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Month: December 2017

Concerns raised over potential loss of EU funding for Manchester University

Official figures released by Universities UK have sparked fears that The University of Manchester will lose out on millions of pounds of funding for pivotal scientific research as a result of the Brexit referendum.

Data has revealed a downturn of both UK participation in, and funding from, the flagship Horizon 2020 project, a £70 billion pot of European Union funding aimed at stimulating crucial scientific endeavours. This is despite the Treasury’s guarantee to continue the provision of billions of pounds of UK funding for EU supported projects in a post-Brexit Britain.

The project, which was initiated as part of Britain’s membership of the European Union, has seen UK participation in the project fall from 15 per cent in 2016 to 12 per cent in 2017, with funding falling from 16 per cent to 13 per cent also.

This follows after vice-chancellors have shared their fears over UK academic projects losing out, even before Brexit has taken place.

Whilst the Vice-President for Research and Innovation at The University of Manchester has stated that the university will be “lobbying to stay in Horizon 2020 and its successor”, Emma Atkins, Education Officer at The University of Manchester Students’ Union stated: “There’s a real possibility that we are going to lose a lot of which we take for granted after Brexit and losing EU funding would be devastating for universities. With less funding comes fewer European or international academics or young professionals who want to thrive in a well-resourced environment, and the student experience will suffer because of that.

“Research projects will stop in their tracks, fewer opportunities for PG students, and fewer institutions or individuals overseas will want to collaborate with the UK. The government may say they promise to protect scientific research funding, but what about other subjects, and can we believe them anyway?”

In spite of these concerns, a spokesperson for the University of Manchester has commented: “Despite the reported fall, according to the statistics, the UK ranked second in terms of the overall number of participations in Horizon 2020 projects and also in terms of EU funding received with the UK share of all participations and EU funding awarded equalling 12.6 per cent and 14.9 per cent respectively (including EURATOM).

“The University of Manchester continues to be a major player in European research and currently ranks 6th in the UK and 11th in Europe across all similar HEI institutions with 156 H2020 participations and €99 million EC funding. We will continue to apply for and play an active part in projects and work with the Russell Group and Universities UK to help secure lasting arrangements for participation in Horizon 2020 and its successor and in Erasmus+.”

Recipe: Christmas Pizzas

Ingredients

  • 500 g ’00’ flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 7 g dried yeast sachet
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 500 ml beef stock
  • 1 carrot
  • 100 ml red wine
  • 10 tbsp premade bread sauce
  • 10 pigs in blankets
  • 10 cooked brussell sprouts
  • 50 g brie
  • 100 g premade stuffing

Method

  1. First make the pizza dough: begin by sieving the flower into a bowl and making a well in the middle. Mix together the yeast, sugar, oil and 300 ml lukewarm water in a jug, leave to stand for five minutes and then pour this slowly into the well in the middle of the flour.
  2. Bring the flour and the mixture together using a fork, and when it begins to come together begin mixing with hands. Knead the mixture until it springs back when pressed and then cover and leave to prove in a warm place for 30-60 minutes.
  3. While the dough is proving, make a gravy to form the pizza base. Sweat the onions in butter over a medium heat until translucent. Add to this the thyme and bay leaves and cook for a further five minutes. Add the stock, carrot and red wine and bring to the boil.
  4. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes until a thick consistency has been reached. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. Once the dough has proved, split it up into two or three portions and roll each out to approximately 1/2 cm thick. Now you can begin to assemble the pizza.
  6. Begin the assembly by spreading a layer of gravy over the pizzas exactly as you would tomato sauce on a normal pizza. Now add the remaining toppings in whatever order and style you fancy.
  7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 15 minutes, or until the base is crispy and the toppings warmed through.

Dressing up for Christmas

There’s something so wonderful about dressing up for the Christmas season. If you’re anything like me, and have not dressed ‘casually’ for about six years, this time of year is our calling. No one will be questioning the excess of sequins or the coat that looks probably smart enough to be worn to Claridges.

If this is you, you’ll probably appreciate my four hundred-word gush about all the dresses I wish I could wear if only I was invited to some ridiculously posh Christmas party where ball gowns are a must.  If you are the complete opposite and dressing in anything smarter than trainers and jeans fills you with dread, I hope I can give you a couple of tips for something to make your ancient great-aunt finally get off your back about what you wear. Without further ado, here are my two favourite ideas for dressing up this season.

For a party, the little black dress is always a classic. Sleek, smart and flattering, the LBD can get you from day to night and drinks to dinner. Whether you like them plain and simple or utterly flamboyant, there will always be one that is perfect for you.

My picks will always be covered in sequins or heavily embellished, but there are options for everyone available on the high street. If you’re worried about lumps and bumps, or just not keen on being that much on show, shift dresses are flattering on nearly everyone. Black itself is a famously flattering colour, however that still doesn’t mean everyone’s comfortable having it cling to every edge.

On the other hand, if you do prefer a body-con style, add a fashionable twist by wearing crushed velvet or top it all off with an off the shoulder neckline. No matter how the outfit is finished, it will be classic and timeless.

For those of us who are a happy to stand out in a crowd, the colour that has long been hitting headlines in the fashion industry is bright red. When better to wear this colour than Christmas? It’s festive and fashionable and with the right accessories it can be applicable to either a homely Christmas day or a smart evening party.

Even adding a red belt or other accessory to a more plain dress can up the ante in your outfit.  If red really is too bold for you, then start with something a little softer but just as on trend and striking.

I hope one of these ideas give you some inspiration if you’re panicking as the holiday season rapidly approaches, but if I had to give one last piece of advice, it would be to add sequins.  Just add sequins.

Are Star Wars games doomed?

The past few years have been rough for Star Wars games. With EA’s disappointing and content-deprived Battlefront, and their new and controversial Battlefront II, it isn’t looking good for the franchise.

The 2000s were the golden age of Star Wars games. Spurred on by the Prequel Trilogy, there was renewed interest in the franchise, and LucasArts knew how to capitalise on it. Over the course of 10 years, the best Star Wars games we’ve ever seen were released.

From starfighter games such as Rogue Squadron, RPGs like Knights of the Old Republic I and II, the formidable Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy, childhood-forming games were being pumped out. It would be a sin not to mention the original Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005), the game many people wish the newer titles were.

Towards the end of the 2000s, we saw The Force Unleashed games, which, while not perfect, were still pretty fun games. And then, following Bioware’s The Old Republic MMORPG, LucasArts died, with the exception of a few poorly-received mobile games.

In 2012-2013, the final blow came. Disney acquired LucasArts, sacked all its staff bar a mere skeleton crew, and handed production over to EA.

Since then, Star Wars games have been mediocre at best. As mentioned, the EA Battlefront games have been mostly disappointing. Even Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens failed to reach the level of creativity and fun as seen in the earlier, excellent Lego Star Wars titles. So, will we ever get to play another Star Wars game that isn’t full of microtransactions, lacking content or just plain bad?

Visceral Studios were working on a Star Wars third-person action shooter, a-la Uncharted, and this looked promising. It even had Uncharted‘s excellent main writer on board, Amy Hennig. And then EA shut down Visceral. RIP. Prior to that, we were given a teaser for Star Wars: 1313 by LucasArts, where we took control of an adolescent Boba Fett on his journey to become a bounty hunter. This project was shelved by Disney when they bought LucasArts.

However, all is not lost. There’s a reason the Old Republic era games are so popular, and that is Drew Karpyshyn, the mastermind author behind much of the Old Republic lore. He was the lead writer on the first  Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Star Wars: The Old Republic, games exploring the fascinating period up to 25,000 years before Episode IV takes place. These games are amongst the best Star Wars titles around.

The good news is, Karpyshyn is working on an unannounced project. Could this be the Star Wars game we’ve been waiting for: one made with passion and care, instead of with loot boxes and profit the primary concern? Who knows, but it’s better than nothing. Given that Disney have ‘de-canonised’ and in some places rewritten the Expanded Universe, it is unclear what direction a possible new game could take.

Truth be told, it’s depressing to see what Disney and EA have done to one of the greatest game franchises of all time, and, indeed, one of my favourites. As a child, I sunk countless hours into some of these classic Star Wars games, and, despite their age, I still enjoy them much more than recent iterations.

The future of Star Wars is blurred. Disney and EA’s iron grip on the franchise may limit what can be done, and if their recent games are anything to go by, future games will be dreary. But maybe, just maybe, Drew Karpyshyn’s project could be a new hope for Star Wars games, and bring the franchise back to the light side.

There’s something about Meghan

Hearts shattered across Great Britain as it was announced last week that the nations beloved Prince Harry had proposed to Suits actress and UN Activist, Meghan Markle, over roast chicken, can you believe it?

As an avid Suits fan, you may know Meghan as her character Rachel Zane or you may recognise her as the face of lifestyle brand and blog The Tig, or even from her various humanitarian efforts and contributions to the UN Women’s Council.

She has recently become a magnet for mass media attention following her courtship with Prince Harry which began in the summer of 2016. This spotlight will undoubtedly set Markle into the style spotlight.

Whereas Rachel Zane the eponymous paralegal in the courtroom donned some of the slinkiest pieces you could ever envision for your future work wardrobe attire, Meghan’s out of character style is simple and elegant.

Off duty, as seen at the Invictus games, she ruled in a simple crisp white shirt paired with flats and ripped jeans. On the red carpet, she has stunned in the likes of Marchesa, Alexander McQueen, and Dolce & Gabanna.

Her engagement outfit comprised of an emerald green Parosh dress (RRP£450 approx), Aquazzura courts (£550), and an Ivory Line the Label Coat.

Albeit a far cry from what our student budgets can stretch to, I predict items such as these will encourage a Markle effect emanated and rippled throughout high street designs as imitation garments are created for aspirational attire.

The best accessory adorned on this day was, of course, a custom-designed ring by Prince H himself which contained treasured diamonds from Princess Diana’s own personal collection.

As Meghan will become a royal as of Spring 2018 where she will wed Harry at Windsor Castle, the demands on her style will have to adjust accordingly. Dresses and ensembles will be likely to follow suit of Kate Middleton with more respectable lengths and necklines.

Royal etiquette will vary very much so from that of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The body language between Harry and herself is notably more informal in terms of displays of affection and this will no doubt continue throughout their royal duties as a married couple.

As with Kate, the big money question is who will be designing the dress? The notorious designs of Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen for both Kate and Pippa will no doubt go down in fashion history.

The eager anticipation and speculation as to who will be bestowed this designing honour is always hotly contested and money currently stands on the likes of Erdem, Roland Mouret and Ellie Saab.

You can investigate the odds on Betway in further detail. I’m to a degree shocked you are able to do so but make no dispute here, there is a lot in the fashion stakes!

On the note of fashion attire, I am very much looking forward to seeing how Meghan’s membership into the Royal Household affects her wardrobe game.

On a life note, I’m truly thrilled for Prince Harry and Meghan and hope they have a magical fairytale ending that is undeniably deserved.

Shaw excellent for Manchester United against CSKA Moscow

Manchester United left back Luke Shaw has recently been linked with a move away from the club in a swap deal with Spurs’ Danny Rose. There is a five-year age gap between the two: Shaw is aged 22 while Rose is aged 27. Swapping one for the other would surely seem ludicrous from United’s point of view, especially after watching Shaw’s impressive display against CSKA Moscow in the UEFA Champions League.

In his first start for 219 days, Shaw picked up a well deserved man of the match award for his efforts in United’s 2-1 win over their Russian opponents. In his last start against Swansea City at the end of April 2017, Shaw only managed to complete ten minutes of the game before being substituted with a muscle injury. In many ways, his last start summed up his three and a bit seasons at United so far. Since Shaw signed for United in the summer of 2014, his career has been stop-start due to injuries.

He may now, however, have reached the light at the end of the tunnel. Shaw’s positive and energetic performance against CSKA Moscow showed that he has what it takes to fill the boots of Patrice Evra. When fans’ favourite Evra left United for Juventus in 2014 (the same year Shaw arrived) the young Southampton full-back was the obvious choice to replace the former club captain.

A young English player with all the attributes to become one of the finest left backs the Premier League has ever seen chose to play his football at Old Trafford. The hefty £30 million price tag may have seemed a lot at the time but if he were to give them 12 years of high quality service as fellow English defender Rio Ferdinand did between 2002 and 2014, then splashing out on Shaw would be a wise investment.

While his early career at United hasn’t quite hit the heights of Ferdinand’s, he certainly has time to redeem himself. Before he suffered a horrific double leg break against PSV Eindhoven at the Phillips Stadion in September 2015, he had already established himself as the first-choice left-back for United and England at just 19-years-old. Before the comparisons between he and Rose existed, Shaw was in front of his fellow left back in the England pecking order and playing for the country’s biggest and most decorated club.

This is a remarkable feat especially considering that when Rose was 19-years of age he was out on-loan at Sunderland. A year earlier, the current Spurs and England full-back was on loan at Bristol City in the Championship while at 18 Shaw was a fully established Premier League full back for Southampton, a team in the top half of the table. He was also selected to go to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where he earned a cap and played in the 0-0 draw against Costa Rica.

Against CSKA Moscow, Shaw showed exactly why United paid so much money for him at such a young age and why he represents the future of the club. “He [Shaw] was really dangerous. He was deserving that opportunity for a long time and is going to get more because his performance was really positive. He had great intensity in his game, it was no surprise that after minute 80 he was feeling the consequences of that intensity. It is normal for his first match of the season.” Jose Mourinho reflected on the incredible performance of Shaw to the BBC and vowed he would give his left back more game time.

Everything about Shaw’s display was fantastic. His energy running forward, desire to get back and composure on the ball was there for all to see and it is such qualities that will keep him in Mourinho’s thoughts ahead of the busy Christmas schedule. He may have even had a goal but he was denied by a smart save from Russian goalkeeper and CSKA Moscow captain Igor Akinfeev.

Shaw made five clearances in the first half, more than any other United player. Despite CSKA’s goal coming from a move down their right-hand side, Shaw’s defensive contribution was more than up to the standard Mourinho expected of him. As a left-wing back, Shaw looked up to the task — a task his former boss Louis van Gaal questioned that he was capable of when he questioned his fitness in pre-season ahead of the 2014/15 season.

In the second half, the 22-year-old continued to impress before he pulled up with cramp ten minutes from time. Shaw, though, showed courage as he played on and completed his first full match since April. In the last match he completed against Anderlecht in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final, Shaw showed similar determination to carry on. He played until the end of extra-time after Mourinho planned to substitute him at the end of 90 minutes.

As well as undoubted talent, Shaw possesses sheer strength and determination to keep getting back up after he’s been continuously knocked down and respond to criticism in the right way. This is something Rose doesn’t have. After hardly featuring for Spurs throughout 2017 due to injury and the impressive form of Ben Davies, the man from Leeds questioned the direction of his current club in the summer transfer window and hinted that he wanted to leave North London.

In contrast, Shaw has kept his feet firmly on the ground at Old Trafford despite being in the darkest of places and missing so much football since he made the switch from Southampton in 2014. For Mourinho, there really is no need to spend £40-50 million on a left-back who is five years older, weaker minded and quite frankly no better than the one he already has.

With the right help and support, Shaw can still go on to follow in the footsteps of former United left-backs Evra and Denis Irwin and become a club legend.

Rashford breaks goal drought to secure top spot in Group A

It has been four years since Manchester United progressed to the knockout stages and it will take something stunning to see them fail to qualify. Mourinho rests a number of players ahead of the Manchester derby giving Luke Shaw his first start of the season. With the touch and go relationship between the pair Shaw will be looking to make a big impact.

Sergio Romero starts in goal behind a back three of Lindelof, Smalling and Blind. Valencia and Shaw are the wing backs either side of Herrera and Pogba. Mata sits just in front in the attacking midfield role support Lukaku and Rashford.

It’s almost a repeat of the game against Arsenal on Saturday. Lukaku with a neat pass sends Rashford through one on one with the keeper and his shot beats the keeper. Instead of bulging into the back of the net it bounces off the inside of the post. Lukaku seems to be better and better at linking up with the players around him, contributing even if it isn’t in goals.

Luke Shaw has started this game very well, making two good blocks and looking assured on the ball. He’s still only 22 as well. I think he could become a replacement to Ashley Young when he eventually retires, if he remains fit and if Mourinho doesn’t sell him before then. Should he perform well all game it would be hard to see Mourinho still leaving him out of the squad.

Besides the chance for Rashford this opening quarter of an hour has been relatively tame. Neither side are pressing hard or exerting themselves too much. It looks like United are looking towards the Manchester derby more so than a result here. There is enough quality of the pitch to eek out a result though.

United again unlucky not to score, this time Shaw had the opportunity. The ball gets crossed in by Valencia and Shaw hits the ball on the volley and forcing a good save from Akinfeev. Lukaku gets a rebound to go his way but he can’t quite connect cleanly. There are chances coming often, they just need to take them.

Shaw is really stamping his mark on the game and gives United another good chance. Pogba times his pass perfectly to the Englishman as he darts behind the defence. He tries a pass to the far post but Lukaku is a yard behind it.

With United missing chances on one end of the pitch, a poor backless by Mata almost gifts CSKA a goal. Shaw once more makes a good challenge to stop a shot, the ball runs looks but the eventual shot goes high and wide. That opportunity is giving them more and more confidence.

Just on the cusp of half time CSKA grab a goal out of nothing. Chris Smalling losing focus causes the offside trap to fail, the ball gets dragged back to the edge of the box and the shot comes off the back of a Dvagoev and goes into the back of the net. No one celebrates though as everyone is sure the player was offside.

But as the seconds pass and the flag isn’t raised players begin to realise that it was in fact a goal. Daley Blind was off the pitch behind the goal and was the only player that could have been keeping the player onside. Does Blind count for the offside rule? I don’t know, Paul Scholes doesn’t know, neither does anyone else. I think that’s offside.

At half time the biggest take away is Luke Shaw. He’s playing as if he never left the side due to injury, the same player that signed from Southampton. This could save Mourinho tens of millions in a replacement for Ashley Young, but it all depends on whether Shaw can continue at this same level.

Rashford comes close to an equaliser after a couple of minutes of the second half. He uses his pace to beat the Moscow centre backs but hits the shot straight at the keeper Akinfeev. Finishing seems to be a bit of a problem for the youngster, made worse as Martial is so lethal in front of goal.

The goal just before half time has now been credited to Vitinho who took the original shot rather than Dvagoev who the ball came off. Are they pretending that the ball didn’t come off his back? I’m very confused. We have visual proof it hit him so why are they trying to cover it up?

Another chance for United is wasted this time from Smalling. Mata drills the ball across goal and Smalling gets his head onto it but it’s only the slightest touch, no where near enough to get it on target. You wonder how many more good chances they will waste.

A yellow card for Berezutski for taking Pogba out on the edge of the box. About 20 yards out and very central, it is a fantastic opportunity. Mata, Pogba and Rashford all lining it up. There are ten men in the wall and as Rashford shoots it comes off the tenth. It was a bizarre tactic but if it works it works.

United are ramping up the pressure now and CSKA can’t get out of their own half. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before the score becomes 1-1. Everyone except Romero is pushed up to try and get something from the game but as we saw in the Arsenal game possession isn’t everything.

Pogba shows why he is worth his price tag. He gets the ball around 30 yards out and floats a ball towards Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian is taken down in the box but gets the necessary touch to make it 1-1. He will take a lot of confidence from that goal which will be important for the Manchester derby.

A minute later Marcus Rashford scores to make it 2-1. Moscow give the ball away and United get into a two on two situation. Mata chips the ball behind the defenders and Rashford takes his chance and hits it into the bottom right hand corner. All of a sudden United find themselves in front. United take the opportunity to make their first change of the game. Ander Herrera comes off for Scott McTominay. Another young prospect, he turns 21 next week.

Shortly after the second substitution takes place. Antonio Valencia comes off but not before handing the captain’s armband to Smalling, Tuanzebe replaces him. McTominay, not five minutes into his appearance gets a yellow card for a bad tackle. The final change is Lukaku for Martial. Martial turns 22 today so Happy Birthday to him.

CSKA Moscow are still trying to make something of this game. As the results stand in this game and the other in the group they are certainly in the Europa League yet they are holding out to keep the score relatively even, going as far as forcing Romero to make a good save.

Ultimately though they can’t grab a last ditch equaliser and the game finishes 2-1. Mourinho will be happy with the team’s performance as it didn’t require too many of his starting eleven for the weekend to come on. Young and Lingard were both unused substitutions and the rest they are getting could be pivotal.

It’s interesting that the three players that were substituted all went straight down the tunnel, highlighting just how much emphasis is placed on the next game. Every minute counts in getting players ready and he wants to be in the place shape possible heading into the most important game of the season.

Review: HumansBeingDigital

How far away are we from dystopia? Much of modern day media asks it’s audience this very question, with shows like Black Mirror acting as an eerie peep show into a not-so-distant and frighteningly possible future. How far can technology go?

It may seem space-age to think of a time where humans and robots could live in parallel with each other, interacting, working, perhaps even falling in love, but are we really that far off? With Sophia the Robot being granted citizenship of Saudi Arabia, perhaps we are already there.

HumansBeingDigital is an exhibition currently running at The Lowry which seeks to close the gap between technology and human emotion through different artist’s interpretations. Where technology is seen as cold and inhuman and its presence maybe even sinister, the artists seek to question and confront this idea, using digital means to evoke human emotion, entwining the two and blurring the lines.

Black Hole Horizon – Thom Kubli Photo: Courtesy of the Lowry

As you walk into the room you are confronted with the first piece, a contraption of hair and machine cogs by U_Joo+LimheeYoung. It took me some amount of perplexed gawping to come to terms with what I was seeing. As the cogs in my own brain turned, I asked myself, why is this so creepy? It immediately reminded me of horror stories from a GCSE DT health and safety class that forewarned loose hair near the machines. Ouch. But perhaps the piece was saying something else entirely.

Capitalist exploitation treats the labour force like machines, tirelessly working long hours in repetitive jobs for a low wage, was this strange hair creature a socialist statement? Or maybe the piece was a nod to the future of robotics, and the ever humanised nature of the robots that are being created? Either way, U_Joo+LimheeYoung made me stop in my tracks and really wonder, are we that different from machines?

The display takes you on a walking tour of the funny, the peculiar and even the beautiful. You’ll find a recording of Housewives Making Drugs, a parody cooking show by Mary Magicc, hosted by two trans-femme chefs who provide their audience with a step-by-step guide to cooking their own hormones at home.

You could try and gain entry to A Hipster Bar by Max Dovey, but be warned, the bouncer comes in the form of facial recognition technology that will deem what percent hipster you are, so if you’ve not got a handlebar moustache, there’s a high chance you won’t get in.

My favourite piece, however, could be easily missed. To your immediate right on entry, behind a black curtain, you’ll find a bright white room. You might be advised to stay to the carpeted area, because the rest of the floor is a bit slippery. During performance times — which are 11am and 4pm Sunday-Friday and 10am and 4pm on Saturdays — you can witness something simple, but pretty wonderful (if a little deafening).

Nihil Ex Nihilo – Felix Luque Sanchez Photo: Courtesy of The Lowry

Thom Kubli’s Black Hole Horizon consists of three giant horns generating compressed air which in turn blows giant, soapy bubbles across the room. The atmosphere when the performance started was one of childish whimsey, with every pop of a bubble causing a pleased murmur of delight from the audience. The foghorn sounds from the compressed air are like that of industrial sized ships, loud and abrasive, while the bubbles they produce are fragile, catching colours in the light, filled with a soft nostalgia.

Nine artists display their work in The Lowry for the HumansBeingDigital exhibit, which finishes on the 25th February 2018. Catch it while it’s still here, or before Sofia the Robot inevitably takes over the world.

Fashion player of the week: Donatella Versace

Having taken over the reigns of artistic director following her brother, Gianni Versace’s untimely death in 1997, Donatella was awarded the fashion icon award at the London event hosted by the British Fashion Council.

The award comes following the iconic and memorable show at this September’s Milan Fashion Week, where Donatella recruited the original 90s supermodels to walk in the finale of the runway show that paid homage to her brother and his most famous designs.

Her award comes nearly 40 years after the brand’s inception in 1978 and commemorates the 20 years since Donatella took over the iconic fashion house and continued to uphold Gianni Versace’s legacy, creating seasons of fabulous clothing and trends.

Starting her career as her brother’s muse, partner and creative director of Versus, it was Donatella who introduced celebrity to the fashion house and incorporated them into their advertisements.

It is her innovative style and unyielding cultural influence in the fashion industry that makes Donatella the most deserved recipient of this sought after award.

Donatella commented: “For 40 years my brother and I have done what we love and that is a legacy I am honoured to continue and uphold.

“We have celebrated empowerment, joy and of course glamour. We have championed a community of people who share our values and together with them have created truly iconic images in the world of fashion…”

In addition to expressing her thanks to those who have supported her in her fashion endeavours over the years, Donatella concludes with a tribute to her brother.

“…thank you to the genius that was my brother Gianni. His incredible spirit is in everything we do and everything we stand for.”

Natalie Massenet, Chairman of the British Fashion Council expressed her gratitude for the genius contributions made by Donatella Versace to the fashion industry.

She commented: “Donatella Versace is an exemplary woman and designer who has shaped the global fashion industry with her vision for Versace.” She finished by adding, “What I admire the most about her is her ability to make women look and feel powerful.”

The star-studded fashion awards show also saw Adwoa Aboah win model of the year, menswear label Off White win Urban Luxe brand of the year, whilst designer of the year went to Raf Simmons for Calvin Klein.

Report shows Manchester Arena attack could have been avoided

An independent review of management at MI5 and within the Counter-Terrorism Police has suggested that in hindsight, different decisions could have prevented the terrorist attack earlier this year. The attack was carried out at an Ariana Grande concert in May by Salman Abedi, who detonated a bomb killing 22 people, making it the deadliest terrorist attack in Europe since 7/7.

A report by independent assessor David Anderson QC shows that Abedi was known to the authorities, but was suspected of criminal activity or gang violence, as opposed to a threat of terrorism. At the time of the attack he was a closed subject of interest, and so not under active investigation.

Abedi also fell within a narrow group of subjects of interest who might have merited further investigation, but the meeting to consider these subjects had been scheduled for 31st May, just nine days after the attack took place. Intelligence about Abedi that became available to M15 in the months before May could have caused an investigation to be opened sooner, “had its true significance been properly understood”, Anderson concluded.

Readers were warned, however, that “not everything can be stopped” and that whilst the purpose of the review was not to cast blame, “it is conceivable that the Manchester attack in particular might have been averted had the cards fallen differently”.

The exact nature of the information that might have caused MI5 to open an investigation has not been released. MI5 claims that even with the correct interpretation of the intelligence received about Abedi in the months before May, the attack would not have been prevented.

In a statement to the Commons, Home Secretary Amber Rudd acknowledged that “threats are becoming harder to detect” and that “plots are developing more quickly from radicalisation to attack”, but that “we should be united in our clarity that [the blame] lies squarely with those whose cowardly acts killed 36 innocent people this year”.

Anderson also assured readers that “there is no cause for despair”; MI5 and counter-terrorism policing has succeeded in preventing 20 attacks in the past 4 years, and of the six terrorist attackers in the past year, half were known to the authorities. The report also looked into the attacks carried out in Westminster, Finsbury Park, and London Bridge.

Both MI5 and the counter-terrorism police have agreed to make improvements in light of 126 recommendations made in the report.“If properly implemented,” Anderson claims, “the recommendations taken as a whole will strengthen MI5 and the police in their ability to stop most terrorist attacks.”

Meghan Markle: the feminist, not the fiancé

At a UN conference in 2015, Meghan Markle spoke of her childhood outrage at a soap campaign that depicted ‘Women all over America fighting greasy pots and pans’.

At the tender age of 11, Meghan wrote to her then First Lady of the United States Hilary Clinton and then to Gloria Allred, infamous women’s rights attorney, in her determination for equality.

Meghan’s efforts were picked up by national media and later buoyed Procter and Gamble to change their commercial slogan from ‘women everywhere fighting greasy pots and pans’ to ‘people everywhere fighting greasy pots and pans’.

In her clearly impassioned speech, Markle recounted, in 2015, particular global efforts for gender equality and delivered a rousing speech that would remain in the mind of anyone who absorbed her message: “gender equality efforts are not progressing fast enough.”

Fast-forward to 2017, her engagement to the much beloved Prince Harry is a reminder to us all that outspoken women still make an uneasy splash in a royal pond of being still and remaining demure.

“Kate was never so outspoken, she should speak less, how dare she say she looks forward to seeing the Commonwealth. I bet she does.” declared two residents of Channel 4’s popular mainstay Gogglebox. 

How dare we, in 2017, allow a woman to speak of her upcoming opportunities as a royal, or publicly declare anything she may hope to accomplish.

Meghan Markle has served as an advocate for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

She also worked as a counsellor for the charity One Young World and she became a global ambassador for World Vision Canada and later travelled to India to raise awareness of issues concerning women.

Yet a rudimentary internet search of Miss Markle would reveal to anyone that we should endeavor to find gossip in her family history, and revel in her choices of her carefully curated wardrobe.

In the grand tradition of reducing women in any position of power to a mere object in a fancy outfit, the media attempts a relentless back-peddling, in the wake of #metoo and #thisgirlcan to #thisgirlcan-as long as she endures a misogynistic media storm along the way.

Agast with the sheer concept of a biracial, divorced, American women marrying into the royal family, the royal engagement has brought with it a flurry of opinion pieces.

These served as a reminder of our stunted growth towards equality; the very problem Miss Markle stood at a United Nation lectern raising issue with just two years ago.

Not only have we learned of the origin of Miss Markle’s coat during her most recent engagement in Nottingham, but also that she once held a numbered box on a popular game show- gasp, how atrocious! – whilst forging a career as an actress in Los Angeles.

Previous to the horrors of appearing in such a predicament, Miss Markle also appeared as an intern at the US Embassy in Argentina, but let us not confuse the important details of her rise into the popular discussion here.

Meghan Markle presents a special opportunity to international media; to lobby for the success of a woman whose career has aligned with the greatest values one could hope to witness from a soon to be ‘royal role-model’, and not to repeat the mistakes of old.

As a future royal consort, Meghan’s royal career will without question be aligned and closely scrutinised with that of the Duchess of Cambridge and contrasted with that of the late Princess of Wales.

The shy, retiring and demure Kate Middleton was a perfect fit for royal duty, after all, barely did she speak a word.

Exposé after exposé of Meghan’s fashion choices, family history, and now infamous divorce will likely cover newspapers and screens for years to come.

Why? Because it is still more acceptable to peddle the kinds of narratives that align Meghan Markle with being little more than a ‘pretty girl’ with a jaded (normal) history.

The story of a successful actress, activist, and advocate isn’t, as it seems, sufficient tabloid fodder, even in the wake of recent media storms.

Meghan Markle will likely pave for herself a different kind of royal history. It may be the kind of history we have witnessed only once before and the media will likely find the changing hue of the royal family a troublesome road to traverse.

Meghan will be expected to appear demure and effortlessly stylish at any given moment, but let us remember the successful young women who tackled advertising misogyny at 11.

Perhaps that way, Meghan may be the modern feminist fairytale we can begin to tell younger women and men of.

Speaking in 2015, Miss Markle proclaimed: “women who do not receive a seat at the table, well, they need to create their own table.” We must continue to demand why her choice of coats are the source of popular discussion, even in 2017.

Building manager runs for 24 hours for charity

Paul Burns, a regular runner and charity fundraiser, completed his toughest challenge yet by running for 24 hours non-stop from midday on Thursday 30th November to midday on Friday 1st December.

Last year Paul completed a pre-work marathon to raise £868 for charity. “This year in order to raise more money than last year,” he wrote on his JustGiving page, “I’m going to run more than last year.”

Paul and his sponsors raised £1,481 achieving nearly one and a half times their £1,000 target. Paul also beat his distance target and ran the equivalent of over three marathons, a total of 131.33km.

The money raised from both runs went to Key 103’s ‘Cash for Kids Mission Christmas’ campaign, which helps to raise money for children from poor and disadvantaged families in Greater Manchester.

Michelle Williamson from ‘Cash for Kids’ told The Mancunion: “25% of children in Greater Manchester live in poverty; that’s over 192,000 children, and they might not receive a Christmas present without the help of Mission Christmas. People like Paul are invaluable to us and we are so grateful of the huge efforts he went to to support less fortunate children on our doorsteps”.

The University of Manchester building manager mapped a 10km round route of the university residential estate. Starting from Owens Park in Fallowfield, Paul ran up Oxford Road into the city, then back south from Wright Robinson, past Liberty Park (formerly known as Victoria Hall), Opal Gardens, turned right onto Mosley Road and then repeated the cycle for 24 hours.

A checkpoint was set up at Owens Park to provide food, water and moral support. Supporters were even invited to join Paul for a portion of the run.

Speaking once he had had time to recover, Paul told The Mancunion: “The support I had was excellent and I was joined on the run by students, staff, friends and family members.   It was really quite humbling that so many people were prepared to come out and run a lap and in some cases run further than they had ever run before.”

To add to the physical challenge, Paul faced below 0º temperatures, an “unforgiving” concrete running surface and the dullness of the same 10km loop followed thirteen times.

“However, and somewhat perversely,” he claimed, “It was the lack of inspiration provided by the route which added to the challenge – it really was about just running.”

When asked about his substantial financial achievement for charity, the runner answered: “I am very pleased with the amount raised but I don’t believe charity is the answer to a failed economic system.  I think there is something seriously wrong with a society as rich as ours that people have to do charity runs, bake sales, and the like.”

Despite his reservations, Paul intends to continue his charitable ventures. On top of his daily running commute from Stockport into work, he plans to complete a 50 mile run in the spring before taking on the Hadrian’s Wall challenge in June, a 69 mile stretch from Carlisle to Newcastle.

Donations to Paul’s JustGiving Page for ‘Cash for Kids’ can still be made at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/paulburnsuomresidences

ArtBox: Interview with artist Will Da Costa

Funraising is hosting ArtBox, a ‘not so silent art auction’ at Solomons, Withington on Thursday the 14th December in support of the mental health charity, Manchester Mind. One of the ArtBox artists, Will Da Costa, is a graphic illustrator who was born and raised in Chorlton, South Manchester.

There’s a large chance that you might recognise Will’s designs from his distinctive and unique club night posters and event flyers. In Fuel Cafe Bar, we discussed his penchant for the weird and wonderful, his carefree attitude and the strong influence of childhood on adult-life and mental health.

Although Will has been an artist ‘all his life’, he threw caution to the wind and abandoned the study of Fine Art a week before the end of his second year of university. He claimed that he made ‘awful things’, or even ‘the worst things’ whilst he was there. For his first year final show,  he didn’t have any ideas up until the last week prior to it. “I got a heater and a piece of bedsheet, suspended it from the ceiling with wires, and turned the heater on so it sort of rippled underneath.”

After a year working on a bar full-time, Will started renting out a studio and got to work on Pomona Designs. Ironically influenced by Picasso as a child, but Instagram artist Ermsy — who does ‘messed up Simpsons things’ — as an adult, Will’s work is heavily cartoonish and relies on colour.

He traces his style back to childhood and 90’s cartoons. Although it’s indisputably high quality — I know art’s meant to be subjective and that, but I honestly don’t know who’d knock Will’s stuff — he’s decidedly interested in losing any sense of pretentiousness in his designs. “A big part of my work is being able to show my friends – I don’t have any friends that are really arty at all. I could take them to a degree show, and they’d be like ‘I don’t understand’.”

Will is undeniably down to earth. I was told about his first exhibition, at which he gave his friends his business cards and told them to pretend to be him if anyone asked. ‘I hate being in the spotlight. I’d rather just fade’, the artist intoned.

Despite there being a lot of images of places and spaces on Pomona Designs, none of Will’s images are drawn from photos — they’re all drawn from his mind. For instance, the piece that Will is donating to ArtBox is based on his best friend’s house, of which he holds many memories.

A more mysterious piece of work is Dark Room, pictured to the right. I was told that this was one of Will’s earliest ingrained experiences as a toddler. The darkroom in his parents’ house seemed big and scary to the then-three-year-old. His literal manipulation of the image into something darker onscreen is solid proof of how highly Will holds imagination.

Whilst we’re on the topic of homes and growing up, Will told me about how he used to resent never leaving Manchester. However, he now realises how tight-knit the creative community is here. “There’s less than six degrees of separation here. If you know one person, they’ll definitely know someone else.”

And Will’s fairly connected in the realm of music with mates like the drummer out of The Mouse Outfit and Stevie Risotto of Sheffield club night Nice Like Rice who has just recently played at Refugee Rhythms. And that’s not Will’s only link to Yorkshire. Designing for about four different nights in Sheffield, You might say that he’s done pretty well for Pomona Designs. “I spent so much time [at uni] worried about what I was gonna output, but what I should’ve said was “don’t care, do what you wanna do”, which is what I do now.”

However, as is likely the case with every member of the human race, not everything is smooth sailing in Will’s working life. There’s still a degree of stress in some of his artwork: “Commissioned stuff pays the bills, it’s also more stressful… It’s nice to not have to look at a screen, not to have a phone and not to be contacted basically.”

Will didn’t claim to have encountered issues himself, but having had a friend who unfortunately passed away on account of depression a few years ago, it was clear that mental health is an important issue to the artist. He was able to talk about it quite casually, which in its own way was comforting, for it rightfully removed any sense of taboo around the topic.

I was just thinking this as he commented, “I’m quite good at saying how I feel, I’m quite direct.” He elaborated, “It’s about communication and know that you can trust someone, how if you say something, knowing how they’ll react.”

On the topic of men’s mental health, in particular, Will commented that girls are always more emotionally intelligent than men, but his further statements on the matter almost worked to disprove this, since he seemed incredibly understanding of the issue. “There are certain subjects that some of my friends wouldn’t talk about, or feel uncomfortable about getting brought up or wouldn’t be honest about maybe.”

This was another of Will’s returns to the topic of childhood, this time in concerning repression. It signalled an almost Freudian outlook on the matter of mental health:

“You could say some things when you were younger where boys would just take the piss out of you. Like rather than address the issue, or actually engage with you on a subject they’d just make some sort of funny comment or something like that.

“As you get older things [between genders become] more the same, but if you’re used to having that all your life, people taking the piss out of you in your childhood when you mention something, then that becomes sort of part of who you are.”

This led us on to activities in the way of a solution: “the way it’s ended up in this country is with loads of unhappy men that just don’t have any real root to express themselves. Art is semi-expressive.” The illustrator continued, “I think art’s a great way to do something that doesn’t have a purpose, you’re not doing it for money.”

He told me about a conversation with a girl who works in law in London. “She was like “I used to write poems when I was younger” and I was like “well, why don’t you do that now?”.”

Will made an important point of telling people not to take themselves too seriously. He let on to how he encourages his friends to get creative all the time, even just getting them to have a laugh.

“My first set of business cards, I gave 14 friends all my pens and told them to just draw all over the back. It’s important for people to do bits even if it’s just little things like that. I think people surprise themselves.”

He didn’t neglect to tell me about the floods of creativity that ensued. “90 per cent of [the drawings] just turned out to be dicks. I’ve still got them all actually ‘cos I was like ‘I cant give these out…’ Free Willy but with a penis jumping over a wall, Brokeback Mountain, but with a penis dressed in a cowboy hat, Usain Bolt as a penis winning the race…”

He told me about Maria Abramovich’s performance piece she held at the Whitworth while he was in college: “There was a man like sat under some stairs naked, banging a rock with a bell and it was like, I don’t understand this, but if you want to express yourself that way that’s fine.”

With near-perfect timing as I finished my pint, our conversation drew to a close with a beautiful summary:

“I think it’s that whole thing of like no one wants to not be good at something or be laughed at. I always encourage my friends to do things all the time. Even if they’re not good, it’s funny. Don’t take yourself too seriously at all.”

ArtBox is being held at Solomon’s Cafe Bar on the 14th of December. So, if you want to snatch Will’s work up, head on down. The event will show everyone what this tiny segment of Manchester’s art scene is made of – raw talent and good vibes. If you can’t get enough of either, come on down to PostBox for afters, where DJ Dijon, DJ Spicy English, and Frenchie Wholegrain are guaranteed to spice up your night with some wholesome tunes.

ArtBox Event Page  // PostBox Event Page

 

Going home for a vegan Christmas

The christmas holidays are often rife with excitement, but for many, the promise of free, home-cooked meals, a warm, clean house, and some down-time is almost too much to bare.

After nearly four months of working — whether that be studying, for real life money, or both — iron levels become low, the fridge empties, and the zeal with which you and your housemates cooked food together in an evening, before tidying up and snuggling down to a film, has withered to the point of: “what you having?”…“beans.” “What you having?”…“Beans.”

Returning home is rarely plain sailing, however, and it can be difficult to have to adjust to family life quickly. For some, this will be barely noticeable. For others, this might involve all sitting down for dinner at the same time and bickering with siblings.

Unless you’re part of a free-spirited bohemian family set-up, one has to concede small living habits (eating out of the pot you cooked in) for the sanity of the rest of the parents who live under the same roof. Yet, there are parts of one’s lifestyle that are slightly more difficult to give up, and dietary choices, those not made for health reasons, can often be something to cause a stir in the convivial homely make-up.

This is more likely than ever in 2017, when vegetarianism and veganism are experiencing newfound popularity. Reports from the Vegan Society show that in the last ten years, the number of Britons who consider themselves vegan rose from 150,000 to 542,000, and that between 2012 and 2016, there was a 185 per cent rise in the number of vegan products launched in the UK. While the numbers are still relatively small, things are moving in the right direction if we want to reduce the effects of climate change. This isn’t a conversion piece, however, and so I shall leave it there.

Managing the reactions to a drastic change in diet upon arriving home can sometimes be difficult, not least because something like veganism is more complex than simply cutting out animal products.

Reactions are often likely to include: confusion, potentially initial refusal, “You can cook your own food, then”, moving to a more understanding, “I’ll buy you some vegan mozzarella”. It’s difficult to know how it will go. This is even more pertinent over christmas too, where families come together to celebrate (themselves nowadays), indulging in a traditional “carnist” feast.

If my family is anything to go by, the holiday is one almost regimented with tradition: from the decoration of the tree (as a family), to going to midnight mass (as a family), as well as sending christmas wish-lists up the chimney (as a family, an archaic one at that), and sitting down to a christmas dinner and pulling crackers (as a family), people get upset if things deviate from the usual fun (plan).

Therefore, if someone dropping a favourite bauble upsets quaint convention, then the announcement that one family member no longer wanted to eat meat, milk, cheese, and eggs, is akin to the news of a favourite pet going missing on christmas day because all it wanted was some time on its own…

But alas, have no fear! The recent news that “Britain’s supermarkets roll out their biggest range of festive vegan and vegetarian food to date.” should sooth worrisome vegan returnees, who can now retort “Tofu turkey from Tesco”, or “Turmeric spiced cauliflower wellington” to the initial, “what the **** am I going to cook you?”

As the supermarkets cotton on to the growing buying trend, with the Vegan Society reporting that more than half of UK adults are now embracing “vegan buying behaviour”, and a growing media interest in Vegan cooking — Meera Sodha’s recipes are a shining example of this — the destruction of family dynamics at christmas is now less likely to be caused by dietary change.

So rest easy on your tasty laurels if you’re mainly eating plants these days, things don’t have to change.

Review: Steve McQueen’s ode to Ashes

Steve McQueen’s Ashes (2002-2015) at the Whitworth is unmissable. Tracing the story of a young Caribbean man, the eponymous ‘Ashes’, the projection consists of two screens, each following a different aspect of his story. On one we are shown the sunny bliss of Ashes’ youth through Super-8 footage; whilst the other exposes the darker realities of the gang culture that corrupted his later life — it becomes hard to believe that the two sides are related at all.

As we watch, we are never gratified by either. Each part seems to remain partially hollow, we are haunted by the prevalence of the alternate side that comes seeping back through the darkness. We hear competing sides of Ashes’ story whilst we watch: moved by words such as “were” and “shoot him”, though there is a disjunction between the visual and the audio, they begin to overlap — making his life and death inseparable.

As we sit and watch Ashes, a man playfully jumping from the deck of the boat, McQueen reminds us that this distinct feeling of life has been cut short; our peacefulness is broken by the shrill scratching and carving noises that engrave his name, pulling us back to reality.

Yet the careful curation guides you through a process of understanding, as you grapple with the realities of the film. McQueen gives the viewer a choice as we position ourselves on either side — placing an emphasis on human decision. Even experiencing the exhibition emulates the process of grieving, as the life and death dichotomy of the two screens jar how we interact with the piece.

The piece is haunted by the process of memorialisation; the significance of his name being that it is a product of  loss. The word ‘Ashes’ attains a multiplicity that is both personal and universal — for at once representative, like spreading the ashes of our loved ones, it also highly specific, providing a platform for the silenced voice of a young man.

The piece awakens an understanding of this culture in his viewers, which is refracted through posters, the headstone and looped nostalgic film. McQueen encourages this memorialisation however —  providing the audience with something they can literally take away from the exhibition, a double sided poster of Ashes, full of life as he looks out from his boat.

Each side of the poster differs slightly aesthetically, but dramatically in meaning. On one side we have the story of his death, its permanence is engraved across the image like the words on his tombstone; whilst on the other it is just Ashes, no words, no story, a humanness so real, that it makes the reality all the more tragic and unjust. McQueen leaves us with another choice as we hang our posters up in our bedrooms and kitchens, which side will we display?

The showing of Ashes will be the cornerstone of a new programme of engagement work with young men in Manchester, and will be on show at the Whitworth from the 22nd September – March 2018.

Top 5: Albums of the Year

Wolf Alice — Visions Of A Life

Wolf Alice made their triumphant return this September with the ferocious Visions Of A Life. Everything on this album is bigger and better than its predecessor and sees the band really beginning to explore a wider soundscape. From the punky ‘Yuk Foo’ to the dreamy ‘Heavenward’, Wolf Alice deliver one sharp bite with this one.

Lil Peep — Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt.1

Released just months before his untimely death, Lil Peep’s compelling blend of hip-hop and emo rap on Come Over… marked his transition from SoundCloud to the mainstream. With lyrics focusing on mental health, substance abuse, and ill-fated relationships, Peep’s sound garnered a frenzied following and left behind a lasting and emotional legacy few will be able to fill.

Lorde — Melodrama 

The 21 year old New Zealander departs from the teenage angst of her debut and gifts us with a glorious sophomore concept album depicting the highs and lows of emerging adulthood, wrapped up within the chaos of a house party. It’s another deeply personal, genre-spanning album covering everything from heartbreak to living with reckless abandon.

Sundara Karma — Youth is Only Ever Fun in Retrospect

Reading indie four-piece released their highly anticipated debut album back in January. Filled to the brim with fan favourites and future arena anthems, the album was a brilliant way to shake the winter blues. Lead singer Oscar Pollock’s hauntingly powerful voice rises above the ruckus, making Sundara Karma sound as soothing as they are energising.

The xx — I See You 

The xx are a band that have been evolving ever since their appearance way back in 2009, and third album I See You is another step up for the trio. The combination of Jamie xx’s solo project repertoire of electronic dance beats with The xx’s typical shoegaze pays off extremely well. A flawless combination of the old and the new.

Interview: The Orielles

The Orielles are a three-piece band made up of sisters Sidonie B Hand-Halford (drums) and Esmé Dee Hand-Halford (bass, vocals), and Henry Wade (guitar, vocals). The Mancunion was lucky enough to interview Henry ahead of the band’s gig at the Deaf Institute on Friday 8th December.

The Orielles are set for a huge year in 2018, with the release of their first album Silver DollarMoment. ‘Let your Dogtooth Grow,’ the first single from the album has had widespread success and sparked interest all over the UK.

Is this mini tour your first proper tour?

No, we’ve actually done about three tours, we just finished one in October. I can’t remember all the places we went off the top of my head! Everywhere man.

And you guys are from near Manchester aren’t you? Are you excited to come up to the Deaf Institute?

Yeah well I live in Halifax, Ez lives in Manchester and Syd lives in Liverpool. Yeah we’re excited it should be a really good night!

And you’ve just announced your debut album, Silver Dollar Moment, what’s the story behind the album name?

It’s a funny story really. We went to Canada and played this gig at 2 am. We were shattered and had been awake for 36 hours. We played this venue called the Silver Dollar Room and it was one of the best gigs we’ve ever done! From then on whenever something was better than we thought it would be, we called it a silver dollar moment, which is what the album has become I guess!

Is the album a collection of your previous EPs and new material or is it all new stuff?

No all new stuff, it’s brand new which is exciting! Only ‘Let Your Dog Tooth Grow’ has been released so far from the new album. So there are 11 new songs for you guys to listen to.

I’m baffled by this, you guys are super young aren’t you?

Yeah I’m 18, Ez is 19 and Syd is 21.

So you’re all still studying and doing the band? Is this definitely what you all want to do?

Definitely, well we’re all in education now, Ez is at the Uni of Manchester! And we love playing in Manchester, we’ve got loads of mates up there and have loved it since we started the band.

Because you’re such Manchester pros, I’m going to ask you for some top Manchester advice.

Ok…

Where is best in Manchester for a crazy night out?

Deaf Institute is always good. I really like the Girls on Film night; hopefully that will be on when we’re up. Ez has started going Antwerp mansion as well but I haven’t been yet. We’ve had some good nights at The White Hotel as well; I know it’s in Salford but it’s sick! DJ’ed there a while ago, it’s good!

Where would you go for a fun cocktail?

I’ve only just turned 18! So I haven’t been out for a cocktail yet, I’ll have to get that when the tour starts!

And where’s best for greasy food in Manchester?

D Bites. It’s Vegan junk food in the Northern Quarter.

The two others, Ez and Syd are sisters – how is that working alongside siblings?

It’s fine yeah! They have loads of inside jokes but they’re so in tune with each other that it makes writing easier.

What is your dream festival to play?

Primavera, one of the ones in Spain. In the UK, we’d love to play End of the Road, obviously Glastonbury. We played Green Man last year, which was good.

Who’s your dream collab and who do you get inspiration from?

We get inspiration from everywhere. We take it from Pixies, Pavement, Stereolab, and Pastelles, just loads really. Our dream collab right now would have to be Chic.

Are you worried about anything for the tour?

Nah nothing! We love it. We’ve got a big year next year and have got lots planned so we’re just excited to get going!

Do you have a support act?

Not for the tour but in Manchester we’ve got a special support band called Dreaming who we’ve known for quite a while. We’ve also got Inland Taipan, who are our friend’s band from Manchester and we’ve also got a band called Boys Azooga, who have just been signed playing. They’re cool so it’s gonna be sick!

Finally, how long do we have to wait until the album?

The album is out on 16th February 2018!

 

Check out The Orielles at the Deaf Institute on Friday 8th December. 

Live Review: MSC Big Band

You may associate the words ‘big band’ with swing, jazz and blues played for old-school singers with voices that can fill a room with song; and you’d be right.

What if I told you that big bands can play hip-hop and pop? You’d probably say I’m mad and I’d say that you’re probably right, however, I’d also tell you to go and see MSC Big Band next time they’re in town to prove how wrong you may be.

The night at Academy was kicked off by another Mancunian band, Plume, who hypnotised the crowd — initially a group of ten strangers, which grew to almost fill the room by the end of Plume’s set — with their unique show.

Each member added onto the music in layers by using loopers and beat pads. Particularly, the guitarist and singer were the main ‘mixers’ on top of the solid, frantic drumming and bass line.

Upon the conclusion of their set, Ad Hoc records had a DJ, Taurtollo, that filled the space between acts with his vinyl spinning of obscure Italian and Brazilian disco tunes from way back when. Sadly, Shazam couldn’t identify the tracks, so they shall forever remain a mysterious memory in the ether of my mind.

Plume have a new EP out on the 11th of December and Ad Hoc Records as well as their Djs, Taurtollo, Yadava, Sid Quirk and Dame, can be found on SoundCloud.

Seeing 26 musicians come onto a small stage in their white tops and glitter-clad cheeks with their weapons of choice is a sight to behold. Trumpets, trombones, saxophones, two keyboards, a drummer, a couple guitarists, a pair of bass guitars and a quartet of different vocalists are what make MSC Big Band.

The jazzy opener, ‘Ridin’ Round (Sky High)’ by Fatima, got the crowd interested in their style, and then they were blown away by the tracks that followed.

‘Intoxicated’ by Martin Solveig made the crowd cheer and bounce to the funky cowbells and brass instruments. ‘Concrete Schoolyard’ by Jurassic 5, ‘Holiday’ by Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris, ‘Diddy Bop’ by Noname, Cam O’bi and Raury (which, may I note, particularly pleased me), ‘American Boy’ by Estelle and Kanye West were the standout tracks that brought the collective’s sound to the streets, proving that big bands are current, cool and all those who disagree are wrong.

One big issue the gig had was completely out of the band’s control: the venue. Club Academy is small, dark and, quite frankly, has atrocious acoustics. MSC have a style that feels very intimate, and when they stand on the barriers that separate them from the mad spectators, it doesn’t feel up-in-your-face; on the contrary, it’s immersive and really draws the crowd into the action and creates a synergy that sticks with you after the show.

Academy made some of the sound muddy and, when combined with the standing stunt, gives the first couple of rows a suboptimal experience, which is luckily countered by the uncontrollable dancing and cheering the energy of the room pushes you to.

With adrenaline pumping through my veins for up to half an hour after the show and a numb jaw from smiling for the duration of the event, I was filled with glee, and was feeling proud of the local talent that thrives in the streets of the 0161.

You probably saw the posters for this event in the Students’ Union this past month and if you didn’t go, you should be kicking yourself. Not too hard, however, for MSC Big Band will certainly be back soon. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled, you won’t want to miss it.

Rating: 8/10

David De Gea saves three points for United

If Manchester United want to stand any chance of catching league leaders Manchester City, they need to win these kinds of games, away at top six sides. United have just one win in the last six against Arsenal though so the stats are not in their favour.

It appears that Mourinho has finally hit a starting eleven that he likes, with this the same side that beat Watford 4-2 during the week. De Gea starts in goal with Lindelof, Smalling and Rojo in a back three. Valencia and Young are the wing backs either side of Pogba and Matic in defensive midfield. Lingard sits just in front playing the CAM role and Lukaku and an in form Martial lead the line.

The game had a false start and if United’s away form against the top six is anything to go by it could be equally as lacklustre. That said this is the 59th game between Mourinho and Wenger and the clash of these titans has provided many fiery moments in the past.

There has been more urgency from United in the first three minutes than I expected all game. A terrible pass from Koscienly gives the ball to Valencia on the edge of the box. He opts to pass to Pogba who draws in the defenders before giving it back. Valencia has a clear shot on goal now and fires it between the legs of Cech. I think the keeper should have done better there but United won’t complain.

That goal will force Arsenal to come out of their shell and allows United to shut up shop for the remaining 86 minutes and hope to catch a second on the break. Whether the Gunners can come back will solely depend on whether Ozil and Sanchez play to the level we know they can. The pair when playing alongside Lacazette haven’t lost a game this season but will the streak end here?

Disappointment turns to despair as another defensive mistake leads to a United goal. Great pressing from Lingard forces the error from Mustafi and the ball rolls to the feet of Lukaku. He looks up, spots the darting run into the box from Martial and finds him with a neat pass before the Frenchman pulls Koscielny pants down with a neat flick into the path of Lingard. His confidence growing with every game that passes he was not going to miss this and he makes it 2-0 after just 11 minutes.

After the mistake Mustafi goes down injured and is substituted off to be replaced by Alex Iwobi. It is an offensive change by Wenger who shuffles Koasinac from wing back to central defender to fill the gap of Mustafi and it appears Arsenal are playing with a back four now.

Despite what you might imagine, the game is opening up more an more with every goal that goes in. Arsenal’s need to commit men forward is giving United fantastic chances on the break, but when they push too high themselves they get counter-counter attacked. Mourinho is going for for November 2017 Tony Pulis tactics rather than January 2017 Pulis tactics.

With United playing three at the back, Lindelof has space to follow Sanchez around the pitch whenever he gets a sniff of the ball. Like Lingard, his performances have grown week on week as his confidence has grown. The attacking options for United with him, Rashford and Martial all in scintillating form is incredibly threatening.

Arsenal get a free kick just off to the right of the penalty area from around 25 yards out. Ozil and Sanchez both stand by the ball and the shot looked to be going into the bottom corner, but just as Ozil ran up to take it Ashley Young sprinted back to the line to head it away from goal. A phenomenal bit of defending, Young just can’t seem to do anything wrong lately.

A succession of opportunities for Arsenal which should have really led to a goal. De Gea gets a bit of luck as his save ricochets off the bar and with the chances in the game so far you’d imagine it would be them being 2-0 up. Moments later though United go down the other end and almost score. This is end-to-end football in the truest sense of the word.

The chances are coming thick and fast for Arsenal but they haven’t had a proper shot on target for a long time due to some brilliant defending. Nemanja Matic does what in any other game would be the best moment of the game but in this is one of a hundred. Less than a minute later De Gea makes two great saves. This is by a country mile the most entertaining Manchester United game of the season, if perhaps the most nerve-wracking.

In the first half there have been 17 shots with 9 on target. 17! With three added minutes there may still be more. Make that 18, wait no 19. The eighteen one is the best save i’ve seen this season. It came from a Sanchez free kick and gets deflected off Lukaku’s leg towards the bottom corner. With his whole body behind the line De Gea somehow manages to get down and save it.

The whistle blows for half time and I can’t imagine the second 45 minutes being as unrelentingly thrilling as the first. We’ll need to see a goal within the first five minutes if it will stand any chance of comparing.

Oh my lord. It’s 2-1 after three minutes of the second half. Sanchez loops a ball to Ramsey who beats the offside trap. He heads down to Lacazette and, with all the time in the world, he blasts it past De Gea. There was genuinely nothing the Spaniard superstar could do about this one. The game is well and truly on.

This game had perhaps the first counter-counter-counter-counter attack that has ever graced the beautiful game. There has been shots flying for both teams and brilliant saves to accompany them. There are no tactics here, both teams are playing as if they need two goals to save themselves from relegation. We’ve only seen three goals but we could have very well seen thirty, I wonder what the xG of this game will be.

I don’t think my heart can take much more of this. De Gea just makes two more phenomenal saves. Both shots should have gone in, you’re not going to see any better goalkeeping in the world. That was the 26th shot of the game, 56 minutes in. All we’re missing is a red card and we may not be waiting long, Marcus Rojo gets the first yellow card of the game for stepping on Sanchez’s achilles.

Finally, on the hour mark, the game seems to be settling down. Is this the first side of tiredness? Absolutely not. United break with Lingard who goes storming forward before knocking the ball to Pogba. He gets enough contact from Koscielny to get a penalty but he stays on his feet, runs around the man and crosses it low and hard to Lingard to tap in on the far post. 3-1.

Manchester United make their first substitute with Martial coming off for Herrera. It looks like Mourinho is going to try and see out the game now. I’m running out of superlatives but Martial has been them all in attack as well as defence with him tracking back when required. Arsenal make a change too with Danny Welbeck coming on against his former club for Xhaka.

Hector Bellerin sends Young somersaulting in the air with an awful tackle. Thankfully he gets up okay and Bellerin gets a yellow card for his troubles. Pogba then lunges for the ball and follows through right onto the knee of Bellerin. A truly awful tackle which earns the Frenchman a red card, his first in the league since 2013.

Young ran over to Mourinho just in time to get the substitute he was about to make with Rashford halted. Instead it looks like Matteo Darmian will come on for Lingard. It is also worth noting that Pogba will miss the Manchester derby as a result. Kolasina comes off for Giroud and the sheer quantity of attackers on for Arsenal spells trouble.

It looks like the last ten minutes will be all Arsenal. With that red card United are keeping all nine remaining outfield players behind the ball and as a result they can’t counter attack. That said though the better chances came for Arsenal when United had a full 11 because they were attacking and committing men forward.

Lukaku gets the ball with only Koscielny to beat and he gets sloppily taken down. It looked like it was a last man challenge and therefore should have been a red but the referee only brandishes a yellow. The amount of steam coming out of Mourinho’s ears looks like Looney Toons cartoon.

Herrera and Sanchez then both get yellow cards for a little coming together, and just before than Matic took down a player in the box but the penalty isn’t given. It’s all happening and it’s all happening at once. The fourth official then announces five minutes of extra time, can United hold on?

Rashford comes on in the last minute for Ashley Young and that is that. Somehow Manchester United have withstood 33 shots to win this game 3-1. A momentous achievement for the team who pick up an important three points in the fight to keep pace with City.

Skate 4: A new hope?

There aren’t many non-existent titles that have been talked about as much as Skate 4.

Indeed, fans of the series have not given up hope of seeing a sequel to the EA-published series, whose last release came in 2010 with Skate 3.

This hope was piqued most recently when Daniel Lingen, a community engagement representative at EA, tweeted out a message simply reading “#Skate4”, leading to widespread speculation that an announcement was in the pipeline.

CEO Andrew Wilson, however, quashed these rumours in a conference call with financial analysts, simply saying “we are not currently making Skate 4”, and the tweet was subsequently deleted.

Along with this, there are three compelling pieces of evidence that do not bode well for a sequel, all of which revolve around 2013, a year which marked a period of corporate sea change for EA.

Firstly, EA shut down Black Box, the studio behind Skate, in 2013. EA, who have a bit of a habit of buying and subsequently shutting down studios, closed four other studios that year, all of whose series, including Medal of Honor, have been dead ever since. The one exception to this is the Need for Speed series, which was given a reboot and handed over to a different subsidiary.

Second is the fact that, as of 2013, EA began to show a marked drop off in interest for niche titles. Along with Skate, 2013 saw the last of Crysis, Dead Space and Army of Two. Like Skate, these were all series that had sold between 5 and 10 million units, and appealed to subsects of gamers rather than the core audience.

Perhaps EA were simply too rich to bother on games that sold so ‘moderately’ (relatively speaking), but 2013 saw a tangible shift towards games more likely to sell a lot of units, particularly multiplayer first-person shooters like Star Wars: Battlefront, Battlefield, Titanfall and the upcoming Anthem.

Indeed, EA’s decision to shut down Visceral Games this year and “pivot the design” of the single-player Star Wars they were working on was, according to a blog post by EA executive president vice-president Patrick Soderlund, based on making the game a “broader experience” – i.e. a multiplayer game that better fits EA’s “game as a service” model. If an Uncharted style experience set in the Star Wars universe was considered to hold too narrow an appeal, what chance does Skate have?

The third, and perhaps most significant factor, is that 2013 was the year that current CEO Andrew Wilson took the reigns at EA.

Wilson, who had been promoted from head of EA sports having successfully monetised FIFA beyond EA’s wildest dreams with the microtransaction and loot box ladened ‘Ultimate Team’, oversaw the dawn of an era that has seen EA integrate a similar system into their biggest titles, culminating in Star Wars: Battlefront II, which was widely criticised for being “pay-to-win”.

What does this have to do with Skate, you ask? Well, in a time where even EA’s single-player games like Mass Effect: Andromeda are teeming with microtransactions, the potential profitability of a title using the Ultimate Team model is of the utmost importance to EA.

The Ultimate Team model, which involves sewing loot boxes and microtransactions so deeply into a game’s design and progression system that they become an integral part of the experience, is fundamentally incompatible with the Skate series.

Sure, EA could have their fun with locking cosmetic items like decks, wheels, trucks, clothing, and hairstyles behind paywalls, but the gameplay mechanics of Skate make it impossible to monetise in the same way as the likes of Battlefront II and Ultimate Team.

A key part of the premise of Skate is that, unlike in many other games, you have access to every trick in the game from the start. Like real skateboarding, it isn’t a matter of leveling up or completing objectives that lets you master these tricks, but a mixture of practice, dexterity, and sheer determination.

To monetise the gameplay in the Skate series, EA would be required to deconstruct the very foundations of the game’s progression system (or lack thereof) – foundations which made it such a popular cult hit to begin with. Even for EA, this would be so audacious and lacking in subtlety that they could never get away with it.

If you’ve stuck with this article through all the bad news, you’ll be glad to know it’s time for the good.

The truly catastrophic release of Star Wars: Battlefront II, which, among other things, has seen EA lose 3 billion in stock value, prompted several governments to launch investigations into the legal status of loot boxes as gambling, and most likely torpedoed the sales of a release of a title meant to compete with the new Call of Duty, has EA well and truly on the back foot.

I wouldn’t expect to see the “games as a service” ambition stifled for too long, but EA will have to roll back their microtransactions in order to avoid a full scale consumer revolt. Perhaps, for the time being, cosmetics microtransactions will have to do. Or, if EA really want to earn some brownie points for their frankly inadequate supply, none at all.

Not that there isn’t already a mutiny in progress. At the time of writing, every tweet and facebook post that EA write as they attempt to plough through the ill will is met with a barrage of abuse. The public perception of EA is worse than ever before and, unlike previous occasions, it has reached the mainstream media.

Typically, publishers tend to either endure the storm in silence, or wait for another publisher to come along and do something slightly worse (see Warner Bros. Interactive’s Middle Earth: Shadow of War). These options may be unavailable for EA. After the backlash, it is unlikely that another publisher will attempt anything for a good while, and the debate has got so big that it is unlikely to be forgotten.

The nature of Skate’s online presence would at least lighten the social media backlash. Despite Skate 3 being sevem years old and having sold a modest 4.72 million units, anything related to the game quickly goes viral on social media. Daniel Lingen’s tweet, for example, has almost three times as many retweets as he has followers, whilst a tweet by Tyler, The Creator on the subject garnered over 100,000 likes.

EA will be desperate to curry some favour, and announcing the return of a much-loved, much-anticipated cult favourite wouldn’t hurt. They could even call it ‘SK4TE.’