1 Independence quiz night! Yes Eastwood and Yes Southside are teaming up to show off. Why don’t you jump down and join them, meet new pals from the Yes family and enjoy a night of music, quiz, laughs and a few beers before the hard work of campaigning hard kicks back off with a bang. It’s on Friday at 7pm at Pollokshaws Bowling Club. Tickets are £6 and available at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/independence-quiz-night-tickets-88490638883
2 Indy-pop god Pat Kane (also my chum) @thoughtland and his brother/partner in crime Greg Kane, together as you know are Hue & Cry – and they are performing at The Big Burns Supper in Dumfries. Wednesday sees them take to the stage in the Spiegeltent at 6pm. Tickets £24.50. www.bigburnssupper.com
3 The Big Burns Supper, set in Dumfries, is a local now in its ninth year and features a dynamic roster of big-named global acts. Located around Brewery Street at the Whitesands in Dumfries, there are several venues bursting with entertainment including the Spiegeltent. Families can enjoy non-stop action throughout the festival and, at the weekends, amazing free shows in the festival hub, including a family edition of Le Haggis for the festival. Sunday Sessions starts at the slightly later time of 2pm, and the utterly amazing Peat and Diesel are headlining the closing party. Ticket prices vary depending on the show. All details at www.bigburnssupper.com. See our news section today for more information.
4 The V&A in Dundee rightly attracts loads of attention but the city has other wonderful museums, and this week the fab McManus in Albert Street offers A Woman’s perspective. The annual winter works on paper display celebrates women artists. It coincides with the significant loan of Lady Glenorchy painted by Dundee-born portraitist, Katherine Read. Highlighting diverse stories, the display explores women’s contribution to the visual culture of their time. A free event until February 2, from 10am. See website for details. www.mcmanus.co.uk
5 As part of the Burns and Beyond Festival in Edinburgh, a stunning Chinese lantern installation has been created to transform the capital’s famous St Giles’ Cathedral with a canopy of more than 400 lanterns to celebrate Chinese New Year. An evening illumination and soundtrack will create a spectacular sensory experience along with a programme of daytime and evening performance and events throughout the festival. Daytime free entry: today, 1pm until 5pm; Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Evening illumination: each evening 5:30pm to 8pm. £5 per ticket. www.burnsandbeyond.com/event/chinese-lanterns-at-st-giles-cathedral. Stops on February 1.
6 Topping & Company, the wonderful magical Edinburgh Bookshop, has celebrated crime writer Doug Johnstone in conversation with literary luminary Val McDermid (below) on Thursday at 8pm. £9 tickets on sale at the shop or www.toppingbooks.co.uk/events/edinburgh/doug-johnstone/
7 Climate emergency campaign group Extinction Rebellion is having an open meeting in Stirling. This is a chance to catch up, find out what you can do to make a difference, make new friends, hear the latest updates and discuss big issues on the climate and ecological crisis. Members will discuss this year’s strategy, working groups, and brainstorming for new actions and events in Stirling. Hop along and find out how you can get more involved. Everyone is welcome! Thursday from 6pm to 8pm at Made In Stirling (44 King Street, Stirling, FK8 1AY). Free, more details at rebellion.earth
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here