Olivia Marrins

 MA Arts and Lifestyle Journlaism at UAL

Former Deputy Editor-in-Chief at The Glasgow Guardian. 

Graduate in English Literature (MA) at The University of Glasgow.

The Glasgow Guardian •

Review: Inhaler at the Barrowlands - The Glasgow Guardian

A night of fluorescent reminiscence.
As the support act finishes, fans rush to grab one final pint of Tennent’s or linger in the painfully long line for the ladies’ bathroom; the crowd anxiously form under the square studded ceiling, singing along to the La’s “There She Goes”. Under red lights, Inhaler take to the stage, Elijah Hewson taking centre stage dressed in a leather shirt and white tank. Guitarist Josh Jenkinson, drummer Ryan McMahon and bassist Robert Keating followed as the Dublin ind...
The Glasgow Guardian •

The forgotten women of Glasgow’s Art Nouveau

Margaret and Frances Macdonald’s artistic legacy has been overlooked by the art world for decades

Charles Rennie Mackintosh, James Herbert MacNair, Margaret Macdonald, and Francis Macdonald: the group known as the “Glasgow Four” was comprised of these four Glasgow School of Art graduates who met in the mid-1890s. Each became pioneering figures of the Art Nouveau movement at this time and into the 20th century. The establishment of their creative and innovative designs and graphics shaped what i
The Glasgow Guardian •

Glasgow: a musical history

A city with a culture deeply rooted in independent music tradition, Glasgow’s musical history reveals a place like no other.

Glasgow’s unique and compelling musical history is at one with the vibrancy of the city. This has always been a place so intimately involved with art and culture, and though its complexities and marvellousness can never be fully appreciated, I am sharing my small, personal connections to the artists and venues which are amongst Glasgow’s moments of great significance.

As
The Times •

Podcast of the week: Full Disclosure with James O’Brien

Alan Cumming says his role in Stanley Kubrik’s Eyes Wide Shut was a turning point in his film career – but it all started with Taggart and Take the High Road. “I loved the fame,” he says. “I loved opening fêtes and being pinned up against a Scout hut wall by old ladies.”

Cumming talks about his early career in Full Disclosure with James O’Brien, a podcast series the notoriously feisty LBC presenter has designed, he says, “to let me spend more time than is available on my radio show with fascina
The Glasgow Guardian •

Review: Joesef’s pinnacle gig of his career @ Barrowlands - The Glasgow Guardian

The East-end Glaswegian singer sells out two nights.
Lights up, pints downed and Beyonce’s Break my Soul: the beginning of the Barrowlands gig for the East End singer was always going to be a standout. In a venue of such momentous Scottish music moments, the Barrowlands’ stairs welcomed a new crowd for such a personable, touching gig in Joesef’s old stomping ground. Spirits were high to say the least as sounds of 70s soul and pop classics primed the crowd; couples, groups of friends and singles...
The Glasgow Guardian •

Movements That Shaped Us: Disco

The origins of the disco scene remain somewhat uncertain; was it the discotheques of New York City in the 1960s (Le club, Regine’s and Arthur) or the Parisian club scene at the time? It wasn’t until the 1970s when disco began to be truly heard, when the subterranean gay clubs of New York created a culture of psychedelic strobes and sex which shaped the genre. When David Mancuso opened the doors one of New York City’s biggest gay clubs, the Loft, disco all of a sudden shaped the club scene of the
The Glasgow Guardian •

Glasgow's social gig for young people

Young people make Glasgow. The significance of Glasgow’s history in the music scene is one of world-class recognition. There are no limitations to the richness of Glasgow’s cultural scope, whether that be an intimate gig at the back of a West End pub, or thousands of students screaming along to a chart favourite at the O2 Academy. The history of each concert hall or hidden theatre is lined with tales from those who used to frequent them, and is now an area waiting to be delved into by the younge
The Glasgow Guardian •

Why artists are finally hitting the pause button

The lifestyle of a music artist - turning up to interviews and sold-out shows on little to no sleep, and surviving on caffeine and microwavable meals - is often glamourised. But it is sure to reach a state of exhaustion and deliriousness.

After the announcement that Sam Fender will be playing St James Park in Newcastle next June, he has taken the decision to pull out of his forthcoming headline shows in the US. Due to burnout, Fender is taking this time away from the stage for recuperation and
The Glasgow Guardian •

Genre trouble: niche or needless?

he music listening process, whether through vinyl or a streaming service, finds that each sound is distinguished by its correspondence to a genre or musical period. From rock and punk to pop and grime, we find ourselves unconsciously guided by the existing structures in music consumption and everything in between.

The categorisation of music into sonic boxes can be argued as successful, yet is this only in the realms of originality conservation? Thinking of mono-genres such as country, rock, or
The Glasgow Guardian •

You May Have Missed: October

October saw the release of many highly anticipated albums such as Music Of The Spheres by Coldplay and Lana Del Ray’s Blue Banisters. However, I would like to review the albums which fell a little under the public eye that month, from indie soul to alternative hip-hop, last month celebrating all genres. Though many artists have been passed over by the mainstream recognition of releases, I found the albums by Coco, JPEGMAFIA, Jarvis Cocker and BADBADNOTGOOD to capture a range of music suitable fo
The Glasgow Guardian •

From runway to screen

As nearly every social event is rescheduled, cancelled, or taken to Zoom, it is no surprise that Milan fashion week has traded up bustling live venues for digital runways. This fashion exhibition showcases autumn/winter 2021/2022 collections across January and February through the theme "Evolution". Consequently, this year’s take on one for the fashion world’s most coveted events will see little of the social buzz surrounding a traditional fashion week. Instead, an isolated audience, watching vi
The Glasgow Guardian •

Rethinking your wardrobe for winter

Let's face it, who can't resist the arrival of the winter collections on the high street? Fresh wool coats and cosy jumpers is all anyone needs to entice them into buying a whole new wardrobe for the upcoming season.

As we enter not only a new season but a period of serious environmental issues, we need to stop categorising styles into specific months of the year and instead think of them as a suitable option year-round. Therefore, we should follow suit of the many people who “trans-seasonal” d

Let's get social