AUTOBIOGRAPHY
DRESS YOUR FAMILY IN CORDUROY AND DENIM David Sedaris (Abacus, £10.99) OOOO
David Sedaris has been indulging in the much-derided act of navel- gazing since his early teens. Every formative experience appears to have been merely another tale to be told in a never-ending litany of creative madness. For many writers such self-absorption produces the literary equivalent of belly button fluff. Sedaris is a rare exception, and seems to extricate small nuggets of comedy gold from that part of his anatomy. Best known for his autobiographical gems, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Barrel Fever and Naked, his latest book, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim provides an insight into growing up
gay©li"st.co.uk
gay, neurotic and relatively normal in comparison with his unorthodox family, neighbours and friends in an absurdist America that makes The
Simpsons seems well-adjusted.
Beginning with his family’s move from New York to sleepy North Carolina, Sedaris paints painfully funny pen portraits of his parent’s semi- detached marriage, working as a house cleaner after returning to New York, apartment-hunting with his long term partner Hugh, and the nail- biting preparations for his brother Paul’s wedding.
Between these chapters he recollects, with disarming candour, the night as a sixth-former when he was forced to play strip poker at a sleep-over with his male classmates. ‘To the rest of the group, a naked boy was like a lamp or a bath mat. something so familiar and uninteresting that it faded into the background, but for me it was different. A naked boy was what I desired more than anything on earth, and when you were both watching and desiring, things came up, one thing in particular that was bound to stand out.’ His sexual awakening and adoption of the gay lifestyle is used as comedic fodder with no apparent emotional or psychological scars This is either testament to positive thought and a psyche which is bullet-proof, or just a realisation that the humourist’s role is to soak up the hurt and illuminate the folly which is part of all of us. This is one book that cannot fail to hit that elusive spot which provokes uncontrolled laughter.
David Sedaris moved from New York to London in February this year, and is working on a book of observations on the British character. We should
all beware. (Brian McGeachan)
Events are listed by city, date, then type. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to glasgow©list.co.uk, by post or by fax on 0141 353 2803. Listings are compiled by Brian McGeachan.
Glasgow Friday
Clubs
Fresh at the Polo Lounge. 84 Wilson Street. 553 ll3l. Its time again to sample the ample wares ol (ilasgow ‘s glitterati at the l’olo‘s l-RliSll night. While the stipltislietlles lounge tlpslttlt's on the solas the dance liends can show oll downstairs belore lriends and potential playmates. The head-banging sounds are pt'oy ided by Andy and Michelle. Shy guys can also take adyantagc ol the smaller Trophy Room belore making their way across to the main dancing area lor the hardcore music. Tickets £5 on the door. but \‘cterans will ady ise yoti to get a discounted ticket by buying some boo/e in sister club l)elmonicas ne\t door.
Cinema
Bad Education (ilttsgow l‘ilm 'l'hcatrc 12 Rose St. 332 S|2S l-‘ri 2l .\lay ll) June. l‘ri. Sat. Sun. 'I'ue. 'l‘hur l.3(). 3.45. 0.20. 8.4”. .\lon. Wed |.3(). 3.45 tickets: £5. £4. (£3422). l’etll'o .\lmouo\ar's new ollering is a nioying and darkly humorous story ol two Spanish boys discoycring loye iii a catholic \c‘lltml ill the early l‘lhlls.
70 THE LIST "
Glasgow Saturdays
Clubs
POP LIVE at Bennets (ilasslot‘d Street. 552 576]. Sat 22 May.
llpm 3.30am. £3 £0 (£2 £5). Just when you thought it was sale to turn on the chart rundown. l’ete Waterman has unleashed a new torrent ol ‘talent’ on (is. The mega-se\y l’()l’ will be perl'orming their song. ‘lleay en and liarth.’ tonight. So e\pect heayen .-\N1) the earth to mm c lor you when Jade. Hannah and especially (ilenn Ball (hair colour: Brunette. eye colour: ha/el) and Jamie 'l'inker (hair colour: light brown. eye colour: light green) take to the stage at lam.
Glasgow Sundays
Clubs
BURLY presents 'l-‘ascinating Rhythm’ 23rd May 4pm-Spm. .\ l.(iB’l‘ and lriends meat at Dance Hall. Sloans Bar. .v\rgy le Arcade. costing £5. the ticket price includes dance lesson. lea/collee (k sandwich. Dress code: smart btit casual.
Glasgow Mondays
Clubs
Passionality at Cube, 34 Queen Street. (225-3990) lonite the queens come to Queen St lor more bootie- shaking rhythms courtesy ol |)l Shaw (is while the gorgeous bar stall dispense the cheap plonk. Weekly. ll.3() 3.30am
£3. £2 with llyer.
Glasgow Tuesdays
Clubs
Pink Penelopes l’enclopc's Niteclub. IS Jamaica Street. 8-17 ()820. l lpm 3am. Free. Weekly. With more \‘enues becoming gay-lriendly. l’enelope's haye sought to re-establish their gay night F.U.N. at Cube 3-1 Queen St. (223- 8990) l‘or those with the staying power. .-\NI) the spending power to enjoy another mid-week dance-a-tlion. ('ube presents its second night ol musical mayhem (see aboy'e). Meet up with that handsome hunk you took home last night. or just get yotlt'sell another bonk
btiddy. ll.3()pm 3.30am.
Glasgow Wednesdays
Clubs
Fourplay linyy'. 26 ('ambridge Street. 332 3-137. llpm 3am. £4 (£2 with lly'er). Weekly. New gay club. ll your idea ol loreplay is. ‘are yott still awake'.” chances are you won't make it with this super-cool crowd.
Allure 'l‘he 'l‘unnel. S-l Mitchell Street. 204 lllllll. ll.3()pm 3am. £3. Weekly. This new ish gay night is brought to you good people lrom the brains behind (’ube's l’assionality and lilfN. promising happy. cheesy pop in the company ol 1)] Darren.
Edinburgh Thursdays
Clubs
Metrosexual ('ity Nightclub. Market Street. 226 0560. l lpm 3am. £3 entry belore midnight; £4 alter. Weekly club night by James l.ongworth (\‘IBli. BIA/ii. lispionage) lor the capital's elite gay s. The redoubtable l)J l-ilthee (Vibe. Kiss) spins an urban music soundtrack.
Courses
Salsa l.(iB'l~ ('cntrc lor Health and Wellbeing. ‘) llow e Street. 523 ll()(). 8.15pm. A donation will be requested lol‘ each class. Weekly. Booking essential to
join this ten week programme lor
lesbian. bisexual and transgender
Yoga l.(iB'l‘ (‘entre lor Health and Wellbeing. 9 How e Street. 52.3 Hill). 7.30pm. .-\ donation will be requested lor each class. Weekly. Booking essential lor this ten week course lor l.B'l' women.
- Edinburgh Fridays
Bars
Polysuper—Camp Newtown Bar. 26b Dublin Street. 538 7775. lllpm 2am. liree. Weekly. l)Js l’olysuper l’etc. Ali and guests w hip up a storm ol camp classics and new sounds. Sally l" and DJ Michelle go a wee bit alternatiye down below.
Clubs
Blaze ligo. l’icardy Place. 478 743-1. l‘ri H May. I lpm 3am. £3 belore midnight; £4 alter. Fortnightly. [)1 James l.ongworth promises to ignite the gay weekend with a chart and commercial/ lunky house soundtrack.
Edinburgh Saturdays
Clubs
Wiggle, Club Ego, l4 l’icardy Place. 478 7-134. Sat 22 .\lay. in the main hall. resident Dis 'li'endy Wendy and .lon Pleased blend camp with classics and new sounds. Sally [5 and [)1 Michelle go At \\ ce hil alternatiyc dow ttslttil‘s. l’rec pre-Wiggle party at Planet ()ut leaturing l)J Brett King lrom l()pm lam. lintry to Wiggle is U).
Mingin’ The Venue. l5 (‘alton Road. lnl'o line: ()I3I-4(i7-255l. llpm 3am Monthly. Sat l5 May. This highlight ol the gay calendar ain't got no mingers among its clientele. All the sights and sounds are here lol' the perlect celebration ol all things queer. £(i entry (£5 belot'e midnight)
qayinterest
THROUGH THE NIGHT Hot from the success of his one-man show On The Edge, David Leddy returns with Through the Night, a story about the pop songs you listen to when you’re nursing a broken heart. The former head of Glasgay examines, with eccentric energy, society’s obsession with celebrity culture in a piece which he describes as being ‘like Cinderella rewritten by the Dalai Lama’. Through The Night follows an evening in the life of Stella Ashputtle, a middle- aged betting shop worker who is propelled into a world of fashion stylists, glamour models and media tycoons, and is the second in Leddy’s triptych of solo performances.
I The Arches, Glasgow. 0147 565 7023. 20-22 May, 7.30pm.
Polysuper—Mix Up Newtown Bar. 2ob Dublin Street. 538 7775. ltlpm 2am. Free. Weekly. New llig‘lll til. chee/ee disco pop and charty hits lor boys and girls with [Ms l’olysuper l’ete. .-\li and guests.
Edinburgh Sundays
Clubs
Taste The Liquid Room. ‘lc Victoria Street. 225 25(i-l. l lpm 3am. £5 belore 1 1.30pm; £8 (£6 members) alter: £l() non-members on guest 1)] nights. Weekly. 111st brew ol house and garage with Jon l’leased rolling in to perlorm his quarterly residency on Sun I l .-\pr. BootyLUSHous Medina Nightclttb. l.othian Street. l()pm 3am. £3. Weekly. The Sunday social settles into its new Venue and becomes a weekly allair leaturing DJ Dale l.tlsll and residents Simmone Black and l’impster is (ice all playing a masterful blend ol Rth. soul. lunk and more.
Edinburgh Mondays
Clubs
Polysuperi-Cheez .\lood ('lub. ()mni (‘entre. (ireenside. ()7738 47-1 4 l4.
lllpm 3am. £l belore l l.3()am: £3 alter (£2 with membership card or discount pass). Weekly. New chee/e least with a mix ol 7()s, Slls. ‘llls and the best from today in the company olle l’olysuper Pete. :\ll and gttesls.
Edinburgh Tuesdays
Clubs
Vibe ligo. l’icardy Place. 478 7-134.
l lptn 3am. £3 (£2 members). Weekly. James l.ongworth proy ides the sounds upstairs at this popular. sparkly. charty party while Nathan Scantlebury plays
R&ll downstairs. The best ol the Vibe acts including Bey erley Rainlord .
Courses
Tai Chi l.(iB'l' ('entre lor Health and Wellbeing. ‘) How e Street. 523 lllltl. 7.30pm. .-\ recommended donation w ill be requested litll‘ each elttss. Weekly. Booking is essential toioin in this ten week course lor l.B'l women.