What's On Scotland 11-18 Feb: GrownUps Bowie Party
So you've slept off your batter-based food coma and are heading full throttle and bleary-eyed into Valentine's mania. What to do? Distract yourself entirely with spoon carving, David Bowie, a love festival at Summerhall and a Green festival at SWG3
Every week The Skinny team hand pick a spread of events from the Scottish cultural calendar to provide you with this guide to the best entertainment and goings on on in the coming week. From gigs, plays and exhibitions to spoken word and pop up shops, we give you the insider's guide to top things to do in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee every Thursday morning. We've held back on the lovey-dovey stuff (mostly), but if you're eager to plan your Valentine's weekend you can check out our guide to the best Valentine's events in Scotland.
GrownUps Sound & Vision: Bowie Special
Summerhall, Edinburgh. 13 Feb, 9pm
Vinyl-party throwers GrownUps aren't concerned with pandering to Valentine's nonsense this weekend. Instead, they're throwing a big glittery Bowie bash with only one type of music on the decks; tunes traceable to the late, great David Bowie. You'll be treated to songs which inspired his work, music which demonstrates his legacy, and – of course – his very own greatest hits.
ESAF: For The Love of Science
Summerhall, Edinburgh. 14 Feb, 11am
Summerhall celebrates the big V with a delightful melting pot of art and science as part of Edinburgh Student Art Festival. The event takes place all day and you can swing by for the likes of speed dating in the Histology lab, a Valentine's market, talks, workshops, live music and a party right into the night. Illustration: Kim Thompson
British Art Show 8
Various venues, Edinburgh. 13 Feb-8 May
National touring exhibition British Art Show 8 spreads its wares across a trio of Edinburgh galleries – Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Inverleith House, and Talbot Rice – offering a curated overview of 42 artists deemed to have made a significant contribution to UK art over the past five years, encompassing sculpture, film, video, photography, painting, performance, and design.
Banff Mountain Film Festival
SECC, Glasgow. 16 Feb, 7.30pm
Banff Mountain Film Festival arrives in Glasgow (following its Edinburgh airing in January), screening the 'Red' film programme – a selection of adventure shorts featuring thrill-seekers climbing, running, skiing, mountain biking, and such-like in some pretty wild places, including Unbranded's 3,000-mile trek from Mexico to Canada on wild horses. Photo: Ryan Creary
Glasgow Goes Green Festival
SWG3, Glasgow. 11 Feb, 5pm
Distract yourself from the impending doom of Valentine's Day by being proactive about the impending doom of a man-made apocalypse instead. As part of Go Green Week, SWG3 are hosting a festival devoted to healing the planet. There'll be beer brewing, bike mending, fashion swapping, a 'throwaway gourmet food' stall and, of course, an appearance from Philanthrobeats.
Edward Scissorhands
St Luke's, Glasgow. 14 Feb, 8pm
Made unique by the fact it's the only festival in Europe curated by 15-18 year olds, Glasgow Youth Film Festival rounds off an eclectic programme with an immersive Valentine's Day Closing Gala screening of Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands, taking place in a specially-created atmospheric set at converted church St Luke’s. Perfect date film, no?
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Fuzzkill All-Dayer
Nice 'N' Sleazy, Glasgow. 13 Feb, 5pm
Fuzzkill Records are getting all warm and, er, fuzzy for the release of their love-covers compilation album. You'll catch Halfrican (pictured), ones to watch Sweaty Palms and Manchester export Fruit Tones, and heaps more besides. They're also giving out free tapes, and it's all for charity. Maybe love really is in the air? Photo: Derek Robertson
Fringe Abridged Festival: Josie Miller's Birthday Cabaret
The Tron, Edinburgh. 15 Feb, 7.30pm
Taking its cue from PBH's Free Fringe, Fringe Abridged Festival returns for its sophomore year (running 15-20 Feb) – kicking off with Josie Miller's Birthday Cabaret (with guests The Improverts and Tray Full of Brownies, plus some promised 'gin and crying'), before taking in a sketch comedy (Biscuit Box), a book club discussing non-existing books (The Apologists' Book Club), and more. See listings. Photo: Mihaela Bodlovic
Substance ft. Helena Hauff
Bongo Club, Edinburgh. 12 Feb, 11pm
Gifted producer and selector Helena Hauff joins the Substance lot for a debut Edinburgh performance this weekend. The night has been well and truly earmarked in this month's clubbing highlights – her night of jagged, pulsing techno and soaring synth is set to be a winner. Wrap your ears around the DJ chart she compiled for us last year and get your tickets booked stat. Photo: Katja Ruge
Spoon Carving Workshop
Kinning Park Complex, Glasgow. 18 Feb, 5pm
A community project built on a passion for food, the CCA's 'Cooking Pot' series continues this month with – wait for it – spoon carving! More interesting than it sounds, punters will be invited to carve their own spoon from locally-sourced Scottish hardwoods before preparing a tasty soup to test said spoons with. Now if that doesn't warm your heart, nothing will.
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