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Month: November 2014

Spotted: the stylish intellectual

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

There’s nothing like coursework deadlines to dampen the festive spirit. Spending nine hours a day in a dark library corner, sweating and ageing prematurely. wondering why no one has written a single paper on your topic doesn’t exactly inspire yuletide joy. Still there are ways to make these last couple of weeks more bearable and slobbing around in crusty old joggers with soup stains on isn’t one of them.

This season’s chunky knits, blankets and layering trends are ideal for easy study chic. Team them with basic leggings plus cool biker boots or Converse, and it couldn’t be simpler! And look, I’ve even done the hard work for you!

Photo: boohoo.com

Add a little glamour to your look with this snuggly leopard print blanket cardigan. Plus when the going gets tough, this is like a portable knitted hug. £20, Boohoo.com

 

Photo: riverisland.com

This luxe jumper dress is so easy and comfy; just sling it on over tights and flat boots and you’re ready to go! £30, River Island

 

Photo: topshop.com

An oversized knit is your new best friend this season and this offering from Topshop is super comfy and ideal for layering. Plus the cool mesh back adds a touch of style to your look. £38, Topshop

Photo: newlook.com

Wearing slippers to the library (or out the house for that matter) is just not an option but these cool biker boots the next best things as well as being way more attractive. £26, New Look

From Real Love to Real Change: Are John Lewis Ads Now Too Predictable?

Written by Stephen Miller on . Posted in Music.

They used to say that the countdown to Christmas could only begin once ‘that’ Coca-Cola advert started to appear on our screens. Within the last few years, however, we only seem to start to get into the festive spirit after we burst into tears at the John Lewis ads. This year’s offering of a story about a boy and his penguin companion has really taken off, which makes Monty the first penguin in the world able to do so. It’s made such an impact, especially in our house, that we decided to have penguin this year instead of turkey.

What I find most engaging about the ad is not the rather humorous realisation that a penguin gets a mail-order bride for Christmas, but Tom Odell’s beautiful cover of John Lennon’s Real Love that accompanies it. The John Lewis ad has become well known for featuring covers of well-known tracks. Ellie Goulding’s cover of Elton John’s Your Song was used in 2010, and Lilly Allen’s cover of Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know reached number one in the UK Singles Chart last year.  A similar situation could arise this time around, as Real Love is slowly creeping its way up the charts, and we haven’t even reached the end of November.

Thus far, we seem to have mixed views on Odell’s cover being selected to feature in the ad, with the ones who praise it as a triumph reaching to the conclusion that John Lewis have ‘nailed it’ once again, with the ones who aren’t so impressed feeling that his version is ‘so wet you could row a boat in it’. Odell’s treatment of the song is sympathetic and sincere, however I can’t help but feel that John Lewis has missed a trick. They run the risk of stagnating into the same old musical routine. We now expect John Lewis ads to have haunting, goosebump-raising vocals over lingering piano lines, is it possible to have too much of a good thing? We get the same, overly sentimental result every year, and it’s starting to become quite O-dull (sorry).

What strikes a chord, pardon the expression, with the John Lewis ads is the relationship of the music with what you can see on the screen. In a world in which we are dominated by marketing and advertising, the need for the right music to match the right brand is paramount. John Lewis ads with AC/DC or Led Zeppelin as a backdrop is about as likely as Chris Rea actually managing to get home for Christmas, or penguin testicles being a part of the Bushtucker Trials on I’m A Celebrity.  John Lewis would be wise to change things around musically, not thematically, in order to avoid complacency. For Tom Odell, only time will tell as to whether singing for an advert is a successful career move, but for the next six weeks, or at least until the dust/snow has settled, Real Love will be at the forefront of our Christmas repertoire.

Album: Pink Floyd – The Endless River

Written by Joe C. Evans on . Posted in Music.

Released 10th November

Parlophone/Columbia

5/10

Pink Floyd’s fifteenth and final studio album is serene, but slightly on the dull side. Serenity is by no means a bad thing… but when ambient lulls you into a coma, it has gone too far.

Composed to the backdrop of the continued saga of Gilmore, Mason and Wrights fractured relationship, it is a shame none of that energy transferred to the album. Written in tribute to the recently deceased former band member Richard Wright, the album lacks any real fire, sometimes feeling like a float down the eponymous Endless River.

‘Side 1, Pt 1: Things Left Unsaid’ is a tempting title in terms of reading between the lines, however the near five minutes of floating ambience really do not entice further listening. Ploughing on, the same can be said for both tracks two and three, ‘Side 1, Pt 2: It’s What We Do’ and ‘Side 1, Pt 3: Ebb and Flow’, the second of which does rise and fall as the title might suggest, but never really rises to any kind of climatic point.

‘Side 2, Pt 2: Skins’ sees the album gain some momentum with drum rolls aplenty and swirling synthesizer. This said the blueprint laid out by Gilmore, who proclaimed he wanted to make “a 21st century Pink Floyd album”, is by no means fulfilled. Already the album feels dated before the halfway point.

‘Side 2, Pt 4: Anisina’ is an accessible point on the album… however it is accessible in that it sound much like a Phil Collins tune minus the vocal track. It does however feature a great, however once again dated, saxophone solo.

‘Side 3, Pt 2: On Noodle Street’ has more attitude than anything before it on the album. It grooves slightly more than anything else and pushes the album slightly close to its supposedly “21st century” tag. ‘Side 3, Pt 4: Allons-y’ likewise grooves, but does feature the most awfully dated guitar sonics, reminiscent more of the 80’s than even the 21st century – it does sound as if nobody in Floyd has updated their pedal board since Dark Side of the Moon.

‘Side 4, Pt 2: Eyes to Pearls’ is the album at its closest to achieving the goal of a modern sound. The sonics are far more 21st century, while the dark guitar line is reminiscent of something released far more recently than anything else on the album.

The albums final track ‘Side 4, Pt4: Louder than Words’, notably the only track to feature vocals provided by Gilmore, is a nice moment. The album is unapologetically retrospective, referencing the breakdown of Pink Floyd’s relationship.

The album sounds like a band that are tired. While it’s not a car crash, it sounds like a swan song. The thing that undermines the whole listening experience is the feeling that it is a band hammering a well worn methodology, producing something that sounds dated and past it before you’ve got through your first listen.

Interview: Loveable Rogues

Written by Bianca Boorer on . Posted in Music.

The Loveable Rogues have come a long way since their quirky appearance on Britain’s Got Talent in 2012. One of their members, Sonny, had a chat with me about their experience on the show. “It was the best experience ever and it was an incredible platform for us to go on, but it was so scary. Looking at shows like that now I sit back and think I know what they’re going through, it’s actually so much stress. When you’re singing in front of Simon Cowell and you know millions of people are watching, it just gets to you.” Despite getting all the way to the finals and losing to Pudsey the dog they don’t see it as a set back, “That dog was very talented, can’t take it away from Pudsey.  We went on the show and our aim was to get to the finals. We were just really happy and fortunate to get there and we came fourth.”

Since Britain’s Got Talent they’ve been quite busy. They released an EP Honest, followed by their first album This and That, had their first headline tour The Talking Monkeys last March and they are currently on their second tour this month, “We have released a single that got top 10, we toured with Olly Murs, toured with Scouting For Girls, had our own tour, we are currently on tour now. We are just doing what bands do to be honest.”

Despite travelling all around the UK, their favorite venue remains close to home, “I’m extremely biased, for me I like playing in London purely because it’s nice to see all our family come watch us and our mates come see what we do.  But we love travelling around.” I asked if anything crazy has happened on tour so far and Sonny immediately came up with this heroic story, “Well, if you were there last night you would be calling me Superman. Some girl fainted in the front of the crowd so I had to pull her up onto the stage and take her backstage. The boys were great they carried on like nothing was going on and I got back on time for my part of the song, so it was good.”

The boys did so well on BGT due to their great chemistry on stage, “We all met in college. You get to know someone really well over five years.” I asked if they noticed anything weird about each other whilst on tour, “Tay just loves to sing as soon as he wakes up, even in the shower.”  The inspiration for their band name came quite easily to them, “We were trying to think to ourselves what makes a good band name like Wham and the Beatles. And it’s literally as easy as someone referred to Eddie as a Loveable Rogue and thought that would make a good band name and we stuck with that ever since.”

Fans of the loveable rogues seem to draw comparisons between them and the Midnight Beast due to them both being fun loving trios that have a laugh on stage however their music differs quite a lot, “We actually did a gig with Midnight Beast at T in the Park in Scotland. Really nice boys. Saw them on stage for the first time. Aspects of us could be similar, but not music wise or set up wise etc.”

As for the Loveable rogue’s future plans they plan to take a step back from the band for a while, “Got the album, the rest of the tour, two gigs at the end of the year. Next year we’re taking a little break from the band, go and do separate things for a little while.”

Loveable Rogues returned to Manchester on the 13th of November at Gorilla. The show set lists consist of a mixture of everything they’ve done so far, “Stuff from when we started five years ago and what we sung on Britain’s Got Talent to music on our album, covers that we put up on Youtube, just a massive catalogue of what we’ve done over the past five years.” The band are also selling a deluxe version of the album This and That that includes new original songs, live recordings and covers, “It’s wicked – we’ve always wanted a physical copy of the album.”

Album: Azaelia Banks – Broke with Expensive Taste

Written by Helena Ross on . Posted in Music.

Released 6th November

Prospect Park

8/10

Oh Azealia. You’ve been such a problem child. 2012, when we were all so endlessly hyped up over her 1991 EP and this fierce new female MC seems like aeons ago, and our memories of you since then are so tainted with your numerous twitter blunders – proving time and time again that even the most talented rappers should sometimes think before opening their mouths (or hitting their keyboards, whatever.) The label troubles weren’t your fault, but Broke With Expensive Taste was pushed back so many times that we all started to doubt it’d ever come out. All in all, the experience of being an Azealia Banks fan became so exhausting that most of us ceased to be them. But now it’s finally here, and it’s time to give her a second chance.

My main reservation going into this album was a suspicion that it’d sound horribly dated – however good a track it is, 212 is certainly past its moment, and I was expecting a whole album of it. It’s on this point in particular that she proves us wrong: BWET is fierce and undeniably fresh-sounding, thanks to Banks’ energy and her excellent ear for beats, many of which come from names familiar to anyone who’s spent a decent amount of time in thumping basement nightclubs. Opening with Pearson Sound and closing with a double bill from our own Lone with a whole host of other names on the way, the production is so on-point and unique that even 212, a fossil in pop years, gains a new lease of life in its context on the record.

It’s always nice to get a pleasant surprise in the pop world, and Broke With Expensive Taste is certainly one. There are a lot of brave decisions on this album, and while not all tracks hit the mark and the record is over-long, a lot of those decisions show off a side of Azealia’s personality that’s far preferable to the one she became notorious for showing off on social media. It’s a good reminder that taking a gamble on greatness is better than settling for okay, and hopefully she’ll be rewarded for it as much as she’s suffered for her blunders in the past.

Album: Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways

Written by Dinesh Mattu on . Posted in Music, Uncategorised.

Released 10th November

RCA Records

6/10

Album number eight. Eight songs. Eight cities. Weird figure of eight shapes on the album cover. Spot a recurring motif? You guessed it; Foo Fighters have delivered the next instalment in their 20-year history of being awesome, reminding us that in this electro-dominant day and age, guitar music still has an imperative spot in mainstream music.

When Dave Grohl & co set out to create this project, they intended to explore an innovative concept that hadn’t really been done before; recording each song on a road trip around different cities in the United States, drawing on the cities’ respective musical heritages and making a documentary series based the whole journey. You’d be right to think it was a distant trip from the grunge-y, underground, garage-rock scene that birthed the beginning of the band.

However, following on from their 2011 release, Wasting Light, which went back to basics (being completely recorded on analogue), their eighth album may well be their most conceptually ambitious yet. What we get is nothing that hits you in the face as an instant classic or that reinvigorates your inner punk rebel; in fact, it’s quite a pleasurable album. With that being said, there’s plenty of screaming, and heavy guitars (an average of three guitars on each song), nevertheless, there’s plenty of agreeable melodies and emotional tug in Grohl’s lyricism in the music, just as we’re used to.

‘Congregation’ is a profound example of the idea behind the project, recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with a guest spot from Zac Brown there’s an inherently authentic country/gospel feel to the song. On the other hand, ‘In The Clear’ (New Orleans, Louisiana) featuring the Preservation Hall Brass Band, doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from any other song on the album, and comes across as another unnecessary stop along the way on the documentary’s journey.

Although the concept of the entire Sonic Highways project may have been to innovate and push the genre through somewhat uncharted territory, there is not much that is exceedingly noteworthy in terms of the music.

There’s lots of crunching guitar, lots of pummelling drums and a few sing-a-longy choruses but it’s exactly what works for the Foos. Personally it’s just great to hear Grohl’s voice again and hearing the band doing what they do best; making kick-ass rock ‘n’ roll. Drawing on a rich heritage of classic rock, blues and jazz, Sonic Highways acts as a reminder that the Foo Fighters are one of the few remaining popular rock bands in the world that still has some integrity about them.

Live: The Kooks

Written by Bianca Boorer on . Posted in Music.

8th November

Academy 1

7/10

The Kooks have made a comeback after a three year break with their new album Listen, released last September, which debuted at no.16 on the UK Albums Chart. Despite being in the music industry for 13 years, they haven’t seemed to have aged at all.

The opening act Walking on Cars, however, are relatively fresh faced on the scene starting in 2010. Their songs were very upbeat, reminiscent to what I would have listened to in my teen angst days, but with a very cinematic quality. They played songs off their new EP Hand in Hand and ended their set with their top single, ‘Catch Me If You Can’ which went to no.1 in the iTunes chart in 2012.

The Kooks were then signaled on stage with their name in big letters projected on stage. The graphics throughout the performance were quite impressive, changing with every song with images like a fox, old school television sets, the union jack and London phone boxes (keeping with the 1960s British Invasion influence) as well as live projections of them on stage with various effects. They started off with well-known oldies like ‘See the World’ and ‘Ooh La’ from their first album Inside in/Inside out then integrated songs from their new album Listen  like ‘Bad Habit’ and ‘Down’ which had stellar guitar riffs. Lead singer Luke Pritchard did a few solos for their slower songs from their first album on the acoustic guitar with ‘Seaside’ and on the piano with ‘See Me Now’. The best track from their new album has got to be ‘Sweet Emotion’. They finished off with more of their original songs like ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’, ‘Always Where I Need To Be’ and ended with the tune that made them a household name, ‘Naïve’.

Luke Pritchard’s vocals throughout were on point, mixed in with his own attempt at Mick Jagger-like dance moves. The crowd, however, was a tad rowdy throughout the performance, throwing drinks and brollies in the air which not only put a damper on the evening, but also my hair which stank of cider by the end of the night.

Live: CHVRCHΞS

Written by Edwin Gibb on . Posted in Music.

6th November

Manchester Academy

7/10

The lights are set – a pattern of triangles behind the waiting microphone. Chvrches appear on the smoky stage for the final time on their UK tour. Lead vocalist and talisman, Lauren Mayberry, clutches a bottle of water and carries a quiet calmness. She greets the sell-out crowd with a smile, wave and a few words.

The Scottish 3-piece kick off the gig as they mean to go on, with the catchy, upbeat ‘We Sink’ before wowing the two and a half thousand onlookers with the lyrically fascinating ‘Lies’. They then take the audience through a selection of alternative pop hits, each as quirky and filled with eclectic, synthy choruses as the last.

Chvrches are at their best; with Mayberry at centre stage, Cook with a bass guitar and Doherty manning the sampler. All this while the crowd are treated to their very own Aurora Borealis, courtesy of the lasers, patterns and strobes which mingle with the mist that hovers around the three musicians.

I would recommend a Chvrches gig without a second thought, but not without a word of warning – Lauren Mayberry is a thief. Her partner in crime, the lights choreographer, and the flawless singer completely steal the show. Her voice effortlessly finds a way of piercing through the synthesisers, percussion and bass. Sometimes haunting, sometimes angry, it is blessed with a feminine quality, balanced by a sureness and maturity and, on certain words her delectable accent, a gentle Scottish lilt, rings through. But she stands accused of another count of theft. What else could she have stolen? My heart. And with it, I feel sure, the hearts of hundreds of poor men, helpless in their attempts to resist her.

Absolutely go see Chvrches if you are ready to fall head over heels. If you aren’t, you should still go, but maybe stand at the back – just watch the lights and lose yourself in the bonanza of energy and exceptional electronic music without distraction.

Would I rush back? Yes, yes I would.

Live: MONEY

Written by Samuel Ward on . Posted in Music.

The Eagle Inn

27th October

6.5/10

MONEY are a band who seem to cherish user experience. Since their splendidly dramatic show at the Dancehouse Theatre, I’ve been thirsty for gigs which are fuelled by the unusual – gigs which, taking MONEY as an example, may include support from a pissed parchment-wielding poet or feature a serenade from the frontman, bottle of wine in hand. So somewhat ironically, it came as little surprise to find what seemed to be a boilersuit-clad figure howling over some fantastically smooth lo-fi backing tracks upon arrival to the dark backroom of the Eagle Inn.

The Eagle Inn itself proceeds their last Manchester appearance with grace. Situated between warehouses on the outskirts of Salford (one of Manchester’s most underrated areas), the place is, on the surface, a quiet and modest pub. But deep within its bowels lurks a charmingly grand venue, armed with an impressively clear sound system and even a small balcony.

Throughout the evening the atmosphere is refreshingly communal and relaxed; most of the band chats with the crowd beforehand. As the final countdown approaches, MONEY simply emerge from the crowd’s ranks and, rather fittingly, the lipstick-laden Jamie lets out a modest “cheers” and the band are underway in a silently attentive room.

Laden with new tracks, the set is nonetheless gripping. The simple yet ethereal structures provide the perfect platform for a passionate Jamie to howl his choir boy lungs. What’s more, MONEY’s apparent rise to cult status has generated an atmosphere of utmost worship; audience praise between songs is phenomenal and even mosh pits spontaneously spring during the band’s more well-known hits.

This cacophony of lager and ambient magnificence, as sacrilegiously fun as it is, can seem much of the same at times. The band also seemingly rush through to play the newer, fresher songs. But without a doubt, MONEY still know how to make a night feel grand.

Live: Circa Waves

Written by Joey Whitehead on . Posted in Music.

7th November

Gorilla

7/10

Circa Waves have had a very busy 2014. Support slots with the Libertines and the NME awards tour have highlighted a year of non-stop touring. On the way, they have garnered some flattering comparisons to The Strokes and We Are Scientists, alluding to their simple and uplifting brand of indie-pop. In February, media hot-shot Zane Lowe even named ‘Stuck in My Teeth’ the hottest record in the world. In short, these painfully catchy Liverpudlians are tussling for their share of the limelight right now, which in my experience is the absolute best time to catch a rock and roll band live. Who better to share it with than a full house at Manchester’s Gorilla?

Opening with ‘So Long’, there’s an instant barrage of snare-hits and down-strokes that would move the feet of even the crustiest music purist. The call-and-response choruses of the opening few tracks are chanted back by the crowd, as the front standing rows become fluid and excited. The middle of the set exposes the infancy of the band, ‘Fossil’ and ‘My Love’ aren’t played with the same amount of energy allowing the crowd to switch off for a song or two. Punctuating this lull, however are lively singles ‘Stuck in my Teeth’ and ‘Get Away’. Frontman Kieran Shudall and bassist Sam Rourke are at their best during these set highlights, dancing around like lunatics. By the time finale ‘Young Chasers’ rings out everyone is gross and sweating profusely, shouting for an encore that never comes.

Circa Waves played their part to a tee, conducting a willing crowd through some real barn-storming indie anthems with the excitement of a band on the cusp of big things. However, with a lean set lasting 40 minutes and a good deal of forgettable material, it wasn’t exactly Arctic Monkeys at the Boardwalk circa 2004. So if you’re after a night of jumping around to some fun indie-nostalgia then Circa Waves will certainly do the trick; but I wouldn’t go papering them over your Julian Casablancas posters quite yet.

EP: Jameson – Carnivore

Written by Elizabeth Rushton on . Posted in Music.

Released November 16th

Auditorius BMG

8.5/10

For British listeners, folk has had something of a resurgence into the mainstream in the last few years. This is primarily thanks to artists such as Laura Marling, Noah and the Whale, and most notably Mumford and Sons, with their Radio 1 friendly banjo-infused pop-rock . However Jameson, who hails from Santa Ana, California, seems to have mastered with this EP what Mumford and Sons as of yet haven’t – that is to embrace a variety of different styles of music, yet at the same time he maintains a folk infusion in every track, drawing the six songs into one collection. The first three tracks of the album illustrate this perfectly; opener and lead single ‘Breathe Your Last’ is driven and rousing, ‘Surprise’ is laid back and summery, whilst ‘Falling’ is soft, yet expressive and heartfelt. The versatility on display here is commendable, and lyrically there is much to be admired too: closing track ‘Liar’ cleverly pairs a laidback country track with cold words for a former lover with a sting in their tail: perhaps like early Taylor Swift, just a bit more vicious.

Jameson’s musical versatility is clearly not exclusively limited to the variety of the tracks of this EP; having already released an acoustic record, last year’s ‘Pronto’, Jameson has delved more into the possibilities of the studio; the raw, bare bones feel of tracks such as ‘Bourbon’ has been replaced by a sound which is not only bigger, but also of a much better quality, with multiple layers of vocals and instruments now incorporated into the mix. For someone who in just two years has come from working at a roadside fruit stall to single-handedly recording his record and now this EP, with only the help of producer Dallas Kruse for finishing touches, the DIY approach is certainly impressive.

His recent teaming up with Rival Sons bassist Dave Beste is perhaps most audible on penultimate track ‘Remember’, which stands out from the others with its rocky production, the signature banjo now joined by a guitar riff and aggressive vocals and drums. It’s the kind of track you can picture yourself dancing to and singing along with at your summer festival of choice.

Live: Rise Against

Written by Chris Church on . Posted in Music.

8th November

O2 Apollo

9/10

As with any Punk rock show in Manchester, there are some things which one can expect to see as standard. Mosh pits, fast riffs and even faster drumming to name but a few. But what one doesn’t always expect to see is a well-choreographed stage show with high production values, something which Rise Against delivered last Saturday to a packed-out O2 Apollo.

Currently touring with their new album The Black Market, the Chicago four-piece spent no time in getting right into the swing of things, playing a collection of back catalogue hits which stand as a testament to their impact upon the punk rock scene over the past 15 years, before introducing several of their new tracks. Credit should also be given to lead singer Tim McIlrath for keeping the crowd calm and entertained during a minor setback involving a collapsed barrier.

With any punk band who base their sound upon fast, aggressive playing there is always a risk that after a few songs they do tend to start sounding very similar, however this was not the case for Rise Against with each of their hits still managing to sound unique and fresh, and new tracks which did not sound like regurgitated material that had failed to make the cut on a previous album. As for the stage show itself, it was hard to ignore the fact that a lot of time and money had been put into making their performance more of a spectacle than one would expect from a punk gig. The impressive lighting and backdrops gave their set an added dynamic, one which may be considered excessive by the hardcore punk loyal, but after 15 years on the go their show lacked none of the rawness that got them where they are today.

Club: Welcome to Gorgon City @ WHP

Written by Bianca Boorer on . Posted in Music.

7th November

Store Street, Warehouse Project

9/10

I’d never been to WHP before nor am I an avid House fan – but that’s all changed now that I’ve broken my Warehouse virginity. Entering into Store street, car-park-by-day/rave-den-by-night, is like being transported into Manchester’s underground. The vibe you feel when wandering through this smoky dark space – with its flashing lights, thumping bass and copious numbers of people – is quite liberating. The line-up also showcased local Mancunian DJs such as Northbase and Mediate as well as many others from all around the UK with the exception of B-traits who’s from Canada.

Walking into Room 1, and after queuing outside for a considerable amount of time, Kidnap Kid was in the middle of his set. People were mainly queuing up for the toilets and getting bottles of water to set themselves up for the night. The floor really started to lift off when Bondax came on, throwing out bangers like ‘Giving It All’and ‘Baby I Got That’. They ended with my new found favourite ‘All I See’ with the crowd were screaming along to the lyrics.

The main act, Gorgon City, came on shortly after escalating the crowd’s excitement. The graphics were on point with crystallised 3D heads and a Medusa-like floating head with tentacle hair.

The night wasn’t over after Gorgon City – it was just getting started. Room 1 was where all the action was happening. Waze and Odyssey were on next with their famous remix of ‘Bump and Grind’ keeping the momentum going followed by B-traits who was one of my favourites of the night with tracks like ‘Fever’ reverberating through the audience. Redlight ended the night with his main tracks ‘Get Out Of My Head’, ‘Lost in your Love’ and ‘9TS (90s Baby)’ as well as some new unreleased material.

Room 2’s vibes were a lot heavier with trippy triangular strobe lights. I managed to catch My Nu Leng banging out tracks like ‘Levels’ despite spending majority of my time in Room 1. I did also catch Zinc and MC Tippa at the end of the night with their remixes of dance tunes which had the crowd throwing all kinds of shapes. Even the security guards were dancing along whilst searching for dubious-looking druggies. The overall energy of the night was palpable from start to the am finish. It’s events like WHP which make you realize there’s no place like Manchester.

Review: Edward Scissorhands

Written by Nicole Tamer on . Posted in Theatre.

It is hard to believe that a story of such creativity like Edward Scissorhands was an original script, especially in our time, in which most films are book adaptation or sequels. The film was based on a drawing of Tim Burton, who worked closely with Caroline Thompson to invent a modern fairy tale inspired by stories such as Frankenstein and Pinocchio. Matthew Bourne, the director of the stage adaptation felt himself instantly drawn to the film when he saw it for the first time and especially Danny Elfman’s score made him think of dance choreographies and inspired him to present Edward Scissorhands on stage.

The production is a visual masterpiece due to its intricate stage design and a plot that draws a line between the original screenplay by introducing a back story of Edward’s creation. His creator based him on his son that was struck by lightning while holding a scissor, making him a creation based on grief. It is essentially a story of acceptance. Edward, being left to his own devices, has to overcome the prejudices against his scissor hands and has to show that he is worth a place in society by proving his usefulness only to realise that a wrong accusation can destroy his reputation.

During the Q and A session after the performance, Matthew Bourne emphasised the importance of creating a unique approach and he wondered if it is possible to separate Johnny Depp’s character from the original Edward Scissorhands. They definitely succeeded in giving the production their own touch. The biggest contrast between the film and stage performance was that it was set in the 1950s, which worked very well because the mindset of America’s suburbia was even more conservative at that time and an outcast surely harder to accept in society.
The highlights of the evening were the ice dance and the final scene.

Q and A session. Photo: Nicole Tamer

Anyone familiar with the film will remember the hauntingly beautiful music accompanying the realisation of mutual love between Edward and Kim while kissing in the snow in front of an ice figure. The stage production managed to portray Tim Burton’s mysterious atmosphere perfectly in those scenes, which was sometimes missing throughout the play. The costumes were a definite strength of the production, especially the dancers who played bushes and were unrecognisably covered in green leaves, leaving the audience perplexed about their ability to see through their shrubby costumes.

Dominic North’s strong performance managed to communicate Edward’s naivety and motoric inability with subtle, but effective mimicry. As a lost boy in a world of gossip and barbecues, he gains the sympathy of the Bogg family, treating him like a son and he later experiences strong emotions towards their daughter Kim, charmingly portrayed by Katy Lowenhoff. Dominic North was inspired by Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin and other silent film stars in order to make Edward a tragic figure without uttering a word and he clearly succeeded. The appreciation for his performance grew more when he admitted the difficulty of dancing with the heavy scissors gloves on his hands, which seemed entirely effortless throughout the evening.

He furthermore worked very closely with Caroline Thompson and Tim Burton had to give him green light because Edward Scissorhands is a very personal story to him since he based the character on his childhood; he always felt out of place and like an outsider. Tim Burton even came to one of the performances and apparently liked it. The film composer Danny Elfman initially wanted to write more music for the stage production, but he was too occupied with other projects. It was then decided that the successful composer Terry Davies would be responsible for additional scores, making up half of the music onstage.

The ending of the performance offered a surprising conclusion very different from the film and the actors were given a standing ovation while snow poured down from the ceilings upon the delighted audience. The dance production certainly lived up to the expectations and many questions were asked in the Q and A session, demonstrating the interest it evoked in the viewers. It was a wonderful spectacle of a modern fairy tale with its own touch that enchanted young and old at the Lowry.

Review: Othello

Written by Camilla Lindner on . Posted in Theatre.

Modern music at the beginning of the play and the setting indicate from the start that Shakespeare’s tragedy ‘Othello’ is a modern adaptation. The Frantic Assembly and Theatre Royal Plymouth production at The Lowry in Salford does not put the audience into a 17th century setting in Venice, but places them into a filthy Northern pub full of gang members during the race riots of 2001 in Yorkshire.

Shakespeare’s timeless themes of jealousy, paranoia, otherness and distrust are represented well in the production. The sinister choreography underlined by blaring music is melted together in scene settings changing from the pub to the dark street, where fights take place.

Othello, played by the talented Mark Ebulue, is married to the fair lady Desdemona (Kirsty Oswald). But because of societal prejudice, they are not supposed to be in love. Cassio, poignantly portrayed by Ryan Fletcher, therefore tries to turn Desdemona black. Iago (Steven Miller), Othello’s lieutenant, helps Cassio in doing so. The audience quickly notices that he is the one, who is the catalyst of the plot. He spins a web of lies for his own enjoyment, while other characters have to suffer and even die.

Due to Shakespeare’s timeless topics and modernised costumes consisting of jogging attire and trainers, and the Northern accents of the actors, the play manages to resonate with the young audience. ‘Gosh that was amazing’, one teenage girls said while leaving the performance. But the question remains if the play was too modern and thus failed in dealing with current issues. Adapting Shakespeare should also mean to question the representation of men and women and not to portray them in an inflexible, gendered and rather conservative way.

Male brutality and superiority were emphasised on stage and the role of Desdemona was portrayed as a character lacking intelligence. Emilia was the only character who tried to break out of the fixed boundaries with the outspoken well-known sentence about the relationship between men and women: ‘They are all but stomachs, and we all but food, They eat us hungerly, and when they are full / They belch us’.

The play managed to impress young and old and the performances of the actors despite the portrayal of not so modern gender stereotypes.

Stressed skin saviours

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

We’ve all been there – sat up until the early hours of the morning (or all night) faced with a blank Word document and a matter of hours until your submission deadline. Whilst we sit in the stuffy library knocking back energy drinks and surviving on a diet of Sainsbury’s meal deals our skin is the last thing on our minds; but the result of this writing rampage can take its toll, leaving its marks on our faces in the weeks to come. Whether your skin is dry and flaky or oily and spot-prone, we have the solution.

Dry – You may already be noticing the effects of the harsh winter on your skin; combine this with stress and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a skin disaster. This calls for a heavy-duty moisturiser that can keep your face protected and prevent flaky, itchy skin. Avene’s Eau Thermale Avene Rich Compensating Cream is great for boosting hydration without clogging pores, and its non-greasy texture provides the perfect make up base. For intense moisturisation, use a mask that can be left on overnight. Try Clinique’s Moisture Surge Overnight Mask and let it do the work for you as you take that well-earned rest.

Photo: Boots Photo: Clinique

Oily – Oily skin tends to face a different set of problems. Stress and lack of sleep can cause an onslaught of spots, resulting in the application of more makeup and the start of a vicious cycle in the battle against bad skin. A good cream is essential for targeting breakouts – Vichy’s Hyaluspot Cream reduces spots within a matter of hours and also helps to prevent the lingering marks they tend to leave behind. However, spot treatments can result in over-drying and a peeling effect. La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar H Multi-Compensating Soothing Moisturiser was created to counter this exact problem, containing the essential ingredients for moisturising without producing an excess of sebum and a greasy-sheen.

Photo: Escentual Photo: Boots

 

Live: Orphaned Land

Written by Emily Castles on . Posted in Music.

Academy 3

5th November

7.5/10

The lyrical preaching of religious unity and anti-war ideology conflicts with the haunting reality that the members of Israeli band, Orphaned Land, face on a daily basis back home. From a country which has faced never-ending wars, the band actively advocate unity.

As singer and founding member Kobi introduces the song ‘Brother’, he dedicates it to all Arabs, claiming that regardless of religion they are all, effectively, of the same descent. This was mirrored in one of the most anticipated and well-received songs ‘All is One’ with Kobi singing “Who cares if you’re a Muslim or a Jew?” complete with his finest Bhangra dance moves. The band equally turned to England for inspiration for the groundbreaking song ‘Truce’ which related to the Christmas day truce of World War One where the two sides stopped war in order to play football; the band expressed their amazement and wonder at such a marvel. The band’s sound is extremely unique: the melodic voice, heavy distortion and Arabic influences make them hard not to love, and impossible to ignore.

Formed in 1991 but only recently securing the current line-up, the Israeli metal heads have been around for some time. It was perhaps their recent winning of the Metal Hammer Golden God Award and mind-blowing performance at Bloodstock Open Air Festival 2014 that led to them falling into the lime light for good. This was around the time that everyone began to take notice. With an incredible, unique sound and powerful and influential lyrics—rarely found in contemporary metal bands—Orphaned Land seem to have exploded onto the metal scene and one can only presume they are going to be huge. Think the next System of a Down!

Club: Hi Ku presents Daniel Wang

Written by Elliot Coen on . Posted in Music.

24th October

Joshua Brooks

8/10

I always get a fuzzy feeling going to a club night that I have never been to previously. This was to be my first outing to a Hi Ku event, as far as memory serves me. I take pleasure in going to a party with an open-mind and this was doubly true on the 24th, as I hadn’t had the pleasure of experiencing Daniel Wang play in the flesh before that night.

I had, however, watched one of his sets on YouTube beforehand. Emphasis on the ‘watched’ there, as Daniel Wang is more than just an aural performer when he DJs. Shapes are being thrown at every transition; the man never stays still. It is highly infectious too. The whole room was moving and there was seldom a phone poised to take a selfie all night; it was what I imagine parties were like 20 years ago.

Daniel Wang’s lengthy experience with his craft was apparent within his first few selections. He was in no rush. Beginning with some funk and disco gems, which I certainly couldn’t identify, he then moved on to the piano-laden house that he became famous for back in the 90s. Some of his mixing slipped here and there but, honestly, no one cared. The party went on and the tracks were so captivating that the technical aspect of it did not matter.

Joshua Brooks is a venue I have frequented many a time over the last few years. It looked especially great on the night, with extra mood lighting and psychedelic visual projections on the wall. The crowd was great and the atmosphere was intimate. Overall, a brilliant night out!

Live: Vevo Halloween Party

Written by Katie Burns on . Posted in Music.

1st November

Victoria Warehouse

8/10

The day after Halloween, a zombie uprising took place in Trafford Park. Loudhailers announced the closure of roads for military use, and people walked around in those decontamination suits they have on Monsters Inc. This isn’t the set of some shitty b-movie though, it’s Vevo’s 2014 Halloween Party.

The Victoria Warehouse is the first Halloween event ever that I actually found scary. The venue was transformed into a Halloween hell, including a maze of horrors that the braver members of the crowd had to endure before they got to the stage. For the scaredy cats, there was also a passage right along side it that had nothing worse than a bit of fog and some worrying screams.

Over 4000 undead revellers flocked to the sold-out event, and were treated to sets by Labrinth, Rixton, Ella Eyre and Gorgon City. Despite the announcement on the day that headliner Sam Smith was unable to play due to having “totally lost his voice,” the party went on regardless, with Gorgon City taking over headline duties.

Even before the show actually began, the atmosphere was electric, and only partly due to the amazing venue and how it was set up. The rest of the atmosphere was all down to the crowd, and how excited they were. However, the party really started when Labrinth opened up the show with a rockier rendition of his massive hit ‘Earthquake’. The singer-songwriter delivered an amazing set from start to finish, which included all the hits he is known for.

Next up came Manchester boyband Rixton, all dressed up in superhero outfits, which they quickly jettisoned when it started to warm up. These guys are pretty much everywhere at the moment, but before their set I’m pretty sure I had never heard their music. All in all, they were just a row of stools short of going full boyband, with harmonies and audience participation all over the place.

Also in character was Ella Eyre, who was some sort of stunning cat/bat hybrid. At first there were a few issues related to hearing her over the backing music, but when they were resolved she delivered a blinding set, with a much more chilled out vibe than previous acts.

Gorgon City, along with a few friends, closed up the event. The duo were joined on stage by singers Zak Abel and Laura Welsh, and together they brought a great night to a close.

Live: Neon Waltz

Written by Samuel Higgins on . Posted in Music.

October 23rd

Gorilla

4/10

Playing support to ex-Doves duo Jez and Andy Williams’ new creation Black Rivers were the rising Scottish six-piece Neon Waltz. No more than a hundred watching but nevertheless much was expected from the faithful in attendance.

Generally however the setlist was marred by poor quality audio with intense, overpowering drumming drowning out both the vocals and additional guitar and organ contributions. In short, although six graced the stage, you could only feel the presence of one.

There were moments however where the band broke through such sound problems and appeared to win the crowd over. ‘Sundial’ proved quite the hit with good collaboration from the catchy lead guitar line in conjunction with an organ melody which resonated well with onlookers from the front to the back.

Disappointingly though the band were let down by the acoustics from the venue of which were arguably not befitting of five instruments and a sole lead vocal. Also, given there were six on stage, those familiar with Gorilla will be aware of the lack of stage space and it will not be surprising to readers that at times the performance lacked the energy which the sound levels demanded.

All in all top marks for effort but little can be said for the performance itself.