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Month: November 2011

Live: Erasure @ Apollo

Written by Andrew Gott on . Posted in Music.

Erasure
Manchester Apollo
20th October
3 stars

While there were many things uncertain about experiencing an Erasure gig, I was confident that there would be a lack of similarly aged audience members. I was correct. Yet, instead of feeling smugly superior of my weary-eyed, sensibly dressed co-attendees I found myself overcome with envy. They were wild – not an inhibition was to be found in the packed out (and incredibly beautiful) Manchester Apollo.  An unmistakeable attitude of “We’re going to pretend the last two decades didn’t happen and we don’t give a fuck” permeated the air, and as the concert went on I found it impossible to remain immune.

Prior to the gig I was under the impression that Erasure were a diet version of the Pet Shop Boys; purveyors of flamboyant pop with little to no real substance. After the gig, I found myself racing home to hit loop on their music videos on YouTube, in shock at both my reaction and the sheer quality of their output. You can’t really argue with 25 million record sales either. The gig was an outrageous two hour show of non-stop glitter, colour and joy – if you’re rolling your eyes right now on a rainy Magic Bus ride home, get ‘A Little Respect’ on Spotify and you’ll soon cheer up. Front man Andy Bell seemed to capture the hearts of every man and woman he performed in front of, and it was extremely pleasant to see the crowd around me entirely lost in nostalgic euphoria.

Not to say there wasn’t any new material. The band were plugging their latest album, Tomorrow’s World (produced by Frankmusik nevertheless), which blended well with their back catalogue and managed to keep the hit-hungry crowd’s attention. If I came away from the gig learning one thing, it was to never be guilty about a pleasure; thank you Erasure.

Erasure – A Little Respect

Erasure – Always

Adolphe Valette: A Pioneer of Impressionism in Manchester

Written by Rosa Mancebo on . Posted in Arts.

A major exhibition of Adolphe Valette’s life and art opens its doors at The Lowry this season. The exhibit boasts over a hundred works by the little known French Impressionist who spent the best part of his career studying and teaching at the Municipal School of Art of Manchester (now part of Manchester Metropolitan University).

A young Adolphe arrived in England and settled in Manchester in 1905, possibly following in the footsteps of Monet, an artist he greatly admired who also had briefly taken refuge in English shores. Delighted by Valette’s obvious talent, his teachers offered him a teaching position soon after enrolling at the Municipal School of Art. The student became the master, and Valette’s (ex-) fellow students became his pupils, one LS Lowry amongst them.

The influence of Valette upon Lowry during those years and the friendship forged between the two artists came to be decisive in Lowry’s future trajectory. Lowry himself claimed that he could not “over-estimate the effect on me of the coming to this drab city of Adolphe Valette, full of French Impressionists”. Sam Rabin, another one of Valette’s students, declared that the two artists “had a warm regard for each other”. It is fitting that decades later Adolphe Valette’s largely overlooked oeuvre should be exhibited at the museum which bears the name of his former trainee.

Valette brought to Manchester his passion for French Impressionism and his fixation for the urban landscape as a subject. In his large, misty cityscapes, Valette’s penchant for the English fog and its capacity to transform an everyday scene into a magical event found its communion. Indeed, Manchester’s infamous weather combined with the characteristic landscapes and pollution of the Industrial Revolution would in fact be the main inspiration for the talented Impressionist artist from a small French town. The combination of factories, waterways and Victorian houses washed over by rain and smoke produced scenes of unquestionable beauty, capturing the atmosphere of early 20th century Manchester.

A selection of LS Lowry’s scenes of industrial Manchester are also exhibited alongside Valette’s; when comparing these, some striking similarities are revealed. Besides these cityscapes, the exhibition showcases a selection of (even) lesser-known paintings by Valette depicting bright landscapes and domestic scenes produced during his time in France, some of which are being exhibited to the public for the very first time.

He may not have worked in London or Paris, nor sought promotion or wide recognition, but Adolphe Valette’s delicate dexterity with the brush is not to be overlooked. He returned to France later in life, when his health worsened, but his years in Northwest England remain his most prolific period, and he owes that in great part to our beloved city. But it is Valette who is really to be honoured; after 17 years without coherent exhibition or collection, the artist takes his bow.
Sat 15th October 2011 – Sun 29th January 2012

Live: Calvin Harris @ Warehouse Project

Written by Michael Beer on . Posted in Music.

Calvin Harris
Warehouse Project
7th October 2011

4 stars

The fourth weekend of the Warehouse Projects final year at Store Street kicked off with a sold-out night featuring the likes of the Japanese Popstars, Felix da Housecat and the main attraction, Calvin Harris.

We arrived at 11pm to find that the venue was already bustling with energy and that we were just in time to catch the intro for the Japanese Popstars set.  Once the rather long atmospheric intro had faded and this act introduced us to their pop infused house everybody was up and moving, the standards had been set for the rest of the night.

Not that this fazed Calvin Harris who ignited the overflowing crowd with his opening track ‘I’m Not Alone’.  Furthermore, ‘Bounce’ and ‘Feel So Close’ deserve to be credited as the tracks of his own creation that generated the biggest reaction.  Further mixes of artists such as Fatboy Slim and Example, not forgetting to mention an incredible and unexpected remix of the Chilli Peppers ‘By The Way’, kept the night fresh and the crowd dancing in whatever tight space they had squeezed themselves into.

Unluckily for Felix da Housecat, it seemed the majority of the crowd were already satisfied with the night so far and headed for the exits.  Taking the electric atmosphere with them, and leaving Felix’s combination of house, minimal and techno to fall upon a rather depleted audience.  Whilst there was still a decent crowd right up until the end, the night had already peaked.

It is also necessary to congratulate the Juicy and the Now Wave DJs for making Room 2 a serious contender, dropping classic hip-hop tracks all night for those who thought the main room was too much, or were just enticed in on their way back from the toilets.

Calvin Harris – Feel So Close (live)

Society Spotlight: Manchester Entrepreneurs

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

By Fahim Sachedina

 

Manchester Entrepreneurs (ME) have embarked on a stellar journey to becoming the number one enterprise society in the UK over the past year. We’ve not only been featured in numerous media outlets such as BBC radio, but have featured prominently on the National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs website.

Manchester Entrepreneurs was set up to create and educate a community of future business and society leaders. Our strong, ever-developing Alumni Network have gone on to create their own start-ups whilst others are now high performing employees of successful SMEs and FTSE companies.

We aim to run a variety of workshops and networking events that range from helping students enhance their business awareness, improve their sales skills through numerous event-led Sales Challenges (E.g. The Big Sales Challenge recently made the winners a profit of £235), and networking opportunities with Corporate firms like Bloomberg, Accenture and Jaguar Land Rover as well as many other associates who co-host events through the Manchester Entrepreneurs’ brand.

Being able to obtain inter-personal, team-working and sales skills are right at your doorstep, so why not grasp the opportunity with both hands and join us today on our mission to create positive contributors to our society by embracing the entrepreneurial culture embedded in ALL students, whatever your academic background may be? Whether you are a physical science student looking for resources to pursue an idea, to a marketing students looking to gain experience in applying the theory they learnt in their lectures to the real world scenario, there is something for everyone here at Manchester Entrepreneurs.

Stan Reinholds, President of the Manchester Entrepreneurs sees a bright future for ME: “I see ME as the most known student-run organisation in both universities (UoM and MMU) engaging over 500 students yearly”. Merging our society with that of the structure in Manchester Metropolitan University makes us a rare breed of society that has reached out to another university to expand the brand and scope for all events.

Manchester Entrepreneurs pride themselves their enterprising qualities, while never missing a good opportunity. The collaborative approach upon a plethora of students across a variety of academic-as well as international-backgrounds are clearly palpable, and demonstrate our potential to reach out across the mainstream flow of creative and enterprising students.

Our active use of social networking accounts provides the best platform for members to interact with each other, highlight upcoming business opportunities and keeping up with our latest events. So if you want to get involved in some capacity or have an idea which you feel is worth sharing, then contact us via our Facebook group and page: Manchester Entrepreneurs or follow our twitter account: @M_Entrepreneurs, as well as LinkedIn. We also have a cutting-edge website which should undoubtedly be visited if you are looking to learn more about our mission as well as external events happening in and around Manchester all enterprise-related! www.manchesterentrepreneurs.org.uk.

We will also be working alongside The Manchester Enterprise Centre in support of the “Venture Out” competition. This is a great way for those with ideas on how to solve everyday problems to tangibly turn their idea into a functioning business. The competition requires only a side of A4 to be submitted, for the chance to win start-up capital of £400 as well as gain business support. The follow-on to this, the Venture Further competition which will be held in the second semester, awards those potential ideas with potentially £4000 worth of start-up capital with the most chance of success. Check out our website for more information, or feel free to contact us at: [email protected].

 

Manchester Debating Union

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

By Raj Basu

 

The Manchester Debating Union is the university’s official competitive debating society and Britain’s largest. With excellent weekly Tuesday training sessions and Thursday public debates featuring experts including MPs, we have 1000+ life members. Fantastic socials, friendly committee, successful alumni (employed by Google, Goldman Sachs and United Nations, among others) and teaching Manchester’s schoolchildren public speaking through charities like DebateMate are reasons why we won the UMSU Best Politics & Debate Society 2011 Award.

So what do we actually do? We debate competitively at British, European and International levels. We teach you skills like public speaking, forming convincing arguments and seeing issues from all sides. And then we go out and party.

How can you get involved? We have two weekly events.

1) Debating Training: We teach you skills to not just make debates, but win debates, then let you try them out for yourself. Held at 5pm every Tuesday in Room 4.38, Simon Building (Opposite Roscoe Building, Brunswick Street).

2) Public Debate: A showdown between our best debaters and experts from around the world including activists, academics, MPs and international Ambassadors; entry is free! Held at 5pm every Thursday at Basement Theatre, Simon Building.

Our aim is to be more than just a society; our aim is to provide you with the best student experience out there. Our membership is for life. At MDU, all our members are welcomed.

To find out more and join us now, please visit our Facebook group at www.tinyurl.com/mdugroup or email us at [email protected]; we’d really love to talk to you.

Preview: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Written by Will Garbutt on . Posted in Music.

It’s always been about the live show with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and it’s fair to say that few other bands grant the live performance with the same levels of respect. Despite a fluctuating line-up throughout their turbulent history they’ve always managed to maintain and deliver on this ethos and no doubt this will remain the case when they take to the stage at the MEN on Monday night. It’s true to say however that the band have suffered a heavy loss after the departure of guitarist John Frusciante, though in recent interviews, Flea and Anthony Kiedis were quick to establish that his replacement, the equally gifted Josh Klinghoffer, is a more than sufficient substitute.

After a hiatus that many fans saw as being the end of the road for the Chili Peppers, their eventual reformation and the subsequent second departure of Frusciante, the band set about writing their tenth studio album I’m With You. It’ll be interesting to see how well this album is played out live and whether or not the personnel reshuffle has taken its toll on the band’s infamous live show. Let’s hope, for the sake of the Chili’s notoriously passionate fan base (myself included), that they continue to deliver.

Society Spy

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

Joining a society is something that comes so highly recommended to the student experience, yet here many of us are, some even in our final years of study and yet to attend one single society social or be actively engaged in any of their activities.

As nerve-wracking as it seems to join a society alone, with no previous contacts existing between you and other members, this anxiety is undoubtedly heightened at the prospect of joining several weeks into term. Friendship groups may already be established and the risk of being the only person stood in the circle unable to laugh along with “that time” seems far from appealing.

If these factors have prevented your attendance to events that you genuinely would have loved to have taken part in, you are not alone. Enough of all this worrying, it’s time to find out how these societies do actually respond to an enthusiastic “late-comer”.

Taking on the role of mystery shopper I shall report on the general wonderfulness (or not so much) of these wide and wonderful selection of societies we have here at the University of Manchester. Brilliant, experiencing a number of different societies at the same time as satisfying my life-long dream of being Miss.Marple, two birds one stone.

 

Yours anonymously, Jane Doe.

Society Spotlight: Travel Society

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

By Kate Bullivant

 

Sitting with a group of ‘Gap Year tragedies’, discussing tales of full moon parties and tubing in Laos is definitely not everyone’s idea of fun. Luckily the Travel Society is far from that. It is a new society aimed to bring together anyone interested in travelling whether you’ve never left the country before or have been travelling twice around the world already. Anyone is welcome and it’s a great way to meet people who can offer priceless first hand travel advice and experience. 

The society had its first social on the 5th October at Vodka Revs, which was a great way to meet everyone. As this society has just started, it was interesting to figure out what people wanted to get out of the society. Most people wanting the chance to meet others who’ve been to places they want to go, or potentially find a travel partner.

Setting out into the unknown can be extremely daunting, even if it is for 2 weeks in the summer holidays. Although I can’t knock how useful travel guides are, it’s also great to get a more personal opinion. So come along to the next social and grab the chance to chat to people who may be doing the same as you, or even better have already been to the same place you are headed.

At the fresher’s fair, the Travel Society stall was tucked away up stairs so organisers Katy Hands and Katie Smith thought they would have difficulty getting noticed. However I spoke to Katy Hands to find out why they decided to start the society and she told me about the amazing response they’ve had and are still getting towards the society.

Why did you start up the travel society, especially at the beginning of your third year?

One afternoon in an attempt to put off work we were sat around chatting and comparing our travel experiences, where we would like to go in the future and where we had been. We realised that it would be great to meet people with similar interests in travelling, there was no society for this we thought that it would be such a good idea to start one.  Although both Katie and I are in our third and final year, opportunities like this don’t come around very often and even though it increases our workloads we couldn’t deny how exciting it would be so we thought we would have to give it a go. We were both surprised and excited from the interest that we received at the welcome fair, over a very hectic three days we had an incredible 804 people and more have signed up since. We have a diverse committee of 14 members managing different aspects of our society that helps to drive it forward.

We aim this year to have a range of events, from talks to socials that will get people together. We want everyone who has been travelling or perhaps wants to travel for the first time whether during university breaks or after university (like myself) to join up and get involved. We love the idea of people making friends who they could go off and travel with.

 

 

What would you say was the overall purpose of the travel society?

We wanted to create a forum for people to share stories, swap ideas about travelling and find potential travel partners.  Through talks, socials and our website our members can gain information on travel essentials and opportunities around the world. We have a very diverse group of members from all corners of the world with many different cultures so by sharing experiences we can promote a safer and more informed way for our members to travel.

So what can we look forward to in the future?

This term we are currently organising a trip to Dublin during reading week for three nights from the 1st Nov – 4th. For details visit the website and go to the events section where you can find all the information. After the success of the first social there is a second on the 27th of October, so come along and meet other travel-crazed people. We are also going to be organising talks from a range of experienced travellers and travel companies, so keep an eye on our Facebook page and on the website. In the less immediate future we would also like to work with other societies such as Manchester RAG to raise money for charity and help them to raise awareness of events that would be of interest to our members such as the Charity Hitch and Jailbreak.

If you want to get involved then check out the website www.mutravelsociety.co.uk, and have a look at the Face book page, Manchester University Travel Society.

 

Hip Hop Society presents Lowkey

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

By Tom Purves

 

The University of Manchester Hip Hop Society is a fresh new society that has big things planned for the upcoming academic year. If you’re a fan of any aspect of hip hop then this is the society for you… and if not then join and see why you should be!

This year the society will be running the biggest and best nights Manchester has ever seen with live MC’s, beatboxing, breakdancers and the hottest hip hop tracks from our incredible DJ’s! So far our successes include a fortnightly club night at Roam (formerly Saki Bar) on Fridays and with Jaguar Skills at Sankeys.

Want to get involved with the society more than simply enjoying the amazing hip hop club nights? Come down to our workshops where we will be providing tutorials in everything from production, rapping, beatboxing, dancing and graffiti. The first of these will be the regular breakdancing workshop which will start after reading week in the students union. Guys and girls of all skill levels are encouraged to learn or perfect what is guaranteed to be an amazing party trick. Exact event details will be posted on the Facebook group page.

The Society is also aiming to bring the hottest new hip hop artists to perform in Manchester. We are starting with the unbelievably talented underground artist, Lowkey (who has worked with immortal Technique and the Dead Prez). He is coming to Manchester Academy 2 in association with the University of Manchester Hip Hop Society on the 21st November. This is the tour for his brand new second album “Soundtrack to the Struggle”. Tickets are available direct from us (07763274501/BBM – 21E9F8D3) or online (skiddle.com). Tickets are selling fast so buy soon for this must-see event.

For up to date information or just to find out what we are about join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/hiphopsocietymanchester/

No Monkey Business

Written by Josephine Lane on . Posted in Theatre.

Five stars out of five

Dawn Wolton’s production of ‘One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show’, stopped briefly at Manchester’s Contact Theatre two weeks ago and was a quick paced, farcical sitcom style insight into 1970s Suburban Philadelphia, home of Reverend Avery Harrison and his family.

It tells the story of Beverley, fresh from the South, who, after the death of her father, comes to Philadelphia to be met by her new guardian, her father’s ex business partner, Caleb Johnson, after a brief stay with Uncle Avery, Aunt Myra and Cousin Junior.  Not all goes to plan as a love blossoms between Beverley and Caleb, making a new man of him. The sub-plot involved Junior and his blossoming romance with attitude-filled Josephine ‘Lil Bits’ Neftertiti Caldwell.

It comes as no surprise that the playwright, Don Evans, was a founding member of the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 70s. The Harrisons quickly assert their authority over the rest of the town and light-heartedly mock the ‘coloured’ and white (an crowd-pleasing line came from Myra: ‘I wish I was white, then I could faint’). Use of the ‘N’ word shocked audience at first, but of course they quickly came to realise the play was indeed, a product of its time.

Each performance was perfectly in tune.  Roger Griffiths and Jocelyn Jee Esien created ‘still got it’ chemistry as Avery and Myra and Isaac Ssebandeke brought innocence and energy to the role of Junior . But the real star of the show was Ayesha Antoine, who had me convinced she was a 16 year old Deep Southerner. Her comic timing was impeccable and all her monologues were a joy to listen to.  A true natural.

The production remained true to its 70s sitcom style throughout. Before the action even began, voiceover announcements could be heard (including one asking the audience to switch off their pagers and extinguish their cigarettes) and the ‘On Air’ sign was switched off. The ‘stage manager’ then entered, a jazzy 70s theme music was blasted and the ‘familiar’ characters were introduced. The audience were transported to 70s sitcom world and loved it! The laughter and applause had  a canned sort of feel and I even noticed a few ‘ooo’s when Beverley re-appeared, bouffanted and sassily dressed. I’ve never seen the Fourth Wall broken in such a modern and fun way and it immersed the audience entirely.

The play’s attitude to sex was tongue-in-cheek, charming and fun. From Junior’s fantasy of sliding across a sea of naked women (demonstrated by a graphic slide across the stage) to Myra and Avery’s sudden new spurt of frequent middle-aged sex (when its at its best, according to Myra), the sexual energy employed by the cast was spot on (and perhaps a little infectious).

The production was hilarious, insightful and daring and the overall message of being true to your heart was encapsulated brilliantly by the cast. Except for the odd slip of American accent, ‘One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show’ couldn’t be faulted.

 

Nap time

Written by Lloyd Henning on . Posted in Opinion.

I gave up napping at the age of five. It was not a conscious decision, but perhaps one brought on by realising that the world was too exciting for snoozing. There were too many Haribos to shove into my feed hole, too many video games to waste my childhood playing and too many Pokémon to catch to ever bother with grabbing some daytime shuteye.

Then at age 19 and studying at a world renowned university, I took it up again.

It was one hazy afternoon in the first semester of my freshers year that I found myself overcome by a most peculiar feeling. I had the urge lay down, close my eyes and have a wee kip. It was a confusing situation, wasn’t napping only for bed wetting toddlers and incontinent pensioners? Nevertheless, as I put my grotesquely long-haired head to my pillow (every one has stupid hair in their first year), I almost instantaneously went from awake to dozing. Away I was, in the land of nod, dreaming of attending wine and cheese tasting evenings hosted by a rabbles of velociraptors.

Then soon napping, the activity of inactivity, became a favourite thing to do. I was slotting in a session whenever possible, almost addicted to blissfully ignoring the word outside in a period of peaceful dormancy.

But what was the reason behind this new obsession for spontaneous siestas? Was it the tremendous pressure of being a fledgling academic? Was it due to fatigue from endless nights of going to clubs and attempting to move my body to a temporally consistent noise? Was it because I was away from home for a long period of time and somehow reverting to a child-like form (I did have a milk obsession at the time)?

Whatever the reason, napping was now shamefully part of my lifestyle. I was certainly not being constructive with my time if I was spending it asleep. However, no matter how stereotypical it is of students to nap, if you’re going to do it, you’ve got to do it with some level of professionalism – none of that silly amateur stuff.

Firstly, a good choice of nap time symphonies is essential, a personal preference of mine is the Jurassic Park soundtrack, but anything that helps conjure up memories of dinosaurs is a good choice. Secondly, one requires suitable levels of lighting; obviously low level is best, but crucially it needs to reduce the confusion of waking up and not being certain whether it’s morning of evening, which is the bane of many nap time rookies. Thirdly, you need to lock the door, nothing is worse than having a nap rudely interrupted by some ignorant housemate who fails to understand the importance of you catching some mid-afternoon z’s.

Now the nap surface is obviously a crucial component. Convention says to choose your bed, this is allowed but only if you adhere to the proper nap etiquette. It is most unbecoming to change into pyjamas for nap time, this is a nap not a fully fledged slumber session. Duvets are permitted on certain occasions, such as low temperatures, but ideally you should be on top of bed sheets as you wish to give the impression that you are only napping temporarily and are ready to return to being functional at any time.

Napping comes in two forms – deliberate and accidental. You can choose to enforce a session of dribbling on your pillow out of choice, which for humanities students it’s probably just to pass the time (as one of my housemates once told me “there are too may hours in the day”). Or you can fall victim to the accidental nap, which often strikes mid-lecture; you would have never slept in class at school, but there is something about higher education that makes it very easy to switch the mind off.

There is one final type of nap, which is only whispered of in certain secret circles and more unsavoury than an apple VK. Combining some of the most famous of student past times, the iNank is a hedonistic cocktail of watching iPlayer, napping and another activity.

No matter which nap approach you take, you will eventually awaken (hopefully). Then you will have the wonderful post-nap grogginess to shake off, your body will feel weak and even wiggling your mouse-pad to wake up your laptop will seem like a strain.

But soon you will come back around with a renewed energy for life and an enthusiasm to spruce up your hideous face, head out to some filthy bar or club and get completely and utterly trashed. Using the power of the nap to help you to continue enjoying your student years.

So tuck yourself in with a bottle of warm milk, suck on your thumb and enjoy the prime of your life in the best way possible – unconscious.

Live: Other Sounds Presents… @ Islington Mill

Written by Sarah Murray on . Posted in Music.

Bong, Organ Freeman, Womb, Elk Blood
Islington Mill
11th October

4 stars

Flooring the crowd at the Islington Mill was a captivating line up, boasted by the first event of the year from Manchester’s own Other Sounds Society. As could be expected of an offering by champions of the alternative, the acts chosen were indeed original and enthralling.
First to perform were Elk Blood, whose woozy guitar based psychedelia provided a promising opener for the evening. Singer Edwin’s visceral rasp, reminiscent of Joe Strummers trademark impassioned sneer, complimented the musical energy well.
Next up were all-female open collective Womb, wielding an abrasive atonal sound that could inspire somebody to liken them to no-wave, although this is clearly a band that cannot be pigeonholed. Having a penchant for the experimental, the guitar was played with what looked like an animal bone, and so harrowing was their piercing chorus of wails that a fire alarm set off mid-way through their set was not noticed for some time; the crowd eventually dispersing when they were informed that that obscure blare was not actually part of the act.

Something a little less intense next from Organ Freeman and, as the pun would suggest, this party-pop outfit were playful to say the least. From a dance involving mass belly-poking to flashing balloons, renditions ranging from Ke$ha to ‘Teenage Dirtbag’, there was no negative talk amongst those who caught these guys live.
To finish were Boom, doom-lords of Newcastle, gracing the stage for their second outing in Salford. Their extremely intense meditative wall of noise seemed to polarise opinion within the audience; perfectly expressed in the few up front flailing their limbs and bathing in the otherworldly sound-scape of endless drone, while others walked out unsure as to what the fuck they had just witnessed.
Despite this, I think it is safe to say that the evening was a success, and everybody there enjoyed the chance to experience new artistry at its finest.

Live: Clock Opera @ Sound Control

Written by Alexandre Briand on . Posted in Music.

Clock Opera
Sound Control
10th October
4 stars

Playing an inexplicable second fiddle to Chapel Club’s flat-out uninteresting headline set, those who managed to arrive early enough were rewarded with a fierce and genuinely exciting half hour from experimental synth-rock titans Clock Opera.

Apart from a quick introduction, the band didn’t seem to be too interested in crowd interaction, but the all-too-short set contained enough diversity and raw power to draw their admittedly sparse audience in.
Frontman and songwriter Guy Connelly’s delicate voice bears a definite resemblance to Elbow’s Guy Garvey, but the thunder behind him points at something a hell of a lot more elemental. At times the painstaking sound manipulation on the pre-made samples brought to mind the wavy psychedelia of Feels-era Animal Collective, which only serves as a testament to their songcraft. Their over-reliance on these samples may have put some purists off, but the pot-bashing, crazy-dancing stage presence was more than enough to keep the audience on side.
Samples aside, Clock Opera can also boast a pretty impressive musical proficiency. The drums were sprawling but thoroughly grounded, and Connelly’s voice was haunting and powerful in equal measure, expertly backed by precise and deep harmonies.
Set closer and most recent single ‘Lesson No.7’ started off a with a spooky, chiming manipulated guitar loop and gradually built to a furious bass-heavy hurricane that drew the set to a pretty colossal conclusion.

Clock Opera – Belongings

Clock Opera – Me and the Moon (The Drums cover)

Scon or Scone?

Written by Kathryn Woodcock on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Having lived in the South for my entire life, I can safely say that on my arrival at Manchester, I was completely unaware of just how much the northern dialect differs from my own.

I’m pretty sure that many Northern students were equally unprepared for my elongated ‘Rs’ and pedantic references to ‘scons’ rather than ‘scones.’   Whichever way we look at it, we cannot deny that there is a Northern/Southern divide between students and it undoubtedly crops up on a daily basis for many of us.

The divide first reared its ugly head for me during the first month of University when an evidently charming young man from Leeds stopped me mid-sentence and told me, in all seriousness, that my accent “made his skin crawl.” As funny as I found this at the time, it does seem to reinforce just how noticeable the divergence between Northerners and Southerners actually is:  particularly within the social environment that University has to offer.

Over the course of the year I’ve realised that the divide mostly revolves around food and drink, both of which form a crucial part of an average student day.  During Fresher’s week (r Welcome week as the preferred term), I attempted to bond with the girls in my flat by suggesting that we bake some fairy-cakes. Little did I know that there is no such thing as a ‘fairy-cake’ in the North.  I soon learnt the error of my naïve Southern ways when my Yorkshire friend politely corrected me with: “what the hell are fairy-cakes! These are buns mate! There’s nothin’ fairy about buns!”

Now, any Southerner understands that a bun is a savoury bread product, often used in the making of bacon sandwiches (not butties!). Believe it or not, this debate is still going strong a year later, and I remember getting so confused by the use of both dialects that I once referred to the cakes as ‘fairy-buns.’ If the Northerners and Southerners in my house can agree on one thing, it’s that ‘fairy-buns’ definitely do not exist.

Another primary source of disagreement is the difference between dinner and tea. Whenever I hear the word ‘tea’ I think of throwing a load of hot water in a mug with some milk and sugar. Whenever a Northerner hears the word ‘tea,’ they think of the third meal of the day.

The Southerners in my house have gone to great lengths to insist that the third meal of the day is referred to as dinner. Apparently, in the north, dinner means lunch and a cup of tea is a ‘brew.’ You’d never think it could get this confusing.

As irritating as it must be for Northerners to put up with the elongation of every vowel, and equally for Southerner’s to listen to expressions they’ve never even heard of, you have to admit that the divide is definitely a source of some laughs.

At some point in every house party, I’ve made a new friend simply through the light-hearted ridicule of one accent or another (mostly my own!), and some of my closest friends are from Yorkshire. The point is that at the end of the day, who cares if it’s ‘dinner’ or ‘tea’, ‘barrth’ or ‘bath’, ‘bun’ or ‘fairy-cake’… we all pronounce ‘vodka’ the same and, at University, that surely counts for something!

Prehistoric mite found hitchhiking on spider’s back

Written by Rachel Heward on . Posted in News.

These three-dimensional images of a 50-million-year-old spider show a tiny mite, only 176 micrometres long, hitching a ride on its back.

Researchers from Manchester University believe it is the smallest arthropod fossil ever to be scanned using x-ray computed tomography (CT) scans. Their study was published in the Royal Society Journal Biology Letters last week.

The mite was trapped inside Baltic amber, or fossil tree resin.

The study shows that the behaviour of phoretic, or hitchhiking, animals has been evolving for at least 50 million years.

Dr David Penney, one of the study’s authors from the Faculty of Life Sciences said “CT allowed us to digitally dissect the mite off the spider in order to reveal the important features on the underside of the mite required for identification.

“The specimen, which is extremely rare in the fossil record, is potentially the oldest record of the living family Histiostomatidae.”

The images may encourage more research on phoretic behaviour.

Dr Richard Preziosi, a Manchester biologist, said, “The fact that we now have technology that was unavailable just a few years ago means we can now use a multidisciplinary approach to extract the most information possible from such tiny and awkwardly positioned fossils”

Dr Jason Dunlop, from Humboldt University in Berlin, also worked on the study.

He added, “Work like this is breaking down the barriers between palaeontology and zoology even further.”

 

Nearly 500 colleges lose right to accept foreign applicants

Written by News Editor on . Posted in News.

British vice chancellors say the reputation of the country’s universities is at risk because of curbs on international students, which have prevented nearly 500 colleges from accepting overseas candidates.

Universities UK, the umbrella group representing vice chancellors, says the UK may not appear “open for business” because of a government clampdown on abuses of the student visa system.

The Home Office said, “So far, 474 colleges have lost their right to recruit international students after they failed to sign up for the new inspection system.”

Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said, “Visa abuse within the university sector remains very low and universities are continuing to work closely with the UKBA.”

Although the reforms relate to pre-degree courses, Universities UK believes they will have a negative effect on higher education because 40 percent of Britain’s international students attend a UK college before applying to university.

The Home Office said the affected colleges “could have brought more than 11,000 students into the UK to study each year,” adding that a related UKBA investigation into 100 colleges led to 51 licenses being revoked and 4,500 applications being refused as a result.

The investigation came after a “surge in applications from South Asia” just before rules demanding better English language skills were tightened earlier this year.

Immigration Minister Damian Green said, “The changes we have made are beginning to bite. Too many institutions were offering international students an immigration service rather than an education.”

Last week the Home Office was threatened with legal action for implying that 22 colleges were fronts for illegal immigration.

English UK, representing over 450 English Language colleges, has demanded a retraction and an apology for the comments.

Ms Dandridge said, “The numbers of international students coming in to the country should be accounted for separately and not included in the definition of net migration for the purposes of government policy.”

She added, “The vast majority of international students return home once their studies are completed, and those that do not, need to reapply for a separate visa.”

Next April the Home Office will close the post-study work route, which allows overseas students to work after graduation. Those hoping to find a job in the UK will need to apply for a regular work visa.

 

Manchester Women’s Hockey Sail majestically into the next round of the cup

Written by Ruth Dacey on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester women’s first XI have had an impressive start to the season and are undefeated this far, leaving them sitting comfortably in 2nd place behind Sheffield in BUCS Northern 1A division. Captain Hannah Cobbold has much faith in her squad for the season and comments that “the attitude in the team is much better than last season; I have found that the motivation and commitment is here and I aim to win both the league and cup this year.” Confidence was therefore high going into the first round cup match against Liverpool John Moores 1st who also happen to be in their league.
The game kicked into life immediately as Manchester surged up the pitch with rapid and direct passing and within 47seconds in form England International Sophie Crosley fired into the back of the net leaving Liverpool stunned. Manchester didn’t rest on their laurels however and several minutes later excellent passing around the top of the d opened up the static Liverpool defence allowing centre midfielder Bex McGuiness to tuck away a second from close range.
Liverpool just couldn’t seem to clear their lines properly and frustration was clearly setting in, most noticeably when their right back was green carded for challenging with her stick over head-height! Soon after Manchester were once again pressuring in Liverpool’s danger area and forced the second penalty corner of the game that was expertly converted by Crosley who had clearly had her shooting stick with her. John Moores were finding it hard to string sequences of passes together and get out of their own half. They squandered possession with panicked long hits from defence which bypassed their midfield, going straight to Manchester’s defence who were expertly dealing with them. Right back Laura Timms was the star here with excellent ball distribution.
Manchester continued to press and excellent running by Crosley through the heart of the Liverpool defence set up the fourth goal for this seasons leading goal scorer Lorna McMullan who celebrated passionately after scoring. Liverpool did show signs of pressure on goal towards the end of the first 35, however Irish International goalkeeper Helen Stevenson very calmly stopped the ball and cleared her defensive lines with a big kick up field leaving Manchester with a 4-0 advantage going in at half-time.
Despite the comfortable lead Cobbold lead a passionate team talk at half time urging her team on, especially highlighting that the team should not be careless and sloppy in play. This had a direct impact on the opening of the second half, which saw the skipper doggedly winning a penalty corner in a tussle with Liverpool’s centre of defence. From this a powerful shot was thrust towards goal and was only stopped due to Liverpool desperately trailing out a foot which resulted in a penalty flick being awarded. Cobbold herself calmly stepped up and elegantly swept the ball into the bottom left hand corner leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
Manchester were now in cruise control and Mullan clearly had one thing on her mind when she picked up the ball just inside the Liverpool half. She fantastically zig-zagged her way through the Liverpool defence, neatly controlling the ball and then let an absolute rocket of a shot fly into the back of the net from long range. Shortly after Mullan finished an impressive hat-trick after putting an end to what seemed to be a game of pin-ball wizard inside Liverpool’s d. Manchester were now 7-0 in front but were in dogmatic mood. The impressive Laura Timms who had been as solid as a rock in Manchester’s defence possibly had grounds to feel a little hard done by as she found herself on the receiving end of green card for hitting out with her stick. However this was a momentary blip in her excellent contribution to the game.
With only 10 minutes left Manchester pushed forward in the hope of snatching a few more goals and their efforts were rewarded with an excellent goal from an acute angle by Bex McGuiness. A few minutes later the superb Crosley rounded off her performance with a hat-trick by crashing the ball stunningly into the back of the net, completing a 9-0 victory.
An all round superb performance from Manchester Women’s Hockey First XI, and head referee Tony Davies commented at the end of the game that Liverpool “were quite literally overpowered by Manchester, I was very impressed with the women’s performance and an excellent standard of play for me to umpire.” Manchester sail into the next round of the cup, where hopefully they can send the next team crashing out as they did here!

After the storm, what chance of calm?

Written by Thomas McMahon on . Posted in Sport.

With the reputation of the game already plunging to previously unexplored depths, the International Cricket Council must waste no time in rooting out the complex webs of corruption that allow agents such as Mazhar Majeed to offer international cricketers bungs. That such criminal networks exist is assured, with Sir Ronnie Flanagan, head of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit admitting last year that this case is merely “the tip of the iceberg”. Indeed, the jail terms handed to Majeed, along with Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif can be seen as an opportunity to usher in a new age of aggressive action against cheating and illicit payments.

The jail terms, only available to the judge since the 2005 Gambling Act, should act as a strong deterrent to any players thinking of accepting payments in the future. The idea that playing bans would deter potential offenders has been shown to be false, with banned players finding income through agents, ‘friendly’ matches and other avenues. However, the prospect of jail adds an extra dimension to potential punishment for match-fixers.

The long-term suspensions of the three players, meanwhile, are a rather more cloudy issue. A ten year ban for Salman Butt is likely to function as a de facto retirement for the 27-year-old former captain, who can happily retreat to his family’s large estate in Lahore after his eventual release from prison. Mohammad Asif, meanwhile, seems unlikely to play again after his latest transgression, which follows previous allegations of doping and even an assault on an international teammate. A fast-medium bowler, his pace is likely to have diminished after seven years without competitive cricket, and he was a divisive figure in the Pakistan dressing room even before the spot-fixing scandal erupted. The only player who can rightly feel hard done by is Mohammad Amir, who has been banned for five years. A supremely talented left-arm pacer in the mould of the great Wasim Akram, the nineteen-year-old was coerced into accepting payments by his captain and his agent. While the judge recognised this, the teenager from the impoverished Sheikhupura region was nevertheless sentenced to two and a half years in a young offenders’ institute.

Although the gifted Amir may struggle to reignite his promising career, the sentences are on balance a good result for the sport. A robust punishment must be set in place for those tempted to spoil the game of cricket, and the game’s reputation can now begin to be rebuilt.

Vettel victorious again.

Written by Dan Moore on . Posted in Sport.

So, as the 2011 season draws to a close, Hornby are celebrating. After all, Vettel being crowned world champion for the second year running suits them perfectly. Who better to front Scalextric than a man who drives as if he were on rails?

That’s been the story of this year’s championship – a young man who takes a quick machine and holds the trigger just so. Of course, even the ice cool German isn’t invulnerable, one instantly recalls his slip three corners from the end at Montreal which allowed Button the lead and created the most memorable race of the season.

Overwhelmingly though, Sebastian and “Kinky Kylie” have been remarkably incident proof over the past 17 races – and amazingly fast with it.

Thankfully, this record did not translate into a dull or monotonous season. While it is true that the 2011 championship was significantly less exciting than in 2010, this season did provide some truly memorable races.

China was the calendar’s first breathtaking encounter as Hamilton – in his best performance of the season – teamed his aggressive style with a strategy that capitalised on new legislation concerning tyres and DRS. This saw him snatch the lead from Vettel just four and a half laps from the end – whilst an intelligent Webber managed third despite his dismal grid position of 18, thanks to some inspired driving.

Possibly the most spectacular race of the season was the aforementioned Montreal GP – a race that took over three hours thanks to stoppages caused by immense downpour. Button went through the pits five times, collided with his team mate and ended up at the back of the field on six occasions yet mastered the hazardous conditions and clinched a fantastic win just three corners from the end – the most improbable victory of his career.

There were of course many other great races, Nurbugring, Spa and the Alonso’s battle to first in Silverstone to name but a few. Paradoxically, the overwhelming majority of these races were exciting despite Vettel, not because of him.

Now this may appear a partisan notion but Vettel is often a boring driver. Yes – he is quick – but for many fans, he is too clinical and too controlled, too like the Schumacher of old.

This makes it hard to understand why Hamilton – often dismissed as an arrogant and dangerous boy racer – is not more widely appreciated.

He is the antithesis of Vettel. He will go for a gap water couldn’t squeeze through (admittedly often colliding with Massachusetts in the process), he will slam on the brakes millimetres from the gravel to make a pass stick – he will put everything on the line to win and he will be thrilling as he does it.His current season haul of nine penalties merely serve to show what a truly invested and dedicated racer he is.

So for next season F1 fans can pray for a return in form for Hamilton as he, along with Button and Alonso, will be the ones on the grid with the ability to create a truly fantastic race – rather than just a short one.

Stolen war memorial plaques left by railway bridge

Written by Joe Sandler Clarke on . Posted in News.

Nine bronze memorial plaques, which were stolen from a cemetery in Manchester just a week before Remembrance Day, have been found in a bag near a railway bridge.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the plaques were taken from Blackley Cemetery between 31st October and 7th November. They were discovered on Dean Lane in Newton Heath.

A total of ten plaques were stolen from the cemetery, but the whereabouts of the tenth plaque is unknown.

Earlier this month a conservation group reported that thieves were targeting plaques at war memorials as metal prices hit record highs.

The War Memorials Trust suggested that Britain’s 100,000 war memorials were under threat and estimated that at least one memorial was vandalised every week in the UK.

In October this year thieves used crowbars to remove a plaque from a memorial in Carshalton, south of London.

In the small garrison town of Tidworth, Wilshere, meanwhile, thieves stole a bronze cast statue of a World War One soldier.

The War Memorials Trust have launched a campaign to protect Britain’s memorials, with the 100th anniversary of World War One just three years away.

Frances Modren, director of the trust, said that war memorial thefts cased a great deal of anguish for local communities.

“If you have lost this memorial and lost a plaque then, in effect, you’ve lost a touchstone to your history … that you may never get back,” she said.

The spate of metal thefts in recent months has prompted a group of MPs from all parties to sponsor an early day motion calling for the government to “introduce regulations on the buying of scrap metal”, and “to ensure [that] no scrap metal is sold without the seller providing verified identification and a full record of each transaction and provisions to make it illegal to make cash payments for scrap metal”.

Last week a 44-year-old man was arrested and has since been charged with theft in connection with the incident in Manchester.