LGBT

Five highlights from Arika: Episode 5 - Hidden in Plain Sight

(M)IMOSA/Twenty Looks or Paris is Burning at the Judson Church. Inspired by the era-defining 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning, which shone a spotlight on New York’s underground drag queen culture, this dance performance by experimental choreographer…

Interview: Terre Thaemlitz to perform at Arika Episode 4/5

Politically-engaged DJ and producer set for gender-themed Arika event in Glasgow

There’s a story Terre Thaemlitz, aka DJ Sprinkles, tells in a footnote to a recent address she gave at Tate Modern. Now published on Thaemlitz’ website, it recalls her DJ-ing a deep house set at the closing party of a queer and transgender cultural…

Gays in Space promises LGBT-friendly clubbing with a cosmic theme

DJ Space Cadette talks us through the disco night's ethos

‘What’s in a name?’ your man Shakespeare once said. Well, a lot apparently, if you are Gays in Space, one of Glasgow’s newest gay nights. ‘People’s initial reaction is often a bit confused, thinking the name sounds really stupid,’ admits organiser Hazel…

Top 5: Lesbian fiction

For some rewarding lady-love books, try these lesbian classics

In Suzanne Rindell's novel The Other Typist, old-fashioned Rose falls into a dangerous obsession with the glamorous Odalie. For some happier lady-love endings, try these lesbian classics: Valencia - Michelle Tea A true(ish) account of a year spent…

Interview: Peggy Shaw - Queer theatre icon discusses her new show RUFF

'My shows are a spectacular take on my queerness and uniqueness'

For those who don’t know about your work yet, who is Peggy Shaw? In general, my shows are a spectacular take on my queerness and uniqueness, placed in ‘normal’ society from my own perspective. I write my shows from my body; from all parts of my body…

The organisers of Glasgow LGBT club night Birdcage discuss their

Birdcage is a new alternative gay night in Glasgow, organised by the motley crew of Mia Knani, Caity Cooper, Jenny Redpath and Fiona Robertson. The List caught up with the ladies for some quick-fire questions

Extract from Bill & Coo by Ronald Frame

The author lets us glimpse an extract of his work ahead of his reading as part of LGBT History Month

Shit awful name. Bill & Coo. But that’s what came with the franchise, in twirly lettering on the shop front. Bill & Coo ™, to be accurate. Kerry, being Australian, had known about the company. She also knew they were looking to expand their…

LGBT History Month 2013 - programme highlights

Project coordinator Amy Murphy shares some highlights from the event's biggest cultural programme

LGBT History Month returns in February with a packed programme of events in Scotland. The festival, which began in Scotland in 2003, aims to get people engaged with LGBT issues through art, music, theatre, film and literature, encouraging people of all…

Yes! Club aims to bring some indie sensibilities to Glasgow's LGBT clubbing scene

The playlist for the Flying Duck-based night features Blondie, Django Django, Elvis and The Smiths

Sad that Lock Up Your Daughters is no longer your regular queer fun time at the Duck? Well, dry your eyes and get on your dancing gear, as the venue has secured another alternative gay night in the form of Yes! Club on the first Friday of every…

LGBT DVD round-up - Christmas 2012

Yossi, Beauty, Hit So Hard and Co-Dependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same reviewed

If your ideal Christmas involves spending the day on the sofa, a glass of sparkly in one hand and the remote in the other, it’s worth sourcing your entertainment from Peccadillo Pictures, the UK’s only LGBT-interest DVD distributor. Their latest batch…

Glasgay! theatre round-up, including Harold and Maude, All That Promise and Dustin Lance Black's 8

Already recognised as a festival not afraid of dealing with issues of sexuality in a challenging and unconventional manner, this year’s Glasgay! comes with its own political backdrop – the ongoing debate between the Scottish government and the Catholic…

Artbeat - Andrew Houston

Q&A with the artist and curator of a group exhibition exploring sexual identities as part of Glasgay

What was the first exhibition you went to see? The first exhibition I went to see, or at least can clearly remember was the permanent collection of Lucien Freud paintings at Chatsworth house in Cheshire when I was 13. At this point I was still very…

Comedian Scott Capurro on Blanchett, Bowie and Barbara Streisand

First record you ever bought Lady Sings the Blues soundtrack. Last extravagant purchase you made Green loafers from Paul Smith. First film you saw that really moved you Sounder (1972). Last lie you told Life begins at 50. First movie you…

Keep the Lights On

A thoughtful, tender film that recalls Douglas Sirk and Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Keep the Lights On is personal in a way that harks backs to American independent cinema of an earlier era. Director Ira Sachs has transformed moments from his own life into a thoughtful, tender film that brings to mind the melodramas of Douglas Sirk and…

Call Me Kuchu

Insightful documentary about the struggle for gay rights in Uganda

Call Me Kuchu is an even-handed documentary tackling the topic of gay rights in Africa. Taking its title from a slang word used with pride to describe the country’s LGBT community, Katherine Fairfax Wright and Malika Zouhali-Worral’s film explores…

Top five events at Glasgay! 2012

Featuring Harold and Maude, John Grant, 8 and Tranny and Roseannah

Harold and Maude Glasgay’s main 2012 commission, in collaboration with Theatre Jezebel. This is the UK premiere of Colin Higgins’ stage adaptation of the 1971 cult film looking at the unlikely friendship between a spoiled rich kid with melancholy on…

Glasgay! artists and performers discuss the concept of union

This year's festival considers the notion of union in the wake of the Equal Marriage campaign

John Grant ‘I have a humorous take on equal marriage, which is just a copycat of what Dolly Parton said on it. She said, ‘Hell yeah, I think gays ought to be allowed to marry -- they should be as miserable as the rest of us’. And I like that. I grew…

I Am, Call me Kuchu and Mommie Dearest included in Glasgay 2012 film programme

Until now, Glasgay! has left film relatively alone, focusing more on a vibrant programme of theatre, visual arts and music. This year, however, they unveil a revitalised film strand in collaboration with Glasgow Film Theatre and Lock Up Your…

A guide to the Edinburgh and Glasgow LGBT scene

Clubs, bars, films, visual art, sports events and festivals all covered

Glasgow Not short of club nights, Glasgow has a reasonable mix of the mainstream and the leftfield. Play and Polo Lounge offer reasonably priced midweek nights, while FHQ in Merchant City is a ladies-only bar with affordable, regular nights including…

Mr Braithwaite Has a New Boy

Decent performances can’t redeem predictable Aussie farce

With this new comedy by Steven Dawson (who also directs and designs it), Melbourne’s LGBT-focused theatre company Out Cast Theatre plays lazily to the crowd, favouring lashings of none-too-subtle and none-too-imaginative cheap smut and broadly-drawn…

Interview: La JohnJoseph bring Boy in a Dress to Edinburgh Fringe 2012

'Totally autobiographical' show combines, music, vaudeville and striptease

La JohnJoseph has a distinct memory of his first foray into performance: ‘I wore a cocktail dress and my dear friend Gina wore my suit and we created that infamous scene from Showgirls where they have sex in the swimming pool, and we did that to the…

CC Blooms celebrates re-opening with Church of High Kicks

Legendary Edinburgh gay club re-launches with day-time cafe/bar

CC Blooms has been part of the furniture of Edinburgh nights out for as long as most of us can remember. Born in the early 90s as a wonderfully cheesy gay club, the venue recently came under new management and last month reopened following a brief…

Joe McElderry to headline Pride Glasgow 2012

The Cheeky Girls, Lloyd Daniels, Ryan Jagger and Barbara Bryceland also on the bill

Hear ye, Glasgow dwellers: July heralds the return of Pride. With bells on, from the sounds of things too. ‘Pride is definitely back with a vengeance, bigger and better,’ explains festival director Ross Stevenson. ‘From the feedback and communication…

She Monkeys

Impressive coming-of-age drama with frank depiction of adolescent sexuality

A courageous, periodically unsettling coming-of-age tale, She Monkeys is the arresting first feature from director Lisa Aschan. It’s a Swedish production which - in its frank approach to adolescent sexuality - bears comparison with Katell Quillévéré’s…

Is Lip Service anything like Glasgow’s real lesbian life?

Second series of BBC lesbian drama returns

Any fool who saw the first series of Lip Service will be aware that sex, talking about sex and being sexy are a large part of the show. It’s glamorous, glittery and oh so slightly ridiculous. First hitting UK small screens in 2010, the drama returned to…