AroundTown Merchant City Festival Thu 21–Sun 24 Jul, times vary. Prices vary. Various venues, Merchant City, merchantcityfestival.com A celebration of Scotland’s Glasgow’s vibrant trading and cultural quarter. As well as events in venues such as the Tron Theatre and the Briggait artists’ space, there is a busy line-up of street theatre, markets and al fresco music. See Neighbourhood Watch, page 39. FREE Book Swap Bookcase Thu 21–Sat 23 Jul, 10am–5pm. Trongate 103, 276 8380. A lovely idea, this: if you’re passing through the Trongate, bring along a book you’re happy to part with, leave it on the Book Swap Bookcase, and return home with some new reading matter – all for nada! FREE No Place Like Home Opening Event Thu 21 Jul, 6–9pm. GOODD, Glassworks Studios, 3–5 Aird’s Lane, 552 6777. Opening soiree for this exhibition organised by GOODD Ltd in aid of Glasgow Homelessness Network. Part of the Merchant City Festival.
Fairs & Markets Blochairn Car Boot Sale Sundays, 26 Jun & 3, 10 & 17 Jul, 6am–3pm. Wholesale Fruit, Veg, Flower and Fish Market, 130 Blochairn Road. One of the UK’s largest weekly car boot sales. FREE Ashton Lane Street Market Sun 26 Jun, noon–4pm. Ashton Lane, westendfestival.co.uk Final West End Fest market on the lane with crafts, vintage threads, rare vinyl and local produce. FREE Barlanark Gala Day Sat 2 Jul, 10.30am–4.30pm. Barlanark Community Centre, 33 Burnmouth Road, Barlanark, 773 1812. Fun and games as part of Glasgow East’s Long Hot Days season. FREE Up Market Saturdays & Sundays, 2–17 Jul, noon–5pm. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. CCA residents Welcome Home and Aye Aye Books have invited a few pals round to join them in creating a market of design, illustration, crafts, art, vintage and much more, every July weekend in the Terrace Bar, with BBQ and DJs too.
✽✽ FREE Vintage Fair & Afternoon Tea Sat 2 Jul,
PREVIEW FESTIVAL Edinburgh International MagicFest Various venues, Edinburgh
Eyes may have been rolled and fezzes shrugged last year when yet another Edinburgh International X Festival was announced (‘we’ll like this,’ residents thought, ‘but not a lot’). However, magician Kevin McMahon, now presiding over his second year as director of the Edinburgh International MagicFest, was cheerily undaunted. ‘Edinburgh is perfect for the Festival because it’s
the UK’s most magical city,’ he says, doffing his top hat to JK Rowling and Harry Potter. ‘The popularity of magic has grown dramatically in recent years: people like Derren Brown and David Blaine have really moved it into the 21st century. Until last year, though, there were no UK magic festivals where you could see multiple, quality magic shows in a programmed event.’ After the success of last year’s Festival, McMahon and his team have put together a programme twice as big as last time, which still aims to thrill audiences while not taking itself too seriously. Celebrity magicians like The Real Hustle’s slight-of-hand-
meister Paul Wilson rub shoulders with up-and- coming acts like skinny-tied magic man Xavier Mortimer. There are comedy magic shows (we’re sort of tempted by ‘Card Ninja’ Javier Jarquin), dinner galas, a Magic School for kids and something a little worrying called a ‘Ladies Only Psychic Party’. McMahon’s own show examines whether the tricks of the Great Lafayette would still wow crowds entranced by their iPhones. A highlight in this boys’ club is an appearance by Romany (pictured), one of the UK’s only professional female wizards. ‘There are so few female magicians due to a real
lack of role models,’ says the self-styled Diva of Magic. ‘It’s boys that get given magic sets for Christmas. I didn’t even consider it until I took a performance evening class.’ ‘Magic is changing its identity right now,’ says
McMahon. ‘There are many talented and inventive performers all over the world creating a new exciting vision for it as an art form that will evolve magic, in the same way that Cirque du Soleil has changed our view of circus.’
Shazam! (Kirstin Innes) ■ Edinburgh International MagicFest, 1–8 Jul, various venues, Edinburgh. See magicfest.co.uk for full listings.
40 THE LIST 23 Jun–21 Jul 2011
noon–4pm. City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. Browse the stalls and enjoy a cup of tea in the City Halls Upstairs Promenade while deciding which jazz greats to see next. Part of Glasgow International Jazz Festival. FREE Little Birds Market Sun 10 Jul, 11am–5pm. Sloans, 62 Argyll Arcade, City Centre, 229 5270. New monthly vintage/craft market.
Talks FREE Free Thursday Lunchtime Talks Programme Thu 23 Jun, 1–2pm. Glasgow Sculpture Studios, 145 Kelvinhaugh Street, 204 1740. A chance to find out about The Clipperton Project, a multi-disciplinary expedition to the island of Clipperton by 16 artists and scientists taking place later this year. FREE Jazz on Film Thu 30 Jun, 2pm. City Halls: Club Room, Candleriggs, 353 8000. BBC Scotland Arts correspondent Pauline McLean interviews Glasgow journalist and blogger Alison Kerr, who has programmed a short season of jazz- related movies in this year’s Festival, including Arthur Penn’s seldom-screened Mickey One and the marvellous Symphony in Black, featuring Duke Ellington’s orchestra and a teenage Billie Holiday. Part of Glasgow International Jazz Festival.
✽✽ FREE Simon Martin in Conversation with Kitty
Anderson Sat 2 Jul, 3pm. CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, 352 4900. British Art Show artist Simon Martin discusses the show. See picture, page 41. FREE Gail Pickering: Sixty Seconds of Neon Sat 2 Jul, 7pm. Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, 0845 330 3501. Performance artist Gail Pickering appears as part of the British Art Show programme of events. See picture, page 41. FREE ‘You seem the same as always, –’: Exhibition talk Sat 9 Jul,