Watch out Edinburgh, there’s a new kid on the east coast block. Well, OK, chances are Dundee’s bookish extravaganza might never quite reach the exalted status of the capital’s world-beating literary fiesta but it’s making a very strong case for itself with a series of events that includes the likes of Nick Cave, Jackie Kay, Alan Warner, John Carey and Iain Banks (pictured) plus an all-day comics conference. ■ Various venues, Dundee, until Sun 27 Jun. EDINBURGH
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TORTURE GARDEN Started in the 1990s, Torture Garden has become one of the world’s biggest fetish, body art and burlesque clubs, popular with the likes of Dita Von Teese and Boy George. This rare Scottish event features cabaret and fetish-friendly stage shows from Yusura Bush Watcher, Marnie Scarlet and Kabaret Boudoir, plus a playlist of hard house, electro, dubstep and good old fashioned rock’n’roll. Visit torturegarden.com for tickets and more of a flavour of what the night might be like . . . ■ The Caves, Edinburgh, Sat 8 Dec.
Events are listed by city, then by type. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to lgbt@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Kirstyn Smith.
GLASGOW
Activities & Events Glasgow FrontRunners Thu 15 Nov, 22 Nov, 29 Nov, 6 Dec & 13 Dec, 7–8pm. £1. The Arc, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, 331 8633. A running group suited to all abilities for LGBT folk and their friends. FREE Prime Time Sun 25 Nov, 3pm. Gay Men’s Health, 30 Bell Street, 552 0112. A chance for gay and bisexual men over 40 to meet others in an informal setting. FREE World AIDS Day Gathering Sat 1 Dec, 7–9pm. Strathclyde Police Headquarters, 173 Pitt Street, 532 2000. A secular event with speakers discussing this year’s theme: ‘Living with HIV’, followed by entertainment and refreshments. 74 THE LIST 15 Nov–13 Dec 2012
Arts FREE White Fri 30 Nov–Mon 24 Dec, Tue–Sat 11am–5.30pm (other opening times available by appointment). The Virginia Gallery, 45 Virginia Street, 552 5699. A Christmas group exhibition with photography, digital art, craft and installations from local and international artists. Clubs Polo Goes POP Thu 15 Nov, 22 Nov, 29 Nov, 6 Dec & 13 Dec, 11pm–3am. £3 (£2). The Polo Lounge, 84 Wilson Street, 0845 659 5905. DJ Queenie injects your ears with pop sounds. Birdcage Fri 16 Nov, 10pm–2am. £4 before midnight; £5 after (students £4). Basura Blanca at the Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick Hotel (basement) 106–8 Brunswick Street, 552 0001. An alternative LGBT night playing house, garage and bass. Sin-Sational Saturdays Sat 17 Nov, 24 Nov, 1 Dec & 8 Dec, 9pm–3am. £6 (£5). The Polo Lounge, 84 Wilson Street, 0845 659 5905. Be as bad as you can be at Polo’s thoroughly wicked Saturday night, with DJs David Clark, Preston
Connor and Gavin Watson. FREE Trophy Room Sat 17 Nov, 24 Nov, 1 Dec & 8 Dec, 11pm–3am. FHQ, 10 John Street, 0845 166 6037. Cheesy pop night. Weekends With a Bang! Sun 18 Nov, 25 Nov, 2 Dec & 9 Dec, 9pm–3am. £3 (£2). The Polo Lounge, 84 Wilson Street, 0845 659 5905. DJs David Clark and Jamie Blyth help you end your week in explosive style. Musically, anything goes! FREE Passionality Mon 19 Nov, 26 Nov, 3 Dec & 10 Dec, 11pm–3am. FHQ, 10 John Street, 0845 166 6037. Passion’s the fashion on a Monday with this night from TLC and DJ Shawn Roberts. Poptart Tue 20 Nov, 27 Nov, 4 Dec & 11 Dec, 11pm–3am. £3 (£2). The Polo Lounge, 84 Wilson Street, 0845 659 5905. Start the weekend very early with DJ Belle de Hell. TYCI Sat 23 Nov, 11pm–3am. Free before midnight, £2 after. Bloc, 117 Bath Street, 574 6066. Brand new night for anyone femme-friendly, featuring Glasgow Roller Derby DJs and live music from London hipsters Drop Out Venus. Visit tyci.org.uk for information on the night and the lady collective who run it. Violate Sat 1 Dec, 8pm–2am. £15 (members £7). Big Joint, 1084 South Street, Scotstoun, 954 6999. Fetish club with play, socialising, dancing and live music. See the website to learn about the dress code. FREE Bears in the West Fri 7 Dec, 9pm–1am. Underground Bar, 6A John Street, 553 2456. A night from BearScots, where ‘beary Santa’ will be handing out presents. Activities & Events FREE T-Time Sat 17 Nov, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. Monthly informal event for transgender people and their partners, family and friends. A welcoming environment for a chat and a cuppa, plus film screenings for those who fancy it. FREE Prime Time Sun 18 Nov & Sun 2 Dec, 2–4.30pm. Gay Men’s Health, 10 Union Street, 556 1309. Informal meet-up for gay or bisexual men over 40. FREE Spoken Word for Pussy Riot Sun 18 Nov, 7pm. The Parlour Bar, 142 Duke Street, 555 3848. Satire, spoken word, punk poetry and comedy in aid of the Pussy Riot Defense Fund. Performers include Rodney Relax, Frank Discussion, Tommy McKay, Maze McPunklet, Rachel McCrum and Hoggie. FREE LGBT Centre Drop-in Mon 19 Nov, 26 Nov, 3 Dec & 10 Dec, 5.30–8pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. Weekly, informal drop-in service to meet new people, get info and catch up on the latest goss. FREE ShuttleScots Badminton Club Tue 20 Nov, 27 Nov, 4 Dec & 11 Dec, 7–9pm. for first week; following two weeks £3; 12-week term £30. Meadowbank Sports Centre, 139 London Road, 661 5351. Regular open sessions for all abilities with Edinburgh’s own friendly and inclusive LGBT badminton group. FREE You & We: Personal Development for Relationships Sat 24 & Sun 25 Nov, 11am–4pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. Work towards better relationships and self-knowledge on this two-day course. Club Noir: Burlesque Workshop Sun 25 Nov, 1–3pm. £25. Ghillie Dhu, 2 Rutland Place, 222 9930. Learn the art of being a burlesque performer from Tina Warren, who’ll bring out the risqué side of the shyest of participants in this whirlwind couple of hours that touches on stage presence, character, confidence, clothes removal, make-up and costume. FREE Me & T Monthly Sun 25 Nov, 2–4pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. A supportive space for people who have
friends, family or partners who are transgender or exploring their gender. Cuestars Tue 27 Nov & Tue 11 Dec, 7–10pm. £3. Shandon Snooker, 99 Slateford Road, 313 2069. Friendly, social snooker group for the LGBT community and friends, meeting on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. FREE Icebreakers Wed 28 Nov & Wed 12 Dec, 7–9pm. The Regent Bar, 2 Montrose Terrace, 661 8198. Social group for people who want to make new friends in LGBT company. FREE Community Discussion Evening Thu 29 Nov, 6.30–9.30pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. Head along either on your own or with a community group to be part of this discussion session issues affecting the LGBT community. LGBT in the Workplace. FREE Trans Women Sat 1 Dec, 7.30–9.30pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. A monthly group meeting for MTF transgender people. FREE Trans Men Sat 8 Dec, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. A social evening for FTM transgender people to meet and talk. FREE Christmas Crisis Planning Thu 13 Dec, 6.30–8.30pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. A helpful session preparing for anything that could go wrong during the festive season. Arts FREE Edinburgh Gay Men’s Book Group Wed 28 Nov, 7–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. A book club for gents with a lust for reading. All types of books considered. FREE The Big LGBT Music Jam Sat 1 Dec, 1–4pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. Music-making in a creative and supportive environment. Bring an instrument (which could be your voice) and join in with singing, playing or just listening. Loud & Proud Choir Festive Concert Fri 7 & Sat 8 Dec, 8–9.30pm. £9 (£7). Stockbridge Parish Church, 7b Saxe Coburg Street, 473 2000. Festive concert from Scotland’s LGBT choir. FREE Word: Women’s Book Group Wed 12 Dec, 7.30–9pm. LGBT Centre for Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street, 523 1100. A chance to meet members of the LGBT community who share a passion for books.
Clubs DV8 Fri 30 Nov, 8pm–1am. £10 (members £5). Spider’s Web Cellar Bar, 258 Morrison Street, 228 1949. Fetish club with Footman John. The dress code asks for a minimum of smart black dresswear and a general fetish-wear door policy. They prefer that first-time visitors contact the organisers beforehand. Hot Mess Fri 7 Dec, 10.30pm–3am. £5 (£3). Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place, 229 1442. Gay club night describing itself as ‘an irregular party for irregular folks’, where the focus is on the music, which is a heady mix of disco, hi-NRG, acid house, Italo and electro from the safe hands of DJ Simonotron (Club for Heroes/Devil Disco Club). FREE Bears in the East Sat 8 Dec, 10pm–2am. The New Town Bar, 26 Dublin Street, 538 7775. See ‘Bears in the West’, Glasgow. Torture Garden Sat 8 Dec, 9pm–3am. £20. The Caves, Niddry Street South, 557 8989. The world’s leading body art, fetish and twisted burlesque club makes another trip up north with a hard house, electro, dubstep, rock’n’roll and mash-up playlist. Stage shows from Yusura Bush Watcher, Marnie Scarlet, Kabaret Boudoir and many more for a mix of fetish body art and neo-burlesque cabaret across three dungeon playrooms and a chill-out balcony.