Commercial Alternative: All day alternative music fest at Mono

Great day, poorly attended (I'm assuming) due to crappy weather, but to be honest, c'mon Glasgow! It was an indoor festival!

My personal highlights were Remember Remember and The 1990's, as they were so bloody tight - Remember Remember had the most amount of folk I've seen in it yet, was bordering on epic, and was great to meet Graeme's Mum who was the most vibrant one in the crowd - go Margaret! I can definitely see RR headlining a main stage somewhere. Top class.

Was the second time I've seen The 1990s live, and I really want to see them again. They just blast energy off the stage and they just meld together so well. Great songs, music, musicianship, presence and engagement with the audience. Bloody brilliant. When oh when will they play the UK again?

Great to discover Astral Planes, and finally hear/see Girls Names, Golden Grrrls, and Peter Parker. (Numpty that I am I completely didn't recognise Roz from Peter Parker who also plays in Miss The Occupier. Different hair, though I had my sneaking suspicions it was the same girl from photos of PP I'd previously looked up! Twat-head strikes again.) Peter Parker snarl out a sexy fifties rock/punk flavour, delivered in tattoos, scratches and pouts. Like it, a lot.

Astral Planes was also sexy and snarly reminding me a bit of Chrissy Hind, Patty Smith and The Kills. Girls Names produced really creative and mesmerising sounds and songs - Beautiful!

Golden Grrrls I've been meaning to see for a while now, with their drummer Eilidh who is great and has been with other bands I've meant to see but never managed. Looking forward to where they head with this.

In all, it was a quality line-up and I would definitely see them all again. If I hadn't been experiencing the mother of all stomach cramps and wanting to vomit for the latter half of the night, it probably would have been one of my best days in the year, especially if I hadn't retired at the end of the night and gone home. I mean seriously, what a lame-ass.

Mono is most definitely one of the top three magnetic poles for experiencing GREAT music in Glasgow if not the UK. The building doesn't provide the best accoustics, but for the consistently great gigs that play there, the fantastic music shop, expos, food, top class beer as well as their own home-made ginger beer, best drinking sun-trap courtyard and the relaxed atmosphere, you really can't beat it.

(Drawings will come)

This week: Swimmer One and WPM at Creation Studios,

(Isn't this a great poster by (if I've got it right)

Dep Downie?)

There's a keek load of stuff on this week. With what I've talked about below, plus New Works New Worlds at the Arches, Glasgow from Wednesday to Saturday, George Burt's improv guitar with the wierd and wonderful kinetic sculptures of Sharmanka Gallery as part of the 'First Thursday' monthly evening event at Trongate 103, plus the Kelburn Garden Party this weekend with Broken Records, Meursault and Panda Su to name a few, it really is going to be tricky deciding what to do, where to go. Especially since I bet there's also a keek load of great stuff in other places I haven't mentioned. I forgot to also mention Cryptic Nights this Thursday at the CCA, Glasgow. Why why why, is there only one of me...

Friday night in Dundee is the launch party of the Guerilla Gallery, hosted by the most entertaining and talented visual wizzos RetchyVSmash - Check out their website to see what beautiful and what 'f**king nuts stuff' they do. And if you want to submit five of your best digital images (no videos this time) email them at guerrillagalleryinfo@gmail.com (deadline this Wednesday).

Y'know Andrew Eaton, arts editor of The Scotsman? Well he just happens to be in a cracking band called Swimmer One and they're playing Glasgow this Sunday at 'Words Per Minute III' at Creation Studios with his band Swimmer One - check out their myspace. http://www.myspace.com/swimmerone

Also check out the Words Per Minute site for the full line up - www.wordsperminute.org.uk Everyone should go to every WPM. It's a feast for all the artistic sensibilities you may have or didn't know you have. Inspiring, entertaining, affable, engaging and great quality. Organised by a few of those involved with Discombobulate, it is guaranteed that your culture-o-meter will whoop up to the next level in a very enjoyable manner. 3.30 - 6pm with DJ sets by Miaoux Miaoux between 6-7pm. £2

However, it kind of unfortunately clashes with some of the cracking all day music festival 'Commercial Alternative' with The 1990s, Phantom Band, Remember Remember, Comet Gain, Spectrals, Golden Grrrrls, Astral Planes, Peter Parker and Girls Names. If the tickets haven't already sold out, get one. It's going to be a really brilliant day of music. The very very nice poster is designed (I think, if not please someone correct me) by the rather talented Dep Downie of Monorail Music himself. I hope they're selling copies of the poster too!

- http://www.monocafebar.com/ £20 (+ bf) if there are any tickets left - phone 0141 222 225

Also on Sunday is the 'Say No To Plastic' vintage summer sale is on at the Oran Mor (church) at the top of Byres Road.

http://www.saynotoplastic.co.uk/ 12-5pm £2

I'm pretty sure you could manage a wholesome piece of all three Sunday events if you're super organised and mobile, but otherwise, keep wishing for the invention of a speedy clone machine.

Washington Irving Single Launch, Mono, Glasgow

Great night. Drawings to come toute de suite. Unfortunately missed the lovely Randolph's Leap (made up of six folk which has grown from the one that I saw last time). Another time soon.

Jarv from Endor was good, and I was super impressed with The Social Services. Washington Irving were on top form. If I hadn't been drawing, I would have been swinging someone around by the arm or any other spare limb on offer.

Pictures to come.

Burnt Island Album Launch, Aidan Moffat, The Second Hand Marching Band, plus a few choice words from 'Wake the President'

Paper Drawing - Burnt Island

Mobile Phone Drawing


Mobile Phone Drawing

Paper Drawing - Benni Hemm Hemm, Peter, Liam and Andrew of The Second Hand Marching Band

Nice night with great folk and good music. Burnt Island are developing some exciting new textures, sounding better than ever. Aidan, hungover or perhaps ill? was his usual dark and grumpily entertaining self. So much love in the audience for that mighty talented grumpy git -after his 'valentine song' commenting that maybe he's just jealous since 'nobody loves him', a girl behind me whispered to her friend 'But I love you'.

The Second Hand Marching Band are great, they really are, and I always wish they played for longer. Beautiful and intriguing looking bunch of characters they are too. One day I'll get them all...

Low points - The lights could have been dimmer and the audience was great but they could have ventured closer to the stage. The golden haired twin brothers Bjorn and Erik Sandberg from Wake the President were having a right good flavourful shouting match during the first and last set, one of them clearly more intoxicated than the other. F**king rude, but definitely entertaining.

Teenage Fanclub, The Vaselines, The Pastels, and Malcolm Middleton too

Teenage Fanclub


The Vaselines


The Pastels


The Pastels again


Malcolm Middleton - 'Being Shit is Great'
(I love this guy!)

The fantastic gig/Charity launch of the David Williamson Rwanda Foundation.
A really special night rich with emotion, heat, atmosphere and the all important great music. A really lovely vibe and a very rare line-up.
The pictures drawn at it are signed by the musicians and will be auctioned off - more details to follow about where you can bid for them.

Last Chance to See Expo: Sketching The Scene at Mono, Glasgow!

Hello there fellow gig-goers, yes indeed the exhibition should be rolling to a close now, with quite a few pictures sold - Wooo! - and other pictures with 'dibs' on them.

This is your chance to check out drawings of some of the best gigs and creative exciting original musicians to grace the stages in the past couple of years including David Byrne, Arab Strap, Bjork, Edwyn Collins, Mogwai, Jeffrey Lewis, The Phantom Band, Sigur Ros, Camera Obscura, Crystal Castles, Melt Banana, The Week That Was and more.

Contemplating putting up the catalogue here to let you know what is sold and what isn't tho' it is rather busy with rehearsals for a show I'm contributing to in the Arches Theatre Festival 'New Works, New Worlds'. Skye Loneragan is the writer/performer who's doing the show entitled 'The Line We Draw', with yours truly doing the sketchy stuff. Today's been a long day but productive! Last proper rehearsal on Monday. Will update on how it's going, but really enjoying the process so far.

Finally - Mono Expo Launch Magic Wee Video!

Brillianto video of my Expo Opening 'live drawings' of Alan Bissett and RM Hubbert - video magic and animation by the fabulous Garry Whitton.

See it Here!

Just Goes To Show...

RM Hubbert, (who will be supporting Aidan Moffat & The Best Ofs, Friday 08th May, Stereo.)


The rather splendid Mr Alan Bissett (My Nana thinks he's lovely!)

What a night. I've had 12 hours of sleep since Saturday, I didn't sleep last night but chose to work in my Dad's office designing, printing, emailing, listening to music until 7 this morning, then had breakfast, went to get the bus to the train station and just before it came around the corner to get me, I realised I'd left my mobile in Dad's office. Bugger, I thought. Once I got to Taynuilt, I managed to phone home and ask if the folks could bring it down with them to my expo launch at Mono tonight. That sorted I got on the train and went into a coma, being shaken awake by the ticket man, then again by some random stranger to let me know I was now in Glasgow.

On the way home, on the infamous no. 75 to Castlemilk, I realised I did not have my house keys.

Of all the days to be without my mobile and my keys and the ability to sort logistics out for tonight. I tell ya, everything was opposing the success of tonight, and DAMMIT IF TONIGHT JUST DIDN'T GO AMAZINGLY!!! Which, it did. I sold a picture for a start!!! Wooohooooo!
No red dots available so I had to sketch up my own. Darn, I forgot to take photos. Well, there were a few folk there doing just that, and most folk who were simply just enjoying the show!

My biggest thanks to the following people for making it all happen:
Hinterland for publicity and Red Bull alcoholic drinks (although I never managed to get one myself!); Stephen McSeveney and Mono for providing the venue, lighting, faith and funding too!! The wonderful AGKC, my 'Giclee Printers Par Excellence', who designed and printed the brochures for the expo plus a free framed print of the inimitable Arab Strap; Picture Framers in Shawlands for providing free mounts cut beautifully for most of the pictures in the exhibition, plus the artists who took part themselves - the writer Alan Bissett for his right raving captivating self -and for opening the show - the musician RM Hubbert for his beautiful music, and Garry Whitton for nipping through from Dundee to exert his masterful animatory/filming/VJ-ing magic.

Special thanks also to Charlotte Rodenstedt for designing my beautiful Sigur Ros Flyer, the lovely person who put up posters for me - you know who you are! My wonderful family , Nana!! and Shauna Cameron, who travelled down from Oban to a) give me my mobile phone back and b) to give me support!! An artist needs her groupies y'all!!

Last but not least, special mention to Lorraine for doing some general housekeeping duties - wiping down surfaces, brushing up rubbish, as well as the epic task of putting all the profiles under their respective pictures. You did a grand job lass!! I most certainly owe you one!!

Right, I think it's bed-time finally. It's 01.20 and I'm about to go through my comments book. Apparently my Dad has left a stormer of a comment so looking forward to that.

Cheers to everyone who came down for the expo, was really well attended, and everyone was very well behaved too!! Hope you enjoyed the show as much as I did - drawings to be posted tres soon!! xxxx

Expo Launch This Coming Wednesday 29th April, 6pm-8pm

Beautiful invite
Designed by Ms Charlotte Rodenstedt
www.bloodyhoney.co.uk

Exhibition Launch with Alan Bissett and Special Guests
Multimedia Event with Live Music, Projections and Animations
Wed 29 April 6PM-8PM @ MONO

10 King St,
Glasgow,
G1 5QP
TEL: 0141 553 2400
myspace.com/monoglasgow

Sponsored by Hinterland and Red Bull
Giclee Prints and Cards available to buy

DavidByrneHinterlandSkinnyMagTastic!

Upcoming Events:

Drawing David Byrne Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, 31st March

Hinterland Featured 'Documentary Drawer', Glasgow, 30th April-1st May

Solo Show 'Sketching the Scene'
Grand Multimedia Opening - Wednesday 29th April 6pm onwards
- Mono, 10 King St, Glasgow, G1 5QP. Tel: 0141 553 2400 myspace.com/monoglasgow

New News!!
April Skinny Magazine Featured Showcase - out next week!
Plus: http://thepopcop.blogspot.com/2009/03/picture-scene.html
And: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/critique/Sketching-the-scene--Jenny.4415478.jp