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Month: February 2012

Under That Cloud

Written by Angus Harrison on . Posted in Arts.

For an exhibition born out of long waits in departure lounges, Under That Cloud is refreshingly packed with diverse ideas and a spectrum of emotional reactions. The jewellery featured in the collection is the work of 18 international artists who were stranded together in Mexico City, under the dark cloud of volcanic ash that closed the skies over Europe in April 2010.

The artists’ responses to being stuck in Mexico fluctuate: many embracing an extended stay in the city, the thoughts of others are clearly at home, and in some cases, the skies.

It is the artists who capture Mexico that conquer as the stand out pieces of the collection. This is largely down to the animated personality of Mexican culture emanating from the iconography, typified in the Lucha Libre stylings of Caroline Broadhead’s beaded bracelets.

The most attractive item of jewellery, Jiro Kamata’s brooch Arboresque, channels the intricacy of Arabesque architecture into fluid brush strokes of coral red across a pair of recycled camera lenses. Kamata provides a view Mexico through the eyes of Japan producing an exquisite form.

Conversely it is the artists whose work remains fixated on themes of isolation and escape that prove the weakest. Lucy Sarneel of Finland’s convoluted presentation of a plane, a pile of rocks and a bird all seated on a multi-coloured crucifix is a particularly extreme example of this. Whilst the ideas are all present, they are ultimately vague, bordering on confused.

Despite featuring some standout pieces that are effortlessly decorated with international finesse, largely the collection lacks in statement. Too often the jewellery is distracted by trying to suggest and represent too much. Inevitably emotional, apocalyptic responses are trumped by a few simple ideas that capture a place and time from a truly international perspective.

Oliver! The Palace Theatre

Written by danielle middleton on . Posted in Arts.

Oliver! is a breath-taking feat in choreography and set design making the already spectacular score by Lionel Bart all the more powerful. The chillingly creepy element that is vivid in Charles Dickens’ depiction of Victorian life but can struggle to come across in productions of the classic tale, is portrayed successfully through the simple use of children walking in sync banging tin bowls and hunched over adults in shadowed corners.

The cast were perfect in their embodiment of each character: Neil Morrissey took on the role of Fagin and dashed all my beliefs that he couldn’t act, let alone sing his way through a whole musical, as soon as he took to the stage. Not only was Morrissey fantastically vile in appearance but he effectively incorporated the self-preserving yet caring nature of the pick-pocket pimp.

Samantha Barks gives a passionate portrayal of Nancy, switching between the youthful glee and heart-break her character encounters with ease.  Nancy’s perpetual anguish to follow her conscience and her heart simultaneously is clear in Barks’ performance, particularly in her vocals as she flitted between the wails of torment in As Long As He Needs Me and warmer cockney in Oom-Pah-Pah.

Perhaps the most convincing of the cast in their roles was  David Langham as the undertaker to whom Oliver is charged as an apprentice, Mr Sowerberry. His string-bean-like frame emerges from the shadows onto the ‘moonlit’ stage, highlighting his hooked nose and straggly hair. The combination of his lanky figure kitted out in top-hat and tails, and the bob in his step as he approaches Oliver and Mr Bumble out of the shadows is a thrill for the imagination.

The eye-for-detail in set, costume and direction is too much to take in when the cast have flooded the stage to enthrall the audience with another number. In Consider Yourself the stage is awash with street sellers and small children scaling the set like acrobats, picking the pockets of the wealthy, while the choreography continues to excel itself as the chorus integrate their hunched over characters into startlingly fervent routines.

In Who Will Buy the chorus is once more in full flow, hurling one-another about the stage, when in comes a small circus troop hopping on and off each others shoulders, doing the splits mid pirouette while wearing heels and a firework erupting from the end of a walking-stick.

An over-whelming performance in the showmanship and direction of Lionel Bart’s classic score, it did as a musical should, leaving the audience elated with a satisfied imagination and a loop of show-tunes whirring around in your head.

Lost is Found

Written by danielle middleton on . Posted in Arts.

The exhibition does as it says on the tin, transforming the ephemeral and the previously discarded objects found in everyday life into profound feature sculptures illuminating through the objects themselves and what each artist has created.

The exhibit presents the work of nine artists, based in the North of England, and is comprised of sculptures, photography and drawing that aim to rediscover the splendour of objects that have lost their pazazz by adding dimension from the artists personal reflections into their identities, childhood memories and desires.

An installation that has the desired Lost Is Found effect is Andrea Booker’s Spilt Milk. Booker has reincarnated the discarded sign components from demolished buildings to embody the comment they represent in the environment they come from in an expanding urban society; the installation is a successful  presentation of the transitory nature of inner city living.

Richard Proffitt’s Louisiana Blues, Anywhere installation has a similar impact on the beholder. Proffitt takes the fleeting nature of life and incorporates it into the permanence of machinery, using a sheep’s skull, fake fur, wood and a moped. The jagged edges of the sculpture have an ominous effect but never the less it represents the combination of life and the man-made as an expression of our modern world.

To the more obscure and less obvious in the collection are Emily Speed’s egg, nest, home, country, universe, in which Speed presents the duality of life and buildings using eggs with depictions of buildings enforced onto the surface. Instead of being the nest-egg one might presume them to represent, Speed aims for the sculptures to portray the home as a physical container of the memories that hold the history of those who live there.

Contour States

Written by danielle middleton on . Posted in Arts.

British artist Samantha Donnelly presents her exhibition of representations of the human form in media. The strong shapes and colours manipulated out of everyday objects: buttons, lace, acrylic nails and false eyelashes add another dimension to the sculptures portraying the objectification of women in the mass produced sexualised and generic forms of mannequins. So the blurb says.

The images are vivid, the lines and structure of the sculptures have a powerful impact on the eye though the exact concept behind each piece requires peering at them intently trying to work out what represents which bit of the female form.

Donnelly’s success comes in her ability to transform the simplest objects into something that logically shouldn’t be aesthetically pleasing, but is. The colours don’t appear to have any lineage to them per piece yet each works as an individual structure as well as the exhibition as a whole.

It’s a Vegan Revolution

Written by danielle middleton on . Posted in Arts.

Two of University of Manchester‘s ex-students and ex-Fuse FM presenters, Dom Moss and Christopher Redman, have popped their love of punk and hardcore, and their vegan lifestyles into one nice bundle to share with the population of our fine city of Manchester in the form of their vegan record shop, V-Revolution on Oldham Street. Having zero clue what a straight-edge lifestyle truly consists of, the pair enlightened me on the subject and discussed the story of V-Revolution so far.

Dani Middleton: Is it strictly punk and hardcore or is there more of a selection to come?

Chris: Piccadilly Records are a big name now and not just in the UK but internationally, they have a more alternative collection, we’re not trying to compete with them, they stopped selling punk and hardcore a long time ago so we want to be able to provide a crossover.

DM: What’ve you been up to in the interim of university and opening the shop?

Dom: Well I’ve actually been an accountant for three years.

Chris: I’ve worked at a bank for that last year.

DM: Is that what your degrees were in?

Chris: Err, no, mine was Politics and Industry.

Dom: And mine was Theology. So that’s definitely what you need before opening a vegan record-shop, a Theology degree and to be an accountant.

DM: Just as I thought. Is the shop gradually coming together as you want it?

Chris: It’s still a work in progress, we’re putting up stuff on the walls and hopefully be able to put together a mini exhibition. One of our friends does a lot of photography so it’ll be good to be able to display some of that.

Dom: People come in and don’t realise just how much space there is, if there are any local artists that want to put up their work in here then we’re happy to do it, hopefully have some private viewings and that sort of thing.

Chris: It should work well for both, I mean we get art to put on our walls and they get to show off their work.

And there’re crossovers with the music, the food and the art. In terms of ethics punk and hardcore question authority and make people look at their lives, obviously the things we eat and consume are a huge part of our lives. Especially in the 80’s when punk was really big, people were just starting to find out what was going into food so it was a pretty natural progression.

Dom: We want people to come in and be comfortable and chat to us about veganism if they want to, I mean we can talk about it all day [laughs], or just listen to music.

Chris: But you’re not going to survive these days if you’re just a record shop you need to be able to provide something more. The music we have is really hard to get in the UK, you have to get from the US and we want to make it more available especially now vinyl has gone so much more mainstream.

DM: What is straight-edge?

Dom: It’s basically no drinking, no drugs, veganism and no promiscuous sex.

Chris:  We mostly want to promote a positive message that there are other ways to have fun. Straight-edge is much more common in Europe, it’s more-or-less a given if you’re into punk-hardcore.

I got into it gradually by talking to someone who was a vegan when I was a vegetarian. I was working out a lot at the time and wanted to know how you get enough protein in your diet when you’re a vegan.

We’ll never push it on people but anyone who wants to talk to us about it as a life-style choice can.

Dom: We even have leaflets at the front of the shop that people are more than welcome to take.

No Homo…phobia

Written by Ben Moore on . Posted in Opinion.

Being at such a progressive University, I had really forgotten just quite how homophobic a lot of people from my old school and hometown really are. A quick search of Facebook/Twitter and the homophobia you can find is unbelievable. This really shouldn’t be an issue in the 21st century, but it seems there still is a machismo culture of homophobia amongst many young people in London, at least.

People who use religion to justify their homophobia need to go home. The same people who would have no hesitation claiming that God Hates Fags are a little less religious when talking about women. Now I am no Bible expert, but I know the Ten Commandments, and while recalling that ‘thou shalt not commit adultery’ is one of them, there is a distinct absence of any reference to sexual orientation. Which is why it really pisses me off when you have people citing religion as the cause of their homophobia one minute and then what girl they would ‘do’ the next- picking and choosing their prejudice.

The bullying and religious elitism against homosexuals who consider themselves of faith is abhorrent. Think how many homosexuals live a repressed life because the Pope tells them that they’re wrong. Think about the Iranian homosexual who would face stoning if she is suspected of homosexual behaviour. Why some people get so riled up is beyond me. If homosexuality was so wrong, I’m sure God would have at mentioned the immorality of lesbians at least once.

Then there are those who make no reference to religion and just say “it’s unnatural” or “just think how nasty it is” – or who come with that old homophobe justification about men ‘choosing’ to be gay or being ‘corrupted’ into homosexuality rather than being born gay.   Again, there is rarely reference to lesbians here and indeed for many who find male homosexuality abhorrent, lesbian action is something which is often considered sexy.

But let’s consider the objections. Just because gay people are in a minority, does not make them unnatural. Indeed, the ratio of homosexual to heterosexual humans is almost identically replicated in the animal kingdom.

And then the unbelievable squeamishness. I can’t say I particularly like the image of two men having sex. Does it mean it’s wrong? Of course not, grow up. I’m sure there are many homosexuals who consider the act of heterosexual sex repulsive. I for one do not think the image of a 70 year old having sex with another 70 year old is too appealing and nor I bet do many of the homophobes. Just because something doesn’t appeal to your taste, doesn’t make it wrong. I bet they wouldn’t like if, in 50 years time, someone tells them what they’re doing with their wrinkly old partner is wrong.

The hypocrisy of the homophobic legions is unbelievable. The same people who have no problems watching a man’s erect penis during porn feel it necessary to say ‘no homo’ when they have said something which may be deemed homosexual behaviour, whatever that may be. And what happened to “do not judge, or you too will be judged”.

I honestly don’t know why these people go out of their way so much to cause emotional turmoil for others. I’m heterosexual, I’m also white, I am also a man. I don’t feel it’s necessary to constantly remind everyone of these facts. It’s almost as if these people have something to prove. If not to others, then maybe to themselves.

Even if it was justified by religion, and you are a practising religious person, so what? Slavery is justified by the Bible. (Exodus 21:7 /Westwing, Season 2). Yet we don’t deem slavery to be morally right. The Old Testament requires one to be put to death for working on the Sabbath.

Then there is the idea that being gay is not ‘manly’. I saw a comedian last year who put over a very compelling argument which concluded “what is manly about having sex with a woman? If you want to do something ‘manly’, copulate with a 250 lbs man!” I’m paraphrasing, I don’t think it was quite that polite-  but the point remains.

I hope this article does make some readers uncomfortable. There should be nothing comfortable about homophobia and homophobic beliefs. If you can’t handle the 21st century, get off the laptop.

Live: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs @ Deaf Institute

Written by Daniel Jones on . Posted in Music.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs
Deaf Institute
9th February
5 stars

With a name that would capture the attention of pretty much anybody with eyes or ears, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (or TEED for short) is in fact the extravagant brainchild of just one man from Oxford – Orlando Higginbottom. You may be quick to criticise his choice of moniker, however, I think Higginbottom should be applauded for veering away from the typically reclusive and often boring names that many producers opt for. I’ve also never met a person who doesn’t like dinosaurs.

Having released a number of notable EPs in the past three years or so, this current tour is in support of TEED’s widely anticipated debut album, released on Polydor in May this year. The night kicked off with a fairly mediocre performance from Lulu James, during which the crowd was effectively gassed by the over-eager use of smoke machines. It was tough at times to even see Lulu due to the smog, which would’ve probably rivalled a small battlefield at Ypres. Fortunately though, by quarter to nine, the figure of a man-sized triceratops emerged out of the mist. Let the prehistoric party begin.

The atmosphere changed immediately, and from the off it was clear that the show would be a rather memorable spectacle. Melodies soared, basslines rumbled and by the time ‘Garden’ came on there wasn’t a single foot standing still in the room. In fact, if it wasn’t for the gig-like applause at the end of each song, I could’ve jumped up and down constantly for the whole set. As a solo artist, TEED’s own brand of electro-powerpop is utterly infectious. His style is unique and requires a huge amount of coordination in order to mix and sing at the same time. On the technical side, his set up included a variety of synths, controllers, and presumably Ableton running on his lappy. There were also two dancers and a lot of confetti.

At the crowd’s behest, the planned encore was abandoned and mixed into part of the set. Tracks like ‘Dream On’ and ‘Blood Pressure’ really stood out and, despite being completely different in their composition, serve to show the range of Higginbottom’s talent as a producer. If anything, he just needs to play for longer at a bigger venue.

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Garden (live)

Preview: Parklife 2012

Written by Phoebe Clarke on . Posted in Music.

On the 9th and 10th June 2012, Manchester’s Platt Fields Park will once again be filled with renowned acts and DJs promising to make the third ever Parklife Festival not to be missed.

Brought to you by some of our favourite Manchester promoters such as The Deaf Institute and The Warehouse Project, Parklife offers a value for money solution to the torrent of music festivals that are currently being churned out by the UK music scene.

After it’s mammoth success the past two years and winning of the title ‘Best New Festival’ at 2011’s UK Festival Awards, it is back with a better line-up than ever before.

This year, grime artist Dizzee Rascal and psychedelic rockers The Flaming Lips will be headlining, closely backed up by an eclectic selection of Dub-step, House and Techno giants beautifully spread out across six stages.  Whilst Parklife veterans such as High Contrast, Fake Blood, Sub Focus and Annie Mac will be appearing again at the festival, some of the newest faces on scene such as Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs and Ghost Poet will also be a part of this year’s line-up.  In fact, a few bands such as Noah and the Whale have been added into the mix to provide an interesting international and varied amalgamation of artists for every taste.

This same exciting mix of DJs and new music that made last year’s Parklife festival such a success should prove to be effective once again.

Struggling to stick to your New Year Resolutions? There’s a society to help you

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

The 1st of January 2012 must seem like a long time ago now. You’ve since left the womb-like comfort of home, returned to your damp student digs and endured a stressful exam period. Regrettably, but understandably, you’ve given up on your New Years Resolution, haven’t you? Well there’s no better time to get back on track, new term, new you, and all that. And I propose that there’s a society to help you on your way, whatever your goal.

I bet the resolution that tops most peoples lists is to ‘Get in Shape’. Yes, you could go and throw hundreds of pounds at a gym membership you probably won’t use, but I’d suggest you take up something a little different to keep you interested. How about Dodgeball?

For those of you seeking to expand your limited linguistics, why not take up the language of love and learn a little French? The Francophone Society can help you out. Or perhaps you’d like to inject a little culture into your life? Let the Manchester Art Group show you how.

If you’re planning on world domination this year, why not introduce your musical talents to Biko Records to get your first step on the ladder of fame, or perhaps pootle along to a Travel Society talk and find out how to plan your around-the-world trip?

If money’s your thing, let the Manchester Entrepreneurs teach you how to make a buck, or perhaps get raising money for some worthwhile charities with RAG so you can make a different to someone’s life in 2012.

There’s something for everyone, and joining a society really can help you to achieve some really amazing things during your time at university, so I call on you all to venture out and sign up to meet some amazing people, and make 2012 your best year yet!

Get in Shape – Dodgeball Society

Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge your way to fitness in 2012!

If the vast quantities of Christmas dinner leftovers you’ve consumed recently are weighing heavily on your scales, you may have considered trying to lose a bit of weight to help end that pesky Christmas dry-spell. If you’re bored of looking like a weirdo running by yourself on the street, can’t stand being near the steroid-filled specimens at your local gym, or in fact just want to have a bit of fun, Dodgeball is the sport for you! Come along to our sessions at Denmark Road Sports Development Centre on Mondays 5-6pm and Wednesdays 4-5pm, join in our high-energy 2 minute games and have a laugh, all for the ridiculously low cost of just £1.

DISCLAIMER: Manchester University Dodgeball Society accepts no responsibility for weight-gain caused by alcohol consumption at our fortnightly socials.

 

Learn a Language – Francophone Society

If your New Year’s resolution is to learn a language, then why not sign up to French classes with the Francophone Society? Among all the languages of the world, there are 3 very good reasons why you should start learning French…

1) It’s the language of love

2) There are 30 countries, spanning 4 continents, where French is an official language

3) The Francophone Society offers free French lessons to all its members!

So if you’re keen, send an email to [email protected] with your name and whether you’re interested in beginner or intermediate classes (or the discussion group if you already speak French), and we’ll help you keep at least one of your New Year’s resolutions!

 

Get Cultured – Manchester Art Group

We are an undergraduate collective from Art History and Visual Studies department at Manchester University. We aim to provide you with the chance to be involved with the wider art community both in Manchester and beyond.

This year you can ‘get cultured’ by joining us! So far we’ve been organizing a student social for the Cotton exhibition at the Whitworth Gallery, talks with contemporary artists and writers, visits to galleries and we’re also curating our own exhibition!

Like our Facebook page (Manchester Art Group), follow us on twitter, (@McrArtGroup) or look at our blog (manchesterartgroup.tumblr.com) to get involved!

 

Get Famous – Biko Records

Biko Records is The University of Manchester’s student-run music promotion body that’s here to help make you famous! Musician? Send us your music via Soundcloud, Facebook, or whatever the kids are using these days and we’ll give it a listen, whether its neo-folk with tinges of post-modern indie or electronica-influenced post-hardcore with ska undertones, we are pretty open minded.

What’s the point of this? We team up with charities and other organizations to put on events featuring live music. In addition we also handle (almost) everything music related, for example, we are looking to get hold of contacts for recording studios, practice spaces and anything else we can help you with. So whether you’re a band, solo musician, promoter, charity, or just want to get involved in what we do, drop us an email at [email protected] or find us on Facebook and we’ll be in touch!

 

See the World – Travel Society

You could challenge yourself to lose weight this year, but let’s be honest, it’s no fun and down right dull. Surely, promising yourself to ‘See the world’ is much more appealing?

It’s a resolution you can actually stick to this time. It’s just a question of when to go, how to go about it and how much it costs. Travelling the world in one year is may be a challenge; but you can still make a start. MUTS (Manchester University Travel Society) holds talks every other Tuesday, where members talk about different countries they’ve visited. You can get information from people who have first-hand experience including places to go, things to avoid and how to budget your trip. If you don’t have time to organise your own trip, you can always sign up to ones we’ve organised – the next trip is to Berlin! So join the Facebook page and check out our website to start your year of adventure, www.mutravelsociety.co.uk.

 

Make Money – Manchester Entrepreneurs

Before expanding on best ways to become successful. Let me start with a simple analogy – How do you learn a language? I am sure majority would agree that by being in the environment where that language is spoken.

Money, fame or power is nothing but another language and once a person understands it the process of self-education can begin. At Manchester Entrepreneurs we give regular students like you the opportunity to learn from the best and be surrounded by people with similar hunger for success. Join us on Facebook @Manchester Entrepreneurs or on Twitter @Man_Entrepreneurs to find out more about our events.

Manchester Entrepreneurs – ‘Educating and supporting students on their way to success.’

 

Make a Difference – Save the world! With Manchester RAG…

We are the official fundraising arm of the Students’ Union. We’re involved in all manner of fundraising, volunteering and general do-gooding, and have a whole host of events this term, which will make an impact on some of the world’s most worthy causes. We’re currently helping Oxfam recruit students to volunteer at Leeds this summer. As well as a free ticket to the festival, you can sleep easy in the knowledge your work is helping to raise dosh for global projects fighting poverty and injustice. For the more sporting amongst you, we’re running a charity cycle ride from London to Paris in aid of Practical Action, Breast Cancer Campaign, and Hope for Children. Looking to make an impact closer to home? We’ve got discounted student prices for the Great Manchester Run in aid of The Christie. As well as our specific charity partners, we run events like Bogle, a 22 hour walk around Greater Manchester which students can do for any worthy cause! For more information on these and other events, make sure you check out our website, www.manchesterrag.com.

Third year fear

Written by Lloyd Henning on . Posted in Opinion.

Final year fear

By Lloyd Henning

The fear is there every moment of final year. Hanging in the air of the lecture theatres, festering within the pages of dissertations and lurking within the meat of end-of-the-night kebabs. It is the fear of the head honcho of horrors awaiting all students at the end of university – real life.

Striking like a kipper to the cheeks, the fear consumed me when I realised the insignificance of exam worries compared to the impending doom of graduation in six months time, after which I’ll have to actually prove I’m better than all those school-days acquaintances whose life choices I have been smugly mocking from the relative safety of the Internet.

University has been full of relatively trivial questions compared to “what plans do you have for next year?”, to which common responses from the student body are “trying to remember year 8 maths pass the assessment centre for a graduate scheme”, “holding off responsibility and doing a masters” or my personal choice: “exploring a few promising avenues, but not commting to anything at this point in time” – which is a nice way of saying “I’m fucked”.

Years of pretending to be a member of the intelligentsia has left me completely ill prepared for the world of working for the weekend. There will be no more three month holidays, no more weekday siestas, and living in a mold ridden slum won’t be indicative of being an academic roughing it, but instead a clear sign of a peasant rotting in its own filth.

My previous experience work has been stacking shelves whilst thanking god that, due to my investment in education, I wasn’t going to be stuck pricing down crumpets for the rest of my life. However, come July it will be time to find a real job, and if that’s miserable then I will become one of the miserable full-timers, I’ll probably have to take up golf to deal with the grief.

Then again I don’t necessarily have to get a job, there is always the option to live at home with mum and spend the rest of my life playing mario kart in my pants. The dole is always an option; in fact one graduate I recently met said that it was a great way to live, he got enough to cover his rent and support his penchant for narcotics, although I’m not sure if that’s the most sustainable lifestyle.

I believe the safest plan for the future one can have involves forgetting about going for a dream career or trying to do something that is believed to be meaningful; instead just sell-out and start investing in your midlife crisis. Go design a missile system, market some radioactive sweets to kids, sell some defective pacemakers and most importantly get paid loads. That way when you finally do go bonkers with all the guilt, shame and disappointment of a wasted existence, at least you will have the capital to do something interesting – I’m planning on buying a model village, exotic reptiles and combining them for a 1/16th scale Jurassic park.

For now I have six months to squeeze the last bit of enjoyment out of the arid flannel of student life, and at the same time do the most difficult, time-consuming part of my degree. I find no comfort in the fact that I’m probably not alone in my fearful state, maybe we are a generation destined to become stay-at-home underwear gamers.

Manchester Women’s Hockey show closest rivals how it’s done

Written by Jack Burke on . Posted in Sport.

With a number of fixtures postponed due to the bitterly cold weather, the Armitage centre was an eerie windswept landscape last Wednesday. This was with the exception of the astro turf where the miracles of modern sport technology meant a programme of women’s hockey was in full swing despite the sub zero temperature. The Manchester Women’s 1st XI took the opportunity with both hands, laying down a marker to their nearest rivals Newcastle University with a comprehensive 4-0 victory. Such a win not only increases the team’s chances of promotion, but is also a vital psychological victory for the side as they face Newcastle again in a vital cup semi-final in two weeks time.

The match was sloppy in the opening stages, with neither side making much headway into opposition territory. This was not aided by numerous infringements preventing the players from showing any more than glimpses of flowing hockey in an opening ten minutes which saw no shots on goal.

Manchester however did soon manage to find a foothold in the opposition half and began to pressure the visitors. The result was two short corners, which saw right midfielder Sophie Crosley pepper the opposition goal with efforts that brought the best out of Newcastle goalkeeper Rachel Wilson. Newcastle did look to threaten on the break however, with their forward lines pace adding extra danger. They struggled though to enter the Manchester D with keeper Helen Stephenson forced into action just once, executing an excellent sliding stop to snuff out any danger. Manchester were soon back on the attack with a third short corner seeing Laura Timms go close before Newcastle managed to clear their lines in the ensuing scramble.

Manchester finally made possession count in the 28th minute when the ever-threatening Crosley made a marauding run down the right, taking on two defenders before centering for captain Hannah Cobbold to finish from close range. The goal seemed to finally make the Manchester side click and in the latter stages of the first half there was a marked improvement in their play. Tilly Fatah, who moved up the field from centre back came agonizingly close to doubling their advantage with a weaving run into the box seeing her effort thwarted by a last minute tackle just as she was about to pull the trigger.

The second half began much as the first had ended, with Manchester dominating proceedings, only for Newcastle to blow an unbelievable chance to draw level on the break. Their centre forward allowed a pin point cross to go past her as she stood with the goal at her mercy after her team mates had carved open an exposed Manchester defence. Such a close shave had a profound effect on the league leaders, whose play immediately went up a level. The lead was doubled not long after with left back Abbey Halliday winning a free hit in dangerous territory, a quick pass to Bex Mcguinness saw the left winger slam a shot into the box which deflected off Lucy Waller into the net, much to the anger of the opposition keeper. The home side were now in full flow with Jess Berry proving an excellent pivot in midfield, distributing effectively to her forward line. Indeed it was a sublime through ball from Berry that found Lucy Waller in behind the defence shortly later. Keeper Wilson thwarted her attempt, but Cobbold made no mistake with the rebound to score her second goal and give the Manchester women a three-goal cushion.

The speed of play slowed as the game wound down; however Manchester still threatened with Fatah and Mcguiness combining to nearly score again with only the increasingly exasperated Wilson in between the sticks to deny them. Crosley soon made it four however, when her shot squirmed under the keeper from a short corner. It was a just reward for the winger whose strong running down the right flank constantly threatened the opposition. Shortly after the game had a prolonged pause after a clash of heads which saw Laura Timms depart with an icepack to ease the pain.

As the game wound down, Manchester threatened to extend the rout further with Waller again being put clean through on goal, only to see her clever flick cleared off the line. Lorna Mcmullan meanwhile had another shot saved.

At the final whistle, the Manchester ladies celebrated their emphatic victory. Skipper Cobbold, in high spirits described the day’s efforts as “an awesome performance” commenting upon the tremendous work rate of the whole team. She did however single out Abby Halliday for special praise after a strong display from the left back. This victory sees the team go 8 points clear of second placed Newcastle. Cobbold was also pleased to maintain the teams unbeaten run stating “we want to stay unbeaten for the rest of the season”. On the basis of their comprehensive second half display in particular it is unlikely the Women’s 1st XI will be caught as they seek promotion to the Premier North Division.

Live: The Devil Wears Prada @ Academy 3

Written by Frances Roach on . Posted in Music.

The Devil Wears Prada
Academy 3
4th February
3 stars

Support for tonight consisted of two UK hardcore outfits, Brotherhood of the Lake and Last Witness, of whom many seemed to be there for, donning their matching Witness beanies. Their set is slightly reminiscent of a young Your Demise, with room for growth.

The American metalcore band, commonly abbreviated to TDWP, create uproar as they walk onstage, starting with title song from their latest album Dead Throne. Even by just the second song, you could already begin to feel the musk of evaporated sweat rising to the roof.

With the tour being titled The Dead Throne Tour, aptly named after their latest 2011 release, they also mention that it is their first headlining tour in the UK and express their gratitude. They play an intense set of songs, such as ‘Born To Lose’, ‘HTML Rulez D00d’ and ‘Dez Moines’, with impressive front man Mike Hranica asking for crowd participation, which resulted in the crowd giving back with the  utmost amount of energy.

The lightning in this venue has never been the best and too much coloured lighting meant that half of the time, the band were made to look like Smurfs and the rest of the time, like 6 pieces of flubber. Nevertheless, the brightness matched the energy in the room. The lack of a front barrier evermore encouraged stage-diving and a continuous pit dominated the room, with people who did not want to participate left standing at the edges.

With a quick break before the encore, they returned with a brief yet concise speech about their beliefs and their purpose for being in a band before continuing with the relatively mild ‘Chicago’. Audience reaction to the final two songs illustrates how much these six guys from Ohio will be more than welcomed back to English shores.

The Devil Wears Prada – Danger: Wildman (live)

Album: Air – Le Voyage Dans La Lune

Written by Tom Hickman on . Posted in Music.

Air
Le Voyage Dans La Lune
Astralwerks
3 and a half stars

Yet again Air have shown they don’t do things by the book. Choosing to re-ignite the flame of 1902 sci-fi film Le Voyage Dans La Lune (A Trip to the Moon) with a soundtrack in homage to it, the omnipresent French electro-gods have defied expectations.

The album is about as chart-friendly as you would expect from a soundtrack to a 110 year-old science-fiction movie, yet still manages to hold an innate charm. Soft ambles ‘Moon Fever’ and ‘Seven Stars’ are juxtaposed with space-age stomps, such as the 5-minute ‘Sonic Armada’, which borrows more than a little of the Moon Safari charm. Nevertheless, this is not a collection likely to attract those not already fervent Air aficionados.

Although it could be seen as not a great deal more than glorified lift music, Air have once more maintained their inherent ability to do the most unexpected. Following the success of Le Voyage Dans La Lune at last year’s Cannes film festival, Air must be seen to have succeeded in their mission in bringing the one-time cinematic pioneer marching in to the 21st century. Although many won’t be too interested in the new path of the grandfathers of electronica, it could well be an avenue of great promise. I like it.

Air – Parade

Column: Store Street is dead. Long live Store Street.

Written by joe smart on . Posted in Music.

The couple of days between Christmas and New Year are usually shit. Everyone knows it, it’s just a fact. The cold cuts are slowly but surely disappearing into your dad’s digestive transit and your mum is exhausted from three days of stuffing poultry and buying presents, returning them, and then buying them again. And what’s more, New Year itself is often shit too. There’s always that mate who’s having that gathering. He gives it all the big talk about that ‘sick’ sound system and starts waxing lyrical about his mate who’s going to be playing who plays ‘future bass’ – it’s going to be “a really minimal set, so ambient” he says. But what he really means is there’s going to be a poor spread, some cheap wine and his parents Flo and Paul will be there too and they haven’t seen you in ages.

For some though, the New Year period represented something so indulgent, so forbidden, that it would seem to the mortal simply too good to be true. Three days of flawless electronic music, at what would be the last in the series of shows that has represented the danciest funeral march in club history.  Some, it seems, were lucky enough to see in the New Year at the Warehouse Project.

Three shows over the 30th/31st/1st saw a plethora of musicians descend into the murky car park juxtaposed beneath a shiny, healthy Piccadilly. Foals played a sold out show on the 30th with ample support from Jackmaster, working their spaced out, euphoric sound into every inch of the arena. Atmospheric rumbles from Spanish Sahara resonated from the VIP booth that’s a bit shit to the inside of each portaloo, which again, are a bit shit.

The 31st handed the baton to Annie Mac, who provided a set of some electronica she thought would sound cool. Supported admirably by WHP favourites Fake Blood and Jaguar Skills, this New Year’s Eve party boasted proper DJs, whom admittedly did play ‘future bass’ – but there is something beautiful to be said about it when it’s not being played off a CD player or a mobile phone in a garage.

The 1st was a groundbreaking moment for club music in Manchester, a party lasting from 5pm on the 1st, ending at 5am on the 2nd. Warehouse Project stalwart Julio Bashmore and up and coming producer Maya Jane Coles were both on the stellar bill, which included a headline slot from legend Laurent Garnier.

As the clock ticked down to ‘the end’, it was hard not to feel sad. Store Street has strained under the weight of so many great acts that at times it looked liked it could get no better. The place is associated with nothing but fantastic nights and even better music. It is common knowledge that you meet the most interesting people that have ever existed in the smoking area of a Warehouse Project – friends for life. Store Street however, will be resigned to the past this April when WHP will be revealing a new venue to contain its late night Easter-special debauchery, which will no doubt see a slight queue on opening night. Although the project has moved on, the venue will remain. Store Street is dead, long live Store Street.

Facebook, the next bubble?

Written by Emily Bunting on . Posted in News.

Last week saw the stock market debut of Facebook, whose initial public offering (IPO) has been surrounded by much hype. Investors purchasing Facebook’s shares will be seeking big returns for what are expected to be fairly long term investments, as is evident with Facebook’s earliest investors such as Accel Partners (who, having invested $12.7m in 2005 are thought to now be holding a stake worth up to $9bn).

After the Groupon IPO of last year, which valued the company at $26 a share, there are doubts however, as to whether these socially reliant technology companies constitute the next bubble. Groupon was valued by the market at $13bn, after predictions that it would reach the $15 – $20bn mark, and investors have in fact now made losses, with a share price closer to $20 today. Whilst Groupon’s instability in this regard can be attributed to a number of factors not associated with Facebook (the massive spending in order to acquire new subscribers for example), there does seem to be considerable hype surrounding a company which faces its own challenges.

There can be no doubt that the traditional approach of valuation based on assets is far outdated for business today, with so much being based not only on the hard to quantify social presence and customer loyalty, but also on the far more intangible internet base. These factors, as illustrated by the rollercoaster ride of Groupon’s IPO, can be seen to lead to reasonable scepticism regarding this creation of a social media bubble, an industry which Facebook can be seen to typify.

Furthermore, the challenges Facebook has to overcome are substantial when you consider the immense market share Facebook already holds in developed countries, leaving the emerging markets as one of the key platforms for growth. This can prove to be serious when one looks at social networking sites such as Renren (China’s Facebook equivalent), which is doing considerably well, with shares jumping 26 percent last week following Facebook’s IPO announcement, as investors see Facebook’s success as leading to the success of rival companies.

Such doubts regarding Facebook’s IPO has not seemed to have affected the attitudes of investment banks seeking the prestige of underwriting such a deal, with Morgan Stanley taking the leading role in the flotation and yet only charging 1 percent of its gross proceeds (deals worth less than $500m usually ask for around 7 percent). This is understandable due to the immense hype surrounding Facebook and so the demand for its shares. Furthermore, the secondary market which has sprung up around Facebook alone, illustrates the potential for its expansion, with the company not only having 3,000 employees itself, but also creating over 450,000 jobs in the US and Europe (including companies used for Facbook app creation and advertising).

Whilst the technology industry is in a state of uncertainty due to a new age of valuation and business (and clear examples of doubt and instability due to this), Facebook’s success is based on far more than talk. Due to the little experience financial institutions and the market have with firms such as Facebook and Groupon, it is likely to run into difficulties, and in that sense can lead us to question whether this is the next economic bubble. However, there is potential for both growth and rivalry, and with the customer loyalty which is both substantial and vital to Facebook, its IPO filed last week can be seen as a key moment in the technology industry.

Live: The Maccabees

Written by Joe Goggins on . Posted in Music.

28th January 2012

The Ritz

8/10

Clichéd talk of ‘second album syndrome’ is commonplace these days, but a term pertaining directly to the dilemma a band faces after having delivered a convincing second record has yet to emerge – third album syndrome, perhaps? However you want to approach it, the Maccabees have rounded off an impressive opening hat-trick, already comprising the dainty pop of Colour It In and the indie rock leanings of Wall of Arms, with this month’s superb Given to the Wild. As well as meeting with the band’s highest ever chart position – entering at number four in its first week and frankly sticking out like a sore thumb whilst doing so – the record has clearly met with considerable acclaim from long-standing fans.

Tonight’s show at the Ritz sold out long before any new material had been released, yet reverential silence greets mellow set opener ‘Child’.  It’s a mark of the band’s confidence in the new album that they choose to frontload the set with a slew of tracks from it, with ‘Feel to Follow’, ‘Went Away’ and ‘Ayla’ all showcasing the band’s more expansive sound early on, a newfound maturity in frontman Orlando Weeks’ vocals married perfectly to soaring guitars. Older tracks are present and correct too, and it’s the likes of ‘X-Ray’ and ‘Can You Give It’ that demonstrate the strength in depth of the Maccabees back catalogue.

The potential on both record and stage is finally beginning to be borne out and tonight might ultimately prove a rare intimate performance, with the band already bound for London’s 10,000 capacity Alexandra Palace in June.

It’s impossible to recommend The Maccabees’ extensive March tour highly enough.

The Maccabees – Pelican (Radio 1 Live Lounge)

Classic album: The Pogues – Red Roses For Me

Written by Thomas McMahon on . Posted in Music.

The Pogues
Red Roses For Me
WEA International
Released 1984

The Pogues’ reputation has taken a battering of late, with their place on the punk pantheon looking increasingly suspect. This loss of credibility, thanks in no small part to interminable “last ever” Christmas tours and last November’s hideous Tesco advert, should not distract from the band’s excellent discography. Tellingly, this excellence has been recognised by artists on both sides of the Atlantic, with bands such as Titus Andronicus and The Libertines quick to laud Shane McGowan and company. Indeed, even the most cursory inspection of The Pogues’ early career reveals a group with the precious ability to produce music that is at once innovative and anthemic.

The band’s first album, Red Roses For Me, was released to widespread acclaim in 1984 and remains the definitive example of the group’s unique sound. The unbridled creativity of the post-punk era is evident throughout the record, with the seven-piece seamlessly blending traditional Irish folk music with the raw energy of punk. The irrepressible McGowan is inevitably the album’s focal point, whether as a lead vocalist or songwriter. The English-born singer’s rasping tones imbue famous Irish ballads such as ‘Sea Shanty’ with a lecherous, desperate edge, while original compositions such as ‘Transmetropolitan’ and ‘Streams of Whiskey’ are timeless odes to being young, skint and drunk in the city.

Beneath the rugged tales of urban debauchery, however, the album contains a number of startlingly tender moments. Peter “Spider” Stacey’s tin whistle turns ‘The Auld Triangle’ into a haunting tale of imprisonment, which deliberately echoes the internment scandal of contemporary Northern Ireland. The album closes with the gorgeous ‘Kitty’, in which McGowan’s vocals are leant a wonderful vulnerability by James Fearnley’s accordion. It is this balance between the raw passion of punk and the delicate beauty of traditional folk which makes Red Roses For Me an album undiminished importance.

The Pogues – Kitty

Classic album: Kings of Leon – Aha Shake Heartbreak

Written by Paul Frame on . Posted in Music.

Kings of Leon
Aha Shake Heartbreak
RCA
Released November 2004

Before being backed by choirs of African children, filming videos in New York penthouses and playing to as many Galaxy radio listeners they could squeeze into flat pack stadiums; Kings of Leon built a loyal UK fanbase with three raw, sleazy, frenetic albums. The pick of them for many is 2004’s Aha Shake Heartbreak.

Released shortly after their first effort Youth & Young Manhood, the sex and cocaine fuelled tales of their debut spilled over onto the follow up, with the opening track ‘Slow Night, So Long’ setting the scene for more debauchery. Frontman Caleb Followill charmingly takes us step by step through what doesn’t seem to be his proudest conquest with a track that builds and builds, before closing triumphantly with the killer line that seals the deal: “You’re not so nice but sex sells so cheap”. I’ll take that over ‘Use Somebody’ any day of the week.

The album continues at a frantic pace with a raw rock and roll sound accompanied by Caleb’s sometimes inaudible Tennessee vocals, leaving lines open to interpretation in the likes of ‘Taper Jean Girl’ and ‘Pistol of Fire’. This gives way to the tranquil fan-favourite ‘Milk’, one of the album’s more tender moments with a beautiful bass driven chorus before the tremendous single ‘The Bucket’ which gives us a sobering outlook of the non-stop rock and roll lifestyle.

‘Soft’ unashamedly takes us through a frustrating tale of erectile dysfunction and the party regains momentum with ‘Razz’ and the riotous ‘Four Kicks’ bringing the chaos back to the second half of the album. ‘Rememo’ then concludes proceedings with a soft, swaying song of reflection.

Aha Shake Heartbreak is the type of album rock and roll so sorely needs now, it’s a shame its creators are no longer capable of producing it.

Kings of Leon – The Bucket

Album: Enter Shikari – A Flash Flood of Colour

Written by James Birtles on . Posted in Music.

Enter Shikari
A Flash Flood of Colour
Ambush Reality
3 stars

Electronic metalcore? Post-hardcore electronica? Electronicore? As much as people argue about defining St Albans outfit Enter Shikari, more people should be focused on their new release A Flash Flood of Colour which brings a completely different sound, compared with 2007’s Take to the Skies and 2009’s Common Dreads, with even more outspoken political views reminiscent of The King Blues.

The album opens with ‘System…//…Meltdown’ which has a similar sound to the 2010 single ‘Destabilise’ but is in a completely different vein to their last two albums. Arguably, ‘Gandhi, Mate Gandhi’ is the most diverse song on the album and the most memorable, possibly because of its obscurity, with a break in lead vocalist Rou’s rant, where someone just says “Gandhi Mate, Remember Gandhi (Jesus, just remember)”. The album closer, ‘Constellations’, is very similar to ‘Adieu’ from their first release Take to the Skies, starting simply with a poetic feel with Rou’s distinctive voice.

However, while this album does take Enter Shikari in a new direction, the album seems to have lost flow compared to Take to the Skies which had numerous reprises that made each song flow into one another. Also, with the songs ‘Quelle Surprise’ and ‘Destabilise’ being released and hyped up before the album’s release, it seems stupid that neither are featured on the album.

A Flash Flood of Colour is a good album but those who prefer the older Enter Shikari and dislike lyrics of a political nature may be left disappointed. However, this album shows that Enter Shikari are not afraid to change their style and that this album, while slightly disappointing compared to its hype, shows great future for the band.

Enter Shikari – Arguing With Thermometers

Album: Howler – America Give Up

Written by Tom Ingham on . Posted in Music.

Howler
America Give up
Rough Trade Records
3 and a half stars

Rarely does a band receive so much hype, for want of a better word (and notably from one source in particular), without actually releasing more than an EP’s worth of material. Well, now that we have one, Howler’s first proper album, America Give Up, what’s all the fuss about? Of course, we shouldn’t subject this album to anymore scrutiny than anything else, regardless of those obsessive flag wavers who shall remain un-named.

Front-man, Jordan Gatesmith, is unashamedly open in citing his musical influences and they’re certainly present for all to hear. Fuzzy walls of Spector-esque guitars, coupled with a rough and ready production, reminiscent of bands like Jesus and Mary Chain, really allow the no-frills music to take centre stage. Something that stands out is the band’s use of dynamics and texture which stops this record from just being half an hour of turn-up-to-10, fuzzy rock. The first track to be released ‘Back of Your Neck’ is a great example of this with the swirling backing vocals and the reverb clad lead guitar juxtaposing the angular and abrasive rhythm section.

What we’re getting from Howler isn’t a never before heard, original sounding album. What we’ve got is an album brimming with energy, a genuine piece of music, layered and packaged, creating tracks that stand up for themselves, in particular ‘Beach Sluts’, ‘America’ and ‘Back of Your Neck’. Howler seems to capture a mood lacking in recent times: unpretentious and to the point. They’re not trying to fool anyone, and for that I doff the proverbial.

Howler – Back of Your Neck