MUSIC LIST

I Dance For Airica Fury Murry‘s. 96 Maxwell Street. Glasgow. Info: 204 I315. 10pm. Provisional admission charge £3 (£2). Deaf Heights Cajun Aces and Macumba play this benefit for SWOW‘s activity in Africa.

I Model Railways Exhibition SECC. Finnieston. Glasgow. Info: 0292 269 783. I Spring Flower Show Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. Edinburgh. Info: 557 2480. 2-5pm. £1.25 (Child 25p; OAP 75p; Member free). The Royal Calcdonian Horticultural Society and Edinburgh District Council present the annual show. Plant sales. trade plant stands. horticultural talks. demonstrations. films. plant advice centre and other attractions.

I Talk: Trekking in the Karakoram Himalaya and Western China Bearsden Burgh Hall. Drymen Road. Bearsden. Glasgow. Info: 954 6874. 7.30pm. Free. David Hamilton gives an illustrated account of his journey along the remote and beautiful ‘silk route‘ which crosses the Kunjerab Pass from Pakistan into China.

SATURDAY 4

I Careers tor the 19908 Scotland Exhibition SECC. Finnieston. Glasgow. Info: 01464 4129. 10am-5pm. Free. See Thurs 2 for details.

I The Gates at Consciousness Sri Chinmoy Centre. 36 Candlemaker Row. Edinburgh. Info: 661 8403. 10am. Free. An intensive one-day workshop in meditation. presented by author Alan Spence. Topics include Meditation and Creativity. Concentration and Visualisation and Tapping your own Potential.

I International Women's Day Two events in Edinburgh will celebrate:

Day For Women Chaplaincy Centre. Bristo Square. Edinburgh. 6670214. 10am—6pm. £5 (UB40£3: 50p discount for Edinburgh University students). A day ofworkshops and creative activities. covering politics. sexuality and spirituality. video making and music. Cheap lunch and creche available.

Multicultural Women’s Day Southside Community Centre. 117 Nicolson Street. Edinburgh. l(lam—5.30pm. Free. Followed by Music and Dance Irom Colombia (6—9pm) and International Sound Disco (9pm—midnight). Info: 225 2424 ext 5090. A broad-based event covering international women‘s issues from the Peace Movement and the Poll Tax to Alternative Health and Apartheid. with a special session on women in Kampuchea. I Shiatsu Salisbury Centre . 2 Salisbury Road. Edinburgh. 667 5438. l0—5pm. £30 (£25) for two days. Elaine Lictchi leadsa weekend workshop for beginners and for those with some experience of Finger Pressure Therapy or Acupressure.

I Spring Flower Show Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. Edinburgh. Info: 557 2480. 11am—5pm. See above. Fri 3 for details.

I Two Lectures: Two Scots in the American Landscape Lecture Room. College of Art. Lauriston Place. Edinburgh. llam amd 2.30pm. £2 (£1) per lecture. Frank Tindall on John Muir of the Sierra at 11am. and John Davies on Douglas of the Fir at

2.30pm.

SUNDAY 5

I Careers tor the 19903 Scotland Exhibition SECC. Finnieston. Glasgow. Info: 0] 464 4129. 10am—5pm. Free. See above.Thurs 2 for details.

I Shiatsu Salisbury Centre. 2 Salisbury Road. Edinburgh. 667 5438. III—5pm. See above. Sat 4 for details.

I Spring Flower Show Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. Edinburgh. Info: . 557 2480. l lam—5pm. See above. Fri 3 for details.

MONDAY 6

I Adult Learning Project: 'People'

Photography Course 184 Dalry Road. Edinburgh. 337 5442. 10am—1pm; 2-5pm. See above. Mon 27 for details.

I Fashion Show Glasgow School of Art. 168 Renfrew Street. Glasgow. 332069l. 7.30pm. £3.50 (£2.50). An annualcvent which has run since 1947 and is traditionally open to all students ofthe School of Art. This year sponsorship has been actively sought from local businesses. and attempts have been made to raise the media profile - AS Always. though. it promises to be a memorable assemblage of the inventive. the original and the just plain wacky.

I Lecture: Precious Jades and Ritual Bronzes in Ancient China Lecture Theatre. National Museum of Scotland. Chambers Street. Edinburgh. Info: 225 7534 ext 2 l9. l2.45—l .30pm. Free. Jane Wilkinson continues the Year of the Snake series.

TUESDAY 7

I Fashion Show Glasgow School of Art. I68 Renfrew Street. Glasgow. 3320691. 8pm. See above. Mon 6 for details.

I Lecture: Lite on a Frontier- The 1st Century Roman Fort at Elginhaugh. Midlothian Boyd Orr Building. University Avenue. Glasgow. Info: 339 8855 ext 4240. l.l5pm. Free. The last in Glasgow University's present series of public lunchtime lectures has Dr Bill Hanson of the Archaeology Department discussing the Roman occupation of Scotland.

WEDNESDAY 8

I Fashion Show Glasgow School of Art. I68 Renfrew Street. Glasgow. 332069l. 4.30pm & 8pm. See above. Mon 6 for details.

I Illustrated talk: Keeping Up Appearances Stockbridge Library. Hamilton Place. Edinburgh. Info: 557 2480. 7pm. Free. Desmond Hodges and Jim Clark of the New Town Conservation Committee discuss their work.

I Lecture: The Craft or Chinese Lacquerlrom the 3rd century BC to the 19th centuryAD Lecture Theatre. National Museum of Scotland. Chambers Street. Edinburgh. Info: 225 7534 ext 219. 12.45—l .30pm. Free. Jennifer Scarce continues the Year ofthe Snake series.

I Lunchtime at the Library: The Scottish Renaissance in Figurative Painting inthe 1980's Central Library. George IV Bridge. Edinburgh. Info: 557 2480. Noon. Free. With lecturer and Geraldine Prince. I Well Woman Centre: Relaxation St Brides Community Centre. Orwell Terrace. Edinburgh. 337 5543. 7.30—9.30pm. Yoni McKenzie leads a session which demonstrates stress-alleviating techniques.

I Women's Committee Conlerence City Chambers. High Street. Edinburgh. Info: 225 2424 ext 5090. 10am- l 2.30pm. Free. Organised in conjunction with Roundabout International Centre. this meeting‘s theme is international women‘s rights. and will include speeches by Lisa Ilucn. who will discuss her struggle against deportation. and Gulsban Malik. whose subject is racism.

THURSDAY 9

I Fashion Show Glasgow School of Art. I68 Renfrew Street. Glasgow. 3320691. 8pm. See above. Mon 6 for details.

I Edinburgh Bisexual Group: Autoeroticism and Narcissism - The Sex Industry At Home? Lesbian and Gay Centre. 58a Broughton Street. Edinburgh. 557 3620. 8pm. Free. Another session of provocative debate aimed at taking hang-ups out of the closet. All welcome.

I Well Woman Centre: Aromatherapy St Brides Community Centre. Orwell Terrace. Edinburgh. 337 5543. 9.30am—noon. Free. Nancy and Margaret. who lead the session. request that you bring a towel and a readiness to relax in the company of aromatic oils. All women welcome.

MUSIC

METAL MANIA

Heavy rock has been around a long time now: it began with Cream and Hendrix. moved on to Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. went MOR with Aerosmith. AC/DC and their ilk. and is currently held to be enjoying something of a renaissance. Heavy Metal madness is about to descend on Edinburgh. with four different facets ofthe music squeezed into a single week at the venerable Playhouse. As the rest ofus wonder ifthe building can stand up to all those power chords. the intrepid RICHARD HEGGIE takes a look at the current metal scene. and crowns the new kings.

Perusing the heavy rock delights of the moment. it‘s all too easy to imagine that the metal scene is floating in a timewarp of its own making. Cynics would say metal belongs in the Middle Ages anyway. but you‘ll never please everyone. There is certainly a surge of creativity at grassroots level. but it is dwarfed by the events scheduled for public pleasure at the Edinburgh Playhouse.

Gary Moore showcases his shiny new leather jacket and latest album After the War on Sunday March 5. This old heavy rockin‘ dog has passed his best. but always has a couple of new tricks up his sleeve. unlike Scorpion. who strut (or hobble) in on Tuesday March 7 (sold out). Teutonic toupé rock at its most embarrassing. Scorpion showed in last year‘s US Monsters of Rock tour that they are happy to flog the formulaic metal cliches they have been peddling for a decade. so long as enough suckers keep buying the records and going to the shows.

Save yer cash and check out Blue Oyster Cult on Wednesday March 8 instead. even if you have to video the Scotland v France World Cup Qualifier. If BOC mentor Sandy Pearlman is to be believed. this is the original heavy metal band. though in modern terms heavy rock would be a more appropriate tag. The success of the controversial [magmas album and their resilient combination of tongue-in-cheek ‘suss‘. vivid imagination and peerless playing should ensure healthy ticket sales.

Finally. an opportunity to bid farewell to the old kings and welcome the new is provided on Thursday March 9 in the shape of Anthrax and Living Colour (sold out). which looks like being the metal double bill of the year. New York thrash-core masters Anthrax represent all that is fresh in the thrashier metal field. and according to rhythm guitarist Scott ‘Not’ Ian are personally responsible for the typically unorthodox choice of black US funk/metal crossover combo Living Colour as support. ‘We

Anthrax: the new metal kings?

orchestrated the whole thing.‘ says Scott. the proud owner of the finest goatee in metal (but not in our picture— Ed).

The concert is already a sell-out. despite the typically conservative attitude of hard rock‘s silent majority. which continues. in league with Radio 1 listeners. to make Def Leppard. Bon Jovi and Guns ‘N‘ Roses famous. Meanwhile. the rise of the UK‘s new wave Wolfsbanc. Tigertailz. Dogs D‘Amour. Ouireboys. Acid Reign. Sabbat. et al. and Scottish contenders Lixx. The Almighty. and Trixx is stifled by a lack of music industry support and the apathy ofthe masses. No doubt the factional nature of the rock microcosm also plays a part.

‘Keep Music Live‘ read the first commandment. The second should say ‘Drag Heavy Metal Into The Eighties.‘ Despite the commendable efforts ofthe visionary few. the UK public continues to consume a force-fed diet ofcrotch-thrusting metal mediocrity. Perhaps they get what they deserve. And perhaps the shortage of tickets for the Anthrax/Living Colour show is the best news since Iron Maiden decided to take a sabbatical in 1989.

Richard Heggie contributes the Rock Hard column to Cut.

The List 24 February 9 March 29