Glasgow music venue / bar Bloc has come under fire from local politicians over its satirical gig guide.

The printed leaflet is set up was a Daily Mail-style parody but has offended anti-racist campaigners who either haven’t actually read the publication fully, or, as Bloc have suggested in their response, have “got through their lives without encountering Private Eye, Charlie Brooker, Monty Python, Brass Eye…”

Among the ‘racist’ language are suggestions that a visiting band from Spain are “keeping British bands off British stages”, and that Black International should be sent back to where they came from (Edinburgh, so probably a fair point).

Among those complaining were Glasgow Kelvin MSP Sandra White, who, speaking to the Evening Times, said: “My concern is that by printing this as a tongue-in-cheek parody they are normalising these really serious issues,” adding that the leaflet’s authors should be reported to police.

The newspaper also obtained a quote from anti-racism campaigners Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC), who said: “We understand the attempt to satirise those susceptible to bigoted views and negative stereotyping… However, even with that context, the stereotypes contained within may further homogenise and label groups rather than harmlessly poke fun at those who hold those views in the first place.”
UKIP were also satirised via an doctored picture of leader Nigel Farage. The paper contacted the party, who are presumably on speed dial, but ironically their the spokesperson laughed off the accusations.

The gig guide’s author, bar manager Chris Cusak, accused the politicians of “indignant blustering”, and continued at some (eloquent) length.