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Year: 2017

Live: Mario Biondi

Written by Hugh Morris on . Posted in Music.

13th February at RNCM

4/10

Italian soul singer Mario Biondi draws comparison easier than most. His distinctive low voice and striking stature means that Tom Jones and Gregory Porter are among the names thrown about. However, regardless of an RNCM crowd intent on lapping up the stylish Biondi, the first set left me dissatisfied enough to wish to leave before the second.

There were certainly redeemable moments. Biondi’s backing band, a quintet comprised of two multi-instrumentalists, keys, bass and drums, showed their class in the solo sections. During a moment of mind-wandering in the first half, I wondered if the band could ditch the singer and play a jazz set with occasional vocal interludes.

The venue didn’t help. Biondi obviously suits a more intimate environment, which RNCM doesn’t offer. The balance and mixing were variations on a theme of poor, including a very loud bang at the end of one song, leaving the crowd to awkwardly applaud whilst anxiously looking towards the mixing desk. Even with the noted difficulties of amplifying a voice like Biondi’s, there was a physical void between band and crowd, highlighted by the singer’s awkward shuffles back and forth from his microphone.

Which leads on to what I felt was the main problem with Biondi. Every song from the newly released Best of Soul album and his popular Sun album is in English, a language which he clearly isn’t fluent in, making the role of a frontman in England an awkward challenge. The point of soul music is to connect with the subject, and his generic lyrics struggled to do this at all.

Best of Soul is an okay album; the highlight is the sing-along style of ‘This Is What You Are’. Mario Biondi has a unique voice that sells and a select fanbase which is growing in Britain. But, once the talented band is stripped away, the only real comparisons to Jones and Porter are in age and facial hair.

Interview: Stornoway

Written by Christian Hurry on . Posted in Music.

After ten years together, beloved indie-folk group Stornoway are coming to a close. Led by a PhD student specialising in ducks, scattering birdsong and sampling the sounds of nature throughout their work, Stornoway are a truly unique voice in British music and they will be missed. I was fortunate enough to speak with Rob Steadman, the drummer of the group, to discuss their break-up as well as their upcoming farewell tour.

I’ve been a huge fan of the group since their debut album surfaced almost seven years ago, and having listened to their music through my formative years it was nice to get the chance to interview them before their split. Asking Rob how the members of the group were feeling, he tells me “it’s the end of a big, long chapter” but that the band were parting for the right reasons.

As he described each member moving in different directions, focusing on family and other personal interests, he painted a picture of Stornoway naturally coming to an end. Indeed, Rob was speaking with me from New York, where he’s been living for the past two years, coming back to the UK to tour with the group.

The group have made much of their career, as so many do, through social media. Announcing the split online, the group opened itself up to a flood of comments from fans across the world. “With this kind of announcement people react honestly,” Rob tells me. “There was a real outpouring of love, and sadness — it was very important.”

The group clearly thinks much of their fans. They went so far as to ask each one of them to post online one song that they would want to see on the upcoming tour. “We literally tallied up everybody’s votes.” He laughs as if remembering the effort that must have taken. “Thousands and thousands of votes.”

I ask if there were any songs that surprised them on that list and Rob remarks that there were a few songs that were “a bit out there”. Listening back to the recording I can hear myself laugh, because I’m definitely one of those fans. “It was quite funny to see people requesting things from some weird EP before anyone knew about us.” Well… if you don’t ask you don’t get!

Looking back over their career Stornoway have had some truly huge moments, playing at prestigious venues including the Barbican, Somerset House and Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage. “That was a real special gig,” Rob says of Somerset House. “That was the first time everything felt really professional.” He adds that he’ll always be proud to say that he played the Pyramid Stage — “even if it was at 11am to about 500 completely hungover people.” He also remarked that the group reached a wider audience after performing on Jools Holland: “I don’t think Stornoway would be where it is today without Jools Holland.”

So what will the group do now? Oli (bass) is producing records and running TIGMUS, a kickstarter-type service helping small bands to host gigs. Jon (keyboards) is producing music for radio and film, whereas Brian (vocals, guitar) is returning to his conservation roots and is now a nature reserve warden. Rob is still playing music with several new groups in New York but reflects that “the folk sensibility and Brian’s ornithological, humble personality is something I will miss.” A feeling shared by many fans, I’m sure.

For myself, it’s interesting to see each of them taking these different paths. Stornoway are known for adding layer upon layer of quirky sounds (footsteps and chopping carrots, to name a couple) whilst still providing the smart arrangements, driven bass, solid percussion and catchy melodies that any indie-folk band needs. Knowing where each of the members is going, it makes a little more sense about where this unique, improbable band came from.

Stornoway have been praised time and time again for the energy they put into their live shows. From this dedicated fan, it would be well worth your time listening to their hits and seeing this group in their element.

Stornoway play Manchester Academy on 4th March for their farewell tour.

Feature: Interview with filmmaker Josh Appignanesi

Written by Barney Weston on . Posted in Film.

Josh Appignanesi sports a black turtleneck jumper, as well as longer and curlier hair. Both are an improvement on his appearance in the documentary that he co-directs, The New Man. It seems as though with that smarter dress and those few more centimetres of hair has come a different lease of life. Josh is clearly The New Man he depicts in his documentary.

Turning the camera on themselves, filmmaker Josh Appignanesi and his wife Devorah Baum film the process of becoming parents at a time when late reproduction is the norm and masculinity is in crisis. Having been through multiple rounds of IVF, the couple finally get pregnant, but when complications hit, they’re pushed to their limits. What emerges is a moving and intimate portrait of a generation going through a revolution that nobody is talking about. The New Man is a film for anyone who has children, is thinking of having them, or still feels like a child themselves.

We talk about the documentary in the context of Brexit. Josh describes how a “Brexit feeling” has led to some backlash surrounding the film. A voice has emerged stating “we’ve heard enough of them.” Them being “the metropolitan liberal elite,” and Josh is quick to define himself, as well as everyone else in the room (like it or not), as such. Josh seems concerned with the film being depicted as such. He describes how the film’s reenactments tried not to be “meta, or up its own arse.”

Within the context of Trump and Putinism, Josh believes masculinity has been warped. He has realised how the documentary appeals beyond that, depicting how modern masculinity “encompasses limitation and admits it.” He states that the documentary thus appeals to all humans, and their ability to overcome.

This gives the documentary an intensely personal feel. This is Josh and,  his wife and co-director, Devorah Baum showcasing their ability to overcome.

Talking about the documentary’s narrative, it seems to have “presented itself.” Josh references his rom-com writing experience — he wrote All Roads Lead to Rome starring Sarah Jessica Parker — in regards to such.

However, this is no rom-com. Josh and Devorah worked on the film together. Devorah was “the driving force” in the edit. Both found it difficult to go back. “No one wants to revisit stuff like that” Josh tells me. He has only seen the film 7 or 8 times, whereas Devorah has only seen it 3 times. Both are an abnormally small amount of times to review a film you have created.

“It was so horrible making this film” Josh tells me. But ultimately, “a truth is revealed in it and it’s the one we were comfortable showing.” I’m glad they did. For a film that gives you an insight, as a student, into later life and its potential trials and tribulations, see this.

The New Man was shown at HOME on Sunday, the 12th of February. The event featured a Q&A with the documentary’s co-director, Josh Appignanesi, and was chaired by Charlie Phillips, Head of documentaries (multimedia), Guardian News & Media.

Review: Gold

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Director Stephen Gaghan was probably trying to ride the McConaissance wave with his latest effort Gold, following the story of a near bankrupt mining company. Unfortunately Gaghan’s ship couldn’t hold against the relentless McConaughey performance, showing that one man can’t make a movie.

The star of Dallas Buyers Club and Interstellar looks unrecognisable initially, after a massive 20 kilo weight gain for the role of Kenny Wells. Portly and poor, this third generation prospector is desperately trying to keep his business afloat. So much so that he’s willing to risk everything for the chance to strike it lucky. Scraping together every last cent and even pawning his wife’s golden jewellery, he travels to Indonesia after a dream reveals where he must go. Wells meets with renowned geologist Micke Acosta (Edgar Ramirez) after arriving in the country in order to discuss a partnership in discovering and subsequently mining the gold. What follows is a gripping tale of corruption and the greed of man. Or at least it could have been.

What began on paper as a story with considerable financial and critical potential ends up lethargic, with messy narrative. It appears that Gaghan is unsure how he wanted to direct the film, as if he was attempting to complete a lego set without the instructions, having all the correct pieces but lacking the knowledge of how to assemble them. Instead of having a neatly constructed product to display with pride we have Gold, with its ugly structure, scenes that look entirely out of place and an irregular rhythm that hinders the viewer from being properly immersed. I feel as though there are other directors far better suited to tackle a film of this nature and it’s bitterly disappointing to see the initial promise go to waste.

Gaghan’s plight is not helped by the seemingly lifeless script written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. As a result it’s hardly surprising that several performances, notably Edgar Ramirez’s, fell way short. It must be made clear that this is not a judgment of individual ability, as those involved acted commendably given the quality of material. The film did feature a very light dusting of commendable displays though. In particular Toby Kebbell stood out with a wonderful yet disappointingly short stint as an FBI Detective. The Warcraft and Dead Man’s Shoes star has had several similar appearances recently begging the question why has he not been handed a leading role in years.

Although there is a quite considerable heap of negatives, a sprinkling of positives can be seen. Enough to sway a minor proportion of viewers perhaps, but look closer and you’ll see those positives don’t quite fit. They hint at another film — a better one.

Recently Hollywood has been awash with this type of rise and fall true story and as with any genre of films, not all will succeed in greatness. This is sadly the case with Gold, falling massively short of the competition. In the gold rush of gold rush films, not every one will hit the jackpot.

Paris: Exploring the city of love

Written by Megan Byrne on . Posted in Lifestyle.

We took the short plane journey across the channel, flying from Manchester to Paris Charles de Gaulle, before hopping on a short train ride into the city itself. The Hotel Charlemagne in Neuilly-Sur-Seine was a pleasure to stay in, as it was very small and quaint with friendly staff. The décor in the room particularly made me feel like we’d stepped into a F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. As it was a special occasion, my girlfriend had arranged for champagne and patisseries to be waiting for us when we arrived, which the staff were all too willing to provide. My favourite part of the room was the tiny balcony, which provided us with an outlook onto the Avenue de Madrid with its pavement cafes and fountain.

Photo: Megan Byrne

In Neuilly-Sur-Seine, I enjoyed a steak with a blue cheese sauce whilst Em tucked into a gigantic burger. The food was delicious and not badly priced (around €10-€11 each). After a day of travel and with the wine going straight to our heads, we made our way back to the hotel to enjoy a good night’s sleep before the next day’s adventures.

On our first full day in the city, we started at one of my favourite buildings in Paris — the Sacré-Cœur. After battling the 300 steps up to the building we were rewarded by the stunning views of Paris that the piazza provides, as well as being able to see the majesty of the Basilica up close. The walk down was much gentler, and we decided to wander around Montmartre a little and take the time to look around a few of the independent shops that populate the area.

After that, we headed to the Champs Elysees where we opted out of venturing up the Eiffel Tower and instead chose to climb up a narrow staircase to the top of the Arc-de-Triomphe. In my opinion, the views here are unrivalled as you can see the Eiffel Tower in all its glory, and the Sacré-Cœur as well as the eleven streets which spread out across Paris with Napoleon’s monument as their centre point.

Photo: Megan Byrne

Next, we paid a visit to another one of my favourite places in Paris, the Shakespeare and Company bookshop. The hub of writers and artists is also a stockist of new and antique books, and is a vital historic landmark for fans of both the Lost and Beat Generations. Unfortunately, the weather took a turn and we took shelter in a little café to enjoy a hot chocolate whilst it passed, then took a stroll along the river before heading back to the hotel.

That night we got all dressed up and went to Notre Dame, which is absolutely stunning at night as it is all lit up from within. We had a beautiful dinner in a restaurant whose tables spilt out onto the pavement. After a walking dessert of crepes with strawberries, we took the short trip across the city to the Eiffel Tower just in time for it to begin to sparkle at midnight. After a very long and exciting day, we collapsed into bed so we could wake up ready to make the most of our last day.

The final day of our trip was dominated by a boat trip down the Seine which took us from the Pont de Alma to the Pont de Sully and back again. It was a beautiful day and an amazing way to see lots of the city that doesn’t involve a load of walking! We probably had the most fun window shopping for dream houses out of the many beautiful buildings which line the Seine. We did a little bit of real shopping on the Champs Elysees afterwards before making our way back to the hotel in order to be ready for our flight in the middle of the night. All in all, it was an unforgettable and undeniably very romantic weekend.

Return flights from Manchester Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle are about £100 with Easyjet.

Live: Tom Walker

Written by Amy Matthews on . Posted in Music.

3rd February at Fallow Cafe

8/10

Tom Walker has only released a few singles in the past few months but has gathered a mass of followers. With over 1.3m monthly listeners on Spotify and increased recognition from Radio 1, it is clear why Tom’s five-date debut tour has sold out.

Tonight, the last night of the tour at Manchester Fallow Cafe brought the triumphant journey to a close. The crowd is full of friends and family, making it a pleasurable homecoming for Tom, who was raised in the city.

His entrance to the stage is brought by roars and cheers from the crowd eager for his set to begin. Despite being yet to release an EP or an album, his selection of songs are well received by all in attendance. He begins his set with ‘Rapture’, a loud, punchy song that captivates everyone in the room.

After thanking the crowd for selling out both the night and the whole tour, he then beams into ‘Fly Away’, showcasing a melodic riff which beams escapism and longing. Shortly afterwards, it is followed by ‘Home’, an upbeat track with subtle reggae vibes (no wonder the crowd are dancing in tune).

It is clear tonight is a celebration for Tom: the beers are flowing and the crowd are roaring for more. After a short chat about his latest prized possession, a guitar named Pete that he bought on Gumtree, he uses said guitar to play new song ‘Blessings’. This soulful track clearly has the audience hooked, but Walker’s raspy voice shines through, echoing the likes of Paolo Nutini.

“Counting our blessings, as we’ve got friends to lean on”, sings Tom, mirroring the atmosphere of the friendly, happy crowd. This is then followed by fan favourite ‘Play Dead’, where many phones appear with audience members singing along with Tom, who is throwing himself around the tiny stage, his raspy voice screaming “I can’t stand the TV screens”, echoing the worlds current state of affairs.

‘Karma’, a song that is clearly made for much bigger stages, shortly follows, with the front row clearly enjoying themselves and throwing themselves around. ‘Just You and I’, a previous Radio 1 Track of the Week, follows soon after, resulting in the audience singing in joyous harmony, bodies swaying to the beat.

‘Be Myself’ appears to be a new track, with Tom hinting at a new 4-track EP soon to be realised. The set draws to a close with the penultimate fiery track ‘Sun Goes Down’.

The crowd bellows “one more tune, one more tune”, with Tom replying: “if I had one more tune I would play it for you”. After tonight, it is clear that Tom Walker’s songs are built for larger stages. Leaving Fallow Café it feels like we have witnessed a real star in the making.

Review: The Founder

Written by Eloïse Wright on . Posted in Film.

The idea that John Lee Hancock’s latest film was probably just another narrative about making it in America meant that my anticipation for it was rather low. But as the film unfolded I was caught off guard by its surprising density.

The Founder —which has interesting ironic undertones — explores the conceptual origins of fast-food and the empire of the food-chain McDonald’s. It is 1954 when we are introduced to the insatiable salesman Ray Kroc; convincingly played by Michael Keaton. Struggling and fast-paced, he is the embodiment of the free market system and good old American capitalism. Unsuccessfully attempting to sell milkshake makers to diners, an order of eight from a San Bernardino burger stand piques his interest. What distinguishes this thriving restaurant from the ones that struggle to sell a single one? He drives all the way from Illinois to find out.

The stand, of course, is the original McDonald’s. The whole concept of the busy place confuses Kroc, he can’t seem to grasp that his food is presented to him almost instantaneously after ordering it, or that no crockery is required, or that he can eat it where ever he pleases. The movie addresses the shift of fast food and the initial learning curve consumers experienced superbly, and it is at this point that we first encounter with the McDonald brothers. Featuring terrific performances by John Caroll Lynch (The Zodiac) and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation’s Ron Swanson) as Mac and Dick, they manage to convey a down-to-earth pair who simply strive to have their own piece of the American Dream after years of persistence and hard work. Except they came up with a notion that would revolutionise America, and they didn’t even know it.

Over a particularly well shot scene of dinner between our three main interests, a fascinated Kroc listens to the brothers recount their long and arduous process to coming up with their unique system. Hancock unfolds the brothers’ past through a series of flashbacks of their thirty-year struggle. The story rises to an electric climax as they calmly come to explain their Eureka moment by pinpointing the weaknesses of competitors, such as poor quality food and slow service that attracts undesired clientele — here it is teenagers that are the problem. It is Dick who localises where they are losing and could potentially save time and money. From past experience, he assesses that certain items are guaranteed to sell, and by pure logic decides to strip the menu down to the basics such as hamburgers, fries and milkshakes. The next point is a stroke of genius, simultaneously in the film-making and in real life, as the scene shows Dick arbitrating his staff around a mock-up chalk kitchen, manoeuvring it over and over in order to create their pioneering time-effective system. This is the stuff capitalist dreams are made of.

Concise, minimal, and easy to keep cleanliness and quality in check, the McDonald brothers are perfectly content with their creation. But Kroc thinks differently, and has the gut feeling he has stumbled upon a rare opportunity. His love for business immediately latches onto the fact that the McDonald’s structure can be endlessly replicated, urging the brothers to “franchise it”. Here the direction puts the viewer in a conflicted spot, aware of the potential Kroc sees, yet faced with the brothers’ sincere attachment to their creation and high-quality standards. Soon enough, Kroc comes up with just the right hook to reel them in— American values. Each town he drives by has 2 things: a church and a court house. Both places where the American Family congregate, both symbols associated to these common values: The Cross and the American flag. Kroc insists that the “Golden Arches” of McDonalds could be of the same meaning, a place where “decent, wholesome people come together”.

After a tug-of-war business relationship between the three, Kroc’s hunger for more pushes him to cease all decency and figures out how he can pull the business from under the McDonald’s brothers’ feet through real estate trickery. In a poignant — and for the audience — uncomfortable phone call between the brothers and “The Founder”, Kroc hits them with the disheartening truth: “I’m national. You’re local”, succinctly addressing the at times chilling American capitalist drive.

Review: Hidden Figures

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Coming two years after the overly sentimental St.Vincent, Theodore Melfi returns to the directors chair for Hidden Figures. The inspiring true story of how three African-American women fought against gender and race discrimination to assist in arguably the greatest human accomplishment of the time, launching astronaut John Glenn into orbit. An event which turned the tide of the space race and united America in it’s desire to reach the moon.

The three women depicted in Hidden Figures begin as ‘computers’, someone who performs long and often tedious mathematical calculations prior to the invention of electronic computers. They all aspire for greater things but due to the societal hurdle of skin colour find great difficulty in getting acknowledged, let alone respected. Katherine Johnson’s talent (Taraji Henson) has incredible mathematic ability, Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) has natural leadership skills and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) is a fantastic engineer. All three actresses are commanding in their roles, which isn’t entirely positive as the weaker performances are more noticeable with the weakest of all being Jim Parsons’ portrayal of head engineer Paul Stafford. A character whose only purpose in the film is to reinforce the fact that people of colour face discrimination. Melfi must have doubted the audience’s ability to denounce racism on its first appearance so decided to make Stafford repeatedly, and to no additional story benefit, belittle Katherine.

Parsons’ character is not the only story element that if removed would have made the film less forgettable. Another example of this is the needless romantic subplot involving Katherine and Army Officer Jim Johnson. Romance for the sake of romance is usually for one of two reasons, either the scriptwriters needed an extra 15 minutes runtime and got lazy, or the film needed to be more accessible for the general public (to bring in those box office returns). Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) who plays Johnson is a great actor and it is a shame that his talent is wasted in this role.

Whilst there were many scenes showing discrimination against the women of the West Computing wing, and people of colour as a whole, one particular example was overplayed. After Katherine is assigned to the Space Task Group, a collection of the greatest scientific and engineering minds in America, she is constantly on the receiving end of racial prejudice. This occurs to such an extent that they are made to seem villainous to fit with the generic Hollywood narrative: character faces adversity, almost succumbs as a result but is eventually victorious. There is nothing new or original here. Just another underwhelming “based on a true story” film that seems to hit the cinema screens every few weeks.

In years to come it will be the films that took risks that will be remembered and sadly Hidden Figures took none. The outcome is an ordinary film about the extraordinary. One that uses the leads to push an agenda rather than treat them like the pioneers they were. Yet another addition to the pile of potential classics.

Costa vs. Lewandowski

Written by Dane Massey on . Posted in Sport.

Diego Costa has arguably been the standout player in the Premier League this season: he has been the catalyst in Chelsea’s surge to the summit of the table. Costa has scored 15 league goals, which gives him a goal on average every 136 minutes. He has also registered five assists, as he continues to impress following a disappointing campaign last season.

There is no denying Costa’s quality, but many football fans will be quick to point out his below par performances last term when Chelsea finished 10th. Understandably, this could lead to questions about the Spaniard’s consistency, but one striker who can’t be criticised for his consistency is Robert Lewandowski – the Bayern Munich and Poland star is on fire once again this season.

In Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Hertha Berlin, Lewandowski scored a stoppage time equaliser – his 25th goal of the season so far – which means he has now scored a quarter of a century of goals for six seasons running at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. The Pole is a goal machine who epitomises the ultimate modern day number nine.

The former Dortmund man is two footed, excellent in the air and can hold the ball up and go in behind. Costa shares similar traits to his striking counterpart, both forward’s characteristics make a defender’s task an absolute nightmare. As he did two seasons ago and in his time with Atletico Madrid in Spain, Costa is terrifying centre-backs week in week out, just as Lewandowski has done for the last half a decade.

The statistics appear to swing in favour of the Bayern striker this season, but the club’s talisman has only scored one more goal than Costa in the league. He has a further nine in German cup competitions and the UEFA Champions League combined, while Costa has not played in Europe due to the Blues failing to qualify last term, and has one goal in one FA Cup appearance, which came on Saturday at Wolverhampton.

When examining a striker’s statistics, most people tend to look solely in the goals scored column, but there is much more to the game of a centre-forward than just goals. After an era of tiki-taka and false number nine’s, the traditional number nine is firmly back in fashion, and the front men form the fulcrum of their teams – including Costa and Lewandowski.

With possession now less influential, many of the game’s elite managers base their style of play around swift, fast, direct, expansive, counter-attacking football. Two prime examples are Italian duo Antonio Conte and Carlo Ancelotti, who like most football fans across the world, enjoy the fast-paced, high-energy side of the game as opposed to insipid solely possession based football.

Conte and Ancelotti represent not just successful, winning managers, but also managers who want their teams to play the right way. A huge part of this depends on the performance of the striker, who as well as scoring goals, is tasked with bringing their teammates into play and creating chances.

Both Costa and Lewandowski demonstrate this. They embody traits of an old-fashioned number nine, engaging in bloody battles with defenders. But they also have shrewdness and striking nous about them, running off defenders intelligently, getting in the right places at the right time to both score and create goals for their teams.

Aside of their striking sensations, however, Chelsea and Bayern are teams notoriously filled with pace and power. This undoubtedly helps Costa and Lewandowski, but their expert hold up play and their ability to link up play proficiently means that it equally works the other way, giving the players behind them more space and freedom to operate.

It combines to make a good recipe for excitement and success, and the key ingredient is a world-class striker who connects everything together. There are many reasons why Chelsea and Bayern are England and Germany’s premier clubs this season, but having a world-class centre-forward boosts any team’s chances of winning silverware immensely.

Who is the better player?
As we have seen, both Costa and Lewandowski are supremely talented footballers, two of the best in the world in their position. Lewandowski may have scored more goals this season, and been recognised as one of the best for a longer period than Costa, but the fact Costa is in a tougher league where it is harder to score goals just about gives the Spaniard the nod. His all-round play, tireless work rate and determination mean that Costa’s exemplary attitude rubs off on all his team-mates – he is a centre-forward who ticks all the boxes.

Why are England’s top Referees going abroad?

Written by Luke Maguire on . Posted in Sport.

On first inspection, the reason may seem obvious: money, money, money! With the likes of China offering some premier league players ridiculous salaries of over £400,000 a week, referees are treated no differently. What’s the point in having some of the best players in the world in your league if you don’t have the best officials? However the enticement of money only scratches the surface of the reasons behind this and we need to dig deeper to fully understand why big name referees are deciding to swap the green shores of Britain, for the deserts of Saudi Arabia and big cities of the USA, to name but a few of the destinations referees are heading to.

This story was sparked by the shock reports that Mark Clattenburg, argued by some to be one the best referees in the Premier League, and possibly the world, was resigning from his position in the Premier League to take up a new post as head of referees in Saudi Arabia, replacing Howard Webb (another memorable refereeing face from the Premier league) who recently resigned from the position. You could be forgiven for thinking this as rather odd; Saudi Arabia are not exactly renowned for their prowess in world football or for the quality of their national league. The furthest they have reached in the World Cup is the last 16 in 1994 and since then the furthest they’ve reached is the group stage. However oil has made countries such as this vastly wealthy, and with some spare cash to splash around, Saudi officials have deemed improving the country’s football image on a global stage as a top priority.

Clattenburg’s move is of course partially motivated by the large wage increase he is likely to receive, but it is also reported that he has become disillusioned with the lack of support referees receive from the Referees Chief Mike Riley, and the burdensome politics associated with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). It is true that in England particularly, referees do come under intense scrutiny with every big decision they make, often becoming subject to intense media attention. Referees are human, like everyone else and so are capable of occasionally making mistakes, yet in England they are expected to be almost super human in that every performance should be perfect without any mistakes being made. Referees who do make mistakes receive a torrent of abuse from the media and fans alike, making an already difficult job even more unpleasant. Therefore it’s not hard to understand why a referee like Clattenburg would want to get away from all of it to places where he’s likely to receive a much greater level of respect.

Initially it appeared as though Clattenburg’s move would be immediate, however he is scheduled to officiate in Saturday’s match between West Brom and Bournemouth, and it has now been confirmed by the Premier league that he will remain until the end of the season.

Clattenburg’s departure has been followed by speculation about Michael Oliver’s future as he is linked with a move to the USA to officiate in the MLS. This is coming just days after Clattenburg’s shock revelation about his upcoming move to Saudi Arabia.

Some commentators have described this as the beginning of a ‘refereeing crisis’. Morale amongst top Premier league referees is certainly low at the moment, though it arguably has not reached this tipping point yet. However if we continue down this path of losing our best match officials to foreign leagues, this crisis risks coming to fruition.

So what’s the solution to all of this? It is very difficult, yet small steps could be taken in the right direction to encourage our current top referees to stay and promote the development of future homegrown referees. Greater protection for referees from the PGMOL, and particularly from Mike Riley, would go a long way to helping referees feel more confident that they will be supported both on and off the pitch. New video technologies will help referees correctly make decisions in tricky circumstances and ensure that there can be no debate as to whether, for example, a player has deliberately dived or whether a penalty should be given for a genuine foul. The culture of disrespect and abuse among fans in England towards match officials is now so deeply embedded, it may be unlikely to ever be eradicated. However greater education for the younger generation on respecting referees and their authority on the pitch, may make some headway towards alleviating this problem.

Mark Clattenburg and Michael Oliver are not the first referees to move abroad for greener pastures and if more is not done to combat this issue, they certainly will not be the last.

Club Profile: Athletic Club Bilbao

Written by Magnus Henderson on . Posted in Sport.

In some far-flung areas of the world, football equals life. The sport boils down to its tribal best where football is not just a healthy competition, but a clash of cultures and beliefs. South America is renowned for their passionate addiction to club football, most famously with the Superclásico, played between Boca Juniors and River Plate; the fiercest domestic rivalry in the world. In the more civilised or commercialised Europe, such clubs are hard to find. There are a few, however, still kicking about and causing a fuss, despite the evolution into modern football.

San Mamés (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

The most successful institution of this type is Athletic Club Bilbao. Part of the Basque Country, located in the Western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain, Athletic Bilbao are unique when it comes to unity. The club have a cantera (‘quarrying’) policy of playing only Basque-born (or Basque-related) players which has been the case since their foundation in 1898. Originally that was the case with the majority of football clubs, but instead of developing with the globalisation of football, Athletic, out of stubbornness or pride, have stayed true to their origins.

Similar to Barcelona, Athletic are in a part of Spain who have historically opposed Madrid as a city of arrogance and oppression who hold control over the Catalonian and Basque regions despite their want for independence. In the 13th century AD, the Kingdom of Navarre (Basque) peacefully merged with the Castilian Kingdom (Madrid) because of their superior power and trade goods. The alliance has been fractured over time however, with numerous unsuccessful campaigns for independence taking place in the past century.

San Mamés (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

All clubs have history, but not many cling to their history as lovingly as Athletic. The club’s stadium is named San Mamés, after the semi-legendary figure, Saint Mammes. Mammes was an early Christian thrown to the lions by the Romans out of punishment for his religion in the 3rd Century AD. According to tradition, Mammes pacified the lions and was subsequently made a Saint. Athletic Bilbao’s most commonly referred to nickname is Los Liones, and I am sure you do not need a translation to figure that one out. The very fact that San Mamés is nicknamed “La Catedral” confirms the religiosity surrounding the club.

It is not just the unity of Athletic which makes the club so special; their footballing history stands on its own two feet. Bilbao is one of three founding members of the Primera División that have never been relegated from the top flight, the other two being Real Madrid and Barcelona. Likewise, that trio of Spanish historical gold are also the only three clubs in La Liga that are not sports corporations, instead being owned and operated by its club members.

In terms of silverware, Los Liones are up there with the most established clubs in the division. Having won La Liga on eight separate occasions, Bilbao are fourth for titles won in the history of the league. More surprisingly, only Barcelona have managed to win more Copa del Rey trophies than Athletic’s 24. In fact, Bilbao picked up plenty of trophies in the first few decades of their professional existence, and, until Madrid came to power in the 1950’s, Athletic was the most successful club in Spain.

San Mamés (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

Real Madrid are the Basque club’s fiercest rivals because of their footballing history and political differences, however neighbours Real Sociedad offer a more sportingly competitive rivalry and a fairer competition with the resources on offer. Sociedad, like Athletic, used to only enrol Basque-born footballers until they signed Irish striker John Aldridge in 1989. Since then, ‘The Royals’ have moved with the rest of modern football and invested in foreign players to keep up with the growing quality in the European leagues.

Athletic, on the other hand, invest in infrastructure. With their ‘cantera’ policy, Athletic build and lift local talent to the heights of the top division. Eighty percent of Bilbao’s players came through their academy, with the others signed from different regions of the Basque country. The continual stability of the club proves that proper investment into grass-roots can reap rewards. While critics can accuse Athletic of being short-sighted, the club have actually globalised, but in a different way to the rest of the pack.

Iñaki Williams (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

Iñaki Williams, son of a Ghanaian father and Liberian mother who escaped difficult circumstances in Africa, was born in the Basque country and, when he scored against Torino on the 15th of February 2015, became the first black goal-scorer in the history of the club.

With this sort of environment, narratives seem to appear out of nowhere. The same has been true of this season. Yeray Álvarez, at 21 years of age, was called up to the first team during the pre-season for the 2016/17 season. He became an integral member of the first team squad at the beginning of the season, starting 17 out of a possible 20 matches before being diagnosed with testicular cancer on December 23rd. 46 days later, Álvarez played a full 90 minutes in a 0-3 loss to Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Five days after that fixture, Álvarez extended his contract until 2022.

There are very few clubs in the world like Athletic. Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara are famous for producing home-grown talent with the likes of Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela graduating from their youth academy. Parallel with Bilbao, Chivas only field Mexican-born players and are one of the most decorated football clubs in the country. The two Milan clubs, Internazionale and AC, came into existence because of a row between footballing ideologies. Have you ever wondered why AC Milan are known as ‘Milan’ whereas Inter Milan are known as ‘Inter’? AC had a policy of only investing in Italian talent while Inter, hence ‘Internazionale’, only promoted foreign talent. Almost all of the clubs similar to Athletic Bilbao have died out with the globalisation of football, so, instead of criticising the Basque-based club, fans should laud the institution for believing in more than just the money.

Top 5: Tracks by LGBT+ Artists

Written by Charlotte Ridout on . Posted in Music.

Ever since the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which we now call Valentine’s Day, February has been associated with love and romance. Thousands of years later in 2005, February became the UK’s LGBT History Month to celebrate love of every kind and to pay tribute to LGBT historical icons who both fought for the rights and representation of the community. Throughout history, we have been blessed with a plethora of talented LGBT artists, so here are just a handful for you to enjoy.

1.“Standing in the Way of Control” – The Gossip

Never one to mince words, lead singer of Gossip, Beth Ditto, has been known to describe herself as a “fat, feminist lesbian from Arkansas”. Ditto has a powerful voice which she uses not only to belt out indie hits like this but also to advocate for feminism and LGBT rights.

2.“Spooky” – Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield was a Sixties icon and lent her sultry, sensual voice to classics such as “Son of a Preacher Man” and “I Only Want to Be with You”. Despite many of her biggest hits being about men, Springfield was reportedly never in a relationship with one, stating “I know I’m perfectly as capable of being swayed by a girl as by a boy. More and more people feel that way and I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”

3.“Ivy” – Frank Ocean

The name Frank Ocean will doubtless be one you are familiar with. In July 2012, the singer/songwriter posted an open letter on his Tumblr account describing his first taste of true love when he fell for a young man at the age of 19. The letter appeared just days before the release of his debut album, Channel Orange. Whilst the feelings were unrequited, Ocean thanks the man for his influence.

4.“Downhearted Blues” – Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith was a blues legend during the 1920s and 1930s and openly celebrated her identity as a black, bisexual woman during an era where one could be shunned for any one of those things, let alone all three. Nevertheless, Smith became the highest-paid black entertainer of that time, and was accompanied by greats such as Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson.

5. “Russian Dance (Trepak)” – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Being gay in Russia isn’t easy even now in 2017, let alone in 1860. Arguably one of the best ballet composers ever (and, I’ll admit, a personal favourite), Tchaikovsky was the man behind famous scores such as The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake. He lived as a bachelor for most of his life, keeping his homosexuality a secret but spoke of it in his letters which were censored by the Soviet Union.

BAFTA Awards 2017

Written by Brogen Campbell on . Posted in Film, Theatre.

The award ceremony was hosted by Stephen Fry for the 12th time and kept proceedings without any comments that would land him in hot water like last year. ‘La La Land’ has continued its exceptional run of bagging awards here, there, and everywhere and the BAFTAS were no exception.

The film won a total of five awards, the most of the night, but was still expected to have won more having been nominated for eleven. The film ended up winning awards for Best Film, Best Actress for Emma Stone, Best Director for Damien Chazelle, Best Cinematography and Original Music.

A total of fifteen different movies bagged an award across the evening. ‘Manchester by the Sea’ managed to beat ‘La La Land’ for Best Original Screenplay and Casey Affleck won Best Actor. Dev Patel won Best Supporting Actor for Lion, having come a long way since his Skin days, 10 years since its first release.

Just like any other award show it wasn’t just about the glitz and glamour and many used the platform to voice their political concerns. Ken Loach used his speech for winning the Outstanding British Film award for ‘I, Daniel Blake’ to reprimand the government for treating the poorest of society with contempt. Trump was called a blithering idiot by Stephen Fry for not recognising Meryl Streep as one of the best actresses of all time. Viola Davis — who won Best Supporting Actress for ‘Fences’ — also supported Streep’s stand at the Golden Globes and highlighted that more roles needed to be available for black actors in the coming years.

The BAFTAS most prestigious honour, a fellowship, was awarded to Mel Brooks. Brooks made the films ‘The Producers’, ‘Spaceballs’, and ‘Blazing saddles’ amongst numerous others. He joins the ranks of Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Sidney Poitier, Judi Dench and Helen Mirren who have all been awarded a fellowship.

The next award ceremony will be the Oscars being held in Hollywood on the 26th of February.

Best film

La La Land

Outstanding British film

I, Daniel Blake

Director

Damien Chazelle – La La Land

Leading actress

Emma Stone – La La Land

Leading actor

Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea

Supporting actress

Viola Davis – Fences

Supporting actor

Dev Patel – Lion

Original screenplay

Manchester by the Sea – Kenneth Lonergan

Adapted screenplay

Lion – Luke Davies

Outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer

Under the Shadow – Babak Anvari (writer/director), Emily Leo, Oliver Roskill, Lucan Toh (producers)

Film not in the English language

Son of Saul – Laszlo Nemes, Gabor Sipos

Documentary

13th

Animated film

Kubo and the Two Strings

Original music

La La Land – Justin Hurwitz

Cinematography

La La Land – Linus Sandgren

Editing

Hacksaw Ridge – John Gilbert

Production design

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Stuart Craig, Anna Pinnock

Costume design

Jackie – Madeline Fontaine

Make-up and hair

Florence Foster Jenkins – J Roy Helland, Daniel Phillips

Sound

Arrival – Claude La Haye, Bernard Gariepy Strobl, Sylvain Bellemare

Special visual effects

The Jungle Book – Robert Legato, Dan Lemmon, Andrew R. Jones, Adam Valdez

British short animation

A Love Story – Khaled Gad, Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara, Elena Ruscombe-King

British short film

Home – Shpat Deda, Afolabi Kuti, Daniel Mulloy, Scott O’Donnell

EE Rising Star award (voted for by the public)

Tom Holland

 

Review: Was it good for you?

Written by Pete Stallard on . Posted in Theatre.

One night stands are a strange, post-modern phenomenon.

The idea of becoming entirely intimate with a total stranger for a few hazy hours only to depart their lives often forever seems at odds with any notion of forging emotional, fulfilling relationships which- in this increasingly lonely world- seems to be the end goal for a lot of people.

Thankfully then, directors Rosie Harris and Luke Smith along with the wonderful cast of ‘Was it good for you?’ are here to guide us through the joys and anxieties of the one night stand. The play is hilarious in large parts and touching when it needs to be, and is ultimately an uncomfortably honest look at the great embarrassing anecdote of our time.

The play begins in medias res in the bedroom scene. The two leads, a boy named Isaac and an apparently unnamed girl are already back (post-pub foundation laying) to the site of the bedroom- the locus for so many unsaid worries about what is going to happen next.

The play is built around a series of interior monologues from the two leads as they anxiously project their worries about the upcoming and apparently inevitable sex that is to follow. The monologues are impeccably written, unflinchingly discussing sexual pitfalls such as worries over out of control pubic hair or sexual virility (can I get it up? A problem as old as sex itself).

Chris Pope and Izzy Lewis are brilliant, candidly discussing taboo subjects with the audience in a way which is uncomfortable yet reassuring; these are just two normal people with the same worries about sex as anybody who hasn’t been trained in the Hugh Heffner school of sexual prowess.

The direction of the play is great; these two characters never voice their concerns to one another, only second guessing each other in brilliant comic fashion (where does this go? Shall I put this here? Etc.). As an audience member, you are left thinking ‘just TALK to each other’, yet that of course is the point the play drives home; the lack of communication due to embarrassment underpins so many of these true to life situations.

The play progresses through various ‘stages’ of intercourse, and wryly portrays the often-mechanical motions people go through when becoming intimate with a stranger. The leads worry that they are being too adventurous while the other wonders if their partner could maybe be doing more. If an audience member is made uncomfortable during this play, it is only because it is so unnervingly accurate for anyone who has been in this situation before.

The play must also be commended for its daring nature; this is not a PG-13 comedy. All the sex acts are performed as to be one step away from pornographic. There is no interpretive dance to signal the erotic union of two beings, or an explosion of petals to emulate an orgasm. The play opts for realism over ‘high art’ and it is extremely effective.

As I have mentioned, any discomfort felt by the audience is just an honest reflection of how these real-life scenarios play out; they are nature awkwardness. Of course, nudity (or partial nudity) in theatre is nothing new, but it still exhibits a complete shedding of self-consciousness on the actor’s part and is a very impressive artistic choice.

In order to flesh the monologues out, a series of muses appear to guide our leads through the night; fully fledged Casanovas our heroes are not (who is?). Fergus Macphee’s turn as a kind of high-camp, transvestite figure is uproariously funny, confidently guiding the bemused Isaac (and the audience) through the oft-challenging process of donning a prophylactic (condom to the layman).

Clint Eastwood, Simone de Beauvoir and assorted others also make bizarre and hilarious cameos, further emphasising the crazy and random thoughts that invade our brains in these apparently most intimate moments. These two characters may be physically interacting with each other, but their minds are off on their own journey, desperately seeking help from these fictional characters.

As the play reaches its climax (sorry) it entails a brilliant departure from the mostly comic scenes that have occurred prior to this final act. Both characters begin to address their past, and wonder what it is that is stopping them from fully enjoying this moment. One moving scene involves Lewis’s character confronting past demons and attempting to exorcise them in a show of autonomy that the play gets right, never wandering in to the realms of cliché or forced sadness. In a brilliantly acted scene, the audience is privy to the trauma that Lewis’ character has experienced and is a brutally honest moment that elevates the play from raunchy comedy into a deeper exploration of the sexual psyche.

Overall then the play is pure comic gold, almost every joke landing and sharp pop-culture references abound. The fact that it deals with the concept of the ‘one night stand’ in a nuanced and honest manner is a bonus. The score is also great, a series of jazz standards helping the play along as our leads bumble through their sexual odyssey.

The setting is also brilliant, a classic messy ‘uni’ bedroom being the site of the play, and a kind of lewd shadow show helping the play’s action to proceed while our leads talk to the audience. If you want to see some honest, no holds-barred theatre about sex in all its baggage-ridden glory from the University of Manchester Drama Society then go and see ‘Was it good for you?’. Who knows, you may even learn a trick or two.

‘Was it goof for you?’ is part of the MIFTAS season and is playing at the Martin Harris Building from the 15th to the 17th February.

Three must read books from Orange 4

Written by Farah Elhouni on . Posted in Books.

Orange 4 in the Main library is home to the Near East Collection of books, holding books from different countries across the Middle East and North Africa. It is a relatively small but rich collection, with widely circulated names such as Nagib Mahfouz and Tawfiq Al Hakim.

The following are three modern works that revolve around the Arab world that can serve as an introduction to modern Arabic literature. They are all available in English, two being translated from Arabic and one originally written in English.

Year of the Elephant by Leila Abouzeid [Orange 4 (843.09 A46 )]

This novel by Moroccan author Leila Abouzeid follows a woman after Morocco gained independence from France. The heroine finds herself in a new world after being left by her husband despite her sacrifices alongside loosing her standing in society despite the role she played in the political battle for independence.
The main themes of the novel can be found in the title, ‘Year of the Elephant’, which has significance in Islamic culture. It refers to a failed invasion of Mecca, pre-Islamic period.

This novel is considered a feminist text, but is unique from other feminist texts in that it remains local and therefore loyal to the culture and independent from Western values. The plot manages to reflect the conflict between tradition and modernity. This is seen in the depiction of traditions as having deprived her of her marital rights, and in the way modern standards of life do not align with her moral compass.

In the original Arabic version, the language used in Leila’s debut novel is beautiful and balanced with the regional dialect ‘derja’, native to Morocco. This is perhaps an intentional pull between the traditional standard Arabic and the ever evolving Moroccan dialect to parallel the main theme. It follows through in the English translation found in the NE collection in Orange 4, leaving you equally as confused… much like the heroine herself.

The honest yet unconventional approach of storytelling is what makes this an interesting read.

The Journey of Ibn Fattouma by Nagib Mahfouz [Orange 4 (892.73 M156 )]

In this philosophical novella by Nobel Prize winner Nagib Mahfouz, political ideologies are examined and applied to society in an attempt to identify what the best ideal to strive for in society should be. The story follows the fictional Ibn Fattouma, parodying the journey of the famous traveller and scholar Ibn Battuta.

Just like Ibn Battuta travels the world to explore it, Ibn Fattouma travels and experiences a culture shock in each “bilad” (land) he visits. The descriptions are vivid and detailed, taking us to what may be considered valid adaptations of what ideologies envisioned by political thinkers might look like in the real world.
Although this novella was written in a time where Egypt and the world was up against competing ideologies, it is still very relevant today with the question of ideologies still being one that is widely debated in the Arab world.

The Journey is from Mahfouz’s philosophical era, where he takes a break from his usual fiction on honest reflections of everyday Egyptian society, and moves towards big ideas without neglecting society as a whole.
For anyone wanting to explore Arabic literature, Mahfouz is a must read. The Journey of Ibn Fattouma is as an interesting starting point.

The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between by Hisham Matar [Orange 4 (892.73 M212 )]

This autobiographical account of Matar’s return to his native country Libya in 2012, after a lifetime of exile, is his most recent after a number of novels that deal with the same themes of exile, coping with loss, and dictatorship. The nostalgic family memoir centres on his Father who was abducted by government officials in the 1990’s, and the way by which the absence affected him and those around him. Matar’s return to Libya is chronicled in a nostalgic manner – following from passages of his longing to return to Libya.
Matar explores his relationship with Libya as someone who grew up as a “third culture kid”. He also explores his relationship with other countries he resided in, including Egypt, referring to it as the Land in Between.

For many, the appeal of this memoir lays in the fact that it is a sentimental account of a little known about country… but later turns out to be about much more than just that.

Tracks of the Week: 20th February

Written by Ollie Clack on . Posted in Music.

‘Kinda Bonkers’ – Animal Collective

Recorded around the same time as Animal Collective’s 2016 album Painting With, the first single from their similarly named The Painters EP continues the themes of the previous LP’s dinosaur-laden recording sessions. With upbeat lyrics comparing life to French toast and promoting the unity of all kinds, this track, though childlike, is anything but innocent.

‘Cool Your Heart’ – Dirty Projectors

Dirty Projectors’ Dave Longstreth’s recent writing collaborations with the likes of Kanye West and Solange, who co-wrote this song, shine through on the latest single from the band’s upcoming eponymous album. While the previous singles dwell on the breakup of Dave Longstreth and former Dirty Projectors member Amber Coffman, ‘Cool Your Heart’ ceases mourning loves lost and says yes to new love.

‘Friend Zone’ – Thundercat

The latest single from Thundercat’s upcoming album Drunk is an anti-love song. It’s funky, it’s fun and it’s about a man who just wants to play Diablo. ‘Friend Zone’ is certainly not Thundercat at his most serious, but it may be him at his most relatable.

Chocolate Cake Recipe

Written by Lily Carden on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Remember the mantra four, four, four, and two (4oz sugar, 4oz butter, 4oz self-raising flour and 2 eggs) and you’ll be good. Topping the cake with a simple ganache elevates a simple cake to a whole new level and will impress anyone. You’ll need an 8” round loose bottomed cake tin.

Ingredients

110g soft butter

110g caster sugar

2 eggs

Pinch of salt

100g self raising flour

25g cocoa powder

4tbsp double cream

150g milk chocolate

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees fan. Grease the cake tin. Cream (beat with a wooden or silicone spoon) the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, and beat into the butter and sugar mix, adding a tablespoon of flour to stop the eggs from curdling.

Sprinkle in the salt. Sift the rest of the flour and the cocoa powder into the bowl and gently stir everything together so that the mixture is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire cooling-rack and leave to cool.

If the chocolate isn’t drops or buttons either chop it into small pieces or put into a sandwich bag and bash with a rolling pin or heavy based saucepan to break it up. Pour the double cream into a small saucepan and gently heat to just below boiling. Take off the heat and drop in the chocolate, stirring continuously until it’s smooth and all mixed together. Leave to cool and thicken a little.

Place the cake on its serving plate and pour over the ganache, spreading it evenly across the top of the cake and letting a little drip down the sides. Serve and enjoy.

Review: Deanna Petherbridge at the Whitworth

Written by Isabel Oldman on . Posted in Arts.

More than thirty years after her original residency in 1982, The Whitworth has welcomed back Deanna Petherbridge, CBE, curator and one of Britain’s most prolific artists. The seven month exhibition, finishing in June, showcases work from a career which has spanned 45 years. Working predominately in pen and ink, Petherbridge’s art reconciles mathematics and architecture with social observation and critique.

Knowing little about the artist when I entered the gallery, I was firstly struck by the quantity of the artwork that the exhibition room had on show, Petherbridge’s work is clearly defined by it’s bold, straight lines, and geometric patterns with sequences of shapes meticulously formed in accurate detail.  Upon entering the gallery, the viewer notices that the pictures are done almost exclusively in black and white and at first glance, lack the showiness and boldness of colour that would usually draw the eye. However, Petherbridge’s drawings both require and deserve more than just a cursory glance.

A surprising element in Petherbridge’s work is her attention to social, cultural and historical issues, particularly in regards to human conflict and suffering. In pieces such as Urbs Militans (1984) an interpretation of the Second World War, the harsh, angular lines effectively allow her to convey the callousness of war and the destruction of which humans are capable.

Similarly, drawings such as The Destruction of the City of Homs painted last year as a response to the war in Syria, Petherbridge’s work also seems to take on a photojournalistic quality, bringing together the tragedy of those destroyed home with her own artistic study of the lines and shapes.

This is a theme that runs throughout the exhibition, and Petherbridge does not let her chosen style prevent her from taking a political stance. Untitled (Turning Tables) (1989) is a drawing which the artist describes as ‘explor[ing] the symbolism of empty tables as the seat of patriarchal power’. The precision of her lines and patterns makes political statements like these all the more effective.

Overall, Deanna Petherbridge sees pattern and intricacy where others may not and whilst the detail and skill of her artwork is impressive, for me, the over-riding message of her work is that the existence and influence of people is what brings patterns, lines and shapes to life.

Which clubs will be relegated from the Premier League?

Written by George Ball on . Posted in Sport.

With thirteen games to go the Premier League title race looks all but over, with trophy seemingly on its way back to West London after a brief stop off in the East Midlands. This means that for the rest of the season the main excitement will be found at the bottom of the table, where the trio of teams that will depart the league is anything but certain. Just three points separate the bottom five, whilst Bournemouth in fourteenth are starting to look over their shoulder.

So, which sides depart the top flight come May? Let’s look at how each of the candidates are shaping up:

Sunderland: Perennial relegation battlers, Sunderland look the safest bet for relegation at this stage. David Moyes’ men have failed to inspire so far, spending most the season in the relegation zone, yet they find themselves just two points adrift of safety. Despite the exploits of fourteen-goal Jermain Defoe, Sunderland are the joint third lowest scorers in the league, a problem which they will need to address in the remaining thirteen fixtures. With three of their final four fixtures against fellow relegation battlers, it is not out of the question for Sunderland to embark on yet another great escape from relegation.

Crystal Palace: After appointing Sam Allardyce just before Christmas, Crystal Palace thought they had found the answer to their struggles. Unfortunately for them, Allardyce – who has never managed a side to top flight relegation –has struggled in South London. He has managed just one win in eight league matches, including a morale-crushing 0-4 home defeat to Sunderland. A warm winter training in Dubai has been rumoured to have been cancelled, the Eagles look like a side destined for the drop.

Swansea City: a common theme amongst the relegation candidates is a change of manager, with three of the seven candidates deciding a new man in the hot seat would lead them away from danger. Swansea made Paul Clement their third permanent manager of the season in early January, luring him away from assisting Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich with the promise of a first chance of top flight management. The decision has paid off with Swansea rising from 20th to 15th in the table since. They are not safe yet, but a four-point gap over the final relegation spot means they can breathe a little easier.

Hull City: prior to the appointment of Marco Silva, the Tigers were sinking back down to the Championship without leaving much of a mark on the Premier League. January was a transformational month however, with numerous transfer deals enabling a fresh look to their starting XI for the relegation run-in. Promising results against Manchester United and Liverpool mean that Hull cannot be written off in the race for survival.

Middlesbrough: back in the Premier League for the first time in seven years, Middlesbrough have gone under the radar somewhat, in part down to their low scoring matches. They have conceded fewer goals than Manchester City and Arsenal, but are also the lowest scorers in the league. They are a point above Leicester City yet have a far superior goal difference, which may come in useful at the end of the season. It looks like Aitor Karanka’s team will be in the relegation fight until the end.

Leicester City: surely the Champions can’t go down? Claudio Ranieri’s miracle men look bereft of confidence, enthusiasm and most worryingly for Foxes fans, any discernible footballing ability. A dismal start to 2017 has seen them ship twelve goals in the league, with none in return. Players such as Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, who lit up the Premier League last season, have looked shadows of their former selves. Ranieri has cut an isolated figure on the sidelines in recent weeks, pursuing with an ageing defence and an ineffective attack. Unlike their relegation rivals Leicester have the distraction of European football, with a double legged fixture against Sevilla to come. Can the spirit of the great escape of 2014/15 be re-discovered? Or will the fairy tale have an unhappy ending?

Bournemouth: Eddie Howe’s team have avoided much of the hype around the relegation fight to date, but one win in nine games has forced them into the conversation. Despite being fairly prolific in front of goal – they are the highest scorers in the bottom half – their defence has been their weak point. Recently this become a major concern for the Cherries, conceding eighteen goals in the six league games since the turn of the year. Despite poor recent form they have a six-point cushion over the last relegation spot, which should mean they survive, although perhaps not without a scare.

With over a third of the season still to play and the close nature of the league table, there is likely to be plenty of twists and turns in the relegation battle before the three teams to drop down to the Championship are decided.

Relegation Prediction: Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Hull City.

Top 5: Youtube Film Channels

Written by Alasdair Bayman on . Posted in Film.

In an age where YouTube content producers can make just as much money through Patreon as a football player, their videos often range from the absurd to the thought provoking. The latter is more distinctly applicable to those interested in film. Varying from discussions to video essays, these five channels off the best in the business in their respective fields. Like a nice warm hot water bottle, these videos will soften to blow of a busy and stressful day.

5. VICE
In their series, VICE talks Film, the multi-media company chairs an in-depth interview with a specific film-maker. Differing from your normal interview surrounding the director’s latest release, their discussions transpire into filmography and influences. From the likes of Todd Haynes to Mike Leigh, their interviews are lengthy but are deserving of your time. Shot sometimes on location or in a high-end furnished room, they constantly have impressive scenery. Supporting their astute current affairs journalism, VICE has a YouTube film series to be proud of, even if they are owned 5 per cent by Rupert Murdoch.

4. Now You See It
With a funky twitter handle (@SwagThug4Lyfe), Now You See It offers an eloquent insight into specific thematic, visual and narrative themes and tropes throughout film’s history. Varying from Milk in Movies: Why Do Characters Drink It? And Phallic Symbolism in Film, his analysis is exemplary to those searching how to approach the medium of film. As he states himself in his about section, “it’s like a college film analysis class minus the lecture halls, essay assignments, and student loan debts”.
 
3. BFI
The godfather of British film, the British Film Institute are not only distributing film across the UK, they are also video and audio creating content on a plentiful scale. Focusing on the former, however, their channel works with critics like Mark Kermode, writers and film-makers to deliver video essays and Q&A recordings from the Southbank and other places. Currently, a standout feature is their Q&A with the Moonlight cast and director Barry Jenkins from the London Film Festival. Their video essays also explore the issues of every corner of cinema including the insightful Textiles on Film: Lancashire Hotpot, an early call for women in the workplace.

2. The Nerdwriter1
Evan Puschak aka The Nerdwriter creates possibly the best video essays on the internet. Visual, expressive, and sophisticated, these essays are not your average cup of tea. Film-makers, cinematography, and performance are all areas well versed by the channel. With colour vistas and sleek animation, Puschak has tapped into something. That something blends language with visual, just as film does. Recently passing 1 million subscribers, the channel is growing at a phenomenal rate. Join the hype train, I beg you.

1. Criterion Collection
Famed for their beautiful rendered blu-rays, Criterion is the bee’s knees when it comes to the medium of publishing defining films and world cinema. As part of these releases, they upload short and sweet clips of their interviews to wet your appetite for the Blu-ray release. On the side of this, their YouTube channel has the best film feature on the internet: Closest Picks. As film-makers, actors and writers walk into Criterion’s vast closet of blu-rays and collections, their faces are comparable to those of a child on Christmas Day. Exploring the old favourites, Eastern unknowns or recent releases, these fortunate human beings can take freely from the collection. Envious does not cover it. Inspiring you to search out these film, Closest Picks is untouchable in cyber space’s film hierarchy.