T H E SUPPORTED BY
THE NOT 100
EDINBURGH’S ‘RIBBON’ HOTEL
We’re not here to knock Jestico + Whiles’ plan for the new hotel which
will feature prominently in Edinburgh’s plan to replace the St James Centre. After all, architecture depends on taste
and perspective, like any art. But did nobody look at the gold swirl which is intended to make its outer edge look like an uncoiled printer ribbon and
think ‘doesn’t that look like something
else?’ Lo, the ‘turd hotel’ was born.
BREWDOG
Their decision to become a living wage employer in 2014 was reason to
applaud them heartily. But this isn’t credit in the bank when your latest dudebrotastic marketing campaign deserves rightful lambasting for
implied transphobia and mocking of sex workers. Or ‘Brewdog patter’, as it
was christened.
JIM MURPHY
He loved a footballing metaphor, did the former Scottish Labour leader, so we’ll be charitable and call his jaw-dropping loss of all but one of
the party’s Scottish seats a massively humiliating own goal. Yet in truth, they
were beaten before kick-off. Kezia Dugdale, take note of the lesson: it’s probably something to do with not underestimating Nicola Sturgeon.
EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE ARCHES FAILING
We know there are two very different schools of opinion where drug policy is concerned, and that the venue’s troubles started with an undeniably tragic event. But it wasn’t just for a few hundred enthusiastic ravers that
the entirely avoidable shutdown of The Arches was a tragedy; the city of Glasgow and her sense of self as somewhere open and welcoming to music and the arts took a major hit.
THAT T IN THE PARK TRAFFIC
Shudder. Those who were there, trying to get in, picking up or heading out, won’t quickly forget the slow crawl
along threadlike country roads. T know what went wrong and they’ve fronted up with a statement promising to sort it out next year, but it was an unpleasant
reminder of the precise organisation involved in an event of this scale.
28 THE LIST 5 Nov 2015–4 Feb 2016
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100 Elvis McGonagall JUSTICE POET The man who has previously rhymed ‘cider’ with ‘al-Qaida’ returned to the Edinburgh Fringe with Countrybile. Offering a series of poems about the state of Britain viewed from his new residency in rural Dorset, the Bard of Dundee wore his tartan with pride. (BD)
99 Neil Slorance COMIC STRIPPER
The Glasgow illustrator and comic artist completed the fourth edition of Dungeon Fun, drew along with Eurovision, created the iconic Glasgow Comic Con poster, contributed artwork (including the cover) to the 12th Doctor comic and still found time for Bake Off fan art. (RoM)
98 Richard Gadd MOOSE TRAPPER
An eventful Fringe month ended with Gadd having scooped an Amused Moose award for his latest intense and puntastic show: Waiting for Gaddot following hot on the bruised heels of 2014’s Breaking Gadd. A TV pilot is being i lmed of this August’s hit. (BD)
97 Ox and Finch FINNIESTON FAVOURITES The go-to restaurant of the year in Glasgow, Jonathon MacDonald’s outi t stands out even in its progressive neighbourhood for its creativity, precise cooking (thanks to head chef Daniel Spurr) and poised coni dence. A List Eating & Drinking Guide Newcomer of the Year winner back in April. (DR)
96 Mark Nelson DARK MATERIALIST
With Older Than Jesus, the Glasgow-based comic cemented his reputation as one of the nation’s sharpest tellers of cheeky if bleak gags. He also appeared in So That’s What We Voted For? at the Assembly Rooms and a monthly satire show at The Stand. (BD)
95 SQIFF PARTY PEOPLE The Scottish Queer International Film Festival launched this year, and became Scotland’s i rst inclusive celebration of queer cinema. The programme offered a diverse look at LGBTI people’s lives, and featured more than 30 events over four days, including UK premieres, parties and workshops. (RM)