LONELY Planet's naming of Malta as their number one "secret destination" in the world a couple of years ago stretched the meaning of the word "secret" pretty much to breaking point. The archipelago does, however, have a lot more to it than your typical Mediterranean beach-getaway spot, and, to give Lonely Planet their due, not all of that historical and cultural texture is particularly well-known outside the country.
THE first Huntleys + Palmers Audio Club party took place at the University of Glasgow’s Hetherington Research Club venue on December 8 2007. The then-emerging French edits specialist Pilooski guested, and promoter Andrew Thomson – who had no plans to put on a second party – was pleasantly surprised as 100 people came through the door, filling the tiny venue to the gunnels. Fast forward a decade to this Friday and an admirable bit of myth-making from the same promoter will take place as Glasgow’s final Huntleys + Palmers Audio Club party goes down a short walk from the Research Club, in the rather grander environs of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. The globetrotting Catalan/Swedish DJ and production pair Talaboman are the guests, and a four-figure sell-out crowd is expected.
Last weekend, The National made the short hop down to Jinja, southern Uganda, to attend the third annual Nyege Nyege Festival – a wonderful fusion of African, Western and other music that takes place in a jaw-dropping setting on the banks of the River Nile.
Man Power, aka Newcastle-born, Mexico-based DJ/producer Geoff Kirkwood, has turned out a steady stream of excellent house, techno and weirdo pop records since coming to prominence in 2014, releasing on John Talabot’s Hivern Discs, Jennifer Cardini’s Correspondant (spelling correct), JD Twitch’s Optimo Trax and his own Me Me Me label.
ALTHOUGH getting to Georgia from Scotland is by no means a short hop, arrival at Tbilisi International airport feels like it should be the culmination of a much longer journey.
