World-renowned Glasgow arts and music venue The Arches is set to close its doors because of rail improvements in the area - though only for a few months, its visitors will be glad to hear, with plans already in place to host off-site events in the interim period.
The much-heralded subterranean arts venue will close in January and February while improvement works are carried out in Central Station.
During this time the venue plans to host a range of off-site events titled Arches Off-site at unusual venues including a garden shed, a car, a flat and a disused shop in Govan (in conjunction with the National Theatre of Scotland).
Club nights at the Arches will temporarily move to venues across the city during January and February. Inside Out and Pressure will go to O2 Academy while Octopussy will temporarily go to the ABC.
Death Disco and Colours won’t be on in January and February - both clubs are taking a "well earned break" and will return to The Arches in March.
Mark Anderson, Executive Director at the Arches, said: “We’re looking forward to the temporary closure to regroup, refurbish and reopen in a blaze of event glory”.
Re-opening in March 2010, the venue will play host to the 30th anniversary of major international festival the National Review of Live Art, the RSAMD showcase Into the New, Magners Comedy Festival performances and a new programme of gigs and visual art exhibitions - as well seeing the return of all of the major clubs including Death Disco, Octopussy, Pressure, Inside Out and Colours.
Although there will be no events taking place in the legendary building during this period, the Arches Off-Site will take theatrical performances out of the venue and into a series of unusual spaces.
Birds and Other Things I Am Afraid Of by Lynda Radley, which runs from 2nd – 21st February, will see the audience meet at Kelvinbridge underground station to go on an adventure trail to a garden shed somewhere in the city.
The National Theatre of Scotland in conjunction with The Arches will also host Allotment on Friday 19th February at Govan Cross Shopping Centre. The night will fuse live performance, new art and music in a deserted shop. Join the online community at www.allotment-glasgow.co.uk.
Molly Taylor also presents A La Carte which requests the pleasure of the audience’s company for dinner in a cozy flat. Join her for good food, decent chat, bring a friend and bring a bottle. RSVP to jill@thearches.co.uk for more information.
As part of the 2010 Glasgow Film Festival in February, the Arches will be curating the second annual Glasgow Music and Film Festival at various venues across the city.
Cult horror soundtrack musicians Goblin will play a mix of the best scores they’ve created, for Dario Argento movies such as 1970s cult classic Suspiria and George A Romero’s original Dawn of the Dead, for their gig at the ABC on Friday 19th February 2009 with tickets priced at £21.
The full Glasgow Music and Film Festival lineup will tie in with the announcement of the programme for the Glasgow Film Festival 2010 at the end of the year. Check the relevant websites at www.gft.org.uk and www.thearches.co.uk for announcements.
The Central Station works will see the creation of two new platforms in what is the biggest capacity enhancement at the station in more than a century.
Part of a £180m investment in rail routes into Central, the platforms will provide additional space at Scotland’s busiest station and enable the introduction of new, longer trains on the Ayrshire and Inverclyde routes in 2010.
