CLUBS listings
EDINBURGH CLUBS: THUR continued
I Brutus Gold's Love Train at Oddfellows. 8.30pm—lam. Free. Brutus Gold with tunes from the 705. Plus promotions. prizes. games and giveaways. I Club lndilta at The Rocking Horse. Entry through Shady Lady’s in the Cowgate. l lpm—3am. £2. The latest in dancehall. ragga and reggae. I Eden at La Belle Angele. 10.30pm~3am; band on 1 lpm. £4 (£4 with flyer or membership). 3 Apr. Monthly. Afro-celt. whirlygig-trance. world and dance night with DJs, live band. belly-dancers. drummers. totem poles and masks. Band to be announced. The next Eden is a Beltane special at Wilkie House 20 Apr. I Girl Meets Boy at The Citrus. llpm—3am. £2. Ajourney into the wonders ofeasy listening, girl groups. disco and Latin. where mirrorballs. lava and haute coiffure collide. I The Living Room 9pm—lam. Free. D] 4th V presents a fusion of soul. funk and hip hop. Pre-club. I Madchester at The Jaffacake. llpm—3am. £3 members; £3.50 non- members. 3 Apr. Fortnightly. Busy midweek night playing baggy Mane classics. I The Mambo Club at The Cavendish. l()pm--late. £4 (£3). Midweek edition of Sir Ossie‘s eternally popular Mambo. Expect the satne uptempo sounds as Saturdays: funk. soul and rap. I Messenger Sound System at The Venue. lO.30pm—3am. £5 (£4). Fortnightly. Check their 360 degree conscious sounds from old ska through roots. dancehall and dub. 27 Mar the Messengers hook up with Dub Department for a birthday tribute to Lee Scratch Perry. I Orchid at The Honeycomb. lOpm—3am. £3 (£2). 27 Mar. Fortnightly. Funk. soul. vocal and progressive house. With a continental resident and a friendly crowd. I On The Razzle at Walkers. 6pm—3am. £ 1. Remember Busters. Cinderellas and Tiffanys‘.’ ()ver 25'? Single-ish'? This charmingly-named night could be the one for you. Complimentary nibbles. Happy Hour 6-8pm. live bands. DJs and cabaret. I Pants at Stones. lOpm—lam. Free. lndie session with spirits at SOp—a-shot. I Red, Hot And Cool at The Lane. I lpm—3am. Free. Soul and funk vibes. I Shag at The Rocking Horse. l lpm—3am. £3. Free chocolate. ridiculous competitions. and an unashamedly kitsch pop playlist at this extremely popular Thursday night club. I The 6, 7, 8 Special at Why Not? (part of The Dome). l0pm—3am. Free. Over 2 l s. Smart dress. No denims or trainers. 60s. 70s and 80s sounds for an older crowd. I Spice Of Life at The Honeycomb. Spice Of Life is taking a break for the Easter holidays. Back when the students return. I The Summerhouse at The Venue. l().30pm—3am. 3 Apr. Fortnightly. Free before midnight; £3 theareafter. New night of future house and techno funk featuring resident Phase 6 (6K) and guests to be announced. I Tonic at La Belle Angele. llpm-3am. £4 (£3). 27 Mar. Fortnightly. Bristol‘s first lady of funky breaks, DJ Seraphim (Chocolate City) drops by at this new midweek chill-out zone ofjazz. hip hop. dub and jungle. Mmm mmm. I The Unspoken Thing at Negociants. 9pm—3am. Free. Trip hop. hip hop. drum ‘n‘ bass and beats ‘n‘ scratches from Edinburgh‘s deadliest sonic saviours. Watch out for more label s ecials soon. I Zoo ogy at Wilkie House. l0.30pm—3am. £4. Midweek clubbing with Gordon Whittaker and Phil Alcock playing house in the main room. Superb drink promos (ll.30pm—3am pints £ 1'. nips 75p).
74 rnzusr 21 Mar—3 Apr 1997
TV
preview
Desk job
Channel 5 launches with the first nightly chat show on UK terrestrial telly. The host with the most, Mr JACK DOCHERTY, imagines his ideal guest list.
Words Eddie Gibb
Two Scottish presenters will he doing it five nights a week on Channel 5 — but not. as far as we know. together. In the early evenings. former BBC Radio Scotland journalist Kirsty Young will anchor the main news show. American-style. with a promise to deliver a different agenda to other channels. We'll see.
Another idea imported from the US arrives later at night when comedian Jack Docherty slips behind the desk to host his own chat show. lts is produced by the independent company. Absolutely. which takes its name from the sketch show which launched the television careers of Docherty and his writing partner Murray Hunter. aka Mr Don And Mr George.
Nobody is pretending that the format has not been nicked from American talk show host. David Letterman. though the five-times-a- week late night chat show is a standard format on the US networks. It had never been attempted in the UK. however. until Selina Scott launched her own nightly show on Sky l earlier this month which occupies the same time-slot as The Jack Docherty Show. Now there are two.
Plenty have tried to borrow the desk format and ironic attitude of the American shows. complete with joke cards and a house band to punctuate the gags. Jonathan Ross was among the first wave in l987 with The Last Resort. which coincidentally is repeated next month. Of late. Channel 4 has been more interested in deconstructing the talk show format with Bob Mills‘ The Show. which goes behind the scenes to reveal how the programme is put together.
But Channel 5 says it will be playing it straight. Jack Docherty is not intended as a British counterpart to The Larry Sanders Show. the imported American sitcom which provided Bob Mills with the idea of displaying the rampant egos that rule the talk show circuit.
‘We thought about that for a while but then you realise it won‘t sustain.’ says Docherty. ‘I can do some acting in the sketches and parody the backstage documentaries. but in conversation I just have to be myself. To draw someone out you have to be in regular conversation. If people like that. the show will work — if they don’t. it won‘t.‘
Given the fact that Channel 5 was conceived as a niche channel. The Jack Docherty Show is unlikely to have much clout with the publicists who control
Jack Doc herty
'There are a lot of people who wouldn't be on Clive Anderson.’
Mouthing off: Jack Docherty gets chatty
access to celebrity. The fact it is on every day also means the show can’t afford to be too choosy about exclusive access to the biggest stars. You can expect to see B—list guests and the same faces who are on other shows, but Docherty believes a different approach to interviewing will give the show a
'distincme edge. Judging from the pilot. Docherty
appears to have the necessary light touch which avoids the uncomfortable moments of a Clive Anderson jousting match.
‘Maybe guests will respond to the more ironic opportunity.‘ he says. ‘I also think there are a lot of people who can respond in that comedic way who wouldn‘t normally be on chat shows. They wouldn‘t be on Clive Anderson because they are not famous enough. but we are happy to have the non-famous people on.‘
So who are his ideal guests'.’ Imagine. if you can. a chat show featuring heavyweight writers Saul Bellow. Harold Pinter and Martin Amis — none of whom seem at odds with Channel 5‘s launch mantra of ‘modern mainstream‘. ‘l‘d ask Harold Pinter where he buys his socks.‘ says Docherty. lt’s unlikely we will ever find out.
Channel 5 launches on Sun 30 Mar. The Jack Docherty Show is on weekday nights at 11.05pm.