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Month: October 2012

Saving and Craving: Accessories

Saving

Icon Eyewear (available at New Look), £11.

Just because Winter is closing in on us, and the nights are getting darker, it doesn’t mean that Sunglasses should be locked away for the next couple of months. Sunglasses are a great way of bringing an essence of old school, Hollywood glamour to what might feel like a mundane outfit. If you’re lucky enough to be going somewhere warm over the Christmas break, or even if you just need something to hide behind when you have an almighty hangover, they can add a sometimes much-needed touch of style. This pair by Icon Eyewear (available at New Look) have a lovely vintage feel. The tortoiseshell frames are also a favourite amongst many high-end designers this season, such as Ray Ban, Gucci, Prada, and Linda Farrow. The over-sized style and metallic detailing around the edges of the glasses gives them an expensive look, however, they are a great buy at £11.

Craving

Dior (Available at Selfridges), £239

Despite being a lot more of a splurge, this pair by Dior are actually not too dissimilar. Again, the tortoiseshell framing makes for a good change from the conventional dark, winter colours, and it would be easy to emulate Audrey Hepburn’s iconic Breakfast at Tiffany’s look by putting them on with a fur-collared coat. The beauty of tortoiseshell is that it’s an all season colour; it can compliment darker shades in winter, and contrast nicely to pastel shades in Spring and Summer. The expense of the glasses lies in the attention to detail; such as the patterned arms and branded ‘Dior’ hinges. The acetate material will also make them more durable than a cheaper pair, meaning that although they are an item to save for, they will see you a through a number of seasons. Even if you aren’t brave enough to pull this pair out on a (rare) sunny November morning, they are still a worthwhile investment for the warmer months.

And the girls in their successful dresses

Four Stars out of Five Stars

If you are looking for culture, colour and creativity without leaving Manchester, ‘And the Girls in their Sunday Dresses’ is the play for you. Directed by Princess Mhlongo, it brings the inspirational story of two African women who meet in a queue, waiting days for rice. The two South African Award winning comedians Lesego Motespe playing a strong minded domestic housekeeper and Hlengiwe Lushaba playing a retired prostitute, emotionally touch, yet constantly tickle the audience. They uncover and explore the struggles of being black subordinated females in a country where the desire for equality is also essentially a waiting game. I’ve never seen such an engaging two man (or should I say two women) play that successfully kept me entertained from start to finish, with their edgy yet powerful performances.

At first, I did wonder why the stage only consisted of a chair and some gates, but it was soon apparent that no fancy stage design was needed with the immense raw talent that filled the room. I felt Lushaba really knew how to engage with the audience, from start to finish. Not only could she project and powerfully hit the audience with her scripted lines, but her improvisational skills were exceptional, especially her cheeky hilarious behaviour to certain members of the audience. I do think audience participation can sometimes be a bit ‘pantomime-esque’, but here it just brought a new dimension of energy to the performance. Clearly, the actresses had the ability to light up the room with laughter, but also make us feel sensitive and serious towards the characters when appropriate. Their emotions seem to feed the audience who constantly craved more, just like the women yearned for their rice.

Cleverly, the performance transitioned from reality to the women’s imaginations. From gospel singing in churches to advertising make up, these snippets did elevate the whole room, taking us on an adventure to the streets of Africa and back. It broke up the characters’ tedious four day queue, giving the play movement. Ironically they were still waiting for rice. It was truly amazing how this technique gave flexibility and even more vivacity to the drama.

Behind the laughter, political messages are ‘simmering’ with regard to black, poor women being tied down to the shackles of African society. These messages are clearly voiced throughout the play, leaving the audience pondering over how much we take for granted in an egalitarian society.

Nevertheless, the actresses did not leave me feeling down, but left the audience on an empowered and liberated note. It will make me think twice about complaining about the queues in Fallowfield’s Sainsbury’s as I will always remember ‘And the Girls in Their Sunday Dresses’. The show is part of the ‘Afro Vibes’ festival, and after seeing this great piece of drama, I would not hesitate to watch any of the other performances. If you want a hilarious yet thought provoking watch that will take you on an inspirational journey, put on your Sunday dress and watch raw talent take its toll.

‘And the girls in their Sunday dresses’ ran from the 17th to 18th October at the Contact Theatre as part of the Afrovibes Festival

Wake me up when the musical ends

One Star out of Five Stars

I’m becoming more and more aware these days, that anything, and I mean anything, can be adapted into musical interpretation.  The Spice Girls songs, Shrek and even Legally Blonde are now apparently the perfect thing to adapt into stage musicals, literally anything! Anything that is, except the Green Day album: American Idiot.

Okay, so perhaps the songs could be adapted into a fantastic musical. The fact that American Idiot is a concept rock-opera album (who knew?) should make it one of the easiest tasks in history. The failing of this such adaptation however, was that is only added about twenty lines of dialogue to the entire thing.

Oh yeah, there was a story somewhere in there too. It followed, ‘Jesus of Suburbia’ or Johnny, as he leaves his dull suburban life for the big city, develops an alter-ego (who I thought was his new best friend – the alter-ego thing was conveyed terribly) , falls in love, shoots heroin and then decides its all too much for him and goes back home.

The real failing of the show was its lack of context, clarity and dialogue: all amounting to the story feeling somewhat rushed. In the first scene, Johnny and his friends sit down to drink and discuss how shit their lives are, three lines later and they’re off on ‘Holiday’.  How and why their lives were shit, we never really found out. There was an entire sub-plot involving one of his friends and their pregnant girlfriend. She was basically present throughout the entire show, sitting on a sofa and moaning about the trouble with teenage pregnancy (well not really, but she should have been). We never even found out her name. Speaking of which, the character ‘Whatsername’ literally appeared out of nowhere, and our Johnny was in love. And yes, I know that in musicals relationships are established in seconds, but this character was given no context or introduction, and had no lines.

Putting my theatrical snobbery aside for a moment, I will say that the show was not a total failure. High-budget spectacles are scarcely boring. I have to admit my jaw did drop in amazement when the curtain went up and I was greeted with about 30 television screens, each with identical global news montages  (whether this had anything to do with the themes in the story is questionable), the rock show-style lights totally blinded the audience and the whole thing made quite an impact. The show was visually great, particularly the dancing. I can’t say the singing blew me away though, and it didn’t really deviate from the way it was sung on the album. The combination of this, the lights and the presence of the musicians onstage made the whole thing feel like more of a rock show than a musical. Now I love a gig as much as the next person, and I don’t really mind Green Day that much, but this made me feel rather annoyed throughout.

I recommend the show with caution: go if you are a big Green Day fan, if not, avoid it like the plague.

American Idiot: The Musical is from the  12th to 24th November at the Palace Theatre

 

BA Econ Society

The BA Econ Society is the biggest course society with over 1000 members, each year they hold a number of socials, a trip abroad, fundraising activities and career talks, appealing to all social sciences students. In previous years, the society was very focused on promoting careers in banking and finance. However, this year the society is aiming to showcase all the other sectors social sciences students could work in. The first of these specialised events takes place on the 15th November, 5.30pm in Arthur Lewis Common Room. Current BA Econ students who did an internship over the summer will share their experiences, explain the benefits of internships, and how to secure a graduate job at the end. The speakers are:

John Shenton- PwC
Alex Siwek – Ernest and Young
Toch Eduputa – Shell
Jason – Local MP
Jessica Nightingale – Civil Service; Foreign Office
Rich Edwards – Caplor Energy

It may seem that this society is only of interest to BA Econ students, but this is not the case. They welcome anyone who might have an interest in what their talks have to offer, and it’s a great way to find out about alternative career options.

Recently the BA Econ society held a 5-a-side charity football tournament. The chosen charity was the road awareness charity Brake. I spoke to the External Relations Officer John Shenton, who explained why this charity is particularly special to the BA Econ society.

‘This charity has personal importance to our society because last year’s president Rob McCormick was killed in a road accident in Manchester. We held this tournament to raise money for a great charity and because of the fantastic support it offered Rob’s family after the accident. We will continue to raise money for them in the future. There were 16 teams that took part in the tournament and we managed to raise £300’

If you want to find out more on Brake and the amazing work they do then visit their website: http://www.brake.org.uk/

For more information on the BA Econ Society then visit their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/2202405416/?fref=ts

Or groupspaces –  groupspaces.com/baeconsociety

Or twitter @baeconsoc

Everyone is welcome, not just BA Econ students.

 

Veg Soc

Veg Soc is for students who have a passion for vegetarian and vegan cooking. Their aim is to share recipes, organise various socials and campaign for better veggie options on campus. You don’t have to be a vegan or vegetarian to join, and if you are looking to become one, they have a support system to help you. I spoke to the chair of Veg Soc, Ruby Box to find out more about this scheme.

“We run a vegetarian and vegan mentoring scheme to support anybody wanting to make the transition. Or even for people who just want to give up meat one or two days a week! All they have to do is contact Lacey on her email address (see below).”

Vegetables…

‘‘People often think vegetarian food is boring lettuce and carrots, but anybody making the transition from meat to veg will discover there are a huge variety of delicious vegetarian recipes. From vegan cookies and cakes, to veggie hot pots, burgers and curries. For every meaty meal, there’s a tasty veggie option.’’

What’s coming up…

Veg Soc is new this year, and so far has been extremely popular. They have socials most weeks, which are of course vegan and vegetarian friendly. This Halloween the social is Pumpkin Potluck, this involves everyone carving a pumpkin and we will make recipes out of the remainders. Ruby told me how ‘all the carved pumpkins will be donated to Student Action’s elderly Halloween as decorations’. On top of this there are going to be film nights, cooking demonstrations and trips to food festivals.

Trips…

Unicorn Grocery. Photo: Veg Soc

Sunday 14th October, Veg Soc took a trip to ‘Unicorn’. This is a supermarket in Chorlton, completely vegan, fair trade, sustainable, organic supermarket stocking as much local fruit and veg as they can find. Future events include Meat Free Mondays:  for more information on this go to VegSocCampaignGroup on Facebook and get involved. ‘’It’s going to be big!’’.

Get Involved…

Monitoring Scheme: [email protected]

Facebook: VegSocManchester

Come along to our next social.

 

Societies Events Listings: 5th – 10th November

Monday 5th November

JUDO TRAINING

Armitage Conference Room

7pm-8 30pm

Come along to the Judo Society’s training session – great way to learn new skills or improve old ones.

WARPED – Weekly Meeting

Jabez Clegg

8pm-9pm

Warped is the Manchester University Science Fiction and Fantasy Society, anything from Harry Potter to Starwars. Go along and embrace your inner geek!

DANCE SOCIETY – SALSA CLASSES

Jabez Clegg

6 15pm-7 45pm

** ALL LEVELS WELCOME **

Tuesday 6th November

MANCHESTER ART GROUP

Sandbar, 120 Grosvenor Street, Manchester, M1 7HL

5pm-6pm

Look for us on Facebook under, ‘Manchester Art Group’ and check out our website www.manchesterartgroup.co.uk

DANCE SOCIETY – Ballet

Zoo

Beginners:  6pm-6 45pm

Perfect if you’ve never done ballet before or only just started to learn.

Intermediate: 6 45pm-7 30pm

Best for those with some experience in ballet to those who haven’t done it for a couple of years.

Advanced: 7 30pm-8 15pm

Aimed at those who have extensive experience.

ROLE PLAYING SOCIETY – WEEKLY MEETING

Council Chambers, Barnes Wallis Building, Altrincham Street

6pm-7pm

For more information contact: [email protected]

ZUMBA CLASSES – £3

Student’s Union, Khaled Said Room/Council Chambers: 17 00 – 18 00

Women for Women International Soc hosts a weekly Zumba class for only £3.This amazing charity helps women of war all around the world, and all money raised goes straight to the charity.

Wednesday 7th November

CIRCUS SKILLS

Burlington Society

2pm-4pm

Circus Skills is an opportunity to do something different and fun with your Wednesday afternoon, anyone is welcome – whether you can juggle or not! Keep an eye on the facebook page because, on the rare occasion it’s sunny they practise outside.

JUDO TRAINING

Same time and same place as Monday – the Judo’s Societies Wednesday training session.

HARMONY GOSPEL CHOIR

Upstairs in Jabez Clegg

4pm-6pm

If you have always wanted to be part of a choir then this is a perfect place to start, they are always welcoming new members. Harmony Gospel Choir manages to produce a high standard of singing while having fun at the same time.

DANCE SOCIETY

Zoo

Dance Fitness: 6 30pm-7 30pm

Street: 7 30pm-8 30pm

Belly Dancing: 8 30pm-9 30pm

Thursday 8th November

MUSEA – LIFE DRAWING

University of Manchester Students’ Union – Room 8

5pm-6pm

RAW MANCHESTER ROCKS SOCIETY

Hardy Wells – Rusholme: 8pm-9pm

The Manchester Rocks Society has a weekly social from 8pm until late. Go along, have a drink and find out what they are all about.

DANCE SOCIETY

Zoo

Inters/Beginners Tap: 6pm-6 45pm

Modern: 6 45pm-7 30pm

Advanced Tap: 7 30pm-8 15pm

Saturday 10th November

JUDO SOCIETY – COMPETITION

Above Owen’s Park Bar – Fallowfield

5pm-6pm

 

 

Bob’s your uncle: A guide to apple bobbing

As Halloween fast approaches, many of us will undeniably be ready and waiting to inject that little bit of fear into our lives (something we all seem to so crave come October). Fake blood, ripped clothes and ghoulish face paint will sure to be adorned by those of us clinging onto the nostalgia that accompanies this date.

Whilst reminiscing about past endeavours on this spooky, fun-filled day, my mind was drawn to the illusory game of ‘apple bobbing’. The concept really is quite straightforward: with both hands tied behind your back, you and your teeth attempt to catch an apple, which is bobbing along in water. Sounds pretty simple, right?

Wrong. On remembering this enticing game I was immediately inclined to give it a go, so recruiting myself and a few housemates we tried out this shared childhood memory, but to our dismay it was not the once thought of simple game! Aside from getting drenched with freezing cold water, and completely breathless from the endless attempts at dunking our heads in a saucepan (yes, we really are students), the game itself brought hours of endless, competitive fun.

A recommendation before trying would be to carefully inspect the type of apples you choose. Clearly not thinking it through, I chose an apple that had been lurking in the back of my cupboard for a good while. You may wonder why this would be a problem, but fresh fruit could make all the difference. Whilst plunging your head into the arctic temperatures you ideally want to get out, with the apple in your clutches, as quickly as possible. I personally found that a crunchy Braeburn facilitates your gnashing much quicker than a 4 day-old softened Golden Delicious. However, be wary of how crunchy the apple you choose is: a recently purchased one does run the risk of in fact being too hard a surface to break into.

Being students, you may also like to play what I would call an updated version of the game – replacing the water with cider! If you are planning on heading out later on in the evening, what better way to pre-drink?

Food for thought: celebrity dieting

The obsession with quick weight loss is continuously dominating media headlines. But what is of concern is the endorsement of dieting by celebrities. The vocalization of celebrities on their dieting is questionable considering the roles that celebrities have managed to acquire in society. Should celebrities be vocal about their strange dieting habits?

The infamous, dangerously in love singer, Beyoncé Knowles is known for her performance in Dreamgirls. For her role she lost 1 ½  stone in two weeks. Her diet: the Maple Syrup. What is the maple syrup diet? It is a detox drink consisting of maple syrup mixed with water, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. On average people who partake in the maple syrup diet drink six to nine glasses daily.

Celebrities now play a significant part of media life; we are constantly updated with what they are wearing, what they are eating and what they are doing. Many celebrities, such as Beyoncé, are role models in society. And whether you believe it or not, they are very influential people. Body image in society today is a sensitive topic, we all know someone who has had an eating disorder. So when we are bombarded with news headlines about our favourite celebrities dieting and losing weight quickly, there is a sort of temptation and attraction to try it out.  Because of this, celebrities should not be spreading their quick weight loss tricks to the media. Diets are usually justified on the basis that our favourite celebrity tried it out and in our eyes they can do no wrong.

Dieting is not the best way to healthily lose weight and maintain it. What we do know is that we love our celebrities regardless. But more thought should be placed on revealing such dieting tips to the media as they do set an example.

Food for thought.

Year abroad: working for Seville FC

How did you end up with a job at Seville FC?

It was one of the work placements which the University provided on the Blackboard database and, as soon as I spotted it, I sent an email directly to the Head of Press at Sevilla FC expressing my interest, and a few days later, after sending my CV and a cover letter, it was confirmed that the job was mine.

What does translating involve?

I was in charge of translating the website daily from Spanish to English, so mainly the news, match reports and interviews with the players. Initially that was rather difficult as there was lots of specific vocab and set phrases which I hadn’t heard of. However, after a month or so, it became much easier as I got to grips with the style of writing at the club.

I also either translated or wrote official club letters in English to send to European clubs or players where Spanish isn’t spoken. For example, I had to send one to Sir Alex Ferguson congratulating him on serving 25 years at Manchester United. As much as it was an honour, this was a little painful as I’m a big Liverpool fan. I also sent letters of encouragement to Italian striker, Antonio Cassano, who required heart surgery and Bolton midfielder, Fabrice Muamba, who collapsed during a Premier League game against Tottenham. These letters were far more difficult to write, as both were very sensitive issues, and so the wording of the messages was imperative: especially the latter, where nobody knew if Muamba would pull through. Thankfully, he did.

What was the coolest thing you were given the opportunity to do at work?

This had to be meeting the players several times. If ever the President needed an official shirt to be signed by the players, I would go down to the changing rooms and wait outside until training had finished, and get them all to sign it. Trying to control 20 or so millionaire footballers isn’t the easiest task, but they were all very friendly and none more so than the legendary Freddy Kanoute.

What was the hardest thing you had to do?

My work mate had asked me to do him a favour: to get an individual photo of each player and the manager signed by the respective people. When the Sevilla FC manager, Marcelino, was sacked a few months into the season, I was only missing a few and his was one of them. I asked my colleague if he still needed the photo signing and he did. So, when Marcelino was on his way to his farewell press conference, clearly very emotional, I approached him and very politely asked if he wouldn’t mind signing something for the last time. He was very pleasant and instantly signed it and we shook hands. That was probably the hardest thing I had to do, as I saw first hand, with the dismissal of the manager, quite how cruel and unforgiving the football industry can be.

Was working for a Spanish company different to that in the UK?

Certainly, there is a far more laid back attitude in general in Spain. For example, when I turned up to work every day on time and tried to be as precise in my work as possible, I earned the nickname “Señor Riguroso” (Mr Rigorous) from my amusing colleagues in the office. They saw the way I worked as being ‘very English’ and so there are obvious differences between the Spanish and English workplaces. We don’t need two hours of sleep in the middle of the day, whereas for them it’s a must.

That said, I think working in a football club is slightly different, and so it wasn’t as relaxed and laid back as it would be in other Spanish workplaces; everyone was very hardworking as it’s such a high pressure and busy environment.

Review: North by Northwest

When I sat down in an 1830’s train warehouse to watch North by Northwest, 1959, I was already excited. Directed by the legend Alfred Hitchcock, known for his classics Psycho, Rear Window and Vertigo it had masterpiece written all-over it. Put off slightly by a gent ahead who enjoyed telling me off for fidgeting, and thus, preceded to consistently stare at me throughout the film, it was thoroughly fantastic.

Hitchcock has managed to produce an exceedingly witty, charming and cheeky timeless adventure. The protagonist  Roger O. Thornhill, played by Grant, is unfortunately mistaken as a government agent named George Caplin and accordingly an intelligent antagonist Phillip Vandamm pursues him endlessly. The great actor James Mason portrays Vandamm exceptionally well and better than his comical henchman Martin Landau. Knowingly managing to charm and slide his way out of sticky situations Thornhill manages to board the 20th Century Limited train to Chicago, where romance fills the air as he meets the stunning blonde Eve Kendall played by Eva Marie Saint. Unfortunately for him there is more to her than meets the eye.

Cary Grant is a man many men would like to impersonate: unbelievably cool, calm and collected. Subsequently, his acting and humour is exceptional. Previously used by Hitchcock in ‘To Catch a Thief’ there is no question as to why he was turned to again. It does not surprise me to hear that Ian Flemming modelled James Bond with Cary Grant in mind. Moreover, if Cary Grant is James Bond then Daniel Craig just isn’t as sweet but Eva Marie Saint is definitely a Bond girl. These actors give a memorable performance in this blockbuster filled with suspense, action and entertainment. To add to the atmosphere a steam train consistently passed the back of the Warehouse, which gave a theoretical feel to room, I could have been at the fringe with this one. Hitchcock is masterful. Great film and great set-up, let’s just say I picked up a couple of what’s-on flyers, I might indulge.

Student 101: controversial costumes

Prince Harry, Pimps and Hoes, the inevitable stag do mankini – failing to see the link?

Inappropriately dressed celebrities, and the odd member of the public who happened to be in the wrong clothes at the wrong time, provide stories for tabloids and magazines nationwide everyday but every once in a while they cross the line and become front page newsworthy.

Students play host to many an ill thought out party. Recently a Facebook campaign launched against what was going to be Jabez Clegg’s Friday night BOP ‘Armed Forces vs. the Taliban’ theme. The group attracted almost five hundred likes and lead to Social Junkies, the organisers of the event, to pull the theme and distribution of flyers. However, with the BOP being infamously dubbed as the ‘easiest place to pull in Britain’ and being filled to the brim with students every Friday night, should it really have been a surprise? The city’s students are living in one of the most culturally diverse areas of the country – were they taking a good night out too far by becoming culturally insensitive or is it one more story that will be laughed at as just another ‘typical student’ thing to do?

The Sun splashed “Harry the Nazi” across its front page seven years ago when the nation’s hedonistic royal was seen sporting a swastika at a party. Newquay have banned the mankini in a bid to keep rowdy stag parties from wandering the streets whilst leaving little to the imagination. With major stories of shock and embarrassment hitting the news-stands on a regular basis, should today’s students really know better?

The Universityof Manchester’s very own Tabz O’Brien-Butcher, the Students’ Union’s Women’s Officer, recently featured in the Manchester Evening News after criticising the Carnage student pub crawl that has recently been brought to universities across the country. This year the theme of the night was sold as ‘Pimps and Hoes’, something which the Women’s Official cited as a “message to women students, many of whom who are in halls and have moved away from their home and their families for the first time in their lives, that their only worth is as sexual objects for men.”

The Carnage events also caused controversy this year with racist comments being scrawled across the legendary Carnage t-shirts and in previous years the six-bar-strong night out lead to students desecrating a war memorial. It has to be questioned whether the tasteless themes that constantly spark a debate do in fact lead to behaviour that gives students a bad name or whether it should be seen as a three year phase of carefree immaturity.

60 years on from World War II and Prince Harry’s outfit still caused outrage across the country – with tension, both old and new, still rampant throughout today’s society, should students give certain nights a miss and hold on to their morals or is it all just a bit of harmless fun?

André Villas-Boas comes good for Spurs

How quickly things change in football. Less than two months ago, André Villas-Boas and his Tottenham team were being booed off the pitch with disheartening regularity. Now though after an impressive run of four consecutive Premier League wins, it seems that the AVB project at Spurs is beginning to bear fruit.

Villas-Boas’s first three months in his new job have been far from easy and he’s shown remarkable resilience. Most new managers are at least afforded a honeymoon period, but the Portuguese’s appointment as Spurs’s Head Coach was received largely with pessimism and disapproval.

There are two main issues that most people have with Villas-Boas. The first is his reputation-shredding tenure as Chelsea manager, and the second is that he’s the man who’s replaced the darling of English football, Harry Redknapp. There’s a sizeable bloc of Spurs fans whose devotion to their wheeler-dealer messiah means they’re unlikely to ever warm to the new boss.

The media has scarcely been kinder. Journalists and pundits have been lining up to take pot-shots at Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy for his perceived foolishness in hiring Villas-Boas. Former Spurs player and manager Glenn Hoddle has branded the appointment “more than a slight risk”. Elsewhere, AVB’s numerous critics have used words like ‘gamble’, ‘failure’ and ‘doomed’ with ceaseless vigour.

I must admit that I too was sceptical at first. Like almost everyone else I struggled to see past the nightmare that was his only other job in English football. I hoped Levy would go for David Moyes, not just because I thought he’d be the best man for the job, but also because I was intrigued as to how he’d do on a considerably larger budget than he currently has at Everton.

However, after looking at the appointment thoroughly and objectively, I think Levy made the right choice. I am now (apologies in advance) an AVBeliever. I’ve been arguing his case for a while and I’m finally starting to feel vindicated.

Having watched each of Tottenham’s matches this season, it’s fairly obvious that Villas-Boas has changed how the team play, in a subtle yet definite way. Under Harry Redknapp, Spurs’s game was based on fast, counter-attacking football, and it still is to an extent. But now further dimensions have been added to their play, and Villas-Boas’s vision for the club is clear.

A devotee of the 4-3-3 (and its cousin, the 4-2-3-1), AVB has, unsurprisingly, got the team playing in much the same style as his Porto side of 2010/11, with whom he enjoyed so much success. A high defensive line has been employed, as has the tactic of relentless pressing of the opposition high up the pitch. The team is still focused on speed, but steel has been added to the midfield to help retain possession and dominate in the crucial area of the pitch – something they struggled to do last season. The idea is to make the pitch as small as possible when the other team has the ball, limiting their options, and then to stretch it when on the attack. Without sounding too hyperbolic, it’s very much linked to the same ethos of ‘Total Football’ on which the great Netherlands and Barcelona teams have been built.

The team plays in this style, and does well, for most of each match. But not being accustomed to the new system, they look as though they don’t yet have the endurance to maintain such a demanding game for 90 minutes, usually running out of steam after about an hour. The stamina will come though, and Villas-Boas will also buy players who are better suited to his tactics. They’ve shown glimpses of real potential so far, and when they get up to speed they’ll be a handful for even the best teams.

During his Tottenham side’s spectacular collapse last season, Harry Redknapp’s flaws as a manager were harshly exposed. Once other managers figured out how to negate Tottenham’s ever-attacking, tactically-primitive 4-2-4, they went on a long run of poor form which ultimately cost the club Champions League football, and Redknapp his job.

What Spurs fans will find most refreshing is Villas-Boas’s strategic nous, and his ability to tailor the way the team play according to the opponent, sometimes mid-match. It’s the very thing Redknapp was unable to do and it’s the thing that’s stopped Spurs from becoming title-contenders. It’s all well and good to have an effective style of play, but to be successful over the course of an entire campaign a manager needs to have a Plan B (and C) up his sleeve.

With every day that passes, Villas-Boas looks more comfortable in his role. His team is thriving in the new system and results are following. Their historic win at Old Trafford was a real coup and many are tipping Spurs for a serious top-four push once again. As the off-pitch circus that is Chelsea Football Club rolls on, it’s becoming clear that last season’s fiasco wasn’t entirely his fault and questions over his man-management have died down somewhat. Contrary to ‘expert’ opinion, AVB could be at Tottenham for a long time yet.

Fairy Fodder that butter wouldn’t melt

Halloween has its roots in the Celtic tradition of Samhain. This ancient festival, the first day of winter, is traditionally kept on 1st November, or the Christian Feast of All Saints and the fodder on offer, though delicious, certainly isn’t one for the waistline. Celtic food equals a lot of potatoes and an inordinate amount of butter and it was customary to leave it out for the fairies so it’s a wonder they were ever able to take off again.

Here are some of the highlights:

Colcannon Mashed Potato, mixed with chopped kale or green cabbage and onions. Create a well in the middle and fill with melted butter which you dip each spoonful into before eating.

Fadge Cake made with a potato cake mixture of freshly boiled potatoes, a little salt, melted butter and flour to bind. Layers of sliced apples were laid on the base and a pastry lid on top. When the fadge was almost ready it was sliced round the sides, the top turned back, the apples liberally sprinkled with brown sugar and (more) butter, then it was returned to the oven for to melt the sugar into a sauce.

Barmbrack – basically a fruit loaf with sultanas and raisins served toasted and buttered. The Halloween version contained various objects including a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin and a ring which were used as a sort of fortune-telling game.

Boxty pancakes – another Halloween favourite. Grated raw potatoes were squeezed in a cloth, sieved, and mixed with baking powder, salt and a well-beaten egg. Sufficient sweet milk was added to make a pancake batter. These were served hot, well-buttered (of course) and sprinkled with caster sugar. They could also be made into scones called farls and baked on a griddle…

No goes – blackberries were not to be picked or apples taken from the tree because it was said that puca (Irish goblin) spat on them the night after Samhain. Meat was also a no-no.

Ghoulish games

Most people will have heard of bobbing apples but lesser known are the divination games of ‘Nut Crack Night’, an unofficial name for the October 31st celebration. Scottish and northern English people believed nuts were powerful sorcerers. The most well-known game goes: two nuts are named after a potential lover and put on a grate in the fire. If a nut burns true and steady, the lover will be faithful; if it pops, they’re not to be trusted.

Ultimately Halloween is an excuse for a party and using up some Harvest veg so add some mulled wine to the menu and let traditional Halloween festivities commence!

Live: Why? at Central Methodist Hall

10th October 2012

9/10

“Manchester? I’d rather Ladychester. That’s just my preference”; Yoni Wolf’s stage banter mirrors the wit and honesty that makes him such a fantastic songwriter. In a live setting, Wolf proves his lyricism transcends that of any other artist around. The audience watches captivated as he delves into “the kind of shit I won’t admit to my head shrinker” on Good Friday, managing to regale tragic tales such as obscure as “sucking dick for drink tickets at the free bar at my cousin’s Bat Mitzvah” with an idiosyncratic sense of humour.

Genre-defying, Why? are a perfect storm of all the best elements of hip-hop, folk and indie. The band, which includes Yoni’s brother Josiah and sister-in-law Liz, pull this off impeccably as they replicate the tightness of their family unit in their musicianship. Josiah is particularly impressive in his multi-instrumentalist capabilities, swapping effortlessly between bass, drums and even an intense glockenspiel solo on ‘A Sky for Shoeing Horses Under’. Whilst Liz’ haunting backing vocals on ‘Bitter Thoughts’ lend an ethereal quality perfectly suited to the hallowed surroundings of the Methodist hall. Indeed, the venue adds to the occasion, proving a much more grandiose and intimate setting than a soulless Academy room.

Despite detailing stories of his depression and ennui on ‘Waterlines’, Yoni is highly enthusiastic throughout the show. He bounds around the stage in bizarre fashion, almost frog-marching at one point, but doesn’t once break stride from his flawless flow. ‘The Hollows’ sees this energy climax, with a furious, pulsating bassline underscoring a tale that describes, in true Why? fashion, a delightful tale of German men copulating in a basketball court and being chased by knife-wielding gypsies. As compelling and thrilling a live band Manchester is likely to bear witness to this year.

 

Crowd funding site ‘Kickstarting’ the movie bizz

Move aside Harvey Weinstein. Mr Redford, you can keep your Sundance festival. There’s a new indie movement in town and this one is controlled by you.

Kickstarter is a site that you may already be familiar with, but for those out of the loop, I’ll explain. It’s sort of like an online Dragons Den, but instead of inventors/entrepreneurs/artists asking a few millionaires for money, they are asking the entire World Wide Web.

Basically, say you want to make a film and need, for example, £500,000 to it get off the ground, you can create a ‘project’ on Kickstarter to get it funded. On the projects page you must write an appeal or make a video to pitch why it’s worth supporting, and if people want to see this project made they ‘pledge’ their money. Once the project starts it has 30 days to make its pre-set goal and if it fails it goes unfunded. If the project makes its goal, the money is taken, and any money over the pre-set goal earned in that 30 days is kept also. It doesn’t have to be a film however, the Pebble E-Paper Watch holds the record for the most funds raised with $10,266,845. The games industry has flourished on this platform as well such as with funding the Ouya games console with $8,596,475.

Where it truly separates from Dragon’s Den is that the ‘backers’ get no stake in the projects they fund. They are not investors. They can however get unique perks depending on how much money they give. For instance you might get a ‘special thanks’ credit if you donate £100.

This site, launched in 2009, is beginning to make waves in Hollywood, as it is fast becoming a real source of alternate funding for filmmakers struggling to get Hollywood support for projects. A few months ago Academy Award Winning screenwriter Charlie Kauffman got his stop-motion animated feature Anonmalisa funded reaching $406,237 with a goal of $200,000. The David Fincher backed, animated adult comic book adaption The Goon, at this time of writing, is also well on its way to being funded with $137,467 of $400,000 pledged with 24 days to go.

These are two above-the-title filmmakers with a dedicated following. They’re turning to Kickstarter to get their films made not only legitimises Kickstarter as a genuine player in the film business, but also shows filmmakers there is real alternative to Hollywood.

However, it remains to be seen whether Kickstarter will prove to be a viable option for filmmakers without the recognition or following of Kauffman or Fincher. Without the hard-core fans and press attention a ‘name’ filmmaker brings, many Kickstarter projects have failed, suggesting the site could just be an option for established acts, and sadly, not for struggling new artists.

Though it has not yet proven to be an option for the average, struggling filmmaker, Kickstarter is definitely an option for established filmmakers to greenlight their original and risky passion projects which Hollywood is rejecting more and more these days. Just like Sundance and Miramax in the 90s, this platform has the potential to push original and alternative films back into the mainstream and into our cinemas, which is a project I would certainly back.

Fatboy Slim

Fatboy Slim, aka Norman Cook, has certainly evolved as an artist since playing bass in the cult 80s indie band The Housemartins. Having been the only Disk Jockey to play at the Olympic closing ceremony, he has certainly established himself as part of the superstar DJ elite and with a back catalogue containing hits such as ‘Praise You’ and ‘Right Here, Right Now’ there is no wonder he still has the ability to get clubbers racing to the dance floor. At the time of year where Sankeys can be overlooked as a dance venue because of warehouse project fever, Cook is just the kind of attraction that ensures the venue is packed out well before his 3am set begins.

With the sweat from dancers hanging in the air courtesy of main support Ellesse, anticipation reaches climax point as Fatboy Slim finally takes to the stage at 3am in a custom short sleeved Hawaiian dad-shirt.

The set is light on Fatboy Slim classics; a brief snippet of ‘Funk Soul Brother’ certainly left the audience wanting more.

Clearly not one to dwell on the past, Cook evidently has his finger on the pulse of modern pop music and surprised the audience with a wide variety of dance genres even if it was at the sacrifice of his older classics. A mix of ‘Gangnam Style’ showcases the Fatboy’s talent of mixing the sublime and the ridiculous, as well as a remix of ‘2012’ by Azealia Banks. The best moment of the night is an extended version of ‘Psycho Killer’ by Talking Heads, a rare moment where the audience has the chance to sing along to an old favourite as well as rave.

When you see Fatboy Slim on the line up, you expect the hits and not hearing them was disappointing, but Cooks DJing prowess ensured he was still able to turn Sankeys into a ‘Caravan of Love’ until the early hours.

Column: Kendrick Lamar – Saviour of Hip Hop?

Like a particularly nasty hangover, the lingering effects of Odd Future’s meteoric rise to prominence last year continue to rankle. We’re only eighteen months on from what felt like the ubiquity of ‘Yonkers’ and ‘Sandwitches’, but already it’s a little difficult to recall why, exactly, the collective created such a stir. If you can cast your mind far back enough, though, you’ll remember what it was about Odd Future that captured the imagination of the hip hop world, even fleetingly; they looked ready to administer a desperately-needed shot in the arm to a flagging genre. ‘Yonkers’ seemed like a new breed of hip hop track, eschewing the more typical lyrical conventions of recent times in favour of verbal ideas equal parts disturbing and bizarre, like an aural microcosm of Chris’ Morris’ Jam, laid over a sparse and markedly unpolished beat. Their eye-catching performance on Jimmy Fallon’s talk show evoked memories of a young Wu-Tang Clan, and their already-prodigious level of output at that stage presented something for the hip hop community to invest some emotional stock in. It’s saddening, then, that Odd Future are already best remembered pretty unflatteringly; their gratuitous use of misogynistic and homophobic language (and their belligerent attitude when pulled up on it) became very tired very fast, as did Tyler, The Creator’s shtick; he still posts irritating, inconsequential nonsense on his twitter feed with the First Letter Of Every Word Capitalised, but surely no one continues to pay him any heed.

The truth is, though, that the buzz generated by Odd Future was representative of much more than just hipster yearning to be the first blog to break the Next Big Thing; it reflected the fact that there was a dearth of fresh ideas in hip hop. The genre had finally begun to be consumed by the rampant materialism that, once upon a time, did have some relevance; no longer were cars, women and diamonds being used to gauge the rags-to-riches success of the likes of Biggie, Pac, Jay-Z and Nas; instead, we’ve had years of watching 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg parading around as self-styled pimps, contributing nothing meaningful or emotionally engaging. Musically, the genre had taken an alarming move towards soulless, manufactured pop sensibilities; to hear Kanye West, the man who pioneered a visionary production style on The Blueprint, replete with so many great vintage soul samples, produce a record that leaned so heavily on AutoTune in 808s and Heartbreak was depressing to say the least.

Fortuitously timed, then, is the arrival of good kid, m.A.A.d. city. Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore LP plays like a paean to everything I love about hip hop; vivid storytelling, complex, thought-provoking lyrical ideas and the inevitably high production values utilised in a sonically-interesting manner. It sounds like a hip hop record should – a remarkably cohesive body of work given the amount of different producers involved across a sprawling sixteen tracks. Take Lamar’s formidable technical ability into account – and the man is a genuinely superb rapper, effortlessly bending all manner of phonetically complex verses to the beat – and you’ve got a potent reminder of what makes hip hop such a powerful art form. good kid, m.A.A.d. city provides compelling evidence that a rapper in 2012 doesn’t need to rely on pugnacity or publicity stunts to meet with acclaim; there’s a bright future for the genre if more young artists follow Lamar’s lead.

Ice Hockey Varsity – Live!

Good evening everyone! Welcome to our live coverage of the Varsity fixture between University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University (starts 7.30pm). Stay tuned for live, minute-by-minute updates from Altrincham Ice Rink.

 

21:41: Matthew Barber —That’s all from us at the Altrincham Ice Rink, thanks for sticking with us. The announcer has declared to all of the crowd, who were fantastic tonight, that they should come back to see UoM defend their title in three months time. We couldn’t agree more – it’s been a brilliant night for Manchester university sport!

21:36: Ciaran Milner —Ben Brown takes MMU’s man of the match award, with Joe Holder scooping the accolade for UoM.

Our vote in the press box would have gone to Ciaran Long, who showed some exceptional composure and control throughout the game.

The players complete a lap of honour now as the crowd applaud. As they should; this was a truly great game of ice hockey.

21:32: Ciaran Milner —FULL TIME – UoM 8 – 7 MMU

A fantastic game ends with UoM claiming the victory in a close fought contest. Some brilliant hockey was played here tonight. MMU looked dead and buried at the end of the second period, only to attempt a brilliant fightback in the final third. UoM looked rattled, but managed to clinch it at the death. Breathtaking stuff.

21:28: Matthew Barber —Superb double save from the UoM goaltender as MMU are denied an equaliser. Man Met call a 30 second timeout, with just less than a minute to play.

21:25: Ciaran Milner —GOAL! UoM 8 – 7 MMU

What a game! UoM go for the jugular immediately, launching an attacking which results in Ciaran Long bagging the goal.  Long has been outstanding this evening.

21:25: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 7-7 MMU.

MMU respond to going behind in the best possible fashion, restoring the deadlock  through Etherington here at Altrincham. Game on, what a finale!

21:23: Ciaran Milner —The MMU fans here are really trying to get behind their team and are in full voice now. Their fans have easily outsung the UoM faithful tonight.

21:21: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 7-6 MMU.

After a number of opportunities, UoM finally net their 7th of the evening. Joe Holder grabs his first of the evening, assisted by Alex Pugh.

21:20: Ciaran Milner —A brilliantly worked move by UoM. It’s slipped into the path of Long, who takes a touch before smashing his shot just over. Long has been excellent tonight and that was only just off target.

21:20: Matthew Barber —5 minutes left, and McDonald is in scintillating form in the MMU goal to keep out a barrage of efforts on his goal.

21:17: Ciaran Milner —Ouch! MMU’s James Lloyd sprints down the right side, only to slip and crash into the wall behind the goal. That looked painful.

He doesn’t seem affected though, and gets up immediately to help his team defend.

21:16: Matthew Barber —A superb block from MMU’s McDonald keeps the scores level, saving from Long who was 1-on-1.

21:14: Ciaran Milner —An outreagous effort from MMU! One of their players lets fly from close to the halfway line only to see his shot cannon back off the bar. A truly fantastic effort and terribly unlucky.

21:12: Ciaran Milner —The MMU fans in the crowd are getting behind their team now. The atmosphere is really building.

Their cheerleaders are still crap, though.

21:11: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 6-6 MMU.

Another goal in what is turning into a thrilling contest. Ben Brown slots home, assisted by the excellent Day and Bayne.

21:10: Ciaran Milner —This has been a truly breathtaking passage of play so far. Maybe the cheerleaders performance at half -time had something to do with it…

21:09: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 6-5 MMU.

An immediate response from UoM, in truth their first impetus of the section, who retake the lead.

21:08: Ciaran Milner —GOAL! UoM 5 – 5 MMU

MMU equalize! Their outstanding performance this half has paid off with a nicely taken shot by Oliver Bayne on the powerplay.

21:06: Ciaran Milner —MMU continue to threaten in the third here. They look a different side. Completely rejuvenated.

21:05: Matthew Barber —Alex Pugh, so vital for his side so far,  has been given a two minute penalty for ‘slashing.’

21:04: Ciaran Milner —A body check on Sean Day results in the crowd begging for blood. The DJ amusingly plays the Darth Vader ‘Imperial March’ theme tune over the speakers to add some atmospherics.

21:04: Matthew Barber —Looks like the cheerleaders don’t matter too much, as MMU continue to threaten…

21:03: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 5-4 MMU.

The fightback is on for MMU as Shaun Day grabs another goal for his team. MMU immediately break after the restart and threaten to equalise but the chance is squandered.

21:02: Ciaran Milner —Cheerleader watch: roused by their half-time show victory, the UoM cheerleaders are back to a full compliment and equipped with pom-poms to support their team, which they do in full voice. Outstanding stuff.

The MMU cheerleaders are nowhere to be seen.

21:00: Ciaran Milner —GOAL! UoM 5 – 3 MMU

A goal for MMU at the start of the third section. An attack from MMU results in a UoM defender making a mistake, and Adrian Rajkumar is there to capitalize. A composed finish.

20:58: Ciaran Milner —A rendition of ‘Call Me Maybe’  has Matt and myself bobbing our heads. Shameful.

20:57: Matthew Barber —Just noticed the funky disco ball arrangement above the centre of the rink. It suits the current techno soundtrack quite well. I bet there’s been many a cracking ice-party here… I digress, players are now back on the ice for the 3rd and final passage.

20:51: Matthew Barber —Just to clarify, the ‘press box’ that Ciaran refers to in his previous post, is in fact a refreshments stall that we’ve commandeered because it has working power plugs.

20:50: Ciaran Milner —The announcer comments that the cheerleaders are welcome at ‘any Metros game’. I’m not sure whether subjecting their players ‘Gangnam Style’ every week is a good thing.

20:48: Ciaran Milner —UoM up now. They ditch the pom-poms for a more stripped down approach. It works, as they now manage to build a small human pyramid. Take that, MMU.

20:46: Ciaran Milner —The cheerleaders do begin the half time show.

MMU up first. They dance to ‘Gangnam Style’, much to the delight of the crowd.

I can’t say that in the press box we are equally impressed.

20:45: Matthew Barber —HALF TIME! UoM 5 – 2 MMU

An enthralling third, with UoM dominating for the first section before MMU came back into it, taking good advantage of a powerplay.

20:44: Ciaran Milner —Number 58, Pugh, for UoM drops his stick mid attack much to the delight of the crowd. He doesn’t seem to care, though, and skates around for the last thirty seconds unarmed until the half time buzzer goes.

20:42: Ciaran Milner —As the second period draws to a close, the cheerleaders appear to be setting up for some sort of half-time show in the stand opposite us…

20:39: Ciaran Milner —Tom Steadman, number 38 for MMU, thinks he’s Ronaldinho and  tries some outrageous juggling with the puck just in front of the UoM goal. He slips as he goes to shoot, though, and the attack fizzles out.

20:39: Matthew Barber —The crowd get a bit restless, and call ‘fight’ when a UoM player goes to ground. Come on lads, make it a proper Varsity!

20:37: Matthew Barber —MMU back at full strength. End to end stuff.

20:35: Ciaran Milner —MMU are down a player, with number 20 Ben Robinson put in the penalty box for 2 minutes. UoM have a chance to capitalize and launch a quick attack, Jacques getting down well to save again.

20:33: Ciaran Milner —What a save! UoM look certain to score but Jacques in the MMU goal manages to get a glove to it. An outstanding save.

20:32: Ciaran Milner —The cheerleading has really dropped off. Only a handful remain in the stands. Some Man Met students take it upon themselves to liven proceedings instead, chanting ‘lets go Man met, lets go!’.

The pace of the game has really slowed in the last few minutes.

20:31: Matthew Barber —Chance for Tyler Schock to increase UoM’s lead, but he skews the chance wide.

20:30: Ciaran Milner —A slip from a UoM player sees the crowd respond with delight. The game has been well tempered so far, but I’m not entirely sure that’s what the audience here want to see…

20:26: Matthew Barber —GOAL U0M 5-2 MMU.

MMU’s best spell of the third, as they take advantage of the powerplay to reduce the deficit, Shaun Day the scorer.

20:25: Ciaran Milner —UoM’s  98, Andy McKinney, has been put in the penalty box for 2 minutes boarding. Here’s an opportunity for MMU to get back in the game with a powerplay.

20:24: Ciaran Milner —Another brilliant run from the exceptional Ciaran Long sees a shot from his teammate blazed over the goal. Some of Long’s control has been outstanding tonight.

20:23: Ciaran Milner —A patiently worked attack sees UoM have a decent shot go wide. Very nice play in the build up there from the boys in purple.

20:23: Matthew Barber —The last time I blogged a Varsity tie – rugby union – the streaker counter was in double figures. We’re yet to see any tonight, but hey, there’s still time.

20:22: Ciaran Milner —MMU desperately trying to get back into the game. The pace has quickened significantly. A decent attack from MMU sees the UoM keeper make a good save.

20:20: Ciaran Milner —MMU finally launch an attack, only for it to fizzle out with a hopeless shot. UoM on the attack again.

20:19: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 5-1 MMU.

A second in quick succession for the boys in purple.  It’s Pugh again who grabs this one for his side, securing his hat-trick!

20:19: Ciaran Milner —UoM are turning the screw here. The entirety of the second section so far has been played in MMU’s defensive zone.

20:18: Ciaran Milner —After taking photos and, er, grabbing some pints, I’m back for the resume of play. UoM’s cheerleaders have lost some of their enthusiasm since I’ve returned, with some of them sat down now. I don’t blame them, mind, it’s freezing in here.

20:17: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 4-1 MMU.

Slack play from MMU allows Pugh to sneak in and grab his second of this contest.

20:15: Matthew Barber —A goalmouth scramble at the UoM end, but they are able to clear and break away themselves.

20:13: Matthew Barber —Both teams have changed goalies at half-time. An interesting move… We’re back underway.

20:12: Matthew Barber —If you’re wondering where the posts from Ciaran Milner have gone,  don’t worry. He’s on pint duty. Needs to hurry back though, the game will be starting again very shortly.

20:11: Matthew Barber —A quick check of the football scores. Celtic are 1-0 at Camp Nou?! Braga lead by two at Old Trafford?! Has the world gone mad?

Anyway, bag to ice-hockey as the players re-emerge from the dressing rooms.

20:09: Matthew Barber —The ice-resurfacer is back out and Muse is booming around the Stadium. Not long now until play recommences.

20:04: Matthew Barber —Coming into the tie as something of an ice-hockey novice, I’ve really enjoyed this match so far. Fast-paced, action packed and exciting – just as sport should be.

19:58: Matthew Barber —That’s the end of a breathless first period. The score is UoM 3-1 MMU. Stay tuned!

19:57: Ciaran Milner —The MMU cheerleaders try and rouse their side with ‘we are MMU, say we are MMU’. The UoM cheerleaders don’t look amused and start waving their pom-poms.

19:56: Ciaran Milner —GOAL! UoM 3 – 1 MMU

A brilliantly taken goal! Ciaran Long is through after a mistake from an MMU defender. He’s one on one with the goaltender, dummies him brilliantly with some excellent control and finishes superbly. The best goal we’ve seen so far.

19:53: Matthew Barber —The crowd are really getting into this tie, helped along by the cheerleaders. If we’re feeling cold, goodness knows how they’re feeling.

19:52: Ciaran Milner —GOAL! UoM 2 – 1 MMU

UoM keep the pressure on and it results in a well taken goal, held up by Cassidy and finished by Pugh.

19:51: Matthew Barber —Jack Miller on Twitter: ‘Alty feels like TD Garden with Dropkick playing over the PA. lets hope it gets rowdy in here.’

19:50: Ciaran Milner —A lightening fast counter nearly sees UoM score, but the MMU keeper gets down well to save.

19:50: Matthew Barber —MMU taking the upper hand, forcing a string of great saves from the UoM goaltender.

19:49: Ciaran Milner —It must be said, some of the skating on display here is top-notch. Coming from someone who struggles to walk in a straight line at times, it’s hugely impressive.

19:48: Ciaran Milner —In the battle of the cheerleaders, UoM’s have come out on top so far. The silver pom-poms have given them the edge over MMUs dull blue affair.

19:47: Matthew Barber —Quick update while we get chance to catch our breath. The first UoM goal was from Pugh. The score remains 1-1 here.

19:45: Ciaran Milner —Death embarks on a fantastic run again, only for play to be stopped for a foul.

Gangnam style is then blasted over the loudspeakers, resulting in the majority of the crowd attempting PSY’s famous horse dance. Oh dear.

19:44: Ciaran Milner —UoM attack quickly after the goal, striking the post from distance.

And again!  Another attack from UoM sees the puck fly off the bar.

19:43: Matthew Barber —GOAL! UoM 1-1 MMU.

Oliver Bayne for Man Met grabs the equaliser with a tidy finish!

19:42: Ciaran Milner —A great run from Ethrington gives MMU a chance, but his teammate Day skies the shot over the goal.

19:41: Matthew Barber —The stadium announcer has just warned the crowd that he hopes we can all catch the puck. Up here, typing on our laptops, Mr Milner and I hope he’s joking.

19:41: Ciaran Milner —GOAL! UoM 1 – 0 MMU

A great strike from UoM from close range. Unfortunately we were unable to identify the scorer.

19:40: Ciaran Milner —MMU back to full strength now.

The puck flies out of the rink, much to the delight of the crowd who go wild.

19:39: Ciaran Milner —UoM keep coming, with Ciaran Long attempting an audacious shot on the turn. A great effort but it flies wide of the post.

19:39: Ciaran Milner —And UoM do attack quickly, with the MMU goaltender saving excellently from a close range shot.

19:38: Ciaran Milner —Alex Frewin has gone into the penalty box for MMU. A chance for UoM to have an attack here on the powerplay.

19:37: Ciaran Milner —Schumacher looks to play a ‘saucer’ pass over the top for UoM but MMU are straight onto it. They charge down the left quickly and fire a quick shot on goal only for it to fly wide of the post.

19:36: Matthew Barber —The Man Met goaltender has been the busier of the two so far. I’ve counted four top saves in the last few minutes.

19:35: Ciaran Milner —Man Met look to launch an attack, but UoM defend well and keep them in the corner before launching a quick counter which results in a good save from the MMU goal tender.

19:33: Ciaran Milner —A fantastic run from Death down the left nearly fashions an opening for UoM. Some great close control on display there.

19:32: Ciaran Milner —The ref calls a foul as Man Met look to launch an early attack. Nothing being held back here early on.

19:32: Matthew Barber —Many of them might be teammates, but there are certainly no prisoners being taken in these early exchanges.

19:31: Ciaran Milner —A scrappy opening exchange. UoM on the attack here, forcing a good save from the MMU goaltender.

19:31: Matthew Barber —And we’re off!

19:30: Matthew Barber —MMU lineup tonight:

Bayne; Day; Etherington; Pollitt; Lloyd; Crannee; Grewal; Robinson; Cromack; Steedman; McDonald; El-Hage; Rajkumar; Revesz; Williams; Keelan; Brown; Frewin; Smith

19:30: Ciaran Milner —As the teams lineup against each other, the national anthem blares over the loudspeaker. The crowd go wild.

19:28: Ciaran Milner —UoM lineup tonight:

Death; Cassidy; Jones; Brumby; Walker; Maey; Brumby; Thomson; Jacques; Shock; Valentine; Pugh; Rohani; Holder; Wallace; Long; Greaves; McKinney.

19:25: Ciaran Milner —Ice-hockey is not often a sport live-blogged, and I can see why. It’s absolutely freezing in Silverblades Ice Rink this evening, and the frenetic pace of the action is not going to bode well with our already numb fingers.

Uni of Manchester and Man Met are both on the ice now, warming up. The line-ups are being announced over the loudspeakers.

19:23: Matthew Barber —The music is blaring away, and the ice-resurfacer has done its job. Tension building, the players start to emerge onto the rink.

19:22: Ciaran Milner —Goalie William Wells was in high spirits before the game .

“It’s going to be a great match. It’s a great chance for some of the players further down the pecking order to prove themselves to the coach.”

For those of you who don’t know, the two sides competing tonight are normally part of the the same club, Manchester Metros. Expect some ‘friendly’ scores to be settled on the ice tonight.

19:15: Matthew Barber —Hello and welcome to the first ever Manchester Ice Hockey Varsity tie! We’re fifteen minutes away from face-off, pre-match player views coming up shortly.

Top 5: Bond songs

5. Skyfall

Once Bond himself came to Her Majesty’s not so secret service at the London Olympics, the anticipation for Skyfall went into orbit.  You may or may not think that it’s the film to grace Bond’s 50th anniversary, but the Skyfall theme has got it all. Adele’s smoky voice plus seductive strings equals classic bond.

4. Thunderball

British ladies’ man? There’s only two people you’d think of: James Bond and Tom Jones. Beating Bassey, Dionne Warwick and Johnny Cash in the competition for this song, Thunderball secured both Bond and Sir Tom’s pulling potential for many years to come.

3. Diamonds are Forever

And ever and ever….Dame Shirley Bassey was chosen to bid adieu to Sean Connery’s Bond for the title theme to Diamonds Are Forever. It’s difficult to think of a trickier act to follow than Goldfinger, but the girl from Tiger Bay produced another classic that has stood the test of time much better than the film.

2. Live and Let Die

Whilst we’re all now sick of the sight (and sound) of Paul McCartney after he beatled his way round every single televised event this summer, there was once a much simpler time when McCartney was just a singer with another band, Wings. And his finest hour was the theme to Live and Let Die, Wings’ best selling single and the best selling Bond theme up to that point.

1. Goldfinger

Bassey’s back in and she’s number 1. (Who else?!) My first ever Bond film was Goldfinger and the title sequence alone was enough to get me completely hooked. Dame Shirley’s first Bond theme was a total hit, and became just as iconic as the film itself.

Great Adaptations

The recent BFI London Film Festival closed with the premiere of Mike Newell’s Great Expectations, due for general release on 30th November and, true to its title, the expectations are indeed huge for this Dickens classic. Director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) reunites with Goblet of Fire actors Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter to bring this much-loved story to life.  With David Nicholls (One Day) penning the screenplay, it’s no wonder that this film was set to be hailed as a tribute to both British literature and cinema. What could possibly go wrong? Well, if the reviews are to be believed, quite a lot!

Perhaps the problem lies not with this particular adaptation, but with adaptations themselves. Firstly, there are simply too many, and Great Expectations is case in point. This is hardly Pip’s cinematic debut, having popped up on the big screen not once, but twice before this one.  And of course Mrs Haversham has already spread her ethereal glow onto our TV screens this year in the highly successful BBC adaptation.

The danger with taking on the mammoth task of adapting books to the big screen is that people get territorial, and if the film adaptation then turns out to be rubbish the gloves are definitely off. Who could forget Julian Jarrold’s 2008 flop of an adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited? Don’t even remember it? My point exactly. Through reading a book, we become attached to the characters, we have our own ideas on what they’ll look and sound like, so that by the time we’ve finished reading it, we’ve already planned our very own feature film. Consequently, when that film finally does come out, the hardest critics to please are the audiences themselves.

But as with everything, there are two sides to this debate, and in cinematic history it is often adaptations that have become the classic films of their time.  Invariably this happens when the unique opportunities that film-making presents have been used to take the tale to another level.  We all have a favourite, but Roman Polanski’s Tess stands out for me as a film which took a phenomenal story to new heights with its cinematography, direction and superb cast.  Equally, sometimes a film can simply bring a great story to a wider audience at just the right time, connecting with a generation as a commentary on society itself, just as was the case with Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, and Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting.

What filmmakers and directors have got to learn to do is to avoid the obvious, to show a bit of originality (and faith in their audience!) by taking lesser-known quality works to the screen. Joe Wright certainly learnt from experience on this one. After a reasonable but ultimately slightly tired attempt to adapt the monumental masterpiece that is Pride and Prejudice, his star-turn came with the contemporary classic, Ian McEwan’s Atonement, from which he crafted a beautiful piece of film-making to rival the book itself.

So, keep an open mind, go and see Great Expectations. Apparently Ralph Fiennes’s Magwitch is worth the price of the ticket all on his own. If that fails to please, then let’s look ahead and look forward to Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit and Baz Luhrman’s The Great Gatsby. You can’t avoid great adaptations, so you might as well get stuck in – there’s certainly something for everyone.