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FUNK DIVINE! Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Sat 10 Aug
Saying that the club scene in Scotland is fickle is like arguing that the Pope lives by the teach- ings of Catholicism. To remain important you either have to ‘do a David Bowie’ and stay one step ahead of the game, or have some- thing fundamentally good that just won’t quit.
Divine falls into the latter catego- ry, and this month it celebrates its 12th (yes, that was 12th) birthday. It’s the longest running residency in Glasgow, and to mark the occa- sion, it’s decided to do what it usu- ally does, and put on a night of the finest funk and groove music from the last 40 years.
The Divine ethos (funk-stomping psyche craziness) has served resi- dents Andrew Divine! and DJ Hushpuppy well since 1990. They’ve almost single-handedly removed the tiling from the down- stairs floor of the Art School union
with their deployment of the fattest tunes this side of Detroit, and anyone who’s stood there stupefied when the lights have gone up at the end of one of their ses- sions will testify to their crowd-flexing capabilities.
One half of Divine’s musical force, Andrew Symington, looks back at over a decade of Divine inspiration, and articulates the essence of the night: ‘With the night being in an art school there’s always a healthy mixture of artists, filmmakers and, predictably, musicians. Divine has always been a hangout for up- and-coming talent, and many stars have been spotted over the years: Jarvis Cocker, Courtney Love, the Buzzcocks, Belle and Sebastian. Bobby Gillespie got a knock-back because he didn’t have a student card . . . and don’t even ask about Deacon Blue!’
The soundtrack is as varied as the crowd. The resi- dents are in total control, and are candidates for ‘DJs
hhrdwkb]
TECHNO
EWAN PEARSON Freelance Science, Alaska, Glasgow, Sat 3 Aug You always feel a bit cheeky catching these DJ types while on their hols (well, while in the South of France on festival duties). But hey. Ewan Pearson is locked out of his apart- ment when I catch him so he's got time to kill.
France is somewhere that has taken this Midlands born producer/DJ to its heart. He secured a super rare guest slot alongside Lars Sandberg (Funk D'Void) at Laurent Garnier‘s legendary residency at the Rex in Paris. ‘It was one of my fav0urite gigs.’ says Pearson with genuine enthusiasm. ‘It was the night of the general election when the Conservatives got chucked out. and here I was playing the Rex. So it was very memorable for lots of reasons. For me Paris and Glasgow, it doesn't get much better than that. I always love playing Glasgow. The crowds are always up for it and very knowledgeable. and Paris is very much the same.‘
Mainly known as a producer under the guises of Maas and World of Apples. DJing (on a professional level) is a relatively new string to his bow.
30 THE LIST 1-8 Aug 2002
estd. 1990
DIVINE?
[hushpuppy]
most dedicated to the collection of dusty vinyl’ award. Over the years, Hushpuppy has worked in the press office of such painfully hip labels as International DJ Gigolo, Kitty-Yo and Bungalow for artists such as DJ Hell, Miss Kitten, Peaches, Stereo Total and Gonzales. Andrew Symington is no less experienced in the realm of funk; he holds down DJ residencies at the Funk Room (the Arches, Glasgow), Modern Lovers (Edinburgh) and a night in London with Andy Smith (Dynamo Productions/Portishead).
It’s been a crazy ride, and few nights could have car- ried off the last 12 years with the same grace. Divine has come through all the changes in clubbing since 1990 unscathed, for the simple reason that its night is based on a genuine love of the music, and there’s no greater praise than that. (Johnny Regan)
I Please note date change from 3 Aug to 70 Aug.
When asked about his DJing style ‘haphazard' and fits of laughter is his response. ‘I just play lots of records I like in a useful order.’ he says. I'll probably play a bit more techno. more of the tougher side of things for Freelance Science.‘
But production and DJing isn‘t even
the end of it. 'I was doing a Masters degree and someone on the course suggested we wrote an MA thesis and Routledge published it [Discographies]. But it was about clubs and music so it was kind of connected.‘ Academic DJS - whatev- er next’? (Henry Northmore)
Word Up
The _/atestc/ub news
RIGHT, SOME FESTIVAL news that ain’t that darn Edinburgh festival, you’ll be pleased to hear. A new dance fest, the Fieldtrip, kicks off on 16 August billed as the ‘smallest BIG festival this summer’. Set in the beautiful surroundings of Galloway Forest Park, it runs until 18 August and tickets cost just £33.50 for the weekend (including camping). It’s a veritable feast of electronic artists and DJing skills from the likes of Peshey, Lottie, Dee Jay Punk Roc, Luke \fibert, Greg Vickers, Ross Allen, Mike Surreal and Christian Smith supplying the beats across three stages (including a live stage). For more info and full line-up contact info@fieldtrip.org.uk, check the website www.fieldtrip.org.uk and for tickets call 0870 000 000 or 0141 222 2211.
THE COUNTY'S MOST deliberately leftfield festival, All Tomorrow’s Parties. is also taking an electronica direction as Warp Records' Autechre take over as Curators for this year's celebration of underground music (4—6 April 2003) down at the Camber Sands Holiday Centre. Not much of the line-up has been announced so far, but what has been confirmed is pretty tasty. headed by Autechre themselves and the mighty Aphex Twin (pictured). Check www.wayahead.com/atp for more details.
SASHA, ONE OF THE world’s biggest house jocks. is releasing his debut album airdrawndagger (hard to believe this really is his first long player he’s been on the scene 5000 long). To celebrate the fact, he’s gonna be playing Colours at the Arches, 10 August.
CARL CRAIG. ONE OF THE world's most respected techno pioneers. is also on his way to Glasgow. He'll be dropping in at Fluid. 24 August. The chance to catch a world renowned spinner like Craig in a venue as intimate as Alaska is an opportunity that