The H OT
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Daniel Sloss
79 Sam Paterson CAMPAIGNER FOR
EDINBURGH SKATEPARK
Plans to put an outdoor skatepark in Edinburgh finally got the green light, thanks to this fella. Having campaigned for ten years for a skate facility, Paterson got his way last December, when the council approved construction of Saughton Skatepark, opening in spring 2010. We raise a scuffed skater’s hand to salute you, Sam. (CS)
78 Glasgow Podcart LO-FI PODCASTERS
This excellent, intelligent and witty weekly podcast champions new Scottish music and art. It’s run by a group of passionate volunteers who only started this year, but it’s already so popular that they’re putting on their own gigs and bringing in guests like Stuart Braithwaite. (KI)
77 Franz Ferdinand WELL-DRESSED INDIE-
POPPERS
Their third album, Tonight, came out in January, following months of gossip about FF’s ‘new direction’. Slick, glossy pop? (They’d collaborated with Girls Aloud producer Brian Higgins.) A ‘world music’, drum-thumping extravaganza? Actually, it was a very danceable, hedonistic disco surprise. Thumbs up to those art-school dandies. (CS) 20 THE LIST 17 Dec 2009–7 Jan 2010
literary prizes for Kieron Smith, Boy, the great man still found time to stir up trouble: his EIBF comments about the Scottish media’s over-interest in genre fiction caused waves internationally. Long may he continue to do so. (KI)
73 Wasabi Disco NEW NIGHT IN THE ‘BURGH
See panel, right.
72 Robin Ticciati HOTSHOT CONDUCTOR
The 26-year-old is the SCO’s new principal conductor, an appointment made after an immediate synergy between him and the orchestra emerged from a tour of the Highlands in June. His first season brings a balance of old and new music, very much showing his own stamp. (CM)
71 Daniel Sloss UP-AND-COMING COMIC
After an acclaimed sell-out debut run at the Fringe, the Fife comic became the first stand-up to perform on Paul O’Grady’s Channel 4 show and is now appearing in Aladdin as Wishee Washee opposite Brian Blessed, Ruby Wax and, get this, Pamela Anderson. Has this teenager’s ultimate fantasy just come true? (BD)
70 DIY Festival TAKING THE POWER BACK
For one week in September, Glasgow’s underground spirit was celebrated with a series of non-corporate gigs, talks, art exhibitions and club events around the city, from anyone who had the time or inclination to get involved. Hopefully the business model proves recession- proof and it makes a return appearance in 2010. (DP)
76 Graham Fagen VISUAL ARTIST
Stirling’s Changing Room Gallery christened its new premises with an exhibition of new and existing portraits by highly regarded Glasgow artist Fagen. The artist also collaborated with Adrian Sherwood and Ghetto Priest for ‘I Murder Hate’, which re- interpreted the words of Robert Burns through roots and dub reggae music. (AR)
75 PCL GLASGOW MUSIC PROMOTER
PCL continue to put on eclectic shows of all sizes, but it’s their share in the Captain’s Rest and Sneaky Pete’s — two of The List’s favourite small venues in Glasgow and Edinburgh, respectively — which wins them the most praise. (DP)
74 James Kelman LITERARY HEAVYWEIGHT
69 LuckyMe FORWARD-THINKING
RECORD LABEL
The Glasgow-based record label, design collective and early home of Warp signees Hudson Mohawke and Rustie marches on, with 12” releases from Nadsroic and Mike Slott both emerging this year. The in-house club night Ballers 5ocial Club is also an established home of dubstep and eclectica in the city. (DP)
68 The Scottish Documentary Institute KEEPING IT REEL
Despite winning all the major Scottish Long overdue credit for stimulating
TURNING JAPANESE Kris Wasabi, the man behind Edinburgh’s best new club night, Wasabi Disco (monthly, at Sneaky Pete’s), talks us through his tracks of 2009
From day one the idea [behind Wasabi Disco] was to provide a place where friends and like- minded people could listen to good music I believe wasn’t getting enough exposure in Edinburgh. The first night was a success and since then the word and reputation has spread resulting in a diverse crowd of ‘up-for-it’ nutters: a crowd that are into hearing stuff like ‘Overpowered by Funk’ by The Clash next to Optimo (Espacio)’s remix of ‘Buzz In’ by Japanese noisniks Boris. Other great tracks that have rocked Wasabi this year are ‘15-20’ by Phenomenal Hand Clap Band, ‘Raygun’ by Mark E, ‘Piece of Mind’ by Linkwood, Ron Hardy’s edit of ‘Let No Man Put Asunder’ by First Choice and, well, you can’t beat a bit of ‘Dominator’ by Human Resource to bring the madness.
A memory that will stay with me, is when a girl stopped me and said, ‘You made me dance!’ I looked at her confused and she repeated, ‘You made me dance!’ She then explained she was recovering from a broken back and really wasn’t meant to be dancing because it was painful but she was enjoying the music so much she didn’t care! ‘You made a cripple dance!’ Oddly enough next month two guys turned up on crutches. I’m still waiting for someone to
notice the brief porn clips I stitched into the visuals. Three months in and not a sausage – literally!
documentary filmmaking in Scotland, the SDI has been inspiring, funding and distributing short and long documentaries from their base at the Edinburgh College of Art since 2004. With their unending list of masterclasses, workshops, festival screenings and their new talent initiative Bridging the Gap now entering its seventh year, the SDI remains a force to be reckoned with. (PD)