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Around Town
S’miles better
As Edinburgh takes a well-earned rest, Kirstin Innes turns her attention to the occurrences happening in and around the Dear Green Place this fortnight
It is a truth universally acknowledged that August is dead time in Glasgow. The rest of the year is a different story, of course, and September means the gloves are off, with so many massed gatherings of the city’s creatives that they’re in danger of burying Sauchiehall Street in superlatives.
For a start, Glasgow’s first Twestival kicks off on 10 September. A ‘Twestival’, for those of you reading this magazine off a physical piece of paper, shaking your sticks at these modern youths with their infernal ‘computers’, is a social event for fans of the social networking phenomenon Twitter. They’ve put together a brilliant line-up of local bands and roped in some equally brilliant local artists, along with a huge selection of prizes from various Tweegies (that’s weegies who use Twitter, that is, and wins our ‘best word use of the fortnight’ award). It all benefits local charity No Strings Attached. One of the biggest stories in Scottish arts in recent weeks has been the closure of the Lighthouse, and Glasgow’s cultural scene is feeling the shockwaves. Have a look at our news story on page 8 for further information. However, there’s still some hope left: concerned parties have formed social networking group Lighthouse Alive, looking at ways to save the organisation. Check out lighthouserenewed.ning.com
for info about gatherings and meetings. And while we don’t want to suggest that the development at Trongate 103 is a replacement for the Lighthouse – it has its own set of priorities and aims – it’s heartening to see a positive artist-led space opening right now. Open it will, too, over the weekend of 12 and 13 September, with a whole weekend of taster sessions, workshops, tours and exhibitions. Look out for our interview with the organisers in Visual Art next issue. Finally, it’s impossible to ignore the glossy, glitzy riot of the Merchant City Festival, back once again with street theatre, live music, shopping discount days and a froth of excitement around one of Glasgow’s best-heeled quarters from 24 September. We’re particularly excited about interactive theatrical installation The Memory Projector, which allows audiences to involve themselves in the area’s history. Check out our Comedy section for a round-up of the best Merchant City Fest funnies, too. Glasgow Twestival, Thu 10 Sep, Living Room, see glasgow.twestival.com; Trongate 103, free opening weekend Sat 12 & Sun 13 Sep, see www.trongate103.com; Merchant City Festival, Thu 24–Sun 27 Sep, see www.merchantcityfestival.com
www.list.co.uk/aroundtown Hitlist KYLIE, CHRISTMAS, CREATIVITY*
✽✽ Usurper Workshop Two- day workshop hosted by Edinburgh-based experimental music duo Usurper culminating in a group concert as part of Arches Live! The Arches, Glasgow, Sun 13 Sep. ✽✽ Amazing Zipslide 600ft charity zipslide to raise funds for a Teenage Cancer Trust unit at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. Inverleith Park, Edinburgh, Sat 12 Sep. ✽✽ Blackford Hill Festival The first festival on Blackford Hill. An afternoon packed with history, activities and fun for all the family. Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, Sun 13 Sep. ✽✽ Trongate 103 Opening Weekend Glasgow’s centre for the arts and creativity, a six- storey Edwardian warehouse occupied by eight arts organisations, opens this weekend. Trongate 103, Glasgow, Sat 12 & Sun 13 Sep. ✽✽ Cachín Cachán Cachunga! Afro-Cuban dance, spine-tingling poetry, a video and poetry-music fusion from both a Chinese-Canadian and a Scottish-Canadian/ Venezuelan duo. The Street, Edinburgh, Tue 15 Sep. ✽✽ Salvation Army Fashion Show To celebrate Freshers’ Week, the Salvation Army shop demonstrates that fashion can be affordable, ethical and desirable. Salvation Army, 91 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow, Mon 14 Sep. ✽✽ The Sunday Social with Rumble in the Jumble Curiosities for sale and curious sounds in your ear at this flea market-come-gig. 13th Note, Glasgow, Sun 20 Sep. 10–24 Sep 2009 THE LIST 33