The Front

News, gossip and opinion

Park boss packs up

up V a“? y y. “11;;

if

lum heas dwn under

Departing T in the Park boss slams SAC. Words: Ruth Hedges

cotland's music scene is steeling itself for the

imminent departure of one of its Titans. The

force behind the flames is upping sticks. and crossing the globe. Stuart Clumpas. infamous within the music industry. orchestrator of T in the Park and King Tut's. and grand purveyor of opinions. is heading for New Zealand.

His enterprises began a good twenty years ago and have born many fruits, most significantly King Tut's and that Tennent's festival in a big field. Described as ‘dogged'. ‘brusque' and 'bullish'. Clumpas didn't achieve it all by sweet-talking the powers that be. Constant conflict with the Scottish Arts Council has been a factor in his decision to leave. ‘I find it very frustrating and a terrible waste of energy on the way they distribute funds.‘ he told The List. ‘lt's like you get penalised for running a good business.‘

One of New Zealand’s characteristics that appeals to Clumpas is what he calls its 'can-do pioneer attitude'. as opposed to the ‘can't do attitude' he finds here. So. without this can-do canon at the

helm, will his mini empire continue to flourish? lite answer. surpriSingly. seems to be an ()VUl’Y/llClll‘lfttj yes. Maybe even the faint sigh of relief can be detected drifting through his company. Dl Concerts Clumpas has no illusions about this. and has faith in his Sixteen staff. led by Geoff l-llis and Dave McGeachan. "They're very fired up. and I'm veiy confident.‘ says Clumpas.

His conViction should give us faith that the Clumpas ventures [)TOJCCIS that have become musical institutions in Scotland are now firmly established and in safe hands. Relinguishing control is a mixed blessmg and isn't an easy decision. but health concerns have made it more of a necessity. Suffering from Crohn's disease. an inflammatory condition affecting the digestive s 'stem. Clumpas is looking forward to a break from incessant stress. But. we'll believe it when we see it. No doubt the maestro will still have plenty to say from acr< ss the seas. Watch this space. A letter from New /ealand could be the next step.

Coming quite soon . . .

Sixties Hammond organ star Brian Auger has been booked to appear

at Big Beat in

November. This is

Split personality

Edinburgh on Friday 9

exciting. The legendary musician. made most famous by material

sequel to the

enormously successful science fiction comedy

Leith gets multiplex

New cinema to open in Ocean Terminal. Words: Miles Fielder

I l ()l|()‘.'i.’lll§} the opening of the new UGC multiplex in (‘ilasgov-i. the Ster Century Cinema is due to Open in

l eith's Ocean lerminal on Thursday 4 October (with a premiere party for [)isney's Atlantis the night before). So what's the big deal’? Another multiplex in a City which UCI. UCC. Odeon (formerly ABCi. 'lwelve additional screens in a City that also boasts the original ()deon. Dominion. llllllllOtlSO. Cameo and lumiere cinemas.

already has three

Well. as they say in the property market. location. location. location. Ster Century. the relatively new player in cinema exhibition. based in South Africa and now expanding throughout turope. opens its first Scottish screens in leith's new shopping leisure centre. And Ocean Terminal is exploiting its location With bars and restaurants. including lerence Conran's Scottish debut.

l dinburgh's cultural geographers Wlll be aware that its cinemas are largely focused in the west side of the city lollcross, l ountainpark. Morningside. Wester Hailes. lt follows there must be a localised {ttKllOltCO of Leith residents and workers for Ster Century. though you wonder how easy it will be for the cinema to tempt filingceis out of the city centre.

As you'd expect. Ster Century's twelve screens icomprisiiig upwards of 9000 seatsi include a couple of ia'ge screens ithougii not the largest in Edinburgh). stadium seating so no infuriating silhouetted heads blocking your Vic-tar. and state of the art sound and projection. Ster Century employs masking ithe movable black curtains ‘.'.’lllCl‘. frame the film imagw. so that. unlike its continental counterpart. the l-ranceiheatlguartered UGC chain. the picture union't base that distracting fu//y edge.

I.". ‘act the new cinema's general manager is Kathryn Allen who comes to Ster Century from UGC Fountarnpark. Allen. who played the key role in bringing this year's l dinburgh International l ilm festival to the UGC. is already .n talks .vit'n the festival to do like\.'-/ise with Ster Century.

l inally. Allen confirms Ster Century's programming ‘Nlll include both blockbusters and smaller arthouse films.

.Nrt'rAtlantis premieres" 71$?

and media celebrities to Of The Rings star Billy Boyd (he plays one of

the hobbitsl returns

publish a tell-all memoir about her life. l--leche's

recorded with Julie Driscoll and The Trinity (including 'Season Of The Witch'. 'Tiger' and 'Wheels On Fire). will be flying over from his Stateside residence to perform a handful of live dates in the UK. including the (rate at Big Beat at La Belle Angele . . Men In Black 2. the

caper adapted from the cult comic book of the same name. is to have its ending re shot in the wake of the terrorist action against America. lhe original ending viras to have featured tlte now destroyed V\/( )l'l(l l'rade Centre . . . Anne Heche is the latest in a long line of film stars

Call Me (Ira/i.” will detail how she developed a split personality after being abused as a child by her father. Of course. Roseanne Barr remains the crown queen of public sell outing of personality disorder, suffering from a multiple multiple split personality... Hie/old

home from filming the fantasy epic in New Xealand to take to the stage in a new play at the Traverse Theatre. llie Ballad Of C/a/v Paola. Fellow local lad Stephen Greenhorn (Pt ssing Places) adapts l lemish playwright Arne Sierens' drama rock star lovers.