‘Our father who art in heaven, Howard be thy name’: Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train opens to a kneeling and newly incarcerated Angel Cruz, played by Danny Solomon, as he stumbles over his prayer.
We immediately begin to get a taste of the play’s dark wit as about two minutes of profanity ensues between Cruz and two other prisoners over the speakers, mostly consisting of ‘shut the f*ckity f*ck up’, ‘no you shut the f*ckity f*ck up!’ We learn that standoffish, quick-talking Cruz is awaiting trial for, as he puts it, ‘only shooting him in the ass!’
The beginning of the play continues with this sentiment until suddenly it turns dark: the man Cruz ‘only shot in the ass’ has died, and Cruz, after a failed attempt to hang himself, now faces the potential of a life behind bars. Here, facing his future, he meets fellow inmate and serial murderer, Lucius Jenkins.
Director Jake Murray effectively negotiates these sudden changes in pace and the intertwining of comedy, desperation, and reflection. The minimalist staging, with suspended frames of wiring to represent the prisoners caging and a large American flag as the backdrop, never distract from the performances of the actors whilst serving as a constant reminder of the fine line between what it means to be trapped and to be free.
Faz Singhateh gave a brilliant performance as Lucius Jenkins. Each time he was on stage there seemed a palpable energy and his portrayal of the complex character of Lucius was as hilarious as it was provocative. Danny Solomon also gave a great performance, especially in his ability to tackle the emotional layers of the play and the psychological workings of his character.
Credit must all be given to the rest of the cast. Alice Bryony Frankham as lawyer Mary Jane, held her own in playing the only female character in the play, as did Alastair Gillies and Garth Williams in playing very different kinds of prison guards. However, I would say that the majority of the cast could do with working a bit on their American accents.
As a whole, Elysium Theatre Company’s performance of Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train was a provocative, funny, and captivating piece of theatre which tackled issues of faith, freedom and the questioning of our own morality.
Manchester Palestine Action and BDS Manchester have protested the Isreali-Palestinian war by dropping a banner from the roof of the Students’ Union.
Pictures show Campaigns Officer Deej Malik-Johnson attending the protest, but it’s not yet clear whether he was part of the group that scaled the SU building to place the banner.
Speculation has circled that the group climbed the scaffolding at the back of the building — which is currently undergoing renovation.
The banner drop was the crescendo of a protest that started off as a vigil on St. Peter’s Square. The Mancunion understands that the banner was placed on the roof by the BDS campaign, but its leader Huda Ammori would not disclose the identity of the specific student in question.
Campaigns Officer Deej Malik-Johnson told The Mancunion that the “really quite moving” vigil and march was well attended, with even celebrities such as Ken Loach, the filmmaker, showing solidarity with the student organisers.
Deej continued: “Of course, it [also] coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Nakba… and then there was also, because synchronisity [sic] is like this, it was the day the US opened their embassy in Jerusalem.”
Nakba literally means ‘disaster’ or ‘catastrophe’ in Arabic, and is the word used to mark the day there was a mass exodus of Palestinian people at the behest of the Isreali government. The US embassy opening was met with mass protest and sparked a massacre in Gaza, which is what the protest was mostly commemorating, through many means such as reading the names of the 58 people that died in the clash.
Deej went on to say, in regards to the banner drop, that it “was not organised or supported by the students’ union.” However, he said that, if not thinking in his official capacity as an exec member, “as a student activist, it is something that we do.”
Huda Ammori told The Mancunion that overall “it was a hugely successful protest; there was a sit in on Oxford road and loads of students were engaging, listening and were emotionally affected by what they were hearing.”
The battle over compensation for University strikes has taken a new turn as the first of legal proceedings against an institution have begun.
The University of Lancaster is facing the challenge from Cathy Olpin, a first-year student who is studying Natural Sciences at the University of Lancaster.
Law firm Leigh Day, who are handling the case, have indicated that they believe missed contact hours violate their client’s statutory rights, as part of the Consumer Rights Act.
Statutory Rights provide the ability for a refund for goods or services that are not delivered as expected or promised, and it is under this principle that Leigh Day hope to see Ms. Olphin reimbursed for missed contact hours.
Ms. Olphin said that she was “fighting to hold university the authorities to account for their breach of contract with thousands of students. Together we have lost thousands of hours of teaching time that we have paid for.”
One of the central controversies in the dispute has been clarity over exactly what service the payment of tuition fees constitutes.
There have been suggestions that tuition payments do not specify the need for timetabled contact hours, and at a meeting with senior staff last month, Manchester University students were reportedly told that they technically pay for a degree and not an education.
Ms. Olphin’s legal team have used her course guide to prove the necessity of contact hours as a means to an end of passing her degree – the LEC (Lancaster Environment Centre) Handbook states that: “Past experience shows that students that repeatedly miss lectures are likely to fail or gain very low marks.”
This appears to show that the completion of a degree is dependent upon the provision of contact hours, meaning that strikes have led to the violation of student’s statutory rights as consumers of their degrees.
Universities have been criticised for ‘shooting themselves in the foot’ by not attempting to organise replacement tuition hours through means such as widening the size of tutorial groups or extending lengths of lectures that took place post-strikes. Such measures could have been seen as replacement tuition and may have meant universities did not technically break the Consumer Rights Act.
Even though Ms. Olphin’s case may be legally viable, the issue remains over how compensation would be calculated. There is no set breakdown for yearly fees into weeks or even certain lectures.
Furthermore, in many cases, strikes did not last the whole semester and were often not continuous from start to end. Some students also had only certain modules affected.
Due to this complication, many universities have offered to prevent profiting from the disruption through investing in projects to benefit students.
There is still dissatisfaction at this resolution, with the University of Manchester’s offering of waiving the gown hire fee for third years at graduation ridiculed.
Universities up and down the country will surely be worried by this commencement of legal action, however, and will likely wait anxiously to see the compensation Lancaster shall be forced to provide if Miss Olphin is successful.
Her case could come to be the first of many in what could turn out to be one of the largest statutory rights payouts in UK History.
Fresh from the sweet success of second album Cool Like You, Blossoms strutted out onto the O2 Apollo stage, brimming with a new-found swagger and a redesigned brand identity, ready to do some serious uplifting. “‘Ello Manchester, we are Blossoms from Stockport”, introduced Tom Ogden, as if we didn’t already know.
Clad in a kind of Ghostbusters boiler suit and rocking some mega-cool curtains, Ogden’s confidence had come a long way since the early days promoting their debut record. There was a smugness to the originality of their most recent tracks and their synthy 80s groove which dominated the show.
It was very ABBA, and the lights were reminiscent of some 70s discotheque, primary coloured and smokey. Cool Like You track ‘There’s A Reason Why’ opened the affair, kicking us off without delay into what was to be a seamless set of feel-good tunes. They managed to create a distinctively Stranger Things atmosphere, as they rocked the flares and synth combo like they’d been in the business for decades.
Certainly, Cool Like You is more uplifting than that first record. Tracks ‘Unfaithful’ and ‘Cool Like You’ reached levels of infectious energy previously untouched by the band. Album closer ‘Love Talk’ was a particular highlight, inciting a ripple of heartbreaks as Ogden launched into “You’re just a flight away…”.
Old classics were as well received as ever, sonically revived slightly to fit the tone of their 80s direction. ‘My Favourite Room’ was once again Ogden’s limelight moment, as he crooned the recognisable, if slightly overdone now, “Because you’re gorgeous…” followed by a touching rendition of Oasis’ ‘Half The World Away’. Maybe the band need to give up the ‘Last Christmas’ cover though…
‘At Most A Kiss’ and ‘Getaway’ provided the perfect encore tracks, reminding the fans that though the band may enjoy a Grease cover every now and then, they are still the boys we know and love. The obvious closing track ‘Charlemagne’ (will they ever shake it?) induced the expected mosh pits and chanting, as Ogden chose Dua Lipa’s ‘New Rules’ for his classic ad-lib.
Blossoms have done themselves a favour with this second album. We were satisfied with their status as quirky indie band from Stockport, but now we’re faced with ABBA.2, and isn’t it wonderful?
The past year or so has not been the best that the games industry has seen: following debacles around huge ‘AAA’ titles like Destiny 2, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, and Star Wars: Battlefront II, consumer distrust rose to an all time high, climaxing in an ongoing investigation from a number of international agencies into the legality of loot boxes.
This distrust has leaked into the way gamers have reacted to press releases. Increasingly, adverts for games from the likes of EA, Activision, and Bethesda have been met with increasing derision, and industry-wide, the hype machine is becoming less and less effective after the aggressive marketing and poor reception of games like No Man’s Sky and the aforementioned Star Wars: Battlefront II.
No Man’s Sky has become a cautionary tale about buying into hype. photo: BagoGames@Flickr
With conventional advertising streams facing such issues, it is perhaps unsurprising that we have seen a sharp rise in ‘guerrilla marketing.’
Guerrilla marketing, simply put, is when companies adopt riskier marketing strategies to promote their products in places we might not expect, thus bypassing that bit of our psyche that has become so adept at ignoring adverts, or, in the case of games, feeling distrustful of them.
Three recent examples spring to mind, and all take the form of the industry’s new preferred guerrilla marketing strategy: the retail leak.
First, EA’s Skate series put itself back on the radar after being listed for sale by Swedish retailer Webhallen. Although the cover art looked dubiously low quality and the source was admittedly obscure for a company of EA’s size, potential motives for this move were clear.
photo:Webhallen.com
EA were, at the time, caught in one of the most vicious cycles of consumer backlash I’ve ever seen: every tweet and Facebook post they put out was met with mass dismissal, with consumers lining up to throw insults about EA’s highly criticised microtransaction model, or make a joke about EA’s infamous, “a sense of pride and accomplishment” line.
Leaking the news through Webhallen, if EA were indeed the people behind it, circumvented much of this, and refocused the issue on the legitimacy of the source rather than issues surrounding microtransactions. There is some credence in this argument: it seems intuitive, and EA do have ties in Sweden through DICE, who are based there.
Next, a listing for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Remastered appeared through Amazon Italy, sending fans into a fever pitch of excitement. Investigations by various Reddit and Twitter users seemed to verify this information, although claiming the remaster would not feature multiplayer from ‘charlieINTEL’ dampened excitement.
photo:Mancunion
Again motives for this are evident: Activision have a habit of releasing massively unpopular trailers and news that attract all the wrong kinds of press, and leaking this information through Amazon and charlieINTEL would allow them to gauge reaction without having to formalise any plans.
Most recently, a leak from Walmart teased a whole host of titles, including a new Splinter Cell, a new Assassin’s Creed, a new Destiny DLC, as well as Just Cause 4, Forza Horizon 5, Borderlands 3, RAGE 2, Gears of War 5 and Dragon Quest 2. Oh, and a new DC Lego game.
photo:Walmart
Given the array of developers and publishers behind these games, finding a clear motive for such a leak is almost impossible, but, with E3 just a month away, the leak would certainly have the effect of creating precursory tremors for the internationally anticipated expo.
Of course, it remains possible that this form of guerrilla marketing doesn’t go further than the retailers, who may themselves be trying to increase traffic onto their sites, grab some headlines, and create conversation and a buzz around them.
Unfortunately, this increased tendency towards guerrilla marketing — if, indeed, it is coming from games publishers and is not just immaterial gossip or retailer generated rumours — comes with a major caveat.
This is that these kind of leaks need to remain unreliable. In order for guerilla marketing to remain guerilla and not become transparent, the leaks always need to be in doubt.
This, in effect, means that false rumours need to be planted, misinformation has to be rife, and uncertainty must continue to reign above all. This has the twin consequence of not only meaning that the validity of the information rather than the content remains the primary focus, but allows publishers to remain above reproach when such leaks come to light.
E3 will be the place where pretty much all of these rumours will be confirmed or disproved. Rather uncontroversially, all we can do for now is wait for the companies in question to show their hand – I just wouldn’t expect to get the full house we’ve been teased.
There is always the problem, when re-staging an American classic, of the text being so revered, so well studied and highly regarded by theatre students and critics alike, that any said revival, almost by default, faces an uphill battle. Within that canon of the American classic lies Eugene O’Neill’s weighty tome Long Day’s Journey Into Night, a play that lives up to such a title with its well documented run time upwards of three hours.
Fitting with the HOME aesthetic that draws upon the neo-European blackbox style of theatre, a style that attempts to strip back the elements of a play and focus on some nebulous form of “raw-ness” — suffice to say a style that I often baulk at —, the concept that drives Dominic Hill’s production is one that should work. Reducing the production to the quality of the written text is, in this case, a good idea.
This is seen immediately with designer Tom Piper’s praiseworthy bare-bones set design of wooden beams and transparent plastic sheets making the Tyrone house look like an architect’s blueprint, signposting the lack of warmth within the household. However, the stripping down concept also requires a cast capable of pulling it off.
Regrettably, this attempt falls wide of the mark, though not for a lack of trying. George Costigan and Lorn MacDonald earn a mention for their portrayals of the miserly James Tyrone and his nihilistic son Edmund respectively, with their drawn-out scene together to start the fourth act an undoubtable high point of the production.
The scene is played with emotional depth and subtlety, though sadly was one of scant few moments of such variety throughout. Bridni Neachtain’s performance of Mary, possibly one of the meatiest and refined female characters within the American canon, was frankly annoying, reducing the wily Tyrone matriarch to a shrill old cad, squeaking and squawking her way to a drug-addled doom. There are more subtle ways to convey rheumatism, with some of Mary’s episodes bordering on the comic.
One does have to wonder whether the blame of these problems should fall at the feet of the actors, as with stronger direction, these performances could have been somewhat noteworthy. There were moments of what could — and should — have been real emotional power from all of the principal cast.
From the start, there were no stakes for one to invest in, as everyone was shouting and screaming at the first sign of conflict. Three hours later and everyone still is bellowing, everyone still hates each other, and nothing has changed from the thirty-minute mark to the three-hour mark, though everyone has gotten drunker. A director more attuned to the play’s peaks and troughs would certainly have been able to steel these performances and refine them into interesting and nuanced character studies.
With that all said, I did not resent the night and I certainly found myself engaged throughout. The play does meander in energy, though admittedly there is often something worthy of attention. The problems lie more in the performers’ inability to ever truly make the most of the interesting set, lighting and rich play text gifted to them.
This, unfortunately, meant that the personal highlight of proceedings was realising that I recognised Sam Phillips, the actor playing James Tyrone Jr, from playing Jamie in CBBC’s Hotel Trubble. For such a big statement production from HOME, better is expected, however, for the price of a £10 concession ticket, this production is definitely worth a punt.
The Pen and Pencil looks, on the face of it, like your typical hipster-ish Northern Quarter bar. The aesthetic is comprised of lots of natural wood and open metal structuring, there are magazine pullouts plastered all over the toilets, and your cutlery is served in Brooklyn Summer Ale cardboard six packs. So far, nothing we’ve not seen before, if I’m being brutally honest.
But don’t underestimate this little diamond in the rough — its food menu will absolutely blow you away. Since its inception in 2015, it seems to have evolved from a comfort food emporium, to somewhere that also offers classics with a quality twist. Its growth has been exemplary; I have no qualms in saying that the meal I had there was one of the best I’ve ever had in Manchester (and I consider myself to be well versed in food joints in our beloved city).
To celebrate National Vegetarian Week, I tried a selection of their new vegan and veggie options. One worry when you start opting for meat-free options when dining out, is that everything is going to be same-old same-old, and you’ll perpetually be lumped with a classic mushroom burger or daal. Either that or halloumi EVERYTHING.
And you’d be forgiven for having the same trepidations here — the new vegan mains include lentil stew, chickpea curry and beetroot falafel. At first, you’ll think “if I’ve had one falafel, I’ve had them all”.
A plethora of veggie and vegan food to choose from – Photo: Kirstie O’Mahony @The Mancunion
You couldn’t be more wrong. You receive three huge, deep purple falafels in the portion, all drizzled with tahini and served with charred lettuce and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. When you bite into it, you immediately can taste garlic, which pairs beautifully with the earthy flavours of the chunky beetroot. This is then balanced by a kick of sweetness from the pomegranate, making it an absolute joy to eat.
I then moved on to the chickpea curry. This is a staple midweek meal that I lived on during my first and second years of university (incidentally when I was also trying out being a vegetarian). Made with coconut milk, it’s one of the easiest, cheapest and most filling meals you can make as a student. However, it can get quite repetitive and boring, so again, I was worried.
And again, I ate my words. The Pen and Pencil’s twist on a classic had an intense citrusy kick — it was like a Thai green curry with lemon instead of lime. The flavours were so incredibly unexpected, and the chickpeas were cooked to perfection. I would go back there for this dish alone, even though it’s something that dupes of can be easily made at home.
Their cocktails are perfect for summer – Photo: Kirstie O’Mahony @The Mancunion
It also paired very well with my cocktail, ‘Mexican Queens’. The menu describes it as “a fragrant experience of Mexico with Ocho Blanco Tequila, thyme liqueur, green chartreuse, sugar and lemon”. The sweetness of it ensured the thyme wasn’t overpowering, and, to me, tasted like a botanist’s favourite margarita. Definitely one for the summer months to come!
I also tried one of their new veggie sides. I desperately wanted to try their Cajun baked okra, but unfortunately they had run out (a popular choice it seems), so opted for the deep fried lotus root instead. They were essentially like flower-crisps, served with an extremely moreish vegetable dip. They were crunchy and delicious, but at £4.50, I think I would’ve wanted a bigger portion of them.
This was actually a running theme throughout the menu — if you’re on a student budget, you may not find it easy to become a regular (although their burgers and brunch looked fairly reasonable). However, I would highly recommend it for celebrating special occasions in a more relaxed setting than your classic Australisia et al.
In the space of an hour, my perception of this place changed entirely. From a bar I occasionally haunted with friends before a gig, it became a hidden gem of exquisite food, one that I won’t easily forget. I will be back again VERY soon.
The Second World War narrative is one we are all familiar with, and yet we can still learn about the life-changing and enduring impacts of it from a myriad of perspectives. Sometimes this is done through theatre, and Kindertransport by Diane Samuels, recently performed at the Opera House, is no exception. It tells a story of war and its power to both make and break families, a sentiment that spans generations. For me, the play explores the impact of war on the meaning of family, specifically on the bonds between daughters and mothers, or mother-like figures.
A wooden structure that dominates the stage doubles as an attic room in 1980, and a symbol of a Germany overwhelmed by the fear and oppression brought on by Hitler’s dictatorship — it is a cold and empty space. It is in this setting that we are introduced to 9 year old Eva who is sent via ‘Kindertransport’ from Germany to England in 1939 to flee Hitler’s regime. She shares the space with Faith who, in 1980, is packing her things in the attic as she discusses with her Mum her fears for moving out. As their stories in the shared space are intermittently told we discover, alongside Faith, that Faith’s mother Evelyn is actually Eva.
Personally I perceived the relationships between mothers and daughters as the main theme in the play. We see Eva’s birth Mother keeping a brave face as she sends her daughter to a strange country, unsure of whether they’ll ever be re-united. We see Eva taken in and treated as a real daughter by Lil (Faith’s Grandma). We see Faith struggle with the idea that her Mum has lied to her for so many years, and her anguish at the idea that she know nothing about her Mother or her own heritage. I loved this about the play, despite this theme being sometimes hindered by a lack of pace and emotion in the dialogue. The performers did an amazing job to portray the pain of love between a mother and daughter being lost, the joy of that love being created and the strength of that love to endure when it is tested.
Strong performances and a clever, thoughtful set make up for a dialogue that is slow in places. The attic is framed by complete darkness in which a children’s story book monster, ‘the rat catcher’, often appears, symbolising the persistent fears that carried through from Eva’s childhood as a refugee to her adult life as a mother trying, and failing, to let go of her past. Movable floor boards enable actors to easily create train tracks, also creating visual signifiers of the literal and metaphorical distances created between loved ones because of war. Overall a moving and believable production, Kindertransport serves as a reminder to consider family as a unit that can be created and grow stronger through hard times, but one that is still delicate, especially in the face of war.
Celebrating everyone from unsigned local bands to indie rock heroes, Liverpool Sound City was again this year a huge success. The sun shone upon the Baltic Triangle as band after band graced each of the 14 venues, alongside the many bars, food pop-ups and artistic performances. Here are some of the best performances from across the weekend…
Airways
This young Peterborough band drew in a sizeable crowd on Saturday evening, smashing their set with classic rock and exciting riffs. They resembled an early Arctic Monkeys with their cheeky lyrics coupled with heavy bass. Airways could definitely become a chart-indie success, and if this performance was anything to go by, they are headed in the right direction.
Photo: Yasmin Duggal @ The Mancunion
Marsicans
Have you ever seen a happier band than Marsicans? Grinning ear to ear they explored folksy rhythms and fast beats as they skipped their way through a shortened set — they explained: ‘There was traffic!’
A kind of mix between pop-indie 2010s bands and Mumford and Sons, the Marsicans are ones to watch for their infectious enthusiasm.
Photo: Jessica Talbot @ The Mancunion
Neon Waltz
Proud Scots Neon Waltz pumped the crowd with feel-good indie anthems and uplifting tunes set to make anyone smile. With a great festival reaction to their debut album from August of last year, Neon Waltz are ready to make waves in the genre, holding the torch for cheery indie-pop.
Photo: Yasmin Duggal @ The Mancunion
Black Honey
This female-led punky four-piece stormed the Camp and Furnace stage, warming the crowd up for fellow rockers DMA’S. Singer Izzy Phillips seduced the crowd with her fearless, Blondie aesthetic and snarling lyrics which fired up the edgy venue.
Photo: Yasmin Duggal @ The Mancunion
DMA’S
Certainly the kings of the weekend, the Sydney three-piece emotionally and graciously brit-popped the hell out of the headline spot. Tommy O’Dell’s voice was staggering as new material made its festival debut. Their honest, raw, cathartic rock from heavy tracks ‘Timeless’ and ‘Lay Down’ to softer heartbreakers ‘In The Air’ and ‘Delete’ was received with mad enthusiasm as they brought something original and fresh to the festival.
Photo: Yasmin Duggal @ The Mancunion
Jaws
There was something captivating about lead singer Connor Schofield’s cool nonchalance as he strutted the stage and graced Sound City with that smooth alternative goodness. Seeming pensive he indulged us with cool, oozy guitar pop, that distinctive tone was one to remember from the weekend as Jaws held their niche crowd in the palm of their hands.
Photo: Yasmin Duggal @ The Mancunion
Night Café
This local band have come on in leaps and bounds in just a few months, finding their own sound for the festival stage as they bopped around to 1975 meets Catfish melodies. ‘Addicted To You’ was a particular highlight, as the catchy lyrics captivated a new crowd and planted the band as another Liverpool success story.
Photo: Yasmin Duggal @ The Mancunion
Peace
Harry Koisser proved himself to be one of the best British frontman of recent years, as he majestically face-melted his way through sparkling anthem after sparkling anthem. ‘Power’ was a fierce opener, as Koisser, clad in shades and silken shirt, ignited a fire in Camp and Furnace set to burn for the next hour. Peace debuted new tracks ‘Angel’ and ‘Magnificent’, capturing the sentiment of their soul-stirring third album, Kindness Is The New Rock’n’Roll.
Most notable for being the frontman of the Scottish Indie Folk band, Frightened Rabbit, Scott Hutchinson was a highly respected musician. Touted as influences from artists such as Biffy Clyro, Frank Turner and Death Cab for Cutie, Scott was well loved not only as a musician but also as a person.
Originally a nickname was given to Scott by his mum due to his shyness as a child. He then adopted Frightened Rabbit as a stage moniker in 2003. It only grew and evolved from there; his brother, Grant Hutchinson, joined as the drummer in 2004 and was followed soon by guitarist Billy Kennedy in 2006.
Their debut album, Sing the Greys, was released in 2006 with a limited run of just 1000. While it saw moderate success it wasn’t until they released their sophomore album, The Midnight Organ Fight, which they started to reach acclaim in 2008.
Releasing three more albums since then, including another one that was in the works, their distinctive blend of Indie, Folk and Rock with slight brushings of Pop and Post Punk was a delight. Mixed with some potent lyrics it gave Frightened Rabbit both an intimate but broad sound.
Scott’s ability to strip himself down as a person to expose himself to his art was remarkable. It gave his work a very human touch to it and made it extremely relatable. Never holding back from his experiences in life it gave his work an emotional sting. It resonated well with people and touched so many as they managed to find solace in his words.
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Scott went missing. There had been serious concerns about his mental wellbeing at the time. Until wasn’t until late Friday afternoon that peoples worst fears had been realised after a body had been found and identified as his.
His battle with mental health was a reoccurring theme in his work. It makes his death even more tragic. Always being very forward and open about it gave a layer of depth to his work. Songs about loneliness, his own flaws and thoughts about suicide cut very deep. This deconstruction of himself made him human. He wasn’t perfect. He never claimed to be. Scott was just another person trying to carve his place in the world like the rest of us.
On ‘Head Rolls Off’, Scott sang, “While I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to Earth,” and he certainly did that. You only need to look on social media to see condolences from not only other artists but also fans. It’s kind of funny how someone can have such an impact a person life despite never meeting. It’s just a testament to how powerful his art is.
On a personal note, I can’t remember any time that the death of a celebrity touched such a nerve with me. A friend of mine introduced me to The Midnight Organ Fight while I was in my first year at University. It instantly struck a chord with me. It was an album I’d put on repeat again and again.
I was lucky enough to see the band perform it live in full back in March. It’s hard to believe that was around 2 months ago. Scott seemed so full of life. He was confident and joked on stage about some of the songs. It’s difficult to imagine that in such a short space of time that he’s taken his own life.
Songs off that album, like ‘Floating in the Forth’, now have a bigger emotional impact to them than they ever previously. This loss in his battle puts the album, and the rest of their material, in a whole new light.
But Scott’s original message with Frightened Rabbit should not be forgotten. No matter have dark things may seem, there is always a glimmer of light. This message of hope and overcoming the darkness is what we should remember from Scott. Not the ugliness of his untimely death. I know it’s a message I’ll carry with me for a long time. Farwell Scott. You are already missed.
If you’re struggling depression, suicidal thoughts or any other mental health issue you can seek help here
Samaritans: 116 123 (24/7 all year)
Papyrus (for under 35s): 0800 068 41 41 (Monday to Friday 10am to 10pm, weekends 2pm to 10pm, bank holidays 2pm to 5pm) or text at 07786 209697
Campaign Against Living Miserably (for men): 0800 58 58 58 (5 pm to midnight every day)
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If you’re a University of Manchester Student you can also contact counselling services for support
As if we weren’t already chomping at the bit given that E3 is less than a month away: ever heard of Walmart? Yeah, that huge multinational corporation who own Asda and about a thousand other companies. Well, you’d think a global powerhouse might know a thing or two about keeping things secret before a big release. Apparently not…
Last week, the internet went into meltdown as Walmart Canada accidentally leaked what looks to be the line-up for this year’s E3 on their pre-order page — and I don’t mean the stuff we already know of, or have had hints about with no official announcement: we’re talking about series you might have forgotten existed altogether. Brace yourselves, guys.
Anyone remember Bethesda’s RAGE? Course you do: not just another post-apocalyptic romp, but a concept that was in fashion and really got people’s attention, even if the final product didn’t quite receive the rave reviews it was touted to. You would’ve been forgiven if you had forgotten about it until now— I know I had —but according to Walmart, the series is finally getting its sequel.
And it doesn’t stop there: Splinter Cell, Borderlands 3, Just Cause 4, Gears of War 5—there is even the possibility of a new Assassin’s Creed, though the title revealed little else and, despite years of employing an annual release policy, Ubisoft has stated that they are looking to take more time between installments.
Screenshot: RAMMYwastaken @Reddit
There were other smaller titles listed such as Lego DC Villains, Destiny Comet (looking like Bungie’s DLC rumoured nearly three years ago) and Dragon Quest 2, which is most likely to be DG Builders 2, given that the Dragon Quest sequel was released in 1987. Little peculiarities like this and the fact that they also listed Forza Horizons 5 before the 4th has even come out yet, are the main reason that the authenticity is being called into question.
Having said that, it’s not like they would have just listed games for fun and to torture us—we’ve had enough fake Half-Life 3 teases to know when we’re being messed with — after all, if they can make the mistake of revealing a whole list of games, they’re certainly capable of getting a title wrong.
Since then, Bethesda has decided to get ahead of the curve, not only teasing some interesting stills but officially confirming the game, courtesy of a trailer that features both outrageous punk-rock cinematics and a taste of the over-the-top gameplay. This came after an initial response to the leak in which they essentially parodied a Reddit sceptic, comically picking holes in the blank cover art and claiming fake news on account of the wrong font. Well played God — I mean, Todd Howard.
Screenshot: Official @RAGEgame Twitter account
I’m not telling you to not get your hopes up for all of these — I’m sure everyone’s are already through the ceilings regardless — but clearly, a lot of this needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. At the end of the day, we’ve already seen plenty of genuine trailers and announcements alongside lots of leaked retail rumours that haven’t come to pass.
Okay, I’ve given you my official disclaimer; now feel free to lose your mind and enjoy the build-up for E3 in all its delusional glory like we do every year!
‘Someday I will be magnificent’ rings out Peace’s newest record, and that someday is here. They’ve got the power, alright. Their wonderfully frenzied and pumping rock’n’roll had The Leadmill in their own ‘Bloodshake’ on Wednesday night; shirts as glossy as ever, mops of hair flying, Peace were bloody well BACK.
In his signature flamboyantly fabulous manner, Harry Koisser launched The Leadmill into a crazed mosh of uncontrolled admiration, as that unmistakable tone dulcetly droned the first ‘Close your eyes’ of fan favourite ‘Wraith’.
‘Money’ and new track ‘Power’ were equally as exhilarating, whilst ‘I’m A Girl’ was an unexpected diamond in a sea of bejewelled tracks. “We’re gonna play an old song now”, crooned Koisser, as he played those all too familiar first notes of In Love tune ‘Toxic’. It ripped through the crowd as Koisser was down on all knees slaying that guitar the best he knows how.
‘Silverlined’ proved a hidden gem amongst the newer tracks, which each effortlessly introduced a softer side to Peace’s fruity discography, Koisser oozing emotion as he majestically strutted the stage. The track touched a nerve, as the frontman seemed to inject every last inch of being into those gorgeous lyrics.
No song does it better than ‘1998 (Delicious)’, and none was more satisfying than Koisser’s sweet-natured, “Oh Sheffield, you fall for it every time!”
The track weaved from murmured words to psychedelic Floyd extended instrumental, characteristically fooling the crowd into an early head-banging. That song soaks you up and spits you out in the finest form.
Peace seem to be the angels they so often sing about, floating dangerously closer to the sun, for no-one can touch them. Peace and love.
Craig Charles has been revealed as one of the artists performing at this year’s Pangaea festival on 7th June at Manchester Academy.
His contract was leaked to The Mancunion on Monday 14th May.
The festival will this summer be themed around ‘Made in Manchester’, with Dele Sosimi, Afrobeat Orchestra and LEVELZ already featuring on the line-up.
The 53-year-old DJ has hosted The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show on BBC Radio 6 since 2002, and regularly performs around the country. He has been involved in the music industry throughout much of his career, part of bands such as Watt 4, Craig Charles and the Beat Burglars, The Sons of Gordon Gekko and The Eye. Charles plays guitar and piano, also writing lyrics for some of the bands. In 1993, Charles was signed to the Acid Jazz record label.
Charles is currently on tour around the UK, coming to Manchester’s Band On The Wall on both 26th May and 30th June.
In the world’s most unstable and toxic region, a new conflict between old enemies is heating up with potentially devastating consequences. It is no secret Iran and Israel don’t particularly like one another, but Trump’s decision to pull the USA out of the Iran Nuclear Deal has now emboldened both sides and pushed them towards a military conflict that could potentially destroy the region, and it is something we should be observing with great care and caution.
Iran’s increasing involvement has alarmed the USA, Saudi Arabia, and many Western states alike; however, no nation has the same amount of concern as Israel. Iran openly calls for Israel’s complete destruction and wants it to be wiped off the face of the earth. With a regime advocating for the complete destruction of Israel, it is no surprise that the Israelis are watching Iranian involvement in Syria with great interest and concern.
As Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias get closer to Israeli territory, it is no surprise that the Israeli response is gradually getting more and more aggressive. Israel, in its 70 years of existence, has fought off three invasions from its Arab neighbours, and with a pro-Israel administration occupying the White House, whatever actions the Israeli government decides to take against Iran, whether it be airstrikes against their nuclear facilities or an invasion of Syria, the Israeli military and government is likely to have the full weight of the USA behind them.
Israel’s well-trained and effective military is a powerful force to be reckoned with. Israel’s response to Iranian rocket attacks is a signal to the Iranian regime not to provoke the Israeli military and attempt to get closer to Israeli territory bordering Syria. Force, in this case, will be met with more force and aggression. It could result in a political and military game of ping-pong with both sides just striking the other.
However, Trump’s decision has made the situation far more worse as radicals and hardliners alike within Iran and Israel are emboldened to take a more aggressive militaristic policy. With the USA pulling out of the Iran Nuclear Deal based on Israeli intelligence, Iran now has its eyes set on getting payback against both Israel and the US. Iran’s most recent rocket attacks into Israel is a clear example of this. Now tensions look set to escalate with devastating effects. The collapse of the Nuclear Deal has been a key goal of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his increasingly nationalist government coalition– with the US’ announcement that it will pull out, his dream looks set to become reality.
In Iran, hardliners who oppose working with the USA have gotten what they wanted, and it is now likely that they will gain more influence and power as a result of the US’ decision. Now it is likely that Iran will further attempt to extend its influence in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen to further establish a huge military presence in the wider Middle-Eastern region, which will only make the situation far worse and increasingly more unstable. Iran (unlike Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the US) has been the most successful at establishing their presence in the wider Middle-Eastern region with bases in Syria and Iraq firmly established. In Syria, Iran have won the war for the Assad regime.
Now to Israel’s displeasure, they have established a dominant and long-term military presence in the Middle-East in a way the West never could. Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia operates in Lebanon and has gained popular electoral support in Lebanon’s most recent general election, making it a powerful political and military force in the region, and it serves at Iran’s blessing. With Iran’s influence being felt across the Middle-East, the West and rest of the world should watch in horror as a violent and aggressive regime looks set to further gain control of large parts of the Middle-East, which could provoke further conflict and bloodshed.
The fallout from Trump’s decision to leave the 2015 Nuclear Deal could release an uncontrollable wave of increased conflict and tensions in the world’s most violent region, and could result in a war between Iran and Israel, two of the Middle-East’s biggest powers.
If you haven’t heard about Kanye West’s recent social media rants, you must have been living under a rock. But for those who are out of the loop, Kanye recently reactivated his Twitter account after leaving the platform in 2016, post a much publicised mental breakdown during his arena tour for his 2016 album The Life of Pablo.
His tweets initially were uncontroversial little snippets of Yeezy’s thoughts, or as one tweet described them; if Rupi Kaur wrote for people who stand in line at the Supreme store. But it being Kanye, a controversy was never far away. Then, sure enough, all hell broke loose when Kanye declared his support for President Trump, and even went as far as to brandish his signed ‘MAGA’ hat.
But the outlandishness didn’t stop there. Kanye, when being interviewed on TMZ, claimed that 400 years of slavery “sounded like a choice”. Many people were understandably outraged, including TMZ Senior Producer Van Lathan who called out Kanye immediately after, saying that someone with his reach and influence needs to be more careful with his words. Even the most hardened members of the Kanye fan base struggled to defend the self-styled genius here. Instead, the cry was to separate the artist from the music, and he did indeed come through with a new tune. And, despite his comments, many people jumped straight onto his new single.
Kanye’s newest track titled ‘Lift Yourself’ was by far the strangest part of this saga. The two minutes 28-second track only had one verse from Mr West and, well, the lyrics weren’t exactly substantive. Yeezy’s bars consisted of “poop di scoop poop poop”. Yes, you read that right; you’re probably better off listening to it yourself because no article could truly convey the absurdity of the track.
Is Kanye trolling us? Is this a piece of performance art? Is Kanye just being Kanye? We may never know, but what this says about Kanye might not be the most important thing. It’s what it says about us and the way we consume popular-culture. We, as a society, seem to be taking Kanye West as a joke. We think his antics are funny, yet we rarely have constructive discussions about the impact of what he says and does.
And this is what ties in another Donald — not Trump for once, but Glover. The Atlanta and Solo star recently dropped a new music video titled ‘This Is America’ under his rap pseudonym, Childish Gambino. The video deals with many different concepts such as gun violence and the value of life, especially black life. But where it relates to Kanye, is the message it portrays regarding artists in America and the way we as consumers react to them.
The video shows Gambino dancing amidst a storm of chaos in the background, completely unfazed. The contrast here is used to highlight people focusing on pop-culture and trends, whilst ignoring the socially conscious aspects of music in particular. Kanye may be having issues with his mental health, as he has done before and has alluded to recently. Yet, when we discuss him, we have to mention his antics that may seem funny to us, because that’s what we want to hear, not the conversation around mental health. Furthermore, Donald Trump’s most retweeted Tweet in the past month was not that he pulled out of the Iran Deal or announced plans to meet with Kim Jong Un of North Korea, but was his response to Kanye.
Moreover, roughly three minutes into the video an ad-lib can be heard saying “America, I just checked my following list — and you motherf*ckers owe me”. There is online speculation this could be Kanye himself, however, Rap Genius credits Young Thug. Whether this is Kanye or Thug isn’t too important, as the main message behind this line is once again we focus on the trivial aspects such as the Twitter feed and followers of our favourite artists rather than what they are saying in their music.
Overall it looks as if Gambino is making a comment about how we as a society misconstrue the meanings of what artists say and that we seem to be having the trivial conversations about them. The recent Kanye fiasco is a perfect example of this. ‘This Is America’ may not be directed towards Kanye West explicitly, but there are certain parts that can apply to him, and there are very important things we should take away and reconsider when we think and talk about our favourite artists.
Live at Leeds certainly could not have chosen a better band to kick-start the day with. The Wardrobe was filled to maximum capacity and Talbot strutted on stage to greet both cult-fans and newbies. There were plenty of people there clearly taking a keen interest to see what IDLES had to offer as the opening act of the festival and no doubt, everyone was left breathless. As IDLES orchestrated their hour-long revolution in the dark, cramped 4 walls, fans grew even more animated in their movements. With each of the five boisterous band members launching themselves at the crowd, there’s no surprise fans had to temporarily leave the centre to gasp for air.
It was a politically-charged performance that sent shivers down the back of spines and sent some leaving in disgust at Talbot’s incessant spitting. IDLES exhibited a certain fervour not yet seen in any other band currently in the music industry. As sweat utterly saturated Kiernan’s mop and Bowen’s pristine moustache, the zeal that was so potently thrusted upon the sea of drenched fans left their throats dry and their palms invigorated with adrenaline.
For me, IDLES gave the best live performance of the entire day.
Peace
Photo: Olivia White @ Mancunion
It is no secret that Peace’s still fairly recent comeback has awakened memories cider drinking in the sun; the nostalgia of when indie-rock was in its prime. Such a mentality was so incredibly raw at the set that Peace performed at the O2 Academy. It didn’t matter that you were surrounded by complete and utter strangers because Peace instilled a calm, accepting and incredibly magical ambience which vibrated through every open space in the room.
Harrison Koisser’s vocals were absolutely flawless as he guided his adoring fans through both classics such as ‘Money’ and ‘California Daze’ as well as songs from their new album Kindness Is The New Rock and Roll. Their performance of ‘From Under Liquid Glass’ felt as though it really resonated with the audience as fans already knew the words and were hanging onto every note as Koisser gave an immensely emotional production.
With ‘1998’ and ‘Wraith’ undoubtedly being their greatest songs of the set, both of which sent the crowd into frenzied mosh pits and screeching, Peace really showed they are finally back and are here to stay.
The Howl and the Hum
Photo: Olivia White @ Mancunion
The Brudenell Social Club provided the perfect blue-washed and disco-ball lit backdrop for this peculiar quartet’s dystopian dances. There was nothing else like The Howl & The Hum at Live at Leeds. Time and time again, song and song again, this awe-inspiring quartet of pure madness, intelligent lyricism and lingering licks never failed to leave jaws dropped open in admiration.
It’s almost as if Ginsberg, Paul Simonon and a child’s TV presenter all decided to form a modern band. We never quite know just what’s going on, but we just know we want to be part of it.
As frontman Griffiths ushered the audience through a fictional state by his compelling and imaginative lyricism coupled with his extravagant body flinches leaving him sprawled out on the floor, this experience was so unbelievably intense and captivating that for just 30 minutes, The Howl & The Hum created a whole new reality.
Blaenavon
Photo: Olivia White @ Mancunion
Blaenavon were truly intriguing from the very moment each of the three members strolled onto the University Stylus stage. A very refreshing air of humility radiated from the trio although, and, had they been ostentatious, we’d have completely understood why. The sheer amount of energy and genuine care that infiltrates every movement of each of the members made their performance striking.
Frontman and lead guitarist Ben Gregory was particularly dazzling with his distinct and fairly unusual vocals which embellished his effortless guitar playing. With Frank on bass and Harris on drums, it was very clear from their first note that these thrilling musicians work together as a cohesive unit to produce songs that are not only disparate from what the majority of current indie bands are writing but are also freshly insightful.
With dark and ethereal lighting to showcase Blaenavon’s performance alongside fans that reflected an impressive vivacity from start to finish, this band proved to be one of the very best at this year’s Live at Leeds Festival.
Writer Jessica Swale and composer Joe Stilgoe have reimagined The Jungle Book, adapted from the stories of Rudyard Kipling and known fondly for the Disney adaptation, with much success.
The story of Mowgli, who is taken in by a wolf pack to save him from Shere Khan, the tiger, is retained. As are the relationships with his unlikely guardians, Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear. On this foundation, Swale has built an updated and family friendly show with a joke for everyone. The monkeys that capture Mowgli are gangster Funk-eys and Shere Khan’s song Raw (or Roar) is predominantly about all the vegetables he dislikes (and proved to be a big hit with the younger audience members).
Stilgoe’s new songs were well performed by the cast and accompanied by live percussion and mostly actor musicians, adding another element to watch. The singing unfortunately didn’t impress, but it’s understandable that this was not the focus of the show. Its overall entertainment factor was well delivered.
The puppetry (Nick Barnes) used for Mowgli as a baby and the use of crutches as the wolves’ front legs, were just a few ways that the show was elevated, and brought back memories of the Lion King on the West End. Peter McKintosh (set and costume) brought the show to life with a very resourceful and clever set. Ladders made up the majority of it, hanging from above as the forrest canopy and creating Mowgli’s jungle playground, which was also assisted by the revolving stage.
Keziah Joseph was very commanding as ‘man cub’ Mowgli, and well cast. She was a great mover and able to embody the free and youthful character of Mowgli, with great comedic timing. Joseph’s appearance was cleverly kept androgynous, allowing both girls and boys to relate to the protagonist.
Rachel Dawson was a standout performer as both the hypnotic snake Kaa and Mowgli’s wolf brother Grey. She was able to switch between the manipulative acid green snake and the endearing wolf so completely, they seemed to be played by different actors. Shere Khan, played by Lloyd Gorman, was hilarious as the villainous tiger. His character was a triumph of costume (Peter McKintosh), dressed in motorcycle leathers with orange bedazzled stripes, orange streaked hair and ‘Khan’ across his back in rhinestones, I was reminded of Macavity and Rum Tum Tugger from Cats the Musical.
Balloo (Dyfrig Morris) and Bagheera (Deborah Oyelade) had great chemistry as the amusing quasi-parents with very different approaches to teaching Mowgli the ways of the jungle. A really enjoyable twist was casting Bagheera as a woman, she makes frequent comments to Baloo, reprimanding him for calling ‘she-cats’ bossy and threatening him for suggesting that women are any less than men.
This rendition of The Jungle Book was more than the expected family show, teaching messages of equality, diversity, acceptance and more. It reminded audience of all ages that our differences only divide us if we let them.
Gang of Youths may not be a household name just yet, but coming off the back of their stunning sophomore album Go Farther in Lightness, the Australian band seems to be headed in a direction that can only lead to international stardom.
Three songs off of Go Farther… made it onto the Triple J Hottest 100, 2017 — all three were in the top 10. The entire album is a thoroughly enjoyable listen as they blend a musical style that is familiar and accessible with hard-hitting lyrics about the struggles of life, death, and that weird period of time in between.
It seems that the band had a somewhat awkward time translating this album into a live setting however, with certain bits of instrumentation (such as string ensembles) missing from the performance. Nonetheless the band covered up any holes one could nitpick out of the performance with resounding enthusiasm, whipping the crowd into a frenzy at multiple points throughout the performance.
It would be impossible to mention Gang of Youths without directing the conversation towards David Le’aupepe. Although his name doesn’t yet carry the weight of some of history’s most iconic frontmen (think Bon Scott, Joe Strummer, Freddie Mercury), Le’aupepe would strut, dance, and throw himself around the stage with a fluid bravado you would expect to see only amongst the ranks of world famous musicians. The energy he brought to the performance was sensational, and with every little action he made you could see the passion coursing through his veins.
Between and during songs Le’aupepe would frequently engage with the audience with waxing and waning levels of both aloofness and gravitas. This was a man loving every second of his job. There were many light-hearted moments such as taking a fans phone in order to take a selfie, or how he climbed into the crowd and made his way all the way to the back in order to dance with some of the fans. Many Australians had turned up in the crowd to support the band, but everyone in that audience was stood in unity, laughing, loving, and singing along to some of the best rock and roll anthems that have been written in recent years.
However the performance became more sombre at several turns. He prefaced the track ‘Persevere’ with a solemn recounting of the tracks inspiration (the death of keyboardist David Anderson’s unborn child) and how that changed his life and perception of life. At another point he reached out to those who may have been struggling with depression, mentioning how it was four years from the day he attempted to take his own life and pleading to anybody who needed to hear it that they should find somebody they trusted to talk to.
Gang of Youths write their music with a great focus on duality. Amongst all the dancing in that crowd were dark thoughts, people reaching out and clinging onto the music and the solace it brought them. From the black and white colour scheme associated with their artwork to the poppy upbeat nature of songs featuring dark lyrics the band were presenting both sides of a coin and how in life for all of us we can’t escape the bad side, but that doesn’t mean the good side has left us. That is, if you buy into what Le’aupepe sings about. At times the performance did seem cheesy, and the lyrics seemed like cliches. But when the notes rang true they resonated around the room.
With so much time spent on Le’aupepe’s antics, it is important to highlight that although he was the most standout member of the band, he by no means carried the performance. The music was extremely tight, and although other members of the band didn’t quite throw themselves around with the gusto of their frontman, they all brought a high level of energy and played off each other extremely well.
This was just the first night of the tour, but the band showed no signs of rustiness. Much like the tour, it also feels that Gang of Youth’s rise to stardom is only beginning; they are definitely a band to keep an eye on.
The World Is A Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die might just be the most long winded band name ever. It’s okay though, they commonly shorten it simply to “The World Is A Beautiful Place”. Still a bit of a mouthful? Acronymize it as TWIABP.
The six-piece hailing from Willimantic, Connecticut took the stage at Rebellion last Thursday. If you are unfamiliar with their music, they fit right into the same indie/emo niche that bands such as American counterparts At the Drive-In, Explosions in the Sky, and This Will Destroy You have been championing for the last 20 years. For a British comparison, look no further than Mogwai who have been massively influential over the genre.
With so many members in the band, they naturally had a large presence up on the stage, looking over the close-knit crowd. However, this didn’t keep them from delivering a performance that was very intimate and personal. Lead vocalist David Bello, a man of great stature who on stage appeared larger than life, was having a heart-to-heart conversation with his audience song by song.
Beginning the set, he sheepishly whispered into the microphone an introduction: “Hi, we are The World Is a Beautiful Place…”, akin to a school boy who had been called up for a presentation he had done absolutely no preparation for and knew he was going to have to wing it. Bello’s gentle nature was one of his most endearing features, and a smile would light up his face whenever the crowd applauded after a song.
For most songs on the set, Bello sang with a soft croon, coaxing in the crowd, drawing the onlookers in with a soft intensity. As this intensity reached its climax, the band would explode into a sweet cacophony, guitars intertwining around a thumping rhythm section. It was now Bello would raise his voice to an impassioned wail, his high pitch rising over the wave of sound and crying out.
Although done well, so many of their songs followed this template it did become somewhat repetitive. The set was a timely length with only 14 tracks, however for some it may have become too familiar too fast. A nice change from the pattern came with keyboardist Katie Dvorak lending her voice as a smooth counterpart to Bello’s on the track ‘January 10th 2014’, naturally just before the rest of the band erupted during the climax of the song, exchanging a back and forth throughout the chorus.
The band’s set was carried by the longer and more epic pieces of music they had, however they had many fantastic shorter tracks as well. Highlights of the set were tracks ‘Marine Tigers’, ‘Fuzz Minor’, and ‘Infinite Steve’ from the bands most recent album Always Foreign which were performed back to back and flowed together beautifully with no stops or breaks between songs.
Another fantastic moment was when they performed their biggest hit, ‘Heartbeat on the Brain’ for the encore — there was an aura among the crowd of expectancy waiting for the band to break ‘Heartbeat’ out and this made it feel like a perfect natural conclusion to the night.
Lyrically speaking, the bands music has a tendency to be drawn towards soft and emotional topics, ranging from mental health to current affairs. Bello was greeted with a cheer from the crowd as he mentioned the band’s dislike of Donald Trump, which guitarist Tyler Bussey followed up by pointing out this was despite the band were all republicans, bringing a chuckle out of the crowd. These moments of brevity were appreciated throughout the set as contrast to the angsty and deliberate music the band performed.
After the gig was through, I made my way to the front and had a small talk with Bussey, who was extremely kind and genuinely grateful to everyone who had come that night. He asked the names of me and my friend, shook our hands, then passed me a setlist. I was a little bit starstruck but he was extremely open and disarming. Then I shared a few words with Busso as well, who seemed tired from the intensity of the performance but still beaming with happiness. This encounter only furthered my admiration of the band, because at the end of the day this is music at its roots, part of what makes Manchester’s music scene the best in the world.
This album is Arctic Monkeys as we’ve never seen them before… but, when has Alex Turner ever played by the rules?
He’s taken us all to space on a rocket fuelled by dream sequence lyricism and the element of surprise, and it’s going to be hard to come back down.
Concerned with isolation, technology and fame, Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino invites us into Turner’s mind, hopping and skipping through one fantastical reality to the next, and begging us to come along for the ride.
Turner has defied expectations yet again by creating a Bowie-esque space narrative. It’s certainly not another album of singles you can press shuffle on and learn the words in time for a dirty indie night down your local northern club. It’s also not an album of ‘alreets’ and ‘darlings’ in that seductive Sheffield drawl — it’s bouncy, dreamy and seems a natural stepping stone in Turner’s creative aesthetic, after the success of The Last Shadow Puppets’ Everything You’ve Come to Expect and the 50s brill cream stint of AM.
‘Star Treatment’ tip-toes us into the recesses of Turner’s musical flare: “I just wanted to be one of The Strokes, now look at the mess you made me make” Turner croons in the opening lines, as he holds the door open for the listener. “Who you gonna call? The Martini Police” might be one of Turner’s best lyrics in my opinion, as he reflects on a former self. “Maybe I was a little too wild in the 70s” — we always knew he was a time traveller.
‘One Point Perspective’ and ‘American Sports’ further deepen (or confuse?) Turner’s ‘train of thought’, whilst the title track lays out his creative space. The rest of the band dabble in dreamy keyboards and softer drum beats for Matt Helders, as his harmonies are put to the test in this challenging attempt at a 70s trip.
Don’t feel too alienated from previous Monkeys material, however: ‘Four Out Of Five’ reimagines that familiar Turner drawl that captured us all in the first place, whilst closing track ‘The Ultracheese’ is the closest to a traditional Monkeys ballad we get to on this record.
‘Science Fiction’ and ‘Batphone’ take an interesting stab at technology, and it is clear to see the popular culture which influenced Turner during the writing process. He flirts with God ‘on video call’ and science fiction films dominate: ‘What do you mean you’ve never seen Blade Runner?’
This is where Arctic Monkeys divide people with a concept album. The theme of space and technology may be too much for some who prefer the Sheffield brawls or even the brazen rock’n’roll of the fifth record.
Pack your bags kids, Alex Turner, starman, has returned to Earth and invited us to listen to his tales. And what a privilege.
