3

I Pity The April Fools!Wooooosh! April has swung into view just in time for us all to remember what the sun feels

like…that’s right, bloody amazing! The sun might have his hat on but it’s still pretty chilly –

just try and hold out for a few more weeks and try not to fall into the trap of wearing shorts

and fl ip-fl ops to the shops yet or you’ll regret it as soon as there’s a light breeze. Plus, no-

one likes the pasty legs of an over-eager optimist.

April also sees the 3rd issue of SY On The Sly, the sister publication of Suit Yourself

Magazine – Bristol’s number one independent, quarterly magazine which investigates,

uncovers and promotes everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant and altogether

amazing place to live.

Read away and don’t forget to check out the latest issue of Suit Yourself Magazine, our

listings service and our constantly updated blog, all found at:

www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

5

3/ I Pity The April Fools 6/ Destination Bristol 8/ £2billion Green Investment for Bristol 12/ SY Meets…Skins 14/ Spring Cleaning 17/ Auntie Harper

A Sly look back at March 20/ The best of Gigs 32/ The best of Art 36/ The best of Clubs 40/ The best of Stage 44/ The best of Cinema

A Sly look forward at April50/ Recommended Gigs 57/ Recommended Art 61/ Recommended Clubs 66/ Recommended Stage 72/ Recommended Cinema

76/ Horoscopes by Mystic GingerFor those of you pretending to work, you can also read the magazine

online at www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk or www.bristollistings.co.uk

6

Destination? Brizzzzle!Thinking of getting away from it all and visiting a somewhere special for Easter? A weekend Thinking of getting away from it all and visiting a somewhere special for Easter? A weekend

in Washington DC perhaps? A visit to Vienna? Maybe go frolicking in Fes? Or how about

staying right here in Bristol? With over 800,000 cities to choose from around the world, DK

Eyewitness Travel, the best-selling guidebook publisher, has chosen Bristol, yes, our Bristol,

as one of their must-see top 10 cities in the world that must be visited in 2009!

The news has come as a shock to some but Bristol has been quietly building momentum The news has come as a shock to some but Bristol has been quietly building momentum

over the last few years, hoarding accolade after accolade for its sustainability and green

credentials, cultural prowess, urban ingenuity and high quality of life. DK Eyewitness in its

guidebook particularly mentioned Bristol’s Georgian architecture and historical attractions, its

world class art and media centres, the impressive shopping facilities, its ‘green’ appeal, and

last but by no means least it celebrated our charming neighbourhood, pockets of individual

charm and Bristol’s varied character and cultural offer.

7

The other 9 cities on the list in no particular order are:The other 9 cities on the list in no particular order are:

Vilnius (Lithuania)Vilnius (Lithuania)

Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Seattle (USA)

Washington DC (USA)

Fes (Morocco)

Copenhagen (Denmark)

Gdansk (Poland)

Vienna (Austria)Vienna (Austria)

Cape Town (South Africa)

Recent fi gures show that Bristol is already the seventh most visited city in the UK with some

470,000 overseas visitors in 2007, along with over 7 million visitors from the UK, and this

recognition now fi rmly puts fabulous Bristol on ‘the map’

Makes you proud to be part of it all, doesn’t it?

Woop! Woop!

www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk

8

Big Money for Green Energy and Waste ManagementThings are moving on a huge scale locally in renewable energy and recycling with projects

worth a possible £2billion proposed for Avonmouth alone. These would apparently be paid for

by commercial investors and could, if the local, regional and particularly the national energy

and waste strategies mix of technologies is right, contribute towards making Bristol much

greener as well as creating many jobs. At this stage though the £2billion investment fi gure is

somewhat speculative those in the know say it is a reasonable estimate!

The Bristol Environmental Technology and Services Sector project (BETS) established

about three years ago to get environmental technologies and services going in Bristol and

the surrounding area are naturally intimately involved in all this. They say that nine different

projects are being proposed in and around Avonmouth, including green power stations and

recycling/waste operations. Full details of all these are not yet publicly available but it’s quite

possible that debate will surround just how green some projects actually are and so these

projects must be intimately inspected.

9

What we do know is that The Port of Bristol already has three wind turbines, Bristol City

Council wants to build two more and Wessex Water want four more. There are at least three

proposals for biomass power stations burning such fuels as woodchip, along with some

interesting ideas for combined heat and power facilities ones where waste heat is circulated

and put to some use. The viability of this at Avonmouth however needs exploration - can

the heat be effi ciently used there? How? Then there are a number of possible ‘energy from

waste’ proposals, from pyrolysis/gasifi cation or ‘waste cooking’ plants to conventional mass

incineration with energy recovery (electricity generation) – mass burning or other heat treatment

of waste is very controversial.

There are claims that Bristol is leading the green development agenda and could position

itself as the so-called ‘green-collar capital’. There will be ongoing debate about how the

scale of green investment matches the scale of the economic, climate and energy security

problems though, with some calling for very large ‘green new deal’ plans to create an entirely

different kind of economy and society out of the entwined economic and environmental chaos

we now have.

Glenn Vowles

http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com

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http://www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/

sy-meets-lisa-backwell

SY Meets…Lisa Backwell aka Pandora from Skins

Skins is so hot right now! It’s the country’s favourite TV show and as a result, it’s making

Bristol so hot right now! We caught up with Lisa Backwell, one of only 2 cast members not

to be cut last series and the only member of the current cast who resides in Bristol, to chat

everything Skins and Bristol! Woop!

What would you like to see happen to Pandora in the next series?

How has Bristol and its national perception changed since Skins started?

Watch the whole interview here:

13

http://www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk/

sy-meets-lisa-backwell

14

Spring CleaningNow that Spring has officially kicked-off, now is the perfect time to sort out your house.

The quickest and easiest part of Spring Cleaning you can do, which will improve your life no end is getting rid of all the clutter, you’ve been hoarding over the last few years. Electrical items particularly we find emotionally difficult to part with but you can ensure they find a happy home by recycling them as part of your Spring Clean.

Research shows that on average we each have at least 3 unused electrical items cluttering up our houses. That’s things like old kettles, mobile phones, computers, electric toys, stereos, digital watches, hairdryers, electric toothbrushes, TVs and are you really ever going to use that sandwich-toaster again?

15

Get a grip! Loose that doomed; “I’m keeping it just in case,” mentality and do something useful with your old electrical items:

- Electrical items that use disposable batteries, have a mains cable or need recharging can all be recycled and the raw materials can then be put to new uses; for example, a typical iron contains enough steel to make 13 food cans! They can all be dropped off at local recycling centres.

- Or a few retailers will actually take back old electrical items in store.

- Or friends, family or charities can put our old electrical items to better use. They can often be sold or swapped online.

speak to The Sofa Project, they will love your unused electrical items! Or:

www.recyclenow.comwww.dontbinitbringit.org

Check out Suit Yourself Magazine, the sister publication of SY On The Sly. Suit Yourself Magazine is a free, quarterly printed magazine that has been going strong for over four years and can be found in every shop, cafe, pub, club, restaurant, hairdresser, gallery and venue all over Bristol!

Suit Yourself Magazine is an independent publication, a voice for all those young at heart, those interested in music, fashion, adventure, the arts, their environment and everything in between. A magazine which investigates, uncovers and promoters everything that makes Bristol such a fun, vibrant, and altogether amazing place to live.

Pick it up on the streets of Bristol or read back issues at:www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

17

I really wanna get one over on my mate, any tips for something to do to him for April

Fools’ Day?

Why wait to April Fools day? If you want to get one over on your mate then I wouldn’t

waste time in asking a sadistic person like me. If he has a girlfriend then try to get

hold of his mobile phone when he’s left it unattended and secretly replace her number

with yours. At some unsuspecting moment later that day, send him a text telling him

that his girlfriend has thrush....he’ll bloody love it!

I was supposed to move in with my boyfriend this summer but he’s being a cockmuncher.

What should I do??

I don’t know why you are complaining. If I discovered that my girlfriend was a

muffmuncher then I’d think game-on! Maybe you could ask your boyfriend if he’d be

willing to share around any of his meat for the privilege of you moving in with him?

Is it wrong to stuff my face full of chocolate this Easter when I wouldn’t piss on

Jesus if he was on fire?

Would your mother be happy if she heard you speak like that? Don’t ever speak like

that around your Auntie Harper. I suggest you spend the next 24 hours in front of an

alter begging for forgiveness, because you’ll be eating a lot more than chocolate this

year if I get my hands on you.

Auntie HarperHe’ll diss you to your face

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21

Kid CarpetSaturday 7th March 2009 @ The Cooler, Bristol

Well, last night was my fi rst experience of that odd Bristol phenomenon, Kid Carpet, and it seems he as quite a

following! I spoke to at least three die-hard Carpet fans who follow him to all his gigs and who were very keen that

I listen to the lyrics and enjoy the gig – and really, those fans summed up the whole atmosphere of the night. The

gig was staged at an intimate venue, The Cooler, and Kid Carpet was the last act of three, although his set was

disappointingly short, he only played for about half an hour, it was bloody good fun while it lasted!

The whole atmosphere was friendly, cosy and fun, Kid Carpet himself was energetic and entertaining, chatting to The whole atmosphere was friendly, cosy and fun, Kid Carpet himself was energetic and entertaining, chatting to

the crowd between tracks and leaping around like a nutter during the performance, inspiring much mad dancing

from the crowd, led once again by Brizzle legend Big Jeff. The tracks themselves were lively, upbeat positive

numbers, pretty tongue-in-cheek and a few with some light hearted social commentary - stuff about the credit

crunch and anti-capitalism; ‘lets not worry about buying stuff we don’t need’ etc. Basically the message was that

we shouldn’t worry, it’ll all turn out OK in the end and in the meantime, let’s have a bloody good dance and a few

beers, which I duly did, and it was a bloody good laugh.

Kid Carpet is no musical genius, but what he lacks in traditional musical training he matches with novel excitable

genius, the man is a legend! He mixes up old classics, from funk to happy hardcore, he spits some pretty good,

straight to the point lyrics and is so full of beans that you can’t help but like the fella!

Natalie Burns

www.kidcarpet.co.uk

22

Animal CollectiveSunday 22nd March 2009 @ Trinity, Bristol

Hailing from Baltimore, Animal Collective are an avant garde collective of musicians and have been working

together since the early part of this decade; however, their latest album, Merriweather Post Pavillion, has proven

to be their break into the mainstream and has garnered lofty acclaim from much of the music press. This probably

goes some way to explain why tonight’s gig is a sell-out.

After the initial issue with the power, Animal Collective got into full swing with songs merging from one to another

in a mash of transcendental samples, vocal effects and loops. Tonight’s set featured heavily from the recent album

but singles such as My Girls, received the loudest cheer of the evening and seemed to please certain members

of the crowd more than the experimental layering of some of the other tracks. Interestingly, Also Frightened was

reworked for the live set adding stronger beats and a heavier bass, which made for a much more exciting listening

experience. Backed by a laser show and psychedelic slides, it was an event for the senses.

Trinity is almost the perfect venue for a group like this; it echoes the uniqueness of the band and allows the music

to surround you (just before you were brought back by a yelp from Panda Bear). The closing track before the

encore, Brother Sport reminiscent of Orbital or Underworld, built and built to a crescendo inspiring much fi st-

pumping joy. Animal Collective are cross-over at it’s best; they appeal to the experimental dance crowd whilst also

pleasing the indie lovers with genre defying slices of techno-pysch-pop genius!

www.myanimalhome.net

Hazel Goodfellow

23

Electric SixWednesday 11th March 2009 @ Academy, Bristol

With Support From: Tragedy

Tonight’s gig action at the Academy will belong to the lure of the rock! Second up were the band that completely

stole the show tonight - Tragedy. They are a “heavy metal tribute to The Bee Gees” which sounds like it should be

horrendous but as these guys strut onto the stage glammed to the eyeballs in glitter and sequins with some fairly

fantastic capes and lycra trousers, I was loving it! Tragedy take the most famous of disco songs like Staying Alive

and turn them into metal anthems perfect to dance to. There wasn’t one person in the venue that wasn’t won over

by the time they left the stage.

There was the small matter of the headline act up next though in the shape of Electric Six and, after Tragedy’s

warm-up, they hit the ground running. By the third song, the amazingly anthemic Dance Commander, the mosh pit

was there to stay and everyone was either dancing or clapping along. Onstage they look like what happens when

the socially awkward kids from school decide to form a rock band, but these forty something Americans know how

to put on a show and all of their material is perfect to party to! The whole room erupts at the merest scent of the

fi rst few bars of High Voltage and explode at the announcement of Gay Bar!

They play a couple of tracks from their last album Flashy but mainly stuck to all the crowd faves. They end the night

by saying that they always thought Bristol was the best city in the UK to party and let’s face it, it is!

www.electricsix.com

Stu Freeman

24

You Me At SixYou Me At SixFriday 6th March 2009 @ Academy, Bristol

With Support From: Emarosa, The Spill Canvas

Well, what a night! 3 outstanding bands who truly blew the place to pieces! They drew in a young crowd who were Well, what a night! 3 outstanding bands who truly blew the place to pieces! They drew in a young crowd who were

full of energy making it a very exciting evening.

First up, six piece Emarosa from Kentucky, USA started with a bang. The boys were right on it tonight as their First up, six piece Emarosa from Kentucky, USA started with a bang. The boys were right on it tonight as their

beatdowns pounded through the speakers, sending everyone insane on the dance fl oor. They got the whole room

moving, arms and fi sts fl ying everywhere. The audience was warmed up nicely for the next act The Spill Canvas.

These four boys from South Dakota, USA really picked up the pace as front man Nick Thomas ordered the crowd These four boys from South Dakota, USA really picked up the pace as front man Nick Thomas ordered the crowd

to start circle pits, jump high and go crazy – so we did just that! As everyone was going mental, you lost balance

and got carried with the crowd as everyone’s feet lifted from the fl oor. They played a very enthusiastic set and

25

interacted with the crowd amazingly well. Towards the end of their performance they pulled out a few classics interacted with the crowd amazingly well. Towards the end of their performance they pulled out a few classics

which got everyone singing along.

Headlining tonight were the almighty You Me At Six all the way from Surrey! They were the only English band Headlining tonight were the almighty You Me At Six all the way from Surrey! They were the only English band

playing tonight but they completely dominated the show. Both supports acts were bigging up the Surrey boys all playing tonight but they completely dominated the show. Both supports acts were bigging up the Surrey boys all

night during their sets which built up a massive atmosphere which was certainly maintained throughout the show. night during their sets which built up a massive atmosphere which was certainly maintained throughout the show.

Both new and old songs were sung as vocalist Josh Franceschi loved the fact the audience were screaming just as

loud as him! Chants echoed around the venue from fans screaming for more, clapping theirs hands and stomping loud as him! Chants echoed around the venue from fans screaming for more, clapping theirs hands and stomping

their feet, making as much noise as possible to entice the band back on. Their big hits including Save It For The their feet, making as much noise as possible to entice the band back on. Their big hits including Save It For The

Bedroom were saved for the encore as not one person in the room stood their with their mouth shut!

Overall tonight was epic! All 3 bands put on amazing performances that just blew us away and did not fail to live

up to their hyped up names. Keep on rocking boys!

Chloe Jackson

www.youmeatsix.co.uk

26

GojiraSaturday 21st March 2009 @ Academy, Bristol

With Support From: Pilgrimz, The Eyes Of A Traitor

Kicking off tonight were the 4-piece Pilgrimz coming all the way from Copenhagen, Denmark.

The crowd were raring to go and so the boys blasted out phat and furious beats, front man

Max demanded the audience to start fights as he jumped down into the pit himself and sang

amongst his fans. Pilgrimz received a good reaction from the UK by the very mixed fan base,

it was nice to see young people, middle-aged people and oldies all gathered in one room for

one thing; music!

Next up Hertfordshire based The Eyes Of A Traitor hit the stage blowing everyone’s mind! Apart

from the 5 people in the room, including myself, who have seen these boys play many times

before, no-one knew what to expect from this band. They were definitely not disappointed!

The crowd welcomed these boys to their first ever gig in Bristol.

27

As the room continued to get heated, Gojira took to the stage and got things ever hotter!

Everyone’s head was moving and hair flying everywhere from people windmilling, not one

person in the room was standing still! The 4-piece progressive metal band from Boyonne,

France really put on a good show tonight. They were a very tight group who got their timings

down to a tee!

It was nice to see the mixture of people turn up and not just the stereotypical genre of people.

I was pleased to see these bands are still drawing in people with their music and not just the

look. If only more bands were like this huh?!

www.gojira-music.com

Chloe Jackson

28

Two Door Cinema ClubTuesday 3rd March 2009 @ Louisiana

Hailing from Bangor in Northern Ireland, Two Door Cinema Club are representative of a

new breed of band that effortlessly assimilate respectable musical influences into a bright,

enlightened pop package. Channelling several decades of innovative guitar music with en

vogue contemporary flourishes, they make post-modern guitar music that has dual appeal in

its comfortableness and the intelligence it hints at.

Tonight, at the Louisiana, Two Door Cinema Club play to only a handful of people. They

deserve a wider audience given the mass appeal of their music. Sam Halliday’s guitar work

sets them apart from other new-wave bands; tight and accomplished, it injects tension and

depth into their sound. However, the absence of a live drummer, replaced tonight by an Apple

Mac, limits the band’s spontaneity, confining each track to its pre-prescribed duration.

New track, What You Know showcases Two Door Cinema Club’s ability to pull off complex,

intense and danceable three minute pop songs. It builds, collapses to aid lyrical pathos and

then explodes again with an impressive dynamism. The small crowd jerk along to the mid-

song instrumental breakdowns which conjure up the mathsy, white-funk of Foals. It is these

moments that hint at the potential for the band if they were to push into more experimental

territory.

29

Lyrically, the band delivers more texture and narrative than the inane staccato poetry that

currently dominates. The catchy single Something Good Can Work recalls The Born Ruffians

with its abundance of yelps and rhythmic shifts whereas the luscious Nineteen evokes fellow

countrymen Ash, with its ability to summon up that heady mix of summer haze and confused

teenage love.

Two Door Cinema Club are caught in a strange dichotomy: on the one hand much of their

charm lies in their ability to distil difficult lyrical and musical ideas into frenetic pop songs, yet

with the addition of a live drummer and a more expansive approach, they could really stretch

the pop mould they operate so effectively within, if not break it all together.

www.myspace.com/twodoorcinemaclub

Tom Spooner

30

Jacanda: Skimming StonesReleased: 01/09

Folk-rock, country and jazz bundled together!? Well I never! I looked at the sleeve and thought I’d

seen it all before but Jacanda have a certain rawness; a rawness that is articulated by those nostalgic

Sunday drives.

The pop song format with some delicious instrumental melodies let you loose yourself completely in

them. The crescendos are combined with some dramatic solos (especially the saxophone on Shattered)

that carefully break the songs up and give the instruments the leeway they need to really take hold.

Their talents as solo musicians as well as what they can achieve simultaneously is what really makes

Jacanda stand out! Kudos!

The lyrics are interesting and combine well within the genres of the album to make one mammoth

variety pack! But as the album keeps playing, you are left more with a subdued and sincere sentiment

rather than a mass experimentation of each genre, which is the danger.

With their obvious talent of making timeless music, these guys are going in the right direction.

www.jacandamusic.com

Skye Portman

31

32

Dumb Founded: David Shillinglaw Exhibiting between Saturday 14th March and Saturday 25th April 2009 @ Here Gallery, Bristol

If you’re struck by an overwhelming sense of déjà vu when entering Here Gallery this month, don’t rush to get your head examined – this is not the first time David Shillinglaw’s colourful chaos of

mythological and human forms has exploded on to the walls of Stokes Croft’s small but perfectly formed art space. After his success last April exhibiting as part of the collective Them Lot, the

London based illustrator and curator of the Nowhere North Gallery returns for a solo show every bit as exciting, fun and manic as the first.

If you’re still after mental examination, then you’ve come to the right place. Dumb Founded addresses the complex interaction between us and our environment and

attempts to visually portray how living in this confusing world of ours forms our individual identities. David Bowie lyrics compete for attention with human figures in

minotaur suits and the vast array of numbers and symbols would be a Bletchley Park code breaker’s wet dream. The cellar of the Here Gallery acts as the perfect

setting for Shillinglaw’s doodle covered pieces as its cavernous depths imbue his work with the mysterious power of prehistoric cave paintings. Paint and pen spills

from canvas onto walls as though the menagerie of symbols, numbers, words and characters have escaped from the confines of their frames.

Despite their often indecipherable meaning, each piece convincingly conveys the medley of ideas that run through the human imagination at any given point.

These busy maps of consciousness are also aesthetically beautiful. Shillinglaw’s partiality to certain teal, turquoise and sunshine yellow hues as well as his use of

scavenged newspapers, ‘No Smoking’ signs, books, doors and scraps of wood as canvases give his work the feel of a lovingly made child’s collage.

Despite his tendency towards the naïve – in his rendering of childlike sausage fingers for example – and the overwhelmingly chaotic, this

exhibition also showcases Shillinglaw’s carefully crafted black and white illustrations. By using interlocking body parts that appear as

though they’re straight out of a freakish biology textbook, larger beings are constructed, often complete with signature minotaur horns.

Shillinglaw’s sense of humour and his characters’ charisma create mesmerising artworks whether in anarchic mixed-media or tidy ink.

Ultimately, as Shillinglaw well knows, the quest to define the human condition is not as easy as a straightforward painting, but his

engaging pieces successfully portray just how complex, messy and surprisingly beautiful the concept of identity really is.

www.davidshillinglaw.co.uk

Laura Snoad

33

Dumb Founded: David Shillinglaw Exhibiting between Saturday 14th March and Saturday 25th April 2009 @ Here Gallery, Bristol

If you’re struck by an overwhelming sense of déjà vu when entering Here Gallery this month, don’t rush to get your head examined – this is not the first time David Shillinglaw’s colourful chaos of

mythological and human forms has exploded on to the walls of Stokes Croft’s small but perfectly formed art space. After his success last April exhibiting as part of the collective Them Lot, the

London based illustrator and curator of the Nowhere North Gallery returns for a solo show every bit as exciting, fun and manic as the first.

If you’re still after mental examination, then you’ve come to the right place. Dumb Founded addresses the complex interaction between us and our environment and

attempts to visually portray how living in this confusing world of ours forms our individual identities. David Bowie lyrics compete for attention with human figures in

minotaur suits and the vast array of numbers and symbols would be a Bletchley Park code breaker’s wet dream. The cellar of the Here Gallery acts as the perfect

setting for Shillinglaw’s doodle covered pieces as its cavernous depths imbue his work with the mysterious power of prehistoric cave paintings. Paint and pen spills

from canvas onto walls as though the menagerie of symbols, numbers, words and characters have escaped from the confines of their frames.

Despite their often indecipherable meaning, each piece convincingly conveys the medley of ideas that run through the human imagination at any given point.

These busy maps of consciousness are also aesthetically beautiful. Shillinglaw’s partiality to certain teal, turquoise and sunshine yellow hues as well as his use of

scavenged newspapers, ‘No Smoking’ signs, books, doors and scraps of wood as canvases give his work the feel of a lovingly made child’s collage.

Despite his tendency towards the naïve – in his rendering of childlike sausage fingers for example – and the overwhelmingly chaotic, this

exhibition also showcases Shillinglaw’s carefully crafted black and white illustrations. By using interlocking body parts that appear as

though they’re straight out of a freakish biology textbook, larger beings are constructed, often complete with signature minotaur horns.

Shillinglaw’s sense of humour and his characters’ charisma create mesmerising artworks whether in anarchic mixed-media or tidy ink.

Ultimately, as Shillinglaw well knows, the quest to define the human condition is not as easy as a straightforward painting, but his

engaging pieces successfully portray just how complex, messy and surprisingly beautiful the concept of identity really is.

www.davidshillinglaw.co.uk

Laura Snoad

36

Monkey! Flash! Light!Friday 20th March 2009 @ Thekla

Featuring Sets From: Feadz, Duke Dumont, Plimsouls, Contort Yourself, Stereo 8

One of Bristol’s best loved house and electro club nights was back with a bang this Friday as

Monkey! Knife! Fight! returned to Thekla for a £4.99 extravaganza. With a little helping hand,

in the form of a bursary from Smirnoff, the lights were turned out and every punter was issued

with their own torch for a night of fun and debauchery.

Smirnoff are awarding bursaries to club nights and promoters who are offering exciting and

innovative approaches to partying as a part of their Night Vision initiative. Bristol’s very own

M!K!F! was nominated by the likes of Rob da Bank, James Barten, Don’t Panic and Primary

Talent and this is no real surprise as after 4 years these guys have really mastered the art of

throwing a fantastic party!

37

The extensive line up of DJ sets included Feadz, Duke Dumont, Plimsouls, Contort Yourself

and Stereo 8 and they all pumped out excellent beats and remixes which had the crowd

heaving and getting sweaty on the dancefloor. The music offered some dirty bass lines and

party tracks which you can’t help but sing along to, and it’s impossible to keep the feet still!

On a night that the Thekla was packed to the rafters, the absence of lights served mainly

to disorientate the inebriated and add a sense of unanimity to everybody. Other than the

occasional blinding of the eyes from time to time, the torches seemed to provide a never

ending source of amusement for those on the dancefloor. Monkey! Flash! Light! increased

to a feeling of claustrophobia in the relatively small venue and proved to make the night an

altogether much more intense experience.

www.myspace.com/monkeyknifefightbristol

Jessica Penock

38

Shit The Bed 8Friday 6th March 2009 @ Lakota, Bristol

Featuring Sets From: Benga, Blackmarket, Youngsta, Fearless, Chef, Gemmy,

Sinden, Ratpack, Fake Blood

For those not acquainted with some of the cruder lexicon of today’s youth, ‘shit

the bed’ is nifty piece of slang used to express delight and a certain element

of surprise – something you’d proclaim if, for example, you found out that your

sister’s new boyfriend was an AAA pass-wielding Erol Alkan. Or when, say,

you discovered like many of Bristol’s chuffed bass lovers, that the phenomenal

quartet of Benga, Sinden, RatPack and Fake Blood were due to headline Bristol

promoters The Blast’s latest Lakota dancefest.

Those unaware of this auspicious configuration could clearly see that something

big was a-brewing as Stokes Croft filled with both hardened ravers and the

bright-eyed youngsters that this night above others seems to attract. Once inside

Lakota’s grimy walls, all were let loose like children in a rather ill-advised sweet

shop, with every nook and cranny hiding yet another excruciatingly tasty beat-

maker. Right at the top, a sweaty and predominantly male audience frantically

moved to the pumping bass of Nicky Blackmarket, Youngsta and Fearless. Hench

regular Chef and Punch Drunk’s Gemmy kept dusbters well and truly entertained,

the latter right into the early hours of the morning.

39

With such exciting adventures to be had upstairs, you would be understood, but

probably not forgiven, for missing the fabulous four in Lakota’s main stretch. Those

that braved the squeeze were rewarded with Croydonite dupstep maestro Benga, who

kicked things off with his signature fusion of dub and grime. To follow was an eclectic

set from genre-blending Sinden, whose catholic remixes of Basement Jaxx, Bjork and

Mujava and a brief stint backing MIA on her Kala tour have made him a highly sought

after man of the moment.

Next up was a history lesson from legendary old skoolers Ratpack, who led Lakota to

moments of euphoric nostalgia – despite most being too young or just too mashed to

remember the first time round. Just as clubbers had recovered from a customary laser

assault from Ratpack’s MC Evenson Allen, they were confronted head on by a bone-

rattling set from the enigmatic Fake Blood. Although the quest to identify this mystery

man has almost subsided (most sources seem to have settled for The Black Ghosts’

DJ Touche), interest in his painstakingly crafted mixes and masterful splicing is still at

its peak. As he twisted vocals from the likes of Little Boots and The Kills to pronounce

“Fake Blood” – done by minutely chopping up the original vocal then reordering it to

form his own tag – the crowd upped their excited gurns to shouts of applause.

Apart from minor grumbles that some would have liked to see Fake Blood on a bit

earlier, the night more than lived up to its ridiculously strong line-up. Keep a close eye

on what The Blast boys have got planned next; chances are they’ve got a host of other

spectacular DJs hidden up their beat-savvy sleeves.

www.myspace.com/theblast_bristol

Laura Snoad

40

Don JohnShowing between Tuesday 10th and Saturday 14th

March 2009 @ Hippodrome, Bristol

Whether you’d regard yourself as a fan of theatre or

not, if you’ve never witnessed the utter brilliance of

Kneehigh live then you’ve missed out. They are a

Cornwall based theatre company that break down all

the boundaries of conventional performance and think

so far outside the box it is but a forgotten speck on

the horizon; whilst all the time remaining completely

accessible and utterly engaging.

Their latest show, Don John, is no different. The action

follows the rebellious, carefree and irresistible Don

John (an extreme version of John Travolta in Grease)

living life in the fast lane. He burns through town

after town clad in leather, chalking up a list of drink

and drug fuelled nights and bedded women, leaving

his mark wherever he goes. He is the vessel for all

our desires, but also our fears; becoming violent,

dangerous and ultimately alone.

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His mindless, selfish and ruthless existence is starting to catch up with him though and as he seduces a venerable Christian girl and a bride-to-be, what will the repercussions be? Will he care? And who will be left to pick up the pieces?

This is classic Kneehigh – emotional and exciting, sexy and suspenseful, provocative and passionate and all with a weaving and absorbing storyline. The action happens all at once; powercuts, gunshots, electric shocks, stag parties, sex, rape, explosions…all boiled together in the cauldron of the glamorous Hippodrome. The breathtaking set is a fantastic mix of abandoned circus and derelict dockyard full of character, the stage strewn with huge, steel shipping containers. The action imaginatively takes place all over it, often at the same time; high, low, inside, outside and throughout the stalls and auditorium.

By the end of it all, you are left breathless but utterly, utterly fulfilled and entertained. Right now I can’t think of a better, consistently brilliant theatre company out there than Kneehigh. A must see.

www.kneehigh.co.uk

42

Hedda GablerShowing between Tuesday 24th March and Saturday 4th April 2009 @ Alma Tavern, Bristol

“What a beautiful act!” said Hedda Gabler, whilst pondering the death of her ex-lover after

handing him the gun. Ironically, the events that happen in this play are far from beautiful;

however, the Teatr-Grodek company execute the play superbly.

The play was seamlessly modernized and re-scripted for today’s audience and the set, lighting

and music were simple, allowing for the acting to take centre stage. The intimate space of the

Alma Tavern’s theatre enhanced the realism of the play and put the audience right into the

action, making it seem so much more real. The characters around Hedda were so convincing

that I couldn’t help but squirm in my seat when they obeyed Hedda’s every word and let her

get away with everything.

The portrayal of Hedda was chilling; as we watch the story unfold it was difficult to understand

her motivations. The flyer (like much criticism for Isben’s play) describes Hedda Gabler

somewhat ambiguously; part heroine fighting her entrapment within society and part lunatic.

However, the portrayal of Hedda in this production was not so blurred. Hedda was consistently

manipulative, often psychotic and very unlikeable.

43

To say I liked the play would be like saying I ‘enjoyed’ watching a documentary about the

Holocaust but what this play taps into is that odd human fascination and desire, to try and

understand what makes a human-being do such heinous acts. Hedda Gabler is a play that

offers up various reasons to why she wishes to manipulate and destroy, but nothing is concrete.

It allows you to exercise your analytical brain, often left covered in dust by television and films.

For a change, the audience are asked to answer the why and how.

With this introspective look at humanity, the play mirrors works from Anton Chekhov and is

very similar to Strindberg’s Miss Julie. If a fan of these, then dust off your thinking cap and get

some tickets while these guys are still in Bristol.

www.almataverntheatre.co.uk

Freya Morris

44

GenovaScreening between Friday 27th March and Thursday 9th April 2009 @ Watershed

Genova, or La Superba as it is also known, is a beautiful Italian city, rich in culture and framed

by sea. It is the perfect location for this ‘superba’ film by Michel Winterbottom; a haunting

tale about guilt, love, loss and the way in which situations define us. A family thrust into a

different way of life by an unlucky accident, looks to a new city for a fresh start, Genova.

Full of narrow paths and unfamiliar surroundings, the handheld camera work and voyeuristic

shots do well to create and continuous atmosphere of creepy uncertainty and portray the

family’s vulnerability.

Colin Firth plays loving father, Joe

who, through his own maturity and

strength, holds his family together.

Willa Holland plays Kelly, the older

sister who falls into the Italian

underbelly in a typical teenage

manner, riding motorbikes, smoking

cigarettes, having sex and lying to

her family and Pela Haney-Jardine

plays Mary, the younger daughter,

45

haunted by the ghost of her guilt she prevails as the films main character. Her paintings and

lonely excursions home offer spine-chilling tendencies, but Mary isn’t scared so why should

we be? She is younger than most of us after all.

Jardine is a star in the making, her scenes of hysteria are played authentically and she does

not over indulge in her age as many other child actors might. Like the other characters, the

film shows the intertwining of new life, in times of grief and frailty this family chose to move

on and while they never forget about the past. Mary’s guilt is buried in a final scene, which

pulls at the heartstrings. A sad and interesting way at exploring family life, this film is not to

be missed.

www.watershed.co.uk

Kayleigh Cassidy

46

The Age of StupidScreening between Friday 20th March and Thursday 2nd April 2009 @ Watershed

At school, there was a generalisation that most children in the western world did the op-

posite of what they were told: They hated brushing their teeth, taking showers and going to

school, which in light of Franny Armstrong’s new docu-film, The Age Of Stupid, is arguably a

good thing. It saved water, petrol and irrelevant materials, like the packaging for the tooth-

brush…I jest, but they seem to be minor factors in the growing concern about global warm-

ing and the terrorising changing climate of our planet – the integral theme of this film.

Despite a heavy intake of facts and figures within The Age Of Stupid, the structure of the

film and its cross over with animation, engage the audience rather than bore them. To sleep

during this film would be a punishable crime, an acceptance of your own suicide.

My favourite part was just a drive away from Bristol, or a long long long long walk if you

want to be energy efficient; Piers Guy is a wind farm developer in Cornwall. The film maps

his efforts to get Britain to be more energy efficient and use alternative resources in order to

sustain our planet; however, locals were opposed to his efforts with silly arguments such as

the wind farms would spoil their view, a view that will ironically be gone soon if the temper of

the weather continues to rage.

47

Set in the year 2055, the film is directed at us and narrated by a very solemn archiver, played

by Pete Postlethwaite, who seems to be continuously lying to his tears that want to trickle

(wouldn’t want to waste water). He is stuck in a hopeless future, whereas we are rooted in

the progressing present, and we have the power to change his doomed fate. This seems a

tad far fetched but is educating and interesting, leaving the ending up to the audience.

The end?

www.watershed.co.uk

Kayleigh Cassidy

PJ Harvey & John ParishSaturday 18th April 2009 @ Anson Rooms, Bristol

Polly Jean Harvey, the Westcountry’s finest

female vocalist hits the road again with long

time collaborator John Parish in support of their

second joint album, A Woman A Man Walked

By. See what progressive country rock delights

they’ve come up with this time by heading down

to Bristol Uni.

www.pjharvey.net

51

Bristol Based Singer/Songwriter NightTuesday 14th April 2009 @ Start The Bus

Featuring Performances From: Alex Taylor, Suzy Conrad, Harry North

Free Entry

Alex Taylor’s incredible debut album ‘Auchenflower’ features some of The UK’s top players

including Jim Barr (Portishead), Leo Taylor (Hot Chip) and Dan Moore (Phantom Limb).

The youngest son of jazz legends John Taylor and Norma Winstone, Alex Taylor is truly a

troubadour of world-class standing, amazing both acoustically or with his band. Already

compared to the likes of Damien Rice, Muse and Jeff Buckley, be prepared for an energetic

and passionate vocal performance.

Support comes from two of Bristol’s biggest riding talents on the scene Suzy Conrad and

Harry North. Suzy music has been described as 60’s folk pop while Harry is a bit like John

Coltrane sharing a train ride with The John Bulter Trio…the vibes of the contemporary

fusion.

www.myspace.com/alextayloruk

52

The Rumble StripsMonday 6th April 2009 @ Thekla, Bristol

With Support From: Eugene McGuinness

First formed in deepest, darkest Tavistock, Devon, this

exciting 5-piece have calved themselves some respectable

elbow room in everyone’s indie-pop playlist and are great

fun to see live. Their second album, the Mark Ronson

produced Welcome To The Walk Alone, comes out this

summer.

We caught up with the band to ask how the latest record

came together:

“I spent allot of time listening to a huge range of music

like Harry Nilson, Billy Joel, Chet Baker, Nick Cave, Hall

and Oates, Clyde Mcphatter. Some things I knew from

before and some things I just came across and liked the

sound of. Anytime I got a bit lost I would listen to Kings of

the Wild Frontier by Adam and the Ants or the best of the

Pogues to remind me what I liked about music.”

53

How did Mark Ronson come to produce it?

Who approached who?

“Island asked us to do a remix of Back to Black for an Amy

Winehouse b-side. Because we had never done a remix it

seemed easier to play the song our way as a band and then

put her vocal back on top. He then asked me to come and sing

our version with him at the Electric Proms. After that I did some

other gigs with him and we supported him on his UK tour as a

band. The whole working with him thing grew quite organically.

At first he was going to do a few tracks on the album, and as

we all got to know each other and gave him the demos we were

working on, it ended up being the whole album!”

What do you feel he’s brought to the album?

“I think Mark pulled the sound of the album together really well.

The whole recording process was very live and the sounds were

sorted out before we played so we could hear how it was going

to more or less sound. I think this gives it a very natural feel.”

www.therumblestrips.com

54

Phil King – Album LaunchSaturday 25th April 2009 @ Colston Hall Bar, Bristol

Phil King is as good as they come. If it’s engrossing acoustic guitar complimented with a powerful, soulful voice

you’re after, then Bristol’s long time Mr. Nice Guy is an absolute must! This special gig in the Colston Hall Bar

official celebrates the release of Phil’s eagerly awaited second album and you can whet your appetite now buy

purchasing his new single, The War I Cannot Win, on iTunes.

www.phil-king.net

Little BootsFriday 3rd April 2009 @ Academy

Mango FactoryFriday 3rd April 2009 @ The Prom

StarsailorSunday 5th April 2009 @ Academy

Eagles Of Death MetalMonday 6th April 2009 @ Academy

The Wave PicturesMonday 13th April 2009 @ Thekla

Kill It KidTuesday 14th April 2009 @ The Fleece

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of DeadWednesday 22nd April 2009 @ Thekla

FightstarThursday 23rd April 2009 @ Bierkeller

Friendly FiresSaturday 25th April 2009 @ Anson Rooms

GomezSunday 26th April 2009 @ Academy

The 1990sTuesday 28th April 2009 @ Academy

Other Recommended Gigs for April in Bristol

57

Art For AfricaThursday 23rd April 2009 @ Attic Bar, Stokes Croft

An auction/raffle on the night gives you the chance to get your hands on some amazing art from Mr Jago, Retro Boy, Cheba, Lokey, Cheo and many more!

100% of profits go to Temwa, a Bristol-based charity supporting sustainable community development in Malawi, Africa.

www.temwa.org

58

Jade FrenchShowing between Thursday 23rd and Wednesday 29th April 2009 @ Photographique, Baldwin Street

Jade French trawls the streets of Bristol with her camera-phone looking for quirky objects and

environments that challenge our perceptions of beauty. Most of her work

is very up-close shots of things that

are not considered of great aesthetic

value and usually ignored yet through

her lens take on a strange beauty,

mystery and appeal.

“I am fascinated by the minute detail

of rusty, neglected, weathered urban

objects; when observed up close and

out of context, they reveal surpris-

ingly beautiful, evocative images.”

www.clikpic.com/urbanincidental

59

Other Recommended Art for April in Bristol

Eye ColourFriday 10th until Wednesday 16th April 2009 @ Centrespace Gallery

We do not only perceive the colour of things via the eye, we add colour with the “i” of our imaginations, of our

emotions and our past history.

www.centrespacegallery.com

Future of Sound/Light and Interesting Sounds

Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April 2009 @ Arnolfini

An international collective of vanguard musicians, animators and visual artists come together for a packed weekend

of events, workshops and talks that explore contemporary sound practice.

www.arnolfini.org.uk

Montpelier Art TrailSaturday 25th and Sunday 26th April 2009 @ Various Spaces, Montpelier

Hosted by the Bristol Art Fringe, this new, very Montpeiler focused art trail is a weekend of open houses, open

studios, open workshops and open venues for you to enjoy to your heart’s content. Expect fantastic works in

churches, cafés, public spaces and peoples’ homes.

www.bristolartfringe.org

61

Duvet Vous? with The Notorious Duvet GangSaturday 11th April 2009 @ Chesters

This April marks the 10th anniversary of the Bristol house event Duvet Vous? This funky,

jacking night looks set to possibly be the best in a number of ever growing events hosted by

The Notorious Duvet Gang over the past 12 months. The group’s new venue, Chester’s on

Frogmore Street, will play host to a number of as yet unconfirmed home-grown and overseas

DJs on Saturday 11th April but past guests have included Kinky Movement and US legend

Johnny Fiasco among many others.

This relatively small, intimate venue doesn’t have the capacity of some of the group’s larger

nights at Lakota, yet seems to capture the close friendly vibe that goes hand in hand with the

jacking house scene.

Those already in the know won’t miss this for love nor money and I strongly urge those who

aren’t to come and see what all the fuss is about.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Academy Ramshackle – The UK’s biggest alternative night out. £3/£5

BierkellerPhuct – Punk, metal and rock to make your spine

tingle. £3/£5

Ooompah – Boozy mayhem, pefect for Stag/Hen parties.

£5.50

The CoolerEvery 1st and 3rd Thurs-day – Beat Surrender –

Live bands and indie DJs. £4/£5

Espionage – Live bands and sixties funk and soul DJs. £4

Klub Kute – Classic and new indie. £4/£5

Elbow Rooms Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

9 Ball Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

Crunchie – Party music. Free

By The Pool – Part music. Free

Grass Roots – New and old reggae. Free

Mr Wolf’sEvery 2nd Tuesday –

Weapon of Choice – Live graffiti. £3

Open Mic Night

Native Run – Drum & Bass. £4/£5Alternate - Empathy, Byte,

Tape, Monterpiece, The Blast. Techno, house, D&B.

Western Soul – Live bands and DJs.

[Regular Club Nights]

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Academy Ramshackle – The UK’s biggest alternative night out. £3/£5

BierkellerPhuct – Punk, metal and rock to make your spine

tingle. £3/£5

Ooompah – Boozy mayhem, pefect for Stag/Hen parties.

£5.50

The CoolerEvery 1st and 3rd Thurs-day – Beat Surrender –

Live bands and indie DJs. £4/£5

Espionage – Live bands and sixties funk and soul DJs. £4

Klub Kute – Classic and new indie. £4/£5

Elbow Rooms Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

9 Ball Pool Competition – Win £50 bar tab.

Crunchie – Party music. Free

By The Pool – Part music. Free

Grass Roots – New and old reggae. Free

Mr Wolf’sEvery 2nd Tuesday –

Weapon of Choice – Live graffiti. £3

Open Mic Night

Native Run – Drum & Bass. £4/£5Alternate - Empathy, Byte,

Tape, Monterpiece, The Blast. Techno, house, D&B.

Western Soul – Live bands and DJs.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Oceana Monday Night ChillShipwrecked – Student

NightPoker League

Come Play – Themes, live acts.

Commercial RnB, Garage, Pop/Rock, Dance. Over 21s.

UK Club Culture – Un-der 18s.

Po Na Na Fatpoppadaddys – Funk and indie classics. £2/£3

The Shisha Mashup – Mu-sical mash but free shisha!

£1/£3

Soul A-Go-Go – Funk and soul. £3/£4

Po Na Raa – Collars up, cocktails down. £6

Queen Shilling Treason – Bristol’s only gay alt/indie night. £2

Wednesday Wannabe – Karaoke. £2

Shagtag – Student night. £2/£4

Camp as Tits – Themed chart and dance. £3/£5

Alternate – Glow, Core, Sale, Switch. Dance and

funky house.

Sunday Roasted – Dance and cheese.

Free

Start The Bus

Bat Cave – Alternative mash-up. Free

Alternate – Wriggle, What A Drag. Alternative.

Alternate – Beef, Juke2000. Alternative.

Syndicate Propaganda – Massive indie night. £3/£4

Voodoo – Dance and old school.

Thekla Gorilla Audio – Indie/pop. £2/£3

Death From Above – Indie, electro. Free/£3

Alternate – Fruity Antics, Shoestring, Hospitality, Play, Monkey! Knife! Fight!, Blow

Pop. Liquid D&B and electro.

Socialism – Indie, electro, punk. Free/£5

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Oceana Monday Night ChillShipwrecked – Student

NightPoker League

Come Play – Themes, live acts.

Commercial RnB, Garage, Pop/Rock, Dance. Over 21s.

UK Club Culture – Un-der 18s.

Po Na Na Fatpoppadaddys – Funk and indie classics. £2/£3

The Shisha Mashup – Mu-sical mash but free shisha!

£1/£3

Soul A-Go-Go – Funk and soul. £3/£4

Po Na Raa – Collars up, cocktails down. £6

Queen Shilling Treason – Bristol’s only gay alt/indie night. £2

Wednesday Wannabe – Karaoke. £2

Shagtag – Student night. £2/£4

Camp as Tits – Themed chart and dance. £3/£5

Alternate – Glow, Core, Sale, Switch. Dance and

funky house.

Sunday Roasted – Dance and cheese.

Free

Start The Bus

Bat Cave – Alternative mash-up. Free

Alternate – Wriggle, What A Drag. Alternative.

Alternate – Beef, Juke2000. Alternative.

Syndicate Propaganda – Massive indie night. £3/£4

Voodoo – Dance and old school.

Thekla Gorilla Audio – Indie/pop. £2/£3

Death From Above – Indie, electro. Free/£3

Alternate – Fruity Antics, Shoestring, Hospitality, Play, Monkey! Knife! Fight!, Blow

Pop. Liquid D&B and electro.

Socialism – Indie, electro, punk. Free/£5

[Regular Club Nights]

66

Sandi ToksvigWednesday 22nd April 2009 @ Holland House Hotel, Redcliffe Hill

To raise money for Bristol’s acclaimed theatre company Show of Strength, the hilarious broadcaster, comedian and writer, Sandi Toksvig, will be performing a brand new stand-up comedy show inspired by England, Shakespeare and St George. Despite critical acclaim and big audiences for recent shows like Trade It?, Trading Local, An Audience with Mrs Guppy and The Wills Girls, the Bedminster-based theatre company has faced a year of struggle because of funding delays, uncertainties and setbacks.

Sandi Toksvig, the chair of Radio 4’s The News Quiz and panellist on Whose Line Is It Anyway and Have I Got News For You?, has generously offered to help the company to turn its fi nancial situation around by appearing for free in a topical new show written specifi cally for the night during a fund-raising dinner at the Holland House Hotel on the eve of St George’s Day and the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birthday.

Tickets for the benefi t cost £75, including a champagne reception, three-course dinner and Sandi Toksvig’s show with all money going to Show of Strength.

www.showofstrength.org.uk

68

Antony and CleopatraShowing from Thursday 26th March until Saturday 2nd May 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre

The 2009 season marks ten years of Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory’s full-cast stagings of some of the

greatest plays ever written at the most exciting studio theatre in the West and to follow the brutal and brilliant

Julius Caesar, we can now look forward to the legendary tragedy, Antony and Cleopatra; an intensely personal and

moving story set against the sweeping backdrop of classical history.

With Rome’s future about to be secured under the rule of the young Emperor Augustus (great nephew and adopted

son to the assassinated Caesar), Shakespeare turns to one of the most notorious love affairs in history, that

between the Roman, Mark Antony, and the Egyptian Queen, Cleopatra.

Often viewed, mistakenly, as a clash between races or between East and West, it is actually more about the world

of men and the world of women. Masculine Rome and feminine Egypt call on different and fatally incompatible

Antonys, a tension that will destroy both him and Cleopatra and see Rome extend its power in the Eastern

Mediterranean.

Students go to any performance of Antony and Cleopatra 2for1 – Wizard!

www.tobaccofactorytheatre.com

70

Other Recommended Stage for April in BristolThe Lost WorldFriday 3rd until Sunday 19th April 2009 @ Bristol Old Vic

An exciting and thrilling adventure for everyone over 5. On an expedition to reveal the secrets of Maple White

Island, Professor Challenger discovered a lost world where prehistoric monsters still roam free – dare you enter

it?!

www.bristololdvic.org.uk

The Devil You Know…Tuesday 21st until Saturday 25th April 2009 @ Alma Tavern Theatre

Actors Workshop presents three English folk tales based on The Mermaid of Zenor, The Stones of Stanton Drew

and Mr Fox Goes A-Wooeing. Three short physical plays performed each evening.

www.almataverntheatre.co.uk

PrototypeSunday 26th April 2009 @ Tobacco Factory Theatre

Prototype is an informal event that gives Bristol’s theatre-makers the chance to show you what they’re working

on. Each evening showcases a handful of extracts from new pieces from the funny to the strange and from the

highly polished to the rather spontaneous. Hang around afterwards for the chance to have a say on what you’ve

seen.

www.theatrebristol.net

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Bristol's No.1 independent magazine! Just go to www.suityourselfmagazine.co.uk and follow the links.

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. HydeShowing between Friday 3rd and Thursday 9th April 2009 @ Watershed

Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale of terror, first published in 1886, has inspired countless screen adaptations but none has ever matched the achievement of the very first sound version. Mamoulian’s sensual and stylish masterpiece is startlingly frank in its portrayal of Jekyll as a man tormented by sexual frustration who shocks the scientific community by claiming that man’s good self can be separated from his evil self. Steeped in the atmosphere of Victorian London, this stunning psychological horror features an Oscar-winning performance from Fredric March as the elegant, civilised doctor who transforms himself to terrifying effect.

www.watershed.co.uk

74

Crimes of PassionVarious events showing between Saturday 11th and Tuesday 14th April 2009 @ Cube

The creative chaos that is the Crimes of Passion street art exhibition hits the Cube in full on party mode. Expect a thrilling evening of independently made short films documenting graffiti art around the world including the Bristol premiere of highly acclaimed graffiti and street art documentary, Bomb It, and cult hip-hop and graffiti fairy tale, Wild Style.

Expect films from Brazil to Bristol, trains to tagging and everything in between. In addition to the celluloid delights, several of Bristol’s graffiti artists from the exhibition will be jamming together and creating a live piece of art on the night.

www.cubecinema.com

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Other Recommended Cinema for April in Bristol

Slumdog MillionaireShowing from Friday 3rd until Thursday 9th April 2009 @ Watershed

For anyone who missed in first time around, here’s another chance to catch the film that dominated the Oscars this year - 8

awards! Now that’s just mental!

www.watershed.co.uk

NotoriousTuesday 7th April 2009 @ Cube

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s classics, this romantic thriller features a cast to

die for including Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant. She is an American agent with an assignment to marry the suspected head

of a post-WW2 spy ring and get the goods on everyone involved.

www.cubecinema.com

In The LoopShowing from Friday 17th until Thursday 30th April 2009 @ Watershed

This intelligent, political farce skewers US-UK relations with acid wit and terrifying resemblance to actual recent events. With

support from James Gandolfini, Steve Coogan and Peter Capaldi, In the Loop brilliantly and hilariously opens a window to

the snake pit of international diplomacy and bureaucratic opportunism.

www.watershed.co.uk

The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2009Saturday 18th April 2009 @ Watershed

Encounters Short Film Festival presents a unique opportunity to see two programmes of the Animation and Live Action Short

Films nominated at this year’s Academy Awards, including the winners La Maison en Petits Cubes (Pieces of Love,Vol 1) and

Spielzeugland (Toyland).

www.watershed.co.uk

Aries: Don’t count your chickens this month – if you don’t know exactly how many you have per square foot, it doesn’t count as animal cruelty.

Taurus: You may be forced to stand up for yourself this month. You can only sit in an armchair for so long before you get bedsores. And you will have to empty the wee-bucket.

Gemini: This month, you will taste like chicken.

Cancer: As Neptune ascends this month in perfect alignment with Pluto, all you need is to be struck by lightning at midnight and you will become the new Lord of Darkness. Lucky thing.

Leo: Love matters look set to become complicated this month when surprise DNA test results have hilarious consequences. He’s your brother! Oh my days. Mystic is laughing anyway.

Virgo: You did a very nice job of living last month, so I am going to trust you to get on with next month while I have a word with the headmaster in the broom cupboard.

Libra: Romantic pressure reaches a head this month. So that will be nice for you. Don’t forget to say thank you afterwards.

Scorpio: Stay focussed this month by making your movements slow. I hate it when my pictures come out blurry. You are too beautiful for that.

Sagittarius: Temptation is everywhere for you this month, so why not be a bit naughty and get those shoes you want. Or slip that rat-poison in your dad’s tea. You know you want to.

Capricorn: Spoil yourself this month. A good way to start might be wrapping yourself in razor wire and having a roll around. That’ll spoil you – and the carpet.

Aquarius: Tesco is very unlucky for you indeed this month. I would stay at least two hundred feet away at all times. That leaves the Sahara, or the bottom of the sea.

Pisces: Relations between you and the man you lives in your cupboard become strained this month. Haven’t met him yet? You will…

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April IssueEditor: Matt Whittle matt@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Executive Editor: Faye Penfold faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Design & Illustration: James Penfold penfold@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part

without the permission of Suit Yourself Magazine.

Suit Yourself Magazine and SY On The Sly are independent publications distributed

throughout Bristol.

Advertising Enquiries: faye@suityourselfmagazine.co.uk

Contributors for April Issue:

Kyle Brown, Natalie Burns, Sam Butler, Kayleigh Cassidy, Anna Freeman, Stu

Freeman, Hazel Goodfellow, James Harper, Chloe Jackson, Freya Morris,

Jessica Pennock, Skye Portman, Laura Snoad, Tom Spooner, Glenn Vowles,

Matt Whittle