The Front
' theEditoria
l
l
i i l‘. t
Money ist theonly isse
ou may not have noticed. but there‘s been a revolution in Scotland
this week. The Daily Record. the voice ot~ the lair-minded. has
published an article that is positive about the llolyrood parliament building. Alter a hard hat tour ol’ the site. its reporter grudgingly admits: ‘The sweeping public entrance will probably look magnificent.‘ And will the building be worth the £40011] price tag'.’ 'Surprisingly. yes. It's scarcely believable. but after four years of brickbats and vitriol. the Scottish press have suddenly woken tip to the possibility that the new parliament building is something to celebrate.
Nobody. not even the most blinkered apologists for the architecture profession. can deny that the project has been a PR nightmare. an organisational rollercoaster. a political hot potato. even a symbol of all the teething troubles for devolved government since 199‘). And nobody can deny that something has gone seriously wrong. when a building initially budgeted at £40m looks set to end tip costing the best part of ball a billion quid. The Millennium Dome didn't cost much more than that. and it still sits there in (ireenwich like a millstone around Labour's neck.
But think of it another way: Scotland is soon to spend money of llolyrood-like proportions on its own version of the Dome. (ilasgow plans to create a 12.500 seater 'superdome’ indoor arena next to the Sli(‘(‘. so that the likes of Madonna can come to town. Next door will be a 25.000 seater open-air auditorium. The £350m development is expected to boost (ilasgow‘s economy by £21m a year and to create 850 new jobs. And the Scottish press are unlikely to complain about that.
It‘s time to stop focusing on the cost ol~ llolyrood: Lord Fraser‘s enquiry will do that. Scotland will soon have its own purpose-built democratic forum. and the building looks set to be an architectural masterpiece.
CULT OF THE FORTNIGHT
RETURN OF DR MARTEN BOOTS You prayed it was never gOing to happen, but cabals have been forming in the ante chambers of hell and the devil has decided that the living deseive to spend a bit more time With the ugliest shoe on the planet. Not just any old pair of Divis. mind. We are due a return of the classic cherry red steel toe capped eight hole 1460 thin-soled boot.
The reason is simple. Doctor Marten and his bouncing soles have been in trouble for a while. in the rest of Europe the shoes still have a cult followmg but here they are about as fashionable as three-cornert—zd hats. In the last five years the centre of production moved away from the UK. This created a boot mountain of the UK version of the 1400. So what happened? Second hand clothing stores start selling the boots off cheap. a few vaguely fashionable people get a pair as an ironic ska throwback gesture and Bob's your auntie's live-in lover —- you have the beginning of a movement.
Be warned though. we are in this for the long term. This is going to be a long slow descent into sartorial misery but it is going to happen. Celebrities (Noel Gallagher. Biork and Alexander McQueenl are buying these babies by the bargain bucket—full so get on the case now. (Paul Dale)
10 THE LIST I)’, ()c“. 11% NO. 723%
1 MTV Europe Awards
Music We want our MTV! The world’s biggest music station decamps en masse to Edinburgh for a week of shows, scandal and St Tropez. Beg. blag and steal a ticket for the hottest gig Scotland has ever seen. Various venues, Edinburgh; broadcast live on MTV
2 Glasgay!
Festival Happy birthday Glasgay! Ten years on and still looking good, the gay and multi- sexual festival tickles your fancy with theatre, film and comedy. All aboard the Glasgay! bus for the time of your lives. Various venues, Glasgow.
3 In America
Film Paddy Considine and Samantha Morton star as recently bereaved parents in 19705 New York. Another truly moving film from the director of In the Name of the Father, Jim Sheridan. General release.
4 The Flaming Lips
Music With a rider that may or may not include fake blood, furry costumes and Justin Timberlake, the Lips bask in post-MTV glory in style. Carling Academy, Glasgow; Usher Hall, Edinburgh.
5 The Cutting Room
Theatre Louise Welsh‘s novel about a gay auctioneer who stumbles across snuff porn is beautifully adapted for the stage. before it transfers to the silver screen, that is. Citizen ’3 Theatre, Glasgow.
6 Michael Moore Books What pleased Moore more? The
Oscar for gun expose Bowling for Columbine, or the boos from Bush’s sheep in black? See the biggest threat to Dubya since Bin Laden as he visits Glasgow. Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow; Time Warner.
7 Dave Clarke
Clubs Pressure bang out another massive name in the shape of this prince among sleeves. Come worship at his altar. Pressure at the Arches, Glasgow.
8 Plunder
Art The concept of collage is offered up to some blue sky thinking. The awesome result features the works of Roddy Buchanan, Kurt Schwitter, Eduardo Paolozzi and Jim Lambie. DCA, Dundee.
9 Alien: The Director’s Cut Film Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic sci-fl horror is re-fleshed the way he intended, with an introduction by Danny Boyle. General release.
10 Never the Same “vice Shopping Three Scottish designers form this fashion collective, bringing you colourful, high fashion designs that don’t cost the earth. fearsomENG/NE, Glasgow.