Atlantica - 01.09.2003, Page 12

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10 A T L A N T I C A
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Scotland’s largest metropolis has worked hard for its big break. Like many great cities,
Glasgow was a cultural giant of the industrial revolution that suffered during the early
20th century and had to sweat in the ’70s and ’80s to convince the world both that the soot
had been scraped off its Victorian facades and that the cultural roots planted 100 years
before were still very much alive. The PR paid off. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Glasgow’s
beloved art nouveau architect, became a household name, and by the end of last centu-
ry, Glasgow received the aesthetic stamp of approval and was anointed UK City of
Architecture and Design 1999.
And like many great cities that are rediscovered bit by bit, Glasgow is at long last getting
props for what goes on within its esteemed architecture. The music scene that has thrived
in the old tobacco and cotton warehouses of Merchant City and the cobblestone alleys of
the West End has turned this oft-overlooked city into a hub where international artists
flock. In the ’90s, bands like Ride and Teenage Fan Club gave Glasgow a permanent spot
on the indie music map. Today, Glasgow’s music scene has evolved into a mix of global
sounds from agogo bells to the Indian tabla.
This October let Glasgow expand your horizons at the city’s ninth annual international
music festival Big Big World. Featured artists in this week-long celebration (23-30 October)
include visiting artists from India, Afghanistan, and Union Island. Cuban musicians, and
film, food and salsa workshops will lend Glasgow’s cool Scottish autumn some heat at Si
Cuba! (31 October to 2 November), a music festival celebrating Glasgow’s 2002 twinning
with Havana. Visit www.soundsfine.co.uk for schedule information.
World beats and mojitos not your scene? Chat up a real live Glaswegian hipster over a
pint at Nice-n-Sleazy, a Charing Cross post-punk bar and basement venue where bands
like Mogwai and Arab Strap appear. Or head into Merchant City, where DJs at Bargo spin
to the tune of its über-mod interior design that has received accolades from The British
Council for the Arts. KLM
Big Big Glasgow
TRAVEL
From the Mackintosh House
Celtic Connections
GLASGOW
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