chiz's Qype profile

This is Glasgow’s number 1 small music venue. Out front is the bar and in the back the venue itself. It can’t be said to be the cleanest or best maintained venue in the world, but it pulls off the slightly run down rock look well. They get a huge variety of bands through their doors so you have to be careful that it is something that you will like and just because you liked it one night, you may hate it another. The sound production is however always impeccable and they do tend to think carefully about the support act so usually if you like the headliner it is worth catching the support acts.

The Odeon at Braehead is the newest cinema in the Glasgow area. It was supposed to be opened when Xscape opened, however its ceiling collapsed which meant it opened over a year late. We are now assured that the ceiling is fixed and won’t fall on anyone’s head. It has all the usual cinema stuff of popcorn sweets, pick and pix etc. While it is not the most inspiring place to be it appears well maintained and being part of the odeon group means that you can easily book online. Being in a shopping centre does make the walk out late at night a little desolate, not ideal if you’ve just seen something scary.

Central Station is the larger of the two main train stations in Glasgow serving primarily the West coast services. It is a beautiful Victorian building that has stood the test of time well. One thing to be careful of is that there is a lower level s and they take about 5 mins to walk to from the main part of the station, so don’t miss your train because of it. There are a good selection of shops including WH Smiths, Boots, a couple of bars, a few coffee shops, a hairdresser and a few other various assorted shops. If you need to spend a penny the not it will cost you 20p.

The 13th Note is a dirty run down rock bar that feels exactly like a rock bar should, dirty and run down. It has a live music venue in the basement that allows some very questionable mainly local bands to play. What you see can be very hit and miss and while you are unlikely to catch the next big thing you may find they are playing something you like, if not you can pop back upstairs to the main bar which tend to play the heavier end of the rock music spectrum. Be careful of the basement toilets, every time I’m in there they seem to flood.

The art store in Glasgow is a crowded collection or everything that an artist needs. If you need it they probably have it from paints, canvas, easel, clay etc. It can however be difficult to find some of the stuff if you don’t know where it is as the shop seems small for the amount of stock. There does seem to be enough staff on to help you out and they seem genuinely happy to help you and are reasonably knowledgeable about what they are selling. They also do a wide range of general stationary kids art kits particularly for someone looking for a bit of a challenge, but still need a helping hand.

The central escalator that spirals vertically up about 12 floors next to the seemingly endless glass wall is the centre piece of the cinema. It is always difficult to make a cinema experience different considering the fact that you are primarily going to sit in the dark for 2 hours. The complex is well maintained in the main part. As with all cinemas the popcorn and other snacks are ridiculously overpriced. The bar is high class prices for what is a middle end and getting slightly tatty bar. They do serve reasonable coffee though if you aren’t in the mood for a beer before the afternoon performance.

Buchanan Galleries is Glasgow’s premier shopping centre with a variety of high end shopping opportunities. It is located at the top of Buchanan Street and can be easily accessed from either of glasgow’s train station or underground. There is also a dedicated car park on that can be accessed from the Cathedral St end of Bath St if you don’t want to risk getting wet. It can feel a little clinical and soulless but no worse than any other shopping centre of its size. If you are looking for a good selection of high end shops on a rainy day it is certainly the place to go.

The tinderbox on Ingram St is one of two Tinderboxes in Glasgow. This one is my favourite as it seems to have a more casual atmosphere. It is ideally located just away from the hustle and bustle of the actual centre which allows you to grab a coffee or a bit of well made if slightly pricy food. As with the other Tinderbox my favorite is the raspberry smoothie which is my absolutely favourit (other hthan making a real one myself. They also sell beer, but this certainly doesn’t have the feel of a bar. A great place to read the paper.

The tinderbox on Byers road one of two Tinderboxes in Glasgow. This one for some reason has a different feel to the one in the city centre. The main seating area is in the back and it does not seem to have the atmosphere. It can seem a little arty and pretentious, more so anyway than somewhere like beanscene. They do all the normal coffee things as well as some pretty good if slightly overpriced foot for a coffee shop. I do however keep going back for the raspberry smoothies which are fantastic. Well worth a chance next time you are in the area.

The Imax at the Glasgow Science Centre is totally stunning. The screen is so large that it totally fills your field of vision which is something you don’t get in a normal cinema. The seats are steeply banked which means you don’t get you view blocked by the tall guy in front of you. The experience is totally enveloping. I saw the Batman film “The Dark Knight” which is the only full feature I have seen there and the sections shot in Imax were truly breathtaking and the action sequences blew you away with crisp clear (and loud) sound. Pricier than you normal cinema visit but well worth the extra.