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Day: 6 November 2017

Album Review: Jessie Ware – Glasshouse

Written by Charlie Maudsley on . Posted in Music.

Jessie Ware’s return to pop music has been, although long-awaited, somewhat understated.

The 33-year-old singer’s third album Glasshouse is Ware’s first album since giving birth, and so naturally fans speculated as to how the songstress’ music would evolve after her journey into motherhood.

Although the album contains hints of the style and flair that Ware is celebrated for, Glasshouse seems to miss the oomph of previous works in Devotion and Tough Love.

Glasshouse does have its stand-out moments, most notably with the lead single ‘Midnight’ which packs that well-needed punch with powerful vocals to kick-start the beginning of a seemingly spectacular return for the singer.

Although the album’s second single ‘Selfish Love’ doesn’t achieve the effect of the first, the sultry Spanish-flavoured song offers a new dimension to the London-born girl that fans may not have experienced before. Ware also offers a Spanish-translated version of the song as a stand-alone track, aptly naming it ‘Egoísta’ as she shows off both her vocal and bilingual abilities.

Nevertheless, Glasshouse leaves us feeling bitterly underwhelmed with few tracks delivering the spark that has seemed so easy for Ware to kindle in the past.

Perhaps Glasshouse’s lack of flair is best captured in the album’s most recent single ‘Alone.’ Needless to say, Jessie contributes stellar vocals to the track, yet this still doesn’t save it from the flavourless production and predictable delivery, which is regrettably apparent throughout a lot of the album.

Having said this, fans still have the chance to enjoy the vivacity that Jessie has loyally served in past albums through ‘Stay Awake, Wait For Me,’ the album’s third track. Supported by a magnificently soothing saxophone melody, Ware asks her lover to stay the night in a passionate display of affection and desire.

Finally, although in a form dissimilar from her previous albums, the singer delivers the zing that her fans have been longing for.

Of course, with every album release, Jessie Ware never fails to deliver a list of quality songs that become staple records of her career. However, Glasshouse’s list of stand-out tracks seems to be damningly short in comparison to previous releases, which leaves listeners with a feeling of disappointment that overshadows the success of the album’s highlights.

6/10

New curation platform to help students organise work

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

A Manchester-based start up company have launched a new platform to help students organise revision and research.

Wakelet, the content curation platform based in Spinningfields in Central Manchester, have created a platform which allows students to turn groups of links into a singular interactive collection which can either be kept private or public.

The platform allows students to create a profile where they can organise their content into collections called “wakes”, and content include podcasts of lectures, revision notes, YouTube videos, academic papers or newspaper articles.

Misbah Gedal, Head of Marketing of Wakelet, said: “We all remember what it was like trying to revise back in uni — dozens of open tabs, your exam is around the corner, and everyone else seems to know exactly what they are doing! By using Wakelet to organise their research, students will feel less overwhelmed and should have a much easier time revising!”

James Shuttleworth, a third year Geography student at the University of Manchester, told The Mancunion: “While I’ve been working on my dissertation and coursework essays, I use multiple different sources be that academic papers, newspaper articles, book extracts — basically, a lot of different content.

“I often need flick between different sources during writing or revision and so I end up having several different tabs open at once which can get quite confusing.  Wakelet is really useful as I could organise all my content in one place.”

James’ comments were echoed by Mark Brown, a third-year medicine student at the University of Manchester, who said: “I spend way too much time searching for resources and then when I loose them its so frustrating, especially when I can’t remember the name of a website.

“Wakelet is useful because when you save a link it also saves a picture and that makes it easier to recognise. Its nice to have one link that I can use to share my resources and also separating links based on which project I am working on at the time is super convenient.”

Misbah Gedal indicated that these comments were not rare and said: “The feedback that we’ve had from students so far is that Wakelet’s really helping them make sense of the units they are studying. There’s so much useful content on the internet, but there’s a lot of it! Our platform gives students the chance to save the best content into collections so that they know where to look later.”

“We’re really excited to help students realise the power of content curation”, said Misbah, adding that Wakelet “have plenty more features in the works!”

The curation platform is free to use and Wakelet insist the platform “will always be completely free to use.”

England U-17 bring home the World Cup from India

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

England’s incredible year in youth competition continued on Saturday as the Under-17’s pulled off a remarkable victory against Spain in the final of the World Cup in India. The trophy will join a host of others collected in 2017 so far including the Under-19’s European Championships and the Under-20’s World Cup.

The match was an exact repeat of the Under-17’s European Championships that took place in May. England looked certain to win the match as they were 2-1 up but six minutes into injury time substitute Nacho Diaz scored a header forcing the game into extra time.

Neither team managed to find the back of the net and so the game progressed to a penalty shootout. Naturally, fans became nervous at the sight of spot kicks, knowing only too well how badly the men’s team seem to perform in them. Just like the Under-21’s side in the Semi-Finals of their European Championships in June against Germany, the Under-17’s lost, only scoring with one of their penalties.

After picking themselves up and training for a few months it was then time to travel to India for the World Cup. A competition that had never been won in this age bracket by England. Their group draw was fortunate in being quite straightforward, playing games against Iraq, Mexico and Chile. The two favourites, Brazil and Spain, found themselves fighting for the top spot in their group.

After the dust settled on all three games England found themselves top of their group with nine points out of a possible nine. 11 goals were scored by seven different England players and expectations began to grow with the side truly looking like challengers for the title.

Controversy struck before their game against Japan as one of England’s star players, Jaden Sancho, was recalled by Borussia Dortmund. Formally a Manchester City youth player, he left the club in the hopes of playing first team football. This sparked a massive debate about whether England youth products should move to leagues that will better nurture their talent and give them crucial play time.

Sancho missed the remainder of the tournament and his reward for doing so was six minutes at the end of a 2-2 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt. The team played on but failed to find the back of the net in regulation or additional time and the game went to penalties. With the memory of the defeat to Spain still fresh in their mind they scored the penalty winning 5-3 and progressing to the Quarter-Finals.

When the team arrived in Margao it was the United States who waited for them. Unlike England though the US had already lost a game so far in the tournament to Colombia. As the full-time whistle blew they lost another one and were eliminated as the three lion’s roared to victory 4-1. Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster scored a hat-trick with the third, a penalty, being scored six minutes into injury time.

Not wanting to outdo himself Brewster scored another hat-trick in the Semi-Final against Brazil in a 3-1 win. England had less possession and fewer opportunities in the game but took their chances when they got them, knocking out one of the favourites.

And so they travelled to the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, where 67,000 fans packed in to see the game. For many of the players on both sides, this will be the biggest game they will ever play. Their opponents, Spain, arrived confident they could repeat the result earlier in the year.

The game initially looked like it was heading for disaster. Two goals in the opening 30 minutes by Serio Gomez pointed to a potential hammering for England. As half-time approached they needed something positive to take into the dressing room and once again Rhian Brewster came to the rescue just before the whistle blew to bring the game back to 2-1.

In the second half England looked a changed team, with Spain unable to cope. 12 minutes into the second half Steven Sessegnon provided his fifth assist, linking up with Morgan Gibbs White to tie the game up. The team knew that if they kept up the same quality they would emerge victorious and before the game ended three more goals were scored; Marc Geuhi got his first goal of the tournament and Philip Foden grabbed two.

Spain didn’t have a response and England ran out 5-2 winners. The World Cup was a tremendous success for both the England youth team and for football in India, with a whopping 1.3 million people attending the games, the highest in history.

The question now is can these youth successes be translated in men’s national trophies? The answer to that solely depends on how many first team games they can play. Tottenham’s Harry Winks and Liverpool’s Joe Gomez are both becoming staples in their respective teams’ sides, but not all Premier League sides are as nurturing of youth talent. Perhaps more players should take the same risk as Sancho, choosing foreign leagues for a higher chance of taking their game to the next level.

Event Review: Blue Monday – Bombay Bicycle Club DJ Set

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

Wednesday 25th September, Antwerp Mansion

What is Blue Monday?
Established back in January, Blue Monday boasts a night of indie, alternative, and rock, featuring resident and guest DJs and a live guitarist. Past events have featured DJ sets from Clint Boon — Inspiral Carpets, Radio X, South Club — and The Vaccines, returning to the Antwerp calendar around once every six weeks.

A great night for seekers of something alternative to traditional Antwerp nights, the event always attracts a varied crowd who don’t mind letting loose and having a dance.

What kind of music?
Textbook indie features regularly on the playlists, but peppered throughout are rock records, funk, soul, even 80s pop classics. It is a celebration of the old and new alternative scene, and does provide something for everyone’s taste.

Disco tunes go down well with the crowd, who seem to enjoy a momentary blast from the past; forget the mainstream, Blue Monday reminds you of tracks made for the dance floor.

Who are Bombay Bicycle Club?
The band formed in Crouch End, London in 2005, going on to secure a number one album position with So Long, See You Tomorrow. It was guitarist Jamie MacColl who took to the decks on Wednesday, but the set was far removed from the indie scene the boys are associated with.

What kind of vibe was it?
Antwerp’s resident DJ, who book-ended MacColl’s set, is a master of capturing an indie crowd with an eclectic array of tunes, ranging from The Libertines to The Clash, Oasis to Jamie T. It hyped the crowd for a natural progression into the origins of those best loved indie tracks, when MacColl took control after midnight.

His playlist revolved around soul, whether it was disco smash hits from the 70s, club anthems of the 80s or deep-rooted rock’n’roll. What cohesively bound the set was its constant fast-paced groove, which begged for some Michael Jackson hip movement.

Best record spun?
Tame Impala — ‘The Less I Know The Better’. That is, if you don’t count New Order – ‘Blue Monday’, which was inevitably played.

And there was more…
The in-house guitarist followed MacColl’s set with a passionate live solo, adding an extra dimension to the event and tinging the records with an exciting tangibility. Hardly needing Halloween décor, the Mansion was the perfect place for an alternative musical experience in dismal mid-October.

Is Blue Monday returning?
The event will inevitably return to Antwerp after the run of success this year; expect all-star DJs, funky sets and a groove to capture any alternative fan.

Look out for future Blue Monday events.

Interview: Rupert Rixon, founder of Perspective Pictures

Written by Tilly Gambarotto on . Posted in Features.

One would think that after skateboarding 3,000 miles across America, from Los Angeles to New York in two months, Rupert Rixon might have decided to take it easy for a while.

One might even assume that having recorded the whole journey to produce an epic feature-length documentary about the experience, Rupert might have been ready to look for a ‘real’ job.

Instead, two years later at age 22, Rupert is settling in to his role as the founder and CEO of Perspective Pictures, a creative video production company with a client base worth bragging about, including Google, HSBC, the Labour Party and UFC.

Naturally, The Mancunion wanted to know just how a budding video maker might have established his own business at an age where most of us are still struggling to operate a washing machine.

Projects, Rupert says, are the key to learning practical hands-on skills that employers value; “Come up with a project, work on it, and complete it. Make stuff. Start a company, run an event, whatever it is.” The young entrepreneur can’t emphasize enough the importance of practical, hands-on skills that employers crave, the skills acquired by completing internships or work experience as opposed to the theoretical approaches encouraged at university.

In looking at his journey to CEO, it is hard to ignore this advice. It was the preparation and planning needed for the trip across America, Rupert claims, with the added responsibility of “bringing on sponsors, sending out pitches, organising the whole thing, and leading a team” that equipped him with the confidence to start his own company.

University students investing unthinkable amounts of time and money into achieving a degree with the aim of making themselves more employable might find the news that Rupert chose not to pursue further education a bittersweet revelation.

For Rupert, however, “the experience of university, and what you make of it, is far more valuable than the degree on its own”. Students should take the time to get a flavour for various working environments and to assess the ways in which their skills could fit into a particular business.

“I work hard and try to surround myself with the right people” he answers, when asked about the differences between himself and his peers growing up; evidently, grades are not the only indicators of those who will go on to thrive in the competitive world of work.

For students who would like to quite literally follow in the illustrious footsteps of Mr Rixon, Perspective Pictures offers regular internship positions, a venture which Rupert believes to be “great for bringing new energy and ideas to the company and finding potential new team members”. It is important for businesses, he believes, to offer these opportunities to young people, provided they pay the minimum of expenses.

From an employer’s perspective, the business owner has some words of wisdom for those who might find themselves in his interview room; “When it comes to hiring, for me I base it almost entirely on personality and a variety of good work. Rather than just having education credits on their CV, being able to see that they have achieved things and gained experience is really appealing.”

As for his own career, Rupert has found the confines of Britain to be too restrictive for his big ambitions, and intends to expand Perspective Pictures and open an office in New York. In the meantime, young admirers will no doubt dream of their own illustrious career paths, dotted with the trip of a lifetime abroad and reaching an unlikely height in their early twenties. Who knows? To take Rupert’s advice might just be the first step to seeing this dream become a reality.

Perspective Pictures‘ website and information about upcoming internship opportunities can be found at http://www.perspectivepicturesfilms.com/.

An important three points as United reign supreme at Old Trafford

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

This is both teams’ biggest game of the season in terms of table position. Sitting joint second with 20 points from nine games, the only thing that separates Manchester United and Tottenham is United’s superior goal difference. They’ll have to overcome a recent goal drought if they want to have any chance of taking three points today.

Mourinho fields the best team he can given the injuries to players such as Fellaini and Pogba, opting for a 3-4-2-1. De Gea starts in goals with Bailly, Smalling and Jones making a back three. Valencia, Herrara, Matic and Young play in the centre of the park with Mkhitaryan as an attacking midfielder. Lukaku and Rashford play up front.

A bright start from Lukaku and Rashford almost connecting to score in the early stages of the game. Spurs are pressing hard to force United into one and two touch passing but they are not making any mistakes yet.

It seems, at least for now, that United have come to play attacking football. Against a Kane-less team and with the quality they possess, they must believe they can win this game especially considering Mourinho has won nine out of twelve games against Pochettino.

Pressure keeps piling on and if not for a fantastic last-ditch tackle Rashford would have been one on one with Lloris. Spurs seem somewhat taken aback by the intensity of play, forced into making uncharacteristic errors.

Spurs are taking more possession of the ball and are choosing to slow the game down in an attempt to thwart United’s sustained attack. They haven’t translated that possession into any real opportunities, with the only shot of merit from Alderweireld from 30 yards.

With an extra two players in the midfield for Spurs, United are finding it difficult to get the ball out from their back four. The only reasonable option is a long ball over the top but it requires precision to reach Lukaku and Rashford which has been lacking so far.

Ashley Young is trying to wind Dele Alli up in an attempt to get a physical reaction. It almost works as the two go nose to nose with multiple players from both sides getting involved. He and Aurier will be targets for United as they have very combustible personalities.

Tensions are rising and rising in the last ten minutes of the first half, real end to end stuff, although no big chances. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a well-established derby, crunching tackles and fans competition to chant the loudest. This is turning out far more entertaining than anyone would have expected.

So far no goals at Old Trafford and neither team looks favourite to win. The game may very well be decided by a defensive mistake and the substitutes, especially for United, could make the necessary difference. Rashford gets the second half underway with the intensity on the same level as the first.

The first ten minutes pass relatively uneventfully until a lunging Ben Davies stops a tap in from Rashford and seconds later Lukaku misses a tap in as well from two yards out. In the next 30 seconds, United have four or five shots but can’t find the back of the net.

Spurs are rattled and United are looking to pounce, charging players forward. Without possession they look dominant too, holding position well and keeping forcing the ball back to the Vertonghen or Alderwieleld.

If the game continues like this I can’t see how Spurs could cope against the fresh legs of Martial and Lingard. Pochettino makes a double substitution with Son and Sissoko coming off for Llorente and Demblele. It is a like for like, Mousa for Mousa replacement.

The first substitution is a predictable one for Mourinho with Mkhitaryan coming off for Lingard. Mkhitaryan hasn’t made much of an impact this game and Lingard’s fresh legs and bursts of pace will be dangerous against a tiring Tottenham defence.

Not one to make bold moves, Mourinho makes another well-worn substitution with Rashford for Martial. Rashford has been fantastic this game, dancing through the Spurs players, Martial makes a sudden impact trying a spectacular overhead kick that doesn’t quite come off.

Valencia gets a yellow for simulations trying to get a penalty. There was contact but the referee deems it not enough to go down. Just before a nice flick sends Lukaku through on goal. The shot would have gone into the side netting if not for a fantastic save by Lloris, the first big chance of the game.

The best chance Spurs have had all game comes to Delle Alli. As with most things he has tried to do it doesn’t come off and a roaring cheer rings around Old Trafford. The ball goes straight up the other end and a Lukaku header goes into the post. United look more likely to win but anything could happen in the last ten minutes.

United have scored twice as many goals in the last ten minutes as any other premier league team. Just as the clock ticks into the 80th minute Anthony Martial gets the ball from a Lukaku knockdown and, with a lot still to do, knocks it past Lloris. 1-0 United.

In the second of three minutes extra time Ashley Young comes off for Matteo Darmian, a change purely for the sake of wasting vital Spurs seconds. Young has put in a stellar performance being dangerous in attack and strong in defence.

The final whistle blows on a fantastic game at Old Trafford. United have five wins from five at home conceding zero goals and the result puts them three points clear of Spurs. Dropping of points in this match could have proved costly for the title race against City.

Art Exhibition raises hundreds of pounds for MASH

Written by Eleanor Forrest on . Posted in Arts.

Manchester Action on Street Health, more commonly known as MASH, held a successful exhibition in order to raise money and awareness for their cause which provides safe space for Manchester’s sex workers.

Set-up in 1991 to provide sexual health consultation, in the past year MASH has supported 713 women across Manchester. The exhibition showcased the talent of these women, with many people arriving at the drop in centre specifically to support MASH.

As you entered the exhibition room, you’re eyes were met with an abundance of colour. Lining the walls were pieces that included expressive poetry and intricate images that evoked themes of tumult and beauty.

Amongst this was a number of impressive pieces of photography by Shari Denson, who had previously photographed the likes of Elbow. However it was her images of Crosby Beach, Liverpool that were strikingly emotive.

Whilst incorporating Anthony Gormley’s Another Place sculptures, Denson rendered what initially seemed to be a vacant and bleak landscape with emotive expressions of freedom and tranquillity.

Accompanying this imagery was a poignant passage by Denson stating that “As Humans we are all quite similar, yet depending on external forces appear so different”

The art on display were all available for purchase with all proceeds going to MASH. In an effort to further raise money the illusive artist that is Mancsy donated a bold and powerful piece. It depicted Emmeline Pankhurst with her quote ‘I WOULD RATHER BE A REBEL THAN A SLAVE’ arched above her in a style reminiscent of Russian artist, Alexander Rodchenko. With the contrast of red, white and black the piece communicated a proud display of invincibility and defiance.

Mancsy’s donation was offered as the prize in the exhibition’s raffle which MASH drop-in volunteer, Anna Hicks, won. She said “I’m beaming from ear to ear”.

Intricate handmade jewellery and a book of honest and original poetry were also showcased, highlighting the reflective and creative power that has been able to develop due to the space provided by MASH.

For many of these women art has provided an escape. Chief Executive Cate Allison and Pete Whitley, a Session Worker who focuses on picture framing and art, discussed how the concentration required to create art transports a person from where they are now to a “different space”, continuing to state how, “by holding an exhibition it gives women a real sense of who they are.”

The economic situation of today has had a devastating effect on a number of sex workers including forcing the return of some women to the streets. Cate explained “we work with people that have a whole range of different needs, when all of those services get squeezed then that’s a really bad place to be — changes in benefits, plus you can’t get the support with your mental health that your used to, plus the drug and alcohol services are harder to reach than they used to”

Pete continued, “people get sanctioned for even not turning up for an appointment at the Department for Work and Pensions or at the job centre and you get your benefits cut by ex amount of weeks. Leaving them with absolutely no money”

The women who rely on MASH are a regularly overlooked demographic. Many believe that these women chose to be sex-workers, in a similar way that one decides what colour top to wear. This toxic attitude in turn dehumanises them, pushing them to the fringes of our society. However the exhibition demonstrated that these women posses powerful and creative voices that should not brushed off as a result of their circumstance.

HOME Cinema Preview: 27th of October

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Films opening this week:

FilmFear

FilmFear returns for a second year, marking Halloween with a celebration of horror, dark fantasy and intense cinema. Previews, cult favourites, short films and special guests come together for another inescapable HOME invasion.

Click here to book tickets

Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami

Rated 15

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami takes the viewer on an intimate and electrifying journey that moves between four cinematic layers – performance, family, artist and gypsy – to explore the fascinating world of this pop cultural phenomenon. Here we see her behind the mask as a daughter, mother, sister and grandmother, alongside taking to the stage for a specially commissioned performance, with legendary hits including Pull Up To The Bumper and Slave to the Rhythm showcased in full. Larger than life, bordering on cartoon, wild, scary and androgynous – Grace Jones plays all these parts.

Click here to book tickets

Breathe

Directed by Andy Serkis — Rated 12A

Handsome, adventurous and brilliant, Robin (Andrew Garfield) has his whole life ahead of him when he is paralysed by polio. Against all advice, Robin’s wife Diana (Claire Foy) brings him home, where her devotion, intimacy and witty determination transcend his disability and set him free. The directorial debut of Andy Serkis and the opening film of the 61st London Film Festival, Breathe offers a celebration of human possibility.

Click here to book tickets

Call Me By Your Name

Directed by Luca Guadagnino — Rated 15

It’s the summer of 1983 in northern Italy, and Elio Perlman (Chalamet), a 17-year-old American-Italian, spends his days in his family’s seventeenth century villa lazily transcribing music and flirting with his friend, Marzia. One day Oliver (Armie Hammer, Free Fire), a charming, 24-year-old American scholar working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father (Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor. Amid the sun-drenched splendour of this sensual setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a fateful summer. The latest film by Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) is sensuously adapted from the novel by André Aciman.

Click here to book tickets

 

Films continuing this week:

The Death of Stalin

Directed by Armando Iannucci – Rated 15

Based on graphic novel The Death Of Stalin by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin, writer and director Armando Iannucci’s (Veep, The Thick of It) acerbic satire is set in the days following the Russian leader’s stroke in 1953 as his core team of ministers tussle for control. An all-star cast includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, and Olga Kurylenko.

Click here to book tickets

I Am Not a Witch

Directed by Rungano Nyoni – Rated 12A

After a minor incident in her village, nine-year-old Shula is exiled to a travelling witch camp where she is told that if she tries to escape she will be transformed into a white goat. As she navigates through her new life, she must decide whether to accept her fate or risk the consequences of seeking freedom.

Click here to book tickets

The Party

Directed by Sally Potter – Rated 15

Sally Potter’s (Orlando) latest feature is a comedy wrapped around a tragedy which unfolds in real time in an upmarket London house.

Janet is hosting an intimate gathering of friends to celebrate her promotion to Shadow Minister of Health in the party of opposition. Her husband, Bill, seems preoccupied. As their friends arrive, the soirée gradually unravels. As people’s illusions about themselves and each other go up in smoke, along with the canapés, The Party becomes a night that began with champagne but ends with blood on the floor.

Click here to book tickets

Loving Vincent

Directed by Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman – Rated 12A

Co-directors Kobiela and Welchman explore Vincent van Gogh’s most inspirational paintings to tell the story of his remarkable work, career and his untimely and controversial demise. A synthesis of painting and cinema, this is a lovingly crafted, intelligent and informative work.

Loving Vincent will also be screening as part of Manchester Animation Festival on 15 Nov 20:15.

Click here to book tickets

Blade Runner 2049

Directed by Denis Villeneuve – Rated 15

Thirty years after the events in Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi, a new Blade Runner, LAPD Officer K — played by Ryan Gosling — unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Deckard — Harrison Ford returning to his old role — who has been missing for 30 years. Acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) delivers perhaps the most eagerly anticipated film of the year.

Click here to book tickets

 

Special events this week:

October 26th-31st — FilmFear

See above for details

October 27th — Dawson City: Frozen Time + Q&A

Directed by Bill Morrison — Rated 12A

This screening’s been a long time coming. Lost for half a century, 500 films were discovered buried under a subarctic swimming pool in Canada’s remote Yukon Territory. Dawson City: Frozen Time is a feature film that quite literally pieces together history and features rare footage from the early silent era. Falling on UNESCOs World Day for Audiovisual Heritage and celebrating the North West Film Archive’s 40th anniversary, this is the perfect way to celebrate the very best of restoration and preservation in film.

We will be joined by filmmaker Bill Morrison, archivists, conservation specialists and our Artistic Director of Visual Arts, Sarah Perks for a Q&A following this screening to talk about the scrupulous and fascinating process behind this one-of-a-kind creation.

Click here to book tickets

October 27th — Kaleidoscope + Q&A

Directed by Rupert Jones — Rated 15

The title of this tense, unsettling and atmospheric psychological chiller couldn’t be more apt, with debut British director Rupert Jones creating a dizzying nightmare that looks slightly different with each twist and turn. Toby Jones is typically terrific as Carl, a single man whose attempt to live a carefully ordered existence is upset by visitors he can’t easily control — Sinead Matthews as a pushy date; Anne Reid as Carl’s mother. Shades of Polanski’s Repulsion and, following on from our opening night, Hitchcock’s Psycho colour Jones’ story, creating a tightly wound and unpredictable tale with a fascinating character at its centre.

We will be joined by director Rupert Jones and producer Matt Wilkinson for a Q&A following this special preview screening.

Click here to book tickets

October 28th — The Final Girls Present: We Are Weirdos + Intro

Directed by Various – Rated 18

It’s been a great year for women in horror and, this Halloween, The Final Girls – a film collective exploring the intersections between feminism and horror films – present a selection of shorts from some of the most exciting new female voices in genre cinema. Films that delve deep into the darkest human desires, bringing an unforgettable array of monsters to the screen. This slick and scary ten-film programme explores themes of body anxiety, repressed desires, social pressures and unspoken fears. Embrace your nightmares because the future of horror is female.

This screening will be introduced by Anna Bogutskaya and Olivia Howe, aka The Final Girls.

Click here to book tickets

October 29th — Halloween at HOME Hocus Pocus!

Directed by Kenny Ortega — Rated PG

After three centuries, three witches are resurrected on Halloween night, and it’s up to two teenagers, a young girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all.

Click here to book tickets

October 31st — Dumplings + Intro

Director Fruit Chan is widely acknowledged as one of the most important talents to appear in the Hong Kong industry after the handover to China. His gleeful tale of everyday horror is both excruciating and enjoyable. A young Chinese immigrant (Bai Ling) has a thriving business selling her homemade dumplings with incredible rejuvenating properties to rich Hong Kong matriarchs, including a retired actress (Miriam Yeung). But what is the secret ingredient that is so successful? Excellent performances, camera (Chris Doyle), costume and sound make this a mouth-watering, stomach-turning treat.

Click here to book tickets

The Man Behind The Mansion

Written by Hannah Brierley on . Posted in Music.

We all know the place, and if you don’t you’re missing out.

I was lucky enough to have a chat with the guy who brought it to life 8 years ago, Andy Mansion, as well as the brain behind the huge success that is ‘Motherfunkers’: Sarah Florence.We talked about how these two are now endeavouring to find more unusual places to bring the Antwerp experience.

Andy first explains that he loves trialling out new ideas for events at Antwerp, he’s worked with people that have an idea but often not enough resources to test it out.

“If it doesn’t do well, then we both lose, but if it does do well, then we both win”.

But the reason that there is such a range of musical genres within the venue is so that there is “something to suit absolutely everyone’s tastes, whatever your style I can pretty much guarantee you will find it somewhere on at Antwerp Mansion.”

However, as the Mansion becomes ever more popular, Andy and Sarah describe that it feels like a right step in the natural progression to start extending to other places and cities in the UK.

“The calendar at the Mansion is so busy, there’s only really only enough space for one night a month for most nights” he explains, and that if they were to do any more than this, people would probably rake it for granted. That’s not what it is about.

“you should always keep setting new challenges for yourself, never get lazy, and expect people to turn up just because you have a name somewhere else.”

Andy and Sarah have recently trialled this out by spreading Motherfunkers’s wings in Old Crown Court in Bristol. Sarah describes that the venue was an old Victorian courthouse, complete with two huge courtrooms as well as real prison cells!

“The DJ’s actually played behind bars!” Laughed Sarah.

However, this is just the first of many, as there are many other cities that they want to hit next, such as Glasgow, Newcastle, and even places like Sheffield. Sarah illustrates that a big part of the reason that people enjoy Motherfunkers is due to the experience they have at Antwerp Mansion, so it is important to stay as “true to that experience as possible, it’s about finding the right level of absurdity and kookiness in these new venues.”

But as we can all imagine, it’s hard to find venues that match such a quota.

“a lot of people I’ve found who own clubs, tend to own more than one and they’re all the same, and that just doesn’t interest me at all.”

Andy then goes on to explain the inspiration behind Antwerp Mansion.

He recalls a venue he went to years ago, that split onto two levels. When you went upstairs there was a huge section that was cut out so you could see the DJ, the people and what was happening below.

He remembers thinking “what is this place?!” It was this exact feeling that he wanted to re-create for Antwerp. “It almost feels like a rabbit hole, or Narnia you go in, there’s always something you find…and Andy is Aslan” Sarah interjects and laughs.

“I wanted to create the kind of place I used to enjoy when I was in my teens” Andy calls to mind when he started delving into the clubbing world, that places were becoming identical, and pristine so much so that they felt like hospitals. “I wanted to create something that was living with you, and partying with you.”

There’s nothing fake about the Mansion either if there’s a bit of plaster that’s not on the wall, it hasn’t been taken off for aesthetic effect. It has probably fallen off due to the bass, and they’ve cleaned it up after.

However, there are a lot of guesses to how safe a place can be that just doesn’t look right. But it is this reason that Andy and his team go above and beyond what is expected of him in terms of health and safety and such things because he knows people will question him for it.

“But it’s exactly how I want it to look, which is ‘just not right’, but it’s real.”

The pair goes into why they think that it has been so well received in Manchester and that the overall conclusion is because Antwerp Mansion, feels ‘naughty’. It feels like you’re doing something wrong, when in fact you know you’re not going to get in trouble for it.

Antwerp, have huge and exciting plans. They’re not decreasing their capacity, they’re growing their audience on a UK wide scale, and who knows where after that. Safe to say they’re doing something right here. I’m excited to see what new strange, eccentric venues we start to see creeping up on us.

 

Find out what’s coming up at:

www.antwerpmansion.com

Self-harm among teenage girls rising dramatically

Written by Amy Wei on . Posted in News.

University of Manchester researchers have found a 68 per cent increase in self-harm among teenage girls between 2011 and 2014.

The study also found that fewer than 1 in 4 reports of teenage self-harm were for male patients, and that teenagers in deprived areas were significantly less likely to be referred to specialist services than teenagers living in more affluent areas.

Intentional self-injury or self-poisoning is recognised as the strongest risk factor for subsequent suicide. Suicide is now the leading cause of death for 20-34 year-olds in England and Wales.

Dr Cathy Morgan and Professor Nav Kapur, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at the University of Manchester, led the research which was published by the British Medical Journal.

They analysed data from 16,912 patients at 674 general practices. Reports of self-harm in teenage girls rose from 45.9 per 10,000 in 2011 to 77.0 per 10,000 in 2014 — a 68 per cent increase.

Male teenage self-harm was only reported in 12.3 per 10,000 boys.

Professor Kapur commented that “probably the most striking result of the whole study was this apparent very steep rise in self-harm in girls aged between 13 and 16. It was around a 70% increase that we saw.

“We can’t really explain this possible rapid increase among girls. It could reflect better awareness or recording of self-harm in primary care.

“But it could also be a result of increasing stress and higher levels of psychological problems in young people. There is some evidence indicating that common mental health disorders are becoming more common within this age group.”

 

Image: British Medical Journal

Dr Morgan added: “We know that 1 in 10 adolescents will have self-harmed at some time before they’re aged 20, and we also know that self-harm is the strongest risk factor for subsequent suicide — which is the second most frequently reported cause of death among young people globally.

However, because of the hidden nature of self-harm, it’s very difficult to know the full extent of the problem.”

Morgan and Kapur’s research also revealed the lack of recognition of self-harm in deprived areas of the UK. Referrals within 12 months of self-harm were 23 per cent less likely for young patients registered at the most socially deprived practices, even though incidences were considerably higher in these localities.

Adolescents who harmed themselves in the study were approximately nine times more likely to die unnaturally during follow-up. Risks of suicide and fatal alcohol and drug poisoning increased notably.

BFI London Film Festival Highlight: ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Film.

If Lanthimos‘ previous project unsettled you, then The Killing of a Sacred Deer will leave you very numb, as the likelihood is you will not have seen anything quite as crippling and as dark as this before.

The disquieting orchestral score rings eerily throughout, characters walking down corridors are made to feel like slow and painful operations, and deadpan execution of bleak humorous dialogue evokes an abstract, yet all too familiar, disillusionment.

The film opens with a close-up shot of a bloody, pulsating, human heart in midst of an operation, and essentially sets the tone for this gruelling, quite frankly masterful, piece of cinema. A penetrable, open wound, with blood and guts beating beneath the surface of a mundane family portrait.

Colin Farrell plays Steven, the operating heart surgeon, who recreates the monotonic dryness of David in The Lobster.

He compliments his colleague, the anaesthetist, on his watch, before they debate whether a leather or metal strap looks and functions better. Although it is not the central question raised by the film, this perhaps sets up the more pressing matter Steven theorises; it is never the surgeon who is blamed for an operation; it is always the anaesthetist’s fault.

The plot primarily concerns Steven and his unusual relationship with an odd young boy called Martin — played with credible creepiness by Barry Keoghan.  The pair meet in secret, and Farrell’s protagonist gives the boy presents, including the very watch he discussed with his anaesthetist.

In an odd move, in which any possible notion that their relationship might be secret or sexual is quelled, Steven invites Martin for dinner with his family.

While his family are endearing, statically wooden, and sweet, Martin is strange, yet innocent when addressing Steven’s polite wife Anna (Nicole Kidman) and the two kids, Bob (Sunny Suljic) and Kim (Raffey Cassidy). They gaze at Martin as though he were an intoxicating infection loitering in their home.

It transpires that Steven and Martin’s relationship is founded on an underlying guilt, and the blame Martin places on Steven for being responsible for his own father’s death during a surgery which went wrong. A wrong which can only be righted, says Martin, spitting as he tries to get the words out as quickly as physically possible, if Steven kills one of his family members, otherwise all three will slowly become paralysed, cry blood, and die one by one.

Odd, yes. Another strange, fantastical, and wholly sadistic ‘moral’ dilemma brought to us by Lanthimos. Whether the family’s fate is a curse, magic, or the supernatural is of course, never fully explained. Instead, the film indulges in the darkness of this bleak premise, and things turn more graphic and sadistic — Martin is taped to a chair in Steven’s basement in one bloody scene.

Even though it is Steven’s medical failure, due to alcoholism, which is the root of the trouble, it is Lanthimos who is at the core of our torment.

Sure enough, Steven’s dainty children begin to endure unexplained bodily dysfunctions. Bob finds he suddenly cannot move his legs, and collapses dramatically in an aerial shot of him and Anna reaching the end of an escalator, the power of movement simply gone from under him.

Kim is soon doing the same. Their disabilities are excruciating and unsettling, shown through shots — verging on humorous — of the children literally crawling like slugs, with their limp legs behind them across their kitchen floor, as their parents tragically try to deal with it as if it were as ordinary as the flu.

After initially denying the possibilities of such a curse, Steven eventually realises he must do as Martin says and kill one of his family members. The children argue to prove to their father that they should not be the one who he kills. This sad scenario is dealt with such mundane dryness that it can’t help but become black comedy. You feel scared and the need to laugh in equal measure.

Questions are raised, but it is not clear how best to answer them. If this film has some deeper sociological mediations, they are not of this world — though perhaps an all too familiar theme is evoked; the idyllic suburban family penetrated by darker, deep-rooted outside forces, unsettling the status quo, creating a tense cover-your-eyes atmosphere.

A masterful succession to The Lobster, and in its own right a thrilling spectacle, The Killing of a Sacred Deer compliments Lanthimos’ previous, and establishes its own, unique way of both thrilling and disgusting us. Slaughtering a deer, and any association we have with the real established order, right in front of our eyes.

5/5

Live review: Jordan Rakei

Written by Fabio Pozzi on . Posted in Freshers' Guide, Music.

Monday 16th October, Gorilla

Jordan Rakei makes for easy listening. Soulful but not heart wrenching, jazzy but accessible, nostalgic but modern, yet translating the smooth sound of Rakei’s music into a live set proved an uncomfortable transition.

Gorilla was a solid setting for the gig. The sound system seemed to muddy some of the clarity Rakei’s recorded work is perforated with, but for an understated act like Rakei, the intimacy Gorilla provides is always welcome.

Before the meat of this review is fleshed out in it’s rotting core, it must be noted that the music was of unquestionable quality. The band was capable and tight-knit, providing clean instrumental passages between songs, sprinkled with pretty melodies and tidy riffs.

We remain fans of Jordan Rakei’s recorded music. He provides the odd track that if played at a mate’s house will convince them you are Fallowfield chic.

Now, onto the rot…

Whispers of “Is that him?” followed Rakei’s discreet and unceremonious arrival on stage. From this point onward Rakei failed to grab the audience. Methodically switching between more chorus focused tracks into longer and less known cuts left the set feeling robotic, failing to hypnotise or galvanise the crowd, and finding an uncomfortable limbo somewhere in between. That being said, the quality of musicianship kept the show palatable.

Rakei’s distinctive vocal delivery was sharp as ever, yet as a live performer, he and his band seemed to lack charisma. The closest thing to passion came from the occasional screwed up face of the guitarist at a jazzy lick and the bouncing heads of the drummer and bassist. It was reserved, to say the least.

The night ended with a flaccid encore. Rakei upped sticks without playing his most famous song ‘Sorceress’. A light natter arose in the crowd, more a feeling of “Is that it?” rather than a chant of “We want more!” After an awkwardly short five-second absence, Rakei was back.

The encore is a regular element of a live set, but Rakei’s music is not and never will be rousing. A set which emphasised musicianship with less robotic planning would have better played to Rakei’s strengths.

He is a talented artist, but not a performer.

5/10

More insight at https://www.facebook.com/Dscvry-on-Fuse-FM-1714679302163172/ and every Sunday at 8pm on Fuse FM.

Live Review: Beth Ditto

Written by Cassie Hyde on . Posted in Music.

Tuesday 17th October, Albert Hall

The title track ‘Fake Sugar’ combined a minimalist electronic beat with reverbed guitars to make a pretty country song. ‘Ooh La La’ was a rock n’ roll stomp. Percussive drums, fuzzy bass and piano keys were all slammed together to make a high point of the show.

Yet her performance suffered from the same problem as the new album. Quite a few songs felt like lesser versions of other tracks on the album. ‘In And Out’ felt like a lesser version of ‘Fire’. ‘Lover’ felt like a lesser version of ‘Clouds (Song for John)’. This is not to say that they are bad songs, per se, but why would you play on the swings when you could go to Disneyland?

All this fell away when classic Gossip songs were played. Songs such as ‘Love Long Distance’ and ‘Standing At The Edge Of Control’, which Ditto nailed with her killer vocals, made the crowd freak out with excitement.

One of the most surprising things about Ditto’s show was not the music, but her candidness. After finishing ‘Control’, she talked frankly about her fears for the future. “When Gossip put out ‘Control’, I was 24. I’m now 37. I was gonna be a hairdresser in Arkansas and now I’m here”. She added that if this album and tour hadn’t gone well, she would have called it quits.

It was hard not to be moved by this cathartic declaration, and clearly the crowd felt the same way. After the next song was wrapping up, the audience response was so thunderous that Beth realised that the audience was applauding her honestly. She broke down in tears. She was overjoyed!

Many things happen at gigs. It is rare to see someone on stage say something so honest, so beautifully. It was clear that Ditto would genuinely treasure this night, and so would we.

7/10