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R&B SHOWCASE
Flava
Glasgow: Trash, Sun 9 Jul.
If you’re one of the few people who is yet to feature in a docu-soap or interior decoration show, this is the event to get your face on the telly. Channel 4's Flava, which does a sterling job of bringing black musical talent in the UK to a wider audience, is continuing it’s mission to raise the profile of the country's expanding soul, hip hop and garage scenes with a nationwide series of club nights.
For co-promoter Stewart Dalley this is more than a chance for a party. ’The night is important in a way, because it should help people down in London, where this kind of music comes from, to see that Scotland has a scene of its own. It‘s proof that people up here are playing these records out in clubs, and buying them. I hope it will have an effect — if we can show that there's a strong R&B following up here, more acts should start to play in Scotland.’
The Glasgow leg of the tour is in association with Groovejet Soul, which has previously attracted old
school luminaries like Grandmaster Flash and Femi Fem. This is in thanks part to the sterling reputation of Paul N’Jie, resident at the club and stalwart of the city’s R&B scene. As well as N’Jie, support slots will be filled by three hopefuls in the Flava DJ competition, who are set to be judged by the headline acts. The first of the guests is Aitch B, on loan from the legendary Soul II Soul, who will be dipping into his vast collection of funk, soul and R&B 12"s. The real highlight, though, is a full live show from Jamelia. ’I think she has the potential to be huge,’ says N’Jie, 'it looks like she'll surpass the likes of Shola
Quintessential multi-media entertainment extravaganza
MULTI-IVIEDIA EXPERIENCE
Al's All Night Jokeshop Edinburgh: The Bongo Club, Fri '/ Jul.
One at a tzme, pleeease Ierl‘xwa‘ ‘.'.’l/<ll(l Ian lerguson, piodmtao" (t)- ordinatoi Pl» “:ppa (o<hiane and (elehrity presenters (MlllIi (rattlislanl. and Bronagh Keegan have all (oine together to spread the Word about Al's All Night J()Ii(“,!.()l), in the relaxed surroundings of the Bongo ( .m. ltHkIly the slit/.1", ei‘ti-itaiiiiiw't progi‘aiiiii.ei, ‘\./'/IIII(' I.I()-I(".(Jl1, Ia'i (omniitinents (-Ise'.‘.l»eir- or t' err/n" tit-
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’iefoie ‘.'-.‘e go any further, there’s been some tonlusion as to just what exar t‘iy AT's All Night Jokeshop is Is it a (Illl)’) Is at a IV show? Well, in latt it's both rill(I a whole lot more. A on; 'itessential inuItI—niedia entertainment extravagan/a held in three rooms on a monthly basis, Al's is nox‘.’ (oinloitahly settling into its serond year at Ihe Bongo (Iiil) 'lhe ()lHjllTriI (onrept was to fuse the ter hnital expertise of leiguson's vrdeo piodiu tron (ompany \‘JIlIl Molleson's It'("l talent and (reate
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Jamelia is raising Scotland's R&B profile
Arna or Beverly Knight. There's a good combination of UK and US production styles on her releases. As a vocalist, she's amazing. And she certainly seems to be hungry for it.’ The vocalist and writer already has a Brit nomination and two hit singles under her belt, including the infectious ‘Call Me', and this looks set to be her last tour of small venues. The Flava tour, then, is a chance to catch a star in ascendance and do your bit to raise Scotland's profile on the R&B circuit. As N'Jie puts it: 'If you're into black music, come down and represent the Scottish scene.’ (Jack Mottram)
something entirely new for Edinburgh audienres, Or as Cochrane sees it 'We kind of took over the building and hardwued the whole place into a production studro.’ Camera (OHITOCIIOIT points and TV s<reens are Wired into the upstairs control room where the show is mixed and then beamed bark downstairs live on the night. 'It's like an instrument', says Ferguson, ’But it doesn't come alive until the (ameras plug in and Bronagh and Garth come on stage'
Styling themselves on that (lassic (omedy pairing of Kenny Everett and Cleo Ro((os, CrllKkSIldllk and Keegan more from the ’tits and ass' school of entertainment. Both presenters assume a variety of (()lTl|( personas during the (ourse of the night while generally working the crowd. Highlights so far have included a special appearanre from Moby in February ’I got away \VIIII (alling him a baldy ( ' 't basi(ally', says Crurckshank and this month there'll be live lTIUSK from Jokeshop band Ian Durex And The So<kheads and |o(a| legends Mystery Jll|((‘, plus a sele<tian of the (apital's li'iest DJs and a whole host of wa(ky japes and televrsed mayhem (Catherine Broinley)
Club news
Whispers on the dancefloor FLYPOSTING — IT'S AN issue that's been rumbling behind the scenes in Edinburgh clubland for quite some time, pitching independent clubs promoters against the city council over and over again. But now the crunch has come. La Belle Angele has had it's licence restricted, from 3am to Zam, as a direct result of flyposting activities. And the city's other independent venues are threatened with the same when their licences come up for review. This raises a major issue for clubbing in the capital. The diversity of Edinburgh's scene relies on small-scale club nights which can't afford billboard advertising. Without alternatives, how will they get punters through the door? Clubbing isn't just about mega-venues and superclubs, it’s also about obscure techno DJs and industrial-skate-punk noise. So what can we do? Well, two things actually. Continue to support La Belle Angele (and any other venues which suffer a similar fate): at the end of the day, what’s an hour's lost drinking time when you can experience some of the best underground tunes Scotland has to offer? And write to the council expressing your concern, suggesting alternative flyposting regimes or simply making it clear to them how important Edinburgh's club scene is to its citizens. And we've even got the address to make it easy for you: Mr Robert Miller, Licensing Department, City of Edinburgh Council, City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1YJ. Don't just think about it, do it. EAGLE-EYED READERS will have spotted that it was suggested in the last issue that Harri, rather than Oscar would be playing IVIISI‘ Mash this month. We would like to apologise to Ham and the Sub Club for this error, and remind Glasgow clubbers that the deep house hero only plays Sub< ulture on Saturday nights at Planet Peadi
ON A LIGHTER note, Sublime would like to thank all the good people who made it to their birthday bash last month. The tunes, the people and the sunshine all contributed to one helluva weekend, and the guys just want to let you know that it's the punters that make the club what it is. LONDON'S HARD HOUSE experts Trade also have an announ<ement to make Their Arches night (eased to eXist as of the beginning of this month They'd like to apologise to disappointed (Iubbers and assure you all that they're (urrently sear( hing for another Scottish venue at \VITK h to continue the Trade tradition
The Belle Angele bus — catch it while you can