Doing he higndflin
‘WE'RE GOING FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE LIVE MUSIC AND LOVE THEIR DANCE MUSIC'
Erick Morillo
Henry Northmore talks to some of the people involved in HIGHLAND GATHERING
the biggest indoor Hogmanay party yet.
on can‘t ol helped hut notice the l'luoresceiit
pink posters gracing hillhoardx itc‘l'ii\\
lidiiihiirgh and (ilaxgoxi or taking tip pages iii The /.l\l. .\'.lll-.'. UN and \arioiix other mags. \Vhat ma} ha\e struck )ou lirst \\a\ the hig names (Supergrass. Ra/orlight. Lee ‘Scratch‘ I’err}. Slam. Iirick .\loril|o. Sister Bliss. .lah Shaka. .'\l‘lllillltl \'aii lleldeii aiid l’eli\ da llousecat to name hut a ten) then perhaps )0” might ha\ e thought ‘\\hat a di\er\e \L‘IL‘CIIUII (ll. itch lti he (ill the same lilll'.
Setting itsell‘ tip as a _\otiiiger hipper \L‘l'\lt)l1 ol
llogmana}. it aims to L‘l‘ti\\ the boundaries hetueen chih and rolling e\er_\thing that is great and good about lidinhurgh's Ilogmaiia} into one massi\e in el\ e hour session. ll‘ all goes to plan. the Highland (iatheriiig iproiiioted h_\ l'4ria Promotions and designed h) |i\tra .\li|e Ii\ent.\i\\ill he the largest indoor .\'e\\ Year‘s ment in Scottiin histor).
‘\\'e‘re tr}iiig to go lor people \\ho lo\e |i\e lllll\ic‘ and Im e their dance music. a l‘esti\al croxxd.‘ L‘\Plillli\ I‘:\ll'tt \Iilc‘ I‘.\'L‘III\. (‘lil‘i\ I)IL'_\ Llc‘ll. 'I’L‘tiplL‘ \\Iiti I'L‘ull} like the l’eel ol' the hig and the heautil‘ul. \\ ho can go and dance to I)a\e l’earce or Iii‘ik .\Iori|lo or l.i\a I.tl.\lie.\ but also like to get into the mosh pit tor a li\ e hand and like moments during an e\ent \\ here the} can grab a seat on a leather sola with a cappuccino and eat some \llxlti or Inn e a nice hit ol' Indian l‘ood.‘
But \\ hat ahout the critics that are confused h) this seemingl} disparate arra} of artists‘.’ ‘l.i\’e music. as long as it's a high eiierg} hand reall_\ does \\‘ork.' explains I’le}del|. ‘ll' _\ou ha\ e a dance cro\\ d and then \llLItIClll} it's Supergrass or the I-e\eller\ or
40 THE LIST
Ra/orlight coming out. the} are tilled \xith energ} and that happ} l'eel good \ihe. It‘s iiil‘ectious. it’s like a disease. You look at the line tip and _\ou ha\'e to \a} the} are all at the top ol' their lield and the} all ha\'e one thing in common: the} get a crou d goingf
It‘s a prett} aiiihitiotis idea. proiitising lar more than
just a lie“ lasers and a smoke machine. There are
three arenas. chill otit areas and qualit} lood. while the Highland (‘eiitre \\ ill get a lull on decor ioh. IIo\\'e\ er. \\ e can‘t o\'ei’look the l‘llllltllll‘\ ol a cancellation that ha\ e been heard uhixpered on the streets. "This is hacked h} l'4ria L‘\L‘lll\ who do nights 1|L‘l't)\\ the glohe and it I\ pri\atel} l‘tinded. l’eople ha\e mortgaged their litill\c‘\ l‘or this. 'l'heir commitment is huge. \Ll}\ l’le}dell. 'But \xith aii_\thiiig like llii\ it is down to the end ll\L‘l'. it's domi to the people in Scotland \a}iiig "}C\ \\e \\ ant something like this in Scotland \xe want to support
this. \\ e \xant it hack ne\t )L‘tll' and the )ear alter." ll.
that support doesn't come the e\eiit \ton‘t go ahead.‘
"l‘he Scottish ticket sales are loner than anywhere else in the couiitr}. \\ e'\ e sold more tickets in Wales than in Scotland. \xc"\e \old tickets to America all o\er litirope and the one place it hasn‘t reall} taken oil. is Scotlaiidf .-\iid here‘s hoping the} do pull it till. \\hi|e this )c‘zii'\ line-tip ma_\ seem a little coiil‘used. )iiti lime to admire their amhitioii. It" all goes \\Cll this could he a lic‘\\ regular e\eiit in the lidinhurgh Hogmana) calendar.
Highland Gathering, Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, Fri 31 Dec.
Utter Gutter Christmas Special Madame Sannex (pictured) and Hushpuppy play at this night for gay. straight, tun. interesting. sexy, happy. freaky peOple. Bit/erSide Club. Glasgow, Fri 7 7 Dec.
Club Nolr Have a burlesque Christmas With this inventive club night With risque scenes and a Wide musrcal remit. Carling Academy Glasgow, Sat 78
Deathkill 4000 Christmas Special Cock rock, goth balls. hair metal and a whole lot else beSides from this skewed club concept. Barfly Glasgow, Sat 78 Dec.
Club 'l'romolo DJ Scrooge plays bleak house. Preston Panz & Seaton Sands play live and you are invited to enter the Anthea Turner prize draw. The Butt Club, Glasgow. Wed 22 Dec.
The Venue Birthday The esteemed venue celebrates it's birthday with special guest Mylo. The Venue. Edinburgh, 23 Dec.
Taste Escape Xmas Party Fisher & Price are surely the hardest working men in showbiz this year with this date. a bout of Boxing Day Fever (Cabaret Voltaire). and then back again for NYE and New Year‘s Day. The Liquid Boom, Edinburgh, Sat 25 Dec.
Madchester You love it, we love it: relive the baggy days as Madchester returns. The Liquid Boom, Edinburgh, 26 Dec.
Tackno Trendy Wendy's full on party with a fight theme (geddit?i is the perfect excuse for Boxing Day trivolity. Ego. Edinburgh, 26 Dec.
Keb Barge In the season of increased revelry, what better way to party than with the funk legend? The Liquid Lounge, Glasgow, Wed 29 Dec.
Headspin New Year’s Eve The funky four deck mix up is back for what is becoming a regular date at the Bongo. The Bongo Club. Edinburgh, Fri 37 Dec.
. Joy/Mingln’ Hogmanay Party The gay clubbing institution tackles NYE. Carnage is to be expected. in all the best possible ways. The Venue, Edinburgh, Fri 37 Dec.