Cage-a-rama festival returns to Glasgow for its third year

• Sofia Matias
• 18 December 2019

Fans of film star Nicolas Cage can celebrate his work amongst special guest stars

Nicolas Cage has built up an impressive body of work throughout his career, from Face/Off to The Rock and the classic Con Air (and he even appeals to the younger generation, with the Oscar winner Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse also in his repertoire), so it’s no surprise that a festival dedicated to his films exists. So, if you’re a fan and in need of a relaxed plan to recover from New Year celebrations during the first weekend of the year, Cage-a-rama (Fri 3–Sun 5 Jan) is where you should be.

Organised by Matchbox Cineclub, Cage-a-rama 2020 focuses on Cage’s relationships with the directors he’s worked with throughout his career. Screening a selection of ten of his films over three days, from early appearances such as 1986’s Peggy Sue Got Married to blockbuster National Treasure: Book of Secrets, the festival will go on to spread the Cage love with a UK tour, featuring a 35mm screening of Con Air in London and a 20th-anniversary screening of Gone in 60 Seconds in Bristol.

As an added treat, Cage’s stand-in for over ten years, Marco Kyris, will be on hand to answer all your burning questions (and, if you have an especially good one, you might even go home with a rare piece of Cage memorabilia). Kyris will also be joined by Lindsay Gibb, author of National Treasure: Nicolas Cage and world-leading Nicolas Cage expert, for a special screening of short Uncaged: A Stand-in Story.

To make sure that Cage fans from all backgrounds are able to enjoy the festival, Cage-a-rama is offering, for the very first time, open-captions on all screenings for D/deaf audiences and a sliding scale for ticket prices. Therefore, you have absolutely no excuse not to have a qq自动发现金捕鱼垃圾信息cage-a-riffic weekend.

Cage-a-rama, CCA, Glasgow, Fri 3–Sun 5 Jan 2020, £0–8. Find out more at matchboxcineclub.com/cagearama.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

• Katherine McLaughlin
• 18 December 2019

Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley impress in a rather too formulaic finale

42 years after George Lucas’s ambitious A New Hope hit screens and become a cultural phenomenon, JJ Abrams wraps up a new generation’s space opera with something of a whimper. If The Force Awakens offered state-of-the-art thrills and the potential for a new kind of hero to emerge, and Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi threatened to burn it all down and start afresh, then The Rise of Skywalker digs it all up again in 手机有能兑换现金的真钱捕鱼游戏order to pay disappointing fan service.

Revealed at the outset, Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) has been lying in wait, building an army to take down the Jedi and the Rebellion. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is still furiously fiddling with Darth Vader’s crinkly helmet and Rey (Daisy Ridley) has been harnessing her skills under the guidance of General Leia (Carrie Fisher). Rey is struggling but Leia advises her to ‘Never be afraid of who you are.’ It’s something which the concluding part to this trilogy sadly forgets, as it continually undermines the previous film’s narrative.

Poe (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), BB-8 and Chewie (Joonas Suotamo) join Rey on an adventure that plays out as a story of friendship and bears some similarities to The Goonies. Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) is frustratingly left behind with little to say or do. New faces include Jannah (a fantastic Naomi Ackie) who is gifted with an intriguing storyline, one which plays into Finn’s narrative about the working-class leading a revolution. Richard E Grant has fun as a malevolent general and many of the new creatures and characters the gang meet along the way are endearingly drawn. Keri Russell also appears as Zorii Bliss, who is essentially there to flirt with Poe.

The film is at its strongest when focusing on the internal and external battle of Rey and Ren. Their scenes are imbued with sweaty peril, gripping sabre duels and memorable visual pomp. The enigmatic acting duo of Driver and Ridley thoroughly draw you into their fight against one another and the dark side, and they generate magnetic chemistry.

The charismatic cast keep you invested even if the film relies on musty nostalgia and blockbuster formula as weathered and grey as Palpatine’s complexion to fuel it on a spluttering journey. The Rise of Skywalker offers emotional payoff as it bids a sweet farewell to the late Carrie Fisher and her original crew, but still fails to present a particularly satisfying conclusion. In the end, it feels like a film that has completely lost its nerve.

General release from Thu 19 Dec.

Glasgow’s Playground Festival confirms Underworld and Nightmares on Wax for 2020

• Becki Crossley
• 18 December 2019

Brand new festival returns for its second installment in Rouken Glen park

Glasgow’s Playground Festival will return for a second year following a successful run in 2019. The festival, which takes place in Rouken Glen Park, will run from Fri 31 Jul–Sun 2 Aug in 2020. Tickets for the three-day event are on sale now.

In line with ticket sales the festival organisers have confirmed that legendary electronic duo Underworld will wrap up the first day of the festival with their only Scottish appearance in 2020. Karl Hyde and Rick Smith will bring their classic anthems such as ‘Born Slippy’ and more from their 10 albums to the main stage with an accompanying light and AV show.

Warming up the crowd for Underworld is Nightmares on Wax, who will deliver another Scottish exclusive, performing his landmark cult-classic album Smokers Delight live and in its entirety. More acts for Playground Festival are to be confirmed in the coming months.

Speaking of the 2020 installment a festival spokesperson commented: ‘This year’s line-up is a celebration of genre-defining UK icons. To have Underworld and Nightmares On Wax on the same bill on one night is the stuff of festival dreams and we can’t wait. It’s going to be a very special night.’

The inaugural Playground Festival attracted more than 14,000 revellers who enjoyed unforgettable performances from international acts including Groove Armada, Hot Chip, Django Django and Anna Calvi.

Playground Festival runs from Fri 31 Jul–Sun 2 Aug in 2020 in Rouken现金千炮街机捕鱼 Glen Park, Giffnock, Glasgow. Tickets for the three-day event are on sale now.

Cats

• Emma Simmonds
• 19 December 2019

The megamusical finally makes it to the big screen and you won’t believe your eyes

What on earth were they thinking? When the first trailer for Tom Hooper’s take on the Andrew Lloyd Webber megamusical landed in July, the astonishing folly of its poorly, but no doubt expensively, rendered human-cat hybrids nearly broke the internet, bringing together hardened foes in the spirit of disbelief and cheerful ridicule. Perhaps they should have stuck with the face-paint and legwarmers.

It may be that the world is divided into two kinds of people, those who are capable of enjoying Cats and those who aren’t. For some, the concept is simply too silly while, narratively speaking, it is certainly unconventional. Based on TS Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a tribe of felines known as the Jellicles assemble once a year to decide which of them will ascend to the Heaviside Layer to, in effect, be reborn. What follows is basically a series of jazzed-up introductions to the contenders. Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Misérables) and co-writer Lee Hall give us a connecting thread by beefing up the role of Victoria (ballerina Francesca Hayward, a screen newcomer) who is slung into proceedings in a sack thrown from a car and spends the duration wearing an expression of bewilderment that makes her character easy to identify with.

You become inured to it after a while but, for a time, it feels like a series of escalating abominations – your eyes widening as you struggle to process what and who you are seeing (‘Is that Ray Winstone?’ you may ask. Yes, yes it is). Nevertheless, there are scenes where you’re taken right back to the shock and horror of the tr现金捕鱼那个台子好ailer. One such moment is when Idris Elba, who spends the bulk of the film sensibly skulking in the shadows as Macavity, whips off his coat during a song and dance routine with Taylor Swift and you might find yourself diving to cover the eyes of the nearest child. In fact, despite the glaring lack of genitals, the ‘nakedness’ of the actors unnerves throughout, proving particularly painful when things get ‘sexy’.

Judi Dench dodges the booty-shaking in her pivotal, gender-swapped role of Old Deuteronomy, who emerges from fog the furriest of them all. At one point she shares a lingering look with comrade Ian McKellen which seems to say ‘You too?’ The film’s trump card though is Jennifer Hudson, who’s forced to trot out the showstopping ‘Memories’ twice; she does so with real emotional aplomb, properly socking it to us the second time, but it feels adrift without a credible context and it’s hard to forget that it’s being sung to us by a woman dressed as a cat. McKellen’s understated number is rather sweet too, while the sheer vigour and professionalism of the performers in the face of the madness is admirable. Falling short of the expected cat-astrophe, it’s more flabbergasting than truly terrible.

General release from Fri 20 Dec.

Put 2019 behind you at these Glasgow New Year’s Eve club and party nights

• Sofia Matias
• 19 December 2019

The Scottish city is ready to say goodbye to the year with some seriously good parties

A night out in Glasgow is a blast every day of the year, but you can bet the city puts on a show when it comes to celebrating the end of it. With 2019 coming to a close, and a new decade just around the corner, there is a wide variety of NYE club nights and events for you to choose from when it comes to deciding what to do in Glasgow on New Year’s Eve. Here’s some inspiration to help you decide how to welc捕鱼棋牌游戏兑换现金ome 2020.

If you want to move around and be a true party hopper, you might just want to head along to Merchant Square Glasgow’s Hogmanay Party. Wrap up well and party the night away in the bars of Merchant City, congregating in the square for the New Year countdown and entertainment from the Bonnie Scots Showgirls, Emma Hale, the Brightside, the Foxes and DJ Colin McArdle. If you want to brave another outdoors party the twee cobbles of Ashton Lane has got you covered in the West End. Room 2, the Sanctuary and the 78 are just a few of the places that will welcome the party people that would rather stay indoors and dance the night away.

For the more pub-inclined, Friday Street are hosting the Friday Street New Years Eve Mod Party at Blackfriars, with residents Mikey Collins, Paul Molloy, Davie Quinn and guest DJ Marty Stewart bringing you all the best mod tunes. For a knees-up bringing drink and food together, why not head to WEST on the Green for Hogmany at WEST on the Green, where you can enjoy a three-course meal and a drink in a brewery setting.

Theatricality also has its place in Glasgow’s New Year celebrations, as the Shilling Brewery Company welcomes talent in burlesque, magic, music and more to dazzle audiences into the new decade at Hogmanay Burlesque. If you’re looking for a more cabaret-focused night, head along to Wild Cabaret Live for a Wild Cabaret Hogmanay.

Is it even the New Year if you don’t play a little bit of dress up? If you have just the retro outfit in your wardrobe begging to be let out, the Ivy Buchanan Street will be welcoming revellers in their best Great Gatsby getup. For a more traditional look, you can go to the Black Tie & Tartan Ball at the Polo Lounge.

The traditionalists out there will be happy to know that the good old Hogmanay Ceilidh has not been forgotten, with callers awaiting the best dancers at the Ferry, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Glasgow Central and the National Piping Centre.

The biggest club nights on New Year’s Eve in Manchester 2019

• Megan Forsyth
• 17 December 2019

Rudimental

Party your way into 2020 at one of these big club nights in Manchester

This Northern city is known as a serious party town and thankfully there is no shortage of events happening in Manchester on New Year’s Eve this year. If you happen to find yourself in Manchester on可以挣钱的捕鱼赢现金 New Year’s Eve, ring in the new decade dancing away until the wee hours of the morning at one of these popular NYE club nights happening on Tue 31 Dec.

Seasonal club night masterminds The Warehouse Project are hosting a huge party at The Depot (Mayfield) with huge headliners including Annie Mac, Rudimental and Groove Armada. It’s guaranteed to be one of the best parties in town on the night.

If garage rock is your thing, Pure Garage New Year’s Eve is bound to be right up your alley. The night returns to Albert Hall after two sold-out events and features performances by Artful Dodger, Crazy Cousinz, Dennis G and more. Meanwhile, The Viadux is hosting a Hacienda NYE, welcoming many residents who helped shape the musical direction of the legendary 80s and 90s club The Hacienda, including Graeme Park, Greg Wilson, Tom Wainwright, Jon Dasilva, Allister Whitehead and Chad Jackson, who will be spinning house and old skool tunes.

Get lost in the Lost Wonderland NYE at Gorilla, a party split across two rooms and with sets from some of the hottest DJs in Manchester. The first 100 guests will also receive a complimentary cocktail from The Mad Hatter himself. If you’re all about power ballads and guitar solos, then Ultimate Power at O2 Ritz is the party for you. Sing along to all the best anthems by acts like Journey, Bonnie Tyler, Bon Jovi, Toto, Queen, Whitney Houston and Aerosmith.

Homoelectric is a queer party for all at popular Manchester venue YES with guest DJs from the most iconic northern LGBT parties (High Hoops, Kiss Me Again, Love Muscle) and Homoelectric residents Jamie Bull, Gina Breeze and Will Tramp. Meanwhile, over at The Deaf Institute is Bollox NYE, a queer counterculture event with electronic, pop, R&B, rock and techno all night long.

Second Citizen: ‘It has an incredible energy and dynamism to it, and totally nails the fusion of organic and machine-based music’

• David Pollock
• 17 December 2019

credit: Al Bell

Keith McIvor and Angus Farquhar discuss the debut of their new rhythm and electronics collaboration at Optimo’s End of the Decade Party

Since the turn of the millennium, the Optimo (Espacio) Hogmanay Party at the Art School has been a key element of Glasgow’s end-of-year clubbing experience, and – while the Art School is sadly no longer with us – Optimo’s founders Twitch and Wilkes have had one of their busiest years yet. We can’t think of anywhere better to spend the closing minutes of this weird decade, then, than with the club night which started 2010 amid commiserations for its Sunday night residency at Sub Club closing, and ended it as one of the city’s most prolific and well-travelled clubbing ambassadors.

‘I had a rollercoaster of a dec奇奇乐捕鱼反现金ade, it’s hard to sum up in a pithy sentence or two,’ says Keith McIvor, aka Twitch. ‘This year was my busiest year ever; I played over a hundred gigs all over the planet, launched my Against Fascism Trax label and got some death threats, managed to put out around thirty releases on my labels, was music director for the film Beats, came out of remix retirement and did a load of remixes, put out some secret anonymous releases of music I had made, did a ton of music licensing and worked on a few other big audio projects.

‘On the downside, while I had the most fun ever with my ULTRAGOTH night and collaborative So Low nights in Glasgow, I didn’t get to do enough in Glasgow this year, and 2019 was a constant battle to fight off depression brought on by the political situation in the (dis)United Kingdom. I also forgot to have a life, so apart from doing more nights in Glasgow will be aiming to do less of all these things in 2020. We wanted to end 2019 – and indeed the decade – in Glasgow and wanted to give something back, so decided to make this gig a fundraiser for local organisations with 100% of the funds being donated.’

McIvor’s final project of the 2010s (or possibly his first of the 2020s, depending on how things are timed), will be Second Citizen, a live performance involving himself, former member of radical post punks Test Dept and director of arts organisation NVA Angus Farquhar, and percussionist Cameron Sinclair of the Philharmonia Orchestra. Described by McIvor as ‘marimba mayhem with electronics’, it will receive its first performance here.

Dixie Whittington: The Hamecoming

• Lorna Irvine
• 17 December 2019

credit: Leslie Black

Usual satirical shenanigans from the Oran Mor team

It’s Dick Whittington, but not as we know it. Morag Fullarton’s Partick-based take on the classic London tale is of course the usual cocktail of whimsy, filth and political barbs, featuring a great cast, some ‘weel-kent’ songs with a Glasgow flavour. from John Kielty, and choreography from Darren Brownlie.

Plucky Dixie (Amy Scott) is off to seek her fortune and return to her Granny (a brilliantly foul-mouthed Craig McLean, who delights in multiple, faux-naive roles) as thanks to an unscrupulous landlord, she will be turfed out for Christmas (oh, no, you know she won’t though, not in Pantoland).

First, she has to battle the nefarious captain Cut-Thrapple, terror of the high seas (Clare Waugh, on blazing form) and potentially find romance with Inveraray Jones (a campy Kielty) a riotous but inept action hero-type, prone to throwing cats around and making grand pronouncements about his alleged virility.

Dave Anderson provides the usual comic exasperation and expert ad-libs as voluptuous hottie Dame Dora Dumplin’, and of course Boris et al get it in the neck from everyone (typical line: ‘Why did the chicken cross the road? To avoid talking to Andrew Neil’).

But above all the usual panto tropes being wheeled out, there’s a welcome acknowledgment of a shifting UK, with references to trans prono现金捕鱼850uns and the rise of the SNP in the most recent election. It’s all presented with a wee nod to the traditional, and (snow) balls to sentimentality. Let’s laugh, sing, and get silly, while we still can.

Oran Mor, Glasgow, until Sat 28 Dec.

Nick Helm extends UK tour into 2020, find out how to get tickets

• Becki Crossley
• 17 December 2019

Two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee adds twelve extra dates to Phoenix from the Flames run

Nick Helm has confirmed he will continue to tour with his latest show Phoenix from the Flames into June 2020. Tickets for the newly announced shows go on sale at 10am on Tue 17 Dec.

Following a run at the Edinburgh Festival back in August, the two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee took his multi-faceted, all singing all dancing and a little bit of ass-shaking show on the road throughout 2019. His fans loved it so much that he has extended the tour by 12 shows. The new run kicks off on Thu 9 Apr at Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis and comes to a close on Sat 13 Jun at The Hub, Verwood.

Nick Helm 2020 UK tour dates:
Thu 9 Apr – Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis
Fri 10 Apr – Barbican Theatre, Plymouth
Thu 16 Apr – Swindon Arts Centre
Fri 17 Apr – The Crescent, York
Sat 18 Apr – Bilston Town Hall
Thu 23 Apr – The Bullingdon, Oxford
Sat 2 May – 赢钱的捕鱼可以提现金William Aston Hall, Wrexham
Fri 8 May – Dorking Halls
Sat 30 May – Kettering Arts Centre
Thu 4 Jun – Key Theatre, Peterborough
Sat 6 Jun – Savoy Theatre & Cinema, Monmouth
Sat 13 Jun – The Hub, Verwood

Tickets for Nick Helm’s newly announced shows go on sale at 10am on Tue 17 Dec.