What's on Scotland 7-14 Apr: Glasgow International

Each week The Skinny team hand pick a selection of events from the Scottish cultural calendar to provide you with this guide to the most exciting goings on in the week ahead. From gigs, plays and exhibitions to spoken word and pop up cake shops, we give you the insider's guide to things to do in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee every Thursday morning.

GI: Lawrence Lek & Oliver Coats Performance
Tramway, Glasgow. 9 Apr, 1.30pm

Arts biennial Glasgow International engulfs the west side this month, kicking off on 8 Apr and filling the city's galleries, studios, and, er, roller discos with arty goodness until 25 Apr. We're particularly intrigued by QE3, in which artist Lawrence Lek uses video game software to tell the fictional tale of Glasgow's luxury ocean liner QE2 returning to its city of birth to become a home for GSA. In this performance Lek's work is soundtracked by composer and cellist Oliver Coats.

The Stand's Spotlight Series: Feminism
The Stand, Edinburgh. 13 Apr, 8.30pm

The Stand’s branching out this month with its brand new Spotlight series in which it welcomes a lineup of six different comedians every month to, ahem, shine a light on a chosen theme or issue. The debut show welcomes Thomas Hind, Donald Alexander, Ally Houston (pictured), Will Hutchby, Rosy Candlin, Kimi Loughton and host Wis Jantarasorn. And this month’s theme? Feminism! Wahey! Photo: Stephen Cruickshank

Kate Tempest
Mitchell Library, Glasgow. 14 Apr, 6.30pm

Kate Tempest swings by the Mitchell Theatre mid-April as part of Aye Write! Festival, fresh from the release of debut novel The Bricks that Build the Houses. Raspy lyricism and heartening bars of Ted Hughes Award-winning poetry; what more could you want from your Thursday evening? Catch her before she continues her tour to Birmingham, Portland, Los Angeles and beyond. You can also stay looped in to all things bookish in our Poetry News column. Photo: Bart Heemskerk

Mexrrissey
SWG3, Glasgow. 8 Apr, 7pm

Mexrrissey – the result of Mexico's entirely unexpected infatuation with The Most Miserable Man On Earth (Morrissey, obvs). The band, headed by Camilo Lara, take classics like First Of The Gang To Die, Every Day Is Like Sunday and, of course, Mexico, and dip 'em in a nice big pot of Mexican goodness. Less a tribute act, more a creative response to Morrissey's many musical tethers to Mexico – and in all likelihood a cracking night out, too.

Full Spectrum
Summerhall, Edinburgh. 8 Apr, 10pm

Boffins and clubbers unite on Friday when Full Spectrum returns to Summerhall's Dissection Room as part of the Science Festival, with DJs Astrojazz, Main Ingredient and Wasabi Disco spinning the discs while Unstable Creations and Bright Side Studios take care of digital artwork and visuals. If that wasn't quite nerdy enough, there'll also be Infra-red audience responsive rave-aids changing colour along with detected body temperatures. Mad. Photo: Rita Azevedo

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GFT Shakespeare on Film Season: Ran
GFT 2, Glasgow. 7 Apr, 2pm & 7.30pm

In case the news had escaped you, we're approaching the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. Sure, you could doff your cap by streaming Baz Luhrmann's R+J for the billionth time, but why not indulge in something a little meatier? After all, GFT's Shakespeare on Film season is screening Ran, Akira Kurosawa’s re-imagination of King Lear as a bloody Japanese battle epic. Get a gander at the guts, gore and civil war – it's what the Bard would've wanted.

The Cat Empire
O2 ABC, Glasgow. 8 Apr, 7pm
The Queen's Hall, Edinburgh. 9 Apr, 7pm

Melbourne purveyors of jazz, funk and ska The Cat Empire bounce onto Scottish shores this week, bringing a weighty back-catalogue of skankable tracks and an almost medicinal amount of sunny vibes. They're embarking on a tour spanning Europe, Australia and Canada following the March release of Rising With The Sun, so snap up tickets to their Edinburgh and Glasgow shows while you can.

Pecha Kucha 27: Artist in the City
The Whisky Bond, Glasgow. 12 Apr, 6.30pm

You'd be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed by Glasgow International's beautifully sprawling line-up this year; even the most seasoned of attendees are at risk of feeling punch-drunk by the 2016 programme. Panic not, The Whisky Bond is hosting a Pecha Kucha night in which a selection of GI artists are allotted 7 minutes to discuss their practices, influences and motivations – you even get a free tipple with your ticket! Read our interview with GI festival director Sarah McCrory here.

Nada Surf
King Tut's, Glasgow. 10 Apr, 8.30pm

A rare visit to Scottish shores from Nada Surf, college rock veterans and the musical brains behind the nostalgia-soaked hit Popular. The band is fresh from the release of new LP You Know Who You Are, with a sound now bolstered by guitar playing from Guided By Voices' Doug Gillard. Buy your tickets here and catch 'em at Tut's this Sunday. Photo: John Lewis

Counterflows: Late Night
The Art School, Glasgow. 9 Apr, 11pm

This Saturday sees The Art School helping Glasgae to wave tarra to Counterflows Festival, a four day jubilation of underground music / arts projects. The party takes the form of a late-nighter on the penultimate eve of festival's run (7-10 Apr). With promises of 'miltary dance space music and / or fluxus techno' from N.M.O, live pop improv from YEAH YOU and a bit of 'computer music for hooligans' from Evol, things are bound to get freaky. In a good way. Illustration: Verbal Picks

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