What's On Scotland 5-12 Apr: Counterflows & more

Annual celebration of underground, experimental and international music, Counterflows Festival returns to Glasgow this weekend. Plus, Goat Girl, ELAGA, Dive Queer Party, Tales of the Cocktail, Edinburgh's West End Arts Festival and more...

Feature by Nadia Younes | 05 Apr 2018

The seventh edition of Counterflows Festival hits a dozen Glasgow spaces this weekend, beginning tonight and concluding on Sunday, from the CCA, The Glad Cafe and The Art School to the more unconventional like the Fred Paton Centre, Queen's Park Bowling Club and Garnethill Multicultural Community Centre.

As ever, the festival's focus is on underground, experimental and international music, with a range of live performances, film screenings, talks and late night socials being held over the course of the weekend. This year’s programme includes performances from American contemporary composer Susie Ibarra, Tanzanian electronica courtesy of Sounds of Sisso and a debut UK performance from self-proclaimed ‘Queer Black Diva’ MHYSA.



Goat Girl
Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh. 10 Apr, 7pm
Scuzzy garage rock four-piece Goat Girl celebrate "the fucked up side of London to great effect," on their self-titled debut album, set for release tomorrow. That gives you plenty of time to get acquainted with Clottie Cream, Rosy Bones, Naima Jelly and L.E.D (that's right) before their gig at Sneaky's on Tuesday. Support on the night comes from Suitman Jungle. Image: Andy Von Pip



ELAGA
Craigtoun Country Park, St Andrews. 7 Apr, 12pm
Believe it or not, there is a music festival taking place in St Andrews this weekend – IKR, shut the front door. ELAGA is a student-run festival taking place in Craigtoun Country Park combining art and music, with a headline set from Hackney drum'n'bass lot Rudimental (pictured) and live art installations available to view throughout the day. Image: Mark Alesky



ADVERTISEMENT | Bowhouse Food Weekend
Bowhouse Farm, Anstruther, 7 & 8 Apr, 10am
Bowhouse Food Weekend takes place this weekend with a stellar line-up of the best artisan food from across Scotland. Situated in Fife’s East Neuk, the food weekends are unique indoor events, providing an opportunity to see, discuss, taste and buy the best local food and drink from a changing roster of craft producers alongside a portfolio of Bowhouse’s own makers. There's a dedicated street food area with live music, perfect for kicking back and savouring the flavours.


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Dive Queer Party: Goddess Awards
The Basement Theatre, Edinburgh. 5 Apr, 8pm
Unleash your inner goddess, just like those Venus adverts told us to, at the Dive Queer Party: Goddess Awards tonight. Hosted by Queen of queer cabaret, Miss Annabel Sings and with performances by drag queen royalty Fedora Veronica Homburg and drag kings Agent Cooper and King Biff, as well as many more, it’s certainly going to be a night to remember. Image: Rod Penn



Matthew Bourne’s Highland Fling
Theatre Royal, Glasgow. Until 7 Apr, 7.30pm & Festival Theatre, Edinburgh. 10-14 Apr, times vary
Dubbed ‘La Sylphide for the Trainspotting generation’, Matthew Bourne's Highland Fling is a classical ballet set in modern-day Glasgow. The show’s costumes, designed by Lez Brotherston, give a comical nod to Scottish icons The Krankies and Sean Connery, as the Scottish Ballet dancers don tartan kilts, leather jackets and biker boots – y’know, your classic ballet attire. Image: Andy Ross

Lets Go Back to the 80s Discotheque
SWG3, Glasgow. 7 Apr, 10pm
Be transported back in time to a decade where the sounds of hi energy, new romanticism and electro pop ruled the charts and the dance floors. DJs Bosco, Rob Mason and JP will be spinning tunes from the likes of Donna Summer, Prince, Madonna and Talking Heads all night, accompanied by visuals from VJ Georgina Penstkart. Strictly no cheese, apparently. Image: Jamie Allan Shaw



Tales of the Cocktail
Various venues across Edinburgh. 7-10 Apr, times vary
New Orleans cocktail festival Tales of the Cocktail returns to the Capital for another extended weekend of learning and drinking and learning about drinking. A variety of talks, seminars and tastings will be held over the course of the festival by a selection of movers and shakers (cocktail shakers, geddit?!) in the European drinks industry. Image: Jennifer Mitchell



Edinburgh's West End Arts Festival
Various venues across Edinburgh. 7-18 Apr
Edinburgh's West End Arts Festival is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Two specially commissioned artworks from Kevin Harman (pictured) – at the UNION Gallery, 9-13 Apr – and Paloma Proudfoot and Aniela Piasecka – at The Scottish Arts Club, 10-18 Apr – will be on show, as well as a longer-running exhibition of original Matisse prints at Gallery TEN – until 5 May.



Richard III (A One-Woman Show)
Citizens Theatre, Glasgow. 10-14 Apr, 7.30pm
If you’re not a fan of audience participation, then Richard III (A One-Woman Show) might not be for you, but don’t let that put you off. Kolbrún Bjort Sigfúsdóttir and Emily Carding’s (pictured) reimagining of Shakespeare’s Richard III has won rave reviews at theatres and Fringe festivals across the world, recently travelling as far as Pakistan for NAPA International Festival. Image: James Brokenshaw


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