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Day: 3 November 2015

Review: Spectre

Written by Barney Weston on . Posted in Film.

Spectre—James Bond’s 24th film, is a fantastic blockbuster that unfortunately reverts back to the pre-Daniel Craig franchise Bond formula that we are all used to. Although the film will break several box office records, it will be at the cost of sacrificing the progress that the franchise was making since it was rebooted with Casino Royale in 2006.

Daniel Craig returns in his fourth outing as James Bond, and Spectre will confirm to many how great a Bond he has become; be that according to how much muscle he flexes, or how he oozes with charm—turning it on and off with the flick of a switch. As a suave combination between Sean Connery’s sophisticated style and Roger Moore’s cheesiness, Daniel Craig has managed to craft his own version of Bond into a much more grittier version than any other previous incarnation.

In regards to the speculation that this will be Craig’s final outing as Bond, the story arc that Spectre finally manages to complete would allow Craig to gracefully bow out on a high. Spectre does not make it his return awkward. In fact, it would make sense considering his love interest at the end of the film—and several will hope that will be the case.

Alongside Craig is a Bond cast that emphasises how strong the relationships between the ‘Bond family’ are. Back in M’s classic wood-panelled office, we have a team consisting of Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner. In regards to this group, Fiennes and Whishaw are deserved of a second mention. Fiennes does well to fill the gap that Dame Judi Dench left, allowing the film to glaze over her omission, and Whishaw’s onscreen chemistry with Craig is splendid.

The new Bond girls consist of Lucia Sciarra, played by Monica Bellucci, the first ‘Bond lady’ at age 50, and Madeleine Swann, played by Léa Seydoux. Although both performed well, their characters do not live up to the promises that Spectre would be revolutionary in its treatment of women. Bellucci appears on screen for less than a few minutes, and although Seydoux’s character initially seems like she, too, may prove to be revolutionary—her first few appearances on screen, showing off her character as a strong, independent woman, are brushed aside by Bond because she is in shock. By the end of the film, both characters are completely disempowered and blur into the Bond girl canon, oozing with sex appeal as they go. They join Naomie Harris’s Moneypenny, who is demoted to M’s secretary.

As members of Spectre, Dave Bautista plays the silent Mr Hinx, and Christoph Waltz plays the ominous Franz Oberhauser. Their onscreen presences are both well constructed, and both actors do extremely well to mould their characters into classic Bond villains. Mr Hinx is a towering, grunting wall of muscle and Waltz’s Oberhauser is a true psychopath and a pivotal character in regards to completing the story arc that the franchise has seen since it was rebooted.

In Spectre, director Sam Mendes has crafted a brilliant film that fits with the tried and tested Bond formula that we are used to. Although several aspects of the film thrive off of said formula such as the plot and the Bond villains, the antiquated Bond girls are confined to it, detracting from the reality that Spectre is trying to immerse us in. All in all, it is such a shame to see Bond return to a formula that the series seems to have outgrown. But, it is a formula that works, and Spectre is ultimately an awesome film, with Daniel Craig spearheading a cast at the top of their game, several gags that will certainly draw a smile, thrilling set pieces, sexy Bond girls and a fantastically villainous organisation that ties up several loose ends that have been haunting the franchise since it was rebooted.

4/5

Live: Beach House

Written by Rob Paterson on . Posted in Music.

27th of October

The Ritz

Call it a cohesive and distinct sound, call it sameness; it’s unlikely that anyone would praise Beach House for sonic diversity at this point. Yet, as the ‘reverb’ buzzed into oblivion and the flood lights faded up onto the hypnotised stares of the crowd, I was left reflecting on how varied their set had been.

This is not to say that anything felt out of place with their dreamy, smudgy performance. Dustin Wong provided the ideal support slot: Looping vocals, thrifty guitar riffs and clever utilisation of an insane array of effects, he created a continuous stream of bright and bubbly soundscapes, though the occasional lo-fi drum machine or digital jitter gave them gritty undertones. This dichotomy could sum up Beach House’s latest evolution, and whilst his set was impressive in and of itself, it primarily served to put everyone in the mood for the main event.

Even the pre-show music was designed to create the right atmosphere, though sounded a little like what might be played at a Wiccan’s funeral. Maybe it was a subtle way to hype me up further, because I was extremely glad when it subsided and the band entered in silhouette.

The rather lifeless and recently O2-purchased Ritz is hardly up there with Manchester’s best venues, but it is the right kind of black box performance space for a Beach House show. They began with Depression Cherry opener ‘Levitation’; a song which builds and unwinds. It pulled the whole audience through blank space and in to a trance, whilst light slowly flooded the translucent cubes that acted as their backdrop.

What appeared drab structures under house lighting proved to be quite the box(es) of tricks. We were continually dazzled, with projections being utilised in some of the dreamier moments and a sheet of LED stars flickering into life during ‘PPP’. This was one of a number of moments to provoke audible gasps, with the waltz-y song settling in to its groove and the whole crowd swaying in unison, like some otherworldly high school dance.

For a band whose approach could be described as minimalist, their show is elaborate not just visually, but sonically. Gone are the days where the duo would perform wielding only a guitar and a tinny synth/drum machine; they’ve toured with a drummer before and have a fourth musician providing bass guitar and additional synth work this time around. It does justice to the more layered approach they’ve taken on recent records and songs like ‘Myth’, ‘10 Mile Stereo’ and stupendous set closer ‘Irene’ sounded even more massive than they do on record.

At no point did they come across as garish, however, and if you’re looking for an energetic show, then this probably isn’t your thing. Once in place, they hardly moved for the duration of a song and crowd interaction was minimal. Their show, like their albums, thrives in subtext. Those rare moments when the musicians’ faces were lit. The addition of live drums halfway through a song to blow it wide open. The times when Victoria Legrand lost herself in a rapturous climax and began lashing her head around like a crazed conductor.

Furthermore, the pair did pay considerable homage to their minimal days, performing three songs from their pre-Teen Dream days and sending the rest of the band off stage to perform an intimate and encapsulating version of ‘On The Sea’. It wasn’t all float either; some of the best moments were when things got noisy. Putting aside performances of recent material that lends itself to this loudness, such as the feedback-dissilient ‘One Thing’; and the repeated outro of ‘PPP’ created a beautifully abrasive wall of sound. Victoria’s endlessly impressive voice rang out like a distorted guitar squeal during ‘Silver Soul’.

As much as I enjoyed this unexpected variation, I was left wishing to have heard more of their better known Teen Dream/Bloom era stuff and less of the ultra-old and ultra-new. I could, however, blame Manchester for this, since their online setlist creator has allowed fans to request songs for the gig near them and a glance at Setlist FM suggests that they’re actually using it.

I could also blame Manchester for the out-of-place chants of ‘Beach Hou-ouse’, which somewhat killed the mood. I must blame the band though, for the awkward “where are the ladies?” call and response they attempted to get going in retaliation.

And for the jarring set order. The subtle ‘Beyond Love’ followed terribly from Depression Cherry centrepiece ‘Sparks’, and relatively unknown ‘Saltwater’ was a deflating start to their encore. Overall, their new show will delight their considerable flock of devoted fans: The atmosphere was masterfully constructed, there were plenty of surprises, and those moments of sonic bliss beat my already considerable expectations.

8/10

Live: Liturgy

Written by Joe Connell on . Posted in Music.

27th October

Deaf Institute

3/10

At some point, it becomes impossible to continue making excuses for the terrible things done by bands you like.

When Hunter Hunt-Hendrix went on his sixth-former ramblings about transcendent Black Metal, I ignored it, since 2009’s Renihilation and 2011’s Aesthetica broadly spoke for themselves and offered an intriguing and powerful dose of experimental metal. When bassist Tyler Dusenbury and the frankly irreplaceable drummer Greg Fox left the band in 2011, Liturgy’s musical credibility floated in murky waters, but they admirably pressed on. When they released The Ark Work this year, however, the common accusations of Liturgy’s pretentiousness and creative dishonesty seemed more and more valid.

Even with Fox and Dusenbury back in the band, the glitchy IDM-influenced album was a harsh departure from the memorable and tight compositions on their first two records. It also formed the basis for much of their live setlist. Gone was the earth-shattering centrepiece of Aesthetica, ‘Veins of God’, replaced by Dutch Gabber-echoing songs like the bizarre ‘Quetzalcoatl’. Gone also were Hunt-Hendrix’s screamed vocals, replaced by a somehow even more divisive form of tuneless ululating at a mercifully low volume. The audience confusedly, and, dutifully, applauded these numbers, saving their genuine praise for older material, such as signature Liturgy tune ‘Generation’—by far the best song of the night.

Of course, Greg Fox’s drumming was a joy to watch, as it was when he toured with experimental electronic composer Ben Frost last year. If only Liturgy’s relationship with electronic music had veered more in that direction. I hope there is still some life left in this sort of music, but for now, Liturgy stand as an inexcusably limp imitation of their older selves, epitomised by the tragic New Balance x Burzum t-shirt look sported by one audience member.

Interview: Dusky

Written by Ed John on . Posted in Music.

To some, headlining one of last year’s Warehouse Project lineups, getting support from the likes of DJ Mag and Pete Tong, and releasing yet another critically acclaimed project in July 2015 sounds like a dream. To others, it sounds like the definition of success, but to Nick Harriman and Alfie Granger-Howell, better known to the world as Dusky, it’s far from the finished story of their musical careers so far.

A product of everything from jazz piano and composition to UK rave culture, the duo have seen meteoric success within the house and techno scenes over the past few years. Their debut album, Stick By This, was described by legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong as the album of the year shortly after its release in 2011, and since then, things have only been getting better for the London-based duo.

But, despite all of this success, Nick and Alfie manage to stay humble. They describe fellow DJ and producer Loefah getting on board and helping to expose their 2012 EP, Flo Jam, as a “big moment,” and, in regards to Tong’s support, readily admit how it helped to get “a lot of other underground producers and DJs on board.”

Yet, it’s not just the support of others that has led to the pair seeing themselves become a household name within the current dance music climate. A wide range of influences and experimental elements to their music help to keep it fresh and one step ahead of the abundance of other acts fighting for exposure in the UK. Much of this influence, according to Nick, comes from “where we grew up and spent our formative days raving.” Alfie concurs, adding, “growing up in London, there was a lot of dance music on both regular and pirate radio.” This influence is clearly evident in the duo’s music, which, by their own admission, often varies and strays from the typical house and techno sound of which they are a part.

But with an ever-increasing vibrant and varied scene as the one present in the UK at the moment, is it surprising that their inspiration also incorporates, according to Alfie, “many styles of music outside of dance music—jazz, classical, hip-hop, soul, rock and so on.” It’s on the subject of this expanding and evolving scene that the two offer some advice to those seeking to kick start their own careers in the production world. When asked of their views and ideas regarding new artists releasing their material online, Nick offers some sound advice, explaining that “patience is a virtue” and stressing the importance of not losing sight of your objectivity, whilst also offering a warning in regards to being “far too eager to release tracks” before they’re suitable to do so.

It is this strong work ethic, inherent knowledge of the scene and its processes, and focused, driven mentality that has not only let the duo enjoy the successes of their own music, but has also allowed them to branch out into the running of their own record label, 17 Steps. This is an experience that Nick describes as a “dream situation.” The label has seen the duo step into what they have described as the “liberating and interesting” realm of releasing numerous other artists’ work aside from their own, including that of promising techno newcomers Christian Piers and Velvit. Music Nick says they “feel passionate about.”

Alongside the production of their own music and the management of 17 Steps, Dusky are also well-known for their DJing. With a headlining of Manchester’s own Warehouse Project back in 2014 to their name, alongside numerous other festival and club appearances. According to Alfie, DJing events such as these brings together the joys of “finding and trying out new music, and playing our own tracks too,” he goes on to say how “special” it is to see crowds dancing to the music they have created. This joy of seeing the crowd react to their own music is unsurprising when you consider the overwhelmingly positive response that they have had amongst house and techno fans.

But, when asked about the genre of their music, the duo were quick to explain that it goes beyond just this scene and its fanbase. Again discussing their influences, the two explained that they’ve been able to take inspiration from anything from “hardcore, drum & bass and psy-trance to house, techno and progressive.” It’s the wide variety of musical styles evident in their body of work that perhaps keeps fans coming back for more, and leaves critics with nothing but positive reviews.

This is perhaps even more impressive when you learn that the pair, despite recording live instruments such as cello and piano in some of their previous work, are mainly, as Nick puts it, “in the box” producers, meaning that their sound is created entirely using software. A subject that often divides producers and musicians in regards to what is deemed as the ‘proper’ way of producing, the use of software and absence of live instruments definitely does nothing to restrict Dusky in producing a sound that people love.

From meeting during their own time raving in London, to igniting crowds at sold out shows, it seems that there isn’t much that these two aren’t able to achieve. Through use of a varied and exciting sound, a strong and consistent work ethic, and maybe a little help along the way from some of the dance scene’s top names, Dusky are only getting bigger and better with time. With this in mind, we can only eagerly await both their coming album, due for release next year and one that Nick claims will both “crystallise and develop” the Dusky sound, and a live show that will look to bolster the already diverse nature of their next project’s sound.

Album: Wax Idols – American Tragic

Written by Madeleine Jones on . Posted in Music.

Released on October 16th via Collect Records

9/10

Between Wax Idols’ last album Discipline and Desire (2013) and now, a lot has happened to front-woman, multi-instrumentalist and band leader Hether Fortune. Namely, a marriage, a divorce and touring the world playing bass for White Lung. Third album American Tragic sees Fortune dealing with the inevitable topics of loss and breaking up, but to see it in only those terms would be a simplification and downright incorrect.

The album is more of a general representation of sadness, isolation, reflection and ultimately empowerment. Fortune wrote and played everything but drums (played by Rachel Travers) on each of the nine tracks, with engineering and producing help from Monte Vallier. This album is unrelenting in its sonic and lyrical stimulation. It demands that you keep your ears, heart and mind open throughout.

American Tragic sees a perfect opening in ‘A Violent Transgression’. Fortune’s ghostly but commanding voice spreads smoothly over a demandingly haunting beat that eventually morphs into a mildly groovy tune. In just one track, the album has fully garnered the listener’s attention. Second song ‘Lonely You’ shows off Fortune’s pop song-writing skills early on, before the more mellow and dreamy ‘I’m Not Going’. The latter illustrates just one of the many examples of the sheer lyrical honesty and vulnerability exuded throughout this album.

Things get back on their feet again with the dance-embracing ‘Deborah’, but don’t let its upbeat groove detract from the song’s subject. Fortune told Noisey “this song is a big ‘fuck you’ to people who capitalize on the vulnerability of others.” But besides that specific explanation, the lyrics in general hit the nail on the head of someone getting to you on a personal level, and how they seem to play on your mind in the aftermath: “Now you linger”, and the euphoric sensation when you appear to be getting over it: “I feel it fading”. This song’s second half culminates perfectly in the gorgeously catchy refrain of repeating the song’s title over and over again.

Mid-album track ‘Goodbye Baby’ is sung through gritted teeth as you feel Fortune letting go of what was once hers. One line “I owe me/More than I owe you” is something that, when realised, is empowering because it is difficult. It is assertions like this one that explain why Fortune is a figure so admired for being a woman completely in control of everything that she does.

‘Glisten’ is as perfect as opener ‘A Violent Transgression’. As soon as it kicks off, it sends shivers down my spine. Its haunting underbelly, juxtaposed with delicious poppy hooks reaches a level above and beyond enchantment. The obvious highlight being Fortune sweetly chanting “I wanna know”, followed by a simple dissonant guitar riff. In contrast, following track ‘Severely Yours’ is probably the most light-sounding and accessible. The characteristic gothic depths of this album are temporarily pushed to one side. The guitar is soft while Fortune’s different vocal tracks seem to come at you from every angle in the chorus.

This seemingly straightforward pop-sound continues with ‘At Any Moment’, an upbeat but subtle musical backdrop allows for the vocal delivery to stream freely. End track ‘Seraph’ is superb—one of the best album conclusions I’ve ever heard. The broken syllables tensely delivered in the verses contrast with a more explosive chorus, in which Fortune states assertively “I replenish myself/Cos I’m not nothing”, an ode to the emotional strength one needs when going through a painful situation. The album sees a triumphant ending, because Fortune repeats “I’m still burning” in her knowing and rounded voice. In that moment, you feel as empowered and ready to conquer as she does. She said in an interview with Cultist Zine, “I don’t think anybody would listen to this record and at the end be bummed, […] they would be like, ‘I can do anything!’” And she’s exactly right. Fortune’s ability to present human qualities like vulnerability, sadness, loneliness, alienation, anger and loss as powerful, energising, strong, and above all, something you can make your own, never fails to amaze me.

As usual with Fortune, she has completely put everything into this record. You can tell her heart and soul were poured into this. Her intelligence, passion, articulation and devotion to her art never fail to produce something you simply can’t ignore. It also occasionally helps to have someone remind you that pop-sounding music can come from a wholly thoughtful, heartfelt place.

I also admire Fortune’s approach to her social and political opinions. They’re a very noticeable feature of her social media accounts and there aren’t many people who can be so articulate through a 140 character limit. But as well as that, she is a brilliant prose writer in her own right. Her music is very introspective and cathartic, yet she is clearly an artist concerned with the wider picture and uses her voice to amplify issues that need to be addressed. She told Paper Magazine of the album’s title “American Tragic […] ties together how I live in this society and culture as an opinionated and socio-politically informed person, which informs everything that I do. And even though the album is very personal and emotional for me, it’s a universal theme of feeling broken, abandoned, weak, and invisible.” Need I say more about how brilliant this is?

BEST TRACKS: ‘Glisten’, ‘A Violent Transgression’, ‘Seraph’, ‘Deborah’, ‘Goodbye Baby’, ‘Severely Yours’

Feature: The problem with modern film criticism

Written by Dominic Bennett on . Posted in Film.

Spectre, the new James Bond film, is perfectly fine. It is exciting; funny at times, tense at others, and is a reasonable way to pass a couple of hours. It’s also a deeply silly film about a xenophobic, chauvinist psychopath who runs around killing people. There’s no real contradiction in what I’ve said, it’s just the nature of a film like this—enjoyable but obviously limited to a certain level of artistic achievement due to its pre-occupation with pretty girls and explosions. It would be wrong to describe it as a truly great film, or to compare it to the classics of cinema. Somehow though, it has received near unanimous critical acclaim and a barrage of 5 star reviews.

Spectre is not alone in this. Increasingly, blockbusters are as adored by the critics as they are by mass market audiences.

The entire world seemed to fall at the feet of Mad Max: Fury Road, earlier this year. It’s an entertaining film that is well shot, like a continuous, adrenaline-filled chase scene. But this dynamic, loud, and shiny chrome surface covers a hollow core (I would advise anyone who hasn’t seen it to look up the opening sequence of Rock Band 2 on Youtube. It is just two minutes of people playing music on top of cars and crashing into each other, which encapsulates this film quite neatly).

Fury Road was heavily praised for its feminist themes, but they are wafer thin in the light of day, basically surmounting to having a female lead that likes violence. That’s not forgetting the wives in the film—five models hired as actresses who are there to look pretty, until big, strong Max can save the day. If a serious drama film tried to take on a complex issue in such a manner, it would rightly be ridiculed. The all-conquering Guardians of the Galaxy is another example of a pretty good film that’s been bizarrely elevated to greatness within film culture and criticism.

The issue isn’t really the films themselves. Most people have always wanted to be entertained first and foremost when they are at the cinema, and these films certainly have a place in the Entertainment category. The problem is the undeserved adoration that they receive.

These emotionally shallow works now dominate conversations about film and are held up as benchmarks of good cinema. This leads to the genuinely great films of recent times being ignored by many, and there really have been some outstanding films released in the last year.

Take Force Majeure. It manages to masterfully deconstruct the male ego to show how our base instincts are more important than we care to acknowledge, while still being hugely enjoyable and filled with Peep Show-esque dark, awkward humour.

Or Ida—this Polish masterpiece about the need to find your own way in a world devoid of certain truth or justification subtly works its way into the viewer through its beautifully-framed and long-held shots. The role of the film critic should be to identify films of great worth and to gift them a wider attention, but now, critics spend too much time praising the already-popular. Consequently, mediocre films are hailed as masterpieces.

The reasons for this trend are understandable, but the trend itself must stop. For years, Michael Bay et al served up dull blockbusters that critics derided and even audiences often disliked. Expectations understandably dropped. Now that there has been a series of reasonably good blockbusters, things have swung too far the other way.

After being starved of popular films of any worth for years, critics now take any big film that shows the slightest hint of depth and praise it to high heaven. This can all also be seen in the context of the wider infantilisation and invasion of kitsch into contemporary culture. That that is sweet and simple to understand has become popular in all fields.

Many films now get praise for simply reaffirming our biases and making us feel nice. Inside Out, for example; this overly-sentimental film, made for children, is one the most highly-regarded of the last year. It makes sense that commercial films pander to these tastes, but now critics do too, telling us that the popular-yet-shallow films that we enjoy are brilliant works of art.

There are great films being made. Films that challenge, move and enlighten us; yet, to recognise them, we all need to stop elevating the ordinary.

TV Binge: Doctor Who

Written by James Moules on . Posted in Film.

A sharp decline in ratings greeted the arrival of the ninth season of the revived Doctor Who—a fair reaction, perhaps, considering that the last couple of seasons have represented a distinct drop in quality for the revered sci-fi show. But what viewers were not counting on, was that the latest season has, so far, been unexpectedly outstanding. Gone are all the cheap subplots and insultingly predictable ‘twists’ in the overarching narrative of the seasons. Steven Moffat and co. have reinvigorated Doctor Who with the blend of fun adventure and soft horror that made us love it in the first place.

Now in his second season as the titular millennium-old, time-travelling madman, Peter Capaldi has truly made the character his own. His previous season represented a tentative tiptoeing around wholehearted characterisation to play trial-and-error with his interpretation of the Doctor. Now, we have a fully formed character—a guitar playing, shade wearing, fiercely rebellious Time Lord, who manages to be an old soul and a young boy simultaneously. Some have labelled him a darker Doctor than his two predecessors. This is true, to an extent, but Capaldi’s Doctor is also a humorous and playful man. And his fantastic chemistry with his current companion, played by Jenna Coleman, has led to one of the most brilliant Doctor-companion relationships in the show’s history.

Season nine has, so far, solely comprised two-part stories—an excellent call on the part of Moffat. The general lack of these two-parters over the past couple of series had deprived the show of the opportunity to give us some truly memorable stories. Every story so far this season, on the other hand, has been a potential future classic within Doctor Who’s canon. We’ve had a story with the Daleks and the Master (or, should I say, Missy); we’ve had a ghost story; we’ve had a story about immortality, featuring Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams; and we’ve had a story with the fan-favourite Zygons. All of them have been fantastic. Make no mistake, Doctor Who is great again. It has followed up what was by far and away its weakest season with its strongest run since Matt Smith’s legendary first outing as the Time Lord. Kudos to Steven Moffat for realising what was going wrong.

Unlike in previous seasons, this run of episodes has consisted of none of the fan-boy teasing and theory baiting references that have made the show so unbearable to the casual viewer. Jenna Coleman’s rumoured departure from the show at the end of this season has not been hinted at in any obvious way, and no overwrought plot-arc has been put in place to foreshadow it. Season seven’s Asylum of the Daleks (as great an episode as it was) toyed too much with her unusual arrival, leading to the fan-theories over her character’s nature becoming more pervasive than the details of the show itself. Season Nine has returned to being more interested in the mythology of Doctor Who than with the overly silly and often-predictable narratives that had been poisoning the show.

It’s a pleasant surprise to be able to report that Doctor Who is on top form again. The showrunners have learnt from their mistakes over the past few seasons and have brought back the Doctor Who we all used to love. If you’re one of the many people who decided to bail on it after the disappointing Season eight, then I’m afraid you’re missing out.

Live: The Hallé – Mozart, Turnage and Stravinsky

Written by Matthew Brew on . Posted in Music.

22nd October

The Bridgewater Hall

The Hallé’s latest performance in their Thursday Series at the Bridgewater Hall was a varied and interesting one, ranging from Mozart’s 35th ‘Haffner’ symphony to a UK premiere of Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Piano Concerto and leading to a performance of the infamous ‘Rite of Spring’ by Stravinsky; the première of which sparked what was possibly the first moshpit in music history.

The Mozart was an intricate, and at times intense, display, although it didn’t hold the same intrigue and exciting quality as the other pieces. With a smaller than normal classical orchestra, the interaction and balance between the instruments was good, with some energetic and vibrant conducting from Ryan Wigglesworth.

The premiere of Turnage’s piano concerto was a complete juxtaposition to the Mozart, with the use of a much wider range of instrumentation and extended techniques. In the first movement for instance, the aggressive ‘snap’ pizzicato of the double basses, with the players plucking the strings so aggressively that they made audible snaps (which explains the name) against the fingerboard. The aggression and chaos of the first movement was brilliantly contrasted by the much slower second movement. It was more conventionally written, with a delicate, sombre melody for the violin and a rich interaction of parts that served to soothe the tension raised in the first movement. Arguably the highlight was the sudden shift into a jazz timbre, providing a really cool surprise and showcasing the skill of solo pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin, whose fingers flashed across the keys impressively for the whole concerto.

Following the wild card of the evening was the piece everyone had been waiting for: Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’. Its première in 1913 was as ballet music and is infamous; the choreography of the dancers, combined with the abstract and radically new music, supposedly caused a riot in the Parisian audience.

The subject of the ballet and the music is Pagan Russia, with rituals for the arrival of Spring and the choice of a young female sacrifice. Eventually she dances herself to death, which is an ending to the night that I’m sure we’ve all experienced. The performance was a dramatic and intricate one, with some superb playing by the brass and French horns. The lower strings’ sense of drama and aggression could have been more explicit, however. The opening was original, with the bassoonist expressively playing with the catchy opening melody. The following sense of cohesion might have been lessened by this, but only briefly.

The Hallé put on a swinging pendulum of a show. The amazingly cheap price of £3 tickets for students makes these Thursday series of concerts a no-brainer if you’re a seasoned classical music fan, and a great reason to try it our if you’re not. A show of this standard is certainly a good place to start.

8/10

Live: Mutoid Man

Written by Adam Rogers on . Posted in Music.

Deaf Institute

21st October

9/10

Brooklyn-based psych-punk-metal trio Mutoid Man are embarking on their first headline tour of the EU, bringing their bombastic stage personas with them. Deaf Institute was a night of all-guns-blazing metallic weirdness.

After walking on to a stage in front of a modest crowd, Mutoid Man wasted no time melting faces. As soon as frontman Stephen Brodsky is done dialling in his distortion, there’s a quick nod to bassist Nick Cageao, and then he thumped out the intro to ‘Bridgeburner’. The band were relentless and tore through the first four songs from their new album Bleeder, including the single ‘Sweet Ivy’, which causes the crowd to erupt into some questionable singing to the 70s-style licks.

If there’s one thing to say about this band, it’s their stage presence. They know what they’re doing and they know how to have fun with it. After 15 – 20 years apiece of metal and punk pedigree from other bands, it’s unsurprising that the trio are extremely comfortable on stage and spend every possible moment cocking about.

Any break in a song and one of the three is throwing middle fingers to another member of the band. A highlight of the set has to be during ‘Scrape the Walls’, in which the band took a break for the bassist and guitarist to swap instruments. Brodsky declares “Ah! Bet you didn’t expect that. It’s the old switcheroo!” before finishing the song on each other’s instruments.

The only blemish in this diamond of a gig was the relatively sparse crowd, but considering the band had only one EP up until a few months ago, they can be excused for this. Give them a little more time to garner a following, and there’s no doubt that this band will be revered for their live shows.

Billie Marten

Written by Elena Gibbs on . Posted in Music.

“[Everybody’s] watching, drowning in words so sweet”

This is the effect that Billie Marten has on her audience, as my plus-one commented on looking around the room: “no one can take their eyes off her.” Her ethereal voice hypnotises the audience, so much so that it seems like we are looking beneath the surface of the harmonies. The absorbing effect of her raw, atmospheric voice masks the emotion that’s penned into her lyrics. The crowd are entranced.

As I approached Billie Marten at the end of her set, we got chatting about the go-to subject of her age; at 16, she’s just preparing for A-levels. Her choices of subject didn’t come as a surprise when analysing her lyrics—Art and English Literature, with poetry, of course, her favourite.

A fresh-faced, youthful choir angel, Billie’s voice comes from that tip of the throat that’s just about to break into a weep, which is what makes her style so emotive. What I found interesting, and almost confusing, was that snap-jump of emotions from singer-Billie to speaker-Billie. Her expression changed from a deep melancholy to a happy-bunny. “Is everyone having a good time? Oh god I’m such a hobo. I’ll just stop talking. Talk amongst yourselves.’’

In our conversation, Billie determined that the contrast of her vulnerable lyrical emotion, only guarded by her acoustic guitar, to the upbeat smile that switched on immediately after each song, was deliberate: “Nobody wants to be a Morrissey.” Billie’s got humour; we had a great laugh on the phone about how much I’d over-analysed the promo video for ‘Heavy Weather’.

It features a cobalt blue rope swing that dances, swaying slowly in the dank autumn forest, a perfect accompaniment to her voice, like clear running spring water. It’s mysterious: A spot to sit at and zone out. It represents that her music is to listen to, not to stimulate from all angles. Her body is not the subject of attention, but the music she is producing with it.

Clearly, I was over-thinking it: “Beautiful track heard on Radio 1 last week. 3 minutes staring at a stick on a rope well-spent.”
(Courtesy of ‘the matt curtis’ on YouTube)

The actual video features a man in a shower, so please watch that one. Man in shower worked hard for that role. Billie tells me he got really wet. In one of arguably her best videos, ‘Bird’, Billie worked with Franklyn Banks, who came to her with a treatment that projected everything the song had been intended to convey, without the two having met or spoken.

This anecdote reflects how the standard question of “so what does your music mean?” doesn’t need to be asked; it’s all right there in the lyrics. In the video for ‘Ribbon’, I love that she wears braces. I love that she doesn’t smile. I love that she’s perfected that ‘hmyeah’ expression that epitomises the mood of every teenage girl.

She has a deep, honest and natural understanding of beauty, which is a breath of fresh air in this era of overproduction. Billie won’t be the type to sell out and ‘shake it off’, or ‘out’, in some troupe-dancing, ooh-ohh-featuring pop video, like so many of her earthy-voiced contemporaries (Taylor, Florence) have sadly chosen to. A BBC 6 Music Friday night critic commented “she doesn’t know what she’s doing, and I love it.” It seems to me that, despite her youth, she knows exactly what she’s doing, and I love it.

Live: Lucy Rose

Written by Adam Rogers on . Posted in Music.

Academy 3

19th October

Fresh off the release of her sophomore album, Work It Out, indie-folk singer Lucy Rose embarked on a tour with similar-minded artists in tow: Billie Marten and Jake Isaac.

The show opened up with the infectiously bouncy ‘Like An Arrow’, though there seemed to be some pre-match nerves; it’s the first date of the tour. By the time she moved on to ‘Cover Up’, however, these seem to have died away and she settled to settle a little better into her groove.

Lucy wasn’t afraid to delve back to some of the fan favourite releases from her debut album Like I Used To and these contrasted nicely with the saccharine style of song from the new album. Tracks like ‘Shiver’ and ‘Lines’ proved to be pitch perfect and sounded gorgeous live, though a lot of the breathy nuances from the studio version were lost. Still, this did not stop half the audience singing every word back while clutching their elbows and choking back tears.

Despite the relative lack of detail in older material, songs like ‘Köln’ sounded fantastic live—the wasp sting of the bass brought way forward in the mix sounded punchy and grabbed me right in the chest. But for all of this praise, something failed to ignite a spark in the performance. Everything sounded a little too clean and polished. There was nothing that could be particularly marked as being wrong, it was a great performance all-round, but it was just missing something to take it to the next level.

This, coupled with Lucy becoming flustered during ‘Into the Wild’ during the encore due to a buzzing guitar, dragged the performance down a little. Saying “sorry” as her final word while leaving the stage was perhaps not the best way to go. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable performance and she is worth checking out if you’ve got an evening spare, just don’t expect to be blown away.

6.5/10

HOME Pick of the Week: Mississippi Grind

Written by Alasdair Bayman on . Posted in Film.

Amidst a cloud of smoke in a run down bar, accompanied by bright neon lights and southern blues music permeating the room, you will find men of a certain kind. Either gamblers or simply failures of life, they linger for hours upon end with a small glass of bourbon at their fingertips. Clearly, these men are masters of their own fate, and that is no different to Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) in the latest release to contribute towards film’s obsession with gambling: Mississippi Grind.

Following two gamblers, Gerry and Curtis (Ryan Reynolds), upon their quest into The South to the big time of wealth, Grind portrays the darker side of poker, cards et al. Gone are the days of bright lights, sparkling watches and elegant suits. Gritty and real, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s world is a stark contrast to that of Martin Scorsese’s Casino (famous for it lavish sets and costume). It also harkens to an old type of film making, prevalent in the 1970s.

Downbeat on life as a whole due to his financial problems, Mendelsohn’s Gerry owes money to everyone and everything in his town. Cumbersomely holding himself together, he participates in a local poker game to casually affect. Like a lucky little leprechaun, Reynolds’ Curtis walks in gleaming with charm and wit. The two strike it off in an instant and a form of bromance ensues. Long takes and a road trip take to the centre of this tale.

No quick cuts or editing exist in Boden and Fleck’s piece. The actors’ relationship is electrifying through their mutual obsession with winning big. Gerry’s ploy is one of sheer desperation in his attempt to pay off his debts, whereas Curtis’s involvement is, however, unknown. Due to their conflict of interest, an abundance of suspenseful scenes spread across the board, and, in particular, the finale.

The film opens with a stunning shot of a rainbow arching over farmland. Both of these men are searching for that famous pot of gold at the end of the colourful meteorological wonder. Elements surrounding Grind could insinuate that the film might literally be read as a rainbow; Gerry creating the rain and Curtis being the sunshine, as so reflected in their personalities.

From a cinematic perspective, cinematographer Andrij Parekh delivers an eye-catching exploration of Southern American at its core. From establishing shots of simple street lights brightening New Orleans’ streets to the neon night, as captured so astonishingly in Fincher’s Fight Club. To accompany the jaw-dropping cinematography is a gutsy, growling musical score that echoes true music of the south. From Blues to Jazz, the variation of music is used as a tool to suture oneself into the environment of these broken men.

Like the Mississippi itself, Grind is alluring and winding in the best possible sense. Films like this are very rarely made in this modern age, and so among this week’s releases, I command you: Search it out. Find this ace of spades.

4/5

Interview: Armand van Helden

Written by Tai Kolade on . Posted in Music.

For the entirety of your average Manchester student’s life, this man has been plugging the airwaves, crossing three decades and generations of hedonists and ravers. Armand van Helden has a backlog of party anthems; from his 1996 hit remix of Tori Amos’s ‘Professional Widow’ to his collaboration in 2009 with Dizzee Rascal on ‘Bonkers’.

The 17th October saw Armand headline alongside Basement Jaxx at the new Sankeys Warehouse event to a raucous 5,000-strong crowd. “Me, Steve and Simon, we’ve done many gigs together, especially in the 1990s. In this instance, we are fortunate that they have got us b2b so we can do what we used to do, which is gonna be pretty cool, you know.

“I never get daunted. I never really think of being a DJ in general, but rather being a performer and entertainer. My first international gig was in ’93. I’m getting close to 25 years of this, so it’s not really daunting anymore, but more like ‘really enjoyable’. They always say wine gets better with time and some DJs work like that. It’s more enjoyable than the early days when you were more nervous.”

The 1990s were Armand’s breakthrough decade. Now he has seen the 1990s re-emerge; in its culture and even music, with one of his own mixtapes from 1993 resurfacing and being a big internet hit. “There’s a number of them; I used to put them on cassette, back when I was struggling, of course. I used to DJ at this fashion store in Boston that my friend was managing and I would sell my tapes there.

“I don’t know if people know this, but if you had a VHS (which most people did), you would record your set through the VHS, then you would have a bunch of double cassette recorders and you would just jump them manually. The VHS tape would be your master because it was good quality, if you went from cassette to cassette each time you go it degrades severely the quality. Any mix tapes that pop up with that name on them were from that time.”

Reflecting on the 90s resurgence, Armand is nonplussed. “Yeah, I mean fashion, music and art all roll through the same cycle and we’re in that cycle. It’s funny because we lived through that era and there were finite details that were really important and whenever something gets retro, there’s always these little things right that people that lived in that time can break down and be like ‘no, that’s wrong.’

“Just because you put bell-bottoms on with those types of shoes, those are from two totally different eras. You’re thinking, ‘Hey, it’s all 70s, it must work,’ but it doesn’t. Every time there’s a resurgence from the past, a past that I have been through, it’s never exactly the same. There’s always a ton of details missed. Little things like you weren’t supposed to do that type of record with that section, because that section was three years late. They don’t know that because the kids making the records are just like it’s all 90s, it’s all good.”

The rich music heritage and rivalry in the UK is something Armand took note of quite diplomatically, too. “The main thing about the UK is that London is London and the rest of the UK is broken up into segments where they are all competing with each other. You guys live in quite a tribal country, so when I’m in Manchester and that area, it’s quite near to other places, but they seem like they all wanna outdo each other. I kind of like that vibe.”

Finally, being an old school DJ, Armand surely must love the vinyl resurgence. “I’ve had over 15,000 records on the shelf for as long as I can remember, so there’s no question about my affinity to vinyl! I carried around records for over 15 years and that’s sometimes two to three record boxes. Even before record boxes I was carrying milk crates.

“I go back as far as when you had double-size milk crates and the records were just exposed, so if I came out and it was raining, your records would get messed because you were waiting for your car. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a record collector, and I love vinyl, but if the technology is there on a USB stick, and you can just play a set with some headphones and a USB stick, I’m going to take the USB stick!”

Preview: Colin Cloud

Written by Elise Gallagher on . Posted in Theatre.

What can you tell by looking at a person? When they last polished their shoes or where they got their clothes from? How about being able to tell what they’ve had for their dinner or where they’ve been that day. It could even be their PIN code or what they do for a living.

Complete with Sherlock-interpreted cat tattoos, Colin Cloud has been dubbed “the hipster Sherlock Holmes.”

Last year Colin Cloud and his show ‘Kills’ became a success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with a total of 23 sold out performances and countless five star reviews. As well as this, Cloud is currently in the process of making his first TV series with NBC Universal. His show ‘The Forensic Mind Reader’ is described as “the signature pieces from his 2014 show plus exciting new material.”

Coming from a scientific background, Cloud enrolled to study Forensic Science at Glasgow Caledonian University at the tender age of 15. The forensic scientist mixed mind magic and brain science alongside his love of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work. Having left celebrities such as Jonathan Ross, Ant and Dec, Simon Cowell and professionals Penn and Teller completely speechless, Uri Geller describes the showman as “one of the greatest thought readers of all time.”

Likened to infamous figures such as Derren Brown, one of Cloud’s biggest influences is Andy Nyman. Accomplished magician and mentalist Nyman has frequently collaborated with Derren Brown having co-written the TV shows ‘Mind Control’ and ‘Trick of the Mind’ which Brown fronts. Nyman also co-wrote and co-directed four of Brown’s stage shows, including ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ which was awarded an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, and ‘Enigma’, which was also nominated for a Olivier Award in 2010.

As well as shows in locations such as Las Vegas, New York and Los Angeles, Colin will be visiting Salford’s Lowry Theatre on the 4th of November before continuing his tour to Leicester, Leamington Spa, Dorchester and London.

Interested in what Colin could read from you?

Wednesday the 4th of November: The Lowry, Salford
Friday the 13th of November: Uppingham School, Rutland, Leicester
Saturday the 14th of November: Spa Centre, Leamington Spa
Thursday the 26th and Friday the 27th of November: Leicester Spuare, London
Saturday the 28th of November: Arts Centre, Dorchester