shows // The Red Room

stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder

The Red Room // 16.05.13 // Stuck-Up, Half-Witted, Scruffy-Looking Nerf Herder

This week, we discussed our collective ambivalence to peanut butter, the allure of Japanese sneakers, and the decadent pleasure that is the daytime nap. We also discussed Thom's deep-seated fear of hairdressers, Jenny's burgeoning obsession with Star Trek: The Original Series, and the undeniable paranoia of food hygiene tutors.

We discussed all things Star Trek, including the basic ethos of the franchise, Jenny's love of the character of Spock, and Thom's theory of why the J.J. Abrams movies don't work. We also discussed all things Star Wars, including our earliest memories of the films, celebrating the original theatrical trilogy on Star Wars Day, and the everlasting legacy of the saga.

We did our fortnightly referendum roundup, discussing Simon Pegg AKA Montgomery Scott's support of Scottish independence, the potential for Scotland to start again with a clean, debt-free slate, and the recent revelation that Scotland's fossil fuels are worth more than £4 trillion. We also discussed Krista van Velzen's jealousy of Scotland's chance to become the first country ever to reject nuclear weapons, the inherent beauty in having a new hope, and we imagined what the debate would be like in reverse.

We reviewed the films Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Ae Fond Kiss..., Star Trek Into Darkness, and I'm So Excited, as well as Sacred Paws' recent gig with Teen Canteen at Mono Cafe Bar, and the novels High Rise by J.G. Ballard and The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.

Posted at 03:12, 17th May 2013

sleepy time milk

The Red Room // 02.05.13 // Sleepy Time Milk

This week, we discussed our love of peanut butter cookies, our hatred of peanut butter, and the disproportionate percentage of irreligious people in the US compared to Scotland. We also discussed our fond, fictional memories of attending protest marches as teenagers, struggled with mere concept of abbreviations, and meditated on the merits of being sceptical.

We discussed National Collective's joyously successful funding campaign, the amusing prospect of the UK's international influence declining as a result of Scottish independence, and the dangers of siding with various anti-Independence groups such as the BNP, the National Front, the Orange Order, UKIP and the Tories.

We discussed Record Store Day and all that it entailed, the prevalence of Twitter in modern culture, and the emerging brilliance of Star Trek: The Next Generation. We also discussed the inherent joy of the bass clarinet, the recent near-miss involving an aeroplane and a UFO near Glasgow airport, and the ramifications of being featured in the style section of a newspaper.

We discussed the fickle laws of gig etiquette, our favourite malt-based night-time beverages, and the prospect of an underwater nightclub in a swimming pool in Glasgow. We also listed some of our favourite fellow Subcity shows, including Lady Squalor, Le Bruit D'Azur, Source Tags and Mix Tapes, Tigerbeat, Tokyo Chill, TYCI, and Wild Combination.

We also reviewed the films Jacob's Ladder, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, Cats & Dogs, Insidious, and Mama, the book And the Ass Saw the Angel by Nick Cave, the recent show celebrating Cry Parrot's sixth birthday party at The Glue Factory, and recent art exhibitions at the Centre for the Contemporary Arts and the Gallery of Modern Art.

Posted at 03:36, 3rd May 2013

out of puff

The Red Room // 18.04.13 // Out of Puff

This week, we discussed our attempts at dancing the bolero, our amusement at posh wee west-end weans, and the inherent pastoral charm of the vegetable patch. We also discussed Jenny's incredible cake-baking skills, Thom's terrible cookie-baking skills, and the trials of struggling with large amounts of chocolate as an adult.

We discussed the recent events surrounding National Collective, Ian Taylor's dirty #donorgate money, and the baffling lack of Union-based grassroots campaigns. We also discussed our happiness with Glasgow's anti-Bedroom Tax and anti-Trident marches, as well as its recent George Square Thatcher death party.

We discussed our current obsessions with the TV shows Moomin and Star Trek: The Next Generation, our recent visit to the People's Palace, and the odd phenomenon of sleep threats. We also discussed the annoyance of being repeatedly and pointlessly woken up, our newfound passion for embroidery, and some of the more colourful insults directed towards Beethoven during his life.

We reviewed the films Wake in Fright (1971), In the Realm of the Senses (1976), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), and Love Exposure (2008), as well as the Citizens Theatre's production of Doctor Faustus and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's performance of Act 3 of Tristan and Isolde by Richard Wagner at the City Halls.

Posted at 04:56, 19th April 2013

wrap that pish

The Red Room // 04.04.13 // Wrap That Pish

This week, we discussed the age-old debate of cycling vs. driving, the dangers of drinking too much tea, and the worldwide scam that is "free-range" food. We also discussed Thom's experience with building a flat-pack shelf, Jenny's experience meeting some real-life ghostbusters, and humanity's embarrassing underestimation of the intelligence of animals.

We discussed the Scottish independence referendum, our unabashed hatred of the Tory party and the British Monarchy, and our disgust with Trident, patriotism, the Grand National, and the concept of social class. We also discussed how often was appropriate to wash a pair of jeans, the predominance of the "Inception sound" in movie trailers, and our experience dancing in a music video.

We also reviewed films by Russ Meyer (Lorna, Cherry, Harry & Raquel!), Peter Weir (Picnic at Hanging Rock), Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2), The Quay Brothers (Institute Benjamenta), James Marsh (Project Nim), and Glenn Leyburn & Lisa Barros D'Sa (Good Vibrations), as well as gigs by Yo La Tengo at the ABC and RM Hubbert's at the CCA.

Posted at 02:02, 5th April 2013

we are, as they say, cooking with gas

The Red Room // 21.03.13 // We Are, As They Say, Cooking With Gas

This week, we discussed the brazen Scottish disregard towards traffic laws, the misery of chilblains, and the thrill of sending a good complaint email. We also debated on the merits of Twitter, on adults who use SMS language on the internet, and the phenomenon of people honking their horns while driving away from somewhere.

We discussed Jenny's embracement of technology (and her abandonment of Luddism), Thom's getting to grips with Siri (and its refusal to understand a Scottish accent), and the dangers of lighting a gas-powered grill (such as burning off all of the hair on your arms). We also voiced our dislike of onstage banter at gigs, of the snobbery of sommeliers, and of people with bad gig etiquette.

We also reviewed films by the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix Trilogy), Roman Polanski (Cul-de-sac), Russ Meyer (Supervixens), Jacques Tati (Monsuier Hulot's Holiday), and David Lean (Doctor Zhivago), as well as My Bloody Valentine's recent show at the Barrowlands.

Posted at 02:17, 22nd March 2013