The Hip-Hop Bulletin

Think global or act local is the big question this Xmas, as Glasgow's headz are offered the chance to blow their Christmas bonuses on big names like The Roots (Carling Academy, Dec 17, 7pm, £17.50) and The Game (Carling Academy, Dec 6, 7pm £25). On the flip side, a quarter of the price of The Game gets you into the Soundhaus for 8 Mile, local legends Steg G and the Freestyle Master, and host of other live acts (Soundhaus, Dec 1, 10.30pm-late, £5/£7). Loose Change (Arches, Dec 15, £6/£8) does exactly what it says on the tin, giving us the Grand King Herbaliser, Ollie Teeba, Rob Red Alert and the delightful Mr. Thing for just over a fiver. At that price, you could take your granny along for an early Xmas present. It's the thought that counts, after all. If your catholic family's tribe of siblings has burned up all your cash on Xmas presents and you desperately need a fix, check out Remedy (Dec 5, 7pm onwards, £2 before 12am/£3) in The Venue, Oran Mor. This new night's developing a sound following, and although it's just resident DJs spinning hip-hop, the venue's classy and the tracks are a good mix of old-school, psychedelic and commercial stuff, with the odd homegrown track in there. Over in the 'burgh, We Are Electric gives the local Trouble DJs a room of their own along with MC Santa on the 20th (Cabaret Votaire, £tbc, 11pm-3am) winning awards for worst seasonal-themed title. Big Toes Hi-Fi takes on the Glasgow noise machine of Bass Warrior Sound System in the Wee Red Bar on the 15th, promising bass-heavy riddims, a smattering of skanking dub and just a sprinkling of hip-hop beats (Wee Red Bar, Free before 11.30pm. £5/£4 after). And finally, make sure you checkout Sileni Bannermans (Dec 15, free, 9pm-late). These snarly Patton-esque vomit-rap MC's spew forth inspired bizarre beat-styled monologues on the subject of everything and nothing and sound like absolutely nothing you've ever heard before. An on top of that, it's cheap. [Liam Arnold]