PREVIEW ART GALLERY SHOW GREG-OR LAIRD: PLASTIC PASTORALS Q! Gallery, Glasgow, Tue 7 Oct-Sat 9 Nov
‘Living in Edinburgh,’ says artist Gregor Laird, ‘l’m kind of surrounded by the romantic ideal of Scotland on a daily basis, all the picture postcards
with this beautiful scenery on them.’
Sending up these chocolate box images would be far too easy. Instead, Laird has decided to overlay them with his own interpretation of beauty. That the artist works as a designer is obvious from the works on show at this exhibition, which takes place as part of Glasgay! His landscape images are covered with bold swatches of bright, new rave, fluorescent tones, which drag their otherwise traditional feel right into the 21 st century.
‘I don’t really want there to be any nastiness about these works,’ says Laird. ‘I don’t want them to be biting at other artists’ ankles. It’s not that I think there’s anything good or bad about touristy postcards, but I’m like a sponge for anything visual. I see something and reinterpret it, and what comes out is my vision. I admire the fact that an artist like Colin Prior is so successful making landscape pieces, and that he’s done it in such a populist manner. So my pieces are kind of like a skewed tribute I suppose.’
Laird (who, incidentally, used to run Luna’s Disko Bloodbath gay night when the club was still called Ego) also draws attention to the ecologically- conscious strand to his work, and this seems visible in his images of lush greenery overtaken by plastic and modernisation. But that’s not all: ‘All the vinyl I used was recycled from my work into something pretty, because there’s so much waste involved in cutting it. It’s all quite a positive project, really - it would have been to easy to go down the ‘young artist slags off established artist’ route, but what I’ve done is more like remixing their
work.’ (David Pollock)
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to galeist.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Suzanne Black.
1: Indicates Listpicks entry
Thursday 2
Glasgow
Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578.
Times vary. Prices vary. liurope‘s largest queer multi-arts festival takes over Glasgow with comedy. music. film. theatre. visual art. performance art. literature. club nights. educational events and community arts projects. III! Ecce Homo Q! Gallery. 87 9] Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam-5pm. Following numerous exhibitions in liurope. Spanish anist David Trullo presents a collection of photographs themed on the iconographical representation of beauty. I’urr ({fG/usguv' I R-P-Z Glasgow School of Art. 167 Renfrew Street. 353 4531. 1 lpm 3am. £4 (£3). Skewed but deeply danceable house and techno from the artists formerly known as Record Playerz. I’urr of (ilusguyf
60 THE LIST 2-46 Oct 2008
Edinburgh
I Robopop GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 1780. 10.30pm-—3am. Free before
1 lpm; £4 (£3) after. Trendy Wendy and friends mix classic pop tunes and electric beats.
Glasgow FIE! Ecce Homo Q! Gallery. 87-91 Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam—-5pm. See Thu 2. Pom Pom International The Winchester ('lub. 49 Bell Street. 1 lpm 3am. £7 (£5). Join Amy Lame for a night of dancing. performance and yarny art. Part of (i/(ts‘grtv.’
I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578. Times and prices vary. See Thu 2. Edinburgh
I Cilla Slack GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 I780. l().3()pm—-3am. Free before 1 lpm: £5 (£4) after. (‘hart hits with a camp twist from (‘illa Slack.
Saturday 4
Glasgow FIE! Ecce Homo Q! Gallery. 87 -9I
" f Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam—5pm. See Thu 2.
I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578. Times and prices vary. See Thu 2.
Edinburgh
I Boutique GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550
I780. 10.30pm-3am. Free before 1 lpm; £7 (£6) after. lilectro and house from Lucky Luciano plus ‘orchestrated cheese' from D] Dow/er.
I Luver The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 2564. 10.30pm--3am. £l2
(members £10). A saucy soiree of full-on.
driving house music with residents Tommy Kay. Dean Newton. Grum Stone and Jon Edwards. ‘Red ()ctober' theme this month.
I Fever Luna. l4 Picardy Place. 478 7434. l lpm-3am. £10 (members £5 before 1 1.15pm; £8 after). [Ms Fisher & Price (Taste) play an eclectic mix of the best underground dance music.
Glasgow Paul Sinha The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8. See 5 reasons. Part of G/usguy.’ Fierce The Tunnel. 84 Mitchell Street. 204 l000. l lpm—3am. £8 (£6). A brand spanking new monthly alternative gay night presided over by infamous sleb tranny Jodie Harsh and with residents Dolby-Anal spinning the electro/house/[mwer pop/bass/disco. I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578. Times and prices vary. See Thu 2.
Edinburgh
I Cilla’s Karaoke Capers GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 1780. 10.30pm- 3am. Free before I lpm; £4 (£3) after. Grab the mic and try to impress Miss (‘illa Slack with your caterwaulings.
II“ More (‘abaret Voltaire. 3638 Blair Street. 220 6176. l lpm 3am. A new Sunday nighter for the (‘ab as BumFunk becomes More with Kaupuss and Miss (‘hris delivering the best in funky vocal house. club classics and electro.
Monday 6
Glasgow
FIE! Plastic Pastorals Q! Gallery. 87----9l Saltmarket. 552 7578. 7- -9pm. See preview. left. I’urr ofG/usguy.’
I Passionality Byblos. Unit Q. Merchant Square. 7| Albion Street. 552 3895. 11.30pm-3am. £3 (£2). Like an ageing pop star who refuses to give in. the weekend launches a last minute comeback at Byblos with D] Roberts playing chart hits for the gay/mixed crowd.
I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578.
Times and prices vary. See Thu 2.
Edinburgh
I Call the Shots GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 I780. 10.30pm -3am. Free before I lpm; £4 (£3) after. Take total artistic control at this requests only night.
m ' limail the tunes your heart desires to Tuesday 7
picardyplace (a‘g l group.co.uk
Glasgow
FIE! Plastic Pastorals Q! Gallery.
87 —9I Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam 5pm. See Mon 6.
I Audioculture Byblos. Unit Q. Merchant Square. 71 Albion Street. 552 3895. l lpm—3am. £3. A mixed night of char and cheese from D] Shana l-lalliwell. I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578.
Times and prices vary. See Thu 2.
Edinburgh Wicked Wenches The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). All the fun of oestrogen. with regular host Susan (‘alman. This month‘s sparkling selection includes Sarah Millican. 'I‘iffany
_ Stevenson. Maureen Younger and Ailsa Johnston.
I Shoot GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 I780. 10.30pm--3am. Free before 1 lpm; £4 (£3) after. Chart. R&B. classics and kitsch from Dale Lush and friends.
I Vibe Luna. l4 Picardy Place. 478 7434. 1 lpm-3am. £4. The touchstone of [Edinburgh‘s queer club scene finds a new home at the revamped Luna nightclub.
Wednesday 8
Glasgow
FIE! Plastic Pastorals Q! Gallery. 87—91 Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam—5pm. See Mon 6.
I Wicked Wenches The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £6 (£5). Maureen Younger and special guest Sarah Millican (lf.comeddie Best Newcomer award-winner) join the funny women on display. compered by Susan (‘alman Par! of Glasgay!
I Allure The Tunnel. 84 Mitchell Street. 204 1000. l 1.30pm—3am. £3 (students two for one). ('heesy pop sounds from 1)] Darren and the guys behind Passionality.
I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578. Times and prices vary. See Thu 2. Edinburgh
Fl!!! lcebreakers (‘(‘ Blooms. 23— 24 Greenside Place. 556 9331. 7.30pm. Social group for people who want to make new friends in LGBT company.
I Wink GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 1780. l().3()pm -3am. Free before 1 lpm; £4 (£3) after. Midweek clubbing from 1)] Michelle featuring indie. electro. rock'n‘roll and pop.
Thursday 9
Glasgow FIE! Plastic Pastorals Q! Gallery. 87-91 Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam 5pm. See Mon 6. An Ocean of Rain 'I‘ramway. 25 Albert Drive. 0845 330 3501. 8pm. £9 (£6). See preview. page 60. Part of ( ilusguy.’ I R-P-Z Glasgow School of Art. 167 Renfrew Street. 353 4531. l lpm 73am. £4 (£3). See Thu 2. I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578. Times and prices vary. See Thu 2.
Edinburgh
I Robopop GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 I780. l().3()pm-3am. Free before I lpm: £4 (£3) after. See Thu 2.
Glasgow
I'll! Plastic Pastorals Q! Gallery.
87-91 Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam-5pm.
See Mon 6.
I An Ocean of Rain 'I‘ramway. 25 Albert Drive. 0845 330 3501. 8pm. £9 (£6). See Thu 9.
I Glasgay! Various venues. 552 7578. Times and prices vary. See Thu 2. Edinburgh
I Cilla Slack GHQ. 4 Picardy Place. 550 1780. l().3()pm—3am. Free before llpm: £5 (£4) after. See Fri 3.
. Glasgow
FIE! Plastic Pastorals Q! Gallery. 87—91 Saltmarket. 552 7578. l lam 5pm. See Mon 6. I An Ocean of Rain Tramway. 25 Albert Drive. 0845 330 3501. 8pm. £9 (£6). See Thu 9. Utter Gutter The Glasgow School of Art. 167 Renfrew Street. 353 4526. llpm 3am. £10 (£8). Utter Gutter goes all out for Glasgay! with The (‘hainsaw Mascara Fourth Birthday Ball
with Madame S. Thee Mr Mister and
Saucepans People leading the hedonism. I ’m'! of Glasgay! I Glasgay! Various venues. 55.2 7578.
Times and prices vary. See Thu 2.
Edinburgh I LGBT Centre Relaunch: Saturday