glasgow – Page 4

die die die at the captain's rest

The final installment of our week of music involved New Zealand’s antecedent to the Flight of the Conchords – Die Die Die. The last time we saw them they were playing the car park at our favourite Brisvegan coffee shop – Jamie’s.They looked a little older but their jeans were still as tight.

Support was intense drone music by Holy Mountain which drove us back upstairs followed by some straight up fairly dull hardcore, from a band who’s name escapes me.

Die Die Die took to the stage (well patch of floor as it is is at the Captain’s Rest) with total mentalness, intense feedback drenched walls of punk noise. They kept this up for the next fourty minutes to leave me ears just about bleeding. The twenty or so punters scattered about the room seemed unsure of what to make of these crazy kiwis, but they certainly won’t forget them in a hurry.

the do & moriarty at abc2

Having partied to Holy Fuck on the Monday night we had a Wilton St house outing with our top floor neighbours to check out The Dø – a French/Finnish pop duo who are toast of the euro-hipster clique.

Despite their hipster appeal they really are fantastic performers and their album ‘A Mouthful’ (well worth checking out) is breathtakingly good. Crossing from folk to pop to electro to artful noise their music effortlessly threads a diversity of elements. They worked their hearts out for the meagre crowd ensconced at ABC2 and it was a pity more people weren’t there to see them. It also helps that the lead singer Olivia Merilahti is drop dead gorgeous – I think I might have fallen in love once she emerged from a crazy tasseled hooded jumpsuit at the start of the gig. They would certainly be a great festival act as they are a total party band – in fact I think they had just finished touring Australia for the summer festival circuit when we saw them.

The support act – the ficticious Moriarty family provided some alt country brilliance as a warm up, the French/American outfit were great fun – outrageous yet polished and incredibly accomplished musicians.

holy fuck at oran mor

In a gigtastic week way back in may we sidled down the road to the basement of Oran Mor to sample the amazing indie electro noise of Canadians Holy Fuck.

After the support act It Hugs Back – presented their throwback to nineties grunge complete with checked shirts and long hair Holy Fuckenergied the crowd and got the whole room pumping.

With theur Presetsesque dancing along, effortless switching of obscure vintage elctro gear with each track and brilliant back lighting it was a great gig all round – even if we were only drinking orange juice and were home by 11 pm (being a monday night and all).

les ballets c de la b at the tramway

We caught ‘Ashes’ the final installment of a trio of dance pieces by Belgian company Les Ballets C de la B at the Tramway. It was a rhythmic, mesmerising piece with a very architectural set. The piece made significant use of the acoustics of the set with a live quartet that moved strategically around the stage – while the dancers slammed into walls, slapped each other and pounded the floor.

new lanark

We finally madeÂ a quick day trip to the world heritage site New Lanark last month. Nestled on a bend of the River Clyde it is an impressive former mill complex that was socially progressive for its time, including child care and adult education classes. It now represents an interesting case study for urban development in a natural setting.

We avoided the interpretive elements that fill some of the existing buildings (what is the internet for after all) to instead focus on the beautiful walk to the Falls of Clyde (above), via nesting peregrines.

blk jks

On the recommendation of one of our GFC relocated London based friends we caught the south african indie noise dub quartet blk jks at the Captain’s Rest

Personally I found their music less eclectic and diverse than I was anticipating – the gig seemed comprised of a series ofÂ discrete elements, with less connection between the dub and noise elements even within the one track.

That being said their stage presence and effortless cool made for a great atmosphere and a couple of the tracks were praticularly evocative and impressive – even if I’m not so sure that producing middle class indie rock artists is the finest accomplishment of South Africa’s rejuvenation.

easter

john lautner

lautner

The latest exhibition at the Lighthouse is a fantastic extensive look at the cinematic LA modernist John Lautner. An extensive exhibition over two levels it consists of utalitarian working drawings roughly taped (and protected under perspex) a series of large scale models and slow motion archi-porn by Scotland’s own Murray Grigor.

This is very much an exhibition for architects, rather the general public, and while that may run contra to the aim of the Lighthouse it results in a much stronger outcome. The drawings were the highlight for me – their rough directness, simplicity and total lack of finess telling the story of the houses far better than the scrubbed and polished versions that are usually published in exhibition settings.

The models were far clumsier overscaled and under detailed they lacked the richness of the drawings and the slow video panning around each dwelling that was projected onto the walls.
The plasticity, connection to landscape demonstrated by the architecture on display is totally alien to the Scottish condition, it provided a refreshing change from the prevalent theme of drawing parallels that many exhibitions use as a thematic starting point.

a solution to the housing crisis?

Chhay and Claire helped me put the finishing touches on GHA’s entrant into the Scottish Design Award’s uber high profile lego competition. Raising money for the National Autism Society our entry had the distinction of being the only one to (intactly) follw the brief and apparently we scooped the most votes on the nominations night.

Voting is continuing right up unitl the awards presentation however – so cast your votes here!

As far as real entries went GHA made it onto the shortlist for the two categories we entred – small projects for Venice and Practice of the Year.

artstuff

A couple of quick updates from our recent entrees into Glasgow’s burgeoning art scene.

First up was the opening of the relocated Glasgow Sculpture Studios – in a small but precious new space under a railway arch in the west end. The sculpture on offer was slightly erotic shapes by an artist whose name eludes me that were completely obscured by people while we were there. The noise of passing trains adds a unique aural element to an appreciation of the contents.
On the same night I finally managed to get my first visit to SWG3 otherwise known as the warehouse – a great cavernous psace that hosts art installations bands and related events. The art wasn’t of a great calibre although the beer was a step up in class and we will be back soon – possibly for SWG3 live on the 10th.