov. Roma / Noailles, Alliance Française de Glasgow, Fri 2 Sep–Sat 29 Oct

PHOTO: COURTESY STREET LEVEL PHOTOWORKS

When Street Level Photoworks director Malcolm Dickson realised that Marseille and Glasgow had been twin cities for a decade, he decreed to do something to commemorate the relationship between these two urban landscapes which have changed dramatically, but which have left areas untouched and largely hidden from view. The result is two off-site shows by Yohanne Lamoulere and Franck Pourcel, two photographers who look at the underbelly of Marseilles in very different ways. In False Towns, Lamoulere looks at reshaping the northern-most zone of Marseille, while Roma: Marseille ajar city focuses on a makeshift Roma community built in the area. Twinned with False Towns, Pourcel’s At Twilight captures a city caught between demolition and renewal, while Noailles at the time of rehabilitation, which is paired with Roma . . . looks at an area in the throes of redevelopment, even as it houses migrants and temporary workers. In an ongoing exchange, work by Glasgow-based artists Frank McElhinney and Kotryna Ula Kiliulyte are set to be seen in Marseille, with further projects pending. ‘There are a lot of synergies between Marseille and Glasgow,’ Dickson points out, ‘both in terms of their historical relationship to photography, energy of the city space, diversity of inhabitants, and an individual identity. ‘Both, of course, have strong industrial traditions and both, to some extent, are built historically around their waters – with the sea in Marseille’s case, and the river in Glasgow, both allowing for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples in the two cities.’ (Neil Cooper)

PHOTO: MAX SLAVEN

PHOTO: ONDREJ PELÁNEK,

PHOTOGRAPHY

COLLABORATIVE EXHIBITION

VIDEO INSTALLATION

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2016

MAKING THE BED, LAYING THE TABLE

National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Fri 16 Sep–Sun 8 Jan 2017

Glasgow Sculpture Studios, until Sat 3 Sep

SHARON HAYES: IN MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD, ANYONE WOULD LOVE YOU

Dr Nick Fraser, keeper of natural sciences at the National Museum of Scotland, is pleased to see the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition return to the museum. ‘Particularly as it’s this year’s only Scottish venue,’ he says. ‘The exhibition was launched in 1965 and attracted 361 entries; today it receives almost 50,000 entries from 95 different countries. The exhibition itself features 100 photographs capturing a diverse collection of scenes, from rarely observed animal behaviour to stunning wild landscapes.’ He points to a couple of images as strong examples of what can be seen. One is the winner in the 15–17 years category, an image of scarlet ibis in flight over Brazil’s Ilha dos Lençóis by French photographer Jonathan Jagot, showing the birds over sand and out of their usual wetlands habitat (pictured above); the other, ‘A tale of two foxes’ by Canadian doctor Don Gutowski, winner of the mammals category, shows a red fox in a deathly embrace with the arctic fox it appears to have just killed. It’s a fearsome image, more so when the viewer comes to understand that only global warming has allowed the two creatures’ habitats to collide in recent years. (David Pollock)

Collaboration is both the subject matter and means for producing Making the Bed, Laying the Table, in which Katie Schwab enlists the help of friends and family to realise a diverse exhibition that deals with the politics of domestic space. Don’t skip the quiet video work and accompanying publication: by encouraging us to piece together associations from different modes of expression they help us to understand the exhibition as a whole. The video, made with Schwab’s father Ed Emery, draws our attention to the imperfection of seemingly orderly domestic spaces. The specially commissioned piece of writing by Rosanna McLaughlin also brings messy and blurry details to the fore. Taking centre stage is the body of work by Florence Dwyer and Simon Worthington made collectively with Schwab that marries art and design to produce new work for ‘a future communal home’. It adds an interesting dimension to objects that teeter between being art objects and just objects. It isn’t always clear which artist is behind what; such is the thoroughness of the group’s collaborative process. That it barely matters is testament to its success. (Laura Campbell)

●●●●●

The Common Guild, Glasgow, Sat 8 Oct–Sun 4 Dec American multimedia artist Sharon Hayes works with photography, film, video and sound. She examines personal and political material in her practice, and in her own words, ‘appropriates, rearranges, and remixes in order to revitalise spirits of dissent’. Hayes is drawn to the power of language, particularly that of 20th-century protest groups, in relation to which she explores tensions between collective and personal actions. In conjunction with Studio Voltaire in London, the Common Guild in Glasgow has commissioned this new video-based artwork, which was first shown at Studio Voltaire in April. It comprises a five-channel video installation projected onto a plywood structure, a reference to the notice boards used by action and support groups. The work features archival material from feminist, lesbian and effeminist political groups from the US and the UK from 1955–1977, read aloud by members of the queer and feminist community in Philadelphia. For the Common Guild this video work has been adapted to include new lesbian and feminist material from Glasgow Women’s Library, drawing attention to this vital Scottish archive. (Rosie Lesso)

88 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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Previews & Reviews | VISUAL ART

list.co.uk/visualart

PHOTO: TATE / NATIONAL GALLERIES OF SCOTLAND

MEMORIAL EXHIBITION

DRAWING

KATY DOVE

JOSEPH BEUYS: A LANGUAGE OF DRAWING

Dundee Contemporary Arts, Sat 17 Sep–Sun 20 Nov

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, until Sun 30 Oct

Dundee Contemporary Arts will celebrate the work of Scottish artist and musician Katy Dove in this memorial exhibition, presented in partnership with Discovery Film Festival. Despite Dove’s untimely death in 2015 aged just 44, she left behind a substantial body of work, ranging from drawing, painting, printmaking and music to her much celebrated animated films, all of which will feature in this showcase. It is fitting that a tribute to Dove should take place at DCA, as Dove graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee in the 1990s. She is one of a generation of graduates from Dundee who went on to establish successful careers, including Luke Fowler, Lucy McKenzie and Stephen Sutcliffe, all of whom were included in DCA’s significant exhibition The Associates in 2009. She also worked at DCA on numerous occasions, as an employee when it first opened and later producing a series of prints with their print studio. Her kaleidoscopic, melodic and accessible artworks deserve to be celebrated here again. In an interview with Simon Yuill in 2005, she succinctly said, ‘I am not so interested in analysing what these images might mean, but in using them to explore a state of mind that is beyond language.’ (Rosie Lesso)

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Joseph Beuys might be one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, but he is a difficult artist to exhibit. So much of his work was in performance, existing now only in grainy photographs and a few props, like the relics of a saint. This exhibition – part of the ARTIST ROOMS project – is a rare show of more than 100 drawings spanning 40 years, the most important collection of these outside Germany. Beuys drew prolifically, to work out his ideas, to plan performances and sculptures, and as works in their own right, particularly in his abstract Braunkreuz series. He drew spontaneously, with whatever was to hand, on scraps of torn paper and hotel room notepads, as well as with certain symbolic materials such as hare’s blood. Early drawings are often symbolist in approach, featuring animals or female figures, though he tried his hand at geometric abstracts too. Among the later works are plans for scientific experiments, notes for ‘actions’ and a draft manifesto for a political party. Each work is accompanied by extensive explanatory text and, to be fair, we need it. Immediate as these drawings were, and important as they are for historical record, they don’t bring us easy insight into Beuys’ mind. Mostly, they remind us how singular and multi-faceted that mind was, and how difficult it is to recapture its essence. (Susan Mansfield)

EXHIBITION

JACQUELINE DONACHIE: DEEP IN THE HEART OF YOUR BRAIN

PHOTO: RUTH CLARKE

Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow until Sun 13 Nov ●●●●● It’s been a while since Jacqueline Donachie has exhibited her work within the confines of a white-walled gallery space. For a long time, the Glasgow-born artist’s practice has remained consistent with her roots as a 90s graduate of Glasgow School of Art’s influential environmental art department, with public sculpture and subtle ephemeral interventions making up the majority of her CV. So how does her work operate in a conventional exhibition without the noisy interference of everyday urban occurrences? The quiet reverence of the gallery helps us pick up on the many subtleties inscribed in her minimal sculptures. The arrangement of metal ramps carefully piled in the centre of the room looks like a stage, but it is the tiny marks from everyday use that bring it to life. Another work comprises elongated neon scaffolding that sweeps through the gallery at awkward heights. These works make us look harder at the things we think we know while acting as metaphors for the obstacles we face and overcome in life. While linked thematically, the 2015 film Hazel, which stems from Donachie’s period of research with women who suffer with myotonic dystrophy, feels quite separate from the sculptures and works on paper. What does unite them is a strange sense of detachment from the artist. We learn that members of Donachie’s own family suffer from myotonic dystrophy, which could come as a surprise given the unsentimental, matter-of-fact style of the film. The exhibition is at once personal and impersonal: stoic and poetic. Life is peculiar, unpredictable and tough, Deep in the Heart of Your Brain seems to tell us: all you can do is take it as it comes. (Laura Campbell) 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 89

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VISUAL ART | Highlights

PHOTO: COURTESY STREET LEVEL PHOTOWORKS

HITLIST

YOHANNE LAMOULERE: FALSE TOWNS / FRANCK POURCEL: AT TWILIGHT Trongate 103, until Sun 25 Sep, streetlevelphotoworks. org Documentary photography of Marseille. See review, page 88. Also at Institut français d’Écosse, Edinburgh, Fri 7 Oct–Sat 26 Nov.

JACQUELINE DONACHIE: DEEP IN THE HEART OF YOUR BRAIN Gallery of Modern Art, Glasgow, until Sun 13

Nov, glasgowlife.org. uk/museums/GoMA A new body of work by the Glasgow artist exploring disability, care and loss. See review, page 89. ARTIST ROOMS: THE DRAWINGS OF JOSEPH BEUYS Scottish National Gallery Of Modern Art, Edinburgh, until Sun 30

Oct, nationalgalleries. org Works from one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. See review, page 89. SHARON HAYES: IN MY LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD, ANYONE WOULD LOVE YOU The Common Guild, Glasgow, Sat 8 Oct–Sun 4 Dec,

thecommonguild.org. uk Work focused on the history of social protest. See preview, page 88. ELLA KRUGLYANSKAYA Tramway, Glasgow, Wed 12 Oct–Sun 11 Dec, tramway.org Visceral and disorienting paintings by New York-based Latvian artist. See preview, page 87.

VISUAL ART HIGHLIGHTS PHOTO: STILLS GALLERY

Events are listed by city, then date. Submit listings for your event at list.co.uk/add

GLASGOW PERIPHERAL HISTORIES Platform, until Sun 18 Sep, platform-online.co.uk An exhibition of photography work from Calum Douglas, Sarah Amy Fishlock, Kotryna Ula Kiliulyte and Alan Knox.

DAMIÁN ORTEGA The Fruitmarket Gallery, until Sun 23 Oct, fruitmarket.co.uk New sculptures from the Mexican artist who specialises in reframing everyday objects in such a way as to show how they are connected to other things. NORTH LANDS CREATIVE GLASS: A PORTRAIT AT 20 Dovecot Studios, Fri 16 Sep–Sat 29 Oct, dovecotstudios.com An exploration of the work of the members of this glass studio, now in its 20th year.

PLEASE TURN US ON Gallery of Modern Art, until Sun 22 Jan, glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/ GoMA A group exhibition of early video art, as well as a new commission. JENNIFER WEST: FLASHLIGHT FILMSTRIP PROJECTIONS Tramway, Fri 2 Sep-Sun 30 Oct, tramway.org American artist known for manipulating film strips.

NAMA ÃTO: JAPANESE OUTSIDER ART Tramway, Thu 15–Sun 25 Sep, tramway.org An exhibition of work comprising music from Koji Nishioka, drawings from Makoto Okawa and fashion-inspired work from Yasuyuki Ueno. KATHY HINDE: LUMINOUS BIRDS Govanhill Baths, Fri 16 Sep–Wed 16

KENNY HUNTER: REPRODUCTIVE! Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, until Sat 24 Sep, edinburghsculpture.org New and reconfigured works, in the artist’s first major solo exhibition since 2003. JO SPENCE Stills, until Sun 16 Oct, stills.org Images from the English photographer whose work focused on themes of identity, subjectivity and health from a feminist perspective.

SKELETONS: OUR BURIED BONES Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, until Sun 8 Jan, glasgow.ac.uk/ hunterian Four skeletons from the Museum of London collection and four from burial grounds across Scotland, together with insights into the health and history of the individuals they belonged to.

UNLIMITED FESTIVAL Tramway, Thu 15–Sun 25 Sep, tramway.org An international programme of performance, visual art, discussions and more by disabled artists, involving international and emerging Scottish talent.

EDINBURGH

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR National Museum of Scotland, Fri 16 Sep–Sun 19 Feb, nms.ac.uk Award-winning images of wildlife. See preview, page 88. Jo Spence

Nov Handcrafted origami-style birds. PIO ABAD: NOTES ON DECOMPOSITION CCA, Glasgow, Fri 16 Sep–Sun 30 Oct, cca-glasgow.com Exploration of the value, cultural artefacts and political histories of the UK and the Philippines. MILANO CHOW: EGG AND TONGUE Mary Mary, Sat 17 Sep–Sat 29 Oct, marymarygallery.co.uk Graphite drawings and collages.

KITCHENISM The Lighthouse, Mon 26 Sep– Mon 28 Nov, lighthouse.co.uk Innovative furniture design, including a new kitchen table for the Maggie’s Centre in Edinburgh.

DRAWING ATTENTION: RARE WORKS ON PAPER 1400–1900 Scottish National Gallery, Sat 24 Sep–Tue 3 Jan, nationalgalleries. org Exceptional but lesser-known treasures, drawn from the five centuries of drawings in the gallery’s collection.

OUTSIDE THE CITIES ZOFIA KULIK: INSTEAD OF SCULPTURE Glasgow Sculpture Studios, Sat 1 Oct–Sat 3 Dec, glasgowsculpturestudios.org Serialised photographic works from highly acclaimed Polish artist.

KATY DOVE Dundee Contemporary Arts, Sat 17 Sep–Sun 20 Nov, dca.org.uk A memorial exhibition for the richly talented artist who died in January 2015. See preview, page 88.

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EDINBURGH’S FAMOUS FOSSIL SHOP 5 Cowgatehead Grassmarket Edinburgh, EH1 1JY

0131 220 1344 www.mrwoodsfossils.co.uk

1 Sep–3 Nov 2016 THE LIST 91

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Fo the latestr n listings a ews, reviews, g nd o list.co.uk to /tv

THE NIGHT OF Tense, brilliantly written crime drama starring Riz Ahmed and John Turturro A few bad decisions can ruin your life. Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed, pictured) decides to ‘borrow’ his dad’s yellow cab to get to a party. It’s the catalyst for a series of unfortunate events; he gives a young woman a lift, they end up back at her place . . . Then Naz’s world is turned upside down, as he’s accused of murder and swallowed up by the US legal machine. The meat of the story isn’t the crime itself but the aftermath. Sergeant Box (Bill Camp) leads the investigation but this isn’t high tech CSI, just the slow grind of real-world police work. Jack Stone (John Turturro) is the scruffy world-weary lawyer who takes on the case, but is it out of charity or to serve his own agenda? Naz’s family can only watch from the sidelines, tangled in reams of red tape, and hampered by their lack of money to fund such a high-profile, high-stakes case. The Night Of is actually based on a British TV series, Criminal Justice, reworked for an American audience. Ahmed is the perfect lead – it’s not a flashy performance but there’s a realism that connects with the viewer. You immediately empathise with him, your stomach clenching as you helplessly watch the pieces fall into place as he leaves a trail of evidence. Scared and confused, he’s dehumanised by every step deeper into the justice system. Interestingly, James Gandolfini was originally cast as Stone, and it’s intriguing to imagine what he would have done with the role. It’s a nice touch that he still gets a producer credit, as a posthumous tribute to the late great actor. Richard Price and Steven Zaillian’s writing really deserves praise, with every character having multiple layers and motivations. The Night Of revels in the small details but also asks the big questions (about guilt, the reliability of evidence, the concept of justice, racism and Islamophobia) and, like life, the answers are complicated and messy. (Henry Northmore) ■ The Night Of is available on Sky Atlantic / Sky Boxsets from Thu 1 Sep. ●●●●●

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Previews | TV

list.co.uk/tv

HIGHLIGHTS THE NIGHT OF Sky Atlantic / Sky Boxsets, Thu 1 Sep See review, page 92. POLDARK BBC One, Sun 4 Sep, 9pm Aidan Turner returns for more shirtless period drama antics.

PHOTO: GENE PAGE/AMC

WE THE JURY BBC Two, Mon 5 Sep, 10pm James Acaster writes this oneoff comedy about jury duty. Starring Ed Easton, Sophie Thompson and Diane Morgan. THE STRAIN, SEASON 3 W, Fri 9 Sep, 9pm Gooey vampire horror based on a series of books by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan.

DEAD MAN WALKING The Walking Dead returns with zombies, blood and moral corruption. Henry Northmore tries to get some insider knowledge from the show’s star, Andrew Lincoln

he Walking Dead has become a phenomenon. A gritty drama that happens to be set after the zombie apocalypse, it’s not just the gory horror that people have latched onto; it’s the human moments that give the show depth. The undead threat heightens the tension and exaggerates the characters’ relationships. Just don't get too fond of any actors as they are only one bite, bullet or blade away from death. ‘Frank Darabont [director and original show runner of season one] was instrumental in identifying that there was a niche market that hadn’t been explored on television,’ explains star Andrew Lincoln, ‘and he decided to write something that I had never read before, where the first episode was like a silent movie. I had never read a pilot quite like it.’ Lincoln plays ex-cop Rick Grimes, the de facto leader of our ragtag band of survivors. He is also quick to praise Robert Kirman’s comics that formed the basis for the show. ‘He has written source material that has lasted for over 12 years now and which continues to have a voracious market,’ he says. ‘So that obviously [shows] good storytelling – to be able to hold a very savvy readership.’ A mainstay on British TV until his leap into US television, Lincoln has grown into Rick Grimes. Any memories of him playing Egg in This Life or Simon in Teachers have been washed away in viewers’ minds by the blood and violence of The Walking Dead. ‘The people I trained with at RADA think it is hilarious; I am classically trained and yet I wear cowboy boots and a Stetson and I shoot zombies for a living.’ The character has been on a huge journey, fighting tooth and claw to protect his life and family. ‘He has changed enormously since the first guy that I woke up with in the hospital [in the very first episode of season 1],’ he says. ‘And that is one of the enduring appeals of playing the part; their environment forms these people. Is it nature or is it nurture? That is the eternal question that is thrown into this crucible.’ Season six was perhaps the most gruelling yet. It started with a ray of hope, with Rick and co finding apparent safety in the small town of Alexandria. For the first time in a long while, they dared to dream about the future. The walkers continue to circle but it was the introduction of Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his band of ‘Saviors’ that were the biggest danger. The second half, in particular, explored themes of moral corruption and the fine line between good and evil, highlighted by Morgan’s (Lennie James) pacifistic stance against the ongoing bloodshed. It all led up to perhaps the biggest cliffhanger of any modern TV show. Obviously no one is willing to spill the beans, yet we do know one of our heroes is about to die. But who? Comic fans might think they already know, but while the TV adaptation roughly follows the same structure, in many aspects it differs wildly from the source material (various characters who are dead in the comics are still alive on the show, and vice versa). ‘We leave the show in a certain place and we do something that we have never done before,’ says Lincoln. ‘When I read it, it shocked me to the core.’ The Walking Dead: The Complete Sixth Season is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Mon 26 Sep (Entertainment One).

AMERICAN HORROR STORY, SEASON 6 FOX, Fri 16 Sep, 10pm The theme and setting for season six are being kept under wraps. What we do know is Lady Gaga, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson and Kathy Bates will be back for more ghoulish fun. RED DWARF, SEASON 12 Dave, Fri 22 Sep, 9pm It’s still cold outside with no kind of atmosphere as Craig Charles and co return for more silly sci-fi shenanigans. LUKE CAGE Netflix, Fri 30 Sep Netflix’s third collaboration with Marvel. This time Mike Coulter steps up to the plate as Luke Cage (last seen in Jessica Jones), a tough street-level superhero with super strength and unbreakable skin. BLACK MIRROR, SEASON 3 Netflix, Fri 21 Oct Charlie Brooker’s darkly comic futuristic satire moves to Netflix. PENNY DREADFUL, SEASON 3 DVD / Blu-ray, Mon 24 Oct The final season of the literary Victorian horror lands on DVD just in time for Hallowe’en. THE WALKING DEAD, SEASON 7 FOX, Mon 24 Oct, 10pm Season 7 of the zombie drama should finally put fans out of their misery as we find out who bit the dust at the end of Negan’s baseball bat. THE LAST GUARDIAN PS4, Mon 31 Oct You control a young boy who befriends a giant creature in the latest videogame from legendary designer Fumito Ueda, who gave the world oddball classics ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. OUTLANDER, SEASON 2 DVD / Bluray, Mon 31 Oct The action moves to France in the second season of the timetravelling historical romance.

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MILBURN

CRASH CLUB BE CHARLOTTE TIJUANA BIBLES PRONTO MAMA SINDERINS , THE VAN T S THE PAPER KITES NIEVES JOHNNY LLOYD DOMICILES THE SPOOK SCHOOL PHORIA LOUIE AND THE LOCHBACKS SHOGUN DECLAN WELSH LUCIA FONTAINE THE NINTH WAVE ,

OTHER HUMANS BARRIE-JAMES O NEIL THE BAR DOGS YVES TEENCANTEEN GANGS A NEW INTERNATIONAL MARK MCGOWAN HQFU SWEAT MIRACLE GLASS COMPANY BREAKFAST MUFF THE VEGAN LEATHER LEWIS CAPALDI AMERICAN CLAY SWEATY PALMS INDIGO VELVET THE BELLYBUTTONS THE CALM FIASCO MOONLIGHT ZOO NORTH ATLAS ST MARTINS EMME WOODS NOVEMBER LIGHTS CAROUSEL VELVETBOMB

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STUDENT

GUIDE

2016 IN ASSOCIATION WITH

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STUDENT

GUIDE

2016 CULTURAL CALENDAR DATES FOR YOUR DIARY ................98

EAT & DRINK

CLUBS

BOOKS

YOUR WEEK IN CLUB NIGHTS ......108

LITERARY EVENTS ........................... 121

LGBT

THEATRE

ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS ................ 111

EXPERIMENTAL & TRADITIONAL THEATRE ................ 122 STUDENT THEATRE ........................ 123

BARS ................................................... 100 CAFES ................................................. 102

MUSIC

CHEAP EATS .....................................104

NEW MUSIC & OPEN MICS .............. 112 BEST VENUES .................................... 114

COMEDY COMEDY NIGHTS & EVENTS ......... 125

SHOPPING

FILM

RECORDS, VINTAGE, BOOKS & STATIONERY SHOPS .... 106

INDEPENDENT CINEMA ................... 117 FILM FESTIVALS ............................... 118

VISUAL ART FREE GALLERIES ............................. 126

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Tenement TV’s Tenement Trail Festival is delighted to sponsor The List Student Guide in 2016. As the biggest multi-venue music festival in Scotland, we’re gearing up for over 50 bands and DJs playing across nine venues in Glasgow on Saturday 8 October from noon until 3am. It’s a festival like no other, creating an infectious buzz

around the city, and will see the likes of Milburn, Crash Club, Be Charlotte, Pronto Mama, Tijuana Bibles, the Van T’s, Domiciles, Barrie-James O’Neil, The Bar Dogs, GANGS and more hit the streets, offering fans of live music the chance to uncover and discover fresh, hot, new and loved talent spanning all genres. There’ll be excitement in the

air inside some of Glasgow’s best venues, including O2 ABC, O2 ABC2, the Art School, the Vic Bar, King Tut’s, Broadcast, Nice N Sleazy, Flat 0/1 and The Priory. We can’t wait to celebrate TTV’s fifth birthday in style with an event that’s previously seen venues reach capacity as soon as the first riff is played at 1pm. Music will be played. Discoveries

will be made. Stories will be created. And ‘I was there . . . ’ will soon be said. See you down the front . . .

@tenementtv #TT16

96 THE LIST 1 Sep–3 Nov 2016

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STUDENT GUIDE 2016

CULTURAL So you’ve come to Scotland for uni, you lucky things. You lucky, cultured things. From now until summer 2017, you’ll learn there’s more to life than lectures (but those are important too). Make sure you put aside a bit of time this year to take in some of the fun stuff the country has to offer

The capital can’t be beat at New Year. The gig in Princes Street Gardens attracts big-name acts (in 2015 it was Biffy Clyro, Idlewild and Honeyblood), while the street party is the place to be for the bells. Edinburgh, 31 Dec.

PHOTO: CHRIS WATT

EDINBURGH’S HOGMANAY

GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL The always exciting GFF has only been around for 11 years, but is one of the UK’s best film festivals, featuring popular flicks, indie movies and lively events (that Dazed and Confused roller disco, anyone?) Glasgow, Feb.

GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL A worthy competitor to Edinburgh’s crown, every March comedians flock to Glasgow to showcase their very best jokes. Richard Herring, Jimmy Carr and Jon Ronson are just a few of the funny names already lined up for 2017. Glasgow, Mar. PHOTO: ANDREW BARCLAY

BELTANE FIRE FESTIVAL

PHOTO: JASPER SCHWARTZ

This is more than just an excuse to dance naked round a fire - it’s actually a modern take on the traditional celebration of the death of winter and the birth of summer. Edinburgh, Apr.

RESONATE: TOTAL GAMING This Glasgow festival is a newbie, but bound to be a firm favourite in the gaming community. There’s an eSports tournament, a retro gaming zone, a chance to meet YouTube stars, and all the fun your joystick can give you. Glasgow, Jul.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

CALENDAR MERCHANT CITY FESTIVAL

T IN THE PARK

The most stylish part of Glasgow comes to life with this diverse arts festival. Streets and shops revel in the carnival atmosphere and there’s mix of food, dance, theatre and art activities for all ages. Glasgow, Jul.

The daddy of all Scottish summer festivals takes place at Strathallan Castle. Expect a delicious blend of unsigned acts and big hitters. This year’s acts included Calvin Harris and Jess Glynne. Strathallan, Perthshire, Jul.

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE The largest arts festival in the world is literally on your doorstep. The festival encompasses the very best in comedy, theatre, dance, music and performance of every kind and takes over the capital for the month of August. Edinburgh, Aug.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL Charlotte Square Gardens is the perfect setting for a celebration of literature. High-profile guests such as Nicola Sturgeon and Ian Rankin mix with authors you don’t know you love yet in a programme covering writers, journalists, politicians and more. Edinburgh, Aug.

NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE This series of gigs has done loads to rejuvenate music scene in Edinburgh. Based at Summerhall, upcoming gigs include Kristin Hersh and the awesome Girl Band. Edinburgh, year-round.

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EAT & DRINK

ALL BAR NONE:

WHERE TO DRINK AND BE MERRY IN THE CITY

EDINBURGH

HOOT THE REDEEMER

With one of the biggest beer gardens in town, this a go-to spot on those rare days of Scottish sunshine. The beer garden is renowned for being one of the best places to relax with a pint, and there's often live music too.

There’s a definite element of surprise at Hoot. With alcoholic ice-cream, a cocktail-mixing game, cartoons on the walls and old cinema chairs to perch on, it’s really just a big kids’ playground. Make sure you save us a scoop.

38 West Nicolson Street, pear-tree-house.co.uk

7 Hanover Street, hoottheredeemer.com

ANDREW USHER & CO

PARADISE PALMS

Known to showcase beer from the students of Heriot Watt, Usher’s has gained a good rep among young beer drinkers. Generous student discounts also mean that dinner may be on the cards, if you're feeling hungry.

Paradise Palms takes it back to the 80s like no other bar in town. Artificial plants, neon signs and old cuddly toys create a retro setting to enjoy their creative food and drinks menu. Happily, their cocktails are first-rate too.

32b West Nicolson Street, ushersofedinburgh.co.uk

41 Lothian Street, theparadisepalms.com

PILGRIM

THE HANGING BAT

With cheap food and drink, a popular mid-week pub quiz and DJs playing until late, Pilgrim has all the right components for the start of a good night out in the heart of the Old Town. VIP Pilgrims get great discount deals, too.

This place has beer, beer, a bit of meat, and some more beer. The drinks menu boasts a range of 58 bottles and cans, and there's always a wide selection of ales and craft brews on tap. Food-wise, think American BBQ: pork, ribs, and a good choice of hotdogs. 133 Lothian Road, thehangingbat.com

PHOTO: CINNAMON SKY PHOTOGRAPHY

PEAR TREE

3 Robertson's Close, Cowgate, pilgrimbar.co.uk

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

EAT & DRINK Louise Stoddart has boldly gone where many students have gone before: to the bar. Here, we've rounded up some of the best watering holes in Edinburgh and Glasgow, whether you're after alcoholic ice-cream or just a half-decent pint

GLASGOW PHOTO: STEPHEN ROBINSON

PHOTO: JANNICA HONEY

HILLHEAD BOOKCLUB

NICE’N’SLEAZY

Cocktails here are an absolute steal at around six quid a pop, and if there’s a few of you, tuck into a punch-filled gramophone for £18. There are also retro computer games and ping pong tables upstairs.

Known for their mighty fine White Russians, a diverse lineup of live music and screening the odd film, Nice’n’Sleazy isn’t the naff joint its name suggests. They serve a wonderful Indian hangover brekkie too.

17 Vinicombe Street, hillheadbookclub.co.uk

421 Sauchiehall Street, nicensleazy.com

THE FLYING DUCK

THE RUM SHACK

This bar-club has everything you could want from a night out, from food and drink to clubs, gigs and events, as well as a weekly alternative pub quiz. Look out for small batch gins, a strong wine selection and, of course, beer.

With tempting BBQ aromas filling the room, popping in here just for a swift half is tricky. But why the rush? Sit in the colourful beer garden, order some jerk chicken and try their classic Red Leg and apple.

142 Renfield Street, flyingduckclub.com

657–659 Pollokshaws Road, rumshackglasgow.com

BANK STREET BAR

BLOC+

Just over the road from the University of Glasgow, Bank Street is a popular choice for drinks after lectures, breakfast before lectures and lunch in between. Most cocktails and pizzas are £5, so Bank won’t break the bank.

At lunchtime, Bloc+ caters to hordes of hungry office workers, and a few hours later they start dispensing tipples to the late-night revellers. It’s affordable, lively and has fantastic food deals from Monday to Friday.

52–54 Bank Street, bankst.co.uk

117 Bath Street, bloc.ru

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

EAT & DRINK

CAFFEINE FIENDS Forget Starbucks and Costa: whether you're recovering from the night before or simply hankering after a good cappuccino, you'll be spoilt for choice by the number of independent cafés in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Claire Flynn chooses some of the best

BEST FOR HANGOVERS

BEST FOR COFFEE PHOTO: JANNICA HONEY

EDINBURGH

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH

GLASGOW

WORD OF MOUTH, 3A ALBERT STREET

THE RIO CAFE, 27 HYNDLAND STREET

CAIRNGORM COFFEE, 41A FREDERICK STREET

Nestled just away from the hustle and bustle of Leith Walk, this no-frills café offers budget-friendly breakfasts and lunches, ideal for nursing an alcoholinduced headache. Also try: Urban Angel, The Edinburgh Larder, Milk

This unpretentious gem is a hit with the local student population, because if anything can rid you of the morningafter taste of Value Vodka, it's one of their supreme fry-ups. Also try: The University Cafe, Cafezique, Stereo

Tucked away just off busy George Street, this quirky treasure offers some of the best coffee to be found in the capital, plus a great selection of toasties. Also try: Wellington's, Artisan Roast, Filament

PAPERCUP COFFEE COMPANY, 603 GREAT WESTERN ROAD

BEST FOR STUDYING

This popular wee coffee shop in the West End roasts only the finest beans on the market, and for those looking for a bite to eat, the French toast is particularly tasty. Also try: Avenue Coffee, Artisan Roast, All That is Coffee

BEST FOR SWEET STUFF

PHOTO: FLICKR.COM/PRUNEAU934

EDINBURGH

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH

GLASGOW

BLACK MEDICINE, 2 NICOLSON STREET

OFFSHORE, 3 GIBSON STREET

LOVECRUMBS, 155 WEST PORT

RIVERHILL COFFEE BAR, 24 GORDON STREET

On a busy corner in the Old Town, this well-known coffee joint is perfect for people-watching and learning lecture notes outside of the library. Also try: Kilimanjaro Coffee, Summerhall Cafe, Brew Lab

Sink into the deep comfy sofas and make the most of the free Wi-Fi at this West End retreat, which also serves a great selection of hot beverages. Also try: McCune Smith Cafe, Where the Monkey Sleeps, Peňa

With a menu dedicated to fabulously inventive cakes and tarts, those with a sweet tooth should look no further than this charming café. Also try: Eteaket, Mimi's Bakehouse, Leo's Beanery

An easy-to-miss gem near Central Station, this eatery entices folk through its doors with a superb selection of mouth-watering baked goods. Also try: Kember & Jones, Cup, The Tearooms at The Butterfly and The Pig

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come in to GET YOUR 2016/17 Fri 7 - Sun 9 OCTOBER

bar 50 STUDENT CARD!

Come join us in the garden at Teviot Row House!

A beer festival celebrating some of Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest breweries

20% Discount on food and

drink!

HEATED OUTDOOR Also featuring

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TERRACE

POOL TABLES BAR 50 | 50 Blackfriars Street, EH1 1NE 0131 524 3252 | www.bar-50.co.uk

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been here a long time... 16 years to be exact. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long enough to learn a thing or two about food, drink and great service. Our food is cooked fresh every day, always using the best ingredients, prepared with care and attention. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also learned that value neednâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compromise quality - we only ever sell premium spirits, even in our promos, cocktails and shooters. Premium promo drinks from ÂŁ3 Food served Monday - Saturday 12pm - 9pm Half price cocktails, shots ÂŁ3 and Sunday 12.30pm - 6pm Pool tables, live sport and great DJs Open until 2am, 3am Friday and Saturday

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EAT & DRINK

CHEAP EATS EDINBURGH

PHOTO: CAITLIN COOKE

MOSQUE KITCHEN

A stone’s throw from Bristo Square, Ting Thai Caravan is perfectly located for University of Edinburgh students. The restaurant offers delicious, reasonably priced Thai street food served without frills. It tends to get busy, so be prepared for a wait (only a wee one, though). 8–9 Teviot Place

Freshly cooked, generously portioned curries at low prices, served on paper plates with plastic cutlery, keep Mosque Kitchen a busy spot. At the weekend, downstairs opens up as an all-you-can-eat buffet for £10, with proper knives and forks to boot. 31–33 Nicolson Square, mosquekitchen.com

HOLYROOD 9A

OX184

Sometimes, all you want is a good burger with fries, and a pint to wash it all down. Holyrood 9A has got that and then some. There are salads, too, and some excellent vegetarian options. One for fans of pickles on the side.

Expect quality burgers, long boys and ribs on the menu in this bar / restaurant, with DJs in the evening and a 3am licence. Food is served until 2.30am, so you can grab a late-night bite before heading home.

9a Holyrood Road, theholyrood.co.uk

184-186 Cowgate, ox184.co.uk

THE CITY CAFÉ

WILDMANWOOD PIZZA

Open bright and early at 9am, the City Café serves big hangover-busting breakfasts, from waffle stacks to the full Scottish. Later on, there are beer pitchers and massive burgers. Those with a voracious appetite can take on the burger challenge. 19 Blair Street, citycafeedinburgh.co.uk

For those wanting to up their pizza game, Wildmanwood offers wood-fired pizza crafted by staff trained in Naples. A classic margherita in this tasty joint is just £6.60 and the most expensive pizza is still under £9.

PHOTO: ERIKA STEVENSON

TING THAI CARAVAN

27–29 Marshall Street

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

EAT & DRINK Rowena McIntosh picks some of the best destinations in Glasgow and Edinburgh to satisfy hungry bellies, so you never have to open that student cookbook

GLASGOW

THE VIC CAFÉ AND BAR

A chilled-out canteen-style restaurant serving great-value home cooking, craft beer and cocktails on the drinking strip that is Bath Street. If you’re making a night of it, Lucky 7 is adjacent to sister club Flat 0/1. 166 Bath Street, lucky7canteen.co.uk

Very handy if you’re at Glasgow School of Art, as it’s in the Students’ Association. This city-centre kitchen serves up student favourites and more adventurous Asian-inspired cooking, while at night the venue hosts gigs and club nights. 20 Scott Street, theartschool.co.uk/viccafebar

HILLHEAD BOOKCLUB

THE RAVEN

You totally are studying, you’re at bookclub. This bar and restaurant near Byres Road offers separate meat and vegetarian menus, a strawberry gin mojito for just £3 and DJs five nights a week. 17 Vinicombe Street, hillheadbookclub.co.uk

Bang in the city-centre, the Raven has plenty of space for big groups and a US-inspired menu encompassing burgers, hot dogs, burritos and meat from the smokehouse. Cocktails are cheap, beer is plentiful and live sports are shown on the big screens. 81–85 Renfield Street, theravenglasgow.com

BANANA LEAF

LA FAVORITA

For when only a foot-long dosa will do. Banana Leaf serves up one of the tastiest curries in Glasgow, with authentic South Indian dishes rarely seen on westernised curry menus. It’s great value, BYOB, and they also do takeaway.

Enjoy wood-fired pizza at this pizzeria and takeaway just round the corner from the University of Glasgow Union. There’s a collection special on Wednesdays, an online student discount and a ‘bag of balls’ as a side dish.

76b Old Dumbarton Road, bananaleafglasgow.com

22–25 Gibson Street, lafav.co.uk

PHOTO: MACLAY INNS

LUCKY 7 CANTEEN

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SHOP

HOT OFF THE HIGH STREET RECORD SHOPS

Never mind big chain stores – when loan day comes, there are plenty of independent shops to peruse. Arusa Qureshi rounds up some of the best record, book, vintage and stationery shops for indulging in a little retail therapy

VINTAGE SHOPS UNDERGROUND SOLU’SHN Expect stacks of electronic and dance records, as well as the latest DJ and music production kit. 9 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, undergroundsolushn.com

PARADISE PALMS A bar with many different guises, including a small but consciously stocked record store. 41 Lothian Street, Edinburgh, theparadisepalms.com

MONORAIL RECORDS A treasure trove of new releases and rarities for all tastes. 97 King Street, 12 Kings Court, Glasgow, monorailmusic.com

RUBADUB Glasgow’s mecca for those with a taste for electronic records and music equipment. 35 Howard Street, Glasgow, rubadub.co.uk

BOOK SHOPS

GODIVA

MR BEN’S RETRO CLOTHING

Eco-friendly and sustainable fashion for one-off garments and accessories. 9 West Port, Edinburgh, godivaboutique.co.uk

An emporium of antique kitsch, designer label bargains and glamour. Kings Court, 101 King St, Glasgow, mrbenretroclothing.com

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

THE GLASGOW VINTAGE CO

Collections of expertly curated pieces from high end designers to vintage high street labels. 26 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh, thosewerethedaysvintage.com

Two floors filled with eyectaching clothes from the 1950s–80s. There’s 10% off for students, too. 453 Great Western Road, Glasgow, glasgowvintage.co.uk

STATIONERY SHOPS EDINBURGH ART SHOP Arts and crafts supply store close to Edinburgh College of Art. 129 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, edinburghartshop.com

GREYFRIARS ART SHOP Providing fine art and creative supplies to students since 1840. There's also a New Town outpost on Dundas Street. 20 Greyfriars, Edinburgh, greyfriars-art-shop.co.uk

WORD POWER BOOKS

VOLTAIRE AND ROUSSEAU

Supporting small presses and new writers through a focus on nonmainstream literature. 43–45 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, word-power.co.uk

Cosy bookshop brimming with rare and second-hand books and lots of character (plus sleepy cats). 12 Otago Lane, Glasgow, voltaire-rousseau.co.uk

GOLDEN HARE BOOKS

AYE AYE BOOKS

Home to a hand-picked selection of international fiction, non-fiction, poetry and art. 68 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh, goldenharebooks.com

Based at the CCA and specialising in contemporary art and related literature. 350 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow, aye-ayebooks.com

GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART SHOP Stationery essentials, with each purchase supporting the school and its students. Reid Building, 164 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, gsashop.co.uk

ARTSTORE Proudly serving Glasgow's creative community with all sorts of stationery and paper products for 25 years. 94 Wueen Street, artstore.co.uk

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Edinburgh Edi inb bu u

Shop

129 9L Lauriston Place Tollcross, EH3 9JN

www.EdinburghArtShop.com info@EdinburghArtShop.com 0131 229 1809

Open 7 days.

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CLUBS

A NIGHT FOR EVERY DAY: OUR WEEK IN STUDENT CLUBBING

m o n d ay EDINBURGH

NU FIRE, SNEAKY PETE’S

t u e s d ay

Join your resident pals Fusion and Beef, who have been keeping the weekend going for six years now, serving classic and new hip hop, plus bass, garage, grime and house.

PHOTO: BEN GLASGOW

PHOTO: JONATHAN BAIN

GLASGOW

BARE MONDAYS, THE GARAGE

PHOTO: JONATHAN BAIN

v The main hall has Ga a Sommerville playing a s (plu res gen of mix bouncy castle), while the Desperados Bar sees DJ Billy spinning rock to start your week off with a bang.

EDINBURGH

HECTOR’S HOUSE, CABARET VOLTAIR E

Cab Vol’s midweek shi ndig, HH plays house in its many forms, from vocal to progressiv e via disco, electro and Chica go grooves, with guest DJs by the hatful.

GLASGOW

KILLER KITSCH,

‘Casually ignoring shite requests since 2005’ – their words, not ours – KK ble nds kitschy vibes with an ele ctric soundtrack of house, dis co, boogie, techno, soul and Motown.

wednesda y EDINBURGH

TRIBE, LIQUID ROO MS

Your midwee k student night can be found at the wild-them ed Tribe – expect drin ks promos and good so unds all night long.

GLASGOW

WORLD FAM SUGARCUB OUS, E

Internationa l cl night with St ub eve Le Mash blendi ng a delicious cock tail of club classics ,w hop, house an ith hip d chart hits on the si de.

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CLUBS You need a club night for every day of the week. We have the goods. From pop to house, techno to hip hop and copious amounts of cheese, Kirstyn Smith picks the club nights you should be indulging in this year

t h u r s d ay

f r i d ay

EDINBURGH

PHOTO

GLASGOW

EDINBURGH

HULLABALOO, BONGO CLUB

es – Underground party vib s, breaks, think funky mash-up to get your beats and hip hop – t that little jus d rte sta weekend bit earlier.

C JELLYBABY, O2 AB ht r MWI Thursday nig

You mix club is this delicious hop hip , aks bre o, ctr of ele usly geo tra ou th Wi and R&B. boot, cheap drinks offers to get on it. you’d be daft not to

s at u r d ay

WENDY HOUSE, THE STREET

One of the city’s best DJs , Trendy Wendy takes ove r the Street each Friday to get your weekend off to a grand old start. There's a diff erent genre in each room – jus t go wherever the music tak es you, man.

, COALITION TE’S SNEAKY PE

drum & Residents drop bstep, du , ks ea br bass, ctro each techno and ele be wise to Sunday. You’d for their t ou e ey an ep ke er of guest impressive rost DJs too.

EDINBURGH

A true Edinbu rgh institution, TB C is a student night with the best in cheddar-flav ou tunes and anth red chart ems. It’s the club night you’ll look back semi-fon dly on after graduation.

The FF boys have the party on lockdown and are offering up disco, house, chart funk and a bangin’ party atmospher e for you to do with what you wish.

y a d n u s EDINBURGH

THE BIG CH POTTERRO EESE, W

GLASGOW

FLEX FRIDAYS, LOLA’S

GLASGOW

IENCE, SUNDAY SAC E G R THE GA s chart,

ay DJ Grantos pl up and has m d an ix rem pect revellers can ex ents, LED rim cannons, expe bers, om wands, plus ‘b bers’. m bo eh s er nn hu

GLASGOW

SUBCULTUR SUB CLUB E,

Well-establishe d house night reigning supreme with residents Ha Domenic, plus rri and a lineup of hot bi regular g-name guests.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

LGBT

OUT & ABOUT Explore Glasgow and Edinburgh's thriving LGBTQIA+ scene with Sasha de Buyl

eading off to university is both exciting and a little scary, and even more so if you identify as LGBTQIA+. On the one hand, you’re moving to a new place and leaving old support networks behind, but on the other hand, you get to decide who you are, on your terms. It's a great opportunity to meet new friends, try new things and see what kind of person you want to be. From newly hatched queers to Pride stalwarts, we’ve done the digging to help you find the LGBTQIA+ scene for you in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Be sure to check in with your student union when you first arrive. There are more societies and clubs to join than you imagined possible (Quidditch, anyone?), but each of the Glasgow and Edinburgh universities have their own variation on an LGBTQIA+ society. It’s a great place to start if you're looking for an inclusive space to make new friends. Glasgow has GULGBTQ+ as well as groups for PhDs, staff and students studying STEM subjects. Edinburgh University represents with BLOGS, and Napier, Heriot-Watt, QMU, Strathclyde, Glasgow Caledonian and the

Glasgow School of Art all have student groups as well. If you want to grab a quiet pint in Edinburgh, the Regent is a firm favourite, and also does food (and vegan eats). The Street is gayfriendly too but a little glitzier. In Glasgow, the Flying Duck is a go-to bar, as are the (vegan) queer-friendly Mono and Stereo. For classic gay bars in Edinburgh, try Planet, CC Blooms and Chalky’s, all within spitting distance of each other, and head to Delmonica’s or the Polo Lounge in Glasgow. Regular gay nights vary in what they offer, so there’s something for everyone. Queer, trans and non-binary folks can head to Queeriosity in Glasgow for pre-club dancing, Menergy for the best drag or check out Hot Mess for disco. In Edinburgh, you can find regular events with folks like Free Pride, Dive, Revolution Girl Style and Grrrl Crush!, who specialise in live music for girls who like girls. Working across Scotland, TYCI runs gigs, club nights, cultural events, blogs and a podcast, so keep them in your list of favourites. LGB, non-binary and trans inclusion in sport

is improving all the time, so there are plenty of ways to get active in either city. Leading the charge for inclusivity is roller derby. Played on roller skates and as much fun to watch as it is to take part, both Edinburgh and Glasgow have teams for all genders. The Auld Reekie Roller Girls have recently become ambassadors for Stonewall Scotland’s Rainbow Laces campaign, to fight homophobia, transphobia and biphobia in sport. Each of the teams also welcome people to join as non-skating members, so you can still get involved if you’d rather not play. Across the cities you'll also find LGBT Basketball, Women's American football, the United Glasgow football club and parkour groups. If you're transitioning or have questions about gender identity, you can contact your university student support for counselling, as well as more practical advice like where to find a genderneutral bathroom on campus. Wider than that, LGBT Health and Wellbeing have trans support groups and sessions across both Glasgow and Edinburgh, and they're a great first port of call for any LGBTQIA+ people.

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MUSIC

AHEAD OF THE CURVE: NEW MUSIC TO LISTEN OUT FOR You're at a party, the Spotify playlist is being compiled, and someone asks if you've heard any decent new music recently. Don't panic: just consult this handy list of top tune-makers by David Pollock. Whether or not you take the credit for discovering these wonderful acts is entirely up to you

CATHOLIC ACTION

MANUELA

Lush, lo-fi indie rock from Glasgow, with roots in other well-loved bands from the city like Casual Sex and Pinact. They released their debut ‘L.U.V’ this year. facebook.com/catholicactionband

Continental DIY pop from songwriter Manuela Gernedel and her husband Nick McCarthy, a sometime member of Franz Ferdinand and FFS. Released on the Isle of Eigg’s mighty cottage label Lost Map. lostmap.com/manuela PHOTO: ANDY CAITLIN

ANNA MEREDITH

ETTE

DTHPDL

The multi-talented winner of this year’s Scottish Album of the Year Award, for her gorgeously eclectic album Varmints, has also composed for the BBC Proms. annameredith.com

Founded by Carla Easton of Scots indie-poppers TeenCanteen and Joe Kane, Ette’s Homemade Lemonade (on Olive Grove Records) is an album filled with big sounds and sharp hooks. facebook.com/ettemusic

We have no idea how to pronounce it (Deathpoodle?), but DTHPDL make some great, arcing rock with hints of shoegaze and grunge on the much-respected label, Song, by Toad. facebook.com/DTHPDL

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MUSIC PHOTO: TIM SACCENTI

THEO KOTTIS

NAKED

MT DOUBT

The Edinburgh-raised and based DJ, producer and sometime Sub Club resident is a favourite of Pete Tong, having released tracks on Anjunadeep, Moda Black and Sasha’s Last Night on Earth, and recently remixed Jake Bugg. facebook.com/theokottismusic

Recently relocated to London from Edinburgh, but still released by the LuckyMe collective, Naked make dark, experimental electronic pop with a feminist edge. Their debut album is out at the end of Sep. facebook.com/welcometonkd

A band formed around Edinburgh songwriter and musician Leo Bargery, Mt Doubt add an electronic edge to the warm expansiveness of Arcade Fire and the National. There's little doubt they'll be big, alright. facebook.com/MtDoubt

TONGUES Self-confessed lovers of Hot Chip, Alt-J and James Blake, the Glasgow quartet make pristine, contemporary synth-pop music, and have already earned a place on the BBC Introducing stage at T in the Park. Think synths, subs and vocoders. tonguesmusic.com

BEST OPEN MICS

MODERN STUDIES Based in Glasgow, recorded in Perthshire and released on Edinburgh’s Song, by Toad label, Modern Studies are Emily Scott, Rob St John, Joe Smillie and Pete Harvey, and they make folksy chamber pop (see our review, page 70). modernstudiestheband.com

The first step on the road to making DIY music is actually, well, doing it yourself. In the inviting and inclusive surroundings of an open mic night, young musicians get to try out their very early work in front of an audience. In Edinburgh, the most established name is Out of the Bedroom, which runs fortnightly on Thursdays at the Outhouse. Others include The Listening Room, every Sunday at Blue Blazer, where original material is

preferred, the outdoors (weather permitting) Ensemble Al Fresco on Wednesdays at Akva and the Red Sessions on Saturday afternoons at the Blind Poet, with an open mic after the bands have played. In Leith, try Sofi’s Nocturnes on Sunday evenings at Sofi’s for music, poetry and comedy. In Glasgow, meanwhile, there’s an even greater number. Try Gerry Lyons’ Acoustic Night on Mondays at Nice ’n’ Sleazy’s (with free beer for performers), Sing and Drink

at the 78 on Wednesdays, hosted by Mike Hastings of Trembling Bells (again, more payment in alcohol), and Southside Sessions at the Butterfly and Pig South on Tuesdays. Southsiders also have Sammy’s Open Mic at the much-loved Glad Café on the first Sunday of every month, while possibly the city’s most iconic turn-up-and-play event is Bloc+Jam at Bloc+ on Sundays, hosted by Louis Abbott of Admiral Fallow and others. (David Pollock)

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MUSIC EDINBURGH

Rebecca Monks ﬁnds out where musicians really like to play in Edinburgh and Glasgow So, we could sit here and give you a list of venues we like, along with a phone number and a handy website – and we have, just look at the wee side panel to your left. But we thought it would also be interesting to hear from the musicians themselves: which venues do they like to play, and why? Here, we spoke to a few of our favourite Scottish acts to find out. Spoiler alert: everyone rates Summerhall.

LEO CONDIE, WHITE

SUR

Summerhall is our gig of choice in Edinburgh. To call it a multi-arts venue kind of undersells the sheer weirdness of its hauntedvet-school-meets-faded-arts-cruise-liner chic. Days could pass when you're in its vortex. Glasgow's choice of great gig venues is basically just unfair. Other cities weep. Poetry Club is strange and sexy, Broadcast is the perfect sweatbox, and the amazing Barrowland Ballroom is still where everyone from Glasgow, the UK, the world, probably Mars, talks about playing their dream gig.

PHOTO:JONATHAN ABEN

KATHRYN JOSEPH Summerhall is my favourite in The Burgh. I love how it looks and feels, and the humans who work there are greatness. And in Glasgow, my favourites are the Hug and Pint and the Glad Café. Again, great humans run these venues, and the feel and sound in the room is always beautiful.

BOSSY LOVE We've only played Edinburgh a handful of times but a favourite of ours is Summerhall. It's got a lovely vibe aboutt it and the sound of the room is amazing. If you're doing a DJJ set, Paradise Palms is a lot of fun. It's a little hidden gem, with what I'd call a tiki / jungle theme, plenty of plants. For Glasgow, we would have to go with the Hug and Pint – it's a wee room, so everyone is packed in tight and can get really raucous. The sound and lighting rig is insane for the size of the venue. But again, the space and surroundings have good energy and it's run by good people. PHOTO: MICHAEL WOO D

13th Note 50–60 King Street, 553 1638, 13thnote.co.uk Barrowland Ballroom 224 Gallowgate, 552 4601, glasgow-barrowland.com Broadcast 427 Sauchiehall Street, 332 7304, broadcastglasgow.com City Halls and Old Fruitmarket Candleriggs, 353 8000, glasgowconcerthalls.com Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Buchanan Galleries, 2 Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000, glasgowconcerthalls.com King Tut's 272 St Vincent Street, 221 5279, kingtuts.co.uk Mono 12 King's Court, 553 2400, monocafebar.com Nice’n’Sleazy 421 Sauchiehall Street, 333 0900, nicensleazy.com O2 ABC 300 Sauchiehall Street, 332 2232, academymusicgroup.com Òran Mór Byres Road, 357 6200, oran-mor.co.uk SECC & SSE Hydro Exhibition Way, 248 3000, secc.co.uk

AND THE LIVE ACTS WHO AGREE

PHOTO: MARTIN D BAK ER

GLASGOW

VENUES WE LOVE,

PHOTO: ANDY CATLIN

Bongo Club 66 Cowgate, 558 8854, thebongoclub.co.uk Caves 8–10 Niddry Street, 510 1122, unusualvenuesedinburgh.com Henry's Cellar Bar 16a Morrison Street, 629 2992, henryscellarbar.co.uk The Jazz Bar 1a Chambers Street, 220 4298, thejazzbar.co.uk Liquid Room 9c Victoria Street, 225 2564, liquidroom.com Queen's Hall 85–89 Clerk Street, 668 2019, thequeenshall.net Sneaky Pete's 73 Cowgate, 225, 1757, sneakypetes.co.uk Summerhall Summerhall Place, 560 1580, summerhall.co.uk Stramash 207 Cowgate, 623 4353, stramashedinburgh.com Usher Hall Lothian Road, 228 1155, usherhall.co.uk

THE SPOOK SCHOOL In Edinburgh, Henry's Cellar Bar – it's where we played our first ever show so will always be special for us. A delightful wee sweatbox. Also Banshee Labyrinth – it's apparently Edinburgh's most haunted venue. An intimate ghoulish setting for noisy frolics. In Glasgow, 13th Note: a tight basement space underneath an awesome vegan kitchen, and Nice'n'Sleazy. It's got great sound, great people, and great vegan White Russians.

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Dausgaard& Volkov& Pintscher& Wilson& Runnicles. Meet Our New Line-Up of Conductors at Glasgow City Halls from 22 September. Tickets from £13* Student Tickets: £6* bbc.co.uk/bbcsso venue booking fees of £1.00 (online) and £1.50 (phone) may apply.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

FILM

INDY KIDS Claire Flynn checks out where to catch the latest hit ﬁlms, intriguing documentaries and forgotten classics

overs of indie flicks, cult classics and documentaries, rejoice: both Edinburgh and Glasgow boast a great selection of independent cinemas, many of which offer toogood-to-resist student discounts. In the capital, the Filmhouse is a haven for independent film fanatics. h As well as hosting the Edinburgh y International Film Festival every June, the Lothian Road venue screenss arthouse flicks and retrospectives, ass well as panel discussions and Q&Ass h throughout the year. Prices vary, with ut student tickets sitting around £6–£8, but 5 if you're feeling thrifty, nab yourself a £5 annual membership, which provides a % £1.50 discount on ticket purchases, 10% g off food and drinks and priority booking for EIFF events. ch On Home Street, the Cameo, which Quentin Tarantino once declared to be one of his favourite cinemas, offers strands covering forgotten classics, riveting documentaries, and movies-so-bad-they're-good. Student tickets range from £8.50–£9.50. Those who opt for an annual student membership for £15, however, get two free tickets, up to £2 discount on film tickets, 10% off food and drinks and membership of E4's Slackers Club, which offers free monthly previews. Plus, students in full-time education can get two tickets to Screen Arts shows for £10, so you can catch world-class theatre productions for just a fiver. While it doesn't showcase much in the way of arthouse film,

M Morningside's Dominion Theatre pprovides far more intimate screenings of th the latest blockbusters than your average C Cineworld. Tickets cost £9.50. In Glasgow, Rose Street's Glasgow F Film Theatre dominates the independent film scene. Home of the Glasgow F Film Festival, the city-centre venue iis known for its programme of world c cinema classics and modern arthouse p productions. Prices vary but student t tickets are around £8. Those aged between 15 and 21 can also apply for a Youth Card to get £4.50 tickets and earn points which can be redeemed against future purchases. Nestled among the bars and restaurants of Ashton Lane sits the Grosvenor Cinema. While you'll find all the big films of the month on show, the quirky venue also dabbles in live streams of opera, dance and theatre productions, and is known for great one-off events throughout the year, including a horror movie marathon on Hallowe'en. Student tickets for film screenings are priced at £6–£7. Glasgow's CCA on Sauchiehall Street, which regularly hosts exhibitions and live music, also houses a cinema, showcasing thoughtprovoking films. This venue is ideal for those who have reached the end of their student loans, as screenings are often free during film fests. It’s also worth checking out the various university film societies (such as Edinburgh's FilmSoc and Glasgow's Screens), many of which organise screenings in various venues throughout the year.

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FILM

THE BEST OF THE FESTS From massive stars presenting Hollywood premieres to indie ﬂicks produced on the tightest of budgets, Scotland’s ﬁlm scene embraces them all. Looking for some festivals to while away the hours with nothing but popcorn and a big screen for company? Kirstyn Smith's got you covered

he two big daddies of the Scottish film festival scene are, of course, Glasgow Film Festival (Feb) and Edinburgh International Film Festival (Jun). Glasgow draws in remarkable names from the movie industry and finds new threads to explore each year – in 2016 the Sound and Vision strand delved into music on film, with a dedication to David Bowie and films from Aidan Moffat and Neil Young – while, in 2016, EIFF celebrated its 70th year and continues to pull out the stops to ensure each festival is one to remember. Others to consider in the cities are Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival (4 & 5 Feb, George Square Lecture Theatre, Edinburgh), a celebration of the great outdoors via mountaineering, snowboarding, biking and climbing; Document Film Festival (20–23 Oct, CCA, Glasgow), a festival dedicated to raising the profile of social issues not normally exposed in mainstream media, and Take One Action! Film Festival (14–25 Sep,

Edinburgh & Glasgow), a political fest exploring the belief that cinematic experiences can inspire change (see our feature on page 12). A big hitter on the LGBTQIA+ scene is the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (or, pleasingly, SQIFF), whose closing film Real Boy is pictured above. It takes place this year from 29 Sep–2 Oct (CCA, Glasgow) and features two major themes: a queer horror retrospective (think cult 80s fave Fright Night, zombie-on-zombie

Otto; or Up with Dead People, and a collection of horror shorts), and a web series showcase featuring innovative new media from queer filmmakers across the world. There’s also POUTFest, (Aug) a touring festival of British and international LGBTQIA+ shorts. The monopoly isn’t held by Edinburgh and Glasgow; if you’re willing to travel, there’s a world of filmic delights at your fingertips. Inverness Film Festival (9–13 Nov, Inverness), is a small but

powerful five days of premieres and international work; Screenplay (Aug, Mareel, Lerwick), is curated by critics Linda Ruth Williams and Mark Kermode, and features lectures, discussions and screenings with a focus on local filmmakers; and the Hippodrome Festival of Silent Cinema (22–26 Mar, Hippodrome, Bo’ness) is Scotland’s only film festival dedicated to the silent screen. If horror is your bag, there’s a year-round glut of terrifying events guaranteed to scare you shirtless, including Dundead (Apr), the DCA’s annual frightfest that indulges Dundee’s bloodthirsty side through cult classics and sneak p previews of new and local films; D Dead by Dawn (Apr), Edinburgh F Filmhouse’s festival of gore which offers up new work, old classics and special guests; and All Night Horror Madness (3 Dec, Cameo, Edinburgh), a full night of back-toback screenings of gruesome films that test the hardiest of horror fans. Glasgow Horror Festival (29 Oct, Blackfriar’s, Glasgow) also has its fair share of indie and pop film screenings with industry Q&As.

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The finest steakhouse in Glasgow’s West End, Bo’Vine is a cut above the rest when it comes to serving up the very best from Scotland’s larder. Open 7 days a week for dinner from 5pm, and Sunday Lunch from 1pm Book Online at www.bovinerestaurant.co.uk 385 Byres Road 0141 341 6540

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

BOOKS

BOOK UP YOUR IDEAS Rebecca Monks looks at the best literary-ﬂavoured events around, from reading groups to spoken-word nights

READING

They say there’s a novel in everyone, so why not let yours out at a local creative writing group? In Edinburgh, Edinburgh Writers’ Club has 15 meetings per year, and offers a chance to meet with fellow scribes and share your work. There’s also Visible Ink, who meet regularly at Nelson Hall Community Centre and offer members constructive feedback on the pieces they read. The Glasgow Writers Meetup Group has a weekly callout for submissions, and the group reads the pieces ahead of time in order to offer the writer maximum feedback. Larkfield Writers Group is a friendly place to talk about

SPEAKING Scotland's spoken-word scene is booming. Loud Poets is a regular night running across both cities which puts poetry where it belongs: in front of a microphone. Neu! Reekie! (pictured, left) is a spoken-word / mus music / animation night, which, though Edinburgh-based, has events in both cities. Unbound (pictured above) is the Edinburgh International Book Festival's literary cabaret, which combines music, poetry and storytelling every night in August. If you fancy trying your hand at an open mic, Edinburgh has two regular nights, Blind Poetics and Inky Fingers, which are perfect for this, while Glasgow has Word Play at the Tron and Inn Deep, which takes p place on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. K

WRITING

your scribblings, and has been running since 1990. That’s 26 years of creative writing expertise for you.

PHOTO: KAT GOLLOC

There’s nothing better than curling up with a good book. Unless you like chatting about a good book, in which case there are plenty of opportunities to discuss your thoughts and feelings with fellow bibliophiles. The Edinburgh branch of Blackwell’s hosts a book group on the third Monday of every month. The Fruitmarket Gallery runs a similar operation on the first Sunday of the month (and this one’s in a ). cafe, which means coffee, which means happiness). Waterstones on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow hostss y a monthly book club for sci-fi, horror and fantasy y lovers (aptly named the Sci Fi / Horror / Fantasy p Book Group), and The Glasgow Book Group p meets at Liberte to discuss all things literary. Keep an eye on meetup.com for information on that one.

LLISTENING B authors regularly pass through both cities in order to Big llaunch new books, chat about old work or simply meet the fa fans. Keep an eye on Blackwell’s lineup, as they regularly p pull in exciting writers (look out for Margaret Atwood in E Edinburgh this October). Waterstones is a good bet too, as the shops at the West End of Princes Street and on Sauchiehall Street, respectively, are known for hosting exciting signings. It’s not all about the chains, though: Golden Hare Books in Stockbridge is also known for its stellar speakers, as is the CCA in Glasgow.

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THEATRE PHOTO: HERANI ENRÍQUEZ

Y A L P E M I T Gareth K Vile raises the curtain on experimental and traditional theatre

challenging, international performance. There is also Bedlam, primarily a student theatre venue, and Church Hill: and for the really large-scale performances, from Broadway musicals through to internationally renowned choreographers, there’s the Playhouse and the Festival Theatre. The latter, alongside the King’s Theatre, provides a constant stream of impressive plays and dance shows. Glasgow straddles the divide between populist theatre and more av avant-garde antics. Òran Mór in the West E End offers a new play every week in its A Play, A Pie and A Pint seasons. The Theatre Royal hhouses Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet, aand invites touring companies, both dance aand drama, for week-long visits, catering to ddiscerning popular audiences. Buzzcut Festival, which has established i itself in Govan is a role model for more DIY e events: it has recently moved into the CCA f a monthly production, and still holds its for annual jamboree of performance art. There is a plethora of other groups, including UNFIX, which addresses environmental concerns and Cryptic who champion ‘music for the visually minded’. The Art School, the Glue Factory and many galleries host pop-up happenings throughout the year. Tramway’s biannual festival Dance International Glasgow is due to return in 2017. The Citizens Theatre and the Tron both offer new and established plays, but the venues have their own personalities. Under Dominic Hill, the Citz regained its reputation for exciting interpretations of classic scripts and plots, balancing it somewhere between accessible and experimental. Andy Arnold, artistic director of the Tron, admits an enthusiasm for a good script, although this is as likely to be a brandnew work as an absurdist favourite. PHOTO: ALY WIGHT

oth Glasgow and Edinburgh have strong traditions of popular and experimental theatre. Although the major venues on both coasts of the central belt often collaborate, each of the cities have their own particular performance personality: Glasgow goes for edgier, rougher pleasures while Edinburgh enjoys a year-round programme of high-production plays. Edinburgh’s two major production houses, the Royal Lyceum and the erse is Traverse, have venerable reputations. The Traverse ‘the home of new writing’ – although it does have a healthy turnover of touring companies – and the Lyceum, which recently appointed playwright David Greig (pictured, right) as artistic director, delves into theatre history for inspiration. Situated back to back in the ‘cultural quarter’, they are often defined in relationship to each y other, with the Traverse playing the punky younger sibling to the august Lyceum. This doesn’t tell the whole story, since Greig’ss k ventures into programming include new work k from Cora Bissett and new translations of Greek d classics, as well as a recent and well received foray into gig-theatre with folk singer Karinee Polwart at the Edinburgh International Festival. The Traverse is also notable for its support rt of female theatre-makers, and its increasingly wide appreciation of what new writing can mean. Dance has found its way into the programme and artistic director Orla O’Loughlin has modelled its year-round programme on its successful Fringe bookings, bringing in companies from across the UK and beyond. The Brunton Theatre invites smaller-scale theatre to its seaside home, while two upstarts, Summerhall and Assembly Roxy, have expanded from Fringe operations into year-round spaces for

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THEATRE

TREADING THE BOARDS Rowena McIntosh ďŹ nds the best places for students to express their theatrical side

n a country that hosts the biggest arts festival in the world, (the Fringe), it's logical that there would be a thriving tradition of student theatre. These societies are all student run and aren't just for those who love the limelight, with opportunities in playwriting, stage management, directing, lighting and sound production. Student Theatre at Glasgow, neatly abbreviated to STaG, is the University of Glasgow's theatre society. STaG runs two annual festivals, STaG Nights and New Works, with the winning production at New Works taken to the Edinburgh Fringe. This year it was gangster comedy, A Dog's Tale. New Talent Nights is designed for new members, with auditions held

in freshers' week. The Cecilian Society specialise in musical theatre. They open the 2016 semester with the ambitious The Brain From Planet X, with plans to perform Elvis musical All Shook Up in 2017. Over at Strathclyde University, Re-act Theatre Group aims to give students from all departments a chance to flex their theatrical muscles. They host workshops to hone your skills before rehearsals begin. Last year's productions included A Christmas Carol and Alice in Wonderland. On the east coast, the Edinburgh University Theatre Company are based at the entirely student-run Bedlam Theatre. The company puts on a staggering 40-plus shows a year and hosts

regular creative workshops covering everything from playwriting to lighting. As their name hopefully suggests, the Edinburgh University Shakespeare Company are geared specifically towards performing Shakespeare's work. They host a yearly production of one of the Bard's texts as well as workshops in adapting Shakespeare. Theatre Paddock are based at the University of Edinburgh but welcome members from various universities and colleges. They put on experimental productions, one each semester, as well as an annual run at the Fringe, where this year they staged the first amateur version of Bush Moukarzel's absurd tragedy Lippy.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

PHOTO: IDIL SUKAN

COMEDY

James Acaster Isy Suttie

STAND-UP ROOM ONLY I

n any discussion about the Scottish comedy scene, there’s really no way around mentioning the behemoth that is The Stand Comedy Club. Boasting purpose-built venues in Glasgow (Woodlands Road) and Edinburgh (York Place), this world-renowned space is where the finest UK and international touring comedians come to perform. The club’s original co-founder Tommy Sheppard has other things on his plate now as a high-flying SNP MP, but he’s clearly left the day-to-day running in safe hands, with the likes of Nish Kumar, Isy Suttie, Jason Byrne and James Acaster all being attracted to the venue this autumn. The Stand is also a proud pioneer of rising talent with their Red Raw evenings hopefully opening the door for the next Kevin Bridges or Daniel Sloss. Among other popular regular nights there, the Broken Windows Policy sketch team, Topical Storm satirists, and improv kings Stu & Garry provide glee in Edinburgh, while Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service, the Glasgow Kids Comedy Club and Comedian Rap Battle light up Glasgow. Meanwhile, both cities

get all intellectual on us with their Bright Club sessions, platforming funny academics – of all things. In recent times, the Gilded Balloon has moved out of the August Edinburgh Fringe bubble to lay on some top-quality monthly nights at Drygate Brewery (Drygate) in Glasgow and Festival Theatre Studio (Potterrow) in Edinburgh. They’re back again and before the year is out, the likes of Tom Wrigglesworth, Felicity Ward and George Egg will have trodden the GB boards. While you can blow a wad of cash on a household name at the Pavilion, King’s or SECC in Glasgow and Festival Theatre, Queen’s Hall or Playhouse in Edinburgh, it’s sometimes a better bet to take in a series of cheap or free gigs. Glasgow has an array of pubs and clubs which regularly put on comedy, such as Yesbar (Drury Street) with its weekly Yesbar Virgins night for newcomers. The Duke Bar (Duke Street) has its Laldy New Material Night while The Griffin (Bath Street) hosts evenings of longform improv comedy through its Glasgow Harold Night. There’s more improv at The Old

You look like you could use a laugh. Luckily, there are plenty of funny goings on in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Our comedy editor Brian Donaldson breaks it down for you

Hairdressers (Renfield Lane) with Imaginary Friends Improv Comedy and Absolute Improv at the Siempre Bicycle Café (Dumbarton Road). But if you prefer your laughs to be accompanied by a side order of magic and burlesque then Enterteasement at The Hold (Waterloo Street) could be viewed as a treat for getting that essay handed in on time. In Edinburgh, 48 Below (Broughton Street) offers a new-material night, Monkey Barrel Comedy at the Beehive Inn (Grassmarket) showcases local and visiting stand-ups, the Edinburgh Comedy Cellar at the Cellar Monkey (Argyle Place) puts the emphasis on up-and-coming talent while The Blunt Club at Burlington Bertie (Tarvit Street) puts control in the audience’s hands as they make suggestions for the bill based on the previous month’s comic offerings. Down in Leith, the Granary Comedy Club (The Shore) keeps punters happy once a month, while for adlib lovers there’s The Harold Improv Comedy show at The Tron (Hunter Square) and A-Z Improv Comedy at The Kilderkin (Canongate).

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

VISUAL ART

Pio Abad’s Notes on Decomposition at the CCA, Glasgow

John Byrne’s portrait for Tilda Swinton at the National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh

HEAD START ON SCOTTISH ART Rebecca Monks rounds up some of the best art galleries in Glasgow and Edinburgh, where admission doesn’t cost a thing

t was the painter Kandinsky who said ‘there is no must in art, because art is free’. Turns out K Dog was pretty wise: both Edinburgh and Glasgow are home to several of the country’s most impressive galleries, and entry doesn’t cost a penny. EDINBURGH The Scottish National Gallery was designed by William Henry Playfair in 1850 and stands proudly on the Mound. It houses several notable works from masters such as Claude Monet, Raphael and Rembrandt van Rijn. On Queen Street, there’s the National Portrait Gallery,, which is home to paintings of world-famous Scots, from Bonnie Prince Charlie and Mary Queen of Scots to Tilda Swinton and Sean Connery. Completing the capital’s national set is the Modern Art duo on Belford Road in the West End. Known as galleries One and Two, both showcase a range of multimedia exhibits as well as sculptures and paintings. The Fruitmarket Gallery can be found behind Waverley Station on Market Street, and houses a world-class collection of contemporary art. Thiss autumn, see new sculptures from Mexican artistt Damián Ortega (pictured, right). Elsewhere,,

Summerhall in the southside has a year-round visual art programme, in addition to its many gigs. Highlights this year include a Joseph Beuys retrospective, running until the end of September, and Diagramming the Listener, an installation from Mark Fell drawing inspiration from geometry, time and the idea of the self. GLASGOW The Kelvingrove reopened refurbishment in 2006. It impressive collection of more with everything from silver interactive exhibits.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF

after extensive now houses an than 22 galleries, and ceramics to

E CUBE, LONDON

Highlights include paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Vincent van Gogh, as well as the world-famous Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Salvador Dali. The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) has a selection of acclaimed contemporary art, including David Hockney, John Bellany and Andy Warhol. The Burrell Collection comprises 8000 objects gifted to the city by Sir William Burrell, including works from Cézanne and Rodin, as well as medieval art. The Lighthouse regularly hosts exciting contemporary exhibitions. This autumn, see Adventures in Space by Jon Jardine, which e explores the architecture of science fiction. The M Modern Institute features work from several T Turner Prize winners, including Martin Boyce a and Simon Starling, plus several Glasgowb based nominees including Luke Fowler and Jim L Lambie. It works on public and private shows w associated artists year round. with Another key visual art venue is the CCA, which regularly commissions and presents work from new Scottish artists, as well as showcasing work from international figures. This autumn, see Notes on Decomposition by Pio Abad, which explores ideas of cultural artefacts and values in the UK and Philippines.

THE ARTIST AND WHIT

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MANY YEARS AGO, THE FATE OF OUR WHISKEY RESTED IN THE HANDS OF ONE MAN. AND HE WASN’T NAMED JACK DANIEL. What do you do when Mr. Jack

Jess was Jack’s nephew, and he

about a decade. But in that time,

learned everything he needed to

he guided us through the biggest

In 1911, our distillery faced two

know about distilling Old No. 7

challenge our whiskey ever faced.

serious challenges: Jack Daniel

from Jack himself. How to tell if

So on our 150 th anniversary, we

was in failing health, and liquor

the corn, rye and barley were up

raise a glass to Jess. If not for him,

prohibition had come to the state

to snuff. How to pack the ten-foot

what’s in this glass would never

of Tennessee. These were dark

mellowing vats full of charcoal

have ended

days indeed, and the skies grew

so the whiskey dripped through

up there.

himself leaves you in charge?

even darker with the passage of

at precisely the right rate. And

national prohibition ten years later.

most importantly, how to tell when the whiskey had rested in its oak barrels just long enough to become Jack Daniel’s. So with the repeal of Prohibition, while the rest of the nation was celebrating, Jess was hard at work, rebuilding his uncle’s distillery and

OUR FIRST TWO MASTER DISTILLERS.

EVEN OFF HIS PEDESTAL , JESS MOTLOW ’S

MENTOR CAST AN AWFULLY LONG SHADOW.

remaking Old No. 7 from nothing besides memory and water from the Hollow’s

But eventually, reason prevailed. In 1933, Prohibition was repealed

cave spring. By this time,

and it was time to get back to

Jess Motlow

work. After a prolonged dry spell,

was getting

the nation was thirsty.

on in years,

So it fell to our second master distiller, a quiet man named Jess

and he was only able to

Motlow, to pick up making the

make Jack’s

whiskey that Jack was known for.

whiskey for

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PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

J A C K D A N I E L’S. A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D. J A C K D A N I E L’S A N D O L D N O. 7 A R E R E G I S T E R E D T R A D E M A R K S.

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BACK PAGE FIRST&LAST BRIAN COX Everyone’s favourite TV particle physicist and the former keys man with D:Ream takes on our First & Last quiz Last thing you recommended to someone

Some Thoughts on the Common Toad by George Orwell. First record you ever bought

Pinky & Perky’s ‘Yellow Submarine’. Last extravagant purchase you made

A telescope, though it’s not that extravagant as it’s considerably smaller than the one at Jodrell Bank. First film you saw that really moved you

barcode reader and my eyebrows still haven’t really grown back.

Last book you read

First Light by Geoffrey Wellum.

First time you realised you were famous

First great piece of advice you were given

The first time I was accused on Twitter of being a major player in the Illuminati.

First object you’d save from your burning home

My collection of rare coal.

‘Why don’t you go and see Star Wars?’

Last funny thing you saw online

Sassy Trump. First job

Last time someone criticised your work

Rock star. No, really; first time I got paid was for playing keyboards with the rock band Dare.

Last time you were starstruck

Just check Twitter.

When Jeff Lynne and Eric Idle did a live ukulele duet of the Infinite Monkey Cage theme in LA.

First three words your friends would use to describe you

First thing you’d do if you ran the country

Last time you made an impulse buy and regretted it

Make Britain the best place in the world to do science.

Wednesday 15th June at 4pm (GMT).

Last meal on earth

First concert you ever attended

First thing you think of when you wake up in the morning

OMD ‘Dazzle Ships’ tour at the Manchester Apollo.

Oh God, I forgot to put the alarm on.

First thing you do when you’ve got time off work

Professor Brian Cox Live, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 22 Sep; Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 23 Sep. Universal: A Guide to the Cosmos by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw is published by Allen Lane, Wed 21 Sep.

Head in clouds.

First book you read for a second time

Ben Okri’s The Famished Road.

Some form of cannibalism I imagine. First movie you ever went on a date to

The Evil Dead rented on VHS.

Create more work. Last time you exploited your position to get something

To get through security when I told them my face was my pass, so he scanned it with a laser

COMING SOON PHOTO: CHRIS WATT

Star Wars: Episode IV. And Princess Leia was my first crush.

Last time you bought someone flowers

I always think giving seeds has more longevity.

Last thing you think of before you go to sleep

Have I put the alarm on?

HOT 100 In our Hot 100 poll of 2015’s influential cultural figures, Edinburgh International Festival boss Fergus Linehan came top of the shop. He’s had another storming year, so who can dislodge him this time around? Find out in our next issue which will also feature all the tips for planning your best Hogmanay bash ever. Whether you’re looking to spend it indoors or out, we’ll point you in the right direction to pop the champers in style.

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An Audience with

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Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and Edinburgh’s Christmas are produced by Unique Events Ltd and Underbelly Ltd on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council. Subject to license.

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