Festival

Programme revealed for Sundance London Music and Film Festival

Robert Redford and Tricky scheduled for talks and performances

9 Mar 2012

The programme has been revealed for the inaugural Sundance London Music and Film Festival, to be held at The O2 from Thu 26–Sun 29 Apr. The festival is centred around the screening of 14 films from Robert Redford's annual Sundance independent film…

Florence & The Machine and Noel Gallagher to play T in the Park 2012

The Vaccines, The Maccabees and The Horrors also on bill

21 Feb 2012

DF Concerts and Tennent’s Lager today unveiled that Florence and the Machine and Noel Gallagher’s Flying Birds will be two of the big acts playing at Balado this summer. Flame-haired and big-lunged star Florence had her second full-length record…

GFF 2012 - Opening Gala: Your Sister's Sister

Mumblecore director Lynn Shelton introduces her latest film at the opening of the Glasgow Film Fest

17 Feb 2012

Director Lynn Shelton was at the Glasgow Film Theatre last night to introduce her opening gala feature, Your Sister's Sister. She seemed ecstatically happy to be there, hugging co-director Allison Gardner ahead of the screening. Then, after the usual…

Take One Action Film Festival Scottish Tour

The political film festival is set to travel around the country throughout February 2012

3 Feb 2012

The Take One Action Film Festival - Scotland's biggest film festival dedicated to cinema with a political edge - is to tour Central and Northern Scotland throughout February. Among the films scheduled to screen on the tour is Even the Rain, the Gael…

Is this a golden era for Scottish literature?

Alan Bissett, Helen Fitzgerald and Allan Wilson survey the current literary lansdscape

1 Feb 2012

Alan Bissett The contention is that Scottish literature – due to a combination of factors, including centralised buying by book chains and a backlash against post-Trainspotting fiction – has undergone a difficult time of late, but that the tide is…

The Prodigy won't do dubstep

Music Gossip

6 Jan 2012

The Prodigy will not change their sound to embrace dubstep on their new album. The 'Omen' group acknowledge the shift in dance music with the rise of the bass heavy genre in recent years, but while they like the sound, they plan to stick with what…

Africa in Motion 2011 begins with mystical grace

Nacer Khemir's Bab’Aziz kicks off the celebration of African cinema

4 Nov 2011

The launch of this year’s Africa in Motion film festival kicked off at Filmhouse on Wednesday night with a bustling, brightly dressed crowd that would not have seemed out of place in a humming African market. The warm atmosphere of festivity and…

DANCE: FILM 2011 festival roundup

Films about Bill T Jones, Tanja Liedtke, Mariemma and Pina Bausch feature at the 2011 fest

21 Oct 2011

When you’ve got a meaty filling, there’s nothing wrong with wrapping it in a bit of frivolous puff pastry. That’s the strategy taken by DANCE:FILM director, Steph Wright with this, her fourth festival celebrating the coming together of movement and…

NEoN Digital Arts Festival 2011

Highlights include works by artists Tom DeMajo and N55 and an event exploring the sound of stars

17 Oct 2011

Digital arts festival NEoN is once again transforming Dundee into an electronic playground for six days. With its series of film screenings, live music, DJ performances and workshops, NEoN’s main aim is to create works of art that couldn’t have existed…

Words: North Lanarkshire Festival of Books and Writing 2011

Dennis Canavan, Mark Millar and James Robertson feature on line-up

19 Sep 2011

At locales in places such as Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Bellshill and Wishaw, the sixth annual North Lanarkshire Festival of Books and Writing unveils a raft of top authors and events for the family which will have the area buzzing for a full month. From the…

Kanye West's onstage rant at The Big Chill festival

Music Gossip

8 Aug 2011

Kanye West claimed people treat him "like Hitler" during his headline show at The Big Chill festival on Saturday (06.08.11). The 'Monster' hitmaker started his set - his only UK date of the summer - late and later spent ten minutes venting his anger…

The Killers open Hard Rock Calling

Music Gossip

25 Jun 2011

The Killers opened this year's Hard Rock Calling festival in London last night (24.06.11). The four-piece band played to a capacity crowd in Hyde Park and, despite the incessant rain, thrilled the crowd with tracks spanning their entire…

Rage Against the Machine want annual LA festival

Music Gossip

24 Jun 2011

Rage Against the Machine want to establish their own festival. The 'Killing in the Name' group will perform at the Los Angeles Coliseum on July 30 - along with Muse, Rise Against, Lauryn Hill, Immortal Tecnhique and el Gran Silencio - to mark their…

Coldplay excited about festival season

Music Gossip

4 May 2011

Coldplay are on "great form" as they ready themselves for festival season. The group have spent recent months in the studio working on their new album, but are now preparing for a string of outdoor shows in Europe this summer - including the…

Bob Marley festival tribute planned

Music Gossip

11 Mar 2011

Bob Marley will be paid tribute to at this year's One Love Peace Festival. Ky-Mani Marley - the son of the legendary reggae artist - will be joined by artists including Busta Rhymes, Shaggy and Sean Paul to mark 30 years since the anniversary of the…

Film You Instead shot at music festival - David Mackenzie interview

Hallam Foe and Young Adam director on making a film at T in the Park

18 Feb 2011

David Mackenzie, director of Hallam Foe and Young Adam, discusses his new movie You Instead, a rock'n'roll romcom that aims to capture the excitement of T in the Park.

The Libertines to play Glastonbury

Music Gossip

11 Feb 2011

The Libertines are to reunite at the Glastonbury Festival this summer. The British indie band - fronted by Carl Barat and Pete Doherty - reformed to play the 2010 Reading and Leeds Festivals for their first live shows since 2004, and after the…

Field notes from Rock Ness 2010

Niki Boyle's reflections on Rock Ness

15 Jun 2010

So here’s some notes I took for my pen-and-paper analogue blog (anablog? No, probably not) from Saturday at Rock Ness. Ah, the memories. 9.57am: On the shuttle bus, drinking covert beers when a fellow bus patron is overheard saying, ‘Get the cello…

Ladyfest

The feminist festival returns to the capital

17 Sep 2009

After the success of last year’s month-long lady-focused extravaganza, Edinburgh’s own feminist festival has gone for a more boutique look this year in the lead up to the Gude Cause event (look out for our feature next issue). Still, they’re packing a…

The Wee Chill

17 Sep 2009

By accident more than design, Glasgow’s seven-year-old Wee Chill festival now has a spiritual home and no desire to leave it. The two-year renovation of its original venue, the Glasshouse on Queen’s Park, has brought about this conclusion, with an…

Glasgay! Film Festival

Sorting the wheat from the chaff at the upcoming festival

20 Aug 2009

Faced with the same dreary bunch of films that have already passed through Aberdeen and Edinburgh and soon to go on to Inverness it's difficult to get excited about the Glasgay! Film Festival programme but there are a few bits of rough worthy of your…

The Big Tent Festival

23 Jul 2009

‘There is a real sense of belonging and connection to something at the Big Tent Festival,’ explains the event’s programme director Mike Small. ‘The message is more “come join us” than “gimme your money”.’ Set up in July 2005, the…

Rock Ness 2009

11 Jun 2009

Starting life as a Fatboy Slim gig in 2006, Rock Ness has staked its claim as a major Scottish festival. This year’s event boasts big names such as Basement Jaxx, Dizzee Rascal, Orbital, Soulwax and The Prodigy. And, while it’s still mainly…

Small Wonder - The Wee Chill

28 May 2009

So, what’s The Wee Chill then? The Wee Chill is a small, relaxed festival that takes place in the atmospheric environs of the Glasshouse in Glasgow’s Queens Park. This one-day party is an official precursor to The Big Chill, which is, as the name…

Le Weekend

28 May 2009

A dubstep artist headlining at a left field music festival may have come about by accident, but the appearance of Jazzstepper and the Moody Boyz as the closing act of this year’s Le Weekend festival is as much of a coup as it is an eye-opener. Throw in…

Hinterland: Sounds and the City

16 Apr 2009

Just because it’s a brand new festival doesn’t mean Hinterland is free from pressure. The weight of expectation building up behind Glasgow’s two-day music bonanza is considerable. Partly this is because the one-ticket, multiple-venue format hasn’t been…

Fence Collective's Homegame: Homeward bound

16 Apr 2009

In the ever-growing Scottish music festival calendar, the Homegame remains something of a well-kept secret. Despite a steadily increasing profile since its inception six years ago, the weekend, run by Fence Collective head honchos Kenny Anderson (aka…

Place Project

19 Mar 2009

The biggest difference between Edinburgh and Glasgow’s cultural scenes can be located right down at the grassroots. While Glasgow has a plethora of places like Mono, The Arches, CCA and the Art School – centralised hubs where emergent artists, musicians…

Instal 09

19 Mar 2009

PREVIEW A church organ sounding the course of the stars, a cello being turned to dust, a sound poet voicing typewriter symbols, long stretches of almost nothing … Instal has been expanding the way we listen since its inception in 2002, building a…

Live at Loch Lomond

31 Jul 2008

Another festival for the Scottish calendar, now in its second year, Live at Loch Lomond offers up a solid dance line-up. Subculture and Death Disco host a tent on Saturday and Sunday respectively, while names such as UNKLE, Groove Armada, Morcheeba and…

Last Word - Rigmor Gustafsson

17 Jul 2008

Rigmor Gustafsson is one of Sweden’s premiere jazz vocalists and brings her show to Scotland for the first time as part of the jazz festival. Welcome her with open arms and wild strawberries First record you ever bought The first one I can…

Sound offering - sound 2008 Festival

17 Jul 2008

It might be all quiet in the Central Belt, but the cultural flurry up North continues this fortnight with the launch of sound 2008, which sets its musical stall in Aberdeen this October. Now in its fourth year, the multi-genre festival will feature two…

Tildafest!

17 Jul 2008

Hollywood actress Tilda Swinton is to set up a small film festival in her hometown of Nairn in north-east Scotland. Bereft of the usual razzmatazz, Swinton and co-organiser Mark Cousins are keen to strip back the look [and cost] of festivals, such as…

Scottish musicians at SXSW

28 Feb 2008

The South by South West (SXSW) music festival has long been considered a showcase for some of Scotland’s most eclectic bands. Now, six homegrown acts are set to continue that tradition when they travel to the festival in Austin, Texas next…

Berlin Film Festival

28 Feb 2008

Martin Scorsese’s Rolling Stones documentary Shine a Light kicked off the BFF, and, while it wasn’t terrible, it lacked the emotional pull of the director’s 1978 live concert film The Last Waltz. At least the Panorama section boasted more music…

T in the Park line-up

28 Feb 2008

This year’s T in the Park line-up features seasoned acts such as Rage Against The Machine, The Verve, REM, Stereophonics, Prodigy and Chemical Brothers alongside more recent success stories The Fratellis, Kaiser Chiefs, and Glastonbury headliners Kings…

De Rosa, Fangs, Zoey Van Goey, Broken Records and Beatnic Prestige to play Wickerman Festival

28 Feb 2008

The Wickerman Festival looks set to be suitably fiery following the announcement that De Rosa, Fangs, Zoey Van Goey, Broken Records and Beatnic Prestige will be among the acts taking part. This year’s event will be held on Friday 25 & Saturday 26 July.

Afghan film festival

14 Feb 2008

FESTIVAL For exasperated introductions to the complexities of Afghanistan’s political situation it is difficult to beat Atiq Rahini’s (A)fghanistan: An Impossible State. Rahini simply allows the attending members of a loya jirga (political gathering…

Sugar and Spice Sunday

4 Oct 2007

The 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the UK will be celebrated with this free (ticketed) all day event which includes African drumming classes, cookery classes, musical interludes, talks and martial arts workshops. Film highlights…

Happy Mondays and James

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

19 Jul 2007

Step on, sit down Happy Mondays and James hailed from very different sides of the Manchester musical fence. As the two bands get set for T on the Fringe, Paul Morley says hallelujah to the returning heroes and considers their legacy

Free stuff

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

19 Jul 2007

This year’s Fringe programme includes a record 304 free shows. Kirstin Innes looks at why a lack of funds needn’t hinder your Festival experience

Tommy Sheridan

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

19 Jul 2007

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Boxing clever Solidarity leader Tommy Sheridan is full of fighting spirit as he prepares to enter the Fringe fray, finds Mark Fisher

Dance Base

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

19 Jul 2007

Teenage boys, a footballer’s wife, a sprightly septuagenarian and a man in a dress. Kelly Apter talks to artistic director Morag Deyes about this year’s Dance Base programme

Wee Chill

21 May 2007

FESTIVAL (Picture: Masters At Work) Celebrating its fifth year on the festival circuit, the central belt’s own Wee Chill has this year moved to the fabulous Glasgow Science Centre, boasting a greater capacity and bigger guests. The change of venue…

Bank Of Scotland Children’s International Theatre Festival

7 May 2007

FESTIVAL

Scottish Outdoor Access Festival

Nationwide, Sat 28 Apr - Mon 7 May

23 Apr 2007

FESTIVAL Launched in 2005, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code encourages people to enjoy the great outdoors in a safe and responsible fashion. To walk through fields without damaging crops, picnic without leaving litter, and making sure your dog…

News Extra

FESTIVAL FRENZY

28 Feb 2007

Words: Mark Robertson and Allan Radcliffe Just when you thought it was safe to go back to your local ticket outlet, several festivals unveil their wares at once. Triptych celebrates a triumphant seventh year of esoteric eclecticism with 79 reasons to…

Glasgow Film Festival - Half Nelson - Ryan Gosling interview

School daze

30 Jan 2007

GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL Named after a wrestling hold in which an opponent’s strengths are turned against themselves, the US indie Half Nelson is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the Glasgow Film Festival. The directorial debut of Ryan Fleck, whose…

Glasgow Film Festival - Cashback - Sean Biggerstaff interview

Money talks

30 Jan 2007

GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL Sean Biggerstaff has just returned from the seventh annual British Film Festival in Israel where Cashback was screened simultaneously in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. But though the film was well received, Biggerstaff wasn’t…

Glasgow Film Festival - Mira Nair interview (The Namesake)

A tale of two cities

30 Jan 2007

GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL After her sojourn into the upper echelons of British society with her adaptation of Vanity Fair, Mira Nair returns to the multicultural themes that established her reputation with The Namesake. It’s a cinematic rendition of…