Bulletins
News and views in bite-sized bits.
U840, THE PRETENDERS and Mansun will play at a large-scale concert in Princes Street Gardens at this year's Edinburgh's Hogmanay. The gig on 31 December will be followed at midnight by the largest fireworks display in Britain. As well as the Virgin/McEwan's Street Party, highlights include street theatre from Groupe F (who were responsible for the World Cup finale fireworks), a torchlit procession and the country’s biggest winter carnival. Details of all events can be found in the programme inserted into this issue of The List, or by calling the Hogmanay Box Office on 0131 473 1999.
ANOTHER ISSUE OF The List. another set of literary prize nominations to report. The Saltire Society/Scotsman Book of the Year candidates are Jackie Kay for Trumpet, James Kelman's The Good Times, Shena Mackay for The Artist’s Widow, Alan Spence for Way To Go, Emma Tenant’s Strangers: A Family Romance and Alan Warner for his school girl smash, The Sopranos. The winner will take home £5,000. New authors also get a look in with the Saltire/Post Office First Book award (£1,500): poet Ken Cockburn heads the nominees with Souvenirs And Homelands, competing with Dennis O'Donnell (Two Clocks Ticking), Gillian Ferguson (Air For Sleeping Fish), Laura Hird (Nail), Donald S. Murray (Special Deliverance), and Christopher Wallace (The Pied Piper’s Poison). For the first time, a prize for Research Book of the Year will be awarded, supported by the National Library of Scotland. Gongs and cash will be doled out on 9 December.
Beating the film industry drum: Stephen McCole in The Young Person’s Guide To
Becoming A Rock Star
! ’MIXING POP AND politics, he asks me what the use is. I offer him
5 embarrassment and my usual
3 excuses . . .' So sang greatest living Essexman Billy Bragg on his career-
defining classic 'Waiting For The
Great Leap Forward’. Bragg brought ' the mix to Glasgow recently,
i staging a press conference in
1 support of a minimum wage for
16—21-year-olds. When the
government sanctioned rate of £3.60 comes into effect in April next year, it will only apply to those 5 workers over 22. Eighteen-year-olds
and upwards will have to survive
on 60p less, and no provision is
made for those under voting age. Speaking prior to his Arches gig, the
socialist troubador said: ’Why
should young people get paid less? They don't get discounts on
» anything for being young.’ The
GMB union sponsored the singer’s tour to raise awareness for its Rage Over Age Rates campaign (ROAR).
IN 1998, GLASGOW established itself
as the UK's most cinematic location,
. with seven feature films, eight
. shorts and two major television
dramas (The Young Person’s Guide : To Becoming A Rock Star and BBC
medical drama Brave New World)
being shot in the city in the past
year. The nation's pre-millenial multiplexes will be clogged with
Glaswegian product when the likes
of Bill Forsyth’s long awaited (not to
mention career-reviving) sequel
Gregory’s 2 Girls and Billy Connolly
vehicle The Debt Collector are released in 1999. Plans for three new movies are already in place (among them Edith Wharton adaptation
House of Mirth), and advanced word
on Brave New World is strong
enough to suggest a second series.
KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED . . . for
' possible turmoil at Scottish Ballet
following the appointment of
: Norman Quirk as an interim general manager.
AGENDA
Glasgow; UK City of Architecture and Design 1999 intervention at the arches 5-27 [BI] 99
A three week fashion extravagari/a exposing the best Scottish talent
fashion 088ml] eomnetition 8: Young designers showcase
The Arches celebrates club culture's powerful presence in the fashion industry and provides a platform for designers with a Scottish connection. Other highlights include;
Underground to overground exnosure tor entrants Themed club nights: love Boutioue's masoued hall Glasgow School ot Art runway show
funct '99 fashion nhotogranhv exhibition
Video installations. guest speakers 8. lectures
For further details please contact the Arches 0141 221 4001
Winner of
“Best Cafe in Edinburgh’” The List, 1997/98
t e t elf an i Eu 5 e The gourmet tea and cofi’ee bouse
in the heart aft/ye Old Town
21 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh 0131 220 5355
19 Nov—3 Dec 1998 THE UST 31