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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Can you spot the lowest-priced ticket in the crowd in this pop music puzzle?
Scotland is enjoying a summer full of amazing concerts but if you fancy testing yourself, this challenge is for you Scotland is enjoying a stomping summer of music, from TRNSMT, which has not long wrapped up, to ushering in music legends Oasis to Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium in just a few weeks' time. Like many popular artists these days, though, nabbing tickets for the world's biggest acts is no easy feat. We all have that friend who collects everyone's money and patiently waits in the virtual queue for their time to pounce. With that in mind, picture this. Your favourite music artist has an upcoming show in your town, but money is tight. You need the best deal possible, so you go online to find the lowest-priced ticket you can. Somewhere in this sea of prices is the cheapest concert ticket on sale... and you've got just seconds to find it. To celebrate the thrill of bagging a bargain, trusted ticket comparison site SeatPick has launched a brand-new brain teaser. The challenge? Spot the lowest-priced ticket in the crowd. It might look like a simple grid of golden tickets, but with over 100 price tags to scan and only one correct answer, your eyes might play tricks on you. The lowest price is just £11. Can you find it before the music starts? Gilad Zilberman, CEO of SeatPick, explained: "Live events bring people together like nothing else, from the atmosphere to the memories. It doesn't matter whether it's a stadium gig, a festival, or a night at the theatre. "And on top of that, who doesn't love that feeling of discovering a great deal? This puzzle is a fun nod to the hunt for the best seats at the best price. "It's also a great reminder that comparing your options online can really pay off, especially when ticket prices vary so widely." Not ready for the solution yet and want to keep trying? Be our guest. But be warned, the solution is about to be listed below. Solution: From the bottom-left corner, the £11 ticket is the third ticket in. If you want to keep the music-themed conundrums going, the Record has a festival -inspired brainteaser that is sure to get the cogs turning. has created a challenge inspired by one of the most relatable festival problems. That problem is finding your friends in a packed crowd. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. With the average person taking less than a minute to spot it, could seasoned revellers be faster? Think you're up to the challenge? Answer us this: Can you spot the disco ball flag in the sea of festival madness? Click here to find out. Elsewhere, with Oasis playing Scottish Gas Murrayfield on Friday, August 8, 9, and 12, it is crucial to know what road closures will be taking place in Edinburgh to accommodate both Oasis and the Edinburgh Fringe. To find out more on that, click here.
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Why The Barras reminds me of America and days gone by
Fear not. I'm at Randall's Antiques and Vintage Centre, deep in the heart of The Barras - the final stop in my wander through one of Glasgow's most unique institutions. As the crowds at TRNSMT pulsate to the sound of Biffy Clyro and Fontaines DC across the street, my girlfriend and I make our way through a somewhat empty Barras. It's not surprising. The temperature is pushing 30 degrees, a grim reality which is widely commented on at each stall we stop in. Lunch is served. (Image: Emily Page) I'm here to search for bargains, but also to try some of the unique food offerings on display. It doesn't take long to find some grub, of course, as we stop at Fellali Cafe. It's not really a cafe, to be fair, just a table behind which a lovely Iraqi woman named Wanda sells falafel, hummus, and potato patties, known as aruk, alongside handcrafted jewellery. 'I've been here for around five months,' she tells me. 'I began selling my jewellery, and then I thought I should sell some food as well. It's all vegan and very healthy.' Indeed, for £7; we walk away with a plastic takeaway container filled to the brim with falafel, fresh hummus, aruk patties, a special chili sauce, and crispy strips of samoon, an Iraqi seeded bread. Perhaps it was the heat, but I couldn't have asked for a better lunch, sitting on two chairs opposite a stall selling rows of Stretch Armstrong figurines. In C Section, where some of the largest stalls are located, including 'Sustainable Fashion Row', we stop at the well-known Cowpeople stall, branded as the UK's largest purveyor of vintage cowboy apparel. The shop is bustling, no doubt a result of the terrific social media presence cultivated by shop owner Kaitlyn De Biasse, as well as a recent Irn-Bru advertising campaign. De Biasse, a New Jersey native (like me) has seen her business explode in recent years, from a one-day spot purchased for £15 to selling cowboy boots and bolo ties to customers across the UK and mainland Europe. And of course, being from America, I have to take a photo of a cardboard cutout of our first lady - country music legend Dolly Parton. Feeling at home at Cowpeople. (Image: Emily Page) In a strange way, The Barras reminds me of home. As a teenager, I'd go to the Italian Market in South Philadelphia nearly every Sunday afternoon. Those days were some of the best, as we searched for cannoli and cheesesteaks among the many market stalls. Similar to The Barras, you could find just about anything there, from hot food to clothes and bric a brac. And of course, the people running the stalls mirror one another, despite their geographic distance. In Glasgow and in Philly, blue collar folk and recent immigrants are hard at work, clambering up the ladder of opportunity. Before long, it's time for a snack. Over in D Section, we stop at Cream Comes True, a brightly coloured stall selling Hong Kong-style bubble waffles. We have a bit of a wait, so after being handed a ticket by the lovely waffle maker behind the counter (who urges us to visit the Red Bull truck for a free beverage) we make our way around the surrounding market stalls. We walk past the well-regarded Pizza Cult and a shop selling different types of macaroni cheese, as well as a host of wee places hawking all sorts of interesting items. Ten minutes later, we're back for a slice of the action. Now, I love a thick and crispy waffle, but I have to say I was somewhat confused by the 'traditional Hong Kong' offering, which consists of a waffle folded in half and spread with butter, peanut butter, and sugar. Well, it blew me away, and at £5, not a bad price either. Hong Kong inspired Cream Comes True sells a range of waffles. (Image: Emily Page) Later, we visit the Fresh Pressed Terps stand in B Section, along a bustling thoroughfare shimmering in the midsummer heat. Orange juice for a fiver, pineapple and watermelon juice for £6, fresh squeezed pomegranate for ten quid. All are served in glass bottles, which you can return for a 50 pence rebate. 'Busy today?' we ask. 'Surprisingly not,' says the man behind the counter, as his compatriot holds a bottle under a silver spigot dripping with orange juice. 'The heat seems to be keeping people at home,' he adds. Indeed, it is hot, hot enough that stallholders are passing around ice lollies held in a chest freezer. 'You have to keep cool,' one woman tells another. Amidst the shiny offerings and the music blaring from the Red Bull truck parked near the exit, I see another side of The Barras. Piles of mismatched clothing, dusty knick-knacks, rows of DVDs, old bicycles lined up haphazardly; these are perhaps a more honest representation of the market's history. Stalls boast a wide range of goods. (Image: Emily Page) It's been years since the last police raid on The Barras, which once occurred with regularity, and I'm not one to judge the provenance of various items. I turn to mention this to my girlfriend, and immediately am told to hold my tongue and avoid noting these interesting circumstances out loud. Alas. We continue our trek through rows of antiques, pausing to peer into mirrors or examine the cost of various paintings (most unfortunately out of my price range). Read more: I see a plasticine statue of Jesus, bearing a sign which reads: "Sorry. I (s)ain't for sale" and as a devout fan, I have to take a picture. It is soon 2pm, closing time, and as we walk towards the car, the sun beating down on my black t-shirt, I reflect on days gone by. It is easy to glamorise The Barras, as I did with the Italian Market of my youth. It is quirky, fun, and certainly odd. But to do so risks failing to understand the deep cultural connection the market has to the working people of the East End, and indeed the rest of the city. Narratives about gentrification have their place, but The Barras should be appreciated for what it is. We should embrace this cultural gem as a profoundly unique and vibrant celebration of Glasgow, the new, the old, and everything in between.
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow is struggling but best days could be yet to come
But it's not all bleak, far from it. There are promising signs that Glasgow is starting to rediscover its stride. City centre footfall figures have been steadily improving, a clear indication that people are returning, whether for work, shopping, hospitality or cultural experiences. This isn't just anecdotal. The data shows a gradual yet encouraging return of vibrancy to our streets. For the first five months of this year footfall is up by 9% on last year with some months almost matching the pre-Covid performance. Recent events such as the Glasgow Mela, TRNSMT, Pride, and quite frankly a summer of warm weather, have all encouraged people back into the city to rediscover all that it has to offer. The City Council has taken a lot of criticism for the city's appearance, but it would be wrong to suggest that they have not been responding. Returning visitors will find a considerable amount of work is being done to freshen up our city centre through The Avenues programme, a major £120m infrastructure investment initiative which is designed and driven by Glasgow City Council. Funded chiefly by the UK and Scottish Governments through the Glasgow's City Deal, the Avenues Programme aims to make the city centre more attractive, especially for pedestrians, and it will set a standard for the quality of the public realm we would like to see rolled out across the city centre. Read more: George Square is perhaps the most visible project now under way, but the City Council has also published plans for streets in the retail heart including Argyle Street, Queen Street, Ingram Street and George Street. A good example of what the finished product could look like is on Holland Street and Pitt Street around the Moda Living housing development on the site of the former police station. The broken and patched up pavements are gone and have been replaced with good quality stone, more pedestrian space and fresh green landscaping. Rethinking the access for buses along Argyle Street is also helpful as it will take pressure off surrounding streets. These works will only succeed in the longer term if they are well maintained. If after a few months paving stones are broken, or street furniture is left unrepaired, the decay will quickly set in. It was therefore encouraging that the City Council budget for this year allocated an additional £20m for the upkeep of roads, pavements and parks alongside funds for increasing the staff devoted to cleansing. Admittedly these new resources are for use across the entire city, but the message from citizens is getting through, more needs to be done to get our city centre back into shape. However, city recovery cannot depend solely on the City Council. Local authorities and public agencies play a pivotal role but so must the local business community. The current process to put a city centre Business Improvement District (BID) to a vote reflects a shared ambition among many businesses to contribute proactively. A successful BID would mean businesses contributing could direct funds to deliver improvements. Depending on their choices there could be a higher standard of cleanliness, greater security and better maintenance of street furniture, more than the City Council can currently afford to deliver on its own. More importantly is the role of the private sector in funding the repurposing of empty offices and redundant shop units. The public sector doesn't have the funding needed, but the public sector can make decisions and set policies that make investment attractive to the private sector. Even as we make progress locally, decisions from the [[Scottish Government]] can disrupt or delay that momentum. The recent calling-in of planning approval for the ABC site, a critical site for the regeneration of Sauchiehall Street, is one such example. The site next to the Mackintosh building is sensitive and high profile. Seven years have passed since the fire that left it destroyed, and it is a blight on [[Sauchiehall Street]]'s recovery. Local decision-making, grounded in local understanding and expertise, must be respected if we're to make real strides. Over £70m of private funding is now on hold as we await the Scottish Government's review. If the decision is over-turned or even if the review process is drawn out, that investment will be lost and the site left derelict for many more years ahead. If substantial public money was made available different options could be explored but no offer has ever been made. Similarly, the Housing Bill's impact on investor confidence has been a serious concern. At a time when Glasgow is grappling with vacant properties that could be repurposed into much-needed homes or mixed-use spaces, policies that deter investment are undoubtedly stalling regeneration. It's frustrating to see opportunities slip away when the city is otherwise ready to act. We know anecdotally that investors who were previously keen to invest in Glasgow have turned their attention to other cities because of the uncertainty that the Housing Bill has created. Ultimately, the story of Glasgow today is one of cautious optimism. The challenges are real (and visible) but so too is the energy to address them. Local leadership, business engagement, and targeted investment are starting to make a difference. What we need now is alignment of local ambition matched by national support. If we get that right, Glasgow's best days needn't be behind it – they're still to come. Stuart Patrick is chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce
South Wales Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Kneecap describe decision to ban them from Hungary as ‘political distraction'
The trio, who are outspoken supporters of Palestine, were due to perform at Sziget Festival on August 11 and remain on the line-up on its website. Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs wrote on social media platform X that the decision to ban Kneecap was because the group's 'members repeatedly engage in antisemitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups'. But in a statement posted on Instagram, Kneecap described the decision to bar them from entry as 'political distraction' and pointed out that none of the group has any criminal convictions. A spokeswoman for Sziget Festival also described the move as 'unnecessary and regrettable'. 'Cancel culture and cultural boycotts are not the solution,' she added. The statement from Kneecap said: 'To the tens of thousands of fans who we were buzzing to see in person at Sziget, we're sorry we won't be with you. 'The authoritarian government of Viktor Orban say we 'pose a national security threat'. 'Which is f****** outrageous coming from a man who welcomed Netanyahu, a wanted war criminal, like a hero just a few weeks ago. 'There is no legal basis for his actions, no member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country. We stand against all hate crimes and Kneecap champions love and solidarity as well as calling out injustices whenever we see it. 'It's clear that this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people.' Kneecap have had several shows cancelled in recent months, including TRNSMT festival in Glasgow and at the Eden Project in Cornwall. They claim this is part of a smear campaign against them because of their vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, which they say is a genocide. The statement posted earlier on Thursday by Mr Kovacs said: 'Hungary has zero tolerance for antisemitism in any form. 'Their planned performance posed a national security threat, and for this reason, the group has been formally banned from Hungary for three years. 'If they enter, expulsion will follow under international norms.' The spokeswoman for Sziget Festival said: 'Following concerns raised by government and pressure groups across Hungary over the past weeks at the prospect of Kneecap performing, we have liaised closely with the band and they reassured us that their performance would not contravene either Sziget's values or Hungarian law. 'Over the past 30 years, Sziget has served as a free and safe place for different cultures, hosting artists and visitors from around the world, earning significant recognition in the international community and enhancing Hungary's reputation. 'We fear that the government's decision announced today to ban Kneecap may not only damage the reputation of Sziget, but also negatively affect Hungary's standing worldwide.' Kneecap – comprised of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain, and JJ O Dochartaigh – were formed in Belfast and released their first single in 2017. They hit the headlines recently after O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence relating to allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah. In May, the Metropolitan Police said the group were being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing them shouting 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah' and 'Kill your local MP'. The group apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK. They were also investigated over their set at Glastonbury Festival in June, but last week Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they would be taking no further action.
North Wales Chronicle
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Kneecap describe decision to ban them from Hungary as ‘political distraction'
The trio, who are outspoken supporters of Palestine, were due to perform at Sziget Festival on August 11 and remain on the line-up on its website. Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs wrote on social media platform X that the decision to ban Kneecap was because the group's 'members repeatedly engage in antisemitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups'. But in a statement posted on Instagram, Kneecap described the decision to bar them from entry as 'political distraction' and pointed out that none of the group has any criminal convictions. A spokeswoman for Sziget Festival also described the move as 'unnecessary and regrettable'. 'Cancel culture and cultural boycotts are not the solution,' she added. The statement from Kneecap said: 'To the tens of thousands of fans who we were buzzing to see in person at Sziget, we're sorry we won't be with you. 'The authoritarian government of Viktor Orban say we 'pose a national security threat'. 'Which is f****** outrageous coming from a man who welcomed Netanyahu, a wanted war criminal, like a hero just a few weeks ago. 'There is no legal basis for his actions, no member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country. We stand against all hate crimes and Kneecap champions love and solidarity as well as calling out injustices whenever we see it. 'It's clear that this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people.' Kneecap have had several shows cancelled in recent months, including TRNSMT festival in Glasgow and at the Eden Project in Cornwall. They claim this is part of a smear campaign against them because of their vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, which they say is a genocide. The statement posted earlier on Thursday by Mr Kovacs said: 'Hungary has zero tolerance for antisemitism in any form. 'Their planned performance posed a national security threat, and for this reason, the group has been formally banned from Hungary for three years. 'If they enter, expulsion will follow under international norms.' The spokeswoman for Sziget Festival said: 'Following concerns raised by government and pressure groups across Hungary over the past weeks at the prospect of Kneecap performing, we have liaised closely with the band and they reassured us that their performance would not contravene either Sziget's values or Hungarian law. 'Over the past 30 years, Sziget has served as a free and safe place for different cultures, hosting artists and visitors from around the world, earning significant recognition in the international community and enhancing Hungary's reputation. 'We fear that the government's decision announced today to ban Kneecap may not only damage the reputation of Sziget, but also negatively affect Hungary's standing worldwide.' Kneecap – comprised of Liam Og O hAnnaidh, Naoise O Caireallain, and JJ O Dochartaigh – were formed in Belfast and released their first single in 2017. They hit the headlines recently after O hAnnaidh, who performs under the name Mo Chara, was charged with a terror offence relating to allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah. In May, the Metropolitan Police said the group were being investigated by counter-terrorism police after videos emerged allegedly showing them shouting 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah' and 'Kill your local MP'. The group apologised to the families of murdered MPs and said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are banned in the UK. They were also investigated over their set at Glastonbury Festival in June, but last week Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they would be taking no further action.
