1 THE fabulous Val McDermid is appearing at Glasgow’s Mitchell Library this week talking about her new book and heroine Allie Burns – as well as all things literature and popular culture.
A much-loved heroine of our times is Val. She’s on this Friday at 8pm for the tiny price of £13.
For tickets and more information please head over to www.tickets.glasgowconcerthalls.com/27151/27153
2 ALSO part of Aye Write is The Prime Ministers We Never Had – a fascinating insight into the “near misses” including Jeremy Corbyn, David Miliband, Denis Healey and Tony Benn. Look behind the scenes to the very pinnacle of power with journalist and commentator Steve Richards.
It’s on this afternoon, again at the Mitchell Library from 4:45pm.
Book tickets at www.tickets.glasgowconcerthalls.com/27119/27120
3 WITH Outlander back on the telly and Sam Heughan (below) all over the shop with his Yes badge, there has never been a better time to steep yourself in all things Claire and Jamie. What better way to do it than with a wee tour around Auld Reekie with Mercat Tours.
Follow in the footsteps of the show and hear stories about the Jacobites, witchcraft and Scottish history.
For all the details and times head over to www.mercattours.com/tours/history-walks/view-tour/edinburgh-outlander-experience
4 ALSO in our capital is the well-kent Stand Comedy Club. This week they have fabulous funny man Gareth Mutch and Robin Grainger and a guid few more comics treading the boards and picking on the front row. Get your ticket ahead of time and sit yourself down for some brilliant stand up.
Thursday at 7:30 and you can book your tickets ahead of time at the venue’s website: www.thestand.co.uk
5 IF you’re a comedy fan (and who doesn’t need a laugh after the few years we’ve had) then get your tickets booked for Laugh In The Park at Queens Park, Glasgow. It’s not until June 11, but the tickets are on sale now and are going like hot cakes so I can’t leave it until that week as you’ll all miss out and I can’t have that on my conscience.
The Laugh In The Park includes Glasgow’s finest comedy compere the incredibly funny Viv Gee as well as big names on the circuit Billy Kirkwood, Rosco MccLelland and Stephen Buchanan. It’s cheap as chips and will be a braw day out. More info at www.laughinthepark.com
6 JAMES Walbourne of Pretenders and Pogues fame joins up with Kristoffer Sonne who has worked with Chrissie Chrissie Hyde and Willie Nelson. The guys forge a furious riot of raging guitars and frenetic drums which make The Cramps seem like easy listening. They are on this Friday in McChuills in Glasgow and on Saturday at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. They are NOT to be missed.
Tickets available at www.prbpresents.com
7 PETE Doherty of The Libertines hits the granite city this week. The frontman has calmed down the booze and drugs and has just completed a solid UK tour where he wowed the audiences (including me) with his undeniable charisma and show-stopping unpredictability.
A rare chance to see him in a relatively small venue. Go on. He’s at The Lemon Tree, in Aberdeen Wednesday, May 18 at 7pm. Tickets from the venue www.aberdeenperformingarts.com/lemon-tree
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