LABEL QUEENS Kirstin Innes finds the thinking behind new LGBT record label Music With a Twist a bit twisted
Earlier this year mammoth record label Columbia sprung the offshoot Music With A Twist, which styles itself as ‘a home for gay artists of all genres to experience mainstream success without having to compromise any part of their identity.’ The label has picked up a fair bit of stick, with derision from various corners heaped on their biggest signing to date, The Gossip (pictured).
The notion of a queer record label is a confusing one, from a title that suggests that music itself is intrinsically straight, to the question of whether contemporary artists like Rufus Wainwright, and indeed The Gossip, have ever compromised their identities in pursuit of mainstream success (er, no . . .).
So, is it a cynical attempt to exploit the pink pound? Well . . . The first release was a glossy and easily-
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to gayfllistcomk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black.
Thursday 5
Edinburgh
I Out to Jog Meadowbank Sports Centre. 139 London Road. 523 1 102. 6—7pm. Free. (let out and enjoy the summer hours with this 1.(iBT jogging group. open to all levels of fitness and led by Edinburgh Leisure's Fitness Instructor Grace.
I The Hub LGBT Centre for Health 8; Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 l 100. 6.30—8.30pm. Free. Stop by after work to chat and find out about the centre's activities. Free internet access. tea. coffee and magazines.
I Girls Allowed (‘(‘ Blooms. 23-24 Greenside Place. 556 9331. 10pm~v3am. Free. It's ladies‘ night with downstairs transformed into a girls-only zone featuring a live singer. chill-out area. candles and lava lamps.
Glasgow
I Burly The Arches. 30 Midland Street. 0870 240 7528. 10.30pm»~3am. £10. Friendly. masculine citib for gay and bi men 25+ where leather. indUstrial and jockstraps are encouraged. Aural titillation comes from resident 1)] Hi Fi Sean and occasional guests.
Edinburgh :
I Luvely The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 2564. l0.30pm~-3am. £12
spechd.
Edinburgh
Glasgow
gay/mixed crowd.
Glasgow
(£10). A saucy soiree of full-on. driving house music with residents Tommy Kay. Dean Newton. (irum Stone and Jon lidwards. Whatever the weather it's a holiday. beachwear. bikini and Hawaiian
Sunday 8
I Booty Medina. 45 47 l.othian Street. 2256313. 11pm 3am. £3. lsla Blige. 1)] Dale Lush and Simmone Black provide the mix of R&B. hip hop. soul and funk at this Sunday social.
I Taste (‘abaret Voltaire. 36» 38 Blair Street. 2206176. 1 1pm 3am. £5 before 1 1.30pm; £8 after (£6 members). Fisher & Price supply a progressive mix of house and garage at this infamous Sunday nighter. With Martin Valentine firmly in charge of the back room.
Monday 9
I Red Doors (ilasgow Film Theatre. 12 Rose Street. 332 8128. 8.50pm. £5.50 (£4). A newly retired and depressed man struggles to keep his boisterous wife and three daughters together in this capable comedy of family errors. focusing on a (‘hinese American family with communication issues. I’uri oft/iv Lam/mi lx’shiun & (fay Film I'i'sii'i'u/ on 'limr.
I Passionality Byblos. Unit Q. Merchant Square. 71 Albion Street. 552 3895. I 1.30pm 3am. £3 (£2). Pleasing chartistry from 1)] Shawn Roberts. resuscitating the weekend for the
Tuesday 1 0
I Red Doors (ilasgow Film Theatre.
consumed compilation from the soundtrack of lipo- Iesbian soap, The L Word. The second, Revolutions, is a showcase of the label’s recent signings. The Gossip are the biggest act here by a country mile, their zeitgeisty punk juxtaposed with lesser known and musically divergent acts Jesse O, God-des & She, Levi Kreis and Kirsten Price. Shoe-homing in as many different genres of music as possible certainly communicates the strength and diversity of LGB and T artists, showing they’re not just ‘gay disco boys and lesbians with acoustic guitars’, as one early reviewer put it.
However, there’s no escaping the fact that, as an album to listen to rather than a concept to applaud, Revolutions is a bit of a hotch-potch. These artists have nothing in common other than their queerness, which makes it difficult to see what sort of audience would buy this. And it may undermine indie queen of cool Beth Ditto’s rep for managing to take on the mainstream on her own terms. I www. musicw/thatw/st. com
12 Rose Street. 332 8128. 6pm. £5.50
(£4). Sec Mon 9.
I FUN ('ube. 34 Queen Street. 226 8990. 11.30pm 3am. £3 (£2). DJ Shana llalliwell mixes older classics and fun tunes. Requests welcome.
Edinburgh
I The Hub 1.(iBT ('entre for Health & Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 1100. 6.30- 8.30pm. Free. See Thu 5.
I Vibe ligo. 14 Picardy Place. 478
‘ 7434. 1 lpm 3am. £4. Mainstay gay
night with James l.ongworth on the
decks. lixpect cheese. choons and smoke machines.
Glasgow
I Allure The Tunnel. 84 Mitchell Street.
: 204 1000. 11.30pm---3am. £3. Happy.
cheesy pop from DJ Darren and the guys behind Passionality.
Edinburgh
I The Hub 1.(1BT (‘entre for Health &
Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 1100.
6.30 -8.30pm. Free. See Thu 5.
I Icebreakers (‘(‘ Blooms. 23 -24
(ireenside Place. 556 9331. 7.30 9pm.
Free. Social group for people who want
3 to feel at ease and make friendships in
LGBT company. New to Edinburgh.
1 recently out. feel cut off'.’ Join this
welcoming and non-threatening group.
i organised by the l.othian (lay and Lesbian Switchboard.
Edinburgh
I Out to Jog Meadowbank Sports Centre. 139 l.ondon Road. 523 1 102.
6— 7pm. Free. See Thu 5.
I The Hub LGBT (‘entre for Health &
Wednesday 1 1
Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 1100. 6.30—8.30pm. Free. See Thu 5.
Edinburgh
I Fur Burger Twist. 26b Dublin Street. 538 7775. 10pm~ 2am. £4. The night for girls who like girls with eclectic mUsic from The Funki Diva. DejayBird. Debi T and Boy Toy. Wear good shoes. bring beautiful people. Boys need a female escort for entry.
Saturday 14
Edinburgh
I Different Strokes (ilenogle Swim Centre. Glenogle Road. Stockbridgc. 343 6376. 4pm. Free. All transgender people can enjoy the sole use of a swimming pool and fitness suite in a new event scheduled for the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. (‘ontact the LGBT Centre for Health and Well Being for info (0131 523 1100 or mike(ri Igbthealth.org.uk).
Edinburgh
I Booty Medina. 45—47 l.othian Street. 225 6313. 11pm 3am. £3. See Sun 8.
I Taste ('abaret Voltaire. 36—38 Blair Street. 220 6176. 1 1pm~~3am. £5 before
1 1.30pm; £8 after (£6 members). See Sun
a Monday 16
Glasgow
I Eternal Summer (ilasgow Film Theatre. 12 Rose Street. 332 8128. 8.40pm. £5.50 (£4). An evocative rendering of the changing relationship between two boys as they go from child to adulthood and a girl threatens their inseparability. l’ur! oft/1e Ixmdrm lx’s‘himi & (iuy I’i/m I'k'siii'ul (m 'Iour.
I Passionality Byblos. 1'nit Q. Merchant Square. 71 Albion Street. 552 3895. 11.30pm- 3am. £3 (£2). See Mon 9.
Glasgow
I Eternal Summer (ilasgow Film Theatre. 12 Rose Street. 332 8128. 6.40pm. £5.50 (£4). See Mon 16.
I FUN (‘ube. 34 Queen Street. 226 8990. 1 1.30pm- 3am. £3 (£2). See Tue 10.
Edinburgh
I The Hub 1.(iBT (‘entre for Health & Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 1100. 6.30 8.30pm. Free. See Thu 5.
I Vibe ligo. l4 Picardy Place. 478 7434. l lpm 3am. £4. See Tue 10.
Wednesday 18
Glasgow
I Allure The Tunnel. 84 Mitchell Street. 204 1000. 1 1.30pmi-3am. £3. See Wed
1 1.
Edinburgh
I The Hub l.(iBT (‘cnti‘e for Health & Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 1100. 6.30-8.30pm. Free. See Thu 5.
Edinburgh
I Out to Jog Meadowbank Sports (‘cntre. 139 London Road. 523 l 102.
6 7pm. Free. See Thu 5.
I The Hub LGBT (‘entre for Health & Wellbeing. 9 Howe Street. 523 1100.
6.30—8.30pm. Free. See Thu 5.
5— 19 Jul 2007 THE LIST 55