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Day: 7 October 2014

Live: Silverclub

Written by Samuel Ward on . Posted in Music.

26th September

Deaf Institute

7/10

After a brief “hello and thanks for coming,” everyone in the room is immediately aboard the Silverclub train. It’s a train with zero stops and zero fucks given, and the small yet mighty audience instantly gets their groove on.

It’s easy to lose yourself, as animation resonates from the band who themselves weave in between an array of synths, drums, cowbells and laptops as each track seamlessly flies by. I’m already thinking these guys could easily slide themselves into a line-up of DJs.

The pace is frantic and relentless; at times it can feel a bit rushed, as if the band is desperate to reach something. But that doesn’t stop people losing their grip on the performance, which is now swollen with huge basslines and swings about like a rabid elephant hanging from a disco ball.

The synth lines and hi-ends get a bit murky at points, but this miraculously clears when the huge dancefloor smasher ‘Gravity’ hops into place. The neat production on the new EP makes itself known in the set’s spouts of ultra-fresh clarity and makes the impression that Silverclub’s future live shows could be sonically incredible.

As the set somehow continues to gain momentum, the band launches into the title track of their new EP Back to the Start. It’s glamorous and immersive with waves of piano keys flying out of the Deaf Institute’s surprisingly resilient sound system. To smooth it all off, the band throws themselves and the crowd into the instant live classic/acid house banger ‘Your Headphones’.

Already on a journey which started with acid house, bedroom mixing and guitar bands, it’s clear that the Silverclub locomotive is on track to reaching a new musical world that Manchester should itself aspire to be the home of.

Live: Ezra Furman

Written by Fraser Brooks on . Posted in Music.

22nd September

Band on the Wall

7/10

Ezra Furman & the Boyfriends played a cracking set to a suitably busy Band on the Wall on Monday night. The eccentric frontman was well dressed for the Northern Quarter venue, sporting tights, a sleeveless red dress and a pretty atrocious flat peak.

The band gelled harmoniously with great big band-style input from sax player Tim Sandusky. Combined with the multi-instrumental talents of keyboard/guitarist Ben Joseph it gave an excitement to the unique sound of Furman’s autobiographical emotionally charged lyrics.

Between tracks Ezra whispers into the microphone, delivering a small anecdote or story to introduce the next song—though with each cryptic explanation the crowd seems yet more curious about the singer’s troubled history.

During the tracks ‘We Should Fight‘ and ‘I Killed Myself But I Didn’t Die’ Furman staggers about the small stage, building into a frenzy of screaming lyrics echoing around the room. It’s clear that these are lyrics of a man who has experienced heartbreak, loss and a sadness.

Though tight on stage, there seems to be some tensions in the band. The sax player shakes his head mockingly during Furman’s pre-song introductions and midway through he seems to disagree with the wild-eyed lead man on the order of the set list. Regardless of this, the band is flawless and perfectly in touch with each other, with any animosity being replaced by catchy guitar hooks and punctuating sax scales.

For the encore the band return for an interesting cover of ‘Like a Virgin’, which comes off nicely with Furman’s punchy guitar playing.

University halls “too expensive”

Written by Marcus Johns on . Posted in News.

A recent poll by the Students’ Union decided that the University of Manchester’s halls of residence are too expensive, with an overwhelming majority of 92 per cent.

Only 1 per cent of respondents believed that the average rent of uncatered halls, which currently stands at £120 per week, was cheap; a mere 7 per cent thought it reasonable.

The Mancunion spoke with Ellen McLaughlin, Community Officer of the Students’ Union. She said, “I’m surprised it was so excessively in favour of halls being too expensive. I thought that it would be the outcome but I was not expecting the support to be so high.”

In response, a University of Manchester spokesman said, “Rental costs for University of Manchester halls of residence are set annually and are comparable to those charged by other universities, both locally and nationally.”

Ellen added, “I think it’s too expensive and I have spent a lot of time researching the provision of university accommodation. I have the same concerns as the NUS.”

The NUS has recently published The Accommodation Costs Survey (2012/13). Within this report the delegate made a series of observations and recommendations.

According to the report, since 2009/10, lower cost rooms at halls of residences have had their rent increased by 23 per cent.

The average weekly rent has also risen in the past five years by 25 per cent. The report attributes this to rising rents and the rising demand for luxury accommodation including en suite facilities.

A University of Manchester spokesman added, “the University offers a wide variety of accommodation across its provision of 8000 bedrooms, including standard and en-suite, catered and non-catered, giving students an extensive choice to suit varying budgets and residential preferences.”

The climbing rents have not been matched by increased financial support. The Student Loans Company for England’s financial assistance rises at a rate lower than inflation year on year, which compounds the difficulty of rising rents.

Because of these financial pressures, the report states that one fifth of students nationally are working more than 20 hours per week in order to support themselves during their studies.

Ellen added, “I am concerned about halls of residence becoming inaccessible to students who need more financial support than is currently available.”

With the redevelopment of halls of residence in Fallowfield expected to begin next September and increased demand for luxury facilities it is expected that the accommodation constructed will exceed the 2013/14 price of £88 per week for a room in Oak House.

The report also recommends that universities should take note of students’ choices; indeed, Oak House was the most popular first, second, and third preference amongst this year’s first-years.

Oak House is the university’s cheapest accommodation and would suggest a higher demand for cheaper accommodation than for luxury facilities.

The NUS report further endorsed the suggestion that 25 per cent of rents should be affordable, which the report defines as being in the bottom or lower quartile.

“They told me they are going to benchmark the prices against the hall of residence provision nationwide,” added Ellen.

Whilst the NUS report states that student representatives should be actively engaged and consulted during the rent setting process and planning for future development, Ellen added “I have had a poor response from the university; it’s all confidential, they say.

“I have raised concerns to the senior management about the lack of provision of cheaper accommodation. I am really worried about a two-tiered student experience.

“I fear that one group of students who can afford halls will have access to the pastoral care, events, and other benefits that come with living in university accommodation.

“The other group will be forced into private accommodation that is much cheaper, and they will be open to the private system and its associated issues, which will be less safe.

“The possibility of higher rents may put students off the University of Manchester, and they may choose to study elsewhere.”

The redevelopment of the Fallowfield campus is expected to be part-owned by the university and part-owned by a private company. Potentially this could lead to profit being made by a private sector from University of Manchester students.

The Mancunion has seen the summary report authored by Ellen, which she will send to the university’s senior management.

“The findings of the poll support the concerns I have raised to the university,” she said.

The Mancunion is investigating the price of university accommodation at universities across the nation and has reached out to all of the Russell Group universities for information regarding their average rents—they are all yet to comment.

Live: Lauryn Hill

Written by Gwynne George on . Posted in Music.

26th September

Manchester Apollo

5/10

What happens when you take an enthusiastic crowd, leave them waiting around for three hours and then refuse to sing anything they’re waiting for? Answer: the Lauryn Hill (pardon me: Ms. Hill) show. It was hard to tell who had a rougher time at her gig at the O2 Apollo Thursday night: the crowd, or Ms Hill herself. By the time she came out—three hours late, to mass boos and a very unimpressed crowd—it was obvious that neither party was over the moon to be there.

The evening was centered round three main questions: (1) Where the hell is she? (2) Now that she’s here, what the hell is she doing? and finally (3) How has she not noticed that she doesn’t have one true friend in her band or entourage?

Inexplicably, Ms. Hill took it upon herself to act as sound engineer and lighting technician as well as star: she kept turning back to her drummers and guitarists midsong, barking orders at them to stop playing or to play louder; between songs, she eschewed any interaction with the crowd to cuss out her band members for not standing where she wanted them; and she kept motioning offstage where the lights should be shining. Why nobody told her that this kind of thing could be sorted out with a quick sound check and rehearsal before the show, nobody knows.

On paper, the show’s setlist would have made any R&B/hip hop fan weep with joy—but the show didn’t take place on paper; it instead came from some deep recess of Ms. Hill’s mind, where she thought “remixing” her beloved songs beyond recognition would be a good idea. The lush melodies of 1998’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill were transformed into bizarre dubstep/indie cover band hybrids; her empowering rap lyrics were spat out at such velocity and with such little care that they were illegible. As the butchering of her songs went on, the booing got louder and eventually resulted in Ms. Hill stopping the show to ask the “dissenters” what their problem was. She berated fans for cheering or shouting messages of support, telling them they had no manners. (I promise I’m not making this up.)

Towards the show’s end, she briefly won back the crowd’s favour with a slick run through of the Fugees’ greatest hits, including a gorgeous rendition of ‘Killing Me Softly’, and closed the evening with a nostalgic performance of ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’—but even that turned into a tuneless, dirgy “remix” by verse two. The crowd wildly lapped both songs up, but maybe as a direct result of her dissatisfaction with their earlier reaction she cut them both short, offering a brief glimpse of what the gig might have been.

Frustrating and fascinating in equal measure, the whole evening was an exercise in how to destroy your fans’ decade-spanning goodwill in a matter of hours. Her voice was strong, she looked incredible—but Ms. Hill’s tardiness, attitude and misplaced “artistic vision” left much to be desired.

Live: Beartooth

Written by Randeep Samra on . Posted in Music.

Roadhouse

18th September

4/10

For a band such as Beartooth, live performances are not only an integral part of their career—as is the case with almost all rock bands—but they also seem to be the prime reason for their existence as a band. Where most bands pour their most of their material and emotional resources into making records in the studio, and then tour in support of those albums, Beartooth’s LP and EP seem to function primarily as promotional material for the live shows that they put on.

The musical trajectory of the night was, as one could guess by now, not particularly complex: the band’s set was preceded by two support acts who played similar music to Beartooth, whose main goal that night was to keep the audience moshing—and whose names escape my memory. The songs from each band consistently delivered the typical post-hardcore formula of heavy, repetitive riffs, screamed vocals and, to their credit, sporadic reminders that we (the audience, as well as the performers) were there to have a good time, and that there was no excuse for not going as hard as possible. Indeed, the mosh pits grew increasingly enthusiastic, and towards the end of the night Beartooth had the audience—most of whom were under the age of eighteen—thrashing all over the place.

Despite being monotonic and forgettable, Beartooth’s performance is exactly what fans of the genre expect and desire. They offer a chance to really let loose, and the brand of aggression that bands like this express, as anyone who has ever been a teenager will understand, provides its audience with a beautifully simple kind of catharsis.

My Double Life Online

Written by Matthew Cole on . Posted in Games.

I am a savagely dysfunctional man. Unless a friend accompanies me on my journey to university, I shamble along Oxford Road with my head bowed, desperately trying to remain invisible until I reach my destination, which is usually a quiet corner of a lecture theatre or library. I dread encounters with acquaintances to the point where every single person starts to resemble one. It’s a grotesque paranoia. I convince myself that these people, with their homogeneous faces, voices, and hairstyles, are trying to scare me into thinking they’re David or Sarah from that module I took way back when, those decent fellows who I chummed up with for one semester but felt apathetic about reconvening with thereafter. It’s not that I’m a particularly aloof or unforthcoming sort of person, I just find humans to be very draining. It’s easier to drift by. The way I see it, no matter how many friends you make in Manchester, and no matter how many gatherings you attend, the party will always be raging on elsewhere.

This rotten attitude of mine hatched in secondary school. For me, school was a largely joyless enterprise weighed down by tedious goons who were hell-bent on constantly disrupting the show. By becoming a member of an online gaming forum, a community conveniently set aside from physical reality, I was able to connect with people who shared my interests and, importantly, connect with them through the written word. My decision to join in a sense stemmed from a verbal spat I’d had with an idiot in year seven. He was a red-eyed little skinhead fella who could incite hatred in the most shy and benevolent of people; the kind of person who resents thought. We were debating (perhaps that’s too generous) the merit of two games. I was advocating the brilliance of Metroid Prime—subject of last week’s retro corner—a groundbreaking first-person sci-fi game rich in detail and atmosphere, while he grunted back about the thrill of a generic WW2 shooter totally bereft of the subtlety and imagination evident in my choice. When I’d finished mounting a cogent case against him, he bellowed an obscenity, spat at my feet, and then loped off to bother his next victim. Miffed at the calibre of argument and eager to find others who were passionate about games, I searched online and discovered a small forum, the same forum I’d be contributing to ten years later.

What’s the draw? Well, for one, the forumers I meet are generally intelligent across the board, and they’re far more tolerant than the morons you’ll find lurking in the mires of YouTube. Granted that isn’t a selling point on its own, but the key takeaway is that you can have a sustained conversation with multiple users without it devolving into conjecture over the relative promiscuity of each other’s mums. The forum also allows you to obscure your personal life and construct a new identity for yourself. It might come as a surprise, but this facility doesn’t result in a clique of pretend sexually proficient superheroes and Mafia dons who just happen to bond over Mario Kart, but rather it establishes a small community of real people who are invigorated with a confidence to talk about anything, when previously they might have opted for silence.

Over the years, the forum has been a great outlet for me to experiment with my opinions; it has prompted untapped aspects of my personality to spill out over innumerable, long-buried web pages, and it has probably sharpened my critical faculties to a level beyond anything my school could have achieved with me. It’s odd to think that so many of my past selves lie composting in the virtual universe—old, naïve, terrifically embarrassing versions of me which nevertheless represent a true, if exaggerated snapshot of who I was and who I am now. If the FBI felt like dicking around for an hour, I’m sure they could track down my forum profile and procure some devastating information about me from aeons ago—things I’d posted, biography details and all that jazz. The dossier would be a career-ender but, gladly, despite being publicly available, all the information is tucked away in the dark recesses of the internet and the pages remain pretty much unvisited, partly because nobody in their right mind would care about them. Even so, the fact remains that I have shared fragments of myself with people I’ve never met, including personal information I’ve never revealed to people I spend a lot of time with, and doing so has rarely felt unnatural.

It isn’t a misnomer to call the forum a community by the way. There are sprawling networks of users who know and familiarise with others to varying extents; there are sub-communities, friendship triangles, and niche interest circles where transactions take place almost privately. Many forumers have stayed active since the dawn of the website, so there is a very real history at work as people reproduce insider jokes that make sense to veterans but which are lost on newcomers. Sometimes new users will find this intimidating because they can’t get a handle on the group dynamics. Think of The League of Gentleman’s “are you local?” sketch and you have a fair idea.

But the history is what makes the forum so rewarding. Any gaming news, reviews, memes, or opinions can be tailored for specific groups or individuals. You can discuss subjects safe in the knowledge that someone will be receptive to them, and if they lead to arguments they can sometimes help you to tease out exactly what your position is. I won’t go as far to say that the forum represents a Socratic utopia, but at their best the debates can be ferociously fun and irreverent, even when they’re pointless.

It was on a glorious summer’s day in London that I finally met up with a bunch of members in person. Some were geeky and awkward, some were suave and outgoing, but all were super sound people. It was a surreal experience speaking with them, having known them for half my life in a solely online context, and yet at the same time it didn’t feel weird at all. We addressed each other by our usernames as if we’d been doing so since childhood. And everybody was exactly who they’d claimed to be. On the face of it, it is very easy to sniff at a group of gamers who lead double lives online, but upon deeper meditation you might well reconsider. Online communities furnish us forumers with a canvas on which to scribble away harmlessly, in an abstract zone removed from the seriousness of human responsibility. We are like forgotten graffiti artists; always active in the subways, always inhabiting public space, but never noticed.

5 top tips about the Study China Programme

Written by Josepha Griffin Parry on . Posted in Lifestyle.

1. ‘Ladies night’ happens pretty much every night of the week. This means free entry into one of the many swanky bars/clubs Shanghai has to offer AND free champagne all night—what more could you ask for? Unfortunately this does mean that guys do tend to have to fork out a couple of hundred yuan to get in. Then again, beer is only 30p.

2. Unless you’re feeling brave and have an incredibly strong stomach, avoid the street food. If you are daring enough to try some make sure you go to the stall where there are loads of people queuing; this way at least you know it won’t kill you. Oh, and make sure you take some Imodium with you—they’re a necessity here.

3. If you’re vegetarian like myself, the good news is you can survive! You just have to be prepared to hunt around for restaurants that serve veggie food. There are lots of dishes with unidentified ‘food’ floating in them, so make sure you have someone who can speak fluent Mandarin with you and can double-check your order.

4. As for work, three hours of class, five days a week for the duration of the programme seems like a lot (a lot more hours than most people have for their first semester); but you soon get into the rhythm of things and it is surprisingly fun. However, you never get used to the temperature changes, from the intense humidity outside to the chill of the air-conditioned rooms.

5. You may not need malaria tablets during your stay in Shanghai, but you will most definitely need insect repellent! If you are unfortunate enough to become acquainted with resident mosquitoes of Shanghai then grab yourself some tiger balm, it works wonders.

Review: Eric and Little Ern

Written by Benjamin Monk on . Posted in Theatre.

The Manchester Opera House has played host to many legends—Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles amongst them—so it is intriguing to see a piece recreating Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise’s work. This is not the first time essences of the double-act have been revived for theatrical nostalgia—both the solo act Morecambe and The Play Wot I Wrote have both been Olivier award winning, commercial successes—but this features both Morecombe and Wise together as explicit characters.

Their original material, by Eddie Braben, Dick Hills and Sid Green, provides a majority of the content around a devised framing by Ian Ashpitel (also playing Ernie Wise) and Jonty Stephens (Eric Morecambe). With Ernie near-death in hospital, who should visit but Eric, who then performs skit after skit amongst Wikipedia-esque footnotes through their past. They provide a spitting image of the two stars and are undeniably talented at embodying the duo.

They received a fantastic reception from an audience able to communally adore their beloved idols once more—but left me entirely cold. Transferring from the West End after a Fringe First-winning Edinburgh Fringe run, the performance does seem overwhelmed by its 2000-seat host with a basic set, and the performance felt too distant for me to be able to engage. But it is clear that this exists solely to entertaining those who grew up amongst them, with my presence there an anomaly—a star for them both seems appropriate.

But with so much comedy history available to watch digitally, could our generation pay for Michael McIntyre’s acts to be defrosted and reconstructed one day? With Faber publishing Stewart Lee’s performances as scripts, and tribute musical acts successful for decades, it is certainly possible that this most Frankenstein-style of comedy performance could be alive for years to come.

★★☆☆☆

The Giving Game: may the audience be in your favour

Written by Lauren Gorton on . Posted in News.

As RAG descends once again upon Manchester, the Students’ Union hosted one of its first charity events last Monday in association with the Giving What We Can: Manchester society. The event, ‘The Giving Game’, saw Cancer Research UK head off against the Anti-Malaria Foundation to compete for the votes of the audience and £490 in donations.

The society, founded last year by Sam Dumitriu, is Manchester’s local chapter of the international society Giving What We Can, and is dedicated to eliminating extreme poverty around the world. Members of the society pledge to donate at least 10 per cent of their annual incomes to go towards relieving suffering caused by extreme poverty.

Unlike most other charitable organisations, however, the society donates to only the most effective charities in an attempt to ensure that donations have the greatest possible impact. As such the Giving Games aim to make the audience use their initiative to judge with both their hearts and their heads what charities can actually make a difference.

At last week’s Giving Game event society members Andrew Pearson and Pete Werner compete against one another to convince the audience that their organisation was the best equipped to make donations go further, representing Cancer Research UK and the Anti-Malaria Foundation respectively.

For each audience member’s vote £10 was donated, courtesy of a grant applied for from the Frederick Mulder Trust, for the overall winner. By a margin of just 14 votes the Anti-Malaria Foundation won the night with an overall 31 votes.

Speaking to The Mancunion, Sam Dumitriu, the founder and Chair of Giving What We Can: Manchester commented on the benefits of The Giving Game and Giving What We Can international society.

“Giving Games are a great way to get people to think about where is the best place to donate. There are numerous causes and charities worthy of our support, but our limited resources of time and money can only stretch so far.

“Some charities are a thousand times more effective than others and so it is vital that we think carefully about where to give. I encourage people to look at charity evaluators like GiveWell and Giving What We Can online and combine the heart with the head.”

Three further events are scheduled to occur in association with the Giving What We Can: Manchester Society: ‘Taking Charity Seriously’ on November 7th, ‘Giving and Happiness’ on November 11th and ‘80,000 Hours’, an ethical career talk, on November 22nd.

Manchester Chinese Business Society

Written by Evie Hull on . Posted in Societies.

What does Manchester Chinese Business Society do?

Manchester Chinese Business Society is the unique business non-profit society for Chinese students. We are concentrating on providing the opportunities for Chinese students getting into social business environment. The society is under the guidance and control of University of Manchester Students’ Union. There are almost 2000 followers in our wechat platforms already.

We will make the best use of the network of students who graduated from University of Manchester and other resources to deliver presentations, workshops and operate gatherings regarding to business and career topics. We will also invite successful businessmen and excellent entrepreneurs who contribute a lot in business industry to share their experience. The main goal for our presentation is to help Chinese students to apply our knowledge in practical business environment and inspire Chinese students to start their new business in the United Kingdom or China.

The workshop is a platform for our members to discuss and share the latest business topics (such as e-business and e-market, or political impacts on Chinese business). Each gathering is a opportunity for you to get to know people have the same interest with you in business and expand your network—not only in university but also in future career. If you need any advice or inspiration in business, join our workshop and gathering. Your future business partner may simply be found in Manchester Business Society! This is a perfect opportunity for you to realise your potential ability in business and increase awareness.

To find out more information, please look for us on Facebook: Manchester Chinese Business Society and wechat: uomnews. If you are interested in doing business in China and corporate with Chinese people, please email us: [email protected].

Article kindly provided by Lina Chi.

Statement Fashion in 2014

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

What comes to mind when you think of statement fashion: crazy hairstyles, killer heels or just generally dressing like Lady Gaga? Not anymore! In 2014 it is easier than ever to achieve a statement look that stands out from the crowd with the help of something as simple as a bold accessory. Forget having to assemble a completely eccentric outfit in order to make your statement. Now, style icons such as Olivia Palermo are simply adding a chunky necklace to a plain outfit creating a look that appears original and sophisticated. What’s the best thing about this new fashion craze? It costs a fraction of the price and can transform almost any outfit from day to night. However as we are moving into autumn, why not brave the iconically British bowler hat to add an essence of boho to your look whilst keeping you warm at the same time. Alternatively, if you’re more of a makeup muse, take inspiration from celebrities such as Lily Collins that have popularised the bold, berry lip which is also an easy way to automatically give any look that desired autumnal feel.

Statement fashion in 2014 can be achieved in many simple ways, allowing you to put your own stamp on many different outfits without breaking the bank. Forget having to spend money on bold pieces of clothing that, although may catch your eye in the shop and fill you with optimism about having the capability to change your look, in fact never actually get worn. They simply become dust collectors that are destined for the local charity shops.

Keeping Up with the Kontroversy

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

There’s no denying that Kendall Jenner has firmly stamped her mark across the fashion world this season, appearing in a multitude of high-profile shows. Despite gracing the catwalks for major fashion houses such as Chanel and Balmain, Kendall has faced harsh criticism in recent weeks over her weight and apparent cellulite on the backs of her thighs whilst walking for Tommy Hilfiger, bringing to light the issues associated with ‘fat-shaming’ across the media—the idea that it’s OK to discriminate and stereotype over someone’s weight.

While most of us admired Kendall’s figure, which she attributes to regular exercise and healthy eating, an Australian gossip magazine reported that Kendall was required to lose eight kilograms if she hoped to remain a big name in the fashion world and further her career. As a member of the infamous Kardashian family, Kendall has worked hard to make her own way in the fashion world, and as a result has a respected role as a model for huge industry names—a role which has clearly not been respected by some parts of the media that would rather focus on a potential sighting of body fat.

The major issue behind the ‘fat-shaming’ of Kendall is the negative body image it promotes to her millions of fans and the idea that it’s acceptable to criticise people based on their weight. Rather than congratulating Kendall on her hard work and ambition, the focus turned to whether or not she was thin enough to be considered a successful model. This leads to unnecessary comparisons and leaves readers with the idea that there is a ‘perfect’ female body type, which is slimmer than Kendall’s and has no cellulite.

Kendall’s body type should not define her success nor our perceptions of her achievement; we should not put celebrities under any more strain than we would people on the street. This particular story is one of many that highlight the growing debates surrounding the fashion industry’s acceptance of a range of body types, which will only occur if ‘fat-shaming’ and judgement over body type and weight stop.