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Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 15:37:02 GMT -1
From the Rambling thread: Official lighting up ceremony on 23rd December last year with Bobby Bluebell and the Sirens of Titan Choir singing Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Keyboard player was pretty good too... Can't quite remember his name. If I looked hard enough I could probably find a recording. Pete, I'd really love it if you could find a recording of that and post it. Sounds like a swell night all round! God knows there's not much I approve of in terms of what happens in the west end these days, but there's no denying that the whole Oran Mor phenomenon is a triumph. (apart from the bar service) (and the bar prices) (and the uncomfy seats in the bar) ;D
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Post by bormes on Oct 17, 2010 19:06:22 GMT -1
The decor is exceptional, so many wee details are so good. I love the goats head too. Are the prices not on a par with most in the west end? If the seats at the bar are not comfy, you need to eat "mair pies" hehe.
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Post by westender on Oct 17, 2010 19:26:24 GMT -1
The decor is exceptional, so many wee details are so good. I love the goats head too. Are the prices not on a par with most in the west end? If the seats at the bar are not comfy, you need to eat "mair pies" hehe. Believe me, I'm really no needin any mair pies! I seem to remember being completely and utterly affronted at what I was charged for some pint or other of something exotic but nondescript in there at one point. (Is that a goat? I thought it wis a sheep)
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Post by hollowhorn on Oct 17, 2010 21:05:02 GMT -1
They serve the best G 'n T in the whole wurld. Gotta be the fine Bombay, btw. Nom nom as they say in FB.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2010 21:31:44 GMT -1
It's no cheap but neither is anywhere else in the WE. I've got kinda used to paying a fiver for a glass of fine tempranillo. The place is stunningly beautiful, it's always such a pleasure to be there, except maybe late doors on a Friday/Saturday but everywhere in the WE's like that now when the weekend millionaires arrive. Also the two live music venues are perfect for so many of the bands I've seen there over the last five years; Jimmy Webb being the highlight thus far. Not a dry eye in the house--and that was just the men Also the triumphant return to live touring of Edwyn Collins a couple of years back that was some night!---and I've also seen some great stuff in the downstairs club, from Roddy Hart to Tim Robbins the other weekend, great vibey wee space that. Only downside is the spindly wooden bar seats. Ouch.
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Post by bormes on Oct 18, 2010 18:05:03 GMT -1
We will just have to toast a wee dram to this wee site in O/M then Rolo, and you being like Westie, feeling the bar seats are too hard must need to eat mair pies tae. I must have eaten the last ones 'cause I'm OK on the bar seats, I must stop trying to eat the EU food mountain away.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2010 22:08:03 GMT -1
We will just have to toast a wee dram to this wee site in O/M then Rolo, and you being like Westie, feeling the bar seats are too hard must need to eat mair pies tae. Deal. The pies are on you, Bormes BTW, anyone interested in seeing the cantankerous aul bugger that's Van the Man, Oran Mor are running an inclusive deal this Saturday; return coach from the bar and back plus gig ticket for the Armadillo, 75 of wur earth pounds. Spend ourselves outta recession, yeah?
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Post by notanimby on Oct 22, 2010 6:13:33 GMT -1
We will just have to toast a wee dram to this wee site in O/M then Rolo, and you being like Westie, feeling the bar seats are too hard must need to eat mair pies tae. Deal. The pies are on you, Bormes BTW, anyone interested in seeing the cantankerous aul bugger that's Van the Man, Oran Mor are running an inclusive deal this Saturday; return coach from the bar and back plus gig ticket for the Armadillo, 75 of wur earth pounds. Spend ourselves outta recession, yeah? Izzit tax deductable?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2010 21:46:46 GMT -1
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Post by bormes on Oct 23, 2010 6:22:00 GMT -1
Rolo, I don't know if you maybe saw on the TV last night a wee story about Alistair Gray, regards a drawing for the underground? He is apparently doing the same drawing in the Western Baths. I am delighted, it is part of Nioclas Wheatley's original drawing done for the old Grosvenor Cafe.,
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2010 18:29:43 GMT -1
Rolo, I don't know if you maybe saw on the TV last night a wee story about Alistair Gray, regards a drawing for the underground? He is apparently doing the same drawing in the Western Baths. I am delighted, it is part of Nioclas Wheatley's original drawing done for the old Grosvenor Cafe., No, I missed that, Bormes. I did however see Mr Gray this very afternoon, coincidentally right outside Hillhead tube station--- The drawing you refer to---do you mean the mural in the Old Grosvenor? The Glasgow scenes with various west end well-kent faces in it?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2010 18:35:06 GMT -1
Deal. The pies are on you, Bormes BTW, anyone interested in seeing the cantankerous aul bugger that's Van the Man, Oran Mor are running an inclusive deal this Saturday; return coach from the bar and back plus gig ticket for the Armadillo, 75 of wur earth pounds. Spend ourselves outta recession, yeah? Izzit tax deductable? Oh pee ess, I ran into two people today who are going to this gig tonight; one paid £50 for his ticket, the other £75 for the Oran Mor bus option. In the latter's case it IS tax deductible because he's a freelancer in the music industry. So a win-win all round---and good on OM for being so enterprising, none of this silly queuing to park at SECC--and you can have a wee snifter on the coach!
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Post by bormes on Oct 23, 2010 18:39:01 GMT -1
I am reliably informed that the mural is on a wall in France, but it will be back in the West End later.
The part of the mural referred to if you remember the bit where it was like an overhead map of the West End, showing the buildings, Uni, Western, Byres Rd., Cafe, Ashton Lane, Chip etc.,etc. That is the part he is using.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2010 19:05:12 GMT -1
I am reliably informed that the mural is on a wall in France, but it will be back in the West End later. The part of the mural referred to if you remember the bit where it was like an overhead map of the West End, showing the buildings, Uni, Western, Byres Rd., Cafe, Ashton Lane, Chip etc.,etc. That is the part he is using. Excellent! I remember it well.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2010 0:42:35 GMT -1
A recent exchange between Andrew Marr of the BBC and Alasdair Gray (verbatim); Marr: Alasdair, on the cover of one of your books you have in gold the words: 'Work as if you were living in the early days of a better nation'. And much of what you have done is trying to create a stronger sense of parts of that nation...a stronger sense of place. (Pause) Gray: Oh, good. (Strangulated tone). I did not mean to. I just wanted to tell stories and make pictures that people would enjoy. Marr: And yet it's almost impossible to imagine your drawing and your – your – writing without your native city. I mean, you seem to be as rooted in Glasgow and Glasgow is as important for you as, you know, parts of Northern Ireland are for Seamus Heaney, or one could go on. Gray: (In a high pitch) Or St Petersburg for Dostoevsky or Dickens for London! Yes, I'm perfectly ordinary that way! After this disconcerting start, Mr Marr insists on digging an even bigger hole for himself. He asks Mr Gray about the origins of his style as an artist. 'Partly from Walt Disney and partly from the Beano and the Dandy comics,' comes the reply, 'and then every other artist who ever lived.' Art college is written off with admirable candour: 'I just wanted to draw bare naked women'. Is there anywhere left for this interview to go? It seems there is. Marr: This is a book of pictures. One of the many interesting parts of it is very early on you just show some of the many illustrated books that you grew up with as a child and it strikes me that we live now in a world of screens and television and so on, but the notion of gorgeously illustrated, carefully drawn and illustrated books has rather fallen out of the culture and this is a diminishment... Gray: (Adopting mock-American accent) Yes! I can only agree with you, sirrr! Marr: I'm going to stop asking such long questions, and then we'll get some kind of answers. Alasdair Gray has, however, given a perfectly reasonable answer to the question, if it was a question in the first place. Mr Marr has suggested that the passing of the tradition of illustrated books has been a diminishment of the culture and Mr Gray has agreed. What else is there to say? Mr Marr has answered the question himself, at some length, as interviewers do. Mr Marr does then attempt to express himself more succinctly. He goes on to propose to Alasdair Gray that there had been a 'busy' world of writers and artists in Glasgow when the interviewee was making his way. 'I just wondered if that's faded a bit these days,' he adds helpfully. Painful pause; clearing of throat. 'I don't think it was a busy scene at all. I knew a few folk. Not many. Only Archie Hind, and Betty Clark the playwright. Largely ignored.' Well, the hapless interviewer persists, it must be better now for writers and artists. For once, Mr Gray is merciful. He agrees. Then adds: 'But every other industry in Scotland has been destroyed. Except tourism'. As for Scottish education, once the envy of the world, it exists now 'to get jobs for the clever boys in England'. He is looking at Mr Marr. Way to go Sir Alasdair of Gray, say I. <with thanks to Kenneth Roy's very excellent Scottish Review>
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