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Scottish Picks: April 2001

Welcome to Scottish Picks, handpicked by our Scottish web connoisseurs. If you have a suggestion for a
cool site you'd like to see included in a future edition, why not send us an email?

Edinburgh Science Festival
Running from the 6th to the 17th of April at various venues throughout the city, this promises to be a fun and educational celebration of the world of science. The site features information on more hands-on exhibits and interesting talks (in sections for families, adults, and schools) than we can count. Some of the controversies surrounding modern science are unsurprisingly at the forefront this year, including cloning and GM foods. Ironically, activities scheduled to take place at Edinburgh Zoo have had to be cancelled due to Foot and Mouth disease. Still, take a look around this site at the hundreds of events taking place, and get ready for a mind-expanding experience.
Guerilla 183
The West of Scotland is probably the last place that comes to mind when someone mentions graffiti art, and while graffiti may have started in the subways of New York City, it wasn't long before it travelled the world along with the other elements of hip hop culture - music and breakdancing. Vandalism-minded youth all over the UK were inspired to take up the spraycan after being exposed to the underworld of bombing through late-night documentaries on Channel 4, and much to the consternation of council cleanup squads, our cities haven't been the same since. If you think that boring grey housing schemes and decrepit town centres look much better with a splash of colour, you'll appreciate the Guerilla 183 site. It features photos of impressive (mostly legal) pieces from a variety of artists, sketches, and an active message board. Around the world graffiti writers are starting to be recognised as skilled artists rather than criminals - and maybe it won't be long before this transition takes place in Scotland as well.
Amphetameanies
Hey you! Don't click there! Click here - it's the heavy heavy Amphetameanies site! Since its inception in '60s Jamaica, ska music has gone through several incarnations, from Rocksteady to 2Tone to the current ska-punk revival. The website for these Glaswegian rudies sticks to the traditions established over that long history. Strictly black and white, checkerboards everywhere, and the band are turned out in fine mod/ska fashions. Browsing the various sections, there's no shortage of information about the band, short bios of the many members (I think I counted ten), photos, gig news, and the essential sound files. Not quite enough of them for my liking, but hopefully that'll improve. The whole site is steeped in an alcohol-fueled, typically Glaswegian sense of humour, and is worth checking out even if you've never skanked in your life.
Beltane Fire Society
The Beltane Fire Society began in 1988 to resurrect and re-invent the celebration of the Celtic festival of Beltane, with traditional elements of fire and performance. They've been going strong ever since. Each year the festival gets more spectacular and chaotic, bringing an element of magic to Calton Hill in Edinburgh. Actually, it's been growing so well that now they celebrate the three other Celtic Quarter Days as well.The site is packed with a long history of the group and photos of fiery, body-painted celebrants. The section of the site on the folklore behind the original Celtic festivals is sadly lacking - hopefully it'll be expanded soon, as what's there (an introduction to Samhuinn, or Halloween) is fascinating.
The Sawney Bean Clan
Speaking of folklore, this site revolves around a reprint of an account of cannibal Sawney Bean first published in 1843. Allegedly, Bean and his large family lived in a cave on the Galloway coast, and survived by robbing, killing, and eating anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path. It's a grisly tale, and the long-winded prose of the era certainly adds a sinister tone. The site also contains a message board, the lyrics to the Ballad of Sawney Bean, and a host of links to further information. A word of warning: the site is, eh, "enhanced" by many gory graphics, sounds, and animations, and could be troublesome for those with weak stomachs or slow modems. And don't worry - cannibalistic serial murderers are a thing of the past. Or are they?

Sites Featured in Scottish Picks:

Edinburgh Science Festival - beware of mad scientists.

Guerilla 183 - fat kaps.

Amphetameanies - pick it up.

Beltane - pyromaniacal exhibitionism.

Sawney Bean - apparently we taste like chicken.

Previous Scottish Picks of the Month:

[ March 01 | February 01 | January 01 | December 00 ]