It's not often Glasgow gets featured on an international music site, but when it does, it's usually the Sub Club, Numbers, Pressure or Soma that's making the news.. It's interesting then, that the recent feature on Resident Advisor has nothing more of a passing reference to them, much to readers dismay, although, the same can be said for most of the nights in Glasgow, as almost all of them got a shoutout at the least, and a sentence at the most.. Except from the Artschool, a club that didn't really appeal to me, and although it had a diverse selection of nights and a varied crowd, it isn't deserving of the praise it's receiving here.
It wasn't changing the face of clubbing in Glasgow, it didn't put Glasgow on the map, and it wasn't on everyone's go to list. It did host many excellent parties, and a lot of the worlds most popular DJs have played here - but the importance placed on the Art School is misleading at best, for someone who isn't from Glasgow. It was an opportunity to put more deserving nights and clubs in the spotlight, that was squandered due to the writers personal taste.
Many people have complained about the lack of a mention for various nights, clubs or labels, but I genuinely think it's refreshing to read something on Glasgow that isn't dominated by Sub Club, Pressure or Soma (Numbers too now). There's no doubting their importance, and the fact that they have been going for so long is only testiment to their love and dedication to what they do, but there's more to Glasgow than them and that is this article's greatest failing. It made a statement by only briefly mentioning big nights like Pressure and leaving out the likes of subculture completely, but it didnt do nearly enough to justify that.
I doubt their was ever anything malicious about nights not being included, you could argue that too many nights have been mentioned, but I don't think that any night has a divine right to be included in a piece like this - so it's a bit of a shame that the comments section on RA is littered with people who are criticising for one reason or another, if you draw comparisons from another 'Clubbing In' feature then the difference is remarkable for a 'friendly & forward thinking scene'
I do however, find it interesting that the writer barely mentions anything techno related, which I think draws an interesting parallel with the lack of good techno nights that are on in Glasgow on a regularly basis.. Certainly in comparison to the overwhelming amount of nights that feature beatport house & minimal artists, or the weekly nights at subclub (that feature no dedicated techno night). There's Animal Farm at the subclub every so often and CODE now at La Cheetah on a bi-monthly basis.. it's not much, and it puts doubts into my mind about the artists that we would like to book.. Is there still a techno scene here?
I hope there is because Glasgow, for me, is techno.. and it's sad that the city has a feature on RA, with Techno nowhere to be seen.
