Fergusson, Saville, Howson and Gordon. See review, page 81. National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh. FRIDAY 9 Paul Nartnoll One half of Orbital showcases new material from their forthcoming album and some of his favourite techno tunes for the delight and delectation of the Radio Babylon crowd. Support comes from The Merry Pranksters, Brainstorm and resident drag queen Penny Pornstar. La Belle Ange/e, Edinburgh. SATURDAY 10 Frank Black The ex- Pixie and continual sky-watcher brings his Catholics on stage to platform tracks from his new Dog In The Sand album. Expect spooky spaghetti westernisms and comically manic metal. King Tut’s, Glasgow

SUNDAY 11 Postman Pat A job that

One for swingers

It might look like an instrument of medieval torture, but the Love Swing IS quite the opposite. Sold as an antidote to ’monotonous sex’, the swing promises a short-cut to kama sutra-Iike positions without the hassle of learning yoga inbetween. Find a suitable beam, screw it in and away you go. Curiously, the American product is sold ’as a novelty only’; if you can imagine any other uses for it, let us know. Available from Clone Zone, Dixon Street, Glasgow, Leather And Lace, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, and Erogenous Zone, Bread Street, Edinburgh or phone 07947 147 569. See sex special page 10.

gets more difficult on your birthday? Surely not. But Britain's best-loved postie (and his black and white cat) can’t afford to slack off, not when he's got all of Greendale’s cards to carry. See preview, page 88. Festival Theatre, Edinburgh.

MONDAY 12 Almost Famous Cameron Jerry Maguire Crowe’s take on the music biz (groupies, hacks, tellys out of hotel rooms) hits most of the right notes and threatens to make a star out of Goldie Hawn’s nipper, Kate Hudson. See review, page 29. General release.

TUESDAY 13 Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra One of the world’s most popular orchestras makes a welcome return with conductor Kurt Masur on hand to guide them through

Postman Pat, Sun 11

Mullan lies in the cold, cold ground

’We were up against nature and that comes out in the performances,’ says Peter Mullan who contracted hypothermia while working on The Claim, Michael Winterbottom’s Gold Rush era Western (see preview and review). The actor was filming a scene that involved him lying in the snow atop the Canadian Rockies, in high winds and minus-30 degree temperatures. Want to hear more? Mullan makes a personal appearance at the GET on Friday 2 February to spill the beans.

Tchaikovsky’s Serenade For Strings and Mahler’s Symphony No 7 Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow. WEDNESDAY 14 Divine Comedy After the frivolous fankle of ’National Express’ and ’Generation Sex’, Neil Hannon and company return with new material, indicating a return to their more melodramatic and captivating style of old. A surefire romantic winner. Liquid Room, Edinburgh.

THURSDAY 15 Casanova Who says romance is dead? Not Suspect Culture, anyway, with its peculiarly contemporary take on the great lover’s exploits. Gavin Mitchell plays the man with the saucy plan. See feature, page 22. Tron Theatre, Glasgow

l—lS Feb 2001 THEU8T5