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Day: 15 November 2011

Live: Evanescence @ Apollo

Evanescence
Apollo
7th November
5 stars

This is Evanescence’s first UK date since Download 2007 and first UK tour for 7 years, understandably the 7 date tour is sold out as it is an opportune time to relive the early noughties with their famous tracks like ‘Bring Me To Life’ and ‘Going Under’.

Opening for Evanescence tonight are The Pretty Reckless, fronted by ever controversial The Grinch and Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen. Having only released one album so far, most of their debut Light Me Up is performed with The White Stripes’ ‘Seven Nation Army’ also added. While ever controversial, it is not pushed to the limit it was at Download earlier this year and as such the setlist is more enjoyable and less cringe worthy with highlights being ‘Miss Nothing’ and ‘Make Me Wanna Die’.

Starting with ‘What You Want’ from the self-titled new release then delving into the more known territory of ‘Going Under’, the vocals from Amy Lee are second to none. While the newer material is not as well known by most of the crowd, the recording doesn’t even match up to the live performance. When such classics such as ‘Bring Me To Life’ and ‘Call Me When You’re Sober’ are aired, it’s very hard not to be caught up in singing along with the crowd.

Throughout the entire night, her vocals are perfect from the heavier songs to the songs with only her piano to accompany her, especially the set ender ‘My Immortal’. The only downside is that with this being Evanescence’s first UK tour in 7 years, one would have hoped for more than just an hour and a half setlist.

Even with that in mind, Evanescence are one of the best live acts around. Hopefully the next UK tour won’t take place in 2018.

Beerfest: our top tipples

Article written by Rhian Hawkins

For those who haven’t noticed the stupidly large banner hanging over our Union, the Manchester RAG Beerfest is back from 18th – 20th November, promising to be better than ever. Entertainment includes DJs, bands, comedy acts, a casino room and much more. Not forgetting the beer – over 40 real ales, 20 bottled beers, a range of different ciders and an assortment of over 20 flavoured vodkas. Whether you are just beginning to explore the world of beer or your palate is well accustomed to all things ale, the RAG Beerfest has something to offer everyone.

The RAG Beerfest will be invading the top floor of the Students’ Union and will be open from 2pm till 2am on Friday and Saturday, and 2pm till 12am on Sunday. Tickets cost just £4 and include an exclusive Beerfest glass. They can be purchased in advance from the UMSU Box Office and the Student Activities Office in the Students’ Union. All of the event’s profits will be given to the Manchester Community Fund, which distributes the money amongst local North West charities. Come along to one of Manchester’s most renowned events, help the local community and enjoy all that Beerfest has to offer!

We’ve picked a handful of our favourite ales to show you just why you can’t miss out on this year’s renowned beer festival.

Chocolate

Made especially for the sweet-toothed, this stout-like ale creates a chocolatey hint by combining caramel and roasted malt flavours. Its sweetness is balanced perfectly with a bitterness that means several pints of it can be drunk. The beer is locally produced by the Marble Brewery in Chorlton which is well known for only using organic and vegetarian ingredients in their cask ales.

Old Tom

At a staggering 8.5 percent, the Award Winning Robinson’s Old Tom Ale is the strongest beer offered at the RAG Beerfest. It is a dark, rich ale with roasted nut and chocolate flavours that will ensure you are kept warm despite the cold Manchester weather. It has a deep port finish and a peppery kick that makes it irresistible in the winter months.

RAG XB

An ale named especially for the RAG Beerfest, this pale tart beer is for its rich rounded body, smooth bitterness and subtle tang of malt. It has a long, dry and slightly acidic finish with a fruity underscore and is one of the lighter ales offered at the festival.

Bear Ass

This is a dark copper, malty bitter with a beige head and delicious fruity flavours. The ale is produced locally by the Beartown brewery in Cheshire and has proved popular with younger drinkers, making it the perfect RAG festival beer.

Proper Job IPA

If you are looking for a refreshing fruity ale, this IPA is the perfect choice. It is a golden bitter brewed using Cornish spring water that explodes with citrus grapefruit flavours. It was voted “Champion Ale” at the 2011 Quality Drinks Awards and is sure to be a hit at Beerfest.

 

 

 

 

 

Manchester Literature Festival: Sacred Hearts

It was with definite stammering and hesitation that I evasively explained to my ‘plus one’ we were going to a show – about? Ah. Clearly should have based my opinion on more than just ‘Nuns, Italy, and the sixteenth century’. They have live music I said, and actors, I think. I prayed in the bathroom. Let it be good, Oh god, let it be good.

It was more than good, it was superb. ‘Sacred Hearts’ tells the story of the convent of Santa Caterina, at its core sixteen year old Serafina, who pounds and cries against her cell doors as she is imprisoned in her new convent life. Yet this is not a solo piece – for constantly in the background of our main players are the women, and the life of the convent – and it is for this coming of despair, and condemnation, and the banal, and the divine that the show really deserved its encore.

Sarah Dunant, the writer herself, and Deborah Findlay acted beautifully as did the singers of Music Secreta. Niamh Cusak very intensely, perhaps slightly affectedly starred too. However, I venture that it was the group’s so wonderful singing, in the truly atmospheric Manchester Cathedral, that really made you feel, there was something sacred in the air.

Manchester Literature Festival: Crime in a Cold Climate

Opening proceedings at the second week of the festival was a highly alluring premise, not just on account of the fascinatingly depraved subject material, but also as an opportunity to gain insight into a sweeping craze of modern literature – an evening with three prolific authors of Nordic crime fiction. With unprecedented influence, now reaching into American cinema (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and television (The Killing), it’s no surprise that a record number of middle-aged crime enthusiasts and literature students escaped the Manchester downpour to pack out The Engine House.

Those who braved the blustery trip were rewarded with an honest, humourous and evocative examination of the genre, its stake in society and its fair share of controversy, with wonderful guidance from compere Barry Forshaw. Residing were two Norwegian authors; hotshot Thomas Enger, with his first book Burned published to critical acclaim, and veteran KO Dahl, with four of his grand catalogue now published in English, alongside Icelandic bestseller Yrsa Sigurdardottir whose work is translated in over thirty countries.

Contrary to expectation, the three aren’t indebted to the work of genre establishers such as Henning Mankell. Rather, they draw upon themselves to create striking characters; Enger states that his greatest fear is losing his children, and so for Burned’s protagonist fear becomes reality. Refreshingly, politics do not pervade their work; they seek to entertain and on occasion portray Nordic society, but feel no pressure to do so. Sigurdardottir is keen to reference the expectation of female writers to shy away from gratuity, a sexist sentiment that masks the trio’s desire to favour characterisation and the craft of a thrilling narrative. Despite further reservations in regards to the faltering economy and a potentially fickle international audience, it is bracing to see a genre flourish under passionate writers remaining true to themselves.

Live: The Blackout @ Academy 1

The Blackout
Academy 1
5 November
4 stars

For years, The Blackout have enjoyed underground success but 2011 has been a prominent year for them with the release of their fourth album, Hope, and supporting My Chemical Romance on their UK arena tour.

Support act, Canterbury, kick off tonight’s proceedings but their set leaves a lot to be desired. The music is just very boring and their stage presence is lacklustre, but a select few seem to enjoy themselves during the set.
Essex boys, We Are the Ocean, are a bit more enthusiastic with frontman and screamer Dan Brown jumping around like a kid with A.D.D. and screaming the line “How we doing Manchester?” more than he actually sings. The set is only short but draws on their EPs and two studio albums with a particular highlight being ‘Confessions’ which is predominantly sung by clean vocalist and guitarist Liam Cromby.

The Blackout start off with ‘This is Our Time’ and ‘Ambition is Critical’, taken from their newest release, Hope, followed by ‘Save Our Selves (The Warning)’ and ‘It’s High Tide Baby!’ where it is hard not to join in with the “Woahs” in the chorus. In between every second or third song there seems to be a joke from either of the frontmen Gavin Butler or Sean Smith, turning almost into a comedy roadshow which makes the entire set flow so well. Even without Youmeatsix’s Josh Franceschi to perform his usual vocals on ‘This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’ the song is one of the best of The Blackout’s back catalogue. Older songs like ‘I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot!’ and ‘Spread Legs, Not Lies’ are still crowd favourites.

The Blackout’s underground days seem to have come to an end and with performances like this they are due to be one of the best British bands in years to come.

 

Live: Funeral for a Friend @ Academy 1

Funeral for A Friend
Academy 1
28th October
3 stars

This year, Welsh post-hardcore outfit Funeral for a Friend celebrated their ten year anniversary and the band doesn’t seem to be coming to a halt any time soon.

The Bunny The Bear, and Brisbane metallers, The Amity Affliction, kick off the night with a good set which make them names certainly to look out for in the future. Las Vegas rockers Escape the Fate are the main support act tonight. The setlist is good mix of classic and new such as ‘The Flood’ and ’10 Miles Wide’ which gets some of the crowd moving yet some still appear uninterested. While everything of their performance is tight, their music just seems out of a place at a Funeral for a Friend gig.

Funeral for a Friend’s setlist tonight caters towards new and old fans by successfully mixing the back catalogue of four old albums and their new release, Welcome Home Armageddon. Throughout the night, frontman Matt Davies-Kreye seems to suffer from severe vocal problems and by the end of the night his vocal duties have been kept up by his bandmates. Fan favourites ‘Juneau’ and ‘Roses for the Dead’ do not seem to suffer from the vocal dilemma but softer song ‘History’ seems to be lacking Davies-Kreye’s usual vocals.
The newer material seems to go down well with the crowd as its style of heavy riffs and drumming is reminiscent of 2003’s Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation or 2005’s Hours which are considered to be their best albums.

The only thing that was a problem tonight, unfortunately it was a big one, was the vocal problems and with it being a recurring problem since Funeral’s last gig in Manchester, while FFAF remain popular, the question is can their voices hold up to the strain.

Album: I Am the Avalanche – Avalanche United

I Am The Avalanche
Avalanche United
I Surrender Records
4 stars

Six years after their last release, their debut self titled album back in 2005, the Brooklyn quintet I Am The Avalanche are back with a belter. Avalanche United sees a significant magnitude of progress from where they left off and is apparent from the get go with opening track ‘Holy Fuck’, evidencing their objectives in the lyrics ‘shut your mouth, and pay your rent, and make a record they’ll never forget’. No doubt, this album is rather promising in helping the band get back onto the pop punk radar.

Standout tracks consist of upbeat efforts ‘Is This Really Happening?’, ‘Brooklyn Dodgers’ and ‘You’ve Got Spiders’, the latter two they have been playing live for quite some time, blasting out the perfect pop punk formula for a chorus. ‘Amsterdam’ provides an insight to the memories created from the road and the eagerness to get back out to the places they’ve conquered during past tours.

Background gang vocals add to the imminent sense of unity within the band and the strong connection they have managed to maintain with their followers despite the lack of band activity within the past few years. A solid record throughout filled with punchy choruses and melodies whilst producing a good balance of perfectly raw vocals and energetic integrity. With a newly announced UK pre-Christmas tour taking place (the first time returning to England in 6 years), this record is certain to please the fans gained from previous releases and no doubtedly will be successful in gaining another swarm of highly impressed listeners.

 

Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes

Five out of five stars

From this production is it easy to see why Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes is a popular choice for drama students. Tony Kushner’s ambitious 1993 play allows actors and directors to bring to the fore the nuance of the text’s many different strands. The cast of this student production at MMU’s Capitol Theatre have taken advantage of this and produced an engaging and intelligent piece of theatre.

Kushner has light-heartedly described his writing style as being like a lasagne “All the yummy nutritious ingredients you’ve thrown into it have almost-but-not-quite succeeded in overwhelming the design”. Although set in the 1980’s, Angels in America engages with concerns of the 1990’s. Kushner tries to make sense of the racial, sexual and class divisions that exist in America, “The melting pot where nothing melted”, and suggests that in the 90’s, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the AIDS epidemic, it is essential that America comes to understand itself in a different way.

The dark-heart of the play is lawyer and staunch republican Roy Cohn, played here by Lucas Smith. Cohn, a repressed homosexual who discovered that he is dying of AIDS, symbolises the false-certainty and hypocrisy of the Reagan-era. Smith’s Cohn is smug and brash at the same time as still being immensely angry and more or less inhuman. The performance is not subtle but it provides much of the production’s energy and force. Harper, played here by Amy Cameron, the valium-addicted housewife is a depiction of quieter desperation. Cameron gives a strong performance, showing the character as being deeply frustrated but also having the capacity for optimism.

The staging is rapid and artificial, embracing the text’s Brechtian qualities and providing a more satisfying interpretation of the play than a non-theatrical adaptation, such as the big-budget HBO miniseries, will ever be able to.

While they were written and first-performed separately, it is a shame that this production does not bring together the two parts of Angels in America. Although the seven-hour running-time may have been a challenge in Capitol Theatre’s painfully uncomfortable seats, it would have been fantastic to see the same group of students sink their teeth into the other piece of Tony Kushner’s modern classic.

Angels in America – Part One: Millennium Approaches ran at the MMU Capitol Theatre between 12th-15th October. 

Live: Digitalism @ Club Academy

Digitalism
Club Academy
1st November
4 stars

Finally, Digitalism have returned! Four years after the German duo released their debut album, Idealism, Jens and Ismail return to Manchester with new material.

At sixteen I was an avid Digitalism fan and so, having never had the chance to see them live, I jumped at the chance to review this gig. In June of this year the electro-house, Hamburg rockers released their second album, I Love You, Dude. While not overly keen on this new material, I was excited to see how they would balance their illustrious classics with the new and unfamiliar.

They started their set in Club Academy as they meant to go on. Immediately engaging the audience, Jens was an extremely animated and captivating lead man. Their unique combination of daring distorted baselines, electro-house beats and synth pop worked like a dream. They also managed to get a good balance between the new and the old, moving seamlessly from their landmark euphoric tracks, such as ‘Zdarlight’, to their more recent releases and then back again.
Their mix of electro-house, rock and pop generally blends together flawlessly however, it can occasionally catch you off guard. At one point I found myself shifting from dancing earnestly to ‘Idealistic’, to suddenly standing awkwardly as they abruptly mixed in what I can only describe as some jarring, distorted guitars. On the whole though, one can’t fault Digitalism for their highly experimental and generally successful blend of genres.

Overall, Digitalism are fantastic to see live. Despite their brilliant, if occasionally awkward, mix of rock and electro-house and their slightly bland new material they delivered a show that left me with a huge smile on my face. The German friends certainly know how to offer a memorable and exciting set.

Digitalism – Pogo

Digitalism – Circles

Live: The Cat Empire @ Academy 1

The Cat Empire
Academy 1
19th October
5 stars

Ten years is a long time: tonight, though, The Cat Empire gave a performance proving that some things never change. The Australian outfit are celebrating the tenth anniversary of their first show together, and while their appearance might have altered, their capacity to throw a party certainly hasn’t.

The group opened with ‘Fishies’, setting the tone for an evening of astonishing musicianship, with Harry James Angus laying down the first of many exceptional trumpet solos. The following number ‘Days Like These’ almost brought the house down, as the crowd wildly skanked/salsa-ed with each other. In fact, the only scruple one might have had with the whole evening was that some audience members were getting a little too into it (I was accidentally struck in the face, twice), but perhaps I’m being a spoilsport.

While Harry might have stolen the show in terms of solos, each band member delivered separate outstanding ones of their own throughout the night – a personal favourite being the superb three-way brass jam between Harry (trumpet) and duo  The Empire Horns (trumpet and trombone).
Such is the nature of their Latin-heavy music that watching The Cat Empire is an exhausting experience; it’s very difficult not to dance, and as the evening wore on there seemed to be fewer and fewer who could resist the urge. The energy in Academy was matched only by the temperature, so that by 11pm it felt more like the Warehouse Project, although thankfully fewer people had their shirts off. The final song of their inevitable encore was ‘The Chariot’, which created a suitable state of euphoria (I was accidentally struck in the face again) – and it was a fitting end to an incredible evening which arguably cemented The Cat Empire’s place among the best live bands in the world. If you ever need someone to “break down a party landmine” for you, these are the guys.

Cat Empire – Fishies

Reborn as a hippy-crit

My favourite of all the student stereotypes has got to be the hippy. What a lovely, well meaning bunch. Who could possibly hold any resentment towards them? They are always looking out for what’s best for the world, helping each fellow human, aiding all the cheeky monkeys and fighting for every wiggly worm. They are the last line of defence against those horrible meany capitalists and bad guy corporations.

And after it is the thought of all those fuzzy animals and the damage that we are doing to the environment that I, Lloyd Henning, have now pledged to abandon my wicked middle-class lifestyle and live a life of complete harmony with the universe. I urge you as students, the future, the free souls that inhabit this beautiful planet, to live in the spirit of those in undeveloped countries, but with all the amenities of the first world.

To become truly one with Gaea I’ve thrown my unnecessary possessions aside, barring the real essentials – like my mac book and smart-phone (which although they are manufactured by the corporations in ethically and environmentally dubious conditions, I’m actually making a unique stand for freedom by using their technology in a subversive manner by posting on my blog about my favourite incense sticks).

University has finally revealed me to myself. It’s really deep, all these important lectures and seminars and stuff. I only went to the initial introductory stuff, but it was really deep and taught me so much about the course outline that I was able to just skip the rest and lie in bed just “feeling out” of the knowledge.

I’m totally against money now as well and what it does, it is the tree trunk of all evil. My parents may fund me, but only so that I can learn enough about who I am so that I’ll be able to one day open up a bohemian cafe in the northern quarter for artists and free-thinkers to come and do amazing, interesting things like, err, art and free-thinking? I might need to borrow some cash off them for that though.

I believe in equality, especially equality with animals and nature, we are all one species – the species of life. And because chickens, pigs, cows and fish are my fellow brothers and sisters then I refuse to consume them. However, if I find bits of them in a skip marked by the man as “unfit for human consumption” then of course I will not let their murder be in vain and will ritually cannibalise their corpses, maybe with some potatoes and gravy.

Then I might go to these underused buildings and re-purpose them as spaces where like minded people can hang out, because there are not enough spaces where like minded can hang out in normal life. Sometimes we do poetry work shops and I am really pleased to say I’ve written more poems than I’ve read. I often just jot down anything that inspires me, like recycling and courgettes. I would hold these workshops at property I myself own or have lease of, but I think a bunch of unwashed people hanging around singing songs all day would be rather annoying.

Sometimes I do get the feeling that all this hippy stuff is a tad hypocritical, what with it feeling like I’m slightly taking the piss given the fact that I’m really just a middle class brat who in could do far more to help develop society than fart around with vegetables and bicycles. Maybe I’ll just go buy a McDonalds and get over it all.

Live: Lykke Li

31st October 2011

Academy 2

7/10

I don’t mind gigs being postponed if there’s a genuine reason – and by a genuine reason, I mean something along the lines of the band not being released from the cells in time, collapsing in a pool of their own vomit or even falling out of a coconut tree a la Keith Richards back in 2006. Lykke Li, then, was certainly pushing the limits of my goodwill when she called off this show at twenty-four hours notice back in April because of a back injury – caused, in truly rock n’ roll style, by an unfortunate fall in Marks and Spencer. Fully recovered and taking the stage in outrageously dramatic fashion with an intro that uses strobe lighting and thumping bass like they’re going out of fashion, the Swedish songstress is clearly hell-bent on making up for lost time.

Playing in support of her second record, February’s Wounded Rhymes, Lykke hasn’t allowed tonight’s relatively intimate setting to temper her appetite for theatrics; emerging against a striking backdrop, she launches into the stormy ‘Jerome’, all menacing synths and throbbing drums, before dropping fan favourite, and breakthrough single, ‘I’m Good, I’m Gone’ for a full-scale singalong. It’s one of just three tracks from her debut Youth Novels LP to make the cut tonight; only ‘Little Bit’ and ‘Dance Dance Dance’ punctuate a set dominated by new material, which is certainly far better suited to the show’s brooding atmosphere. As a live performer, Lykke’s a genuine revelation, from banging a floor tom like a woman possessed on the lyrically-provocative ‘Get Some’ to pouring out her weary heart on the encore of ‘Unrequited Love’. The evening’s only drawback, then, is that she’s with us for not much more than an hour; far too short, but still very sweet, and certainly worth the wait.

Lykki Li – I Follow Rivers

Live: Other Lives

30th October 2011

The Deaf Institute

4/10

2008 saw the emergence of a number of artists who brought the concept of the indie-folk crossover firmly back into fashion; Fleet Foxes, Devendra Banhart, Bon Iver and Grizzly Bear, to name a few. Fast forward to 2011, and suddenly ‘indie-folk’ is less an ethereal blend of chiming guitars and soaring harmonies and more a phrase used to describe privately-educated rich boys making offensively bland pop songs that are apparently ‘folk’ purely on the basis of the wearing of flat caps and waistcoasts and the occasional smattering of utterly arbitrary banjo. The totally mystifying success of Mumford and Sons is a genuine tragedy, and thus it’s nice to see a band more in line with the aforementioned American artists making waves again.

Other Lives hail from Stillwater, Oklahoma and rock up at the Deaf Institute tonight with pretty much everything going for them; off the back of a North American tour supporting Bon Iver and with a host of positive reviews for sophomore LP Tamer Animals under their belts. Arriving twenty minutes late to a stage bedecked with suitably sinister decorations – on the eve of Halloween – it’s difficult to discern what the band have more of – instruments or facial hair. The first song alone sees one member of the brilliantly-bearded quintet play electric guitar, violin and trumpet in quick succession, before simultaneously banging a floor tom and playing the xylophone in a stunning display of multi-tasking musicianship. Unfortunately, it’s this wide sonic palette that’s ultimately proves to be the group’s live downfall; with so much going on, a number of instruments get lost in a mire of guitars, not least frontman Jesse Tabish’s yearning vocals. The songs are certainly there, but, so far, frustratingly, a convincing way to deliver them live isn’t.

Live: Enter Shikari @ HMV Ritz

Enter Shikari
HMV Ritz
7th October
5 stars

After spending the majority of the summer opting for an American trip on the road via the Vans Warped Tour, Enter Shikari are back on English soil, promising sold-out nights of absolute insanity. With a rather stellar lineup of bands on the bill, this tour is not for the faint hearted. Blood, sweat and bruises are an anticipated outcome, and crowd-goers were certainly far from disappointment.

After blasting sets from supports letlive and Your Demise, it feels like that could have been the entire show in itself and kids would leave happy, but they regain more than enough energy to witness what’s yet to come.

In the newly refurbished 1920’s theatre, the HMV Ritz is tested to its safety limits, as the headlining band takes over and the 1500-strong crowd erupts. Opening with ‘Destabilise, the energetic pace continues with high consistency as the Hertfordshire four-piece belt out crowd favourites ‘Zzzonked’, ‘Havoc A’ and ‘Return To Energiser.
Choosing to play smaller venues on this tour, they are eager to give back to the loyal home fan base who are keen for new music. This eagerness to provide fresh sounds is apparent as they include new songs taken from their upcoming 2012 release, A Flash Flood of Colour, churning out likely future favourites ‘Arguing With Thermometers and ‘Sssnakepit.

Crowd participation is at its fullest- reminiscent to those that the band has witnessed at their Reading & Leeds festival slots over the last 3 years. Strobe lighting was also at its extreme, almost to the point of near blindness, adding to the notion that this is just a big rave.

With a newly announced Spring 2012 tour with fellow Brits Young Guns, Enter Shikari show total control and no signs of slowing.

Enter Shikari – Sssnakepit

Live: Jessie J @ Apollo

Jessie J
Apollo
21st October
5 stars

Jessie J has blown up over the past 12 months, with chart success across Europe, even so far as breaking the States. Opting to play in medium-sized theatre venues, it is apparent that these will most probably be the smallest venues she will be performing in for a long time.

It is clear that this is a much anticipated sold out show. The larger stage at the O2 Manchester Apollo in comparison to other venues on the tour allows the full stage set to be constructed and Jessie J uses this to full effect, opening with ‘Big White Room’, sitting in a statuesque pose on a chair with a rotating red velvet stage, her voice is already the focus of the show.

Incorporating a pleasant remix of Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ into crowd favourite ‘Stand Up’ gets the balcony up on their feet. A solid performer with positive stage presence, Jessie J knows how to belt out a tune. ‘Nobody’s Perfect’, ‘Abracadabra’ and ‘I Need This’ are performed with an energised sound, much due to her impressive live band. Before entering into current single and title track ‘Who You Are’, Jessie J explains her eyebrow-raising choice of outfit, donning a purple bodysuit to show her support for the LBGT community before pouring out her emotions into a beautifully version of the song.

Continuing into the encore with debut chart hit ‘Do It Like A Dude’ and her most successful single Price Tag’, the crowd are still fully attentive. Ending with the vocally powered ‘Domino’, Jessie J leaves the audience roaring with a much deserved standing ovation. Everyone is more than satisfied with such an impressive vocal and visual performance from one of the UK’s biggest stars. No doubt Jessie J will be selling out arenas across the country next time round.

Jessie J – Domino (live)

Jessie J – Price Tag (live)

Live: Katy Perry @ MEN Arena

Katy Perry
M.E.N Arena
31st October
5 stars

Pop’s favourite 21st century Californian export Katy Perry graced the Manchester stage for a fun-filled Halloween stop on her California Dreams Tour, yet this show was far from scary, instead consisting of a 2 hour set of bubblegum pop, from the candy inspired stage designs, multiple big screens, pastel outfits to the insane stage lighting, bubbles and pyro fireworks.

Perry is a pop powerhouse. Opening with her number 1 hit ‘Teenage Dream she instantly creates an atmosphere full of creativity and excitement amongst the 15,000 devoted fans, who have all opted to occupy the arena for the night over the choice of trick-or-treating or the annual house party.

Blasting through a variety of upbeat songs including breakout song ‘I Kissed A Girl, ‘ET and ‘Circle The Drain, Perry’s charm and perfect choreography engages the audience throughout, audibly and visually. The latter half of the relatively long set allows her to display her vocal ability through slower songs such as current single ‘The One That Got Awayand old favourite Thinking of You, floating across the crowd on a candyfloss ‘cloud’, strumming an acoustic guitar that is practically immersed in glitter. Successfully providing an intimate setting to the sold out arena, it is about to get even more intimate for a lucky few.

Inviting adorned fans to share the stage during her rendition of the Whitney Houston party classic ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody, Perry continues to bring the party. Rounding off with her two biggest hits to date, ‘Firework, receiving the loudest sing-a-long of the night, and California Gurls, it is certain that this is a show spectators will be talking about for a long time.

Take note, Katy Perry’s California Dreams Tour is the epitome of a perfect pop performance.

Katy Perry – California Gurls (live)

Katy Perry – Peacock (live)

Column: Time to move on, Manchester.

I know it may be frowned upon in the sphere of music snobbery but I have been a lifelong Oasis fan. In spite of this, even I cannot appreciate the years of utter dross that the Manchester music scene churned out in the aftermath of the Gallagher brothers’ lengthy fall from grace, as replica after replica failed to bring anything new to the table. When a band like The Courteeners is able to sell out the MEN Arena, there must be a clear dearth of anything remotely listenable coming out of the city.

Manchester is evidently one for the nostalgia trip, with record sales of Ian Brown’s divorce payment coming only a couple of weeks ago. The sad thing being that every single one of those paying customers will walk away questioning how a voice that sounded so brilliant twenty years ago could now be compared to the sanding of an old school desk. With this in mind, I feel now is a time to finally applaud the new waves of music coming through the city at the moment. A time to finally break from the days of old.
To be a student in Manchester, the door is open to a whole world of up and coming acts shaping the landscape of popular music. This city has been the protagonist in a fantastic wave of art-rock bands in recent years, with NME favourites Wu Lyf taking a lead role. Dutch Uncles and Everything Everything display astonishing musicianship in their formation of tracks that quite such abstract time signatures, yet still manage to retain mass appeal. Throw in Wild Beasts from a little further afield, and the guitar music coming out of the city has taken a huge turn away (for the better) from that being produced in the mid-nineties.
The boom in local bands is not just restricted to guitar-based productions. D/R/U/G/S are one of the most exciting producers in electronic music at the moment, whilst Broke-n-£nglish showcased UK hip-hop and production at its finest just this Friday, in support of DOOM at HMV Ritz.

So I encourage Manchester’s student public to shake off two decades of music cobwebs from the past and applaud the present, the abundance of first-class acts coursing through the veins of our fair city.

Blind date: Lisa and Joe

Lisa Mukubvu, Third year, Politics, Philosophy and Economics

What were your first impressions?
Sincere and easy going. The first thing we did when we sat down was to confess that we were both there for the free food. I suppose we bonded straight away on that premise.

What did you talk about?
Ancient civilisations, about the relationship between Politics and History, about travelling and experiencing different cultures, music, family

Best thing about them?
He’s not afraid to try new things, he had his steak nicht gar without a complaint, even though he usually prefers it well-cooked. I daresay he enjoyed it!

What did you eat?
Steak and salad, and a sticky toffee pudding for desert.

Any awkwardness?
Yes, when we realised we had to pay for the drinks at the end. We thought they were on the house!

How did you part ways? (Mouth to mouth action/heavy petting/friendly hug?!)
Friendly hug

Out of 10?
8

Would you see them again?
Maybe

 

Joe Anstee, Third year, Ancient History

What were your first impressions?
What a nice smile.

What did you talk about?
Robert Mugabe, careers, history, passports, appreciation of Katy Perry

Best thing about them?
She had some really interesting stories about growing up in Zimbabwe

What did you eat?
Had steak – it was excellent!

Any awkwardness?
Not really, she was very easy to talk to

How did you part ways? (Mouth to mouth action/heavy petting/friendly hug?!)
Classic hug

Out of 10?
8

Would you see them again?
Why not?

 

 

Lisa and Joe ate at The Deaf Institute, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Thanks to the guys down at Grosvenor Street for getting involved. To check out their menu, gig listings and have a look at what club nights are coming up visit their website www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

To sign up for blind date please e mail your name, year of study and course to [email protected] with ‘blind date’ as the subject.

I’m an English Literature student and I hate books

There, I said it.

Lecturers if you’re reading this please don’t take it personally. It’s not you it’s me. Steve, Literature editor, please try not to recoil in disgust.

It wasn’t always like this, I remember a time when we (books and I) were inseparable. Long summers were spent on beaches or in the garden with piles of novels at my side. Winter evenings tucked up in bed with a literary classic were what brought me real joy.

And so I applied for a literature degree hoping to take this bond to the next level.

Fresher’s week came and went in the blink of an eye and there I was in my first lecture with Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness plonked in front of me. Talk about easing us in; it was undoubtedly all down hill from then on.

Weekly I have to read at least one novel, play or selection of short stories for each module I take. Combine that with pages and pages of literary critiques, additional articles and contextual readings. What we literature students lack in contact hours, we make up for with hours in the library.

So once that’s all done and dusted and I can’t stomach the sight of John Ryland’s any longer the last thing I want to do is get home and sit down with a “good old” book.

Even if I do get an out of character urge to sit down and flick something open, before I’ve even begun said book is already ruined. It is impossible to get out of the over analytical mindset that’s been forced down my throat for the last two years.

So instead of being encapsulated by the enigmatic and intriguing protagonist or being on the edge of my seat as the novel reaches its climax I’m instead dissecting the structural framework and reading over a particular sentence more times than is probably considered normal.

It leaves me fairly hopeless when trying to read anything more highbrow than Harry Potter or Sophie Kinsella’s most recent chick lit creation; and even that’s a struggle at times.

There is a book shaped hole in my life one that just can’t be filled by reality TV or magazines. I’m hoping this is just a rough patch, a rut if you like, and that once my degree is complete we’ll be back on track.  Fingers crossed, we’ll get through this but for now I just can’t bring myself to mix business with pleasure.

Live: Dananananaykroyd @ Deaf Institute

Dananananaykroyd
Deaf Institute
31st October
4 stars

For the final time, Glasgow’s six man pop-assault vehicle are roaming the land, playing 12 venues across the UK on their farewell tour. Having a reputation for energetic, no holds barred gigs, they squeezed themselves on to the claustrophobic stage at Deaf Institute, before abruptly launching into the mighty ‘E numbers’. Dananananaykroyd have never been a mainstream attraction, despite being fan favourites at festivals such as Reading and Leeds. Why? Perhaps that name has something to do with it, but I tend to think they provide an experience that can’t be fully realised unless it’s in a small, sweaty room full of obsessive fans. And with both fans and band geared up for the last Manchester gig ever, it made for a truly special evening.

Being in such an intimate venue, with the equivalent of a ticking time bomb onstage, it wasn’t long before frontmen Calum and John performed the first of many crowd dives, plunging themselves into a sea of embracing arms. With bizarre anecdotes, countless stage dives and the customary ‘wall of hugs’ (or the ‘wall of death’ as it was more aptly named on the night), never has a band engaged in such a physical, hands on way with its audience.

Amongst all the chaos there was a tinge of sadness, expressed affectionately by guitarist David Roy ‘I don’t want to start, cos’ I don’t want it to end’ as they came to the last song, ‘Some Dresses’. In their press statement they said ‘it makes sense to go out with a bang – which is exactly what this tour will be’ and as far as that goes they certainly delivered. Dananananakroyd’s devoted cult following are understandably disappointed, but there is the feeling that the split wasn’t a decision the band wanted to take.

Dananananaykroyd – Muscle Memory (live)

Dananananaykroyd and the Wall of Cuddles