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Day: 16 February 2015

Club: Yousef presents Circus @ Transmission

Written by Matthew Staite on . Posted in Music.

7th February

Albert Hall

7/10

With the Warehouse Project now having shut up until next season, Transmission has stepped up to fill the gap it has left in the city’s nightlife. DJ and producer Yousef selected tonight’s roster of talent.

Ten Walls took to the stage shortly before midnight, by which point the room was full to bursting point. From the vantage point of the first floor balcony, looking over a sea of ravers grooving away, it was impossible not to get swept up in the rapturous atmosphere. Ten Walls (a.k.a Marijus Adomaitis) played an ambitious hour-long set, despite his rather limited repertoire of material. However what his set lacked in quantity, more than made up for it in quality, with the crowd reacting wildly to ‘Gotham’ and ‘Requiem’ in turn, and to early hints of ‘Walking with Elephants’. Ten Walls’s visual and light show was second to none on the night, with ten beams of light cutting down vertically into the crowd at throughout the set.

As ‘Walking with Elephants’ brought Ten Walls’s set to a raucous close, hotly anticipated duo Dusky took to the stage. The euphoric set that followed was truly one of the best that I’ve seen during my time in Manchester. Highlights of Dusky’s set including the thumping ‘Inta’, with it’s eerie horns blaring echoing through the room, and the old skool ‘Yoohoo’, with its glorious piano backing sending the Albert Hall into a frenzy.

With Dusky’s set having flown by, it was down to Yousef and then Sasha to close the night. The former played a rather uninteresting set, bar the tech sounds of ‘For The Terraces’, which briefly returned the crowd to Dusky levels of activity.

Ultimately Transmission felt a lot more fun and less serious than the Warehouse Project, which I think was partly due to the incredible venue. There are still plenty of Transmission nights still to come, so it’s definitely worth trying to sample some of its unique atmosphere if you can.

Feature: RBMA – Road To Paris

Written by Randeep Samra on . Posted in Music.

4th February

Kitchen Street, Liverpool

Established sixteen years ago, the Red Bull Music Academy  gathers sixty applicants per year to spend four weeks over a five-week period to take lessons from and work with leading professionals in the industry. Each year it is held in a different city, and has thus far covered five continents. Anyone is welcome to apply (DJs, cellists, everyone in between and everyone on either side), and the application form found on the website makes it clear that those at the academy are interested  in individuality and ultimate creative potential over raw proficiency: questions include “Your in-laws are coming to dinner. What music are you going to put on (and what are you gonna cook)?“, and “You’re standing at a Paris street corner, when a friendly soul hands you an ancient accordion. Which song will you play?“. Details on how to apply are given in the final paragraph of this article.

The academy is without a shadow of a doubt the coolest way any energy drink has ever been marketed. Although that isn’t much of a feat in itself, the academy quite clearly serves as a springboard for some very positive things: the website for the academy hosts its own online magazine, on which one can find short films made about various aspects of music, and a vast amount of interviews with academy graduates and past lecturers (including a set of figures as diverse as Bootsy Collins, Stephen O’Malley, Giorgio Moroder and Flying Lotus) – which have much to offer anyone interested in music, musician or otherwise. As for the academy itself, Mumdance discusses with Emma Warren, among other things, what the (Tokyo 2014) experience was like for him, personally:

Photo: Red Bull Music Academy

“The best thing about it was meeting people from around the world, all with a completely different musical upbringing… [it’s] such a unique situation, one which you’d never otherwise be in.” Mumdance’s experience with the academy mirrors the academy’s own stated intentions to foster the potential of its intake, via providing a melting pot of musicians from all over the world, each offering their own unique palette of experience.  Indeed, the application form belies an eagerness to get a feel for their applicants in the contexts of the respective area that produced them: it asks applicants to “Name the ten albums & tunes from your country (or city) that you definitely have to play to your fellow participants at the Academy. We’d also like to know why each of them is worth talking about.” Having been rejected the first two times he applied, he provides a little advice to prospective applicants, letting more of himself come through the third time round, after making concerted efforts to impress: “it sounds so stupid, but just be yourself.”

Mumdance goes on to talk about the overall trajectory of his musical career (what got him started was his year ten work experience at the Happy Vibes record store in Brighton), and on his recording process. For him, virtually every track takes three days to complete: the first is spent creating the sounds, the second is spent arranging those sounds into a piece of music, and the third into mixing it and adding any finishing touches to get the track sounding its best. Asked about the place of music in the modern world and what it is becoming, he notably adds that “I feel we’re in this stage where people are making music for themselves, rather than follow the ideas of others.”

Photo: Red Bull Music Academy

A seasoned veteran of dance music, François K speaks less about the academy, instead spending most of his time entertaining the audience with anecdotes (one involving Kraftwerk, and another, Pink Floyd) accrued over his time in the music industry, and how he has observed electronic music evolve since 1976, when he first started DJing in New York. In terms of advice to fellow musicians, François shares his experiences with various club owners, throughout career: “don’t let the owner of the club fuck with you… the only good things that happened to me were [because of] us knowing what to do, and saying to the management: “you do the beer, you do the security; leave us alone to do the music.”

For those interested in applying to the academy, a summary of a typical RBMA day, as well as FAQs and full application instructions with the form itself can be found here.  Applications are open until March 4th, and the process, albeit thorough, seems very fulfilling: those interested will find it reassuring that at RBMA: “Creativity is the only currency here. Music is what we live and stand for”.

Interview: Prosumer

Written by Kim Kahan on . Posted in Music.

Prosumer, a.k.a. Achim Brandenburg—storyteller, potions master and vinyl obsessive. Prior to his appearance at Sankeys this Saturday, we get to the nitty gritty, talking about the origins of house and techno—and whether they’ll ever be the same again—drugs, and his new label Potion.

Original techno and house was started as an underground scene back in the 80s, where people who were considered ‘outsiders’ by mainstream America congregated in clubs across Chicago and Detroit which were open to everyone, regardless of race or sexuality.

It was this freedom which drew people to the clubs and fuelled the rise of Chicago house and Detroit techno. “I think that [the freedom] has mainly gone. Influential people like Derrick Carter have started asking  what has happened to the old music as current mainstream artists just don’t reflect the old scene—black kids, gay kids—look at the Top 100, they aren’t represented anymore. Derrick got a lot of stick when he questioned that.”

DJing has become very different in recent years, with a lot of discussion around the topic of the DJ as a celebrity. Certain milestones mark this—Paris Hilton’s Ibiza residency, Joey Essex’s mix CD. “I can’t do the whole DJ booth raising my hands in the air. People should enjoy the music I play. I don’t understand why some people don’t dance, and instead they face the DJ all the time. I find that irritating—what we’re doing is not witchcraft, it’s blending tracks into each other through beat mixing.”

The setup in a lot of clubs has changed as this new ‘breed’ of DJ arrives, which affects people who have been around for longer. “Light should be for the dancefloor, not to illuminate the DJ. I don’t get it. I feel shy and find myself trying to be smaller hiding behind the decks.” In clubs where the dancefloor is the focus point, the DJ can get something back too: “Someone in the audience may be smiling in a way that makes you feel good so you can give that back to the crowd.”

Vinyl sales are at an all time high since 1996, but Brandenburg has always been a proponent of the bigger disk. “For me personally, vinyl is the best medium for music. And even if you ask people that didn’t grow up with records but CDs and MP3s, what the most valuable medium for music is, they’ll mostly answer ‘vinyl’.

“I think that’s because of its aesthetic and its size. The big artwork looks nicer, people can appreciate it. If you really love an album you’ll probably want it in its physical form too and vinyl is perfect for that—it’s something special.

“Vinyl of course has its imperfections, through playing it’ll get marks and scratches and become a bit individual.” I agree, noting when it skips at exactly that point where you dropped it after a heavy session, or when its crackles remind you of that night where you can’t actually remember too much. “It’s these imperfections which can make you feel connected to the physicality of a record. With some of my records, I will spot my copy within a pile of others, because I am so used to hearing a pop or hiss at a certain moment.

“I love visiting Manchester because of its music scene. In the charity shops there are loads of copies of A Guy Called Gerald’s ‘Voodoo Ray’, so you know that at one point it was in every household. Mancunians know their stuff! Unfortunately that means you rarely find a bargain in record shops.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivr57dcs9-E

Prosumer recently completed his Fabric mix for the famous London nightclub, which has recently been in the news after several drug deaths led to threats of closure by the authorities. After a huge social media campaign, the club was allowed to stay open under the condition that they install breathalysers and sniffer dogs outside the venue, becoming one of the first clubs in the country to be forced to do so. Understandably, this came under fire from a number of sources including The Guardian, who called the measures ‘draconian’.

Reflecting on this, Prosumer reveals: “It’s not always been as strict as this—years and years ago in Germany, when I first went to raves, they’d always have a stand with leaflets informing you about drugs, but now this has completely disappeared.

“The fact is that people will always do drugs, there’s no point in denying that. Banning drug use just makes it worse. Many cases of overdoses occur when people panic as they’re being searched and swallow all their drugs at once to avoid being prosecuted.

“Also, people pre-load with drugs before leaving the house to be safe in case of a search. There is little you can do about this as a club and it is putting kids in danger of overdosing.

“People need to be educated. They need to know how to make informed decisions, rather than being punished.”

Prosumer DJs around the world and like many of his peers he observes differences and similarities in the places that he plays in. One particular example of this was when he was with his friend Kerstin (Egert AKA Tama Sumo) in Israel. “We were in Jerusalem and then in Tel Aviv the following night. The Jerusalem crowd was mainly weed smokers and people in Tel Aviv were on who knows what. Kerstin had only packed one bag of records but she managed to play two completely different sets which catered to each audience. It was very impressive, it really stayed with me.” It’s this admiration of his peers and his humbleness which makes Achim Brandenburg such a nice person to interview.

Prosumer moved out of Germany to Edinburgh two years ago, which may seem a strange move for a DJ to make. Explaining this decision he tells us: “I’ve got friends here, needed to be in a German or English speaking country and I’d visited a lot because my friend studied here.” Since relocating there he’s made it his home and doesn’t see a move on the cards anytime soon “I also feel at home, but I still get excited every time I see the castle.”

Brandenburg’s friendship with surgeon and fellow producer Murat Tepeli is closely documented, reaching its next logical step in November last year with the launch of their label, Potion. The name is taken from Elton John’s ‘Your Song’, specifically the lyrics “a man who makes potions in a travelling show.” “As a DJ you’re in a travelling show.” Each weekend—which starts on a Thursday—he packs his bag of potions [records] which “provide relief for ailments so people can have a good time.”

With (almost) two releases already under the belt of the label—Tepeli’s own Drop It Like It’s Hot EP  and Copenhagen duo Wilma’s EP due out this month, the label is already looking toward release three and four. The third he reveals will come from Tuff City Kids (Gerd Janson and Phillip Lauer’s collaborative project) and the fourth release will be courtesy of Prosumer himself.

This fruitful partnership and longtime friendship of Brandenburg and Tepeli means they’ve spent a considerable amount of time together over the years. Surprisingly, the duo’s favourite pastime is making music of the karaoke variety; “I’ve got to keep a bit of mystery in this, but a surprise hit is ‘Open Sesame’ by Leila K.”

The last time Prosumer was in Manchester, he’d played in Soup Kitchen at a show which sold out in record time—partly due to the tiny capacity. This time around, he’s at Sankeys along with three of his best friends so this show is set to be considerably different. “We’ll have a lot of fun playing records we all love to build a story which lasts all night.” Interestingly, Achim describes his sets as ‘stories’ or ‘travels’. “Each set of music can take the listener to another place.” It becomes apparent that he is mapping ‘places’ onto feelings, each song or genre inciting a different emotion.

What story will he tell with the others at Sankeys? “I don’t know yet, but one thing for sure is that it will be a fun one.”

Humble, down-to-earth and downright fun, Prosumer visits Manchester’s Sankeys on the 21st February for an all-night extravaganza hosted by Selective Hearing with Tama Sumo, Virginia and Murat Tepeli.

Pangaea Space Odyssey victor!

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in News.

Once again The Mancunion teamed up with the Students’ Union for this January’s Pangaea event, Space Odyssey. We found hundreds of both the best and most disastrous solo costumes for the galactic theme and gave you our top ten to vote upon to decide who should be crowned our Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic.

The voting closed last Thursday and over 1300 of you cast your vote online.

We can now announce that with 30 per cent of the vote you decided to crown Princess Leia, a.k.a. Toby Parkes, is our Pangaea fancy dress victor!

Toby has won two tickets for this Summer’s Pangaea event. To get your tickets please contact Joel Smith the Activities and Development Officer for the Student Union closer to the event.

Your runners up were, in a close second Wall-E, a.k.a. Jake Shearer with 29.1 per cent, and in third place The Mustach-tronaut (thank you Sam), with 26.7 per cent of the vote.

All the photographs we took during the evening can be seen on The Mancunion’s Facebook page.

Feminist fashion: Decisive decades

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

There’s a stereotypical image of a feminist often cited by people as their reason not to identify with the very word itself. You know the one—frumpy, angry, and very badly dressed. Where this image comes from is a mystery to the Mancunion’s Fashion and Beauty as most major advances in fashion have been a result of female empowerment, or in other, more concise words, feminism. We’ve chosen the most inspiring decades of feminist fashion as an ode to the fashion followers who got us to where we are today.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The 1920s

During World War I, women were allowed to work on the Home Front, meaning that for the first time ever they held positions of power in society. With the war over, the suffragette movement took off and you may recall that in 1928, the government even allowed women to vote. Social and political boundaries were being broken down and the female voice was beginning to be heard. Political and economic change in the post-war period was mirrored in rapidly evolving fashion designs. Gone were the restricting corsets; replaced with dropped waists, raised hemlines and more ‘masculine’ cuts.

A female identity began to form through the flamboyant and daring designs of flapper dresses; androgyny was suddenly sexy, as opposed to being frowned upon. Most importantly, women’s wear needed to match women’s lives which meant they needed to be both functional and fun. Dresses were less heavy and outfits smarter. These were clothes that women could actually do stuff in, like work, vote, speak, and, at times, be taken seriously. Most importantly, these were the clothes that were made with women in mind and not the patriarch.

Photo: likeabalalaika @Flickr

The 1960s

The 1960s was the home of feminism’s second wave and as women fought for contraception and better representation in the workplace, they wore their opinions on the outside. From miniskirts to go-go boots and space-inspired trends, ‘60s fashion looked forward to a very feminist future.

There are few decades which have seen as many feminist fashion breakthroughs as the swinging ‘60s. With the introduction of the mini skirt in 1964, Mary Quant sparked a style revolution that hemlines are yet to get over. Freeing female knees up and down the country, skirts became a statement of political persuasion and a call to arms to other women. So those still silly enough to think short skirts are about attracting male attention, take note!

In the second half of the decade women took the borrowed-from-the-boys concept and blew it out of the water, wearing trousers in a vast array of styles including some that were indistinguishable from male versions. This act of leg liberation reflected women’s growing freedom and desire for professional and social recognition. The new androgynous look, as embodied by supermodel Twiggy, riffed on 1920s influences. But contrary to popular belief, no bras were burned in the making of this new aesthetic.

Photo: fanpop.com

The 1980s

Power dressing packed a punch in the in the 80s as women began to dip their toes into the unfamiliar world of androgynous fashion. A decade laced with ties, tailored skirt suits and double-breasted jackets had dawned and the sheer strength of their masculine silhouettes reflected a new era of female empowerment, as more and more women gained a sturdy foothold in the male-dominated world of business.

Love them or hate them, shoulder pads were an embodiment of the ‘dress for success’ mantra as women set their sights far beyond the glass ceiling of gender inequality. This powerful trend eventually permeated popular culture, with strong female protagonists sporting powerful sartorial looks in shows such as Dallas, Dynasty, and the 1988 cult classic ‘Working Girl.’

Previous more traditional notions of the aesthetics of femininity had begun to fade and designers such as Giorgio Armani, Thierry Mugler, and Claude Montana launched new arguably outlandish designs which featured razor sharp tailoring in understated yet commanding hues and that channelled the masculine. Feminists in fashion were making a clear statement about their refusal to be confined to a single sartorial mould of restrictive dressing, which consequently liberated them socially, professionally, and politically.

 

 

Review: Scuttlers

Written by Camilla Lindner on . Posted in Theatre.

While dust is rising on the stage, small pieces of cotton wool descend from the theatre ceiling in a similar way to snowflakes. On stage, people are working in a cotton mill, which is represented by a cylinder like construction of yarn hanging down from the top of the ceiling. The loud sound of the working machines can be heard all over the stage.

Scuttlers is written by Mona Munro and directed by Wils Wilson. It places the audience in the back streets of Manchester of the 1880s. Youngsters are living on certain streets which they call their territory. With empty eyes they walk silently around in the foyer of Royal Exchange Theatre before the start of the performance, an action which is repeated during the interval. Because of the difficult situation they have to face in their daily lives, they get together and create gangs. ‘The Tigers’ is one of them.

Here, female teenage power holds the group together. Theresa is the leader and is played persuasively by Rona Morison. Her motto—“No one looks after me but me”—emphasises both the strength and stubbornness that she has had to construct for herself to cope with the death of nearly every family member. Thomas (David Judge), who wants to be part of the gang and later will be, describes her as “mad and loud”. Two of her best friends, Polly (Chloe Harris) and Margaret (Caitriona Ennis), are also members of the Tigers. While Margaret is traumatised by the rape of her mother’s boyfriend, Polly seems to be the stronger person. But when the other gang steals her trousers, bell, and jacket and puts her into a dirty petticoat, she loses all of her strength, confidence, and identity as a Tiger and leaves the gang.

The last scene combines past and present: the trial scene of Thomas, who killed two people, vanishes behind the cotton yarn, while the water on stage takes on a red colour. The actors walk hectically over the stage in modern clothes while Polly stands ghostlike between them. Her repeated line “Don’t walk there. It’s a man’s blood. A man died here.” is not heard by the others. Her voice chokes off in between the vivid sound of the city of modern Manchester.

Scuttlers is a play for everyone. It is especially the sounds, the stage setting, and lighting that make the performance strong and leave the audience astonished and lost in thought.

Scuttlers is on at The Royal Exchange Theatre from 7/02 – 07/03.

Review: INSIDE

Written by Elise Gallagher on . Posted in Theatre.

Monday night saw the Octagon Theatre (Bolton) open its doors to SBC’s latest production, Inside.

Finding critcial acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Inside is a psychological thriller exploring the conflicting mind of a kidnap victim suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Stockholm syndrome is a physchological phenomenon which sees a hostage express empathy, sympathy or in severe cases positive feelings of affection towards their kidnapper.

Both written and performed by Rosie MacPherson, Inside is an hour long monologue manifested with harrowing innocence and realism. Never leaving her character, you enter and take your seats as she sleeps in front of you, you leave as she gazes at the blank camera screen. It is clear that a great amount of research has gone into her performance, allowing her to craft a character riddled with such complexity that makes it a truly exceptional character study.

What was most effective about MacPherson’s performance were the fragments of personality that would expose themselves for only a brief moment. Mere echoes of her old self. Taken as a child and having suffered twelve years of both physical and mental abuse, MacPherson does a superb job of portraying a much older victim taking refuge in their premature childhood.

A pivotal aspect for audience members is the victim’s excitement and obsession with her school disco, a chapter of her life she was never able to experience—further reiterating the sheer innocence of the character. However, the most heartbreaking aspect is the fact that we never discover the victim’s name.

The narrative laced within the monologue is crafted so that our victim’s situation isn’t explicitly revealed all together but is allowed to bleed out from her lucid mind, making for a raw portrayal and keeping the audience hooked.

The Octagon’s Studio performance space was perfect for the production; if situated in a larger theatre the intensity of the performance would have been diluted. Being in such a small audience made for a bigger impact, making spectators feel as if they were intruders prying. The set was just as gritty and real as MacPherson’s character, a mere shell, just like its inhabitant.

Based on true events, Inside is raw and powerful with a truly chilling ending. A show not to be missed.

Interview: Pearson Sound

Written by Patrick Hinton on . Posted in Music.

As a founding member of the renowned Hessle Audio label, Pearson Sound, a.k.a. David Kennedy, is amongst the most influential figures in the UK club scene. The label has built a reputation of consistently being at the cutting edge of dance music, while Pearson Sound, Ben UFO and Pangaea mirror this in their varied and accomplished DJ sets.

With an extensive back catalogue of EP releases under his belt, Pearson Sound is due to release his debut full-length LP next month. “I’ve always been asked about doing an LP and the timing just felt right now. I had a particular signal chain set up in the studio and had switched up my way of making music a couple of years ago. After I had got a few tracks together I realised that I wanted to write an LP.”

The excellent artwork for the album features heavily edited photos of the producer (pictured above). “Andrew Stellitano was the art director for the project. We should be doing a couple of features near the release date which will explain fully the process we used to create it.”

With two- or three-track vinyl releases being by their design very club-focused, a full-length release can see producers head in experimental directions, however Kennedy asserts that the LP is still very much aimed at the dancefloor. “I still see the album as a club record, several of the tracks have featured in our DJ sets over the last year or so. It’s about presenting what I’ve been up to for the last couple of years, and presenting a cohesive body of work. The LP format allows for a greater breadth of material. With a 3-track single, sometimes throwing something ambient on there can feel a bit token, and I wanted to present my work at different tempos with a bit more context.”

Hessle Audio had a quiet 2014, yielding just one release from new addition Bruce. “We’ve always favoured taking our time and making sure the music is right rather than rushing anything out. All of us always has to be in agreement about the track we put out.” Hessle Audio artists seem like a tight knit crew; I question if a producer’s personality impacts upon selecting them for release. Do they get to know each producer before making this decision? “Not always personally, no. Our first release was by a Romanian who was sending us tracks online for the radio show. But a lot of the artists on the label we know from the music scene in London and we see each other socially.”

Pearson Sound has released a number of collaborations in the past with the likes of Midland, Joy Orbison and Boddika. “I’ve done other collaborations although none of them have been released. I prefer to wait until we have actually finished some music though before announcing anything though as it doesn’t always work out to plan.”

The Hessle trio are currently in the midst of a UK tour which sees them play a number of all night long b2b2b sets. Despite being well-versed in playing together over the years, “we always surprise each other, there will always be tracks that the others play that I will have never heard before, or even have overlooked.”

“We’ve known each other for approaching 10 years now and have also been DJing together that long, so we are very comfortable playing together. Sometimes we play separate sets in addition to playing b2b if it feels right.” The tour stops off in Manchester this Friday, 20th February, at Sankeys. This leg is in coalition with the Transmission series and will see Hessle joined in the basement by techno heavyweights Karenn, whilst Spektrum hosts a Nonplus takeover with Boddika and Joy Orbison.

Pearson Sound is no stranger to Manchester crowds; I fondly recall his all-night set at Soup Kitchen last February with one of my favourite ever ends to a night: HudMo’s ‘Ooops!’ into DJ Gunshot’s ‘Wheel ‘n’ Deal’. “I’ve been playing in Manchester for a while, and in a variety of different venues. I really enjoy playing at WHP, the sound and tech setup is always spot on and the crowd are up for it.”

“But then sometimes it is nice to play in a more intimate surrounding, such as at Soup Kitchen. That was definitely a highlight of 2014. I’ve never played the main room at Sankeys before so I’m looking forward to checking that out.”

Expanding on how he approaches sets in these varying settings, Kennedy continues: “That’s the essence of DJing really, to be able to judge what’s appropriate for a particular venue, crowd, or set time. What might work in a sweaty basement with 100 people at 5am might be wildly out of place when playing to 5000 people in the middle of summer at a festival.”

“Playing all night long allows us to pace the night as we see fit, rather than having to adjust your set because of who is playing before or after you. Also doing the warm up too gives us the chance to play slower or more experimental music that we don’t often get the chance to play.” How does he mentally prepare for, say, an eight hour-long DJ set? “A nice meal and some peace and quiet before the night normally helps, especially if it’s a long set. Even if I’m feeling really ill before DJing, getting in the zone normally makes me forget about anything else if the gig is going well. If I’m not enjoying myself at a gig it’s normally because I’ll be having trouble with the equipment or monitoring.”

Finally, reflecting on his favourite places to play worldwide, Kennedy shares: “In terms of a city, the fact that Berlin doesn’t have a curfew is amazing. Nights finish when it feels right, rather than when a bouncer comes and shines a torch in your face at 2:55am. As a DJ, when you are given an open-ended slot it’s great! Clubs like Berghain, Under Bron, Golden Pudel, Wire, Sub Club, Output are all a pleasure to DJ in. And previously venues like Plastic People and Trouw but they have sadly closed now.”

Pearson Sound’s LP is released on the 9th of March via Hessle Audio.

He plays Sankeys this Friday, the 20th of February. We have five pairs of tickets to give away, simply email your full name to [email protected] before Thursday the 19th with the subject title ‘Hessle Competition’ for a chance to win.

Live: Gondwana Records Showcase – GoGo Penguin

Written by Lowell Clarke on . Posted in Music.

7th February

Royal Northern College of Music

7/10

There are few genres as broadly misunderstood as jazz. After a night of Manchester based jazz label Gondwana Record’s best live offerings, I was no closer to understanding the world of jazz – but I was suddenly excited about a genre I had previously ignored. From the moment Mammal Hands kick off the night, their creamy smooth blend of music starts to show me what this whole jazz is all about.

However, it was clear that the evening peaks in both energy and excitement with GoGo Penguin’s performance. As Manchester locals who played their first show in Sandbar, its great to see them playing the RNCM. This is the first time playing their hometown since becoming last year’s oddball nomination for the esteemed Mercury Prize for their album v2.0.

Their sound doesn’t diverge much from the record, but the sheer experience of seeing the trio frenetically exorcizing twisted compositions from their instruments is an absolute joy. Piano, double bass and drums are each pushed to their limits by players right on the edge their own world class skills. Never steering their songs into typical jazz territory, the trio manage to incorporate snippets and the subtleties of electronic music; breakbeat drums, build ups, even glitches and drops. GoGo Penguin are a 2-step ahead of you and the rest of the audience.

Acting as a comedown from the fractal complexity of GP, Matthew Halsall (owner of Gondwana records) & the Gondwana Orchestra close the evening on jazz’s calmer, spiritual side. Playing trumpet himself and joined by an entire ensemble featuring Rachel Gladwin on jazz harp, the audience are guided through a slow meditative hour of Halsall’s own music. As easy as it was to fall into the intended trance, it was hard to shake off the energy left behind in the billowing void of GoGo Penguin.

Album: Charli XCX – Sucker

Written by Aileen Rose Duffy on . Posted in Music.

Released 16th February

Atlantic Records

7/10

Charli XCX – real name Charlotte Atkinson – has been making music since she was 14 and it seems like the constant years of hard work have paid off. Her as-yet-unreleased album Sucker already boats three top ten UK singles including ‘Boom Clap’, ‘Fancy’ and ‘Super Love’.

It’s hard to go anywhere now without seeing her iconic messy black hair and audacious attitude; she’s seen praise from The Guardian, Billboard, NME, Vice, Radio One and she’s chilling with the best of them – collaborations with Iggy Azealea, Rita Ora and Marina and the Diamonds have only further propelled her success into the music scene.

It’s unsurprising then, that Sucker has already had such great commercial success in the United States. She’s regarded as a sweetheart to those across the pond and for good reason; Sucker is track after track of sure fire hits. They’re undeniably catchy – XCX has certainly struck the right chords (literally) with this album.

It differs a lot to her first official album, True Romance, which was a beautiful dark mixture of gothic electro pop. Sucker feels more like the sassy older teenager that’s modelled itself on Mean Girls and doesn’t give a fuck if she’s part of the plastics – like Regina George, it’s fabulous but it’s evil.

XCX hasn’t held back on this album with songs such as ‘Breaking Up’ stating “everything was wrong with you/so breaking up was easy to do/hated your friends and your family too”. It’s a step up from ‘Stay Away’, the shy older track that’s the root of the former, and is a hella catchy break up anthem.

If the album had to be summed up in five words, they’d be “Charli doesn’t give a fuck”. Literally, she introduces the album by shouting “FUCK YOU, SUCKER!” There’s no soppy longing songs about lost lovers, Sucker is just a constant party the whole way through. There’s even a song about how masturbation is better than anything a guy could give (‘Body Of My Own’). It seems Charli really is living like a “London Queen”.

It’s definitely a pop album above the rest; it has diversity and direction, sass and seduction, and Sucker is an undeniably good album.

City takes action on binge drinking after river deaths

Written by Kathryn Murray on . Posted in News.

Over the last 14 months three students have drowned in the River Wear after nights out in Durham.

After a plea for more security in the area, Durham’s chief constable, Mike Barton has ruled out providing more officers to patrol the banks of the River. Barton said it was “ludicrous” for officers to be put on riverbanks to stop “bright young things falling in” stating that students in the city need to drink more responsibly.

Euan Coulthard, 19, is the latest student to die in the river. His body was recovered last month. Durham University undergraduates Sope Peters and Luke Pearce have also drowned in the Wear following nights out. After the most recent tragedy, a riverside safety review has been promised by Durham County City council.

Barton suggested that instead of fencing off the river students “need to behave a bit more socially responsibly.”

York is another are of the country where several students have died due to drowning. In the last 15 years, 24 people have died in York’s rivers. This included the death of York St John student Megan Roberts whose death sparked calls for improved river safety in the city, with a petition to improve CCTV attracting more than 19,000 signatures.

In Manchester the case is even more extreme, with 61 bodies being pulled out from canals in just six years.

Action is being taken in Durham where a City Safety Group; made up of the county council, the university, the Students’ Union, police and the cathedral in Durham, has said it would attempt to re-establish a night-time bus service and set up a high-visibility welfare unit for students.

More than £50,000 will also be spent on a drink awareness campaign in Durham City, as well as an assessment of the city’s riverside to be undertaken by March.

Taxi firms are being consulted on ways to improve safety, and an education scheme is to run to reduce the risks of students getting into difficulties.

As part of the action plan to tackle the city’s drinking culture, bars in Durham will breathalyse customers before entry.

Anyone registering a reading of more than double the 35mg drink-drive limit (70mg) could be refused entry.

It has also been revealed that forty-one venues in Birmingham have signed up to adopt this breathalysing plan in a bid to cut violence.

University aims to hire 100 apprentices by the end of the year

Written by news on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester has launched its 2015 apprenticeship campaign which will encourage managers across the organization to take on apprentices when appropriate vacancies arise.

This move comes in the light of praise received from the National Apprenticeship Service which has commended Manchester for being the first university in England to commit to directly recruiting apprentices to its workforce on a sizeable scale.

After last year’s successful 44-pupil debut, University bosses have set a target of at least 100 apprentices in post by the end of the year.

Roles available include receptionists, accounts assistants, administration assistants, workshop and laboratory technicians and chefs.

Steve Grant, Assistant Director of Human Resources and lead on the initiative, said: “I have been hugely encouraged by the success of our 2014 intake of apprentices.

“The feedback I have received from our apprentices’ line managers, and from the apprentices themselves, is that the program is hugely successful and that we could and should do more. I will be working with the National Apprenticeship Service and University colleagues to ensure we build upon this success.

“This is as much about what we can do as a major employer in the region for young people, or those wishing to take a different career path, as it is about changing the profile of our workforce, investing in skills development and bringing in new people with fresh ideas.

“It is clear that our apprentices are making a significant impact and I would encourage other employers in the region to actively consider recruiting an apprentice.”

According to calculations by the National Audit Office, this initiative should add £10m to the regional economy. This will further consolidate the University’s position as the most significant employer in the city.

The University’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, who recently met some of the new recruits, said: “I was really pleased to be able to meet with a cross-section of our first cohort of apprentices and was impressed by their enthusiasm and commitment to the University and our ambitions.

“It’s important that we invest in future talent and equip people with the skills universities and other employers require.”
Claire Blott, Deputy Director for the National Apprenticeship Service North West, said: “We are hugely grateful for The University of Manchester’s continued support and commitment to apprenticeships.

“Apprenticeships are a great way for young people to earn while they learn in a real job, gaining a real qualification; setting them on the road to success in their chosen career.

“For the university, hiring apprentices is a proven way of attracting new talent and developing a motivated, skilled and diverse workforce. We hope its 2015 campaign is a great success.”

An example of the programs success is Jamie Scott, a former soldier who joined the university as an apprentice chef last year.

Scott, 35, had been working as a scaffolder since leaving the army in 2000. However, after a serious car accident which made him go through a number of medical operations, he was advised by doctors to stop work involving heavy lifting.

He said: “I had always enjoyed cooking as a teenager and the scheme allowed me to train as a chef, while getting valuable work experience in the university’s kitchens.

“It was invaluable to see what a professional kitchen looked like and how it operated. The apprenticeship has changed my life.”

Now a father-of-two, Scott has acquired National Vocational Qualification levels 1 and 2 and is working towards his level 3 with Trafford College. He was recently named apprentice of the year there, while at the same time working in the kitchens at Owens Park halls of residence.

Those interested in applying for the program should visit the National Apprenticeship Service website for more information.

Students go to Brussels to fight against TTIP

Written by Roberta Rofman on . Posted in Features.

University of Manchester students and Green Party members Hannah McCarthy, Khinezar Tint and Natasha Brooks travelled to Brussels on the 3rd February 2015 as part of a 100-person delegation for the next round of negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a controversial free trade deal between the EU and USA.

It has been described as one of the most controversial pieces of legislation that the European Commission have tried to implement.

The Independent highlighted some fear of damage that TTIP may create. Damage to the NHS is a main concern as the TTIP legislation wants to make Europe’s public health, education and water services available to US companies. This makes the privatisation of the NHS more probable. Many have argued that such a privatisation would make the services of the NHS worse and increase its price.

The Independent also highlighted that TTIP is a big threat to democracy as the legislation wants to introduce Investor-State Dispute Settlements (ISDS) which allow companies to sue the government if the policies of the government harm the profits of said company. However, Peter Chase of the US Chambers of Commerce stated that companies would only be able to take the government to court in specific cases such as where there is discrimination, so there was no real reason to worry.

EU standards of food safety and environment would also be brought closer to those of the US. The problem with this is that US regulations are less strict meaning more dangerous chemicals may not filter out of regulation. Furthermore, the US adopt a policy of using a substance until it shows negative impacts, unlike the EU who impose a policy of not using a substance until negative impacts are shown not to be there.

The US have also adopted tight restrictions on bankers to avoid financial crises such as the one of 2007/08. There is fear that TTIP will remove these restrictions and give power back to bankers.

TTIP may also cause individuals’ privacy to be compromised as there is fear that it will bring back internet service provider requirements of monitoring online activity, The Independent reports.

Finally, the EU has also admitted that TTIP will likely cause unemployment as jobs switch to the US, which just fuels the already existing unemployment issue. In addition, labour standards and union rights are lower than EU, bringing down EU union rights and standards.

In January 2015, it was noted that 97 per cent of the public opposed TTIP.

The #noTTIP Eurostar to Brussels has been organised by Global Justice Now, a London-based campaigning organisation that is in coalition with non-governmental organisations, trade unions and activist groups, all who oppose TTIP. The cause is also supported by War on Want, 38 Degrees and Unison.

Natasha Brooks, co-chair of Manchester Young Greens and member of Stop TTIP MCR, said:

“TTIP is a trade deal that’s been negotiated behind closed doors between the EU and the USA. If it’s passed it would have enormous consequences on so many aspects of our lives, from the food we eat to our public health services. Ordinary people from across the UK are travelling to Brussels to make their voices heard. Democracy is about what’s best for everyone, not what’s best for the world’s richest and most powerful corporations. The TTIP deal is a hijack of democracy, and we need to stop it.”

Guy Taylor, the trade justice campaigner for Global Justice Now and the organiser of the #NoTTIP train, also stated:

“It’s unheard of to see so many people travelling to Brussels to lobby their MEPs like this, and that’s testament to just how hugely controversial and unpopular TTIP has become. David Cameron waxes lyrical about national sovereignty, but in pushing for this deal he is wilfully handing sovereignty to big business. The deal is not really about trade, it’s about entrenching the position of the one percent. It should be abandoned.”

John Hilary, executive director of War on Want and author of TTIP: A Charter for Deregulation, an Attack on Jobs and End to Democracy said:

“Our politicians need to wake up and recognise the levels of anger coming from ordinary people on TTIP. The public is outraged when they learn the level of threat this agreement poses to our common futures. MPs and MEPs alike must to reflect public opposition to TTIP, not simply pander to the big business lobby.”

I talked with Natasha Brooks about her thoughts on TTIP, US politics and her time in Brussels.

What is your biggest fear of the TTIP, what can it change?

TTIP would fundamentally change our economic system and in doing so it would have detrimental effects on our democracy. Ultimately, TTIP would distort the balance in favour of corporate interest; those corporations who hold power that would weaken the influence of the public. The investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) element of the treaty would allow private court cases against the government with no right of appeal—a dangerous setting.

Having an active ISDS mechanism in place would effectively undermine the reach of parliamentary power. In theory, law could be changed, but in reality, the prospect of being sued for millions would act as a heavy weight on government decisions, but the scary thing about TTIP is it’s scope. It will affect workers’ rights, public services, food standards, banking regulations, the environment; the scope for change really is huge.

Is there any way it can be salvageable or good for us? Are there any benefits?

There is a lot of talk from Labour MEP’s of a good TTIP, it’s something that David Martin (Labour Party politician) mentioned while we were at the European Parliament but it seems to be a fictional image. The main advantages suggested as a result of TTIP are jobs and growth but research has shown that it will in fact lead to job losses, estimates range from around 1.3 billion for the EU and 700000 for the US. I do not believe there is such a thing as the ‘good TTIP’ that has been discussed. John Hilary, the executive director of War on Want has also said that he considers the idea comparable to child friendly landmines.

If not, why do you think that politicians are trying to bring it about?

During the trip to Brussels the Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO) provided a tour of corporate villains to highlight who is involved in the lobbying process for the development of an agreement such as TTIP. It is crucial that we realise that TTIP has not stemmed from politicians, MEP’s have not been consulted, and when the day arrives that they are, they will have a simple yes or no vote.

Similarly, our national politicians in the UK have not been consulted, and there will not be an opportunity for either MP’s or MEP’s to suggest amendments to the agreement. The corporate lobbyists have been instrumental in developing TTIP, the CEO estimate was around 92 per cent of the influence is from private sector lobbyists and only 4 per cent from public interest groups so it is clear who the beneficiaries are.

What would happen if it got passed?

We have reached our conclusions on the extent of the threat of TTIP from leaks and there is a lot that we don’t yet know. CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) has been finalised and it is now possible to view the one thousand six hundred page document online so we can draw some judgement both from that and from previous trade agreements. If we look at the effect of NAFTA (North America Free Trade Agreement), we see huge job losses and negative implications for the parties involved, we expect similar repercussions as a result of TTIP.

A world with TTIP would be a world in which one sits down for dinner to find chicken washed in Chlorine on their plate. Much to the dismay of local farmers, facing business closure as they struggle to compete with cheap US beef fuelled by GM hormone growth.

A world in which one finds their demand for a raise in minimum wage ignored because the country cannot afford to cover the cost of ISDS cases. The NHS would be irreversibly privatised and opened up to the US market. All of this alongside a race to the bottom on the standards and regulations that we have developed as the European Union.

Those same standards that have seen us ban twelve thousand chemicals that pose a risk to our health compared to the significantly lower standards of the US that have banned only twelve. In this world our politicians would be, even more, the puppets of corporate power, held accountable to them through the use of private courts—the outcome of which would not have to be publicised.

Do you think there are any aspects of US politics and way of living that should be desired and brought into the UK?

The US currently has more stringent banking regulations to prevent the speculative banking that occurred prior the economic crash of 2008. Whilst such regulations are not in effect in Europe or the UK, we continue to reap the benefits of them.

TTIP would make way for the harmonisation of regulations but this does not mean that our regulations would increase to meet the current US standards. As with food and chemical standards, there would be a race to the bottom. So whilst it is possible to argue that this is an area in which the US is excelling, TTIP would decrease it to our lower standards – again posing a detrimental risk to the stability of our economy.

What did you do in Brussels; do you think you were able to make some sort of impact?!

Brussels has allowed us to make invaluable connections with fellow campaigners from all over the UK, so for both myself, and other Stop TTIP MCR campaigners, it has been of great benefit. The protest was lots of fun and hopefully the demonstration will raise awareness of the issue to members of the public and reinforce our strong opposition of TTIP to those involved.

It was the first time that negotiators had been confronted face to face so I believe that the group was very effective in reaching them and reminding them that we will continue our battle.

However, the main purpose of our visit to Brussels was to meet with local MEPs in the European Parliament. Initially, we had lengthy discussions with Green MEPs Jean Lambert, Molly Scott Cato, and Keith Taylor, which we found encouraging and productive.

Unfortunately, the Labour MEPs were not as accommodating, David Martin shocked the group when he slammed his fist on the desk in temper and exclaimed, “if you aren’t going to listen, you can piss off!” He was asked to apologise by the chair but the overreaction set the tone for the remainder of the meeting. Theresa Griffin then spoke directly to the group of North West activists but seemed disillusioned and did little to satisfy our concern which was incredibly disappointing.

Nevertheless, we left Brussels energised and positive. Stop TTIP MCR have a meeting, together with 38 degrees, with Julie Ward and Afzal Khan, the two other North West Labour MEPs, coming up on the 13th of March in Manchester and further action planned for the EU action day on the 18th of April.”

How can people, particularly students, go about preventing this? Is TTIP known about enough?

“The momentum of the campaign is really picking up speed now so in the coming months we will focus on developing our connections with other Stop TTIP groups and ensuring that TTIP is discussed in the run up to the general election. The most important thing at the moment is to make people aware of the issue, it is important that we relate the TTIP campaign to wider issues, particularly the secrecy that surrounds trade deals more generally and the lack of democracy that occurs as a result of it.

I would encourage people to discuss TTIP, unfortunately it continues to be an issue that the public are not widely aware of and it really is something that will affect everyone, whether you are a minimum wage employee, the owner of a small business, or a worker within the NHS.

Do you think students participate in politics enough these days? You are a member of the Green Party, what about it appeals to you?

As an active member of Young Greens within the University of Manchester I am surrounded by politically active students. It would be great to see larger numbers involved but I think it is understandable that young people feel disillusioned from mainstream politics and it’s great to see so many students at the university being politically expressive in an alternative way.

The Green Party appeals to me as a party that connects with people, Labour MEP David Martin’s absurd demonstration of frustration during our trip to the European Parliament highlighted how far Labour has come from reality and ‘real people’. Our politics emanate from an interest in creating a fair society for the benefit of all, and crucially, a sustainable society, no other party appears to have long term concerns in the way that the Green Party does and to me, that sets it apart.

 

TTIP is continuing to go through discussions at the moment and it seems the best thing people can do is continue talking about it so knowledge about it is known to more people.

Feminism and fashion: a perfect pair?

Written by Kassi Allcock on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

“If you’re a feminist, why do you care so much about fashion and beauty?” is one of the questions I am most frequently asked whenever the topic of feminism is raised. Too many people assume that having an interest in equal rights for men and women entails a hatred for the fashion and beauty industries. Despite how strongly this assumption may be held, the two worlds can correlate. I am well within my rights to preach that men and women should be attributed the same level of respect, as well as being fully knowledgeable about the upcoming trends in SS15, and which high-end make up brands are worth the extra few pennies.

The key reason for this misconception is the wrongly associated link between beauty and intelligence. In the past, men have been seen as the smarter sex, and have therefore been taken more seriously. Stereotypically, people tend to paint an image of a hard-working and studious woman to be one with little care for her appearance. The reason for this might be that she cares more about her brain than her body, or that she finds fashion and beauty to be an inferior interest. Making the assumption that all intelligent women think this way is wrong. It is equally wrong to assume that all women who care about their appearance are unintelligent. Just because a woman likes to wear make up does not mean that she has a small brain capacity—it just means that she likes to express herself.

I consider myself to be an intelligent individual and I also look forward to applying my make up in the morning, am constantly scrolling through Pinterest for new hair style inspiration, and a bubble of excitement pops inside of me when the delivery man hands over an ASOS package. The fact that there are people out there that think the latter three facts dilute my intellect really grinds my gears. Feminism is something to be celebrated, and so is the fashion and beauty industry. Brains and beauty can easily go hand in hand.

The Oscars Drinking Game

Written by Tom Bruce on . Posted in Film.

Welcome, one and all, to The Mancunion’s first ever annual Academy Awards booze up. We’re extremely proud to announce that we’ll all be getting drunk while watching this year’s Oscars ceremony this coming Sunday, and we sincerely hope that you, dear student , will join us in our laudable quest to honour the year of film that has just passed us by. And what a year it has been! There’s been drunken castration in the Inebriation Game; wavy cinematography in The Grand Brewdapest Hotel; blood, sweat and single tears in Whipsmashed; alcohol fuelled paranoia in Beerdman; jingoistic, trumpet blaring idiocy from Bradley Cooper in A Very Large Snifter; inspirational perseverance in The Theory Developed on Everclear; arguments between hammered customers and barmen in Sell-me; and who can forget those underage purchases of malt liquor in Boy-from-da-hood? By the time it’s all over, you probably won’t care anyway. Here be the rules:

1. Make written predictions on the winners of the main categories (or all of them, if you’re an idiot) before the show starts and do a shot for every one you get wrong.

2. Salute the Daily Mail by downing your drink when someone complains about the lack of privacy for actors and everyone nods.

3. Beers for Tears: Down a half-pint every time someone starts crying on stage.

4. Grimace, then swig your drink whenever a camera pans to Brad and Angelina.

5. Down your drink if Will Ferrell makes an ‘unscheduled appearance’.

6. Take a shot whenever an actress is asked who they are wearing instead of a question of actual worth.

7. Down your drink and take a bow when somebody gets their speech cut short by the ‘GTFO the stage’ music.

8. When Boyhood wins Best Picture, call your entire family and organise a massive piss up to celebrate the beauty of life.

9. If John Travolta mispronounces another name, take a shot of De Kuyper Blue Curacao, Courvoisier or (god forbid) Angostura bitters – or basically any other spirit that is difficult to utter correctly.

10. If Oscars host Neill Patrick Harris spews forth his HIMYM catchphrase (“Legen –wait for it-dary!”), spend the next seven years of your life drinking cheap beer in a hipster bar as you try to forget.

Don’t forget to send us pictures as you play along with our Oscars drinking game rules @mancunionfilm, accompanied by the hashtag #WreckedCarpet.