FEATURE REVIEW OF 1996

July

BADIOHEAD top the bill on the first day of a sell—out T in the Park. which also sees classic performances by Pulp. Goldie. Beck. Kula Shaker and The Prodigy. A certain Mr Keanu Reeves and his band Dogstar get the paparazzi clicking away and the girls screaming. While a new generation of up-and- comers show their wares at Strathclyde Country Park. old-timers The Sex Pistols reform for the cynical Filthy Lucre Tour at Glasgow‘s SECC. Tii'israr takes the film box office literally by storm. and the Rambert Dance Company celebrates its 70th birthday with a whirlwind tour of its own. Lily Savage brings a bit of sparkle to the Edinburgh stage in a musical version of Prisoner Cel/ Block H. and it's obvious / T" I that she boasts more - gold in a single « 1 costume than the _ i .5 entire British I ", Olympic team can , i} i

J u n e bring back from Atlanta.

GARY MOALLISTER puts his head on the block as an eagerly anticipated Scotland vs England match during Euro 96 crushes the nation with not only a missed penalty, but a Gazza goal seconds later up the other end of the park. Thankfully sporting pride is restored when Murrayfield-based American footballers the Scottish Claymores win the World Bowl. Certain footie fans aren’t impressed. however. when the omnipresent Irvine Welsh calls those west coasters of a blue persuasion ‘Hun-believable’ in his single collaboration with Primal Scream; not such a great month all round for the writer, whose three-novella collection Ecstasy also gets a mixed reception. Quentin Crisp pops over from New York to launch a new book and the world’s 4 _ first gay whisky. while American Gothic spooks "g I v" ' television viewers, Ravenscraig is demolished and an

IRA bomb in Manchester ends the peace talks.

6) TIIIE HERALD

Gutted: Gary McAlllster missed Scotland’s crucial penalty against Englend

Top dogs: Radlohead kick off a sell out 1’ In The Park

August

MIRANDA BICHARDSON’s one-woman show ()r/(mdr) leads a line-up of shows that truly does the 50th Edinburgh Festival proud. Other highlights include the world premiere of Glasgow composer James MacMiIlan‘s opera Inc’s De Castro (which splits critics along a line suspiciously parallel to Hadrian’s Wall). a recital by Welsh baritone Bryn Terfyl. Perrier winner Dylan Moran. Netherlands Dance Theater and the opening of the Giacomerti exhibition. The Film Festival brings Sean Connery to town for the opening night premiere of Dragon/rear! (a sighting of Big Tam that’s rarer in Scotland than the flying saucers invading the rest of the country’s screens in Independence Day). There’s also a not-so-exceptional sighting of Irvine Welsh’s name on a poster. this time for Headstare, part of Cafe Graffiti’s Fringe programme.

OASIS say never mind the Ballochs as 80,000 fans descend upon the Loch Lomond site for two days of Noelrock. At Ingliston. Rez V finally acknowledges there’s

more to rave than Tartan Techno. but sadly the realisation that not everyone in the world is loved-up dawns upon us as

loch ’n’ roll: Balloch holds Its breath as Oasis the Charles and Diana diVOTCC is Give me 50: Miranda Richardson helps make the and 80,000 tans descend on it finalised. Edinburgh Festlval's halt century memorable

8 The List l3 Dec 19969 Jan I997