I love, love, love the Citz - as Nicola C says, it's a Glasgow institution and is probably the best…read moreplace to start your theatre-going-life if you've never been before. It's relaxed and welcoming and you don't need to get dressed up if that isn't your thing. I've been to the Citz a few times over the years - ages ago to see A Clockwork Orange, and on Friday to see Trainspotting. Buying tickets online is really easy, and if you're a local you can get 50p tickets which I think is such a brilliant idea. In the foyer there's a bar and seating so you can have a drink while you wait for the show to start - we decided to just have water but they have the usual bar selection you'd expect. And there's a bar upstairs. Inside the theatre is comfy and cosy - we were in the third row and had an amazing view of the stage (at points, almost *too* amazing). I don't want to give away much about Trainspotting aside from saying if you don't have tickets already, you really need to get them as it's an amazing stage production and the cast are truly brilliant. The building itself is worth a visit alone - they have tours which are worth booking onto as I learned so much and really appreciated the behind-the-scenes perspective. They also offer acting classes for kids and adults, and have a range of other ways of getting involved with the theatre. I'm definitely going to be visiting more often - I really enjoyed doing something a bit different for a night out and still can't stop thinking about how good Trainspotting was, days later!

The Citz is one of the things that makes Glasgow what it is, and the city would definitely be a…read moreworse place without it. It puts on varied, interesting, and locally focussed plays both new and old, and does a great work promoting upcoming artists and playwrights. It's a great, comfortable theatre, not too big, and with good, comfortable seats. The legroom is pretty good, and the views are solid as well. There is a good (and relatively cheap) bar and cafe in the main foyer, as well as a smaller bar upstairs. The foyer can be a little crowded at the start of a sold out show, but it does generate a good atmosphere. It also does lots of cool stuff - backstage tours, acting classes, and discounted tickets for people that stay in the local area. I suppose my only negative is the parking, which can be a little chaotic on the way out, especially if your fellow theatre-goers are a little rude (I'm looking at you, the couple in the white Renault Clio at Trainspotting!). In many ways, a theatre is only as good as the plays it puts on, and in this the Citz excels: new runs of classic Scottish plays like Trainspotting, Slab Boys, and Lanark; interesting versions of classic plays, and first runs of new, local plays. There really is something for everyone, even a great alternative pantomime at Christmas. Keep an eye on the schedule, find something you like, and give it a go! You'll definitely come back!

The Old Fruitmarket is, without a doubt, in my top 5 favourite music venues…read more You'll find it hidden away within the City Halls venue, where it's been restored over the years to show the space in its original glory. Above the bar, wrought iron supports hold up an awesome balcony where you get a super view of the main stage. I've been to many gigs in here - it's the perfect intimate venue where there's also enough space to dance (not me obv!). There's always some great Celtic Connections events held here. Great place! Can't wait for my next gig here!

The Old Fruitmarket is a gorgeous venue in the heart of Merchant City, that you may not yet have…read morediscovered. I went here for a jazz concert, and the combination of the musical talent and the atmospheric surroundings was quite amazing. There were round tables scattered across the floor, in a jazz cafe style, which created a lovely ambiance that complemented the musical backdrop. The lighting was low and the walls were decorated with fairy lights, which was a charming touch to this beautiful big building. With its original wooden beams and cobbles, this place reeks of history and is a truly amazing venue for any occasion.

A nice theatre just round the corner from The Kings Theatre…read more Been here a few times for different events including pantomime and stand up comedy and always had a good night. It's got a lot of character and the staff are polite and helpful. It's not huge, but that's an old trick to sell the place out! On topic, the seats are comfy enough which made a difference when I saw Dave Gorman in here last year as it was a good 3 hours long! A good venue where ticket prices for events are noticable cheaper than some other similar theatres though it could of course just be a coincidence.

The Pavillion has been in business for 105 years now, and just keeps going from strength to…read morestrength. The other night we went to see comedian Dave Gorman (who I highly recommend!) and the theatre was packed to its 1500 capacity. It appeared that my (faux) fur coat was unnecessary, as everyone else just wore jeans and t-shirts. Never mind. Some of the fittings are showing their age a little, and the whole thing could do with a lick or ten of paint, but I suppose this all adds to the character. I suppose people will have been a lot skinnier 105 years ago, but I found the seats a bit cramped, and I'm not exactly a heavyweight. At half-time (or whatever) I got a Magnum off the wee lady, which I thought was pretty good. I was expecting the prices to be as ker-ayzee as in the cinema. I had a good time there, and it's a nice theatre with some traditional theatre character.

Theatre Royal is the oldest surviving theatre in Glasgow, the original building dating from 1867…read morewhen it opened as Bayliss' Coliseum before being renamed as Theatre Royal in 1869. Perhaps uniquely, it has been rebuilt twice by architect C J Phipps following major fires in 1880 and 1895. Although not as prolific a theatre architect as Frank Matcham, Phipps' style is splendidly represented in this building, regarded as the largest and best surviving example of his work. But don't judge the building from its bland exterior; you have to see the wonderfully ornate auditorium to really appreciate Phipps' work. The building was home to STV's studios for many years, before being sold to Scottish Opera in 1975, and it has been their home stage ever since, and is also the main home to Scottish Ballet's productions as well as being a main-scale house on the UK touring circuit. The stage is not huge by today's standards, but it's still larger than many London theatres and is the largest Glasgow can offer at the moment. The theatre is currently run and programmed by ATG (as is the Kings), so Glasgow is well served by the big touring shows. Currently the building is having a new foyer added at the corner of Hope Street and Cowcaddens in the form of a round tower, which has been a major feat of engineering to fit in with the existing architecture. As part of this refurbishment parts of the auditorium have been altered to something closer to the original design, with old entrance arches and the seating layout restored to improve audience flow and sightlines. Like any theatre, this one has a few ghosts, and like the Edinburgh Festival Theatre, there was a fire-related incident here that resulted in new legislation coming into force. In 1969, when STV moved out of the building into their new premises next door and the theatre was being restored, there was a major fire in the sub-stage area. The fire department tackled this with the then relatively new technique of pumping suppressant foam into the fire. One of the fire officers Archie McLay, working in the darkness of the stage area, fell through the stage floor into the sub-basement of the building - this extends about 20m underneath the stage floor and is carved out of solid bedrock (it was a former quarry), so it was full of foam. He was not reported as missing until the fire was under control, by which time it was too late. Resulting from this dreadful accident, the fire department introduced a 'deadman switch' device to be worn by all officers, which would radio an alarm signal if the officer was stationary for more than a few minutes. This incident is now marked by a stone plaque in the pavement of Hope Street. There have been a few reported sightings of Archie in the sub-basement, and most staff who have occasion to be down there late at night when the building is quiet will report a spooky atmosphere and a feeling like they are being watched by ghostly eyes...

I'm fairly certain I've seen things here prior to the refurb, but for the life of me I just can't…read moreremember. However, since the refurb I've been several times: some plays and operas. And i like it. Vanilla Black's has moved from Sauchiehall St, and is now the resident café for the theatre - and it's turned out to be a handy place for me to pop in for a quick work lunch. The foyer itself is open, spacious, and very welcoming - the spiral staircase is awesome, and is becoming an iconic feature of the theatre. Beyond that, it's functional and does what you expect, and you'll tend to find quite a lot of less populist productions here. The only downside is the extreme pricing at the bar. Seriously, £11 for 2 bottles of cheap lager is disgustingly extortionist.

Mischief La Bas are the cheeky monkeys of live art. A knowing wink, a cheap laugh and suddenly,…read morethey are exploring complex ideas about performance and life. Main man Ian Smith has become a regular face on the performance circuit, hosting difficult events like the National Review of Live Art with a broad sense of humour and a deep respect. Mischief events are usually free: they turn up unexpectedly in public spaces, scrub the street furniture clean or stage a football match between surreal teams. The acceptable face of live art, they could be mistaken for a comedy sketch show, until their serious intent reveals itself in a moment of dramatic recognition.

I spent a few hours here on Monday night with some friends, being taught how to play a couple of…read morecarsd games. The CCA is somewhere that i periodically hear people talking about, but I've never quite made it there myself. But I'm glad I have now. In many respects it reminds me of The Arches (RIP) - there's a reception / box office thing as you go in, then the actual bar is all exposed brickwork. The CCA is basically the space inbetween 2 buildings. So you have the original external sandstone walls becoming the internal walls of the CCA - i love this kind of use of space. The roof is one giant skylight, which makes this place really light and airy. We couldn't eat as the kitchen was closed for work to be done on it - but it has a reputation of doing really good food, so we'll be trying it out soon. It's fairly moderate/bordering on expensively priced - the beer we had was £4.50 a pint. They also do a table service when it's quiet. Overall I enjoyed our evening here and would like to go back on the weekend or for one of their events.

Ah, the CCA. Often forgotten but perhaps that makes it one of Glasgow's better-kept secrets. It's…read morean interesting space as it's difficult to put a stamp on. They run a number of different events and activities, making it difficult to recommend unless you have something specific to tell people to visit. The space itself is brilliant, very modern in the front with a bar and café/restaurant, and an additional bar upstairs that very much fits the art scene feel. In the middle is one of those exterior interiors, with outdoor walls and bannisters. If you enjoy any type of arts and culture from literature, art, and performance art, to music, give their website a glance over and see what interests you. They have so many projects and exhibitions it's difficult to keep up, but you can usually find something really wonderful. Last time I was there I saw some interesting work in digital media and photography. Even if you just fancy a coffee and a nibble, it's a great change from your typical coffee shop or gastropub. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.

Oh no I didn't! Oh yes I did! Yup it was that time of year again, panto time!! Yaaaay!…read more To be honest I haven't been to a panto in a long time well the last one I actually starred in as a good fairy back in 2006 in Blantyre. It was a last minute thing when my friend text to say they had some spare tickets to see Snow White. Now this wasn't just going with friends, oh no, this was going with half the brownies and guides from High Blantyre. Yelp! So when heading down to Blantyre train station it had been taken over by lots of little girls in yellow hats. What a sight?! So we made it to Glasgow, alighting at Anderston station, which therefore makes it only a 10min walk up to The Kings. So with a bunch of excited girls, I think I may have reached their level by now. Our seats were in the Gods, the Gallery if you want to be technical. Eep! Not my favourite part of the theatre but it's the cheap seats of the theatre. So the entrance is at the side of the building. After several flights of what felt like never ending stairs we made it to the top. We then headed down the aisle steps to our seats at a 45 degree angle to keep yourself upright, as it's soooooo steep. The Kings is a beautiful theatre that's many many years old. I always enjoy going but I normally pay a little bit more to get a better seat, normally Upper or Grand Circle, sometimes Stalls depending on the prices. One day I'll be I'll in the box seats. The stage is large and the sets were amazing. The costumes were stunning, so much detail from the principles characters right down to the chorus and dancers. The actors did a fine job and I did have a wee sigh of how much I do miss performing in the ol' pantoland. I think sitting in with the kids made it even more fun. I didn't realise though that Darius was in it though. Meh! Not a fan and could they mention Pop Idol, Colourblind, or Pop Star to Opera Star anymore times?! Shoooosh! Gavin Mitchell did a great job, he tastefully mentioned Gerald Kelly in the show and they dedicated the show at then end and had a minute clapping. The toilets were a bit of a nightmare though, as it's an old building it doesn't have as many toilets. The gents toilets were out of order at first so they had made the ladies a temporary gents. Then out of the two ladies toilets one was broken. So little girls being little girls, (whiny voice) "I need the toilet.", one goes they all go. So the queue went up the stairwell backing up to the entrance to the Gods. So a poor member of staff had to keep filling up the cistern with a bucket of water to get the other toilet working. At least the staff tried. Over all it was a great day out and The Kings always guarentees to have great shows on. I'm just waiting for Wicked to come to Glasgow. Hurry up London, fly up that Wicked Witch of West to us.

Panto is impressive here It's an old and traditional theatre…read more Seats could be a little more comfortable and could do with a little more space

First on my doors open day list as a trip to Scottish Opera's HQ. The building was built for the…read moresociety of engineers and it is very grand. If you're into stained glass windows then please try to get in to see it. The windows celebrate Glasgow's industrial past and notable engineers. The grand staircase is marble and there are some rehearsal spaces. I made a wee video of my adventure http://ktch.tv/2ly7 and you can hear their youth choir in bits of it. One of the saddest bits was the plaque near the entrance in memory of all the engineers who died on the Titanic. I believe they stayed on the ship keeping the lights etc working (if you've seen the film you'll have seen the lights stayed on but not realised why) while it sank. A beautiful, living building.

From small scale tours across the country, to the major productions that crowd Scotland's large…read moretheatres, Scottish Opera remain dynamic and innovative. Having introduced short opera as part of their 5:15 programme, and reinterpreting classics with a determinedly contemporary spin, the company is fighting to make opera accessible, especially for the youth market. The large scale of their productions has threatened their financial security in the past, but their ambitions are admirable. They offer regular discounts, link up with other businesses to offer night out packages and tour almost relentlessly. Despite the modern settings, they never compromise on quality, and guarantee a sophisticated evening's entertainment. http://www.scottishopera.org.uk/

This is a review for the bar area only. My guy and I were out and about for a few drinks one night…read moreand decided to stop in here. A great little spot, I feel it's a bit enough off the beaten path that it wasn't crammed full with people. We were able to pop in, order some drinks and find a table with complete ease and without having to push through groups of people. It's quite a small place, I couldn't imagine it being full up with people. It was quite festive with lights and mini christmas trees all about. The staff were really friendly, even convinced me to try an elderflower cider, one which I've never even fancied trying. I quite like it when bar staff are chatty, makes for a more personal experience. The atmosphere all together was calm cool and collected and I could see a bunch of us popping in for drinks on any given night. Great spot.

Headed along to Under Milk Wood at the Tron last night - somehow I've never made it here before but…read morewas pleased at having a chance to check it out. There's a large foyer area with a bar which is great for milling about waiting for the show to start. I had a rosé which came in a wee bottle but was served in a plastic cup for those going into the performance and came in at around £4. The only reason this venue gets 4 stars rather than 5 is lack of leg room when you're seated in the main auditorium - you might feel pretty squished while watching the performance. Apart from that, the seating is banked at such a steep angle that I can't imagine you'd have any troubles seeing past the person in front of you and it had good acoustics. Afterwards we headed around to the Vic Bar but it was heaving so we didn't stay long. They are doing a special pre-theatre menu in the Bar & Kitchen for the Home Nations Festival 2014 which is Best of British, with dishes like cullen skink, haggis fritters and mackerel fillets which sounds very tasty - 2 courses for £11.95.

Distinctive meeting and events venue in Glasgow, on the north bank of the Clyde river…read more Visited this week during the 2026 All Energy conference. The Armadillo and Ovo are architectural standouts on the Scottish Event Campus, but the main conference was held in the cavernous "train station like" building adjacent to them. This building was large enough to hold two giant exhibition halls on the ground level and many small meeting rooms on level 1. It was also conveniently connected by a covered tunnel to the local train station across the motorway, so local visitors and commuters could stay dry while walking over. Food options were plentiful (venison burgers, pork hot dogs, chicken gyros, etc.) and there were many establishments serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Looking forward to visiting again.

The SECC (strictly speaking, the SE&CC if you want to be pedantic as I like to throw out there from…read moretime to time) is a Glasgow institution. Once upon a time known as The Big Red Shed because it was... well, big and red, it's now a very bland shade of grey these days. Quite fitting, as there are newer, shinier, bigger and better venues not a stone's throw from it's well used doors. That's not to say it's a bad thing. The SECC still sees plenty of action in it's varied halls. You can find comic conventions, stand up comedy, gigs and even the odd bout of wrestling and boxing under the SECC roof at various times. There's plenty of options inside for drink and food, and yeah, you'll find it's a slightly over priced as you'd expect for big corporate venue, but not too much like some places *coughAcademycough* The staff are generally helpful and know what they're doing by now. I was there on Sunday and they managed to funnel 4000 people into Hall 3 in less than half an hour with little problems. The problem with the SECC isn't one of it's own doing... it's been replaced or superseded by it's near neighbours The Hydro and The Armadillo. It's not going anywhere soon, but you get the feeling it maybe needs a bit of an upgrade to stay relevant over the next few years, especially sitting in the Hydro's shadow.