"Andrew "Divine" Symington has steered Glasgow School of Art's soul, funk, reggae and jazz extravaganza, Divine, for over 15 years - rendering it Glasgow's longest-running club night - and an exigent, one-stop institution for lovers of northern soul, 60s grooves, psych-jazz, hipster Mod and Motown" (TRIPTYCH FESTIVAL 2006)
"Officially the city's, if not Scotland's, longest running clubnight" (THE METRO)
DIVINE has been packing the punters into the Glasgow School of Art's intimate deco-styled Victoria Cafe for a record-breaking 18 years, an unmatched feat in Glasgow and most likely, Scotland. Andrew "Divine" Symington has manned the decks, filling the chequered dancefloor with a faithful, loyal and mixed crowd - you're as likely to find fresh-faced baggy-trousered hip-hop heads rubbing shoulders with more mature sharp-dressed mods, all united by a love of the music. What makes Divine unique is the blend between tried and tested classics and brand new obscurities - a perfect balance, ensuring the playlist is never intimidating for those who weren't born when the club began (!) or over-familiar for the die-hard regulars...
What has undoubtedly kept DIVINE fresh over the years is down to Andrew's never ending quest and passion for dusty old vinyl. When it comes to northern soul, psychedelic freakbeat, dynamite ska, deep funk and sixties pop, nobody in Glasgow digs deeper for those rare nuggets, taking vinyl archaeology to the next level: obsessively scouring markets, making dawn-raids on carboot sales, getting goggle-eyed in front of the computer, feverishly trading with international collectors and chatting up old ladies in charity shops... downloading a few MP3s just doesn't cut it!
To mark the 18TH BIRTHDAY, there will be free mix CDs soundtracking the club's latest floor-packers, covering the full spectrum from Scottish freakbeat to Icelandic psych, Stateside soul to Italian funk! Live entertainment will be supplied by Glaswegian R'n'B combo THE BOTTLENECKERS - authentic double-bass fuelled 1950s style rhythm'n'blues. The front gallery will play host to a "champagne" reception featuring a DIVINE poster exhibition, chronicling 18 years worth of club graphics. Add a raffle where we'll be giving away T-shirts and all sorts of other gubbins, and you'll go some way to understanding why this club has attained such legendary status...