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THE CLASSIC GRAND IS JUST ONE IN A LONG LINE OF NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
DJ Dirty Marc of Club Olum, one Classic Grand’s high profile signings
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With the opening of the Classic Grand, Sandra Marron argues that we should be celebrating Glasgow’s burgeoning club culture.
ext door to the Sub Club — one of Scotland‘s N most revered clubbing institutions — a new
venue has just opened its doors to an eager public. One of Glasgow‘s oldest cinemas and formerly the Coco Club. The Classic Grand on Jamaica Street is a newly refurbished. multi-purpose club and music venue over two floors with a total capacity of about 700. With already established nights like Club Olum and White Heat joining forces with their own in-house nights. Friday Factory and Porno. the venue knows where it wants to be in the grand scheme of things clubs-wise.
Alec Downie. Venue Manager elaborates. ‘There is a point where being surrounded by lx-year-old kids is cool and there is a point where you think. “maybe I’m getting that little bit older but I still want to do stuff". That’s almost the golden egg in club land. Everyone has tried to do that but the mistake that a lot of people have made is that they have gone for the straighter
audience. I think we are going to do something that is exciting. accessible and comfortable for those people
who want to go out and listen to good tunes but do it in a slightly more comfortable and cleaner environment.‘
The Classic Grand is just one in a long line of new kids on the block. each one offering different things to different groups of punters. As Alec says. ‘We are really at the cooler end of indie. If you want to dance.
30 THE LIST 19 Oct—2 NCV
you can dance here and have fun. but if you want to
go to a rave and get pilled up. don‘t come here.‘ Young Mister Klaxon may have coined the phrase
‘new rave'. but let‘s face it people. dance music never '
bloody died. it just went into hiding. dodging the
editors of certain music mags and lifestyle pages that
tell you what‘s hot and what’s not along the way. In a sweaty basement near you. the dance music massive have been flying their flags all along. waiting for
more venues to open. and Glasgow has come up
trumps on the venue front of late. A whole new batch
of fledgling venues has literally sprung up overnight.
with Sauchiehall Street leading the pack with Stavka
and Firewater and Guru (formerly Blanket). Karbon. located just off Buchanan Street. is hosting regular .
electro and house nights at weekends with a more student-friendly programme mid-week. while The
Hold. beneath the Admiral Bar, has hosted some great 1
parties of late. including Smash Team Disco. Even the west end has a new venue in the shape of Boho.
Fuck the begrudgers, clubbing in Glasgow right now is as hot as a night down the Hacienda or at Studio 54 in its heyday.
The Classic Grand is located at 18 Jamaica Street, Glasgow. Its club programme currently runs Wednesday-Saturday. See listings for details.
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THE BEST DANCEFLOOR ACTION
* Mind The Gap Another tasty line up from this still rather young clubnight. Marc Romboy and Elektrochemie (Get Physical) do the business. Sub Club, Glasgow, Fri 20 Oct.
=i= Subcity Block Party 2006 Every year the calibre of guests gets better and better as Subcity celebrate the launch of their radio station. Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Fri 20 Oct.
=i< Vapours The Scottish arm of Zulu Nation crash fortress Awooga! for a night of old school, block party hip hop and electro at this one off special. Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh, Fri 20 Oct.
* Club Noir: Grotesque Burlesque The Puppini Sisters and DJ Rick Murray (Ash) join DJ Loveless and the crew for Halloween. Carling Academy, Glasgow, Sat 27 Oct. 3!: Fish Fry The weekly Speakeasy welcomes live Detroit funksters Nomo for a night of jazzy afrobeat madness, supplemented by the dependable dancefloor sounds of residents Erik D’Vtking and Astroboy. The Jazz Bar, Sat 27 Oct.
=i< Vegas! Another fortnight, another birthday. This time the all swinging, all dancing club institution celebrates nine years of soirees in the capital, joined at the selubrious Ocean Terminal by The Lovebat Big Band and much more besides. Ocean Terminal, Sat 27 Oct.
* New York Dolls DJ Set Sylvian Sylvian and Sammi Yaffa of the legendary excessive punksters (above) take to the decks at their official after-show party. Madame S (Utter Gutter) supports. Stavka, Glasgow, Thu 28 Oct.
* Hobo - The Rebirth Sunday night debauchery returns with the relaunch of The Bongo’s eccentric mix of new live bands and charity shop tunes, tonight supplemented by FAST Punk Club. The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sun 22 Oct.
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