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Month: October 2015

FC United of Manchester

Written by James Haughton on . Posted in Sport.

Currently 15th in the National League North (a.k.a. the Conference North), FC United of Manchester, to give the side its full name, was formed as a protest club by fans disgruntled in the wake of the Glazer family’s takeover of Manchester United, and the subsequent mountain of debt and interest payments that they have burdened the club with since. The Glazer takeover was a major factor in the formation of the club, but not the sole one; increasing ticket prices and seemingly quieter and more corporate crowds, famously branded as the “prawn sandwich brigade” by Roy Keane, also fostered a general sense of disillusionment amongst some.

FC United’s first three seasons yielded three promotions, but the Northern Premier League Premier Division, one of the leagues that comprise the seventh tier of the English football pyramid, proved a much tougher nut to crack. For six seasons, FC toiled mainly in the upper echelons of the division—they finished sixth in 2008 – 09, fourth in 2010 – 11, sixth in 2011 – 12, third in 2012 – 13 and, agonisingly, second in 2013 – 14 (only the champions are promoted automatically, with sides finishing second to fifth entering the play-offs)—but to no avail.

However, the 2014-15 season was to be their year, finishing as champions and finally earning that long-awaited promotion. In one respect the promotion came at a perfect time: FC were about to move into their own stadium, Broadhurst Park in Moston, after previously using Gigg Lane, the home of Bury Football Club. Because the new stadium is much closer to where my family and I live, my dad, my brother and I decided it was time to become members and season-ticket holders.

While the stadium is open, it certainly isn’t finished; areas where terraces could be added are plentiful and the floor of the bar area underneath the main terrace is just a bunch of rocks, not yet tarmacked. The club are holding raffles, placing donation boxes and creating other events to generate the funds to continue the stadium work, but the club feels energised by having a place to call home, rather than paying the Gigg Lane leaseholders rent yearly. Attendances have been high throughout the club’s existence, especially so this year, with crowds regularly topping 3,000 for league games.

Attending games at Broadhurst Park will certainly be a culture shock for those who mainly attend professional-level football. Even though many Football League grounds have terraces, the opportunity to walk unencumbered all the way around the pitch will certainly be foreign to many who have not been to a non-league match before. Also, the ability to stand right by the hoardings and be close enough to hear goalkeepers and centre backs bellowing instructions, even above the din from the terrace and the protestations of fellow supporters, is a pleasant quirk.

Not surprisingly for sixth-tier football, attacks generally involve long balls, crosses from out wide, set pieces and opposition mistakes, or a combination of these. Tackling is tougher and referees are more lenient. Sustained periods of penetrative, crisp passing are unfortunately an extremely rare treat.

It isn’t hard to see why most of the players are currently at that level: You have big, strong, committed centre backs and defensive midfielders usually too scared to attempt anything other than the most simple pass available; skilful players whose impact on games is not felt often enough or for long enough; and you have the ex-pros, bodies fraying through years of use but still capable of the odd piece of magic. Case in point, Lee Hughes scored Worcester City’s first in a 2-0 win with a delightful turn and curved shot into the bottom corner (he was then sent off for raising his hands to an opponent’s face—what a surprise!). And Deon Burton came on as a City substitute, and he used all of his nouse and experience to hold up play and provide vital respite for City’s besieged defence.

Segregation isn’t enforced and opposition fans are free to wander and stand wherever they like. Some choose to claim a pocket of the stadium as their own and chant from there, but others prefer to mingle with the home fans. There has been good-natured ribbing between fans, especially between the singing sections, but it’s also common to discuss the clubs and players with any nearby opposition supporters.

Despite the complaints, I have to say that I look forward to going each time. That wonderful sense of supporting a club and joining them on a rollercoaster ride is present each time I go; I’ve jumped up in delight at last-minute equalisers and winners for FC and I’ve cried out in despair after an opposition counter-attack has finished the game. Watching FC United play elicits that wondrous, almost childlike mixture of joy and anguish, excitement and fear, and relief and nervousness; that feeling of belonging to a club, being part of a community, to which I’m sure any football fan can relate.

Therefore, even if it is an occasion you ultimately end up not enjoying, I can only wholeheartedly recommend that any football fan should experience a non-league game at least once, whether it be at FC United or another club. Tickets for FC United games are cheap, too, with adults paying £9, concessions (which includes students) £5, and under-18s £2. Adult and under-18 season tickets are £100 and £21 respectively, but the club also asks for a donation. If you would prefer to not stand, there is a seating area along one side of the pitch.

On match days, there are shuttle buses from Stevenson’s Square in the city centre to Broadhurst Park. The nearest Metrolink station to the ground is Newton Heath & Moston. The club’s website gives further details on how to reach the stadium.

Red or Pink: Test Cricket faces a dilemma over ball colour

Written by James Haughton on . Posted in Sport.

25 runs. After five days of test cricket, played on a pitch almost as lifeless as the crowds, that was how close England came to grabbing a famous victory against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. In the end, however, both teams had to settle for a draw, with play being suspended on the final day due to bad light. The day’s allocated amount of overs had not being bowled.

Bad light also ended the fourth day’s proceedings early, and so the darkness-level precedent at which the umpires were duty-bound to take the players off had already been set. Over rates are notoriously slow nowadays, with sides indulging in ever more mid-over conferences and field changes that require one player to move from one side of the outfield to the other. Whether that precedent was wrong, and play should have continued on both days, or whether good over rates should be more strictly enforced and bad ones punished, are matters for debate, but the ICC are preparing to trial a potential solution: The introduction of day-night test matches, played using pink balls rather than the traditional red ones.

In just over a month, the first day-night test match will be played between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide, the third and final match of their test series. This will not be the first time that the pink ball has been trialled in day-night matches, however; for instance, Kent and Glamorgan played a first-class match in 2011 using the pink ball. On that occasion each day’s play started at 2pm and was scheduled to finish at 9pm.

“I hope our members understand why we are doing it. We’ve gone through decades of the game being played in a traditional way. They [the ICC and national cricketing boards] have to explore ways of making the game as multi-dimensional as possible,” said then-Kent Chief Executive, Jamie Clifford, at the time.

There is one reason, in particular, that national cricketing authorities are so keen to introduce day-night tests: they are seen as possible solution for flagging attendances in the five-day game. Emails that Clifford received in the build up to the game demonstrate this: people wrote in saying that they “work nine to five and [the day-night game is] a lovely treat.”

The ICC believe that the ability for people to leave work and watch the day’s final two sessions either at the ground or on television will increase attendances and TV ratings, and thus the value of TV contracts too. The inverse effect could occur, though; for example, imagine if home test matches returned to Freeview. Would the BBC, ITV or Channel 4 be willing to show cricket instead of Eastenders, Coronation Street or Gogglebox, even just for the odd test match?

Day-night tests could benefit the standard of cricket on show. Logically, if play is partially held after dark, temperatures will be cooler, making conditions less gruelling for players—even if humidity could still play a factor—and, hopefully, increasing the standard of play. This is especially true for places such as the UAE, Australia and India, where it can be stiflingly hot during the cricket season. Finally, the pink ball would also ensure that play continues during overcast daytime hours, occasions which currently force umpires to suspend play.

But the reaction to the pink ball has not been overwhelmingly positive, and there is still much work to be done before the pink ball can be widely used. Questions are being raised about whether day-night tests will solve test cricket’s apparent woes. India, Australia and England, unsurprisingly to their own benefit, have led the way in changing the way that money is distributed amongst member associations. Other test-playing nations were warned that lucrative tours, especially home tours against India, would be withheld unless they agreed to the demands of the so-called ‘Big 3′. If sides such as the West Indies, for example, are receiving less money, how are they going to entice more children to play cricket and become fans of the game? It won’t matter at what time of day tests are played if there aren’t enough cricket fans interested in watching.

Plus, with India so spellbound by T20 cricket and the IPL, are day-night test matches really going to so greatly increase test cricket’s popularity in cricket’s most vital market? These topics and questions deserve their own full articles, but there is a sense that day-night tests might just be a case of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.

In addition to the aforementioned theoretical issues, there are practical concerns that must be disproved. Mitchell Starc, the Australian fast bowler who played in day-night matches in Australian first-grade cricket, has been particularly scathing of the pink ball:

“It doesn’t react anything like the red ball, in terms of swing and the hardness of it anyway. It goes soft pretty quickly, I didn’t see a huge amount of reverse swing in that game and I don’t think it swung from memory too much until the artificial light took over. It definitely reacts very, very differently to the red ball. The other thing as well is, personally, I couldn’t see the thing at night on the boundary… so I’m not sure how the crowd are going to see it.”

While Starc recognises that cricket-ball manufacturers will have improved the design and structure of the pink ball since then, a repeat of these issues will provide damning evidence against the use of the pink ball. Josh Hazlewood, another Australian pace bowler, has expressed concerns about fielders’ abilities to see the pink ball, especially during twilight.

It is clear that these issues must be rendered a thing of the past before day-night tests can become a regular occurrence on the cricketing calendar. As time goes on, though, technologies and human understanding of the manufacturing of pink cricket balls should improve, meaning that there should come a time when the pink ball is both safe and behaves like a red ball, thus keeping the demands of test cricket constant between day and day-night games. But the more pertinent question concerns whether that time is now, or indeed in the next couple of years.

In the spotlight this week: Manchester Futsal Club

Written by Adam Selby on . Posted in Sport.

Well… what is it?

As those students lucky enough to be awarded a reading week embark on a week away from lectures, seminars and the daily struggle of trying to find an available computer in the Learning Commons, why not start your week off with a trip to watch a sport that you may not have been lucky enough to have seen live before, or maybe not even heard about before! Despite the rich history Manchester can boast through both City and United, it’s time to ditch the football and turn your attention to Futsal, in particular Manchester Futsal Club.

 

Photo: Simon Wright

Established in April 2006, Manchester Futsal Club compete in the highest level of English futsal and have won the FA Futsal Cup and FA National Futsal League in consecutive seasons 2013/14 and 2014/15. Unlike Manuel Pellegrini and Louis Van Gaal’s football sides, with Futsal there is no need to take sides since the team, who play in blue and white, represent the whole city of Manchester in a competitive division of eight teams featuring the likes of Loughborough, Nottingham University and Sheffield FC Futsal Club. And this weekend’s home match sees Manchester Futsal Club pitted against rivals Carlisle Futsal Club, in what looks to be a highly competitive match between the two sides.

How do I get there?

Manchester Futsal Club play all of their home matches at the National Cycling Centre at SportCity. Although not visible from the main road, the venue is situated just before the large ASDA and is very heavily signposted around The Etihad and Sportcity campus.

So how can I get there to watch Manchester Futsal club in action? Compared to some of our other recommended sporting events and activities, your journey to the National Cycling Centre is relatively straightforward and is only three miles away from the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union. For those wanting to catch the bus, the 216 bus leaves from Stop D in Piccadilly Gardens and stops at The Etihad Campus, leaving only a short walk over the road to the National Cycling Centre. Meanwhile if you’ve had enough of getting the bus up and down Oxford Road after your first 5/6 weeks back in Manchester, you can always take in the sights of Manchester en route to the National Cycling Centre on the MetroLink from Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens. Should you wish to catch the tram, make sure to get off at the ‘Velopark’ stop—the nearest to the National Cycling Centre with trams running to and from Velopark every 12 – 15 minutes.

But how much does it cost to get in?

At long last, an event that has a student budget in mind! Yes that’s right, Manchester Futsal Club do in fact offer a reduced rate for students for all of their home games at the Manchester Velodrome. With valid student identification, University of Manchester students can purchase tickets online or on the door for £2.50—bargain!

What are the facilities like? 

Admittedly, there isn’t a great deal to say about the National Cycling Centre that hasn’t already been covered by our second instalment of Sport in the City, highlighting the size, scale and facilities offered by the impressive cycling complex. So we thought it would actually be better to give you an insight into how the sport is played. Whilst football can be played either outdoors or indoors, futsal is always played on a flat indoor pitch, with hockey sized goals and a much heavier ball that is size four and sports a reduced bounce. This ensures that skilful, technical and more creative play is encouraged, rather than the traditional characteristic of physical contact, which is a common element of general indoor football.

Tell me something I didn’t already know…

Futsal is actually the fastest growing indoor sport in the world, and such a small-sided football format is officially recognised by both UEFA and FIFA. The name itself was chosen by FIFA through a highly complex, internal decision-making system, as is common throughout the federation. By simply combining the Spanish word for ‘hall’ (Sala) and ‘football’ (futból), Futsal was born and has since continued to grow into the phenomena that it is today. Also, despite its many differences with football, ranging from the way it is played to its individual rules and regulations, household names from within World Football such as Pele, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi all credit futsal with aiding their development at a young age, in helping them to become the football players that they were and are today.

Finally, when can I see this in action?

Manchester Futsal Club take on Carlisle in their second home game in consecutive weeks on Sunday 1st November, so if you’re around, head down and show some support to something a little different to City or United!

If you have any requests for local teams, sports or events taking place in Manchester, or if you wish to be involved, please contact: [email protected].

24 per cent of students sacrifice learning materials to eat

Written by Tori Blakeman on . Posted in News.

A revealing survey, carried out by Voucherbox.co.uk, found that 23 per cent of students in the UK spend less than £15 a week on food, and another 62 per cent spend less than £25. Food purchases were also found to take up to 50 percent of a student’s average weekly expenditure.

Shockingly, of those interviewed, 24 per cent admitted to cutting back on books and studying materials in order to feed themselves. Other common sacrifices made by students attempting to eat healthily include heating their home, medicines, and trips home to see family.

Many British universities state that a healthy student diet costs between £32 and £44 a week. With the average student food spend found to be £24.12 per week, it is clear that students are spending well under national guidelines on food, and that many are sacrificing our health and education due to the lack of money.

Of the students interviewed, 70 per cent admitted to eating unhealthy or strange meals due to a restricted budget. Strange meals listed by some students included eating cereal for every meal of the day, chips and ‘mystery’ meat, butter and sugar with rice, bread and water, and even bananas with baked beans.

Despite a restricted budget, nutritionist Dr. Rosland Miller, from the British Nutrition Foundation, ensures that it is possible for students to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

She stated, “it is important to eat a healthy, varied diet whatever your age or income. A healthy diet does not mean that you need to buy expensive foods, but an understanding of food budgeting and good nutrition can help.”

Dr. Miller’s top tips for eating on a budget included:

  • Make a shopping list to avoid impulse buys
  • Shop around for the best deals—markets and butchers are often cheaper than supermarkets
  • Buy frozen or canned fruit and vegetables—they are cheaper and last longer
  • Buy canned oily fish such as sardines and salmon—a lot cheaper than fresh fish, but still contain the essential nutrients
  • Eat cheaper cuts of lean meat, or cut down on meat by replacing with protein-rich alternatives such as eggs, beans and lentils
  • Cook at home—ditch the expensive takeaways and freeze leftovers

Top 5: Double-sided Paintings

Written by Ashley McGovern on . Posted in Arts.

5) Pablo Picasso, La Gommeuse

Picasso’s image of an absinthe-flushed gommeuse (French word associated with saucy concert singers) is currently valued at $60 million and will be auctioned in November. Turned over in 2000 for restoration, the lonely singer was shown to have a strange companion on the back. Picasso had hidden a scathing portrait of his art dealer at the time, Pere Manach. He strides across the night sky in a woman’s body and angrily pisses over an indistinct landscape.

 

4) Roy Lichtenstein, Stretcher Frame with Vertical Bars

Canvases are often treated poorly by artists. They are stretched, sanded, left waiting in a corners and sometimes, when inspiration is exhausted, they are violently destroyed. In a reversal of fate, Lichtenstein’s tight yellow frame is the star of this painting. Like a suspicious dealer, we search the back and immediately spot a signature style but what else is there beyond, or behind, this?

 

3) Roy Nachum/Rihanna, Anti album cover

Rihanna recently revealed she will use two paintings by artist Roy Nachum for her upcoming album. They show a young RiRi holding a red balloon, eyes covered by a golden crown, against the backdrop of a gory red smear. Rihanna’s view is that the image, which also has a Braille poem imprinted on the canvas, plays on the theme of sight—the idea that those who claim to see are actually the blindest. Perhaps there is some vengeful jibe to the music industry behind the paintings but this doesn’t fully come across. They’re more of a Brother’s Grimm frontispiece with the uneasy feel of a dark parable: A child star has been spotted and is promised a dubious future of fame.

 

2) Marcel Duchamp, The Large Glass

Artists and window cleaners agree that the best medium for prying on lovers is glass. Though cracked when it was moved in the 1920s, we can still gaze through Duchamp’s iconic work and admire the complex ritual taking place. Divided into two glass panels, the top half has a roach-like bride while the lower pane contains nine waiting bachelors, all hung like dry cleaning on metal hangers. The labours of love become the toil of engineering and Duchamp’s glass works as a see-through diagram.

 

1) Agnolo Bronzino, Portrait of Dwarf Morgante

In mid-16th century Florence, Braccio di Bartolo was the favourite dwarf and jester of Cosimo I de Medici. He joined in all of the court festivities in exchange for occasional humiliation. Bronzino pays a fleshly tribute to the performer and honours him by showing a twin view of a hunting trip—a privilege of the court inner circle. One side is a full frontal and the reverse reveals his proud pumpkin-plump arse on the journey back from the fields, feathery catch in hand. Once considered too brazen, it was painted over with vine leaves and prudishly relabelled an image of Bacchus in the 18th century.

Café Marhaba

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in News.

On the edge of the Northern Quarter, down a suspect-looking alley, lies a tiny restaurant that may well serve the best curries in Manchester. In stark contrast to the consciously cool bars and eateries that define the Northern Quarter, family-run Café Marhaba has spent the last 23 years focussing less on aesthetics and more on taste.

With only five two-man tables that are always filled at lunchtime it has a cosy atmosphere, whilst the lack of décor only adds to its charm. Café Marhaba doesn’t need to rely on decoration, its food is that good. Served straight up, no frills, this is home-cooked fresh Indian food at its finest. Gina and Kate, two hungry and impoverished students, found their way through its tiny doorway to sample the famous three curry plates (why have just one when you can have the best of three worlds?), and found themselves more than a little rewarded after a gruelling morning of lectures.

Gina opted for a dazzling curry of deep green Okra, which was soft and gorgeously juicy. Beside it was the potent orange sauce of the Fish Masala, in which the fish was beautifully cooked, soft and crumbled in the mouth. The mouth-watering sauce smothered atop was a thick consistency and perfectly complimented the delicate fish texture. The third magical mixture was Vegetable Paneer, with real chewy paneer pieces. Paneer normally just dissolves in the mouth, whereas this almost resembled that of heavenly halloumi (what did the cheese say to itself in the mirror… hallou-mi!).The spices used—perhaps a little too hot for those not accustomed to Indian dishes—gave a pleasant kick that could be felt in the throat, rather than a tongue-burning sensation.

Kate chose lamb Jalfrezi, which balanced tangy ginger and rich tomato perfectly with soft, succulent meat. The Jalfrezi that Café Marhaba serves is one of the most fantastic dishes Kate has ever tasted, and had her pausing to marvel in its perfection. On the side a simple but wholesome dahl complimented the heavier Jalfrezi perfectly, balancing its sweetness with a salty flavour.

The two students, by now rather full, shared a sweet naan that was absolutely divine: Its flavour was more subtle than a coconut-flavoured Peshwari, and instead had a lingering sweetness that kept them coming back for more. Freshly cooked in the restaurant’s traditional clay oven, Kate truly believed she’d never had a naan as good as this.

Café Marhaba’s curries are a refreshing change from the additive-laden alternatives of the Curry Mile. Unassuming, authentic and with an abundance of flavours—it’s the kind of restaurant that people come back to again and again, without feeling bad because the three curry plate only costs a fiver! Who knew a dingy alley could be hiding such a gem within its depths?

 

Café Marhaba

11am-7:30pm daily

36 Back Piccadilly,
City Centre,
Manchester
M1 1HP

Slut Shaming

Written by Sonia Mansouri on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Women of the world: Have sex but do not, under any circumstances, take pride in it.

Unfair, right? Such is the act of slut shaming—criticising and stigmatising any sexual behaviour or desires of females, and perpetuating the idea of the double standard that exists between sexually-liberated men and women.

Take for instance Amber Rose, who was very publicly slut shamed by both of her exes, Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa. Yet she didn’t attack back, and if she had, would it even be taken as an offense? Therein lies the double standard, since slut shaming men just doesn’t happen in the same way as slut shaming women. Maybe the reason that men aren’t so frequently slut-shamed is that they’re not represented so sexually in the media and haven’t endured the same expectations and condemnations over time. Dan Bilzerian, applauded and aspired to for his lavish, ‘Playboy’ lifestyle, is a prime example of this.

But women are taking back their sexuality and reclaiming the word ‘slut’. Amber Rose is one of them, who organised a Slut Walk in Los Angeles earlier this year, campaigning for gender equality and calling to end rape culture. Slut Walk is an international movement, and has previously marched in Toronto, New York, London, and even Manchester (in 2011). The movement sparked as a response to a policeman’s comment that “women should avoid dressing like sluts” in order to prevent being raped, highlighting one of the most dangerous aspects of slut shaming, which is its links to rape culture and victim blaming. With signs proclaiming “How we dress does not mean yes”, women are taking to the streets to reclaim their sexuality and combat rape culture.

In many cases, slut shaming is done by women as well as men, and it is very easy to slip into. In her book: ‘Slut! Growing Up Female with a Bad Reputation’, Leora Tanenbaum writes: “Slut-bashing is a cheap and easy way to feel powerful. If you feel insecure or ashamed about your own sexual desires, all you have to do is call a girl a ‘slut’ and suddenly you’re the one who is ‘good’ and on top of the social pecking order.”

However, it is easy to call any and every slightly critical comment about a female display of sexuality “slut shaming” if you delve too deeply into the social media reactions and opinion pieces that fill the internet, which seem to polarise, rather than empower and unite. Every behaviour can be criticised, and most likely has been by somebody. What is important is that women are becoming more and more open and comfortable with all aspects of their lives, sex being just as important as any other.

HOME Pick of the Week: The Lobster

Written by Nicole Tamer on . Posted in Film.

The Lobster plays with the psyche and fears of the audience like no other film. Everyone somewhat has the fear of dying alone at least once in their life, and this film certainly brings those fears back and intensifies it, too. Yorgos Lanthimos’ first feature film in English draws the audience slowly, into its descent into madness, and moves deeply with its hauntingly beautiful cinematography and unique plot. Colin Farrell convinces all in his role as David—a simpleton with looks far from being a Hollywood sex symbol.

He checks into a hotel in which he has to find a partner within 45 days, otherwise he will be turned into an animal of his own choosing—a lobster. The hotel seems welcoming at first, but the guests all seem a tad too desperate in finding a partner. The seemingly flirty atmosphere turns into a battle field at night when the hotel guests have to hunt each other down with tranquilizer guns in order to gain more days to find the love of their life. This film is full of unique characters, like David’s companions—who are referred to as the limping and lisping men (wonderfully portrayed by Ben Wishaw and John C. Reilly).

The bizarre but ordered world of the hotel contrasts with the second half of the film—which thematises David’s escape from the hotel, where suicide attempts and punishments for masturbating are on the daily order. He joins a group of loners who live in the nearby forest. Their ruthless leader, portrayed by the mesmerising Léa Seydoux, teaches them to survive and encourages them to dig their own graves.

The group of loners seem rather normal at first, but the punishments for initiating physical contact with another loner are torturous. They call themselves ‘loners’ for a reason. The whole cheerful situation does not get better when one of the loners (Rachel Weisz), falls in love with David and they have to communicate their passion to one another without getting caught.

It is not mentioned, but slowly revealed that the outside world and society do not reflect our reality—but rather, a dystopian near future in which people are governed by different rules. This revelation helps to understand the bizarre circumstances of the rest of the film, yet it does not remove the uneasiness of the viewer. Furthermore, the score accompanies the film perfectly and provides us with effectively shocking scenes and gives us further revelations more momentum.

The strongest point of the film is the macabre plot—which is full of disturbing moments that are hard to watch since they play with the preconceived notions of how humans are supposed to behave. When asked, Colin Farrell confessed that he was unsure about what it was about and that it was indeed hard to pinpoint the meaning of the film—but the themes of loneliness, heartbreak, and the search for a lover are familiar to most.

The Lobster, in my opinion, is not a film to be recommended to anyone who is not happy being a singleton, because they will leave the cinema with a sense of emptiness and paranoia.

4/5

Record Reappraisal: MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

Written by Jacob Bernard-Banton on . Posted in Music.

Upon its release, MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular achieved overwhelming levels of hype and praise. It was easy to see why. Its singles were the sort of skewed alt-pop that was commercial enough to get onto Radio 1. ‘Time to Pretend’, with its Day-Glo industrial synth throb and quirky, trebly keyboard riff was hard to avoid. Equally ubiquitous was the festival-ready, 8-bit pulse of ‘Kids’. Nowadays, the album is beginning to show its age.

What once sounded restlessly creative and mind-altering now sounds clinical and studied. It was easy to succumb to its charm, but now, awareness of its liberal pilfering of entry-level psychedelia staples is hard to quell. All those reverberating echo effects and backwards, phased-out guitars now sound tired and hackneyed. ‘Kids’ comes off more syrupy and chintzy than winning. ‘Weekend Wars’ features Andrew VanWyngarden’s fantastically unsubtle Mick Jagger impression—all wailed vowels and camp inflections on the end of every line—still, the proggy, seesawing chorus and life-affirming coda are hard not to love. Unfortunately, that dreaded impersonation crops up again on ‘Pieces of What’. ‘The Handshake’ opens superbly but tails off by the end. It sums up the album: A lightweight offering billed as being weirder than it really is.

It isn’t all bad, though. ‘Of Moons, Birds & Monsters’ has a strong melody that is undeniably great. The plaintive, marooned guitar hook that closes it adding a beautifully elegiac tone as it wrestles with increasing gusts of chattering, whirring noise. ‘Electric Feel’ is a stone-cold winner, the kind of unashamedly sexy glam-funk that mid-noughties indie seemed to hold in suspicious contempt. It is bold and insanely catchy, less 1960s-indebted psych than slinky, strutting 1980s pop. That aside, the rest of the album feels like two scientists trying their best to replicate, note for note, 1960s-indebted psych. ‘Future Reflections’ flirts with dub—then tosses the idea aside, dissolving into nothingness. There is something odd about how an album so vibrant-sounding can come off quite insipid at times.

It would be unfair to retroactively compare Oracular Spectacular to Tame Impala’s thrilling kaleidoscopic rock or other exponents of modern psychedelia. In fact, you needn’t cite a recent example to illustrate the album’s shortcomings. Animal Collective’s colourful, astonishing and highly acclaimed Merriweather Post Pavilion arrived a year later in 2009, but it sounds timeless. Looking back, Oracular Spectacular passes muster as a spirited but unremarkable effort.

Bailiffs move in on The Ark

Written by Paul Scott on . Posted in News.

Residents of ‘The Ark’ homeless shelter underneath Mancunian Way have been evicted for a second time after Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) were granted a possession order, following over a month of legal wrangling. Bailiffs from the High Court were sent in at 7:30am on Tuesday the 20th of October to dismantle the camp and remove the occupants from land to which the university claims ownership.

The Mancunion has closely followed developments with the Ark since a judge granted MMU permission to remove the make-shift shelter on the 18th September, resulting in a female activist being hospitalised.

Founders and supporters of The Ark claim that it had represented a safe space for people to come together in a “self-serving community” where people protected one another from the precariousness and dangers of sleeping rough, providing some measure of security and comfort.

MMU claim an unlawful settlement was established on their land and have sought to remove the camp through legal channels. However, in early October legal action against the homeless camp was then thrown out, Judge Allan Gore branding it as “misconceived and inappropriate.”

The case has been reviewed again and subsequently the council and university have succeeded in clearing the area—after receiving a possession order—in move activists are calling “social cleansing.”

In less than an hour early on Tuesday morning, the temporary homes of around a dozen people—tents, barriers and cardboard signs displaying messages of protest—were taken down and reportedly thrown into a waste-disposal van.

This fresh round of evictions occurred on the opposite side of Oxford Road from the original settlement which was forcibly removed the day before MMU Freshers’ Week. The university has come under strong criticism from students who have stood in solidarity with the homeless and routinely protested the “persecution” of Manchester’s vulnerable population.

The basis of the university and council’s action against The Ark has been that it breaches an injunction forbidding the erection of tents as protest against the issue of homelessness and occupiers were threatened with two years in prison.

Student Action in Solidarity with the Homeless (SASH) has been campaigning regularly over the past few weeks and following Tuesday’s eviction they penned an open letter to university management to rethink their stance on the homeless issue.

In recent developments, MMU management summoned leading student activists to a meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss the issue, during which the university stated they have “acted morally and responsibly” with regard to The Ark. In the same meeting, university bosses have said they are willing to take into consideration an “alternative homeless shelter” which is called for by SASH and the open letter they have written.

Though nothing concrete has been promised, campaigners will take hope from the opening of dialogue with the university, who until now have shown no sign of negotiation and spoken only with force. In spite of this, The Ark founder Ryan Mcphee, speaking after Tuesday’s eviction, said the situation for Manchester’s homeless is “dire” and that “people can’t be allowed to live like this.”

Think before you pink

Written by Marina Iskander on . Posted in Opinion.

‘Pinktober’ and ‘Movember’ are just around the corner—and raising awareness for cancer is all the rage. The problem is though, what exactly are we supporting?

You could say people buy pink ribbons and grow out their moustaches to support those who are battling cancer, but what does that, at the end of the day, even amount to? Taking part in such mainstream, terribly redundant campaigns is merely a way to quieten our consciences—sometimes even at the cost of those we claim to help.

Looking back, raising awareness for breast cancer was once desperately needed. Years ago, this specific type of cancer was a taboo that people preferred to ignore. Over time however, breast cancer has become recognised for the disease that it is; deadly, painful and disfiguring. In fact, it was because different campaigns, charities and organizations that people started talking about it openly.

But today, with this stigma effectively removed, we are left with ‘pink washing’: A modern phenomena that has turned breast cancer into a marketing tool.

Companies everywhere are now slapping pink ribbons on their products to make the buyer feel like they are making a difference, while in fact, few of these corporations actually donate a percentage of profits towards breast cancer research. Even worse, this marketing may deter people from actually donating or volunteering because for all they know they have done their part.

The irony of it all is that often, these companies do not just keep the profit for themselves, but may be even selling products that contain carcinogens—such as water bottles containing Bisphenol A (BPA) for example. The corporate world has once again stepped in and played with our heads, making us feel like heroes at the cost of the real martyrs.

The absolute worst part is how this makes breast cancer victims feel. For example, think of ‘No Bra Day’, which takes place annually on July the 9th. It may seem appealing at first, but upon further scrutiny, you will realise that women are essentially encouraged to flaunt exactly what breast cancer survivors or fighters lost.

It is astonishingly contradictory that a society that showed so much care towards removing the stigma behind breast cancer years ago now trivialises and belittles it so much that it becomes a mere event.

A double mastectomy is not beautiful or inspiring; it is complicated, emotionally draining and downright painful. Yet somehow, we have made posting topless pictures on social media seem altruistic. It is as if the idea of breast cancer has gone full circle: From a sexualised stigma to social acceptance and right back to become an overly sexualised ailment.

The mere fact that breast cancer is represented by the colour pink forces us to compartmentalise it into as some sort of ‘feminine disease’ reserved for older women. In an age where people are becoming more aware that gender roles must be broken, we have forgotten to look back and see that we have managed to assign a type of cancer to a gender.

Ignored are the men who suffer from it, or the women who do not just remove their breasts but also under-arm tissue, or the victims who have to face months or even years of physical therapy just so they could use their arms again. Breast cancer goes beyond what we have made it out to be, and people who are even at risk of facing it should not be subject of this trivialisation.

We as a society will do anything to feed our ego, going to even more desperate measures to feel like we went out of our way to help someone. It is unfortunate, however, that this leaves us running after the wrong cause.

So instead of blindly buying anything with a pink ribbon on it, think before you pink, and actually question whether or not this corporation you are supporting donates towards breast cancer. Think before you take your shirt off or use a catchy hashtag, because breast cancer is not a cause, it is a terribly common, overbearing and life-threatening curse.

Why I love the market, and so should you

Written by Colm Lock on . Posted in Opinion.

Now then everyone, while the musings of the recently new Left on the evils of capitalism might sound like music to the ears of your average student who has never experienced the real world of business, it is in fact the sound of sirens calling you towards the rocks of delusion and denial. I am not about to say that free market capitalism is perfect; it is anything but. However, there is one simple argument that will trump anything that my misguided opponent can conjure up. Capitalism is to date the only economic system that has the power to lift large numbers of people out of poverty and into an aspirational and professional middle class.

You need not look any further than Ethiopia to see the benefits free trade and enterprise can bring to a country and its people. Since the terrible famine of the 1980s, the country has come on leaps and bounds, sometimes managing to achieve an annual GDP growth of a whopping 10 per cent per year. It has led to a marked increase in the living standards of most Ethiopians and now means that the country, which once couldn’t even feed its own people, is now in the process of weaning itself off of international aid. It has become a thriving economy which benefits not just the global firms who invest in Ethiopia, but the farmers whose crops can now fetch better prices abroad thanks to better transport links.

If you want an idea of the kind of economy those on the Left purport will solve all our problems, I refer you to Venezuela. The country has oil reserves of Arabian proportions. It is well placed to produce high cash crops such as coffee. However, the country’s economic situation is now so dire, a friend of mine and his family will soon be fleeing the country and its socialist government for the United States. He went back to Venezuela during the summer and queued for hours to obtain simple items like soap and bread. The price you will pay for 36 Trojan condoms currently holds at around $755 and to top that all off, there is a national shortage of toilet paper. This, is the reality of day to day life for the poor people caught trying to live in the world’s 176th least free economy.

Let us also look at cold war Russia. Many American films were banned in the Soviet Union, where of course we saw a redistribution of wealth and state intervention in the economy on an unprecedented scale. One of the few films to make it through the Soviets’ strict censoring guidelines was an early film interpretation of the Grapes of Wrath, originally a novel by John Steinbeck set in a heavily economically depressed America. The Soviets let it through on the basis that they thought the depressing story line about the struggle of the American proletariat to survive in the capitalist world would make its own people thankful of what they had. However, the film was shortly pulled in Soviet theatres after audiences were shocked that even the poorest Americans could afford a car.

This is a topic fairly close to my heart as if it were not for the free market; I would not be in this country today. My grandfather grew up in poverty in the slums of Baltimore, Maryland. He was forced to help feed his family as a boy by selling old soda bottles in exchange for a few cents that would buy him his sole meal of the day, a single hot dog. In spite of all this, after the war, he set up his own bricklaying company in the early 1950s and grew it until he employed around 50 people. His success allowed my mother to go to university, the first in her family to do so, which in America is no cheap undertaking. That, readers, is why I love the market and that is why my faith in the capitalist system is unshakeable.

How ethical is our fashion?

Written by Sarah Kilcourse on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

When I googled ‘ethical fashion’ I was greeted with a list… of lists. Helpful. These lists were, mainly, magazine compilations and websites that can help guide you to eco-friendly clothing companies. Worryingly, I noticed the absences of many of the big fashion names. Ethical seems to be a niche accessory to a fashion brand, rather than a standardised requirement.

When you delve a little deeper, there are certain known brands that offer more ethical options. For example, H&M has a ‘conscious’ collection, which they release a couple of times a season. This collection is relatively affordable but still more expensive than the majority of the other items that H&M sell.

Similarly, ASOS has the ASOS Africa collection, which is sold at a considerably higher price point than the rest of the ASOS own brand collection. I can only assume that this high price scares ASOS customers away, especially the increasingly poor students who just so happen to be scrolling through the “new-in” section.

It could be argued that, to an extent, having a sustainable section in a global corporation just highlights that the rest of the collection isn’t sustainable. If they can have an eco-friendly collection, why is the rest of the store not thus?

Truthfully, I believe it is because being eco-friendly doesn’t increase business. It may attract a certain clientele, but the majority of people don’t consider where their clothes come from, how much the workers get paid, or the effects that these clothes have on the environment. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the general public don’t care, I’m just saying it’s not at the forefront of their minds.

While brands like Stella McCartney may show great pride that none of their products harm animals, this also offers them a niche in the high-end market. Those beautiful chain trimmed bags are all faux-leather, yet because of the brand they can still charge thousands. And in the high-end market, creating that uniqueness has grown business.

Even after a factory (allegedly a sweatshop) that supplied Primark collapsed in Bangladhesh in 2013, we all still shop there. Perhaps we are too accustomed to the low prices of fast, high-end copies to consider the ethics of the clothes. But the existences of sustainable lines, like the H&M ‘conscious’ collection, prove that people do care. Every year more companies introduce new Earth-friendly collections and procedures, so fear not, the fashion industry does appear to be trying.

Feature: And the next Bond should be…

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Film.

Damian Lewis

Damian Lewis is like a fine wine. As his career has progressed, he has become increasingly popular, and this is mainly because of the huge commercial and critical success of Homeland—now into its fifth season. Lewis is however, quite possibly the underdog of the candidates, because his CV is not as quintessentially successful in terms of labelling him as a Hollywood A-lister. When Daniel Craig was handed the notorious role, he had the same dilemma, now his career has catapulted and his interpretation has been likened to Sean Connery. Who’s to say it won’t happen again?

Jason Spencer

 

Idris Elba

Idris Elba should be the next Bond because he’s fantastic—a versatile actor who is badass. Other candidates’ have filmographies which feature one familiar TV series and such films like The Muppets. But if you look at Elba’s filmography, he’s played a Norse god, a detective, a gangster, Nelson Mandela and has battled sea monsters, too. In regards to him not being a white man, to me, Bond is only quintessentially British—which goes to say that being British means that you can be of any cultural background or race. So if Elba iss the most qualified and most interesting actor that can take on the role and give it an interesting twist while still maintaining the spirit of the Bond series—why not?

Barney Weston

 

Tom Hiddleston

Suave, canny and handsome are all attributes associated to Hiddleston as an actor. They are also key ingredients to the foundations of James Bond and attributes personified in Daniel Craig, too. But if change is wanted by the suits at Sony, then they couldn’t do any wrong in giving the 34-year-old the role. Hiddleston would bring in a complete change to the franchise—reinvigorating the comical days of Roger Moore as apposed to the gloomy state currently found. Although it is yet to be shown if he can outwrestle a hitman in a bathroom, as Daniel Craig has proved to do so effortlessly, Hiddleston would be a refreshing choice.

Alasdair Bayman

 

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Handsome, suave and talented at the perfect level of fame to comfortably slide into a tuxedo, Chiwetel Ejiofor is my choice for Bond. At 38-years-old, Ejiofor has the distinguished demeanor of a true British gentleman and young enough to give him the time to settle into the role before Q has to start giving him Viagra prescriptions along with his pistol. Whatever direction they decide to take with the next series of Bond films, I have no doubt that Ejiofor would be able to balance the intensity, charm, ruthlessness and sophistication that are necessary for 007.

Jake Sanders

 

Jon Hamm

An American as James Bond? How would that work? Brilliantly, of course—the correct answer to that question. Assuming the former Mad Men star can affect a British accent, he would be the perfect pick to be the next 007. With the good looks and charm of a Greek god, and a voice that could be gruff and suave at the same time, Hamm has every necessary attribute to fill the shoes of Daniel Craig. And of course, nobody rocks a suit as well as Don Draper. Just imagine Hamm on a movie poster—sporting a tuxedo and wielding a pistol. The only problem would be that it sounds too good to be true.

James Moules

 

Daniel Craig

Whoever is recruited to serve Her Majesty’s Secret Service next is going to be a disappointment. The reason why there are rumours of a non-white or female James Bond is simply to distance the new 007 from the last. The best Bond to have ever graced our screens, Daniel Craig has defined what James Bond is. He has melded the necessary tropes—charm, wit and suaveness, with an added a level of intensity and grit—ultimately influencing the character for future generations. The dream scenario would be to have Craig continue indefinitely, potentially exploring a veteran Bond coming to terms with his impending mortality. Nobody does it better.

Imran Bukhari

Review: Crimson Peak

Written by Parizad Mangi on . Posted in Film.

Guillermo Del Toro’s latest directorial venture, Crimson Peak, sees him return to his avant-garde horror form following his last apocalyptic flick, Pacific Rim. Bleak and eerie, this gothic creation has been unleashed in cinemas just in time for Hallowe’en. So, does Del Toro’s most star-studded Hollywood fare live up to the hype?

The film is aesthetically stunning, from the exquisite sets and costumes to the atmospheric music and crisp cinematography; the film will be a visual treat to period drama lovers. This is perhaps one of the biggest victories of this film, that Del Toro manages to masterfully switch between the lightheartedness of a period piece in some earlier scenes and the chilly ambiance of a classical horror. The film emphasises this contrast through the characters of the bright and kind Edith Cushing (played by Mia Wasikowska) and the gloomy mysterious siblings (played by Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain).

As far as the actors are concerned, Wasikowska delivers a natural performance as the strong and wilful heroine, and has palpable chemistry with Tom Hiddleston, who excels during the film’s intense scenes. Jessica Chastain, who has received all award nominations Hollywood has to offer at this point, impresses, especially in her emotional scenes. Her rather inconsistent British accent, however, can be distracting at times. Even Charlie Hunnam manages to make an impression in his small role.

The downside, on the other hand, is that the dialogue can be quite subpar at times and the plot is stretched thin over two hours. Still, the grotesque thrills that Del Toro’s smoke-and-bone ghosts serve keep you on the edge of your seat for the final resolution. Although the film comes straight from the director’s own imagination, it unfolds like a classic gothic novel that could have easily come out of the mind of Edgar Allen Poe or Mary Shelley.

Another amusing upside to this film is the subversive nudity. A genre where it’s typical for the heroines to drop their robes to titillate the male audience, Del Toro keeps them covered from their necks to their ankles in elegant gowns and instead sheds the clothes of his hero. This may not seem like much, but still felt like a welcome departure from the tired trope.

Although this film may not carry an elaborate mythology like Del Toro’s Spanish-language horror flicks, it manages to string together a beautiful and emotional tale of love, revenge, and desperation.

4/5

TV Binge: The Returned

Written by Jane Simmons on . Posted in Film.

The Returned was a critically acclaimed French drama that aired on Channel 4 in the summer of 2013, evidently drawing less viewer interest than it deserves judging by the second series’ recent move to More 4. This is disappointingly so, as The Returned was so riveting and horrifying a programme, if more viewers had given it a chance it surely would have ensnared its grip upon their memories forever.

Set in a sleepy French town in the Alps, we see 13-year-old Camille wake up dazed in a mountainous ditch, mystified as to what has happened. When she returns home to her family, she learns from their horror and bafflement that she died in a bus crash three years ago. There are, however, more that have been resurrected, hoping to resume their lives again.

As the programme unfolds, the other ‘returned’ protagonists try to win back their living loved ones, from the Byronic Simon who tries desperately to win back the love of his fiancé Adele, oedipal brothers Toni and Serge, and an ominous little boy named Victor who seeks a home-comforting damaged soul Julie.

Surprisingly however, the dead returning to life are not the only strange occurrences taking place in this town; featuring a prostitute medium, the perplexing falling of the water levels, and a cannibalistic killer loose on the prowl, the end of every episode will have viewers gaping in wonder, hungry for questions to be answered.

On paper, The Returned sounds like a cheesy zombie programme—it sounds like it should portray the undead as dead-eyed, flesh-eating cadavers, shuffling around their home towns, plaguing their loved ones with terror and misery. The Returned is nothing as clichéd as that—the dead persons in question return unscathed, intelligent, and completely unchanged as to how they were before they died, with absolutely no recollection of their apparent fatality. It also does not conform to the average supernatural/zombie show—it is not strewn with blood, gore and terror throughout the duration like the series; instead it plays on using a sinister tone, gently building this sense of dread, so that when something truly shocking does happen, it has even more impact on the viewer—and there are some truly stomach-churning scenes.

This sense of the sinister is further helped by a brilliant soundtrack by Glaswegian musicians Mogwai, who recorded the album Les Revenants specifically for the series. The ambient yet chilling sounds that they have created compliment the drama spectacularly, stirring fear when we anticipate it, and elation with a happier scene.

There have been different interpretations to what a programme like The Returned could possibly represent; some have argued that it is about resurrection, and others have even argued it could be an analogy for the Holocaust. Overall, however, The Returned is essentially a philosophical exploration of death and the grieving process, handled in the most mature manner—unlike other supernatural programmes. The soundtrack is excellent, and with a plotline so peculiar, it is a must-watch if you need something spooky to entertain you during these cold autumn nights.

Pho Sho

Written by Sarah Lambert on . Posted in News.

Since my first foray into the world of Pho down a dodgy alleyway in Hanoi, I have been hooked. This Vietnamese dish of rice noodle soup with fresh herbs and tender meat quickly became one of my favourites. Thus, when the posters advertising the new Pho restaurant in Manchester caught my eye, I knew where my next lunch date would take place.

On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, we checked out the newest addition to the Pho chain. One of a variety of eateries making themselves home in the recently refurbished Corn Exchange, Pho spans an impressive three floors of dark, wooden-clad walls and mood lighting. The restaurant is a family-run business with several locations focusing on providing authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

We opted to be seated at the window bench in order to ogle the passers-by, and because it was far too cold to sit outside. The mishmash of high chairs and sofa seats inside made a nice change from the usual school canteen-style benches favoured by similar restaurants.

It didn’t take long to order the food, thanks to the minimalist menu, which, unsurprisingly, comprised mainly Pho, but with a good selection of starters including gems like summer rolls and savoury crepes. We decided on pork crispy spring rolls followed by the Pho with beef brisket. The main wasn’t a bad price, and so we decided to upgrade to steak, which brought the dish to a reasonable £8.50 (who wouldn’t, especially with the 15 per cent student discount available).

After a brief wait, our spring rolls arrived. Deliciously crisp with just enough to share, these were accompanied by either a creamy peanut or a garlic and chilli (‘nước chấm’) dip. Ten minutes later, we were greeted by our huge bowls of aromatic noodle soup, topped with an appetising herb plate of mint, lemongrass, lime, chilli and coriander. The melt-in-the-mouth meat was coupled with the perfect amount of spice; although there were some pungent chilli and garlic oils provided for those more with a greater disposition towards spice. We ended the meal with the banana fritters. Covered in the lightest of batters, with sesame seeds and a side of coconut ice cream, these were possibly the best I have ever had.

Overall, we found Pho to be a viable contender on the competitive Manchester Asian food scene, with a relaxed, contemporary atmosphere thanks to the chatty staff and ambient playlist. The meal was very reasonably priced, at under £15 for a main with shared starter and dessert. If we lived closer, we would definitely take advantage of the takeaway ‘Pho to Go’ option, which comes served with the ingredients in separate containers to keep them fresh on the journey. I already have my eye on the com tam curry for next time!

Pho
Unit 15
The Corn Exchange,
37 Hanging Ditch,
Manchester,
M4 3TR

Review: Ghost Opera

Written by Hannah Foy on . Posted in Theatre.

For two nights only, Ghost Opera haunted The Lowry theatre. The production used music, lighting and physical theatre to allow the audience to initmately feel each character’s haunted past.

Beginning outside the studio space of the performance, the audience were held at three different doors before we could take our seats, adding to the mystery and suspense of the production itself. It was as though a game of pass the parcel was being played, each door allowing us a closer glimpse into the world of the spa hotel.

Then, once in the studio, the production had itself started, the haunted nature of the pool boy’s pop icon already playing behind a screen, allowing only his shadow to be present. In this the tale of the story was already coming to light, with the characters able to be viewed, but not truly seen.

We were then flashed forward to the present spa hotel setting, introduced to the woman and the pool boy who attended to her. Their relationship never truly settled, a mixture of physical and sexual frustrations as they each battled with their inner selves and haunted histories.

Strangers at first, the woman and the pool boy attempt to find themselves and escape what haunts them, yet they remain unsuccessful. The storyline moves at a quick pace, dancing between the real-life characters and their haunted selves. It delves between the two realities. As I questioned which world they wished to live within, the two twisted into confusion. Life and reality seemed to no longer exist outside the spa hotel room; the characters were lost in themselves, not even permitting the ever-ringing phone to enter the secluded world.

From this, I felt that the action became quite repetitive, the scenes were played out once, before the woman and pool boy swapped places and the same scene was introduced. The symbolism of the blue dress was a little lost on me; clearly it represented the woman’s past and romantic intentions but was over-used to an extent. I also wanted to question why neither character had a name, simply the woman and the pool boy, it took away any intimate connection I could hold with the characters, removing them from the very scenes they were playing.

Yet as a modern piece of drama, the performance was clever. It brought up the same ideas again and again, echoing the haunted nature that surrounded the production. The use of lighting and music created an ambient mood, casting shadows over the characters and storyline.

Through the Development of the Lowry programme, the production originated in the highlands before being workshopped at Salford. It just shows how talent can be developed and exhibited locally. It presents a range of opportunities to be given and performed at The Lowry.

Although Ghost Opera showed at The Lowry on the 15th and 16th of October 2015 you can still catch the production, since it will be visiting  the New Diorama Theatre, London from 27th – 31st of October 2015 and Warwick Arts Centre on the 4th of November 2015.

The darlings of cruelty-free beauty

Written by Rebecca Thomas on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The sorry habit of my life. The newest lipstick range or eyeshadow palette has been previewed by my favourite beauty guru and I am there, in the store a week later, trying to justify a purchase. With great guilt, I admit that my first thoughts when buying a new product usually extend to: How decent is the consistency? Can I really get away with that fuchsia for daywear? Perhaps ‘lickable’ isn’t the best choice for lectures. Pants, why is it ten times more expensive than my lunch? I don’t usually dwell fully on whether or not these products are linked to animal cruelty, instead trusting that the UK industry is enlightened in this field.

Sure enough, a law was passed in 2013 making it illegal to sell products that have been tested on animals in Europe, which is a good start. However, if brands sell products elsewhere, they may have given permission to use animal testing at some stage of the product development. Many brands still manufacture products that are tested on animals, or are cagey when questioned about their testing methods, meaning that there is very much an ethical choice to be made when buying any beauty product.

Checking PETA’s list of companies who definitively do not test on animals, I was shocked by just how few the number of familiar beauty brands have been given the thumbs up. Even more shocking are case articles or photographs of animals that have been used for the purpose of testing. They are truly awful. The list of PETA-approved brands is lengthy; however, many are fairly unheard of. LUSH, Smashbox, The Body Shop, Too Faced, NYX, Urban Decay, and Marks & Spencer Beauty are a few of the recognisable high street brands that are true cruelty-free honeys. As well as makeup, free-from-cruelty skincare can be found at Liz Earle, Burt’s Bees, and Dermalogica.

A personal favourite is the liquid lipstick range from LUSH. Made from completely natural ingredients, each colour is said to make the wearer adopt the quality of its name, such as ‘Charm’ or ‘Decisive’. I was a little sceptical of these professed powers; however, the colour ‘Drive’ is amazing, a gutsy pinky-purple ensconced in the cutest vial, and the perfect friend to have when giving presentations or job hunting.

LUSH Lipstick in ‘Drive’
Photo: LUSH

Sadly, most of the beauty giants, such as Benefit, Revlon, Clinique, Maybelline, and MAC to name a few, remain on the list of brands that potentially test on animals. A good way of putting pressure on these latter companies to change their practices will be sourcing makeup from the cruelty-free gems instead. Have a check of the PETA and Cruelty Free International websites for good guides on who’s who, or look out for the leaping bunny symbol when buying to make sure any beauty product is free from animal testing!

Interview: Tom Robinson

Written by Oscar Talbot on . Posted in Music.

Tom Robinson’s first album in 20 years utilises an eclectic mixture of celebrities ‘from the address book.’ As a Radio 6 Music DJ, Robinson has been able to call upon artists du jour—such as John Grant and Lisa Knapp, as well as less conventional artists Ian McKellen and Colin Firth to make a fiercely political new album, Only The Now.

In many ways, the new work is a uniquely modern phenomena; Colin Firth was busy filming, so he had used his mobile phone to record his part of a news reader and Robinson freely admits that he and Grant “may never have actually sung the song (‘cry out’) in the same room together,” although he “hopes they will.” The “cost and time commitment of getting so many A-listers” makes touring with them “unlikely”—meaning the tour itself may very well be distinctly different from the album.

Like many artists today, Robinson has utilised a highly successful PledgeMusic campaign—currently at over 184 per cent. He is quick to advocate PledgeMusic as a means of democratising music production, stating “there’s been nothing like this, where an artist can make a record in collaboration with the people that are going to buy it and release a record out of debt.” He seems genuinely excited by this, along with the flexibility of self-production. And a number of the songs on this record have been quietly brewing over the last 20 years. Robinson has refused to be idle, presenting on every BBC radio station while actively campaigning against homophobia and the stigma towards mental health.

One of the most personal tracks, ‘Don’t Jump, Don’t Fall’ was released as a charity single for CALM—a charity aimed at reducing male suicide. It’s semi-autobiographical, with the use of both spoken word poetry and male vocals, it comes across as genuine and startlingly vulnerable. However Robinson repudiates the “shit you make” when “writing songs for order”, as “it has to be something you feel passionate about, any great song is one that’s driven by passion and feeling. […] Not that I’d put my self in the bracket of great,” he adds with modesty.

That said, a number of the songs on the album are enormously funny and almost surreal, such as ‘Holy Smoke’ (Ft. Ian McKellen), which emerged after an anonymous musician told Robinson about using sheets of the family Bible as rizlas. “I just thought it was hilariously blasphemous,” he says, and it’s not the only song that shows his riotous mischief. ‘Merciful God’ uses the words of an American bomber pilot, who claimed that he was doing “what God put him here for,”—after the American bombing campaign during the Iraq war.

Robinson has always been an advocate of LGBT+ rights and his most famous song ‘Glad To Be Gay’ was “unofficially banned by the BBC, played only by John Peel.” The twinkle in his eyes can almost be heard over the phone as he recalled having his hand shaken by the Director-General of the BBC; he had just won a Sony award for a documentary on gay music. He was even portrayed in the hit TV series Ashes to Ashes—something he describes as being “hilarious.”

“They did ask me in advance if I’d mind being portrayed in it and I stipulated ‘I don’t mind you doing it, but you’ve got to choose somebody who’s ludicrously better looking than I was at the time!’”

Robinson freely admits that “people won’t be buying this album in droves.” However, it’s clear from our conversation that he’s the sort of person to measure success in staying true to his views and inspirations—rather than in record sales. The fact that he has achieved so much in his career, and continues to produce music that will appeal to his broad and devoted fan base, seems to be a bonus.