Niki Boyle

Summer Festivals 2012: The weird and wonderful

Some of the more eccentric festivals you can take part in this summer

25 May 2012

Ballater Victoria Week Where: Various venues across Ballater, Aberdeenshire, Sat 4–Sun 12 Aug, victoriaweek.org Price: Free–£10. Line-up: Aboyne Hip Hop Juniors, Guarana Drummers, An Evening of Clairvoyance with Maureen Smith This annual…

Anchorman 2: 5 things we’d like to see

In honour of the sequel's new teaser trailers, we speculate on what should be in the final film

24 May 2012

1 Champ’s struggle with his sexuality Sports presenter Champ Kind (David Koechner) obviously had a thing for Ron (Will Ferrell) in the first film – he broke down when Ron started spending more time with Veronica than the news team, and was visibly…

DZ Deathrays – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, Tue 22 May 2012

Raw and intense show from the Brisbane duo

24 May 2012

2012 should be a landmark year for DZ Deathrays. The Aussie duo were included in NME’s Top 20 Most Exciting Bands of 2012, and their debut album Bloodstreams has met with generally favourable reviews. In the meantime though, it’s pleasing to see them…

Clare Grogan of Altered Images - interview

The singer and actress talks to us ahead of the band's appearance at the Rewind 80s Music Festival

22 May 2012

First record you ever bought Rock On by David Essex – still an amazing and weird sounding record. Last extravagant purchase you made Vintage Chanel dress – just had to have it! First film you saw that really moved you Meet Me In St Louis – what a…

Famous Spiegeltent to close off George Street

The venue will be linked to the recently-refurbished Assembly Rooms

18 May 2012

Part of George Street will be closed off to traffic during August to make way for The Famous Spiegeltent. The venue, which has been a fixture at the Fringe since 1985, will be erected as part of a pedestrianised terrace in front of the newly refurbished…

Dan Mangan – Stereo, Glasgow, Sun 29 Apr

The Canadian folk-pop tunesmith unleashes his experimental side

14 May 2012

Dan Mangan has previously mentioned that his band members ‘come from an experimental and free-jazz background’ – something that might not be immediately apparent on record but is plainly obvious at tonight’s performance. The brief squalls of noise that…

T Break 2012 line-up announced

Beerjacket, Randolph's Leap and Capitals among the unsigned acts to appear at T in the Park

11 May 2012

The full line-up for T in the Park's unsigned talent stage has been announced. The T Break stage will host Scottish up-and-coming acts over Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 July at T in the Park. The tent has earned a reputation for highlighting the next big…

New trailer for Danish comedy Klown

Filthy, funny antics that diverge from Scandinavia's current reputation for serious TV drama

10 May 2012

Every now and then, something comes along that makes you laugh, wince and sneeze coffee through your nostrils, in that order. Today, that experience comes courtesy of the trailer for Danish comedy Klown. The film follows Frank (Frank Hvam) and Casper…

Avengers Assemble

Joss Whedon’s finely balanced superhero extravaganza is well worth the wait

27 Apr 2012

The main issue facing the making of a superhero ensemble piece is balance: with so many strong personalities on screen, how do you ensure each of them get their due? It’s a problem Joss Whedon has tackled effectively in Avengers Assemble, keeping…

Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth in Edinburgh to film The Railway Man

A true story about a British soldier’s experience of torture during WWII

27 Apr 2012

After Brad Pitt’s stint in Glasgow and Scarlett Johansson’s visit to the Highlands, it’s nice to see Edinburgh getting some Hollywood love. Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard and Jeremy Irvine are among the stars who will be filming in and…

New Hope Springs trailer appeals to the older cinema-goer

Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones star in this romcom

27 Apr 2012

There's been a shift in Hollywood in recent years towards films which appeal to the older cinema-goer - the likes of The Artist showed that the classic ways of filmmaking are still relevant; The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was teeming with venerable…

Little Miss Sunshine directors re-team for Ruby Sparks - trailer

The film features performances from Paul Dano, Elliot Gould and Steve Coogan

26 Apr 2012

Directing partners Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are re-uniting with Little Miss Sunshine star Paul Dano for new movie, Ruby Sparks. In it, Dano plays Calvin, an author who somehow manages to create his latest protagonist in real life. Big name…

Interview: Eva Verity, creator of Haircuts by Children

Project providing creative space for children and adults to interact in

25 Apr 2012

‘There was one guy who once got a nick on his ear,’ says Eva Verity, ‘but other than that, we’ve had no major injuries.’ I’m thankful there’s no trace of annoyance in Verity’s voice, in spite of my slightly anxious line of questioning. She’s talking…

New Brave trailer showcases Emma Thompson and Billy Connolly's roles

24 Apr 2012

A new trailer for Disney-Pixar's Brave is available, revealing a little more of the Highland-set story line. In it, we see a lot more of the dynamic between impetuous heroine Merida (Kelly Macdonald), her indulgent father King Fergus (Billy Connolly…

Swiss writer, philosopher and documentarian Alain de Botton - interview

23 Apr 2012

First record you ever bought Genesis by Genesis. Last extravagant purchase you made An Easter holiday to Istanbul. First film you saw that really moved you The Jungle Book. Last lie you told That I had read a book I hadn’t. First movie…

New Prometheus viral features Michael Fassbender as 'David'

Fassbender plays the robotic David in Ridley Scott's upcoming sci-fi blockbuster

17 Apr 2012

Following on from their previous viral clip - a futuristic TED talk delivered by Weyland Industries founder Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) - the folks behind Prometheus have delivered this clip of Michael Fassbender in character as David, a robot built by…

Trailer from Ice T's Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap

New documentary marks new wave of hip hop films

16 Apr 2012

Hip hop, like most trends to grace the cinema, comes in waves. The last big one was in the early 1990s, with the likes of Boyz N The Hood, New Jack City and Menace II Society following the era-defining late 1980s releases of NWA's Straight Outta Compton…

Guys or dolls? A spoiler-ridden top five list of cross-dressing cinema

Some of the best gender-swapping roles from film

16 Apr 2012

A spoiler-ridden top five list of cross-dressing cinema featuring Albert Nobbs, The Crying Game, Tootsie, TransAmerica and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Cold Light of Day

Clumsy, by-the-numbers action thriller starring Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver

12 Apr 2012

(12A) 93min Wall Street trader Will Shaw (Henry Cavill) is taking a break from his Stateside business worries to visit his family in Spain, despite terse relations with his father (Bruce Willis). Unfortunately, he barely has time to sip a sangria…

Watch the trailer for US indie American Animal

A dark comedy from writer/director/star Matt D'Elia

12 Apr 2012

This one looks interesting... Matt D'Elia writes, directs and stars in the story of Jimmy, a terminally ill (and, from the evidence available, totally unhinged) young man who discovers his best friend and roommate James (Brendan Fletcher) is getting a…

Shinji Somai retrospective announced for Edinburgh International Film Festival 2012

PP Rider, The Catch, Typhoon Club and more to screen at EIFF 2012

11 Apr 2012

Japanese director Shinji Somai will be the subject of a major retrospective at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival. The director, who died in 2001, is greatly admired in Japan, and is slowly starting to achieve international…

Trailer for new Oliver Stone film Savages

John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Benicio del Toro star in the director's drug war action movie

10 Apr 2012

It's been a while since Oliver Stone has made an unequivocally brilliant film. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps was fair, but not brilliant; W. was a bit of a damp squib; World Trade Centre contained graphic scenes of flag-waving; and Alexander was just…

Simon Pegg stars in new trailer for A Fantastic Fear of Everything

Pegg plays a hyper-phobic children's author in the new comedy

10 Apr 2012

After high profile action appearances in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and JJ Abrams' rebooted Star Trek (not to mention the forthcoming sequel), it's nice to see Simon Pegg still has time to nurture his comedy roots. While we eagerly await the…

Mirror Mirror

Snarky re-telling of the Snow White myth, with the odd visual flourish

5 Apr 2012

Tarsem Singh is a frustrating director; he has a canny eye for striking imagery, but an uncanny knack for picking scripts with little or no charm (The Fall being his sole exception so far). So it was with J-Lo vehicle The Cell and Clash of the Titans…

Woody Allen's To Rome with Love - trailer

The director delivers another Europe-set ensemble piece, with Alec Baldwin, Ellen Page and more

4 Apr 2012

Woody Allen looks set to continue his love affair with Europe (following on from Midnight in Paris and Vicky Cristina Barcelona) with his latest release, To Rome With Love. The Eternal City forms a backdrop to various intersecting comedic tales…

The trailer for Lovely Molly, the new film from Blair Witch director Eduardo Sánchez

More close-up crying from the found footage pioneer

3 Apr 2012

Since pretty much inventing the found footage horror genre with The Blair Witch Project back in 1999, Eduardo Sánchez has been keeping kind of a low profile, with only a couple of (poorly-received) horrors to his name. The trailer for his newest…

Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass star in indie comedy Safety Not Guaranteed

A time-travel romcom with impeccable indie credentials

2 Apr 2012

It's not often we get to have a look at indie trailers well in advance of their release - smaller-budget films from outside the UK are less certain of overseas distribution, so we often don't hear about them until they're practically upon us. However…

The best breakfasts in Glasgow

The best all-rounders in the west, plus a few specific breakfast-item highlights

29 Mar 2012

Café Gandolfi 64 Albion Street, 552 6813, cafegondolfi.com Breakfast served: Mon-Sat 8am-noon; Sun 9am-noon. The long-standing, Scottish cuisine-focused eatery has beefed up its breakfasts in recent years, resulting in a menu with eight different egg…

The best breakfasts in Edinburgh

The finest cafes, bistros and restaurants in the capital for a morning meal

29 Mar 2012

Broughton Delicatessen 7 Barony Street, 558 7111, broughton-deli.co.uk Breakfast served: Mon–Sat 8am–3pm; Sun 11am–3pm. What does this place not do well? A great deli, healthy lunches and superb, made-from-scratch breakfasts from morning until 3pm…

Top ten things to do for Easter 2012

Family activities throughout the Easter holidays, featuring Galoshins, The Gruffalo and more

29 Mar 2012

Travel in time Galoshins The Scottish Mask and Puppet Theatre resurrects the ancient Scots drama of Galoshins for Easter, complete with wise magicians, beautiful princesses and courageous knights. Performed with the aid of live folk musicians, singers…

Record Store Day 2012 - events roundup

Edwyn Collins, Human Don't Be Angry and more to play live in support of independent music shops

29 Mar 2012

In these days of digital piracy, the life of the indie record store seems constantly overshadowed with doubt; thankfully, the annual Record Store Day reminds what a pleasure can be hand from flicking through dusty vinyl LPs and just enjoying music in…

How to become a lomographer

Six quick steps to becoming a hipster snap artist

29 Mar 2012

Follow the rules The 10 Golden Rules set down at lomography.com provide some helpful guidelines in regards to stylish snapping. They are: Take your camera everywhere you go Use it anytime – day and night Lomography is not an interference with your…

Psychologist Richard Wiseman - interview

The Edinburgh International Science Festival guest enjoys Meatloaf, sushi and Jet from Gladiators

28 Mar 2012

The eminent psychologist is appearing at no less than nine events at the Edinburgh International Science Festival. He also quite likes Jet from Gladiators... First record you ever bought Meatloaf’s Bat Out Of Hell Last extravagant purchase you…

Five alternative Easter activies

Bored of egg-hunting? Here’s how the rest of the world marks the occasion

26 Mar 2012

1 Hunky Jesus Contest The devout gather every year at San Francisco’s Dolores Park Easter Celebration to watch a pageant of men in loincloths carrying planks of wood. They are joined by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, ‘cross-dressing…

Edinburgh International Festival 2012 programme launched

Highlights include Mariinsky Ballet, TEAM and Camille O'Sullivan

14 Mar 2012

The Edinburgh International Festival has unveiled its extensive 2012 programme. With nearly 200 different performances to choose from, we’ve selected some dance, opera, classical music and theatre highlights you won't want to miss. NVA's Speed of…

Glasgow's Cineworld Renfrew Street introduces '4D' rumble seats

Feel every tremor in films like John Carter and The Hunger Games

14 Mar 2012

Just a couple of short months after Edinburgh received its own IMAX screen, Glasgow's Cineworld Renfrew Street (tallest cinema in the world, fact fans) is introducing special seats that add a 'fourth dimension' to your movie-going experience by rumbling…

Disney Pixar's Brave to premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival

The highly-anticipated family film to close EIFF

13 Mar 2012

Disney Pixar's Brave has been announced as the film that will close the 2012 Edinburgh International Film Festival. The screening will also double as the film's premiere, following a similar slot by Pixar's last release, Toy Story 3, in 2011. Brave…

Top 5 screen mothers

In preparation for Mother's Day on Sun 18 Mar, we look at the definitive mamas on film

12 Mar 2012

Mama Fratelli played by Anne Ramsey in The Goonies A mother who leans towards the disciplinarian side, Mama Fratelli regularly lets her sons feel the back of her hand, but also helpfully drives getaway for them when they rob banks. And as for her…

On the Road trailer unveiled

Jack Kerouac's road novel adapted for the screen by Walter Salles, starring Sam Riley

12 Mar 2012

The trailer for Walter Salles' On the Road has been unveiled, featuring Control's Sam Riley, Tron: Legacy's Garret Hedlund and Twilight's Kristen Stewart. The original novel was written by Jack Kerouac, and is seen as a definitive text for the beat…

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…

Wanderlust

Charmless comedy painfully short on jokes, starring Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston

7 Mar 2012

The actors in Judd Apatow’s Comedy Stable™ have an unfortunate habit of lulling you into a false sense of security. They’ll star in a string of likeable comedies that manage to poke fun at their subject matter (unplanned pregnancy, 40 year old virgins…

First raft of shows from 2012 Edinburgh Fringe programme

Stewart Lee, Jimmy Carr, Rhod Gilbert and more to appear at Fringe 2012

5 Mar 2012

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has revealed around 60 shows to take place at this year's event in August. The announcement comes weeks before the full line-up announcement on Thu 31 May. Comedy shows form the bulk of the latest show announcements…

Submissions now being accepted for T Break 2012

T in the Park's unsigned bands stage looking for new applicants

5 Mar 2012

Demos are now being accepted for T in the Park's T Break stage for 2012. The stage is one of the most valuable opportunities on the Scottish music scene for unsigned bands to be heard by a large audience. Acts to grace the stage in recent years include…

Creamfields 2012 line up announced

deadmau5, Avicii, Tiësto, David Guetta and Skrillex confirmed for dance music fesitval

5 Mar 2012

deadmau5, Avicii, Tiësto, David Guetta and Skrillex have been announced as headliners at one of the UK’s biggest dance music festivals this year. Creamfields 2012 will take place at Daresbury in Cheshire from Fri 24–Sun 26 Aug, and will also feature…

Ellie Harrison and Oliver Braid collaborate on weekly podcast The Ellie & Oliver Show

An informal approach to discussions of art, pop philosophy and more

5 Mar 2012

The Ellie & Oliver Show is the result of a collaboration between Glasgow-based artists Ellie Harrison and Oliver Baird. Running since the start of the year on Culture Lab Radio, the episodes are broadcast every Friday lunchtime and discuss topics such…

Guy Pearce delivers futuristic TED talk for Ridley Scott's Prometheus

Pearce stars as the founder of Weyland Industries

29 Feb 2012

We appreciate a well-thought out viral online campaign here at List HQ. We're also fans of the inspirational TED talks, where the leading lights of culture, technology and industry come together to deliver talks based on their chosen field of expertise.

Five cover versions of Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know’

Versions taking in disco, house remix and an M83 mashup

21 Feb 2012

The Walk off the Earth is pretty faithful to the original, but played by four deadpan guys and one girl from Ontario on one much-groped guitar. The Loot & Plunder remix delivers a full-on disco treatment from the Adelaide DJ duo, complete with an…

Interview: Sally Phillips - writer of The Decoy Bride

Ex-Smack the Pony performer on fish pie, Narnia and Rear of the Year

17 Feb 2012

First record you ever bought ‘A New England’ by Kirsty MacColl. Last extravagant purchase you made A much larger than necessary Mac desktop. First film you saw that really moved you The Decoy Bride. Last lie you told See above. First…

Interview: Doug Stanhope on politics

The controversial comedian discusses his political beliefs ahead of his UK tour

16 Feb 2012

How would you describe you political views? I don’t really like describing myself in those terms, but if I had to, I’m kind of an anarchist, just in a quiet way. I’ve been following the election at the moment [for the Republican presidential…

Chronicle

Suspenseful non-horror addition to the found footage canon

16 Feb 2012

(12A) 84min The found footage genre is beloved by horror filmmakers (Blair Witch, [REC], Paranormal Activity). With its panicked shakiness and POV perspective, it’s a neat shortcut to instilling a sense of panic. Godzilla clone Cloverfield attempted…

Gary Numan announces UK tour

The 'Cars' singer will pull over in Glasgow on Wed 23 May

9 Feb 2012

Electronica icon (and licensed aircraft pilot) Gary Numan has announced a full UK and Ireland tour to take place this summer, in celebration of his new album Machine Music: The Best Of Gary Numan. The tour features just one stop in Scotland, at the O2…

Electric Man

A patchy, if well intentioned, Edinburgh-set comic comedy

8 Feb 2012

(12A tbc) 98min Shot in Edinburgh on a micro-budget, comic shop comedy Electric Man declares its intentions from the off: this is to be no social realist kitchen sink drama, typical of the UK film industry, but rather a light-hearted love-letter to…

Edinburgh's Bongo Club eviction threat

The venue's lease to be terminated early by landlords Edinburgh Uni

7 Feb 2012

Out of the Blue, the charity organisation that runs Edinburgh venue The Bongo Club, has been served eviction papers by the venue's landlord, Edinburgh University. A statement on the Bongo Club's website said: 'This notice terminates the lease a whole…

Madonna announces Scottish date for 2012

The Queen of Pop will visit Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium on Sat 21 July

7 Feb 2012

Pop empress Madonna has just announced a world tour which will call in at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday 21 July. The 'Sticky & Sweet Tour' comes off the back of a busy period for Madge: she's just directed period/contemporary romance W.E.

GFF 2012 - Day planner

Our highlights for each day of the Glasgow Film Festival

6 Feb 2012

It can be difficult, when any festival rolls around, to decide which events to skip in favour of others. Searching rigorously through the programme, referring back to the calendar, trying to fit in as much as possible - it's a painstaking piece of work…

Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire venue to close for refurbishment

Owners G1 promise 'a wholly new look' for club and music venue

3 Feb 2012

Veteran Edinburgh club venue Cabaret Voltaire is due to close for six weeks, from Mon 20 Feb–Sun 1 Apr. The club will be subject to a major refurbishment according to a statement released by G1 Group, who have owned the venue since July 2011: ‘A six…

Valentine's Day - where to take your date

Some seductive suggestions for what to do on or around February 14th

3 Feb 2012

Experience a May-December relationship ... or at least, vicariously experience someone else’s. Among the several films the Glasgow Film Theatre are screening to get you into the Valentines spirit on 14 Feb (including Brief Encounter and French…

Hazy Recollections – O2 ABC2, Glasgow, Sun 22 Jan

Electro-folk and French lullabies bring weepie and comedy moments

3 Feb 2012

Celtic Connections’ Hazy Recollections sessions are great for two main reasons. Firstly, they provide a gathering place for the legion of those with beards and plaid shirts. Secondly, you get to see just how far the festival’s remit of ‘folk, roots and…

Interview - David Hasselhoff

The knightriding, baywatching, car-jumping icon discusses hitting the water and ending the Cold War

1 Feb 2012

First record you ever bought ‘She Wore Blue Velvet’ by Bobby Vincent. [sings] ‘She wore bluuuue velvet’ – either that, or ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ by The Beatles. Last extravagant purchase you made Some earrings for my girlfriend. First film you…

Biffy Clyro, Deadmau5 and Mumford & Sons announced for RockNess 2012

Justice, Metronomy, Noah & the Whale and Death in Vegas also confirmed

26 Jan 2012

Scottish rock titans Biffy Clyro and dance kingpins Justice and Deadmaus have been announced as acts set to play RockNess 2012. The festival which will take place at Dores on the banks of Loch Ness on Fri 8–Sun 10 Jun, will also feature performances…

Glasgow Film Festival 2012 programme announced

Highlights include Your Sister's Sister, The Muppets and Tom Twyker's 3

19 Jan 2012

The programme for the Glasgow Film Festival 2012 was launched today, providing details of the films and events taking place in Cinema City during February. The main branch of the Festival takes place from Thu 16–Sun 26 Feb, and starts off with a gala…

The Artist leads nominations for 2012 BAFTAs

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Hugo and My Week With Marilyn also nominated

17 Jan 2012

The 2012 BAFTA nominations have been announced, with Michel Hazanavicius' silent film The Artist leading the way with 12 nominations. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Hugo and My Week with Marilyn have also scored nominations in several categories, with Tomas…

Opinion - The 2012 BAFTA nominations

Scorsese, Streep, Tintin and The Artist all nominated - but do they deserve it?

17 Jan 2012

The announcement of any film awards nominations list is guaranteed to stir up debate about which films are missing, which are undeserving of their placement, and most of all, who's most likely to win. The 2012 BAFTA nominations list has all that, plus…

Danny 'DJ Danny' Robins on Adam Ant, Lil Kim and 'Ice, Ice Baby'

The character comedian divulges his eclectic musical secrets

9 Jan 2012

First record you ever bought Adam Ant – 'Prince Charming'. I was precociously young to buy a record and dressed up like him to listen to it. Last extravagant purchase you made A large kebab. It was the size of a man’s arm. I almost lost…

Interview: Isy Suttie on tea, Technotronic and Ice, Ice, Baby

Stand up comedian, actress, writer and musician

6 Jan 2012

First record you ever bought. ‘This Beat is Technotronic’ by Technotronic. Last extravagant purchase you made My Martin three-quarter-size guitar. First film you saw that really moved you Manhattan. Last lie you told I told the postman…

Preview of 2012 - Brave

Pixar’s highland fling has a lot of heart

6 Jan 2012

After dropping the ball with Cars 2 last summer – the only one of their 12 feature-length releases so far to have been deemed a bit lacklustre – the award-winning animation house will be looking to score big again with Brave. Set in the misty and…

The Hot 100 2011: 100-50

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

16 Dec 2011

100: Gordon Ferris. Kilmarnock crime author makes good. The already packed Scottish crime writing field has finally found a bit of elbow room for another burgeoning talent. Joining the likes of Rankin, Brookmyre, McDermid and co is this Ayrshire-born…

Hot 100 2011 - No. 49 to 1

The definitive list of Scottish creative talent

16 Dec 2011

The Hot 100 is the definitive list of Scottish creative talent. From fashion designers to performance artists, everyone who has made a sizeable splash in 2011 has a place in this countdown. It’s for people who’ve created a buzz, but it’s also about…

Interview: Stephen Graham BBC Christmas comedy Lapland

Star of Shane Meadows’ This is England

13 Dec 2011

First record you ever bought Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Last extravagant purchase you made A cashmere hat. £80 is extravagant, isn’t it? First film you saw that really moved you Kes. Last lie you told It was a few days ago. I’m not gonna tell…

Mariachi El Bronx - Electric Circus, Edinburgh, Sun 20 Nov 2011

Joyous musical Mexperiment from punk quintet The Bronx

13 Dec 2011

The fact that tonight’s gig has been moved to a much smaller venue is initially a cause for concern. Electric Circus is a substantial step down from the Liquid Room in terms of capacity – have ticket presales really been that slow? Will anyone turn up…

Dan Mangan - Oh Fortune

Third album from the alt.folk Canadian combines the bombastic with the understated

7 Dec 2011

(Arts & Crafts) Dan Mangan’s third album is a noticeable progression from his last (2009’s Nice Nice, Very Nice). He’s retained his talent for marrying lush orchestration with catchy pop hooks and the odd spot of lyrical genius. Now though, he’s changed…

New Pixar film Brave set in Scottish highlands

Stars Kelly MacDonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane

17 Nov 2011

Pixar – the CG animation powerhouse behind hits such as Finding Nemo, Up and Wall-E – are turning their attention to Scottish shores for their next feature, Brave. Due to be released on Fri 22 Jun 2012, it stars Kelly Macdonald as the voice of Merida, a…

Copy Haho and Café Disco – Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, Tue 18 Oct

Pop-rock double bill met with mild-mannered, heartfelt appreciation

15 Nov 2011

Cafe Disco seem a little nervous during their first foray onto the Edinburgh live scene. The combination of winning pop riffs and the odd spot of rocking out is as successful as ever, but the confidence they’ve displayed at west coast gigs is a little…

Immortals

Brutal but shaky retelling of the Greek myths

14 Nov 2011

Tarsem Singh is the latest in a long line of movie directors with roots in the music video genre. He has an eye for the arresting, eye-catching image – something fellow music vid-turned-feature directors David Fincher and Spike Jonze saw in him, leading…

The Rum Diary

Johnny Depp channels Hunter S Thompson once again, with lacklustre results

14 Nov 2011

Of the two fictional representations of Hunter S Thompson to grace the silver screen so far – by Bill Murray in Where the Buffalo Roam and Johnny Depp in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Depp’s is commonly regarded as the best. Depp had the advantage of…

Trespass

Over-complicated home invasion/heist movie starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman

14 Nov 2011

Joel Schumacher’s latest directorial effort (and Nic Cage’s latest swipe at paying off his mounting tax and legal debts) Trespass is a film that bears many comparisons with David Fincher’s underrated 2002 thriller Panic Room. Both feature…

Rockstar releases the Grand Theft Auto V trailer

Watch the latest release from the Scottish game developer here

2 Nov 2011

Edinburgh-based games developer Rockstar have unveiled the first look at Grand Theft Auto V, the latest instalment in the world-famous series. The trailer, while still occupying the fictional universe that GTA has always been set in (with one small…

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Gary Oldman heads up stellar cast in Tomas Alfredson’s adaptation of Le Carre’s Cold War masterpiece

12 Oct 2011

George Smiley is a spy, working for British Intelligence during the Cold War. His world is a far cry from the glitzy casinos and rivieras of his flamboyant double-O counterpart though, coloured by a palette of muted browns and greys, with only the…

Red State survey reveals loss of morals in UK

A questionnaire promoting Kevin Smith's Republican-skewering horror flick has interesting results

29 Sep 2011

Kevin Smith is well-known for baiting controversy - his apocalyptic comedy Dogma drew massive complaints for its depiction of a shallow Catholic church, while latest release Red State focuses on a group of serial-killing Christian fundamentalists.

Shonen Knife - Osaka Ramones

Japanese punk-poppers cover their Ramones heroes

28 Sep 2011

(Damnably) Having been around in one form or another for 30 years now, Shonen Knife have decided to celebrate their anniversary with an album-length tribute to the band that made them pick up guitars in the first place. Quite what Joey, Johnny, Tommy…

Our Generation

Eye-opening but heavy-handed Aborigine doc

22 Sep 2011

It’s no secret that the indigenous population of Australia have been handed a raw deal ever since James Cook set up shop on behalf of the British in 1770. While notions of modern day racial discrimination are just as well-known, what may not be so clear…

Fix ME

Meandering fly-on-the-wall documentary filmed in Palestine

22 Sep 2011

Palestinian filmmaker Raed Andoni suffers from frequent headaches. His doctors tell him there is nothing physically wrong, and advise him to seek the help of a therapist. As Andoni talks about his life – about what it means to him to be a Palestinian…

Three Blind Wolves – O2 ABC2, Glasgow, Wed 14 Sep 2011

Solid line-up of Americana-tinged Scottish bands for No Mean City festival

19 Sep 2011

Even in the context of the No Mean City festival, this gig is more Americana than most. The line-up spans the bluegrass, folk and country genres, with some indie rock and a smidgen of prog thrown in as well. While it’s not a flawless evening, each band…

Young Fathers, Liquid Room, Tue 13 Sep

Joyless hip hop show at odds with club setting

19 Sep 2011

Club night Zzzap! is squarely aimed at the fun-loving, party-hearty student crowd: there’s a booty-shaking combo of house and techno music, an easygoing atmosphere on both the dancefloor and the smoking terrace out back, and a name spelt with three Zs…

5 Things: the changing faces of Bob Dylan

Our five favourite versions of the man born Robert Zimmerman

19 Sep 2011

Folk Dylan Became the poster boy for protest music with album and song The Times They Are a-Changin’ in 1964. Electric Dylan Enraged the folky masses by plugging in for ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ in 1965. Allen Ginsberg pushed a broom in the…

Other Lives - Tamer Animals

Debut evoking Ennio Morricone, The Decemberists and The National

14 Sep 2011

(Play it Again Sam) The influential fingerprints of Ennio Morricone are clearly visible on Other Lives’ debut record. The galloping pace and stark electric guitar of debut single ‘For 12’ recalls the theme from A Few Dollars More, while the sound of…

Steam of Life

Beautiful but bleak documentary about Finnish sauna culture

9 Sep 2011

There are five million people in Finland, and an estimated two million saunas – roughly one per household. They form an integral part of Finnish culture: women are encouraged to give birth in them, while men use the steamy rooms both as social venues…

Fringe 2011 awards roundup

Multi-award winners include Mission Drift, Leo, Simon Callow and Silent

30 Aug 2011

As the dust settles from this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, we see which figures are poised to stand tall on the cultural landscape with a clutch of awards under their belts The Scotsman Fringe First Awards One for productions appearing at the…

BUG Hosted by Adam Buxton

Entertaining but unchallenging music video presentation

26 Aug 2011

The usually BFI-based BUG organisation’s remit is to celebrate ‘global creativity in music video’, and in that respect, this show succeeds admirably. Videos from acts as diverse as US indie-rockers Manchester Orchestra, electro artists The Chase and…

Cabinet of Dr Caligari with Live Score by Minima

Inventive musical accompaniment to the classic silent horror

26 Aug 2011

Made in 1920 by director Robert Wiene, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari is one of the touchstones of German expressionist cinema. Using angular set design, thick make-up and creative lighting techniques, it tells the tale of a murderous doctor and his…

Admiral Fallow

Indie-pop-folk triple bill with Fallow, Over the Wall and Kid Canaveral

25 Aug 2011

Admiral Fallow have landed a rather good indie-pop double bill to kick them off this evening. West coast duo Over the Wall are first on, and as a result don’t have a huge audience amassed to watch them (especially considering this is a sell-out gig).

Batman! Holy Spoof Musical Batstravaganza!

Amateurish and unnecessary spoof of a spoof

24 Aug 2011

Is it possible to spoof something that was already somewhat spoofy originally? In the 1960s, Adam West played his Batman with bat-tongue firmly in cheek, so what made this particular version of the Caped Crusader seem ripe for pastiche to the folks at…

Marcel Lucont Etc

Barbed wit from the deadpan Frenchman

24 Aug 2011

Marcel Lucont is the prince of the chat show genre in 2011. While his haughty Frenchman shtick could wear thin over the course of an hour-long solo set, the chat show format allows him to spar with guests and disdainfully berate late-comers to great…

Chat Masala with Hardeep Singh Kohli

Glaswegian chef's chat show lacks spice

24 Aug 2011

Hardeep Singh Kohli is a friendly figure on stage, and seems in his element when fixing up his daily curry (which a few lucky audience members will get to taste), but he's by no means a magnetic presence. With the exception of Indian comedian Vir Das…

High Jinks with the Hamiltons

Bizarre yet mundane chat show from Neil and Christine

24 Aug 2011

The role of chat show host is a tricky one to master – one has to take centre stage if conversation is dragging, but yield the spotlight when guests are ready to shine. This concept has bypassed Neil and Christine Hamilton entirely, as they rely solely…

Tom Allen's Afternoon Tea

Well-balanced chat show from the camp charmer

24 Aug 2011

Tom Allen occupies the host’s chair with ease: his equal parts campy and charming persona comes across like a less grating Graham Norton, and he reins it in appropriately when guests Craig Hill and Diane Spencer takes the stage with lashings of innuendo…

Edinburgh Tonight with Joe Simmons and Lorraine Chase

Charming chat show double-act

24 Aug 2011

Joe Simmons and Lorraine Chase make a great team, as he dazzles the hectic barrage of guests with his massive pearly-white gnashers, and she comes back to earth every now and again to say something wonderfully batty.

Scott Agnew’s Scottish Breakfast Chat Show

Amicable but flat midday chat show

24 Aug 2011

Scott Agnew is a genial host, but lacks the charisma necessary to carry a chat show on his own, especially when his guests (including an unusually flat Martin Mor) are lacking in verve themselves.

Little Matter

Charming, dark puppetry

23 Aug 2011

In their delightful purpose-built gypsy caravan/tent venue the River People weave a story of hope and despair using puppetry and song. The performers overflow with wit and charm, interacting with each other and the puppets comfortably. While the…

When Abel Met Cain

Middle Eastern music distracted by incoherant stories

23 Aug 2011

Raphael Rodan and Anastasis Sarakatsanos are talented musicians – between them they create a Middle-Eastern atmosphere using guitar, percussion and kanun (a Turkish stringed instrument). Rodan is also highly charismatic, telling tales of brotherhood and…