VALENTINE'S DAY TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE . . .
Various venues, Thu 14 Feb
You’ve just got through the festive period, you think you’re safe from coupledom hell and then it’s all happening again. Welcome to Valentine’s Day 2002. A day which you will either look forward to with great excitement and the making of romantic plans, or with utter misery and disgust and a good mind to hibernate for the day.
Valentine’s Day is yet another time when society tells us we should be part of a couple. Everywhere you turn it’s pink hearts, slushy cards, over-priced chocolates, extortionate red roses and packed restaurants. Call me a cynic, but whose benefit is this all for? The public? I don’t think so. The shops and restaurants? Correct.
Valentine’s Day used to be for school kids who didn’t have the guts to tell someone they fancied them, but now it is just another opportunity for the marketing folk to make more money. And if you don’t have a significant other, well you can just call in sick and stay in bed all day where no one can ask
you how many cards you got.
Alternatively you can go out and do what the gay scene does best. Party. There is a positive buffet of events where you can either feast with your beloved, go on your own and hope to meet the dish of the day or snack throughout the night on every tasty
thing you see.
A selection of the planned events are in Glasgow, the City Of Love, which includes the fantastic Bette Bourne in the story of Quentin Crisp’s life Resident Alien at the Tron Theatre. The SECC is having a West End and Broadway Valentine’s Spectacular Gala where you can sing your heart out. If you want to get dressed to impress and fancy a
fling, you should head to the Tartan Heart
2002 Valentine Ceilidh at the Holiday Inn. Other events include a Valentine’s night party at Bennet’s, festivities at the Polo Lounge and Del’s and a sassy yet romantic night at Revolver.
In Edinburgh, Frenchies is having a party whereas Habana is helping you find your mate with its own
PREVIEW
A WASTE OF MAKE-UP RSAMD, Glasgow, Mon 11-Tues 12 Feb, 7.15pm
From the moment the yOung David Jones started taking eager young mods back to his bedroom to bend them over his mother's freshly starched sheets to the wistful sexual denials of his Let's Dance period. there can be little doubt that Bowie's sexual deviations have often been as interesting as his music. 'It's that idea of trisexuality. so true of those times when people in that scene would try anything.‘ says Adrian Howells. the effusive. witty and urbane director of the student-devised dance piece A Waste Of Make-Up.
He is. of course. talking about the period between 73 and 76. ‘It was when Bowie was arguably at his most vociferoust creative and transgendery.‘ he says. 'when he established Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane and that idea of blurring identities while saying. "I‘m a freak. an outsider: let's celebrate that.“
evening.
Bette Bourne in Resident Alien at the Tron, Glasgow
version of Blind Date. The Laughing Duck will also be having a suitably punk and fluffy Valentine-themed
So whether you are in love, lust or just looking, get
Howells is a performer of some fifteen years in the contemporary dance field. Having trained under Nigel Charnock (founder of DV8). he went on to direct all over the UK. always preferring to work with students on iconoclastic and de- constructiVist pieces. 'I've developed this style that I call DV8 meets The Seaside Special.‘ he says. ‘I mean. if it hasn't got a glitter ball in it I don't consider it a proper piece of theatre.‘
Chuckling. Howell adds that the biggest influences on his work are the legendary directors Pina Bausch and Alain Patel. 'Their work always takes movement from the mundane and everyday and makes it sensational and glorious.“
A reevaluation of the smacked up. gender-bending giamour of those years. A Waste Of Make-Up may just be the must see item in the RSAMD winter schedule. ‘David Bowie is the ultimate pop idol. in that he's this multifarious talent.’ says Howells. “He could act. sing. mime. write . . . he could be this extraordinaiy chameleon-personality. Also. his
your booty in gear and take advantage of the season of lurve. (Jane Hamilton)
‘l’m a freak; let’s celebrate that’
shows were amazing. a total theatrical experience: something we hope to recreate.‘
Go on. don that Angie Bowie wig and get y0ui'self down there. (Paul Dale)
listings Gay
H i Glasgow Thursdays
Groups
Steve Retson LGBT Centre. I 1 Dixon Street. 221 7203. 5.30—8.30pm. Free. Weekly. Gay men's sexual health advice. Contact 21 1 8601.
Lesbian Health Clinic Sandyford Initiative. Sauchiehall Street. 21 l 6700. 5.30—8pm. Free. Weekly. Health advice. T.F.l. Bi-G-Les Youth Group LGBT Centre. 11 Dixon Street. 221 7203. 4—8pm. Free. Weekly. An open meeting for LGBT under 25.
Glasgow G06 Badmlnton Games Hall. Knightswood Secondary School. 60 Knightswood Road. 95-1 240-1. 7—9.30pm. Weekly.
Glasgow G06 Swimmers Contact 649 5896. 7.30—9pm. Weekly. Informal.
MUSIC
Superstars Paisley Arts Centre. New Street. 887 1010. 7.30pm. £10 (£8). Thu 7 Feb. For all Freddie Mercury fans. go along and see how plausible Stars In Their Eyes winner Gary Mullen is.
Clubs
St Valentlne’s Night Party Bennet's. 90 Glassford Street. 552 5761. l lpm—3.30am. £3—£6 t£2—£5). Celebrate the day of love with Bennet‘s fab party.
Glasgow Fridays
Groups
T.F.I. Bi-G-Les Youth Group Drop In LGBT Centre. 11 Dixon Street. 221 7203. 4—8pm. Free. Weekly. L'nder 25s.
Clubs
Girls On Top Bennet's. Glassf'ord Street. 552 5761. l lpm—3.30am. £3—£6 (£2—£5l. Fri 1 Feb. Monthly. St Valentine's fun with Natalie Brown providing the live entertainment.
Glasgow Saturdays
Groups
LIPS Glasgow Women's Library. 109 Trongate. 552 8345/7539. 2 4pm. Free. Sat 2 Feb. Fortnightly. Project supporting lesbians and bisexual women under 25.
Gay Rambling Group Contact 950 1081. Sat 9 Feb. Fortnightly (alternating between Sat and Sun). Call for details. MAST I.GBT. l 1 Dixon Street. 221 7203. 2—-5pm. Free. Sat 9 Feb. Monthly. By appointment only.
. OLGA LGBT. 1 1 Dixon Street. 221
7203. 2.3()—-l.30pm. Free. Sat 9 Feb. Monthly. Group for older lesbians
Theatre
Observe The Sons Of Ulster Marching Toward the Somme L'ntil Sat 23 Feb. See Thu.
Events
Tartan Heart 2002 Ceilidh Holiday Inn. Bothwell St. 583 0869. 7.30pm—2am. £25. Sat 9 Feb. Glasgow Browniee.~\11)S Welfare Fund hosts this 10th Anniversary Ball.
Glasgow Sundays
Groups
lcebreakers LGBT Centre. 11 Dixon Street. 221 7203. 12.30—3pm. Free. Stin 3 Feb. Monthly. For those new to the scene. GOC Cycling Group Contact (>49 5896. Sun 10 Feb. Monthly. (‘all for tnore details.
Glasgow Mondays
Groups
Holistic Healing Group [1381‘ Centre. 11 Dixon Street. 221 7203. 7.30—-10pm. Free. Weekly. Details 423 5952.
Performance Group I.(iB'l‘ Centre. 1 1 Dixon Street. 221 7203. 7.30pm. Free. Weekly. Sharpen your theatre and music skills.
31 Jan—14 Feb 2002 THE LIST 65