MUSIC LIST
Edinburgh
0 The Band at Holy Joy The Venue. Calton Road. 557 3073. Doors open 7pm. Much talked-about indie band who‘ve already claimed a few front covers in the music press — a coverage. unfortunately. not reflected in their sales. Unconventional line-up. tending towards the oddball end of the spectrum. but no less enjoyable for all that.
o RubberYahoo, Snake Core, Dancing Bears and Head Moray House Student Union. Holyrood Road. 556 8455. Enjoyed Rubber Yahoo‘s version of rock ‘n‘ roll meets country ‘n‘ western when they played Coasters a while back. though the tightest white leather mini-skirt in creation might have had a little to do with it. Punchy and fun. The music. that is. Also of note are Dancing Bears. whose single just out on Big Noise records is not bad at all.
0 La Paz Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 226 3816. £1 after 9.30pm.
1 lard rock/heavy metal.
0 Trident Clowns. High Street. 9pm. Free. Hard rock/heavy metal.
0 Billy Jones Student Union. Teviot Row. 667 2091. 8pm. Students and guests only. A set of acoustic rock ‘n‘ roll numbers from Edinburgh‘s most popular solo singer/songwriter. Album in the shops now.
0 Wasted Days (To be confirmed). The Rolling Stone. Greenside Place. 558 1270. 9.30pm. Free. Appearance depends on the Stone not being booked for a function tonight.
0 That Swing Thang Negociants. Lothian Street. 225 6313. 9pm. Free.
ATURDAY 16 Glasgow
0 The Pretenders/The Silencers Barrowland. London Road. 7.30pm. £5. I have always had a soft spot for the Pretenders — this one should be worth seeing. even if the last couple of albums have been a bit erratic. The Silencers are very good. and have just released their debut album. A Letter From St Paul.
O ASWAD QMU. University Gardens. 8pm. £3.50. Good. home grown reggae.
o Styng Rites/Protessor Product (‘raigend Community Centre. 7.30pm. 50p. Another Mayfest event — keeping the Styng Rites busy.
0 Sadie Bagwash and Cowpoke Halt Bar. Woodlands Road. 9pm. Free. Members ofdel Amitri and His Latest Flame indulging in a spot of country and western!
O The Shamen Weavers. Maxwellton Road. Paisley. 887 5143. 10pm.
O Souled Dut St Georges Bar. St
Georges Road. 9pm. Free. Pub-rock.
0 Big George and The Business Platini's. West Nile Street. 9pm. Free. Big George is Glasgow‘s remaining blues legend. And ifyou like his sort of material. he is as good asanyone.
O The Drifters Censors Lounge. Forbes Place. Paisley. 887 9745. £2.50. There is something a bit sad about this sort ofgig - or is there'.’
Edinburgh
0 Bald Cormorant Lord Darnley.
Bass Dance were tamed by iormer lead guitarist of Steel Pulse, Basil Gabbidon, born in Jamaica, but resident many years in Birmingham, where he heard Bob Marley‘s groundbreaking Catch A Fire LP (‘It meant you could look at reggae in a serious way,‘ he says or it), the record that inspired him to make a living as a prolessional musician. An essential component at Steel Pulse, one at the toughest and most political oi the late 70s‘ British reggae bands, his searing guitar licks are to be tound on tourot their albums, including the excellent Randsworth Revolution. After recording True Democracy in 1982 Gabbidon left the band to torm a group at his own, which would allow his varied songs to be expressed the way he wanted to hear them particularly romantic numbers, very tew at which were ever recorded by Steel Pulse. In truth be also objected to pressure from the record label bosses to water down the band‘s sound lor the commercial mainstream.
Ironically, perhaps, the songs on the demo tape he is currently trying to tempt record companies with are
BASS DANCE
undeniably commercial, showing intluences lrom tunk and rap, including a version at The Temptations‘ Get Ready. Gabbidon calls it ‘Brum Beat’. ‘Bands trom Birmingham,‘ he says, ‘are more trom the heart. I don‘t know it it’d be because Birmingham is more industrial, but here the music has a
I“, efif
rough edge to it all the time.‘ Maybe so, but Bass Dance are still extremely accessible, and in places similario Steel Pulse, who these days seem to be lured towards Babylon more than is good torthem. A good time is guaranteed at Glasgow Rooftops on Thursday 21. (Mab)
West Port. 229 4341. 3pm. Free. 60s‘
R&B. country-rock. jam atmosphere.
0 The Vaselines, The Wiseacres and The Starekase New Calton Studios.
Calton Road. 556 7066. 10pm. £2.50.
Goes on till 4am. this does. so sup plenty of Irn Bru beforehand. Haven‘t heard The Vaselinesyet. but I believe they‘re not averse to Velvets‘ riffs and the odd black polo-neck. The Wiseacres. from Renfrew. do an excellent line in thrashy guitar-based love songs, and The Starekase were the psychedelic combo that The Legend! forgot to mention in the same breath as The Thames.
0 The London All Stars and Wee Papa 51/L Mission Control. The Venue. Calto'n Road. 557 3073. 10pm. £2. Interrupting the usual non-stop flow of hip hop and electro, All Stars are hip hop dancers and Wee Papa a group of black female rappers.
0 Billy Jones Burke and Hare. West Port. 229 0378. 8.30pm. Free. See Fri 15.
o Toto and the Bostons and Mr Rhythm Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 226 3816. Toto‘s usual set in the afternoon is free. but entrance to Mr Rhythm will cost £1 after 9.30pm.
0 Alter Eight Mince Negociants. Lothian Street, 225 6313. 9pm. Free. Jazz-funk.
0 Rue and Cry
Moray House Student Union, Holyrood Road. 556 8455. Glasgow‘s soul sensation: sparse. intense. piano/vocal-based sound. and a lot ofpublicity.
W Glasgow
0 BMX Banditleeacon Blue/Hue and Cry/Win Pavilion. Renfield Street,
332 1896. 7.30pm. £3. Excellent selection of bands. and not to be missed.
0 The Sirens Tron Theatre. 63 Trongate. 11pm. £4. Fine vocal group. as part of the Tron‘s contribution to Mayfest.
o Polly Filla and The Trowels Boulevard Hotel. Duntocher. 9pm. You think it is impossible to get a name worse than this — see Sun 24! Is it all a joke anyway? — going along to find out is not recommended.
0 The Wake Daddy Warbucks. 46 West George Street. 10.30pm. Back in action with a new single. ‘Plastic Flowers‘ out any time now.
0 The Shamen Vickys. Kilmarnock. 10.30pm.
0 Legless Riverside Club. Fox Street. 8—1 1pm. £1.50. Tickets at door or from 041 221 3644. Funk. jazz, rock. Motown standards.
0 The London Allstars/Wee Papa Fresh at Jo Paparazzis. Sauchiehall Street. 10.30pm. The London Allstars are hip hop dancers. while Wee Papa are rappers. Included in the admission cost is a free exhibition of Glasgow‘s most expensive haircuts. clothes and suntans.
Edinburgh
0 The Pretenders and The Silencers Playhouse Theatre. Greenside Place. 557 2590. 7.30pm. £7. £6. Good 01‘ Chrissie — still battling on after times that might have had lesser mortals just packing it in. The last two albums have confounded detractors who‘d written her off regardless, showing that she can still write good songs. and play a mean rhythm. and there‘ll always be a place for her in everyone‘s record collection. right?
0 Tam White and The Dexters Preservation Hall, Victoria Street.
2263816. £1 after9pm. Another session from Edinburgh‘s premier bluesman. who has currently got some interesting dates lined up.
: MONDAY 18 Glasgow
0 The Speedie Ducks Bad Ass Club, Clyde Place. 9pm. A reasonably new. funky-ish band. 1 am told. Find out for yourself.
Edinburgh
0 Drchestre Jazira The Venue. Calton Road. 557 3073. Doors open 7pm. See panel.
0 Lixx Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 226 3816. 9pm. Free. Latest in the Pres‘s heavy rock nights.
0 Driving Sideways The Canny Man‘s. Morningside Road. 447 1484. 8.30pm. Free. Blues/jazz and rock ‘n‘ roll.
0 The Nick Robertson Band Negociants. Lothian Street. 225 6313. 9pm. Free.
TUESDAY 19 Glasgow
0 Heart Industry Zaks. Sauchiehall Street. 9pm. Free. A good pop band from Edinburgh, with a single called ‘Dreaming(1 to 5)’ out soon.
0 Bobby Wishart Halt Bar, Woodlands Road. 9pm. Free.
0 The Dream Coyote Bad Ass Club, Clyde Place. 9pm. Another fair local band. who could be worth seeing if the television is poor.
0 Deal Heights Cajun Aces Moir Hall, Mitchell Theatre. 11pm. £3.50. By the time of this gig, their album should be out on Temple Records (a folk label).
Edinburgh
0 The Thompson Twins Playhouse
3B The List 15— 28 May