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Day: 14 December 2016

Live: Peter Doherty

Written by Alexander Corns on . Posted in Music.

7th of December at Albert Hall

7.5/10

It’s 21:30, and quips about whether Peter Doherty will even appear have become legitimate concerns. His support, Jack Jones of Welsh band Trampolene, started his set of hilariously surreal spoken poetry (topics ranging from ketamine to Poundland) by reassuring fans that Peter was here, in a not-so-subtle reference to the Libertines frontman’s infamously unreliable past. Regardless, the crowd is restless.

Doherty eventually appears and one thing’s certain: he’s drunk. As he stumbles to the microphone and begins mumbling acoustic ‘She Is Far’ from latest album Hamburg Demonstrations, one fan exclaims, “exactly how I like him!”. This is the unique appeal Doherty has: fans don’t want him sober and totally coherent – they want a performance, and Doherty, launching into fan-favourite ‘Albion’ and joined by his band (including Jones and Babyshambles bassist Drew McConnell), is happy to oblige.

Excluding one unfinished anecdote, he doesn’t talk to the audience, instead joking with each band-member, attempting to play glockenspiel (used spectacularly in ‘I Don’t Love Anyone’), drumkit (playful in ‘The Whole World Is Our Playground’) and violin to various degrees of success. Jones comes across as the proud son vying for a father’s approval and the sense of comradeship within his entourage is obvious.

Libertines song ‘You’re My Waterloo’ is a real highlight. A beautiful song anyway, but in this dimly lit, intimate venue it feels ethereal. ‘Hell to Pay at the Gates of Heaven’, a contrastingly upbeat tribute to the Bataclan attack victims is one of Doherty’s strongest performances of the night. Between his own songs, Doherty causes fervour, teasing the opening of classic ‘What Katie Did’ and covering multiple tracks, notably a fantastic medley intertwining The Velvet Underground’s ‘Ride into the Sun’ and Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. A two-line cover, startlingly, is of 50 Cent’s ‘P.I.M.P.’

Occasionally, the noodling threatens to kill the mood, but this danger is quickly extinguished as an encore featuring ‘Black Boy Lane’ and ‘Up the Bracket’ causes all hell to break loose as a mosh pit forms. The evening concludes with an intense, unintentionally acapella version of ‘Fuck Forever’ – Albert Hall’s curfew had been reached – but Doherty, clearly delighted with a brilliant crowd, has one more surprise, as he crowd-surfs in a throwback to the ‘good old days’ of early Libertines gigs.

Was Doherty in control throughout? Possibly. This was a messy, chaotic, unstructured gig, no more evident than when he decided to throw his mic stand into the crowd, initiating a minor brawl for memorabilia. It was unnecessary, childish, potentially dangerous and something we don’t see enough of anymore in an age of health and safety. This is rock ‘n’ roll. And nobody is more ingrained into its spirit than Peter Doherty.

Review: The Infinite Monkey Cage

Written by Megan Harvey on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

If you are a scientist of any kind, or a middle-aged married couple in your 50s, then you will likely know of the prize-winning radio program The Infinite Monkey Cage on Radio 4. The show is hosted weekly by renowned rockstar-turned-physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince, and is known for bringing complex topics relating to physics and other sciences into the comfort of people’s homes in relatable and simple ways.

The show has recently taken to pre-recording in scientific sites around the UK and was recently at the Museum of Science and Industry, where Cox and Ince were joined by comedian Russell Kane, physicist Dr Helen Czerski, and engineer Professor Danielle George. This week’s topic surrounded domestic science, and how people can bring science into their own home with simple household objects.

The overall tone was that everyone needs to realise how much science is in our daily lives. For example, Helen Czerski showed how simple it is to teach kids about Archimedes’ Principle and “bubble physics” using only raisins and a bottle of lemonade to create a budget lava-lamp which can distract you from your essay deadlines for hours.

Russell Kane brought a breath of comedic fresh air when things got a bit too physics-y, discussing the prospects of household technology and how the iPhone 7 “can’t plug in headphones, but makes a nice espresso with an app you can download”. But underneath all the jokes, he makes an interesting point that we are “spoiled brats of technology living in a disposable society”, and that the average person has no clue how our phones and other gadgets work. For example, did you know your iPhone contains over 50 per cent of the elements on the periodic table?

However, Danielle George defended humanity, claiming that with new games a technology such as the Raspberry Pi and Minecraft, were starting to teach kids to peel back the layers and start to love science again. She also brought along with her an awesome “Floppy Disk Orchestra” which played different tunes, such as the Imperial March (or Donald Trump’s song as Brian claims), just to show that something as seemingly boring as motor movement can actually be rather awesome.

It was great to see the show in action, and once you Google what entropy is to remind yourself of your GCSE Physics, it is a brilliant show that brings science into the public sphere in a way anyone can understand, whist giving us a great laugh in the process.

Album: Childish Gambino – Awaken, My Love

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Music.

Released December 2nd via Glassnote

7/10

Donald Glover has flourished in 2016 with his casting as Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Han Solo Star Wars spinoff alongside his critically acclaimed show Atlanta. Now, Glover — aka Childish Gambino — is back with a brand new album. Straying away from the almost juvenile rap of his previous projects, this latest effort is heading in a new direction.

Although hinted at in his Stn Mtn mixtape, Awaken, My Love is straight vintage funk. Gambino carefully creates a unique and easily distinguishable barrier between himself and others reviving seventies funk of old such as Chance the Rapper. There is clear inspiration drawn from the likes of Eddie Hazel and Bootsie Collins, the latter of which he samples in the track ‘Redbone’. Perhaps the worst aspect of the album is that it might make up the subtotal of his escapades in the genre.

Even though Gambino is toying with an older sound, he approaches it with new production using electronic elements such as autotune, which is applied very tastefully. The instrumental talent is notable, using clean percussion beside funky bass riffs, as well as some exceedingly well-executed solos. Overall the music production is spotless, but also very diverse, with the sensual ‘Redbone’ among darker songs such as ‘Zombies’ and ballads like ‘Baby Boy’.

The flow of this album is worthy of praise with a distinct separation in tone between the first and second halves. The first half, with its energetic and punchy songs contrast beautifully with the deeper and more emotional tracks on the second. Gambino seems to be heading towards a more developed sound than his previous material, however the two are not entirely comparable due to the change in genre. The lyricism especially has seen a large shift in maturity, from references to issues for black men in today’s America on the track ‘Boogieman’ to talk of the crumbling relationship with his child’s mother on the track ‘Baby Boy’.

Nevertheless, there are some flaws with the album, primarily the track ‘California’. The vocals are strained and overly autotuned leading to an irritating moaning sound which is disappointing due to the potential in the funky keyboard and bass riffs. Furthermore, Gambino sometimes overwhelms the accompaniment in songs such as ‘Boogieman’ in a manner which is reminiscent of his previous work and the track ‘Riot’ seems underwritten and ends suddenly, which throws away the initial promise it creates.

Awaken, My Love demonstrates the versatility of Gambino in entering a new genre. Whilst not being perfect, there is ground to believe that this project is able to hold its own against more established funk and soul artists such as Anderson .Paak. There is a solid basis for expansion in future work and it would be a crying shame if we see this genre abandoned in his return to rap.

Live: Honeyblood

Written by Nancy Colbert on . Posted in Music.

2nd December at Deaf Institute

7.5/10

Honeyblood’s sold out show was the penultimate of a tour showcasing new album Babes Never Die, first album to feature drummer Cat Murphy. For those not knowing what to expect, the Scottish duo threw them straight into the deep end with the fast paced and feisty, ‘Ready for the Magic’, the first single off the new album. From here, the foundations for a lively and exciting show had been laid.

The intimate venue was perfectly matched to their modest set and emphasised how refreshingly simple the duo’s arrangement is — a guitar and drum kit is all this band needs.  Whist the pair have gained a following over the last few years, they are still far from established which laces their performance with a sense of gratitude. In every song, you could see how thankful they were that the audience had taken time to come and see them. This was especially clear when singer Stina Tweeddale stopped during the chorus of ‘Cruel’, joking afterwards that the songs were so new “it’s nice when you remind us”.

The room filled with the familiar ‘girl power’ attitude heard throughout the albums. It was hard to resist the empowering chorus of ‘Super Rat’ as the crowd found themselves shouting along “I will hate you forever.” Title track ‘Babes Never Die’ gained the biggest welcome and even prompted a mosh pit in the small crowd. If the speedy guitar riffs and heavy drum beats had not already got people moving, these songs definitely did the trick.

Ending the show on energetic ‘Killer Bangs’, Honeyblood left no doubt that they are ones to watch in indie rock. From planned tracks to a spontaneous song about merch girl Hazel, the talent of the band shone through with a charisma you know will lead them to success. It felt special to see Honeyblood in this small venue as it won’t be long before they are onto bigger and better things.

Last Tango in Paris abuse allegations resurfaced

Written by Jake Sanders on . Posted in Film.

This week information about the abuse suffered by Maria Schneider during the filming of Last Tango In Paris has reemerged.

In a 2013 interview, director Bernardo Bertolucci discussed conspiring with Marlon Brando to not inform the then 19 year old Schneider that Brando was going to smear her with a stick of butter, which, in the film, would function as a makeshift sexual lubricant. Some of the more recently published articles have been written with the suggestion that Brando went on to have penetrative sex with Schneider, which is not the case, and is likely to do with the long-standing rumour that the sex in the film was not simulated.

Regardless, Brando and Bertolucci’s behaviour is a clear example of the way men in powerful positions abuse women in vulnerable ones. Similarly to the controversy surrounding Nate Parker this year, the renewed response to this information highlights exactly how much the conversation around sexuality and consent has moved forwards. Whereas once upon a time, Bertolucci might have been able to pass off the incident as a controversial, but bold, artistic choice, we now see it for what it is: two men, who were aged 48 and 36 at the time, violating and demeaning a teenager.

Like the woman who accused Parker of rape (who has not been named), Schneider’s life was marred with difficulties. Parker’s accuser took her own life in 2012 and Schneider fell into drug addiction and attempted suicide before dying from cancer at age 58 in 2011. Though whether or not there is a direct correlation these women’s abuse and their struggles later in life is open to interpretation, their tragic lives contrast massively with Brando and Bertolucci’s who have never really having had to atone for their actions.

Brando died in 2004 and is remembered as a legend who transformed cinema, his behaviour during Last Tango is barely a footnote in a long, storied career. Bertolucci might have a difficult couple of weeks trying to explain himself to the press, but eventually the uproar will die down and his life will return to normal, his legacy having already been secured by his impressive body of work and the critical acclaim that has accompanied it.

Though Parker’s case is complicated by issues surrounding his race, campus rape-culture and the fact that his career is now most likely over, the Last Tango controversy is part of a wearying history of men in privileged positions abusing the power they have over women, and getting away with it.

Live: VANT

Written by Amy Matthews on . Posted in Music.

1st December at Academy 1

8/10

London’s VANT don’t even have an album out yet, but they’ve gained a mass of fans and support slots with some of the best live acts around — Biffy Clyro, Catfish and the Bottlemen and You Me at Six, to name but a few. Tonight, the band are supporting Essex rockers Nothing But Thieves on a three-date sold-out mini-tour after just completing a triumphant headline tour of their own. The band are in good spirits, storming onto the stage with ‘The Answer’ followed by ‘Welcome to the Wonderful World of Berners Lee’ — their presence is so loud, its hard not to be captivated.

Introducing themselves with the line “hi, we’re VANT and we’re from Planet Earth”, they play recent single and fan favourite ‘Peace & Love’, Annie Mac’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’. This receives a joyous reaction: the crowd roars, throwing their hands in the air. ‘Birth Certificate’ sees lead singer Mattie Vant look like every inch of the frontman, throwing himself around the stage. “It’s an absolute pleasure to be back in Manchester” he chimes. After thanking Nothing But Thieves for bringing them on tour, the band launch into ‘Karma Seeker’ — one of their most popular songs to date, sounding like it was made for a Bond film, it’s unsurprising that a sea of camera phones appear with people screaming the lyrics aloud.

Mattie takes a moment to address the crowd about the recent sexual harassment of girls at gigs — “this song is about understanding other people’s boundaries…fucking respect each other and don’t be a fucking dickhead”. Gaining enormous cheers, this message really shines through when they play ‘Parking Lot’ with such lyrics including “just admire her” — after all, going to a gig should be a stress-free environment where people can let their hair down without fear of harassment. It’s refreshing to see bands like VANT address this, which has most recently been bought to light by the internet campaign ‘Girls Against’.

Before finishing their short 30-minute set, Mattie thanks the crowd and concludes “peace and love, and have a wonderful night”. The band proceed to play ‘Fly-By Alien’ and finish on ‘Do You Know Me’ — the crowd are off, the centre of the crowd is going wild, and bodies are being thrown from pillar to post with hands flying everywhere. VANT will be playing at Gorilla in March for their Dumb Blood album tour which may seem like a long wait for fans, but after tonight’s performance it will be worth the wait.

Interview: VANT

Written by Amy Matthews on . Posted in Music, Theatre.

My interview with VANT takes place before their main support slot with Southend’s Nothing But Thieves. I am a little earlier than anticipated, the band have just finished their pre-sound check jog. Still in high spirits, singer Mattie Vant and guitarist Henry Eastham are excited for tonight’s show after a “wild” set in Birmingham the night before, “we broke them down” Mattie recalls and “converted a few” in the process. That’s the joy of a support slot — you have to work hard to get the crowd onside, gaining new fans along the way. Reflecting on previous gigs with You Me at Six and their own headline tour, “it’s been a very busy couple of months…It’ great, we love it” says Henry.  “That’s exactly what you want as a band, playing to new people, new faces and in new places…it’s been wicked” chimes Mattie.

Reminiscing about their headline tour and their biggest headline show at London’s Scala, it is clear the band are still on a high from Tuesday night, “I really, really enjoyed the show… its seems so surreal” Henry recalls, “It was great!”.

Reflecting on Mattie’s stage dive, he said “I did a crowd walk…they did catch me” thank goodness. The band seem excited to play Manchester, the last time they came to visit was as part of October’s Neighbourhood Festival at Sound Control. “There was so much energy” chimes Henry. Before then, they played Deaf Institute in April: “That was incredible…one of the best shows we’ve ever done!” cites Mattie. It seems that Manchester has always been good to the band, reflecting on a support slot at the legendary Ritz with FIDLAR last year the band told me “it was crazy”. It’s clear that a Manchester crowd never lets the band down.

Mattie describes their band’s sound as “sagacious, esoteric punk rock,” and when speaking about their most recent single PEACE & LOVE, written after the Paris attacks in November, he told me “it’s the most ballady song we’ve had so far…. It gives us a different dynamic in the set”. Although a sad song, its meaning remains stronger than ever; “it’s nice to play a song that people know the words to.” Following on from this, we speak about  ‘Freedom of Movement’ a phrase that is written all over VANT’s speakers  during their live performances. Mattie explains that it’s a protest to Theresa May’s stance on immigration, “it’s a direct opposition to Theresa May saying if you are a citizen of the world you are a citizen of nowhere” everything that VANT stand against, it’s clear that politics has a huge influence on their sound and demeanour as a band.

The band are all based in London and met at a death metal club night in Putney. Mattie hails from Sunderland, Henry from Blackpool, drummer David ‘Greenie’ Green is from Gateshead and bassist Billie Morris is from Swansea, they all developed the desire to move to the big city and escape their hometowns after travelling to major cities to watch live gigs.  Moving to London “gives you the best possible chance to pursue music and succeed” chimes Mattie. Henry echoes this, “the opportunities are so much greater…there’s so many shows… so much going on… there’s so many bands it’s a great scene.”

After touring with Nothing but Thieves, the band have a hectic schedule, including travelling across Europe before they take some time off for Christmas. In the new year, the band will release their debut album DUMB BLOOD on the 17th of February . The title “is inspired by the comment of a silent generation and the potential that this generation has to change the world, we want to wake people up and that’s the point of the record” and is done and ready to go. I’m told the album will contain a mix of old and new material and Mattie confirms that “all the singles will be on there.” Result.  The band have recently released new tour dates for February and March next year: “We’ve been building up to this” says Mattie “every time we announce a tour its bigger venues.” With plans to travel to the USA in the new year, it’s going to be an exciting and busy year for VANT. One thing is for sure, there are great things to come for VANT watch this space.

Review: Bleed For This

Written by Eloïse Wright on . Posted in Film.

Bleed for This is the kind of film every actor ends up doing, requiring months of physical training and working on an accent, in this case that of the archetypal Italian-American. Here is the first indication that Scorsese has something to do with the movie, set in Providence, Rhode Island. Director Ben Younger constructs a superb juxtaposition of sound and visuals that flawlessly bring this boxing legend to life.

Immediately thrown into one of the many heated moments during Vinnie Pazienza’s career, as the close-up camera shots evoke the intended effects, the audience is already rooting for the “Pazmanian Devil”. Half an hour into the film Pazienza is already in a situation which would usually be the main plot line of the customary apparition of hurdles, the confrontation of them and finally the overcoming of them. The choice of Teller to portray Pazienza is an interesting one, having experienced a car crash himself. Not unlike prior films such as The Spectacular Now and Whiplash, the role of Vinnie requires him to re-live an all too familiar brutal situation. The effects of the car crash are critical, doctors conclude that the road to recovery is going to be along and gruelling one. Lying still and patched up in a hospital bed, Pazienza asks “When will I be able to fight again?”, only to be met with the pitifully toned doctor’s diagnosis that he “can’t say for sure that you’ll be able to walk again”. The medieval contraption he is presented with is somewhat ironically called a “halo”, consisting of a circular piece of metal and no less than four metal bolts screwed into his skull.

Even if the ending is predictable, what keeps the audience hooked is the simple fact that this is a true story. Teller’s performance is demonstrative of his capacity to evolve and flourish as an empowering male lead. Matched to this level of talent is the surprisingly well-cast role of Aaron Eckhart as Pazienza’s trainer Kevin, a role which showcases Eckhart’s versatility as an actor. The relationship between Vinnie and Kevin finds its balance in the mutual understanding that the only worthwhile outcome of this ordeal is to accept that quitting boxing is no life for Vinnie. Carefully starting up training again surreptitiously in the household’s basement under the nose of his father played by the gifted Ciaran Hinds (starred as Julius Caesar in the Rome BBC miniseries), he eventually discovers their covert actions, and is initially deeply hurt, that his “Champ” is now forced to lie and risk everything for the one and only way he knows how to live — to be a boxer. Pazienza’s Father brings the true essence of the Scorsese elements to the film, alongside the overtly religious Italian-American housewife.

It is almost as frustrating for the viewer as it is for Pazienza to have gone through the pain and effort to get to his healed physical status and, of course, finding that no one is willing to risk being the person “who put Vinnie Paz back in hospital”. Younger portrays Vinnie’s comeback to perfection, making an ending that is already known into a euphoric triumph that rightly situates Bleed for This amongst other great boxing movies, maybe not as an equal, but a definite addition to the amalgam.

Where there are subtle flaws in the lack of depth to the script, this biopic is not about a complicated situation, in the sense that our main protagonist is faced with circumstances in which he must give or lose everything — as Pazienza puts it, “it’s that simple”.