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Month: November 2011

Live: The Cat Empire @ Academy 1

Written by Hugo Nicholson on . Posted in Music.

The Cat Empire
Academy 1
19th October
5 stars

Ten years is a long time: tonight, though, The Cat Empire gave a performance proving that some things never change. The Australian outfit are celebrating the tenth anniversary of their first show together, and while their appearance might have altered, their capacity to throw a party certainly hasn’t.

The group opened with ‘Fishies’, setting the tone for an evening of astonishing musicianship, with Harry James Angus laying down the first of many exceptional trumpet solos. The following number ‘Days Like These’ almost brought the house down, as the crowd wildly skanked/salsa-ed with each other. In fact, the only scruple one might have had with the whole evening was that some audience members were getting a little too into it (I was accidentally struck in the face, twice), but perhaps I’m being a spoilsport.

While Harry might have stolen the show in terms of solos, each band member delivered separate outstanding ones of their own throughout the night – a personal favourite being the superb three-way brass jam between Harry (trumpet) and duo  The Empire Horns (trumpet and trombone).
Such is the nature of their Latin-heavy music that watching The Cat Empire is an exhausting experience; it’s very difficult not to dance, and as the evening wore on there seemed to be fewer and fewer who could resist the urge. The energy in Academy was matched only by the temperature, so that by 11pm it felt more like the Warehouse Project, although thankfully fewer people had their shirts off. The final song of their inevitable encore was ‘The Chariot’, which created a suitable state of euphoria (I was accidentally struck in the face again) – and it was a fitting end to an incredible evening which arguably cemented The Cat Empire’s place among the best live bands in the world. If you ever need someone to “break down a party landmine” for you, these are the guys.

Cat Empire – Fishies

Reborn as a hippy-crit

Written by Lloyd Henning on . Posted in Opinion.

My favourite of all the student stereotypes has got to be the hippy. What a lovely, well meaning bunch. Who could possibly hold any resentment towards them? They are always looking out for what’s best for the world, helping each fellow human, aiding all the cheeky monkeys and fighting for every wiggly worm. They are the last line of defence against those horrible meany capitalists and bad guy corporations.

And after it is the thought of all those fuzzy animals and the damage that we are doing to the environment that I, Lloyd Henning, have now pledged to abandon my wicked middle-class lifestyle and live a life of complete harmony with the universe. I urge you as students, the future, the free souls that inhabit this beautiful planet, to live in the spirit of those in undeveloped countries, but with all the amenities of the first world.

To become truly one with Gaea I’ve thrown my unnecessary possessions aside, barring the real essentials – like my mac book and smart-phone (which although they are manufactured by the corporations in ethically and environmentally dubious conditions, I’m actually making a unique stand for freedom by using their technology in a subversive manner by posting on my blog about my favourite incense sticks).

University has finally revealed me to myself. It’s really deep, all these important lectures and seminars and stuff. I only went to the initial introductory stuff, but it was really deep and taught me so much about the course outline that I was able to just skip the rest and lie in bed just “feeling out” of the knowledge.

I’m totally against money now as well and what it does, it is the tree trunk of all evil. My parents may fund me, but only so that I can learn enough about who I am so that I’ll be able to one day open up a bohemian cafe in the northern quarter for artists and free-thinkers to come and do amazing, interesting things like, err, art and free-thinking? I might need to borrow some cash off them for that though.

I believe in equality, especially equality with animals and nature, we are all one species – the species of life. And because chickens, pigs, cows and fish are my fellow brothers and sisters then I refuse to consume them. However, if I find bits of them in a skip marked by the man as “unfit for human consumption” then of course I will not let their murder be in vain and will ritually cannibalise their corpses, maybe with some potatoes and gravy.

Then I might go to these underused buildings and re-purpose them as spaces where like minded people can hang out, because there are not enough spaces where like minded can hang out in normal life. Sometimes we do poetry work shops and I am really pleased to say I’ve written more poems than I’ve read. I often just jot down anything that inspires me, like recycling and courgettes. I would hold these workshops at property I myself own or have lease of, but I think a bunch of unwashed people hanging around singing songs all day would be rather annoying.

Sometimes I do get the feeling that all this hippy stuff is a tad hypocritical, what with it feeling like I’m slightly taking the piss given the fact that I’m really just a middle class brat who in could do far more to help develop society than fart around with vegetables and bicycles. Maybe I’ll just go buy a McDonalds and get over it all.

Live: Lykke Li

Written by Joe Goggins on . Posted in Music.

31st October 2011

Academy 2

7/10

I don’t mind gigs being postponed if there’s a genuine reason – and by a genuine reason, I mean something along the lines of the band not being released from the cells in time, collapsing in a pool of their own vomit or even falling out of a coconut tree a la Keith Richards back in 2006. Lykke Li, then, was certainly pushing the limits of my goodwill when she called off this show at twenty-four hours notice back in April because of a back injury – caused, in truly rock n’ roll style, by an unfortunate fall in Marks and Spencer. Fully recovered and taking the stage in outrageously dramatic fashion with an intro that uses strobe lighting and thumping bass like they’re going out of fashion, the Swedish songstress is clearly hell-bent on making up for lost time.

Playing in support of her second record, February’s Wounded Rhymes, Lykke hasn’t allowed tonight’s relatively intimate setting to temper her appetite for theatrics; emerging against a striking backdrop, she launches into the stormy ‘Jerome’, all menacing synths and throbbing drums, before dropping fan favourite, and breakthrough single, ‘I’m Good, I’m Gone’ for a full-scale singalong. It’s one of just three tracks from her debut Youth Novels LP to make the cut tonight; only ‘Little Bit’ and ‘Dance Dance Dance’ punctuate a set dominated by new material, which is certainly far better suited to the show’s brooding atmosphere. As a live performer, Lykke’s a genuine revelation, from banging a floor tom like a woman possessed on the lyrically-provocative ‘Get Some’ to pouring out her weary heart on the encore of ‘Unrequited Love’. The evening’s only drawback, then, is that she’s with us for not much more than an hour; far too short, but still very sweet, and certainly worth the wait.

Lykki Li – I Follow Rivers

Live: Other Lives

Written by Joe Goggins on . Posted in Music.

30th October 2011

The Deaf Institute

4/10

2008 saw the emergence of a number of artists who brought the concept of the indie-folk crossover firmly back into fashion; Fleet Foxes, Devendra Banhart, Bon Iver and Grizzly Bear, to name a few. Fast forward to 2011, and suddenly ‘indie-folk’ is less an ethereal blend of chiming guitars and soaring harmonies and more a phrase used to describe privately-educated rich boys making offensively bland pop songs that are apparently ‘folk’ purely on the basis of the wearing of flat caps and waistcoasts and the occasional smattering of utterly arbitrary banjo. The totally mystifying success of Mumford and Sons is a genuine tragedy, and thus it’s nice to see a band more in line with the aforementioned American artists making waves again.

Other Lives hail from Stillwater, Oklahoma and rock up at the Deaf Institute tonight with pretty much everything going for them; off the back of a North American tour supporting Bon Iver and with a host of positive reviews for sophomore LP Tamer Animals under their belts. Arriving twenty minutes late to a stage bedecked with suitably sinister decorations – on the eve of Halloween – it’s difficult to discern what the band have more of – instruments or facial hair. The first song alone sees one member of the brilliantly-bearded quintet play electric guitar, violin and trumpet in quick succession, before simultaneously banging a floor tom and playing the xylophone in a stunning display of multi-tasking musicianship. Unfortunately, it’s this wide sonic palette that’s ultimately proves to be the group’s live downfall; with so much going on, a number of instruments get lost in a mire of guitars, not least frontman Jesse Tabish’s yearning vocals. The songs are certainly there, but, so far, frustratingly, a convincing way to deliver them live isn’t.

Live: Enter Shikari @ HMV Ritz

Written by Frances Roach on . Posted in Music.

Enter Shikari
HMV Ritz
7th October
5 stars

After spending the majority of the summer opting for an American trip on the road via the Vans Warped Tour, Enter Shikari are back on English soil, promising sold-out nights of absolute insanity. With a rather stellar lineup of bands on the bill, this tour is not for the faint hearted. Blood, sweat and bruises are an anticipated outcome, and crowd-goers were certainly far from disappointment.

After blasting sets from supports letlive and Your Demise, it feels like that could have been the entire show in itself and kids would leave happy, but they regain more than enough energy to witness what’s yet to come.

In the newly refurbished 1920’s theatre, the HMV Ritz is tested to its safety limits, as the headlining band takes over and the 1500-strong crowd erupts. Opening with ‘Destabilise’, the energetic pace continues with high consistency as the Hertfordshire four-piece belt out crowd favourites ‘Zzzonked’, ‘Havoc A’ and ‘Return To Energiser’.
Choosing to play smaller venues on this tour, they are eager to give back to the loyal home fan base who are keen for new music. This eagerness to provide fresh sounds is apparent as they include new songs taken from their upcoming 2012 release, A Flash Flood of Colour, churning out likely future favourites ‘Arguing With Thermometers’ and ‘Sssnakepit’.

Crowd participation is at its fullest- reminiscent to those that the band has witnessed at their Reading & Leeds festival slots over the last 3 years. Strobe lighting was also at its extreme, almost to the point of near blindness, adding to the notion that this is just a big rave.

With a newly announced Spring 2012 tour with fellow Brits Young Guns, Enter Shikari show total control and no signs of slowing.

Enter Shikari – Sssnakepit

Live: Jessie J @ Apollo

Written by Frances Roach on . Posted in Music.

Jessie J
Apollo
21st October
5 stars

Jessie J has blown up over the past 12 months, with chart success across Europe, even so far as breaking the States. Opting to play in medium-sized theatre venues, it is apparent that these will most probably be the smallest venues she will be performing in for a long time.

It is clear that this is a much anticipated sold out show. The larger stage at the O2 Manchester Apollo in comparison to other venues on the tour allows the full stage set to be constructed and Jessie J uses this to full effect, opening with ‘Big White Room’, sitting in a statuesque pose on a chair with a rotating red velvet stage, her voice is already the focus of the show.

Incorporating a pleasant remix of Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ into crowd favourite ‘Stand Up’ gets the balcony up on their feet. A solid performer with positive stage presence, Jessie J knows how to belt out a tune. ‘Nobody’s Perfect’, ‘Abracadabra’ and ‘I Need This’ are performed with an energised sound, much due to her impressive live band. Before entering into current single and title track ‘Who You Are’, Jessie J explains her eyebrow-raising choice of outfit, donning a purple bodysuit to show her support for the LBGT community before pouring out her emotions into a beautifully version of the song.

Continuing into the encore with debut chart hit ‘Do It Like A Dude’ and her most successful single Price Tag’, the crowd are still fully attentive. Ending with the vocally powered ‘Domino’, Jessie J leaves the audience roaring with a much deserved standing ovation. Everyone is more than satisfied with such an impressive vocal and visual performance from one of the UK’s biggest stars. No doubt Jessie J will be selling out arenas across the country next time round.

Jessie J – Domino (live)

Jessie J – Price Tag (live)

Live: Katy Perry @ MEN Arena

Written by Frances Roach on . Posted in Music.

Katy Perry
M.E.N Arena
31st October
5 stars

Pop’s favourite 21st century Californian export Katy Perry graced the Manchester stage for a fun-filled Halloween stop on her California Dreams Tour, yet this show was far from scary, instead consisting of a 2 hour set of bubblegum pop, from the candy inspired stage designs, multiple big screens, pastel outfits to the insane stage lighting, bubbles and pyro fireworks.

Perry is a pop powerhouse. Opening with her number 1 hit ‘Teenage Dream’ she instantly creates an atmosphere full of creativity and excitement amongst the 15,000 devoted fans, who have all opted to occupy the arena for the night over the choice of trick-or-treating or the annual house party.

Blasting through a variety of upbeat songs including breakout song ‘I Kissed A Girl’, ‘ET’ and ‘Circle The Drain’, Perry’s charm and perfect choreography engages the audience throughout, audibly and visually. The latter half of the relatively long set allows her to display her vocal ability through slower songs such as current single ‘The One That Got Away’ and old favourite ‘Thinking of You’, floating across the crowd on a candyfloss ‘cloud’, strumming an acoustic guitar that is practically immersed in glitter. Successfully providing an intimate setting to the sold out arena, it is about to get even more intimate for a lucky few.

Inviting adorned fans to share the stage during her rendition of the Whitney Houston party classic ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’, Perry continues to bring the party. Rounding off with her two biggest hits to date, ‘Firework’, receiving the loudest sing-a-long of the night, and ‘California Gurls’, it is certain that this is a show spectators will be talking about for a long time.

Take note, Katy Perry’s California Dreams Tour is the epitome of a perfect pop performance.

Katy Perry – California Gurls (live)

Katy Perry – Peacock (live)

Column: Time to move on, Manchester.

Written by Tom Hickman on . Posted in Music.

I know it may be frowned upon in the sphere of music snobbery but I have been a lifelong Oasis fan. In spite of this, even I cannot appreciate the years of utter dross that the Manchester music scene churned out in the aftermath of the Gallagher brothers’ lengthy fall from grace, as replica after replica failed to bring anything new to the table. When a band like The Courteeners is able to sell out the MEN Arena, there must be a clear dearth of anything remotely listenable coming out of the city.

Manchester is evidently one for the nostalgia trip, with record sales of Ian Brown’s divorce payment coming only a couple of weeks ago. The sad thing being that every single one of those paying customers will walk away questioning how a voice that sounded so brilliant twenty years ago could now be compared to the sanding of an old school desk. With this in mind, I feel now is a time to finally applaud the new waves of music coming through the city at the moment. A time to finally break from the days of old.
To be a student in Manchester, the door is open to a whole world of up and coming acts shaping the landscape of popular music. This city has been the protagonist in a fantastic wave of art-rock bands in recent years, with NME favourites Wu Lyf taking a lead role. Dutch Uncles and Everything Everything display astonishing musicianship in their formation of tracks that quite such abstract time signatures, yet still manage to retain mass appeal. Throw in Wild Beasts from a little further afield, and the guitar music coming out of the city has taken a huge turn away (for the better) from that being produced in the mid-nineties.
The boom in local bands is not just restricted to guitar-based productions. D/R/U/G/S are one of the most exciting producers in electronic music at the moment, whilst Broke-n-£nglish showcased UK hip-hop and production at its finest just this Friday, in support of DOOM at HMV Ritz.

So I encourage Manchester’s student public to shake off two decades of music cobwebs from the past and applaud the present, the abundance of first-class acts coursing through the veins of our fair city.

Blind date: Lisa and Joe

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Lisa Mukubvu, Third year, Politics, Philosophy and Economics

What were your first impressions?
Sincere and easy going. The first thing we did when we sat down was to confess that we were both there for the free food. I suppose we bonded straight away on that premise.

What did you talk about?
Ancient civilisations, about the relationship between Politics and History, about travelling and experiencing different cultures, music, family

Best thing about them?
He’s not afraid to try new things, he had his steak nicht gar without a complaint, even though he usually prefers it well-cooked. I daresay he enjoyed it!

What did you eat?
Steak and salad, and a sticky toffee pudding for desert.

Any awkwardness?
Yes, when we realised we had to pay for the drinks at the end. We thought they were on the house!

How did you part ways? (Mouth to mouth action/heavy petting/friendly hug?!)
Friendly hug

Out of 10?
8

Would you see them again?
Maybe

 

Joe Anstee, Third year, Ancient History

What were your first impressions?
What a nice smile.

What did you talk about?
Robert Mugabe, careers, history, passports, appreciation of Katy Perry

Best thing about them?
She had some really interesting stories about growing up in Zimbabwe

What did you eat?
Had steak – it was excellent!

Any awkwardness?
Not really, she was very easy to talk to

How did you part ways? (Mouth to mouth action/heavy petting/friendly hug?!)
Classic hug

Out of 10?
8

Would you see them again?
Why not?

 

 

Lisa and Joe ate at The Deaf Institute, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Thanks to the guys down at Grosvenor Street for getting involved. To check out their menu, gig listings and have a look at what club nights are coming up visit their website www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

To sign up for blind date please e mail your name, year of study and course to [email protected] with ‘blind date’ as the subject.

I’m an English Literature student and I hate books

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

There, I said it.

Lecturers if you’re reading this please don’t take it personally. It’s not you it’s me. Steve, Literature editor, please try not to recoil in disgust.

It wasn’t always like this, I remember a time when we (books and I) were inseparable. Long summers were spent on beaches or in the garden with piles of novels at my side. Winter evenings tucked up in bed with a literary classic were what brought me real joy.

And so I applied for a literature degree hoping to take this bond to the next level.

Fresher’s week came and went in the blink of an eye and there I was in my first lecture with Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness plonked in front of me. Talk about easing us in; it was undoubtedly all down hill from then on.

Weekly I have to read at least one novel, play or selection of short stories for each module I take. Combine that with pages and pages of literary critiques, additional articles and contextual readings. What we literature students lack in contact hours, we make up for with hours in the library.

So once that’s all done and dusted and I can’t stomach the sight of John Ryland’s any longer the last thing I want to do is get home and sit down with a “good old” book.

Even if I do get an out of character urge to sit down and flick something open, before I’ve even begun said book is already ruined. It is impossible to get out of the over analytical mindset that’s been forced down my throat for the last two years.

So instead of being encapsulated by the enigmatic and intriguing protagonist or being on the edge of my seat as the novel reaches its climax I’m instead dissecting the structural framework and reading over a particular sentence more times than is probably considered normal.

It leaves me fairly hopeless when trying to read anything more highbrow than Harry Potter or Sophie Kinsella’s most recent chick lit creation; and even that’s a struggle at times.

There is a book shaped hole in my life one that just can’t be filled by reality TV or magazines. I’m hoping this is just a rough patch, a rut if you like, and that once my degree is complete we’ll be back on track.  Fingers crossed, we’ll get through this but for now I just can’t bring myself to mix business with pleasure.

Live: Dananananaykroyd @ Deaf Institute

Written by Tom Ingham on . Posted in Music.

Dananananaykroyd
Deaf Institute
31st October
4 stars

For the final time, Glasgow’s six man pop-assault vehicle are roaming the land, playing 12 venues across the UK on their farewell tour. Having a reputation for energetic, no holds barred gigs, they squeezed themselves on to the claustrophobic stage at Deaf Institute, before abruptly launching into the mighty ‘E numbers’. Dananananaykroyd have never been a mainstream attraction, despite being fan favourites at festivals such as Reading and Leeds. Why? Perhaps that name has something to do with it, but I tend to think they provide an experience that can’t be fully realised unless it’s in a small, sweaty room full of obsessive fans. And with both fans and band geared up for the last Manchester gig ever, it made for a truly special evening.

Being in such an intimate venue, with the equivalent of a ticking time bomb onstage, it wasn’t long before frontmen Calum and John performed the first of many crowd dives, plunging themselves into a sea of embracing arms. With bizarre anecdotes, countless stage dives and the customary ‘wall of hugs’ (or the ‘wall of death’ as it was more aptly named on the night), never has a band engaged in such a physical, hands on way with its audience.

Amongst all the chaos there was a tinge of sadness, expressed affectionately by guitarist David Roy ‘I don’t want to start, cos’ I don’t want it to end’ as they came to the last song, ‘Some Dresses’. In their press statement they said ‘it makes sense to go out with a bang – which is exactly what this tour will be’ and as far as that goes they certainly delivered. Dananananakroyd’s devoted cult following are understandably disappointed, but there is the feeling that the split wasn’t a decision the band wanted to take.

Dananananaykroyd – Muscle Memory (live)

Dananananaykroyd and the Wall of Cuddles

Live: Sophie Barker @ Band on the Wall

Written by Hannah Mead on . Posted in Music.

Sophie Barker
Band on the Wall
24th October
1 star

Sophie Barker may not mean much to most people, but she has lent her vocals to both Zero 7 and Groove Armada. Even if you are unfamiliar with them, you will have heard Zero 7’s ‘In the Waiting Line’ on one soundtrack or another.

But before we get excited about putting a face to the voice, I must make it clear that this was a terrible gig. This music should not be played live. While it works brilliantly on a soundtrack, played live there’s no visual image or dialogue to stimulate our minds and all we have to look at is a woman, making some vague attempt to dance. For the most part, the music is not just boring, but actively bad. I’m sure they are accomplished musicians but the band’s backing tracks are so monotonous they sound like crap demos on those cheap little keyboards you had at school. This could perhaps be forgiven were her voice captivating and unique. But no; it is bland.

It was a strange affair with everyone sitting at tables, which didn’t help to hide the lack of enthusiasm. The crowd consisted entirely of mum and dad types except for a curious group of early 20-somethings at the back, which confused me; they were quite a trendy looking group, who seemed to fancy themselves as rather cool. So then, what were they doing here? Then again, you have to question why anyone was here at all.

The feeble climax came as the crowd cheered (an extravagant show of emotion for this bunch) after the first few bars of the aforementioned ‘In the Waiting Line’. For just a moment, I was excited too: A song I don’t thoroughly dislike! But no, 30 seconds into the track we were regretting those cheers and I was bored again.

 

Live: Patrick Wolf @ HMV Ritz

Written by Hannah Mead on . Posted in Music.

Patrick Wolf
The Ritz
26th October
4 stars

For all his cabaret-style performance and arty weirdness, Patrick Wolf is just a down-to-earth nice-guy. His over apologetic modesty is borderline ridiculous earlier on in the set when he debuts new track ‘Time of Year’, pausing during the introduction at least 3 times to insist that he’s going to “fuck it up”.

He is eager to please and obviously revels in the crowd’s adoration of him, but the love and respect is mutual tonight. Wolf repeatedly declares his love for Manchester and thanks us for having him and later he jumps offstage to makes his way through the crowd, greeting fans while still singing for almost an entire song. He is very chatty throughout, clumsily so, but it doesn’t ruin the set; his anecdotes and stories behind the songs bring us into his world and make for a more intimate experience.

He is convincing in his role of the ‘eccentric musical genius’, sitting down to play the harp and opting for a ukulele over a guitar. However, he avoids coming across as pretentious and appears not to take himself too seriously; it is like an excitable toddler, that he makes a spontaneous set list change in favour of a dance track, perhaps getting carried away with the lively atmosphere.

He shows a fondness for anything that sparkles, wearing what appear to be diamante ear plugs and later a glittering, gold top, however tonight it is all about the music and he skips his final costume change in order to play a few more songs, an arrangement he and the crowd both agree on. The critically acclaimed new album, Lupercalia, is positively upbeat and tracks such as ‘The Future’ and set closer ‘The City’ are already crowd favourites.  He renames ‘Bermondsey Street’ ‘Canal Street’ for the Manchester crowd, describing Bermondsey Street as a place where you can be anything you want to be, a notion the audience fervently applaud.

 

Just a phoney

Written by Dana Fowles on . Posted in Lifestyle.

“Typical”, I hear you say. “A girl moaning about guys, like we haven’t heard this one before.” I’m afraid that yes, it is all very predictable, but something I have been dying to get off my chest nevertheless.

The latest unfathomable creature to, as my Irish friend Jenny would say, ‘melt my head’, is ridiculously gorgeous.

Unfortunately, however, he is also ridiculously inept in the social skills department.

We have been on and off for a while and quite frankly, I give up. He refuses to communicate through what he calls ‘cyberspace’, failing to understand why I take this to offence.

Naturally, I feel like he is ignoring me and that not being a ‘texty person’ is code for “I’m not really that bothered about you.” Yet apparently, I am expected to gather that he does in fact like me.

As well as not speaking to me for days on end, he is unable to show me any affection in front of our friends, generally finding it difficult to do so unless he has consumed a fair amount of rum.

At first I quite liked the fact that he was shy and wanted to keep everything private. I was patient, really patient. Now I just want to strangle him. Or cry. Or both.

Of course the usual cure would be a night out with the girls. However, here I am faced with a slight problem – the problem being that every single one of them is loved up, with the exception of my two best friends from home. Unfortunately, they live in the faraway lands of Plymouth and Cardiff and so I am forced to wallow in self-pity.

If I actually meet someone decent before I am ninety, it will be a miracle! Rant over.

Live: Yann Tiersen @ Club Academy

Written by Daniel Jones on . Posted in Music.

Yann Tiersen
Club Academy
24th October
3 Stars

Like many I suspect, when I hear the name Yann Tiersen I immediately think of “that guy who did the Amelie soundtrack”.  But in fact, when you look beyond this connection with film soundtracks you begin to understand that Yann, a Brittany-born, classically-trained composer has a love for music that courses through every inch of his veins.

Tiersen has been sharpening his musical virtuosity since he was 4-years old when he first started playing piano. By his early teens, he had gained a place at several prestigious musical academies across France. This is why the humble basement setting of Club Academy is a somewhat unlikely venue for a man who is used to playing in theatres and concert halls.  However, the various orchestral sections that you might expect to find on stage have been replaced by a platter of pedals, synthesisers and samplers.  A standard 4 strong band completes the set up; drums, bass, lead guitar and keyboard.

From the first track ‘Till the End’, we are introduced to a backdrop of synthetic sound and a tranquil atmosphere is formed that would last the entire duration of the gig.  The crowd looks on with curious awe as the band rip through several tracks from Dust Lane (2010) and Skyline (2011), including ‘Fuck Me’, a track which Tiersen describes himself as his take on “a love song”.  It is from this point that the multi-instrumentalist comes into his own.  His piano and violin skills are showcased on ‘The Gutter’, ‘Amy’ and ‘Ashes’ respectively; at one point he even starts messing around with a melodica. However, the highlight of the night is without doubt an unexpected cover of Gary Numan’s ‘Cars’ where even the most static member of the audience is forced to bop along.

Tiersen is right in saying that Skyline is “a much more spacious record than anything he has done before”.  It is splattered with various distortions, textures and an obvious synthetic presence. As a live spectacle it is perfect for a couple of friends catching up over a few drinks, just don’t expect to be completely blown away.

I love it; I love it not

Written by naila missous on . Posted in Lifestyle.

I have a love hate relationship with my degree. I can’t deny the fact that my allegiance swings between the two subject matters quicker than a moody teenager.

“I’ll apply for Literature AND Linguistics! It combines my two passions and well, I’m quite good at languages and reading loads”. Little did I know, I’d get to University and realise that, in actual fact, I’m not top of the class like I was back in A levels.

I started first year apprehensively: the literature appeared of easy grasp (apart from you Oronoko, I don’t like you) and I thought “I know a few of these titles, I should be fine!”

It became clearer as the year went on that indeed I had befriended Linguistics, developed my love for it and thus cheated on Literature quite openly. I’m sorry Literature.

Oh Linguistics. How I enjoyed knowing the distinction between dialectal differences in American English and British English. I even worked extra hard on learning the difference between diphthongs and monophthongs; knowing how to write the vowels in the phonetic alphabet and everything.

“This is great” I thought. “I’ll balance my degree so that Linguistics outweighs Literature. I have this down.”

I’m in second year now. I still study Literature and Linguistics.

I love my free choice module in Middle Eastern politics more than anything.

Interview: Real Estate

Written by Thomas McMahon on . Posted in Music.

Thomas McMahon was on hand to meet Real Estate guitarist Matthew Mondaline as the New Jersey fivesome prepared for their gig at Salford’s Islington Mill.

TM: What’s it like returning to England for a second tour with the band?
MM: We like it, we’re very excited to play Manchester tonight then London tomorrow.

TM: A lot of people are saying the new album is cleaner and more focussed, was that a conscious decision by the band?

MM: Yeah, we wanted everything to be higher quality, which involved quite a lot of hard work in the studio.

TM: So was it a stereotypical ‘difficult second album’?

MM: Not quite, a lot of the songs were already written, plus we spent a long time between our first and second album.

TM: You’ve recently switched label from Woodsist to Domino, what inspired that move?

MM: Well, they offered us a really good record deal on a bigger label. Plus, they’re based in London which should mean we can play over here more often.

Live: Real Estate @ Islington Mill
October 24th
3 stars 

Real Estate’s apparently pre-anointed passage to the indie pantheon stumbled under the concrete ceiling of Salford’s Islington Mill after an underwhelming live performance. An enthusiastic audience, possibly enticed by a string of reviews lauding sophomore album Days, was left unconvinced by a string of passable psych-pop strumalongs.

The set started promisingly, with opener ‘Municipality’ showing the band’s technical proficiency and knack for crafting delicate melodies. Recent single, ‘It’s Real’, also proved a highlight, with the rhythm section playing tightly and with admirable energy. However, the set soon became bogged down in repetitive surf-influenced riffs, with lead singer Martin Courtney’s underpowered vocals often drowning in a swollen sea of feedback and reverb. The band’s spirited cover of Felt’s ‘Sunlight Bathed the Golden Glow’, meanwhile, merely highlighted the Americans’ poor lyrics in comparison to the Birmigham new wave outfit.

While every member of the band played with genuine skill, Real Estate nevertheless proved themselves to be a group which is easy to admire but hard to love. Throughout the set, the five-piece showed neither the earnest conviction of fellow New Jerseyans such as Titus Andronicus and Vivian Girls nor the pop sensibilities of superior beach bums such as Surfer Blood. As heads slowly nodded but feet remained fixed to the floor, this malaise was reflected in the crowd.

Real Estate – Municipality

E-Confessions

Written by Rachel Haynes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Like some of our readers, I’ve never personally asked God for his forgiveness, but recently I’ve come to realize that most of us, religious or not, seem to be indulging in some form of confession on a pretty regular basis.

A cup of tea with a housemate; a gossip down at the pub; a drunken phone call to an ex, we’re all just dying to reveal those intimate secrets. Perhaps we’ve done something we aren’t too proud of and want to get it off our chests, or maybe we just want someone to take our side, turn around and say “wait a minute, you are so in the right!”.

Many religions regard confession as a tool to absolve the wrongdoer of his sins, with Catholicism, so far, holding the monopoly on organized confessions in the form of the Sacrament of Penance.  Well, read on, because that’s all about to change.

Whatever the reason, if you need someone to share your sins with but don’t want to make the journey to church, worry not, there is a service just waiting for you; online confessions!

They’re the latest craze in digital religious practice, now you too can confess, repent, and be forgiven, all from the comfort of your own home. Just log on to your preferred site and get typing! They’ve seen everything, from love stories to sex addicts, poetry to death threats.

I even read one posted by a boy who couldn’t stop urinating in sinks (I’m not making this stuff up!).

The internet presents great new opportunities for religious practice, information exchange and now virtual DIY confessions. But what do the powers that be have to say about this new phenomenon?

There’s been some debate, but the consensus in the Catholic world is that the internet is great for providing spiritual guidance, but online confessions fall short of the mark. Without a priest present the sins can’t be truly absolved in the eyes of God, and as for privacy, the internet conjures up a whole host of other issues.

Well, even so, if you’ve been behaving badly and the telltale twinges of guilt are starting to gnaw away, why not check it out? If nothing else, you’ll get a chance to see what naughty things other people have been getting up to.

Who knows, you might end up feeling like a saint by comparison!

No rest for the wicked

Written by Chloe Young on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Sleeping is a waste of time. I’ll allow the hermits amongst you to catch your breath…

Sleeping is to be done at night!

There’s nothing I hate more than pointless napping, especially the all-day kind. The majority of my fellow students find no issue in sleeping through most, if not all, of the daylight hours.

Don’t get me wrong, we all know that after a night out a drunken day slumber is a must to repair alcohol damage; but to go to bed in the middle of the day, wake up and then purposely resume sleep is a joke.

Not only is this a complete and utter waste of your life, anti-social, pointless and unhygienic (sleep breath should definitely be limited to mornings only) – it’s boring!

According to statistics the average person spends about a third of their life asleep. Why would you want to increase this, isn’t life short enough? I generally sympathise with anyone that feels that they have nothing worth remaining conscience for on a sunny day.

I would imagine that this pretty much applies to no-one but for those of you it does, you might start by leaving the house once in a while.

Please take my advice, stop the body to sheet fusion process now, get up and get out!

What ‘grinds my gears’: Being a skint student

Written by Emma Williams on . Posted in Lifestyle.

What’s become a revelation to me in since coming to University is how much careless spending and wasting money eats away at my soul.

A slight over exaggeration there, I admit, but the competitive talk of comparing how far one person is in to their overdraft compared to the other, makes me choke on my own fury at their pretention and ignorance.

Nothing annoys me more than the bragging, concealed as a self-deprecating admittance, about how much someone has spent on a night-out or on clothes because of the allure of student discount.

Now, I’ve had my fair share of needless spending, but my attitude toward is one of shame for my willpower, and deep regret. Especially when the sad reality hits emerges after Reading Week you have blown much of your loan on miscellaneous things that you can’t seem to pinpoint when the dreaded phone call about budgeting comes from Mum and Dad.

It may be how alien or unusual it is to have to consider practical aspects in your spending that disables my ability to get my head around controlling my spending.

Only now I have the security of a little money coming in from, (shock-horror) a part-time job, that I’ve adopted an angry disposition to any topic of conversation involving over-drafts or superfluous spending.

And though I may seem like a bitter student complaining about the mere small-talk of others through this mouthful of Sainsbury’s 11p noodles, but over-spending has made me more adamant than ever that I will not ration my life at University—so I got a job to counteract my spending.

I suppose what annoys me the most is those who complain about the financial aspect of student life, and do nothing to help themselves. Grrr.

So before you trip over yourself to tell me how much you drunkenly withdrew from a cash point last night and haven’t seen since, hold back, and don’t bother; as I may tell you where to go, or worse– give you a pamphlet on financial planning and self control.