On A Jolly

Part of my job requires that I visit as many Visitor Attractions as possible over the next few months. It's tough. Sometimes I have to get up half an hour later in the morning, eat lunch at the onsite cafes instead of my usual tin of Baxters Country Veg soup and 3 Ryvita, spend hours on public transport browsing the web on my iphone or painting my nails.
Yesterday was one of those days.I bundled myself up with my cosy scarf and cardigan and headed to Queen Street Station for the 9.30am off-peak train. The work budget can't stretch to the earlier prices - shame. Purchased a Grande Skinny Latte, popped the receipt into my 'expenses' envelope and hopped onto the train bound for Edinburgh Waverley.On the schedule for today was the Palace of Holyrood House, Our Dynamic Earth and the Royal Yacht Brittania.Enjoyed the first meeting of the day at 11am at the Palace over a pot of tea in the courtyard. The next hour was spent listening to the kids version of the audio tour (getting the work done). Just enough time for a spot of al fresco lunch in the glorious East Coast sunshine before a hop, skip and a jump over to Our Dynamic Earth.

Now this, I wasn't expecting. Our journey begins in a giant lift that descends through time, right back to the Big Bang. We exit into the Ice Age and then travel through all sorts of different climates on a simulated spacecraft. A giant 3D scorpian tries to sting me before a black rhino gives my big smiley face a good sniff. The journey ends in a planetarium gazing at the stars whilst listening to the dulcet tones of David Tennant's voice. Quick stop in the shop for some 'Space Ice Cream' before a taxi ride down to Leith to board Brittania.

The Royal Yacht was the least exciting of the three, but the triple decker fudge made onboard made up for it.
Right. Where's next? Liverpool next Friday methinks.

When I Wake Up, In My Make Up

I was woken up rudely this morning by the alarm clock at 7am. Stumbled out the bed, over last nights pile of clothes and into the bathroom. Shit. I look like Alice Cooper with a happy slash smile. I begin picking out clumps of glitter and mascara from my eyes before I even attempt to crawl into the shower.

We arrived at the Hole gig last night bang on time. Late enough to miss the queue and shitty support bands, but time enough to grab a cider and black and a good spot to actually see the band and the back of someone’s head.

“SLUT-KISS-GIRLS WON’T YOU PROMISE HER SMACK”

What an entrance. Courtney dressed in a beautiful shimmering dress, slouchy black cardigan and black patent flats. Grabs the mic and hollers out the first verse of Pretty On The Inside. It slowly descends into a sort of medley as we hear Sympathy for the Devil and then something else maybe? Can’t quite remember, I was teetering on the edge at this point – it could go one way or the other…

Decided to hold my ground (and my pint) and stick to the vantage point from the back of the crowd. Then I needed to pee. The ‘ladies’ in the Academy are right at the front, stage right. I knew there was no retreating back to a ‘sensible viewing spot’ after I was that close my gal. With a quick ‘right, I’m off – meet you at the t-shirt stand afterwards’ and a hop, skip and a jump, I sharpened my elbows and thrashed my way forward.

Actually, the crowd were incredibly sweet. A few ‘excuse me’ here and there and I was in the bog merrily singing along with 5 or 6 other lassies to Samantha.

Out I pop and only about 15 feet from Courtney’s feet. Ya dancer! The band rips into Asking For It and my night’s finally begun. This was a good hour into the gig and I assumed I was about to witness the last track. How wrong was I?? Courtney let us know she planned to out-do the Boss and play a 3 hour set. She almost made it. Two and half hours she lasted. Poor sods that have Brixton tickets. I hope her voice holds out…

Here is what I remember of the setlist – in no particular order:

Pretty on the Inside/Sympathy for the Devil
Nobody's Daughter
Malibu
Celebrity Skin
Stevie Nicks cover??
Happy Ending Story
Dying
Samantha
Skinny Little Bitch
How Dirty Girls Get Clean Boys on the Radio (pretty much sung by the crowd)
Awful
Reasons to Be Beautiful
Violet
Miss World
Doll Parts
Asking for It
A Garbage cover?
Letter to God
Northern Star (with the help of 3 pretty minging weegie fans that she hauled onstage to help)
Never Go Hungry (last song, Courtney playing acoustic until her arm went dead and she needed Micko to step in)

Apparently they played everything off Nobody’s Daughter except "Loser Dust" and "For Once in Your Life". I don’t know the album well enough yet to comment.

Would have liked Teenage Whore, but the rest of the ‘band’ were probably still in nappies when it was released, so no chance of that. They were still learning the back catalogue, apparently.

I had the time of my life. Can’t believe I’ve actually seen Courtney Love play live. Never thought it would happen. But it was NOT a Hole gig and that was a little disappointing.



For your viewing pleasure.

Slut Kiss Girl

Slut-kiss girls won't you promise her smack
Is she pretty on the inside
Is she pretty from the back
Slut-kiss girl won't you water her back
Is she pretty on the inside
Baby pretty from the back
Slut-kiss girl we'll have some rot black strap
Is she ugly on the inside
Baby ugly ugly from the back
My pretty power my pretty power
My pretty power my ugly
Slut-kiss girls won't you promise her smack
Is she pretty on the inside
Is she ugly ugly ugly ugly ugly ugly ugly ugly ugly

Off to see my darling Courtney tonight. Happy Days x
Photos by Hedi Slimane.

Not For The Faint Of Heart

A bit sleepy this morning. Last night was my introduction to the mighty HEALTH. I'd been introduced to them only a few months ago and to be honest, only listened to their second album a few times in it's entirety, but who can resist a good double bass pedal, throbbing basslines and sinister synth?? Check out my previous post.
As we squeezed into the 110 capacity sold out venue, the Captain's Rest, clinging to our pints of cider and black, I realised we were about to witness something special. These guys could have easily rocked and filled a much larger venue.

"We're HEALTH from Los Angeles"

Off we go!

Right, if I hover on my tippy toes and put all my weight on my right side I can just about make out John, the bass player's whipping long locks. Shift as best I can to the left, peering over Spinal Lou's blonde mane, I can see the flashing tips of BJ the drummer's insane sticks. I'm pretty sure Lou's view was a checked shirt and sweaty armpits...

Nae photos for me then.

I'm a pretty visual person and if I go to see aband, I do like to actually see them, but, relentless pounding on the drum kit mixed with the droning guitars was spot on. The sound quality was just the bees knees. Could have done without the wishy-washy vocals - a bit too shoe gazey for my taste, but the haunting soundscapes made up for it.

Check them out. They're playing Liverpool tonight and London tomorrow before heading to Europe.

Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art

This year's Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art (Gi Festival) kicked off on Friday with a White Bike ride through the city. 50 white bikes have been provided by NVA for visitors to the festival to use between venues. This is a first for Glasgow - I wonder how many will be left after the 2 week event?? I spotted my first one on the way home from work on Saturday. It was perched against a lampost outside the Glasgow Sculpture Studios.

Further along the same road, I stumbled upon this rather crazy car - covered in Banksy -style graffiti.



On closer inspection, you can see the rather macabre subject matter.



I can't seem to find out any more about it...

Just over the fence from the parked car lies the Sculpture Studio car park. Out the corner of my eye I could see two men up a ladder working away on some kind of metal structure. I assumed it was some more graffiti artists and carried on up the road blissfully listening to Motley Crue at full volume.

Traipsing down the same road this morning and Saturday's 'metal structure' was fully formed. It looked like the gateway to an abandoned theme park or the door to a dystopian underworld. The rusty metallic sign read "Vestiges Park".


Okay, I'm intrigued. I'd read over the Gi Programme and to be honest, it all seemed like the usual wanky, self-indulgent contemporary art that I try to avoid. How wrong could I be??
So, my colleague Fiona (another Art History graduate!) and I went for a wee wander over the bridge this lunchtime. We were welcomed at the gates by the Oolite Sisterhood who gave us a map of the park and told us to mind our feet on the uneven ground. We held up our map to the light, as instructed, to find out where to go: Through the little blue gate...

I've taken a barrage of photos, but I don't want to spoil the magical experience for those who might manage to make it along before it closes on 3rd May. I'll attempt to upload them onto another account and post a link here for those of you who live too far away.

EDIT: Here's the link to the photos - but don't spoil it for yourself!

Vestiges Park does not exist, cannot exist, will not exist. The artists involved deny all knowledge of the project and the authorities are mute. In some cases these artists may not actually exist – they split, double, multiply, evaporate, condense, dissolve and merge until truth and fiction, science and magic become indistinguishable. Vestiges Park is a chimera – there and not there – dare to find us, dare to enter and let us take you to the edgelands, the rotting places where nothing is as it seems... ...and if you cannot find us it is because we have fallen off your maps
- Lady Ada Lovelace

Show Me What You Got

Went to another local fashion show this week. In the Company of Wolves was hosted by SG Events at the Sub Club in Glasgow. For a tenner we got a token for a free drink, although no one told us it was only vodka/mixer, so we had to pay up for our gin n tonics, 'canapes', a darn good show and a jolly good goody bag! The Sub Club is one of the best clubs in Glasgow, but it's a shit venue for a fashion show! Too dark, ceilings too low, very little seating etc, etc. As a result, I got no shots from the show itself.

This piece really got me going!

However, one designer that had me drooling at the mouth was Obscure Couture. Lyndsay Pagan is behind the label. She's made dresses for Paris Hilton and Shirley Bassey, but don't let that put you off - she also spent a year working with Brighton's self titled IKON of customisation, NOKI. This is what she has to say about herself:

I design and make clothes an have a BA(hons) in Fashion Design.
I like rock 'n' roll but not on the dole.
I like the things that i like, but im more inspired by learning to like the things which I think are repulsive.
I like mould.

Black Is The New Black

Since being able to choose my own music and dress as I please, the colour, or non-colour, BLACK has featured heavily in my wardrobe. I keep a box of Dylon in the cupboard at all times - just in case!
I've been a fan of the Comme des Garcons/Antwerp Six deconstruction since the early 90s, but my interest in fashion as more than 'cool clothes that cool bands wear' didn't really ignite until Gareth Pugh's degree show. Until then, I was beginning to feel as though wearing all black defined me as a 'goth', a label I was keen to drop as more and more 'emo kids' and 'teeny goths' started popping up all over the scene.Well, with more and more black skulking down the runway, I feel vindicated and wear black from head to toe on a regular basis! Imagine how excited I was when I read about the new exhibition at Antwerp's MoMu on Diane's Shaded View of Fashion:

"BLACK: Masters of Black in Fashion & Costume"

The history of black as a non-colour used to express feelings of mourning through to it's current association as chic, is explored through paintings, historical costumes, jewellery and of course, contemporary design. On display are garments designed by Ann Demeulemeester, Olivier Theyskens, Dirk Van Saene, Givenchy (Riccardo Tisci), Chanel, Gareth Pugh and more. The exhibition runs from 25th March - 8th August. A wee weekend in Belgium wouldn't go amiss this summer!

Givenchy couture dress designed by Riccardo Tisci. Photo by Frederik Vercruysse.

Ann Demeulemeester. Photo by Frederik Vercruysse.

Drop The Bomb

This summer is the summer of weddings. Got three in June alone. As I've already been there, done that, I'm utterly thrilled and excited about going to everyone else's! No stress for me, but all the fun - pretty perfect all round. BUT, what to wear?? Lou Lou's is sorted as I'm Maid of Honour (yay!) and below are the options for Number 1: Cousin's wedding in the Cotswolds - Art Deco theme.

This is my favourite, but I'm hesitating about the pale pink stretchy fabric around my middle and the possibility of unsightly under arm perspiration...

Option 2: the other way around. This is the safe option, but is it too much black for a summer wedding??

Option 3: I love these pretty sleeves and they'd probably be enough to disguise any 'sweaty betty' moments.

Option 4: I've always wanted a sailor dress - always! But is this verging on costume?

Pretty, pretty, pretty and pretty perfect with options 1-3.

Dresses by Stop Staring and Shoes by Bordello @ Love Burlesque

PLEASE HELP! Send me all your suggestions and comments. I need YOUR advice x

Cheap As Chips

Managed to dodge out of work for a couple of hours this morning under the pretense of looking for 'props' and headed along to the local antiques warehouse. Why have I never ventured beyond it's incredibly hard to find door? Maybe that's the answer right there - it's a little, how shall I put it, off the beaten track?

Once inside we discovered a glittering aladdin's cave full of exquisite furniture (the smell of french polish was strong enough to send you down the rabbit hole), a whole host of fascinating objet d'art and weird and wonderful 'dust collectors'.

1960s suspended swing chair - just imagine what a re-upholstering could do here

A troll

A selection of early 90s cybergoth rubber spiked collars

A full-size Guernica print

Tastes like chicken - actually, more 'smells' like chicken

A floor to ceiling baroque style mirror

And finally, a beautiful wee metal bag. On inspection, it was 'Made in China'...

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

So yesterday turned into one of the best days I've had for ages.
Got to work and sitting on my desk was a big brown parcel. I dived in and promptly modelled my new Ebay purchase around the office. Super bargain and I didn't even realise I had won it - thought I'd just been watching it, then totally forgot all about it and wham, bam, thank you mam, there it was sitting on my desk - ya beauty!Worked like a trojan all day long, so rewarded myself by 'finishing' at 4 o'clock. Did some blog-reading then decided to sketch out (like a child!) my new tattoo design. Logged off and popped into town to meet my pal as she finished work.


We gabbed, fixed our hair, applied more slap and headed off to the Glasgow School of Art Fashion Show. We arrived fashionably late - too late to get a seat, but early enough to grab two half pints of cider and black - can't get your hands round a full pint whilst wearing a fist full of rings and carrying an almighty handbag. Lights dim and the show starts. Second Year are first up.

Bright, bold colours and some fun styling. I'm loving the ORANGE this season! Just bought some Illamasqua lipstick in Blaze.


THIRD YEAR
THE GOOD

Vinyl hooded capes - super hero crossed with a shower curtain - ace! Loved these.


This whole collection was divine - beautiful, sumptuous fabrics and well structured. I want the Little Green Riding Hood coat in the centre.

THE BAD

On the right - hand-knitted peach trousers. No - just NO!


THE UGLYBare mid-riff? Really? Baaaaddd...

Show ends and we decide to have another wee sneaky half pint and grab a seat before heading to the Boutique to see what's on offer. We buy lovely wee handmade heart brooches designed by Maggie McNab - one each. Then totter off to get the bus home. While making our way all the way along Sauchiehall Street then down Buchanan Street, Lou Lou turns to me and pops the question, "would you like to be my Maid of Honour?" After lots of squeels and hugs and leaky eyes I, of course, accept! I'm chuffed to bits and grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Lots of pretty dress shopping to come - watch this space.

Going Gaga

Went to see Lady Gaga in Glasgow last night. I'm not a huge fan of her music, but I adore her and her fashion sense. My favourite costume from last night was definitely the pyrotechnic bra and pants during Paparazzi. The huge animatronic/puppet angler fish also helped!