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Day: 10 November 2015

Preview: iSessions charity gig night

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in Music, News.

Next Tuesday The Independent and the i are hosting iSessions, a charity gig night with four student bands from the University of Manchester, at XOLO, Black Dog Ballroom on Whitworth Street West. It is all part of a nationwide student battle of the bands happening at nineteen different UK universities.

There are three stages of the competition. Firstly, these local heats on the university campus. Secondly, a public vote online, and finally the live final with high profile judges, which last year was hosted by Manchester’s Gorilla.

The winning band of the Manchester heat will compete with 19 student bands from across the country on an online vote on The Independent‘s website.

Everyone who attends the event will be able to cast their vote for the band they want to represent the University of Manchester in the national competition.

Details of the online vote as well as footage of the winning band on the night will be uploaded to The Independent Student website shortly after the gig.

After the closure of the online vote, the five bands with the highest number of votes will go through to iSessions live final in February, the venue of which will be confirmed closer to the date.

The overall winner of iSessions will win recording studio time and festival tickets, the four runners up will receive prizes also.

The four student bands performing are Five Days North, Revolution in Paradise, The Vanity Project and Jacob Nico.

All proceeds from the event will go towards the i charity appeal for Great Ormond Street Hospital. It will be £2 on the guestlist and £3 on the door. To get on the guest list post your name on this Facebook event or email [email protected].

Review: The Oresteia

Written by James Moules on . Posted in Theatre.

A thick, bleak atmosphere hangs over the stage as Blanche McIntyre’s production of Aeschylus’ Orestiea begins—a somewhat fitting vibe for one of the greatest works of tragedy in all of drama. But as a story of murder, revenge and justice, even anyone not familiar with Greek tragedy need not be reminded that what they are about to see is a rather dark tale. Yet this production shouldn’t be seen as a relentlessly sombre affair—on the contrary, as the Oresteia has a number of moments of wild humour that are well executed in this production. What we are given is an interpretation that has flavours of both the Classical and the Modern.

One of the most noteworthy aspects of this play is the use of the chorus—one of the most pivotal parts of any Greek tragedy. As many will have heard, this production uses a team of local volunteers. This works marvellously, as they interact with the characters, sometimes from the stage, and sometimes from among the audience, there is a direct sense of involvement, heightening the audience’s relation with the characters on stage.

The performances from the limited main cast are all solid albeit not as powerful as we might hope; some of the most memorable characters in Greek tragedy, such as Clytemnestra, are featured in the Oresteia, and though the actors do these characters justice, we are still left with a sense that they could have been pushed a little further.

The decision to use Ted Hughes’ concise translation of the play is another strength—alongside the richness of the language, this translation takes us at speed through the vicious and bloody drama, hitting us hard with one act of murder and vengeance after another. Alongside the atmospheric darkness, this bare bones edition of the narrative makes the whole production suitably stark and sinister.

Although this is not the finest production of Aeschylus’ trilogy you will ever see, it’s more than worth your time. It sometimes feels lacking in the rich characterisation that makes much of Greek drama so powerful, but the show’s design and smart use of the chorus make for an exquisite and accessible demonstration of Aeschylus mastery of Greek tragedy.

The Oresteia runs for an hour and 45 minutes, with no interval. Blanche McIntyre’s production is available to see at Manchester’s HOME until Saturday the 14th of November, with a special post-show discussion being held after the show’s performance on Friday the 13th of November. To watch the trailer for The Oresteia please click here.

Why we can’t just ‘move on’ from the legacy of slavery

Written by Kyle Huggins on . Posted in Opinion.

Envisage inhabiting a world where the history and heritage of your ancestors has been obliterated. Now further imagine living in a society that perceives the darkness of your skin as an indicator of social class, deviance, and even intelligence. For millions of Africans and Afro-Caribbean people, this is a part of living reality.

Despite its eventual disbandment, the British Empire is still lauded by many a proud, and some may argue ill-informed, Englishman. “What an achievement,” “We conquered one-third of the World,” “Rule Britannia,” I can still hear the taunts of my former school friends even today. Although there seems to be ubiquitous acknowledgment of the tremendous feat achieved by such a small nation—and let me not undermine the accomplishment—little remorse, recognition or even empathy is given to ancestors whose blood and sweat built this ‘great nation’ and the despicably inhumane way it was built.

It was but three weeks ago David Cameron attempted to take an emollient approach to the topic of slave reparations whilst visiting Jamaica, stating a need to “move on” from the “painful legacy and continue to build for the future.”

Yet, the refusal to confront Britain’s substantial role in what was a barbaric and heavily industrialized slave regime and subsequent plan to invest £25 million on a prison to deport Jamaican prisoners to has had many a political commentator describe it as a “slap in the face.”

Undoubtedly, Britain profited vastly from the use of slave labour, the extent to which many historians have failed to fully calculate. Nevertheless, it was this influx of money which helped power the Industrial Revolution propelling Britain to the precipice of the world, creating a super power status it has failed to reach since the end of the empire. It is even estimated up to 20 per cent of Britain’s current GDP can be traced back to slavery.

Off the backs of slaves British imperialism proliferated and thrived, yet the narrative surrounding slavery has been distorted to emphasise Britain’s role in the abolition of slavery. With distinctly less emphasis on the £16.5 – 18 billion (in today’s money) which was paid to the slave owners across the land in compensation. The emancipated slaves received nothing but apprenticeship, colonialism and a second-class citizenship along with a prolonged fight for the right to be seen as equal, a fight that continues to this day.

Many of the countries established as slave nations and colonies continue to be blighted by vast social issues and lack of economical development, a continued legacy of slavery. Take Jamaica, it’s economy has been stagnant for the last 30 years with GDP increasing on average only 1 per cent a year, poverty has increased to 20 per cent and unemployment is above 12 per cent. These trends are reciprocated across the Caribbean with an undeniable link to the fallout from their slavery experience.

But what is more harrowing is not simply the economic or physical deprivation of these countries, it’s the position and appearance of black people within the Western world.

We live in a society whereby the colour of your skin is a predictor of the degree of success you can expect to achieve, where the colour of your skin is a predictor of what job prospects attainable, where the colour of your skin dictates where you can and cannot go, where you will and will not be accepted. This is the most disturbing consequence from slavery.

We are presented as living in a multicultural egalitarian society, yet at almost every stage in life Black citizens are disadvantaged, 30 per cent of Black Caribbeans and 50 per cent of Black Africans are living in low income housing. It is estimated 50 per cent of black children aged seven are living in poverty, with Black Caribbeans three times more likely to be excluded from school than any other group. Black people are six times more likely to be sectioned and six times more likely to be stopped and searched  whilst five times more likely to be imprisoned in England and Wales.

With more young black men from in prison than attending Russell Group institutions. An inter-generational transmission of trauma has occurred whereby, blackness is still equated to being a second-class citizen. In our society you are more likely to be stopped by the police, more likely to be turned away from a club, you are not taught anything about your history other than your people were slaves. And whilst our relatives across the world struggle from the fiscal and physical effects of slavery this is just the practical manifestation of the damage caused. The deep-rooted psychological eradication of what it is to be black has occurred and needs to be addressed, with the British establishment taking responsibility with compunction.

In today’s society, the topic of reparations is met with vitriol from various members of both the left and right. Nothing more emphasizes this than Parliament’s current public policy of refusing to recognize the atrocities committed throughout the 17th to 19th centuries. Yet the argument surrounding reparations occurs within a reductionist paradigm whereby monetary compensation dominates the rhetoric, demeaning the argument.

Reparations as defined in the dictionary is the “the action of making amends for a wrong one has done.” Financial compensation is a factor, however, not the most important measure of this, no matter how parsimonious our government is. In order to make amends there firstly needs to be the admittance of some wrongdoing, this is the most pivotal stride the British Government could make. Debt cancellation, investment in infrastructure, better trade links and increased education will further aid countries still struggling to develop.

Review: Jersey Boys

Written by Sam Pigott on . Posted in Theatre.

Jersey Boys debuted on Broadway ten years ago—where it will have felt perfectly at home with bright lights and classic songs every ten minutes. With 55 major awards worldwide, including the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, the show perfectly captures the trials, tribulations and tension of four young boys, portrayed by Sam Ferriday, Matt Corner, Stephen Webb and Lewis Griffiths, desperate to find fame and fortune within the music industry.

Built on the classic hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Jersey Boys takes us seamlessly through the formation, success and ultimate break-up of the Rock ’n’ Roll group. Each member narrates their own ‘season’, providing their own perspective of events, and letting the audience in on this documentary-style format.

Not only do we get to see the harsh background of these characters, through their history of petty-crime and spells in prison, but the portrayal of the genuine friendships between the group is, at least, heart-warming. From immature gags and advice of “sex being better when two people are involved”, to the dealing of loan-sharks and debt, the friendship between the characters is clear and second to none.

Aside from the compelling story-telling, many would be happy to attend purely for the sensational array of hit songs littered throughout the duration. ‘Oh What A Night’, ‘Bye Bye Baby’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’; to name just a few, had the whole audience beaming from ear to ear. It’s no wonder, as the Four Seasons are one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, with an estimated 100 million records sold.

For a night packed full of laughs, the occasional cry, and compulsory foot-tapping, Jersey Boys is showing at the Manchester Opera House until Saturday 7th November. It’s more than worth a visit, and you’ll be sure to have the soundtrack on repeat for days after.

Jersey Boys will tour to a further six locations into the beginning of 2016, and will conclude on the 20th of February at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre. For more information please click here.

Review: Absent Presence at Manchester Art Gallery

Written by Neil Greenhalgh on . Posted in Arts.

This exhibition is inspired by Callum Innes’ work Exposed Painting Green Lake, 2012, which has recently been acquired by Manchester Art Gallery. More than this, it focuses closely on Innes’ technique, which you could also call his subject matter; a process of ‘un-painting’. His works are characterised by his process of building up layers of paint and then removing them, leaving traces, or evidence of existence. Areas of black paint are usually permitted to be left un-scraped from the canvas and negotiate for territory in the geometric arena of the un-painted, forging a relationship between negative and positive, addition and subtraction, absence and presence.

Paintings from the gallery’s own collection have been selected to add to this dialogue, a selection that spans an incredible four centuries. To select work so diverse for an exhibition in such a small room, all inspired by a contemporary abstract painting, is a bold move for a public gallery that has been criticised for perhaps being a bit boring. This exhibition is in no way boring: The curator has managed to make a show that is small in size, but dynamic, exciting and bold in stature.

The strongest feature of this exhibition is the way in which a simple concept has been so successfully deployed through works that are hundreds of years apart in their making, and would otherwise have no or little correspondence with each other. The vision is simple yet effective and completely coherent in an exhibition full of opposites and contrasts.

At Manchester Art Gallery until the 3rd of January 2016.

Live: Major Lazer

Written by Cassie Hyde on . Posted in Music.

16th October 2015

Academy 1

3/10

From the moment Major Lazer took to the stage, you knew that their show would be defined by excess. Giant screens with cartoon visuals, dancing girls, streamers and pyrotechnics after every drop—the works. Earlier on, Diplo had even climbed inside a zorbing ball on stage and then zorbed around the room on top of adoring fans. For the first ten minutes or so, it was possible to believe that Major Lazer were self-aware at how ridiculous and over the top it was. If only that were true.

Apart from brief cameos of much better songs, such as ‘Heads Will Roll’ by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and ‘Jump Around’ by House of Pain, the show overall was a one-trick pony. Every song had the same drop. After every drop, streamers and gas cannons would go off. After every drop, the dancing girls would twerk uncontrollably. After every drop, the MC would tell the crowd to put their hands in the air and jump. It was mind-numbingly boring.

Even still, things went from bad to worse, from boring to cringey and at one point—everyone was told to take off their shirts and swing them over their heads. Then the drop hit! Shirts in the air, jumping, twerking, streamers, etcetera. At which point, the MC brought out a Manchester United and a Manchester City shirt, shouting “Which one?” After the crowd cheered for United (and after I died inside), everyone in Major Lazer wore United strips for the rest of the show. I would have normally said “Oh for fuck’s sake,” or something like that—but I was honestly too drained at this point to care.

I’ve never walked out on a show before, but if I wasn’t supposed to review the whole show, I would have. Most definitely.

Review: The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes

Written by Josh Goldie on . Posted in Games.

In 2014, the Legend of Zelda for Wii U was revealed to the public. The game looked stunning, and was promised with a 2015 release date. Unfortunately, at the beginning of this year, Mr Aonuma revealed that the game would be delayed until an undetermined date to ensure that it is perfect. This left a large, Zelda-shaped hole in many gamer hearts; however, at E3 2015, Nintendo announced a brand new Zelda game, for the 3DS instead of Wii U, that would be focused on three-player online multiplayer. Instantly, the game looked to reflect the previous multiplayer Zelda games: the Four Swords series for Game Boy Advance and GameCube. While it is no big budget Zelda, it is certainly not a bad title.

The most important part of Triforce Heroes is the multiplayer, and it appears in both online and local format. It even supports download play. Although you cannot mix and match the local and download multiplayer, you can take local friends online if you do not have three players. You have to have three players to use this game on multiplayer. The game does not support just two players, which feels a bit like a step backwards, since the Four Swords games could support one to four players. I do understand why this limitation is here, but I feel like there may have been a way to work around this if you only had two players but did or could not play online.

The local and download multiplayer is really, really fun. Playing this game with 2 other friends and making your way through the 32 puzzles is incredibly amusing. Through the power of co-ordination, you can easily solve the puzzles in your way and guard each other’s backs. This is where the game has all its fun, and I was lucky enough to have at least two friends with whom I could play the game. Like with all online multiplayer games, playing online can sometimes be a blessing or a curse. Depending on the competence of whom you play with, the game can either be a breeze or a frustrating hassle. Thanks to the benefits of being local, you can easily communicate what to do to your friends, but the lack of voice chat in the game limits this. Communication is not outright removed thanks to the inclusions of emotion icons on the bottom screen. This is a very Nintendo way of dealing with voice acting, and I cannot deny how amusing and fun it can be to use these icons. Cheering your friends on, or congratulating them, using the appropriate icons, can easily put a smile on any player’s face.

Photo: Nintendo Co., Ltd.

If you worry about not having friends to play with, as well as not being able to go online, then worry no longer, because Nintendo also included a single-player mode where you take control of Link and two clay ‘doppels’ that you can jump between. Unfortunately, this mode is not that amazing. It is certainly doable for the simpler missions, but the game was clearly not designed with single-player in mind. At times it is fine and at times it can be really frustrating. Controlling all three Links is always tedious. Using the totem ability, where the Links carry each other, can cut down on travel time somewhat; however, the puzzles that require the use of the Links working together are more hassle than they are worth, really. The single player is doable, but I would not recommend it for the whole play-time unless you are a veteran of the Zelda series. Then you might just make it.

The story of Triforce Heroes is nothing to write home about. The princess of Hytopia, Styla, has been cursed to be unfashionable, and so the king asks Link to enter the Drablands and defeat the witch in order to remove the curse. The big theme of Hytopia is fashion. It is a very fashionable kingdom and this is reflected in a new mechanic that allows the player to dress Link in various outfits. You can make these outfits by obtaining materials in the Drablands, although this can get a little tedious. At the end of every stage, you get a choice of three chests. Each chest has a material in it, but you can only take one and have no way of knowing what is in each chest. This means that if you do a whole level for a certain material and you pick the wrong box, then you have to do the whole level again to have another go. This can be very annoying at points, but because it is designed to be fair to all three players, I know why this issue is here. The outfits are a very nice addition to this game and dressing Link in all the outfits helps to make your Link feel unique. The outfits can vary from giving you more lives, improving your ability with certain items, to adding certain stage effects like swimming in lava and not sinking in quicksand. The mechanic works very well and it would be nice to see it come back in a future Zelda title.

Overall, Triforce Heroes was a very fun game to play with my friends and I had a blast online as well.  It is certainly not the best Zelda game ever made but it is not the worst. It tries to take the Zelda series in a slightly different direction and I can appreciate that. I just wish that some of the areas of the game, such as the single player mode, were more fleshed-out than they currently are. The gameplay itself is solid, but outside of the costumes and totem mechanic, it is nothing that we have not seen in previous Zelda titles (especially A Link Between Worlds, on the 3DS, which shares many features with this game). If you are looking for a fun multiplayer title this holiday season, then Triforce Heroes will have you cheering alongside your friends on a fashion-filled adventure.

Review: Undertale

Written by Connor McBride on . Posted in Games.

Recently there has been a lot of uproar regarding one game—Undertale. This RPG by tobyfox was released in mid-September 2015 and the internet has not shut up about it since. If aliens invaded tomorrow, half of the population would not notice due to being wholly consumed by this game. Going by recent reports, fans of the game would have you believe that this game cures everything from male pattern baldness to arthritis. That it is the wonder game of 2015, 2016 and every year going forward. That it will blow your mind in so many ways you will have to use imaginary numbers to count them all. That this game will bring dead pets back to life, clear your computer of viruses and defragment the hard drive; it is that good.

Now, I don’t know about you, but for me sometimes the hype around a game can be its undoing. When enough people sing the praises of a game, saying how good it is and how you really should play it, it runs the risk of setting expectations too high and leaving the player disappointed with what is otherwise a great game. “Good, isn’t it?” they ask with a grin. “Not as good as you made it out to be!” I would reply, brushing the game aside and not giving it a second thought. The roaming masses can be incredibly annoying when they are blindly passionate about something.

Photo: tobyfox

This is why I approached Undertale with a sense of caution. There was a distinct chance that it would fall flat and I would be unable to understand the appeal. But in the interests of good journalism, I carried on regardless.

Undertale takes place in a world where ‘monsters’ and humans once lived together, until war broke out between the two races. Many battles were fought, many lives were lost, but in the end the humans were victorious and forced the monsters underground, sealing them there forever within an impenetrable magical barrier underneath a mountain. Many years later, you, the player, take on the role of a small human child, cast into the treacherous depths of the underground. A dangerous, frightening world of monsters who are still ever so slightly bitter about their eternal damnation.

You quickly become acquainted with the most unique part of the game, the fighting system. Enemies in the game launch attacks at you in the form of pseudo-‘bullet hell’ minigames, where you have to protect your soul—in the form of a heart—from the waves of attacks coming towards you. Early in the game, the attacks are easy enough to avoid, but they quickly become much more complicated and fast later in the game. These attacks reflect the mood of the enemy; if they long for blood, the attacks will come thick and fast, if they do not want to fight you, then the attacks may deliberately avoid you, or not come at all. More interestingly, however, you do not need to necessarily kill the enemy. Using all the reasoning powers that your nine-year-old character can muster, you can converse with enemies and convince them not to fight, ultimately sparing them. Yes, you can kill them, but it is nice to have the option not to.

Spare or kill, your actions in this world leave a lasting impression. Some actions are even mentioned in the replays after you committed them. Undertale really is a game that rewards multiple ‘playthroughs’. To reap the full rewards that Undertale has to offer, however, it will take more than restarting the game, going left instead of right at a particular junction, and repeating ad nauseum. You need to change your approach to the game and how you approach the characters in it. Let’s just say that, if you’re not nice to them, they most certainly will not be nice to you. Going on a murderous rampage and killing everything in sight is just as much of a viable tactic as hugging everyone is, though. Undertale is not one of those traditional RPGs that doesn’t care how you got to the boss fight just as long as you did—the number of enemies in the game is finite, and certain deaths may alter the story dramatically.

Not that you might actually want to kill anyone, though. The characters in the game are charming and full of witty dialogue. So much so that you might feel bad if you kill them, because you will not hear their jovial banter again. The game is consistently hilarious without having to rely on forced random noise for cheap laughs. The humour is seamlessly interlaced with the moral dilemmas and tension of the storyline, and will have you laughing just as much as it makes you question whether that was the right decision, while simultaneously sucker-punching you with an emotion-coated boxing glove. And like I said, Undertale may forgive, but it never forgets. If you choose to commit monster genocide it will remember, you cold-blooded murderer.

Photo: tobyfox

The overarching art style of Undertale draws on clear, Earthbound inspirations, a subtle hint to the JRPGs that inspired the game. The battle sequences, on the other hand, look like they are fresh out of a ZX Spectrum game. The highly contrasting black and whites of the battle menus and enemy sprites while fighting are a stark contrast compared to the rest of the game. One could say that it is all just a subtle nod to the genre; however, Undertale uses the limited art style to occasionally surprise you with small quirks that go beyond its limited palette. The retro stylings are accompanied by a suitably stellar soundtrack that goes with the game perfectly. Everything comes together in this game—the story, the music, the characters, the puzzles, the fighting scenes—to form a brilliant whole.

One of the major problems that I had writing this review was avoiding putting spoilers in, since a lot of the first hand recommendations that I got for this game apparently could not describe the game without spoiling everything, and I did not want to do the same. Thus, here is my elevator pitch; Undertale is a brilliant RPG with a unique fighting system, an engaging story that rewards multiple playthroughs, all while having a charming retro art style and a brilliant music score. It is one of the best games of the year and is most certainly worth your time.

Hesitating to laugh

Written by Jessica Chow-Lau on . Posted in Opinion.

Artistic censorship exists in the same universe as oppressive governments, graphic depictions of a woman’s body, and all other things young people enthusiastically champion against. If asked whether art should ever be edited for public display, the answer will almost always speak for how receptive to new ideas someone is and—because millennials are seen as open-minded—the consensus is usually no.

Paradoxically, the same age group of 12 – 34-year-olds also has had a staunchly expurgating attitude towards the art that was welcomed by their parents. In the form of political correctness, comedians are being pushed to construct their jokes to either fit a certain configuration that repeat (without creativity) multicultural, gender equal, LGBT, handicapped sensitivities or resort to aeroplane food humor. Narrow analysis that fuel raging demands for apologies discourages comedians to comment on deep-seated injustices and society’s unconscious ideologies. As a result, it is my opinion that comedic censorship by well-meaning social activists obstruct the free flow of ideas in society.

This past June, veteran comedian Jerry Seinfeld expressed how excessive concern over jokes covering minority groups bothered him. Almost instantaneously, liberal media outlets like Salon and The Huffington Post defended the idea of a PC police, denying the harms. Most (if not all) lambasted Seinfeld for not being able to adapt to a changing society where people are more aware of discrimination. He doesn’t pander to an audience outside of his fan base, he stated his opinion in response to a question, and is a successful straight white man—that’s hardly grounds for lumping him with sectarian dogmatists. In the fight for equality, some have demonized all straight white men because many offenders fit the criteria. Energy spent on that however, dilutes the equality movement and takes focus away from the original idea.

Millennials care a great deal about improving the likelihood of an equal society. That said, to say that college students today are more proficient in the issues of race and gender politics is to forget the nationwide protests of young people against the invasion of Cambodia and the Vietnam War. When Seinfeld was in college, counterculture was alive and progressing the rights of black people, Hispanics, gays, and women. Young people have an ear for discrimination but it’s on the path that was set by the previous generation.

Jokes are not the same as opinions. They bear some resemblance to what the comedian believes, but because it is a performance, full explanations aren’t provided. When people enter a comedy club or click on a link, there is an understanding that the only intention is to make them laugh. A misguided perception of laughter as denoting triviality however, leads some people to assume that the figure behind the microphone is facetiously treating the subject at hand with disrespect.

Beyond this completely one-dimensional interpretation of laughter, is a realization that it’s actually a way to heal ourselves. Take away the factor of laughing, and comedy will be easier to compare to a film or a sculpture. If art were to be treated like comedy today, paintings would be hidden away and films would have much stricter censorship rules. There have been some comparatively gritty pieces produced by both mediums, but like comedy, no painting or film fully represent the artist’s opinion. Yet still, the majority of people will defend the director before the comedian.

Comedy is more than about making people laugh, it is also about comment. The people that make us clutch our stomachs in good liberating pain will also occasionally make us feel uncomfortable. That’s vitally important. In doing so, they’re holding a mirror up to us, forcing us to confront the bitter realities that we prefer to ignore. Greg Giraldo, Harvard Law graduate and comic at Comedy Central explains, “a lot of racially charged shit happens here in New York City. Yet mainstream culture likes to pretend that race issues don’t exist. It’s the sad reality of our culture. Unfiltered honest talking on race is rare, but comics are comfortable with race. Comics are honest. Nothing is off-limits if handled properly.”

By being limited in what can be said to avoid controversy or backlash, comics will shy away from fringe material like race relations and gun deaths. Without the release of laughter, hostility will continue within already tense relations. Good-intentioned restrictiveness produces a strained attitude that perpetuates an unchanged situation with regard towards heated topics. When advocates subdue comics, it also includes those in minority groups. Limited in their jokes about the systematic injustices they face, this leaves said injustices without coverage from the human perspective, with all the heartless coverage of 24 hour news.

Our collective lexicon absolutely has an influence on humanity’s narrative. Comedic utilisations allow us to laugh at tragedies, events that are in no way funny, and feel a little bit empowered towards the things that hurt us. When interest groups call for an apology, they are calling for a comic’s head and encouraging self-censorship. Unless pressured by scrolls of Twitter accounts to say sorry, it’s unlikely that a targeted comic will budge.

Once the admonishments pile and reach their places of work however, they will have to issue a statement of regret. Often neither employee nor employer truly agrees with the pitchforks and torches, but to keep their jobs they abide. This is where it gets frightening. Witnessing this public reprimanding of their friends and co-workers, comedians will self-censor their material so that they don’t get the fifty lashes.

Notable comedian Chris Rock attests, “if you think you don’t have room to make mistakes, it’s going to lead to safer, gooier stand-up. You can’t think the thoughts you want to think if you think you’re being watched.” Being a generation that prides itself on progressive convictions, we would be remiss to resemble any part of 1984’s most terrifying omens. To be clear, it is not the voicing of concern that causes this, but rather the punishing—by way of cutting off income—that leads to ideologically-justified bowdlerism.

Political correctness—the scrupulous desire to have everyone on equal footing, is especially concentrated in university campuses. Students don’t immediately set out to suppress, but heightened awareness caused by monitoring peers and exclusion anxiety creates a neo-Puritanical environment that self-enforces a dangerous conformity. Universities are supposed to be a marketplace of ideas, where minds can blossom and come into contact with other viewpoints. And they still can, we just have to remember that art imitates life. If the image we see isn’t pretty, it is because it is reflecting life. Concentrate on fixing life—don’t blame the art.

Will tax credits unstick Cameron’s slick style?

Written by George Bolton on . Posted in Opinion.

Two weeks ago in Prime Minister’s Questions, a clear clash between the politics of the new and old occurred. Jeremy Corbyn’s trademark straight-talking, honest politics were on clear display as he repeatedly asked the prime minister if three million people would be worse off after the impending cuts to tax credits—even with the chancellor succumbing to the overwhelming pressure to “soften the blow.” In the long-term, however, George Osborne’s future prospects may well benefit from the fact that the House of Lords have hindered the progress of his harsh reforms. As for Corbyn, he now has the prime minister on the back foot. His confident and passionate stubbornness of the issue could win some Conservative voters back if they feel betrayed by these hidden cuts.

David Cameron’s sleek, Blair-esque knack for dodging difficult questions proved extremely effective during the general election campaign, but the public’s patience is wearing thin. At no point was this clearer than recently on Question Time, when an enraged, Tory-voting mother expressed her feelings of disgust and betrayal. Before the general election, not even Jeremy Paxman could destabilise the electorate’s evident confidence in Cameron, even when food banks were the subject matter. Now, the tide is changing. The vague and slippery technique that both Blair and Cameron mastered (and Miliband not so much) is rapidly becoming a political burden. Like with all tricks, after a while, the audience is beginning to catch on.

This is manifesting itself in two main ways. First of all in Prime Minister’s Questions, in which the juxtaposition between Cameron and Corbyn’s speaking style was blindingly obvious. Replying to the Leader of the Opposition’s question: “Will you confirm right now the tax credit cuts will not make anyone worse off in April next year?” Cameron could only reply “What we want is for people to be better off because we are cutting their taxes and increasing their pay.” This obvious inability, or unwillingness, to honestly answer an incredibly important question surely could erode the reputation of the prime minister.

During the bewildering election campaign, this sidestepping of questions comes in handy because in this period, it is the words that matter most. When it comes to the incomes of the poorest working people in the country, however, no amount of spin can save the Government. This is something that even Tory backbenchers recognise, such as Heidi Allen, MP for South Cambridgeshire, who vigilantly argued: “As these proposals stand, too many people will be adversely affected.” Allen’s defiance showed uncharacteristic cracks appearing around the Conservative Party’s economic policy.

We only have to look back to Margaret Thatcher’s Poll Tax disaster to remind ourselves of what can happen if an overconfident prime minister is blinded by a grand vision and overlooks both backbenchers and public opinion. If these reforms did go ahead in their original form they could have very well caused serious damage to Cameron and Osborne’s credibility. Of course, Cameron is far more conscientious than the Iron Lady, and is no doubt quietly grateful for the House of Lords veto in light of the recent political outcry.

These tax credit reforms are a major focal point for Cameron’s second term. If he wants to prove to the electorate that his party really is that of the “working people,” cutting the income of three million families by an average of £550 per year is, to put it lightly, a step in the wrong direction.

Trust is also a major issue here; a key mistake of Blair’s government was to promise to not raise income tax, and then proceed to cut marriage tax credits and raise VAT. This quickly turned Blair’s charm from an appeal into a vice. The same could feasibly happen to Cameron. These sneaky and deceptive tactics that have become the norm in recent politics have and will continue to erode the public’s trust in political parties.

To claim that tax credits is a hurdle for Cameron and Osborne however, is far from doubting the ability of the dynamic duo to recover from such a setback. As Thatcher proved in her first term, it is possible to infuriate the electorate, reverse unpopular policies and restore popularity all within four years. Similarly, to applaud Corbyn’s effectiveness in Prime Minister’s Questions is far from arguing that he could go on to win the next general election. Corbyn has proved himself an effective speaker with strong principles—but this is not enough on its own. These qualities may merely be, as many have claimed, those of a “protest politician.” It will prove to be the make or break of Corbyn’s Labour whether or not he will be able to exploit the current wobbles of the government.

Public shaming on social media

Written by Jen Borland on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Social media can be used as a platform upon which we can discuss and debate our way into a brighter, more tolerant future. But what happens when an individual suddenly finds themselves exposed to the scathing opinions of millions of its users?

New York woman Jennifer Connell is a recent victim of this exposure. Connell came under attack after news came to light that she had issued a $127,000 lawsuit against her 12-year-old nephew for breaking her wrist with an overly enthusiastic hug.

Cue social media eruption. Thousands shared the story on Facebook and many Tweeted their disgust, along with the hashtag #worstauntever. Countless strangers publicly shamed her online, calling her ‘World’s Worst Aunt’, ‘Aunt From Hell’ and ‘The Auntie-Christ’. One Twitter user claimed that they wish she had broken her neck instead. Within a few days, Jennifer Connell found herself being demonised and vilified relentlessly by the online community.

However, details about the case eventually emerged that cast a different light on Connell’s motivations. Her insurance company offered her only $1 compensation to cover her extortionate medical bills, so following her lawyer’s advice, she reluctantly issued a lawsuit against her nephew. The compensation would have been paid by an insurance company, not by the boy himself. So, in actual fact, she was forced to take legal action in order to pay for her surgery.

Connell described the social media uproar on the US Today show as “heartbreaking,” saying it was like “walking into a film of someone else’s life.” In fact, the story did have a fictional element to it, as though it had been moulded to form a neat, familiar narrative. Connell plays the antagonistic ‘evil aunt’, reminiscent of the ‘evil stepmother’ character trope from fairy tales.

Social media becomes a pantomime, and we become the audience, booing and hissing the villains off the stage. We form a powerful collective; the Keyboard Warriors, fighting injustice and bringing down the bad guys. A woman is suing her nephew, you say? A helpless boy, betrayed by his greedy, evil aunt? Bring her to justice! Pitchforks and popcorn at the ready!

Jennifer Connell, like all of us, isn’t perfect. But does she really deserve to be torn down by an avalanche of misinformed, misdirected abuse by millions of strangers? The fact that she was forced to file a lawsuit against a 12-year-old boy is outrageous. Wouldn’t it be more progressive if we could capture this outrage and direct it towards the real culprits? Let’s not attack a desperate woman who can’t afford to pay for necessary surgery, but the system that puts a $127,000 price tag on a broken wrist. In vilifying individuals like Connell, we are letting the real villains get away.

How about we put down the pitchforks and use social media to bring about positive change instead? It’s about time we closed the curtain on public shaming once and for all.

Legal highs: Worth the risk?

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Lifestyle.

The subject of legal highs is one that has long been debated amongst politicians, medical specialists and the media alike; however, how many of us really understand just how much of a danger such substances can pose? Police incidents involving those under the influence of legal highs have more than doubled over the past two years—a fact that has been highlighted by recent circulation of alarming footage showing the distressing effects that the drugs can inflict upon a person’s body. Earlier this month, Cheshire Police released a video clip that clearly illustrates a man opening a packet, collapsing soon after consuming the contents, and later having to be helped into an ambulance.

Officially branded as “new psychoactive substances,” legal highs are designed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis by being constructed according to slight molecular-level changes allowing them to evade anti-drug laws, most specifically the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971). Because of these minor tweaks, the substances are legally able to be sold on both websites and in high-street shops across the country. Although technically it is prohibited to market legal highs as being fit for human consumption, many vendors get around this hiccup by advertising products such as Cherry Bomb, Spice, Pandora’s Box and Gogaine as inconspicuous items like plant food, incense and bath salts.

Although appealing as it may be to experience a high without the risk of getting caught, it is also highly important to remember that the word ‘legal’ is not synonymous with the word ‘safe’. Senior paramedic for North West Ambulance Service, Wayne Pemberton, said: “These substances are not designed for human consumption and people should not be fooled into thinking they are safe because of their nickname.

“I myself have witnessed a change in the extremity of the symptoms presented in people who have taken these ‘legal highs,’ such as hallucination, unconsciousness and even respiratory arrest and, since we have no idea what chemicals have gone into the drugs, it can be difficult to know how to treat these patients.”

Thus, remember, with Warehouse Project in full swing and the party season drawing ever closer, be careful with the substances that you might be offered, legal or not—most of the time there’s no way of knowing what you could be putting into your body.

Death by burrito

Written by Eva Katz on . Posted in Food & Drink.

As Almost Famous’s sister restaurant, Luck, Lust, Liquor and Burn has some big shoes to fill. Tex Mex with a filthy Mancunian twist—the menu is overloaded with mouth-watering dishes, from burgers to burritos that you’ll be spoilt for choice over. The decor, based on Hunter S. Thompson’s book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, has a grungy, Mexican vibe. Whilst the red festoon lighting creates the ambience of a bar even with daylight streaming through the windows, graffiti-decorated panels cover its walls, creating a sense of chaos; yet there is a harmony between each and every aspect. Nothing looks out of place. From the bar stools to the sticker-covered fridges, they all fit in with the theme.

Food envy here is inevitable. This festival of meat encompasses all the brilliant reasons for the marriage that is Tex Mex. Whatever you order, there will be at least two other options that came close runners-up. My companion, Rosie, and I ordered the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños to start. Blinded by choice and hunger, we did not scan the menu with adequate scrutiny to be tempted by the many other delectable options. So when the ‘Easy Rider’ starter sharing platter arrived at our neighbouring table, it had barely been put down before Rosie blurted “CAN WE GET ‘CHICKEN BLASTS’ PLEASE?!” And thus, our order grew.

Upon arrival of our food, we were practically clapping with joy. The sheer size of Rosie’s ‘Big Easy’ left me wondering how on earth such a small person could consume that much burrito as, I quote “it’s the size of my face!” An advert-worthy Big Mac Meal (chips and all) all rolled into one with some cheesy goodness and a little spice to boot, this burrito is definitely more Tex than Mex.

Now to give you an idea of the experience that was the Hawaiian BBQ chicken blasts (also available with a spicy sauce)… Upon tasting these boneless strips, drowned in a sumptuous sticky Hawaiian BBQ sauce and accompanied by sour cream, Rosie—a self professed chicken connoisseur—reacted with: “I like to think I know what’s good but these are great!” The ‘Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños’ didn’t go down too badly either. Resembling green pigs in blankets, these oddly felt healthier than the fried alternatives; however, shoving an entire morsel into your mouth at once is not recommended, even if the action does result in a spicy, tangy, salty taste explosion.

As indecisive as ever, I selected the F Bomb, a half-and-half burrito designed for the fussy eaters of the world. One half dirty chicken and one half crispy beef, it was the perfect combination. The chicken half took the role of a light partner to its rich beefy sibling. If you’re not a spice lover, then the F Bomb may not be for you—and that’s coming from somebody who drizzles tabasco over her scrambled eggs in the morning. I was forced to alternate between each half, using the ‘cooling ranch’ sauce to douse the fire in my mouth. For those more adventurous punters, I would recommend the Taco Roulette, a sharing platter containing a selection of tacos with one taco drenched in hot sauce, this dish will be sure to blow somebody’s mind.

But be warned, Luck, Lust, Liquor and Burn is certainly not the spot you want to choose for a quick bite to eat, but rather the kind of place where you’d choose to miss the meal before to leave more room for a cheeky side. The sole downside to this establishment is the tongue-twisting riddle of its name, which makes it difficult to recommend verbally without sufficient practice (it took me roughly eight times to get it right).

Luck, Lust, Liquor & Burn,
100-102 High St,
Manchester
M4 1HP