In the Mixer: Glasgow
Rich in heritage and history, Glasgow's diverse club community is pushing some seriously futuristic sounds right now
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From Hudson Mohawke's mind-melting beat trickery to the mutant 8bit skank of Rustie through the lush, layered tech-house of Sei A, Glasgow's music scene is pushing further into the future than most and there's one seriously vibrant clubbing scene backing it all up. But with a scene as rich in heritage as it is future talent, Glasgow must surely thank the Slam pair and their Soma Records crew for laying much of the foundations.
Pressure "Glasgow has always been a techno stronghold with a healthy following," believes Slam's Stuart Macmillan. Bedrocks of the Glasgow techno scene since day dot, Slam's PRESSURE nights have been firing up that following with a balls-to-the-wall techno rave in the colossal bricked-out rave cavern of The Arches (Argyle Street) for 12 years now. Expect the biggest names monthly, although construction work means Pressure is temporarily found at the Glasgow Academy - check Slam and Laurent Garnier's full live band on Friday 5th March. Showcasing Slam's more cerebral, dubbed-out side is their monthly RETURN TO MONO parties at the intimate Sub Club on Jamaica Street, where fabric resident Craig Richards touches down on Friday 12th February. Of course, Harri & Domenic's Sub Club is a Glasgow institution in itself. Harri & Domenic's own SUBCULTURE is an eternal haven of deep, warm grooves - on Saturday 6th February they've got Prosumer and Berlin's Shed (live). SENSU stays submerged in the deepness with Tobi Neumann and Cassy on Friday 19th February, while those looking for a darker, more machine-welded onslaught should check the bi-monthly MONOX. Luke Slater did his panel-beating Planetary Assault Systems thang recently, while cult techno concerns Seldom Felt and Cottam play on Friday 5th February. For many, though, the jewel in the Subby's crown is weekly Sunday session OPTIMO - both the biggest cause of sicknotes in the city and a musically anarchist, fuck-you to genre constraints. If you consider LCD Soundsystem, Grace Jones, Shackelton, Cut Copy and Modeselektor have all played live, you get some idea of the diversity at work, with everything from '92 rave to slick-haired rockabilly getting worked into the DJ sets of resident duo JD Twitch and JG Wilkes. It's the same level of maverick diversity that is behind the new breed of parties leading the way in Glasgow - specifically, the globally renowned and ultra on-point NUMBERS, HUNTLEYS & PALMERS AUDIO CLUB and the LuckyMe collective's BALLERS 5OCIAL CLUB. "In a lot of way, there's been a shift away from the city's traditional techno roots towards more futuristic, mutant sounds," believes Numbers' Jack Revill, aka Jackmaster, and its something Numbers music policy is directly responsible for - bopping from techno to hip-hop, via '80s r&b, house, electro, UK funky and dubstep. Modeselektor, Actress, Ghostface Killah and Squarepusher have all played and their next Sub Club session on Friday 5th March teams up Floating Points with a back-to-back set between Kode9 and Martyn. Like Numbers, Lucky Me's Ballers 5ocial Club was an early supporter of wonky instigator Rustie and fellow Glaswegian Hudson Mohawke - their monthly parties at intimate venues like The Ivy, Stereo and the Sub Club are equally essential. |
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slamevents.com |
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Trains from most major cities come into Glasgow Central, give or take the odd change. But if you're coming from London it makes more sense to fly. Get in there quick and get a return flight from London airports to Glasgow airport for around £60 – £70 from both British Airways (Heathrow, Gatwick and London City) and BMI (Heathrow only). |
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If you're on a budget, then the centrally located Holiday Inn Express, on West Nile Street, offers double rooms from around £65 a night and is a short stagger from most of the clubs and shops. Alternatively, take advantage of the abundance of hotels offering beds for as low as £12 – £20 a night. |
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Lying on the same street as The Sub Club (and owned by Harri & Domenic), MacSorleys Music Bar (or The Sub Pub as its known) is usually on hand with decent live music, pre-parties and buzzing weekend vibes. Other solid shouts for a swift one are The Landsdowne tucked away on Landsdowne Crescent and the Halt Bar on Woodlands Rd - a 'proper' and thoroughly unpretentious pub. myspace.com/macsorleys |
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Jackmaster
01. DEADBOY 'If U Want Me' Numbers 02. TERROR DANJAH 'Sidechain (Swindle Remix)' Planet Mu 03. Lighter/Masters At Work 'Lighter Work (James Fox Blend)' Unreleased 04. MR MAJIKA 'Different Lekstrix' Numbers 05. MODESELEKTOR 'Art & Cash (SBTRKT Remix)' Fifty Weapons 06. REDINHO 'Bare Blips' Numbers 07. LEVON VINCENT 'Double Jointed Sex Freak' Novel Sound 08. MIKE SLOTT 'Lucky 9Teen' LuckyMe 09. MOSCA 'Square One' Night Slugs 10. GEORGE FITZGERALD 'Don't You' Doldrums |
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