Around Town Events are listed by city, then type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to sport@list.co.uk for sport or aroundtown@list.co.uk for all other events. Listings compiled by Suzanne Black. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Glasgow Activities & Events Glasgow Tigers Speedway Sun 16 Aug, 4pm. £14 (£6–£10). Ashfield Stadium, Saracan Park, 404 Hawthorn Street, 336 4800. Watch fast-paced motorbike action, on bikes that have no brakes. Yes, that sounds very dangerous to us, too. Alien Wars Until Sun 30 Aug, 5–10pm; Fri & Mon 2.30–10pm; Sat/Sun noon–10pm. £10.95 (£8; under 16s £6.50). The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, 565 1000. Terrifying total reality experience in the creepy bowels of the Arches. Revolver Quiz Sat 15 Aug, 4pm. £1 per person. Revolver, 6a John Street, 553 2456. Weekly general knowledge quiz for teams of up to six people. 25p from every entry fee goes to the Gay Men’s Health Charity. Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Day Walks Thu 13 Aug, 11am, 1pm & 3pm. £5.50 (£4.50). Greenbank Garden, Flenders Road, Clarkston, 639 3281. Interpretive walks around Greenbank for all those of a green-fingered tendency who would like to know more about the history and running of the garden. FREE Critical Applause 6: Will Holder Thu 13 Aug, 7pm. Ticketed. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. Will Holder, editor of FR DAVID, talks about publishing and all the forms it can take. Part of Critical Applause, a monthly series of talks and events that seek alternative means for talking or thinking about art. Footballers’ Fashion Fling Sat 15 Aug, 7pm. £60 (£660 for a table of 12). Radisson SAS Hotel, 301 Argyle Street, 848 0308. Gina McKee hosts a dinner and fashion show for the Scottish Huntington’s Association with entertainment from Scottish tribal pipes and drums band Clanadonia, DJ Tatyana, hair demonstrations from Rainbow Room International and the Footballers’ Fashion Show. Guests will receive a complimentary drink and a three-course meal.
✽✽ Medieval Capers at Mugdock Castle Sun 16 Aug, 11am–4pm.
£5 (children £3; under 5s free). Mugdock Castle, Craigallian Road, Milngavie, 956 6100. Travel back in time for a day. See Hitlist.
Books FREE Meet Author Gordon Brown Thu 13 Aug, 6pm. Waterstone’s, 38 The Avenue, Newton Mearns, 616 3933. No, not that Gordon Brown. This Gordon Brown is the emerging author who has just published his first novel – a crime thriller set in Glasgow – and he will be reading from and signing copies in store. FREE Daniel Gray Thu 13 Aug, 6.30pm. Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. Daniel Gray talks about his book Homage to Caledonia: Scotland and the Spanish Civil War.
✽✽ FREE Chiew-Siah Tei Fri 14 Aug, 6pm. Ricefield Gallery,
Chinese Arts and Cultural Centre, 41 Graham Street, 331 1019. A literary evening with the Malaysian author. See Hitlist.
✽✽ Christopher Brookmyre Fri 14 Aug, 6.30pm. £3. Mitchell Theatre, 6 Granville Street, 287 2999. The crime writer in conversation. See Hitlist. FREE Simon King Mon 17 Aug, 6.30pm. Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. The wildlife guru signs his new title, Wild Life.
16 THE LIST 13–20 Aug 2009
Exhibitions Doctor Who Exhibition Until Mon 4 Jan 2010, 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. £7.50 (£4.50; family ticket £18). Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 08444 815816. Come face to face with Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans and the Ood in this display of Doctor-related material. Tickets from www.SECxtra.com or 08444 815816. Inside DNA Until Sun 6 Sep (not Mon), 10am–5pm. £7.95 (£5.95). Glasgow Science Centre, 50 Pacific Quay, 08715 401000. Interactive exhibition about DNA exploring scientific, ethical, social, medical and genealogical issues. FREE sh[OUT]: Contemporary Art and Human Rights Until Sun 1 Nov, 10am–5pm; Thu 10am–8pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. Striking and thoughtful biennial social justice exhibition featuring work from the likes of Sadie Lee, Nan Goldin, Chad McCail and Robert Mapplethorpe.
✽✽ FREE Made in God’s Image Until Sat 22 Aug, 10am–5pm; Thu
10am–8pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. A project by Anthony Schrag and David Malone to use the experiences of people from the Christian and Muslim faiths to explore sexuality and religion from an LGBT perspective. See page 15. FREE Rendering Gender Until Sat 22 Aug, 10am–5pm; Thu 10am–8pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. David Sherry, with Transforming Arts, explores the notion of gender as fluid. FREE Fizzers Exhibition Until Mon 28 Sep, 10am–5pm; Fri & Sun 11am–5pm. People’s Palace & Winter Gardens, Glasgow Green, 276 0788. The Glasgow-based Scottish Cartoon Art Studio presents around 60 caricatures of well known Scottish faces, from Rikki Fulton to Frankie Boyle. Talks FREE Themed Tours at the Burrell Thu 13 Aug, 11.30am. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Liz Gibson discusses embroidery at the Burrell. FREE Talk: Dani Marti Thu 13 Aug, 6.30–7.30pm. Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Exchange Square, 287 3050. sh[OUT] and Glasgay! artist in residence Dani Marti discusses the forthcoming exhibition ORIFICES (TAKE 2) at GoMA and his residency involving Gay Men’s Health. To coincide with Dani’s film programme at GoMA. FREE Garden Talk: Legumes Sun 16 Aug, 1–3pm. Pollok Country Park, Pollokshaws Road, 276 0924. Learn some tricks to get your peas and beans growing apace from Pollok’s Horticultural Expert, James Rae. FREE Fizzers Tour Sun 16 Aug, 2–3pm. People’s Palace & Winter Gardens, Glasgow Green, 276 0788. Artists from the Scottish Cartoon Art Studio take a tour of the Fizzers exhibition and offer insights into producing a good caricature. FREE Stitches in Time: Consuming Cotton Mon 17 Aug, 2.30–3.30pm. Scotland Street School Museum, Museum of Education, 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500. Emily Taylor discusses a late 18th century muslin gown in the European Costume and Textiles collection. FREE The Story of Mackintosh at Scotland Street School Tue 18 Aug, 2–3pm. Scotland Street School Museum, Museum of Education, 225 Scotland Street, 287 0500. Learn about Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s connections with Scotland Street School.
FREE Curator’s Favourites Wed 19 Aug, 12.30pm. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Simon Eccles, Senior Curator of Ancient Civilisations, discusses a bronze bull’s head cauldron handle from ancient Ararat. FREE Themed Tours at the Burrell Wed 19 Aug, 2pm. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Elizabeth Black gives a talk on cultural transmissions on the Silk Road. FREE Objects in Focus Thu 20 Aug, noon. Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, Argyle Street, 276 9599. A series of short talks looking in detail at works from the Mackintosh and Glasgow Style gallery. This session covers repousée metal sconces by Margaret and Frances Macdonald. FREE Burrell’s Tapestries: It’s All in the Detail Thu 20 Aug, 12.30–1.30pm. Burrell Collection, 2060 Pollokshaws Road, 287 2550. Ralph Moffat, Curator of Arms and Armour, discusses weapons and the chase in the Burrell’s tapestries.
Workshops Creative Writing Programme Mon 17 Aug, 6pm. £6.50 (£30 for six sessions). Borders Books, 98 Buchanan Street, 222 7700. Alistair Paterson leads a weekly class to inspire, guide and shape your literary outpourings. FREE Fizzers Caricature Sessions Sat 15 Aug, noon–2pm. People’s Palace & Winter Gardens, Glasgow Green, 276 0788. Free caricatures for anyone who buys a copy of The Scottish Cartoon Art Studio’s book Fizzers from the People’s Palace shop between 18 Jul and 26 Sep. Bring proof of purchase to one of the sessions.
✽✽ Write Camera Action Mon 17 Aug, 6–9.30pm. £5 (£3). CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. A series of workshops for film writers, directors and actors. See Hitlist.
Outside the cities Activities & Events Life Drawing Tue 18 Aug, 7.30–9.30pm. £4 per session. Paisley Arts Centre, New Street, Paisley, 887 1010. Participant-led life drawing sessions suitable for all levels of experience. Just turn up with your own materials and get sketching. FREE Solar Viewings Thu 13 & 20 Aug, 2–4pm. Coats Observatory, 49 Oakshaw Street West, Paisley, 889 2013. Using a special solar telescope set up in the observatory garden, safely look at our nearest star, the sun, as well as gaze at sunspots, solar prominences and flares. FREE Evening Bat Walks Tue 18 Aug, 8.30pm. National Museum of Rural Life, Wester Kittochside, Philipshill Road, East Kilbride, 247 4377. As dusk settles, help monitor these wonderful creatures at the nearby farm.
Food & Drink Traditional Sunday Afternoon Cream Tea Sun 16 Aug, noon–5pm. £8.50 (children £5). Chatelherault Country Park, Carlisle Road, Hamilton, 01698 426213. Tea and scones on the lawn? Why thank you, don’t mind if I do. Talks FREE A Paisley Pageant Wed 19 Aug, 12.30–1.15pm. Paisley Museum & Art Gallery, High Street, Paisley, 887 1010. A talk about the many transformations of Paisley throughout the ages, illustrated with old photographs of the town from the Charles Souter and Hugh Gibson collections.
www.list.co.uk/aroundtown SITE SPECIFICS
STIRLING CASTLE What is it? Apart from the backdrop for Braveheart? It’s Scotland’s grandest stronghold, the crucial strategic point in the Wars of Independence, home of the Scottish kings for half a millennium. And, er, the backdrop for Braveheart. Great. I love Braveheart. What do I get to see apart from Mel Gibson’s pecs? Ew. You’re joking, right? The castle’s on an extinct volcano 250ft above the plain, and whether you’re looking up from beneath or down from the battlements, the views are pretty awe-inspiring. It’s got a serious set of defences, too, and a Great Hall which can, and does, claim to be ‘the grandest secular building erected in Scotland in the late Middle Ages’.
How much will it cost? £8.50 for adults and £3.50 for children, which will also get you into Argyll’s Lodging, probably Scotland’s most splendid example of a seventeenth- century townhouse, and home to a purple four-poster bed lurid enough to make even Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen think twice. Is there a café? Yes. If it’s raining you can take your scones in a series of vaulted chambers set in the Outer Defences, and if the sun’s out, or you’re feeling particularly hardy, you can look out to the nearby Wallace Monument from a rooftop terrace.
How do I get there? It’s a short walk from the station, and there are regular buses and trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh. Given Stirling’s vital strategic location (‘He who holds Stirling holds Scotland’), it’s little surprise to find that the road connections are excellent. Just make sure you keep your windows closed if a muscly chap in war paint starts heading for your car.
(Lizzie Mitchell) ■ Stirling Castle, 01786 450000, www.stirling.gov.uk