Play with the city - glasgow

He is dead and buried… a more-ish handful of dust somewhere in Ayrshire, but 250 years later we are still celebrating the life’s work of Scotland’s most famous womaniser, philosopher and bard; Robert Burns. A good 250 years hole in the head dead, but boy ‘o’ boy can he can still host a good party! Food, songs, drams and rubbing shoulders with some of Scotland’s finest z-list talents. It all made for a healthy hangover and some fun photos for the album on the morning after.

Held at Oran Mor at the top of Byres Road in Glasgow’s West End, my good self and a few bum chums checked out Burns night.
David MacLennan who is the man in the know when it comes to all things theatre and art, welcomed us all to the night before a choir called The Sirens of Titan held us all in a head lock with an appetiser of Burns in song and Cock-a-leekie soup.

Dave Anderson; another Scottish theatre darling waved a big machete in the air whilst reciting ‘Address to the haggis’  in  broad auld Scots using words that even I couldn’t comprehend let alone understand, before he stabbed a big bag of haggis and dished out our mains. History dictates that The Haggis is borne into the room to the screeching… I mean dullest tones of the  bagpipes and serenaded with Burns’ great paean to the stuffed sheep’s stomach, after the ceremonial piercing; the haggis is toasted with a traditional dram of whiskey. Bottoms up.

So you guess it, the main meal of the night was Haggis, neaps (swede) and tatties with a creamy pepper sauce, loved it! After dinner we had a toast to the Lassies by Jimmy McGregor, a great speech about how much Jimmy loved his women. Reminiscing to a young age when he would court them up the back close in the tenements of old Springburn with nothing more romantic than a poke of chips. Moira Kerr made a reply on behalf of the lassies; a witty speech and a wee sing-song.
Time for desert, the best bit. A Raspberry Cranachan tower with Moustarda of berries followed by coffee and traditional tablet.

David Hayman (the Trial and Retribution guy) made The Immortal Memory speech were he spoke of the charity work that some of Scotland’s finest are doing and the many Scots who have passed but should still be remembered. We of all people ended up with his business card at the end of the night and thought it would be funny sending him some text messages asking “Where do you get those shirts?”
More coffee and tablet.

The finally of the night was Karen Dunbar  her with the nostrils in ‘Chewing the Fat’ reciting what is probably Burns’ most famous poem; Tam O’Shanter. As with all things Karen is involved in, she was a great image up on the stage and got many a laughs from the tables around the room.

There was also a previewing of ten unique and strangely witty paintings, illustrating Burns’s Tam ‘O’ Shanter by the artist and author Charles Nasmyth.

So who was spotted? Robbie Coltrane, Duncan Ballantine, a shed load of the stars of Taggart and River City (I didn’t know any of them) and plenty of others just smelling of TV personality.

Now here is a question for you. What ever happened to moshing? Has skinny tight jeans stopped young knees from bending? I think so!

Anyways, I’ll get to that later on.

Bloc Party played at the 02 Academy last Monday (26th of January) and they were for lack of better words, very disappointing Francis.

So in I went, purchased my £3.50 pint of Carling, “probably the most tasteless tinny crap in the world” and settled in to Tommy Sparks, AkA Brian Ferry, The Jam, Billy Idol and Billy Elliot) all rolled up into one big ball of “granny dressed him before he left the house” cuteness. If he wasn’t 6ft odds you would just pick him up and put him in your pocket along side your Tamagotchi. For all intensive purposes Tommy Sparks was great support. OK so no topping the bill here, but the performance was accomplished and perfect for the upcoming headliner.

Now onto Bloc Party. After the lights dimmed some intense uplifting music pumped through the PA. Building in intensity in perfect sync with the crowds anticipation. Then it stopped the lights went up, the band fiddled with their guitars a bit then went into the opener. Bit of a damp squid.

So yeah, moshing. What ever happened to it? As Bloc Party Blasted out some head banging, ear bleeding tunes the crowed seamed to have a …………. romantic sway to them? No mosh pit, more a sway with your arms in the air congregation, are we all growing older than our years!!!

This was Bloc party’s second night in Glasgow and I think they must have been on the Tennents as they kept talking about how much they loved our fair city. I’m not the biggest Bloc Party fan, but at the same time I don’t dislike them. Their albums are polished pieces of uplifting, melodic musical art and I had similar expectations of their live set. Sorry kids what a let down. Instead of the clean crisp productions and clever hooks behind intense static. What I got instead was a noisy, rough cluttered garage band stuff you expect from your wee brother and his mates.

The man of the moment is not, as you might mistakenly be thinking, Barack Obama (we are sooo over that shizzle), but a 250 year old womanising ploughman from Ayrshire… This Year marks the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth.

Oran Mor is holding a mixed night of music from Moira Kerr, Jimmy McGregor and the Sirens of Titan Choir, comedy from Karen Dunbar and actor David Hayman performing ‘The Immortal Memory’ to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Burns’ birth, complete with a traditional Burns supper… AKA Haggis, neeps and tatties!

The Burns’ celebration night is on Saturday 24th of January at 7pm, the event will will also be previewing 10 unique and witty paintings illustrating Burns’s epic poem, Tam ‘O’ Shanter, by artist and author Charles Nasmyth.

Oran Mor, meaning the ‘great melody of life’ or ‘big song’, is a cultural centre and meeting place in the heart of Glasgow’s West End. Inside are two bars, two restaurants, a nightclub and stunning private event space available for hire in a fab looking converted church, formerly Kelvinside Parish Church.

The Place is going to be in full swing by 12 dark with a Ceilidh bringing us into early Sunday morning! Im thinking, tartan skirts… men in kilts… and plenty of drams-a-drinking.

Anyone joining me?

We all love bloggers.. don’t lie.

One Ive found that’s sooo fab its worth a gander is - Abouttime.

It is a “Visual Communication Blog” by the Glasgow School of Art which is a place for staff and students to share resources, ideas, seek feedback and advice, and generally comment on and discuss visual culture.

Well, these cleaver clogs of scummies are holding an art event by up and coming international and Scottish ‘wanna-be’s’ in a derelict pharmacy on Maryhill Road in Glasgow…. yes you read right… in a derelict pharmacy.

The event is so Hush Hush that you cant say I told you so ssssshhhhh, keep it secret.

Viewings are by appointment only!

woof

Ok… So I am fluttering my long luscious eye lashes to all you out there with Alkaline Trio tickets… as I cant go.

The gig was so in demand, tickets sold out on day one (hang on till I get a handkerchief to dry my tears) I can only guess how amazing the night is going to be, the atmosphere buzzing with the crowed and the band playing their wee hearts out to a packet out gig as the Green Day-approved morbid punk trio return for their first Glasgow date in years!

So here I am; crossing my wee fingers and praying to the big man up stairs that someone takes pity on me and decides to ditch their best mate and invite me instead to go see Alkaline Trio with them on the 10th of February at the ABC in Glasgow.

You Know I love you, don’t you!

What’s to do a Monday night instead of picking that fluffy stuff from between your toes? How about going to the 02 Academy in Glasgow to see Bloc Party and Wet Paint putting on a ‘must not miss’ night!

Wet paint are heading Bloc Party on Monday the 26th of January at the 02 Academy, if you haven’t been there- think of a living room with a bar in the middle, a bit of a dance floor and plenty of mates and cheap beer singing together the words of songs we don’t even know!

Looking forward to it… The Cat in the Hat says I am!

I can’t count how many bands have been chewed up and spat out into something beautiful by King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, but hopefully I am going to witness the birth of one of them!

Chiodos, are playing Monday 2nd February. Are they any good? I’ve no idea- watch this space. Do they look a bit fruity? Hell Yeah!

Found in Partick just off Glasgow’s West End, I can easily argue that The Rio Cafe serves the best coffee in Glasgow… I mean Scotland… ok The Planet!

Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a night time tipple The Rio Cafe caters to a mixed crowd of students, young families, wealthy couples and scaffy shoegazers.  The Cafe brings together the kind of global- home cooked food (yes there is such a thing)  and drink influences you would expect to find in any city eatery, but in a low- key, unadorned environment.

With its retro stylings and traditional exterior, the Rio – part pub, part café – has a great 1950s vibe.

The cafe itself reminds me of my Grandmothers house back in the eighties. Flock wallpaper, brown lamp shades and strange pictures of freaky kids with big heads and wide eyes hanging on the walls.

The menu ranges from- eggs Benedict to pie, beans and chips. My favorite would have to be the fish cakes with mango sauce and the winning Rio salad. Drinks go from the child friendly milkshakes to the adult cheeky,  Jack Daniels.

The Rio holds a range of events at night such as cabaret nights, poker events and jazz sessions. The poker nights are a great laugh and there is a chance to win a ‘poker seat’ down in London and in Las Vegas.

But, and it’s a big but… The Rio Cafe is at its best on a Sunday morning. Then you can seek solidarity with all the other hungover Glaswegians’ soothing our sore heads with a pile of news papers and a cup of the finest coffee in town!

The ever most trendy ‘The Loft’ is holding a girly girls night out the 29th of January 2009.

I will be there with a few of my frilly mates enjoying a complementary glass of fizz, relaxing with all sorts of therapeutic treatments and accessories. Later that night we catch the Fashion Show featuring all the trends from all the hippest shops.   The film ‘Sex In the City’ will also be showing, just next door in the Grosvenor Cinema at 11pm.

Why do I have that song ‘it’s raining men’ in my head?

This Glasgow restaurant occupies the roof space of the Grosvenor Cinema so you can eat, drink and socialise like a movie star before visiting the cinema just next door.

The nights have drawn in, television specials have started and there is a distinct smell of mulled wine in the air. Hmmm… must be Christmas. So when you’re feeling the chill and your stomach is shouting on you to fill it with something  lovely, where should you go?

My ever expanding waist line would like to thank with a gold star sticker, The Bothy restaurant for adding a few more notches on my belt. Situated just off Byers Rd in the fashionable West End of Glasgow. The Bothy is a Scottish restaurant that attracts the tourists as much as the locals, as a result the restaurant tends to be bustling and loud with conversation and laughs from a well mixed crowd.

Now when I say Scottish I don’t mean deep fryed Mars bars and Irn Bru, The Bothy has a menu that serves the modren classics but with a little bit extra. Mains ranging from marinated crispy pork belly with black pudding, roasted root vegetables and spiced apple compot to a massive plate of Linguini wild mushrooms, cairnesmore wafer, roasted garlic and basil… belly is rumbling now.

The Bothy combines modern design with traditional touches creating a look somewhere between a country hotel sitting room and a trendy city centre wine bar.  Mixing leather couches with thick pile cushions, warm teak tables with sleek modern table wear. Guilded famed pictures hung on expensive flock wallpaper and a glass and walnut bar framing the bottles and the waiters wearing kilts behind it. The Bothy is a must for anyone wanting to impress on a first date.

What to eat- For a starter I always go for the traditional. Haggis, neeps and tatties served with a whiskey sauce. There is a vegetarian haggis option for those sandle wearers out there.

What to drink- Has to be a Bombay with cranberry.

What not to miss- You can never miss a desert even if you couldn’t finish your mains, there is always space for a pudding… no argument. Try the Cranachan with Raspberries and Glayvaent. It is basically a giant glass of cream. Cream; and you guessed it even more cream with a few raspberries thrown in there for luck. If this doesnt make you feel like a pig rolling in mud, nothing will.

The Bothy offers a few eating options within its restaurant. If you want to hold a dinner party but not have the dishes at the end of the night then you can hire out the private dinning room. This is perfect for that special dinner, coporate meal or for your very own private affair. Its free to hire and can hold 22 people.  But if you want to hold a very private meal, you can hire The Snug. As the name suggests, it’s a place not to be shared with your hairy bummed mates but with that special someone in your life. The Snug can hold up to 8 guests but it is known better as “The Ring Room” ;as many a gentleman has proposed to their good lady in there!

If you’re ever swayed to eat anywhere other than the Bothy, just think… men in kilts serving your every whim… mind made up?

Sweet.