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Month: November 2013

Live: Skid Row

Written by Dan Whiteley on . Posted in Music.

24th October,

Club Academy,

4/10

There was a time, many moons ago, when Skid Row could potentially be described as ‘cool’; a time when Bush Sr. reigned supreme and Batman films were still simple affairs. This all changed, however, when grunge arrived on the scene and the music industry rapidly lost its taste for uber-macho dudebro party rock, calling time on the careers of glam metal bands the world over. Most of these acts simply fizzled out into obscurity, unable to adapt to the new angsty, overtly serious climate they’d been forced into. Others bravely soldiered on, with varying degrees of success. Skid Row is one such band who, even with once-iconic singer Sebastian Bach having left over a decade ago, stubbornly refuse to let the dream die.

Supported by fellow retro rock artefacts – the reformed Ugly Kid Joe – Skid Row brought their United World Rebellion tour (yep, you read correctly) to the Club Academy.  Playing an hour long show – suspiciously brief for a band with 25 years of material to draw from – the set relied almost entirely on tracks from their first two multi-platinum albums Skid Row and Slave to the Grind, with only a handful of latter-day tunes making an appearance. The result, despite frontman Johnny Solinger’s early proclamation that the gig would mix ‘old school’ with ‘new school’, was a shameless nostalgia exercise, albeit one that its sold out crowd seemed happy to indulge in.

Songs seemed to bleed into each other throughout, chugging riff following chugging riff, and Solinger was doing his best Axl Rose impression to varying degrees of success over the top, complete with bandana and Ray Ban shades. Big power ballads ’18 and Life’ and ‘I Remember You’ were the most successfully executed tracks of the night, and were greeted with enthusiastic sing-alongs by the audience clearly eager to re-experience the songs of their youth. Skid Row’s musicians are a tight and technically proficient band – unsurprising after decades of practice – but the lack of dynamics and variation in the songs robbed them of their chance to shine, leaving the whole thing seeming half-hearted and uninvolving.

It’s no surprise that a Skid Row gig in the present day would come off as dated and tired; their musical approach and overall image – not to mention choice of setlist –has barely changed in nearly thirty years. It’s all enjoyable enough if you don’t take it too seriously, but unless you’re eager to see what it’d be like to be an extra in a Wayne’s World sketch, it’s probably best to leave the past in the past.

The L.A complex

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Lifestyle.

So I just returned from travelling in Latin America in my post-graduation ‘gap year’. Did I find myself? No. Did I write my ‘coming of age’ Bildungsroman? Unfortunately not. Did I return all spiritual, with my hair in dreadlocks and wearing mala beads? Thank goodness I did not. I did however manage to meet, in my heady travels, an assorted array of peregrinators. Latin America is not like Costa del Thailand, in so much as one can encounter a more motley, diverse cross-section of those who travel. They differ somewhat from those audaciously urinating in the sea at the full moon party. This is probably due to the fact that the region is somewhere your mum tells you to avoid because of the dangerous likelihood of being kidnapped by drug traffickers. Thus, none but the brave (and marginally more interesting) bother. So let’s evaluate these travellers I met along this less-travelled road…

The Hispanophile: They adore anything and everything Latin American, which is completely valid, so long as they don’t impose their veneration upon you! This is naturally impossible for them, as the very nature of the Hispanophile is fanaticism; their compulsion to preach to you is inescapable. Their obsession is exemplified through patronising questions like “have you ever heard of something called Ceviche?” – these Latin American cultural references are apparently esoteric, and only the Hispanophile have access to this sacred information. Moreover, they try to out-Latin you, by code switching to Spanish in a conversation with predominantly English native speakers, merely to prove that their Spanish is exalted above everyone else’s.

Affability rating: 5/10

The pretentious competitive traveller: These travellers try to eclipse your experiences by visiting obscure places. They will pose questions to you within seconds of your meeting, like “Have you been to Ushuaia?” When you answer in the negative, as the competitor suspects, they exhibit a unique look of mingled conceit and pity, to leave you in no doubt that you are not a real traveller – you haven’t been to these arcane places, therefore they are the superior explorer. What is profoundly irritating about these characters is their travel tales of mythic proportions to undermine accounts of your adventures – cue physically impossible, preposterous story, peppered with “what a legend” and other intensely exasperating platitudes and epithets. How can anyone surpass anecdotes that are complete fabrications, without descending to the depths of the fictional falsifier? It is beyond the bounds of possibility, a fact the competitive traveller is fully aware, securing his title as the supreme voyager.

Affability rating: 3/10

Sinfully boring cokeheads: These individuals are the most boring people in the history of civilisation because they possess a single note; they exclusively and monotonously drone on about cocaine, and devour cocaine, ignorantly complacent that they’re funding Farc rebels with their habit. These characters are so dull they make Latin America boring, which is no mean feat! But they’re really nice guys, with big hearts! Their good nature has plenty of room in their bodies to blossom, thanks to their loss of appetite induced by excessive cocaine consumption!

Affability rating: 0/10

Turner Prize 2013: Yiadom-Boakye

Written by Matilda Roberts on . Posted in Arts.

 

Established in 1984, the Turner Prize is awarded each year to a contemporary artist under 50 living, working or born in Britain, who is judged to have put on the best exhibition of the last 12 months. Previous winners include Gilbert & George, Antony Gormley, Grayson Perry, Jeremy Deller and Damien Hirst. This year’s shortlist showcases artists whose work spans live encounters (Tino Seghal), film (Laure Prouvost), sculpture (David Shrigley), drawing and painting (Lynette Yiadom-Boakye).

Born in London, of Ghanaian origin Yiadom-Boakye is the first black woman to be in contention for the Turner Prize award. She paints portraits of imaginary people, constructing them from memories of encounters with real people and scrapbook gatherings. Each work is completed within a single day – she says she never finds coming back to a work improves it. A writer and poet too, her paintings have a tantalising sense of narrative about them. Yet they are carefully ambiguous – clothing is generic, the setting is hard to discern and even the gender of the subjects is uncertain.

She is nominated for her exhibition Extracts and Verses at Chisenhale Gallery. Yiadom-Boakye’s intriguing paintings appear traditional but are in fact much more innovative. Her portraits of imaginary people use invented pre-histories and raise pertinent questions about how we read pictures in general, particularly with regard to black subjects.

Review: Educating Rita

Written by Lucy Gooder on . Posted in Theatre.

Never having read the play Educating Rita and having heard only its synopsis- two worlds collide as bubbly hairdresser Rita enters higher education to be taught by jaded, downtrodden and somewhat alcoholic professor Frank- I was a little wary that the ‘hilarious comedy’ would be in danger of tipping into farce. Luckily my fears were proven wrong as the play had me chuckling out loud throughout, rather than my usual cringe of second hand embarrassment at overzealous attempts at humour. Some particularly good drunk acting in the second half, combined with Willy Russell’s witty script (and an interval glass of wine) had us laughing so long and loud the people in front turned around to have a look.

 

Educating Rita is described as a play with ‘big ideas and an even bigger heart’ and as much as I try not to buy into hype the description is certainly apt. Warmth radiates from the production, from the cosy set design of Frank’s study to the lively Scouse accent of Gillian Kearney’s Rita. Kearney shines in her role, showing a comfort in the skin of her character. Philip Bretherton as Frank is a little less at home in his, but the earlier mentioned drunk acting showed he could certainly pull off comedy. The interaction between the two shows a genuine chemistry which makes their back and forth banter more intriguing than any great speeches.

 

Having only one very specific set could be seen as restricting, and towards the end of the first half I wondered how they would manage to keep the momentum going. The last scene or two before the interval almost began to head into a repetitive territory, though perhaps this was more a fault more of the play than the production. However a complete tonal shift in the dynamic between the two characters in the second half kept the audience involved and brought about a new emotional level to the play. The ideas of class-consciousness that had been set up off stage in the first act were deepened, and could even have made a more introspective audience member question their own subconscious.

 

The musical interludes of smooth jazz and eighties pop classics were a clever and enjoyable technique used by director Chris Honer to keep audience energy levels up between scene changes. It created a sense of time passing whilst giving a subtle insight into the characters and made me take a mental note to download the playlist.

 

The irony of reviewing a play about studying plays is not lost on me and it was a non-traumatic way to flash back to A-level English lessons. Students could certainly relate to the ideas of learning to define yourself when starting higher education and the opportunities and insecurities that appear in equal measure. However what makes Educating Rita so enjoyable is the way potentially intimidating issues are addressed with such a comforting blend of warmth and humour.

 

 

Four Stars out of Five Stars

Preview: A Clockwork Orange

Written by Josephine Lane on . Posted in Theatre.

Almost fifty years after the publication of Anthony Burgess’s infamous novella, A Clockwork Orange returns to its author’s native Manchester in the form of an all-male physical theatre piece. The story (for those of you who have been living under a rock and don’t know it), set in a surreal dystopian future, tells the story of Alex and his Droogs, who turn to ultra-violence in order to deal with the tedium of adolescence. Alex’s charm and charisma make him a protagonist worth following, despite his extreme flaws. Despite the book’s non-specific setting in a dystopian future, the company have set their performance in Manchester, no doubt realizing that the themes of violence, crime and punishment are still relevant in this city today.

 

The show was born on the London Fringe and premiered at the Camden Proud Galleries. It then went on to sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival before returning to London for a run at the Soho Theatre. The company have just finished their tour of Australia and are now on their UK tour before heading to Hong Kong. The play has received much critical acclaim and will undoubtedly be a whirlwind 90 minutes for any audience member. The story is an intense and  fascinating psychological journey whose with universally-relevant themes. So come on nadsats, come down to the Lowry this week, have a glass of molokos, you’re in for a real horrorshow raskazz.

The Games Interview: Mike Geelan

Written by Damien Trinh on . Posted in Games.

The Mancunion spoke to Mike Geelan, a developer who has worked on Kerbal Space Program, about his experiences at Manchester and beyond.

D: First of all, what did you study at Manchester?

M: I studied, in a very loose sense of the word, Computer Sciences.

 

D: Did you always want to develop games?

M: I always did develop games! I got a ZX Spectrum when I was 6-7 and loved to spend my time knocking up games in BASIC. For me, games are the pinnacle of computing.

 

D: During your time here, where was your favourite place to go with friends?

M: The Students’ Union on Oxford Street was always close and very cheap, two key factors when you’re a student. There used to be a funky little sci-fi themed bar on Portland Road, the name escapes me, which was always fun to wind down in.

 

D: And your least favourite?

M: It’s been so long I can’t think of any. Had a few bad nights but not sure they were the fault of the venue.

 

Image credit: KerbalSpaceProgram.com

D: How did you get into games development after university?

M: It took me a long time to become a professional game developer. Straight after university I worked with a company installing wireless networks, which were very new and radical at the time. Then I got a job at a call center and ended up programming management applications for them. Many years later I decided to try follow my dreams and I made a post on the Unity forums asking if anyone wanted a willing programmer. The offers flooded in and I haven’t looked back since.

 

D: How did you get involved with Kerbal Space Program?

M: Well I played the demo in December 2011 and loved it. It really is my kind of game. So I decided to check the Squad website to see if they had any jobs and, lo, there was a job for a programmer. I applied and by January, I was an official Squad programmer. The old ways are sometimes the best!

 

D: What’s your most impressive accomplishment on KSP?

M: Being part of the project is, in itself, a great thing. We’ve got a great team and everybody contributes, which is part of what makes it such a fun project. I wrote the planetary rendering system we use, which is the one everyone notices, but behind the scenes I greatly expanded the modding tools and have recently completed a tune-up of the entire game, all of which I’m proud of.

 

D: How much has changed about KSP as a result of player feedback?

M: There’s no question if Squad had just launched a game, it would look drastically different from how the game will look when we complete it. We didn’t know how much realism to include, especially since it can be quite scientific, but our community supported and asked for more realism during testing. That was a significant piece of feedback for us. It enabled us to move forward and build the game people are enjoying today.

 

D: What’s next after KSP?

M; We’re a small team and our entire community is counting on us to deliver a completed KSP. We do have a few interesting ideas up our sleeves that we’ll put work into when the time is right.

 

D: Thanks for speaking to us, Mike!

Kerbal Space Program is available now on Steam and through their website, and you can check out the Mancunion’s review.

Retro Corner: Star Fox Adventures

Written by Alasdair Preston on . Posted in Games.

When people complain that Nintendo bank on the same franchises over and over again, their argument usually goes like this: “If it weren’t for Mario, Nintendo would be sunk. Oh, and Pokemon. And Zelda. Animal Crossing. Metroid. Pikmin…” and it goes on. But they always forget poor old Star Fox. And, to be fair, Nintendo themselves have rather forgotten the fuzzy pilot too. Without a single game out on Wii (besides Smash Bros) and nothing confirmed for Wii U, you could be forgiven for thinking Fox was all but done. And that’s a huge shame. Some of Nintendo’s very best titles (in my opinion) have been Star Fox. One of which is Star Fox Adventures.

 

Star Fox Adventures started life as a Rare-developed Nintendo 64 game called Dinosaur Planet, and had nothing to do with Fox McCloud. After seeing the game in development, Shigeru Miyamoto (the Nintendo wizard) noted just how much the design resembled Star Fox and so, a few years later, the game surfaced as a Star Fox brand Gamecube launch title. The game was also the last one Rare developed before being bought up by Microsoft. What we were left with was a Star Fox game set on a planet of dinosaurs. So far, so good.

 

When a world of talking dinosaurs found itself on the brink of destruction, they turned to the galaxy’s most famous talking animal to put them back together again. The link that brings Fox in is rather tenuous, and it’s easy to see how close this game came to having nothing to do with him. Despite all that, Adventures isn’t totally without some Star Fox style shooting sections and franchise trademarks. And, wouldn’t you know it, after a story about returning ancient spirits and stones to temples to put the whole planet back together it turns out that Andross, Fox’s nemesis was behind it all along.

 

Adventures was immediately recognised for its outstanding graphics and almost Zelda-like gameplay, something previously unheard-of for the Star Fox franchise. For a character that had previously only ever been seen inside a spaceship, his new found love of running around with a dinosaur buddy and fighting evil reptiles with a sceptre irritated some. While the game itself wasn’t anywhere near as long as your typical Zelda title, the gameplay and design were every bit as high quality. It’s a title that I often find myself wanting to play through on a spare afternoon, if only I could remember what I did with that tiny Gamecube disc.

Grand Theft Auto V

Written by Tom Cottrell on . Posted in Games.

If you’ve seen a bus, a billboard, watched TV, listened to the radio or ventured onto the internet at any time over the last month, you’ve noticed that this launch was big. And there is good reason for the fuss, GTA holds a special place among games. The series is as famous as Mario (even your gran knows that you can get your money back from hookers if you kill them afterwards), and infamous as proof that not all games are for kids.

But was the most expensive game ever made worth its $170 million budget? After the five year wait since GTA IV, fans might be barely able to wait another moment to dive back into this world of violence and mayhem. They will have to contain themselves a little longer, as the mandatory 8GB will delay them by around a quarter of an hour. It would be wise to use this time to load up on snacks to sustain you for the next few days because, once you get underway, you will be loath to put your controller down for any length of time.

Right off the bat two things become clear. Firstly, that Rockstar Games are still in the business of telling engaging, character driven and morally complex stories. Secondly, that this game is even more about freedom than previous titles. This freedom stems not only from the open world nature of the game that we have come to expect of the franchise, but also from the ability to switch between multiple playable characters. This mechanic is introduced very early on and is as intuitive and as well executed as you could hope and you will use it often. Sometimes, because the complicated and intertwined story that the characters are experiencing demands that you see events from a range of perspectives. Other times because in the middle of a mission you may find it useful to switch to another character to provide cover for the first. Occasionally, even because you have gotten carried away exploring the vast map and want to cause havoc in the city immediately without driving (or flying) all the way home.

Characters also have their own unique ability that can be activated for short periods to get you out of a tight spot. For instance, the streetwise Franklin finds himself able to turn sharp corners at 90 miles per hour to evade police, whereas the more professional Michael can use bullet time much like Max Payne. More reason why the ability to instantly switch characters improves the experience and the gameplay.

Freedom is also a key part of the events of the game. Rockstar have taken certain events from recent history to the extreme that you would expect of GTA to ask questions about the role of liberty in Western and, in particular, American society. The Los Santos setting lends immediate rise to Hollywood parallels, and fun is poked at the excesses and hypocrisies of people with the financial freedom to do more or less as they please. However there are other pertinent questions asked that aren’t a laughing matter. One scene in particular most would find distasteful, bordering on shocking. It pushes the envelope even for a game famous partly for its highly adult content (you’ll know that bit when you see it). All of which could leave the game as an overly gritty, self-serious affair if not for the important inclusion of some elements that are downright zany. The recently introduced right to smoke marijuana in parts of America makes an appearance in Los Santos, leading to some psychedelic side missions that are a light-hearted and funny diversion from the heavier plot material.

Image credit: ToTheGame.com

 

We also see the return of a levelling mechanic, whereby each character begins with different starting stats (for instance Franklin is good at driving whereas Michael is better at shooting), which can then be improved fairly quickly through gunfights, driving, tennis or plain brawling. Given the estimated 100+ hours it takes to play the whole of the missions alone most can expect to see their character improve without any need for grinding. Missions have a degree of replay value for those perfectionists who want to not only complete every mission, but also achieve every sub-objective on offer. The mini-games are fun and accessible, and games like tennis and golf are much more substantial than just a 10 minute diversion. The old pastime of causing trouble until the police finally catch up to your maxed-out wanted level is still well suited to the world of Los Santos.

Rockstar have here constructed a complete, vibrant world that is richly populated and seems to exist when the player isn’t looking just as much as when they are. When changing to a new character we are given a glimpse of what the character was doing unsupervised before the change in control, there is a stock market running in the background and radio stations run as many stories that are nothing to do with your antics as ones that are. The world is also fleshed out by the addition of random encounters a la Red Dead Redemption, where an exploration of the city is met with the optional, welcome interruption of a small side mission that could offer anything from a gunfight to more character exposition.

GTA V is a culmination of Rockstar’s talents, the finer elements of their previous titles combined with fresh ideas that shake up the open-world format, and the game is all the better for it. They have proven here that they are the best at what they do, and what they do isn’t always very nice.

Former Nintendo Boss Dies

Written by Jack Crutcher on . Posted in Games.

From time to time an industry loses someone so important, it is hard to imagine it will ever be the same again. Quite often a loss is over emphasised or off-set by an obvious replacement. The death of a franchise or a much-loved character can be difficult to deal with, but when the passing of a man, an icon of the gaming industry and silent hero to millions worldwide occurs, sometimes words are not enough to justify their contribution. But here’s to trying!

 

Hiroshi Yamauchi is not a name everyone will be initially familiar with. But when you come to realise he is the man ultimately responsible for a good proportion of the happiness you’ve experienced so far in your life, you will grow to know his name very well indeed. Between the years 1949-2002 Yamauchi transformed Japanese firm Nintendo from an obscure gaming-cards company into a video games titan. As a result of this, the world witnessed the transformation and subsequent development of the first Nintendo gaming console. Since this initial development, thought up by Yamauchi as a potentially successful money-spinner for the then ailing Japanese company, Nintendo has battled shoulder to shoulder with Microsoft and Sony as one of the dominant console developers on the market.

 

It would be impossible to document every twist and turn of the Nintendo story in one page, however when you look at the timeline of Nintendo’s history, you soon begin to see the incredibly large mark Nintendo consoles have left on the industry – giving developers the ability and creative licence to produce some of the most definitive games of their generation. In 1977 the first Colour TV game console was released – though extremely simple, this was the start of a fruitful relationship between Nintendo and the gaming world. After a number of similar releases (such as the Nintendo entertainment system) it was not until 1996 that Nintendo became a giant of the industry – with the release of the Nintendo 64. With it came some of the first and biggest releases from major franchises of its generation, such as Pokémon Stadium. The release of Game Cube in 2001 continued this upwards trend. But it was the Gameboy Colour and the Gameboy Advance that truly cemented Nintendo’s place amongst the great and good of the industry. On these platforms franchises almost bigger than the consoles themselves flourished. This record includes titles such as Donkey Kong, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog and the Pokémon role playing games.

 

Hiroshi Yamauchi really did change the industry forever. And no matter what the level of our exposure to his achievements – we all owe him a big thank you!

Retro Corner: TimeSplitters Future Perfect

Written by Alasdair Preston on . Posted in Games.

Ten years ago, I was spending far too much time playing TimeSplitters Future Perfect. The third, and so far most recent, instalment of the shooter series that included zombie monkeys and a playable school of fish was the most ambitious one yet. The most notable expansion (and the reason I spent so much time playing the game) was the addition of online multiplayer. It brought players across the globe together and created a real sense of community in a way that I’ve not experienced on any other game. The fans are so committed, in fact, that they’re currently creating a TimeSplitters mod for CryEngine 3 and, with Crytek’s blessing, will be releasing the game for free on PC and maybe even PS4 and Xbox One.

What sets TimeSplitters apart is its sense of humour. The guys at Free Radical love making fun of anything and everything. In Future Perfect, they tackled every movie trope going and folded in popular characters like cheesy 70’s secret agent Harry Tipper and the ever-present Sergeant Cortez. Playing the game was almost like an education in films and pop culture. Story mode blasted through a variety of settings and time periods, each one with a distinct identity and buddy partner.

Arcade mode added a massive list of challenges, each with a wacky explanation as to how the whole fight kicked off that was usually extremely petty. Acing all of these took serious time, but was necessary to unlock the entire roster of playable characters.

The main meat of TimeSplitters was always multiplayer. The game came with excellent maps and every multiplayer mode under the sun. If all that wasn’t doing it for you, there was even an in-depth mapmaker mode so you could build your own multiplayer and story missions. The addition of the online element meant that these creations could be shared more easily.

The thing that sticks with me most from all of my time playing TimeSplitters is the fun element. Free Radical made sure that there were countless hours of content, and enough jokes to have you laughing the whole time. Most memorably, Sgt Cortez’s corny yet iconic catchphrase that is always true in the end, “it’s time to split”.

Mancunion Sport speaks to Phil Vickery

Written by Thomas Dowler on . Posted in Sport.

I had the pleasure of meeting former England rugby captain Phil Vickery MBE at House of Fraser, Deansgate for the launch of his new Raging Bull Leisure clothing range, last Thursday.

Vickery was capped 73-times by his country, went on two British and Irish Lions tours and captained England to the final of the 2007 World Cup in France. Known for his devastating scrummaging ability and ball-carrying prowess, Sir Clive Woodward named the former Gloucester and Wasps favourite the Raging Bull.

In 2003, Martin Johnson captained the glorious generation of English rugby to World Cup glory in Australia in dramatic circumstances. I asked Phil the obvious question, to find out if that night in Sydney (in which England won 20-17 in extra-time) was the highlight of his career.

“Its very difficult to sum up one moment that you’ll remember forever. For me it’s a combination: my first cap for England versus Wales in what was the Five Nations back then in 1998, running out in front of 76,000 people for the first time, captaining my country and getting to the (World Cup) Final in 2007…winning Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership medals.

“But I still have a trophy at home which I was awarded playing for Bude colts – my hometown in Cornwall for coming next to last in the merit table! But that little trophy means an awful lot.

“The Rugby World Cup will be remembered for that iconic moment. People will tell you where they were, what they were doing and what it meant. This country stood still for those four seconds of flight for that final drop-kick from Jonny Wilkinson. But there are so many little moments that mean an awful lot to me.”

Later that evening, Phil laced up his boots once again for the England Legends XV against their Australian counterparts, turning out for a charity game at the Twickenham Stoop. Phil revealed that he was anxious ahead of the game because of his run of injuries and a recent neck operation necessary because he couldn’t open his hand due to nerve damage.

However, Phil didn’t turn down the chance to muck in once again with the class of ’03, sadly he didn’t make the highlights reel quite like his front-row colleague Steve Thompson did with a length-of-the-field score (well worth a watch on YouTube), but he turned out for a great cause and helped England to an enjoyable 17-12 victory.

Phil originally delved into the world of rugby team-wear with customised playing kits for rugby clubs. After much success, the Raging Bull brand expanded to include leisure wear. Vickery juggled an immensely successful playing career with a desire to establish his brand in the fashion world. Sadly, a serious reoccurring neck injury forced him to hang up his playing boots in 2010.

For a former front-row forward, Phil demonstrates a lot of versatility; he developed a thriving fashion label, but he won Celebrity Masterchef in 2011!

In business, we all know relationships are very important and Phil and the Raging Bull team have established an excellent rapport with House of Fraser. He said he is immensely proud that the Manchester House of Fraser concession is the 26th store to stock his clothing.

“I’m very lucky in my rugby career with what I achieved…but I always needed something else to do, you can get so absorbed in one thing.”

Vickery was renowned for his leadership on and off the pitch for both club and country and this shines through in his business ventures. He takes great pride in his clothing: “It’s very well made, it’s very resilient and it’s of great quality. Yes I want to develop the range more…but under no circumstances is the quality compromised.”

Phil also gave a prediction ahead of the first QBE Autumn International between England and Australia at Twickenham. Vickery backed England to win by a score, picking the home side to win by 32 points to 28. Stuart Lancaster’s side won 20-13, with the back-line miss-firing and some argue that the home crowd helped influence a few of the officials’ key decisions.

Vickery said that the squad has great potential, “I’m excited by this England team…I want to know what this England team stands for? They can make a statement to the World.”

With the Rugby World Cup taking place on English soil in 2015, he added, “These guys can create a legacy and be heroes.”

Competition Time!

We have five Raging Bull polo shirts to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer the following question:

Against which team did Phil Vickery win his first England cap?

Enter our competition for your chance to win 1 of 5 Raging Bull Shirt! Photo: Raging Bull

To enter, follow and message @mancunion_sport on Twitter with your answer, or email your response to [email protected]. Winners will be notified by Mancunion Sport when the prize draw has taken place. Entries close at midnight on Sunday 17th November 2013 you must live in Manchester to enter.

Fashionable ways to keep dry

Written by Scarlett Whittell on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Featured image: www.asos.com

Far too often I am caught out by Manchester’s damned winter weather. I will leave the house umbrella-less, lured into a false sense of security by the sunny rays beaming through my window. Five minutes later there is a torrential downpour and I end up looking like a drowned rat. Walking into a room looking like you’ve dunked your head under Niagra Falls may be amusing for your friends, but it doesn’t do much for the old self-confidence. So, this winter I have made a resolution. I am going to invest in waterproof fashion, shield myself successfully from the onslaught of gales and rainstorms, and channel the winter goddess look instead.

If you have looked like a soggy rodent in the past, or simply want to save yourself the embarrassment (highly recommended), make sure to arm yourself with these three vital pieces of equipment.

Stylish umbrellas

The other day a sudden gust of wind blew my flimsy brolly into a thorny bush, nearly whipping me over a small garden fence in the process. My wrestling match with the shrubbery, though amusing for the general public, fuelled my determination to find a Manchester-proof umbrella. Thank god ASOS is here to solve our problems. This gorgeous Fulton umbrella has deep, domed sides which promise to keep every single pesky rain drop at bay, even in gale force winds!

Waterproof eyeliner

 

Image: johnlewis.com

Long gone are the days of black streaks and smeared flicks! Benefit has come to the rescue with some seriously waterproof eyeliner. I have always been sceptical of the stuff – how ‘waterproof’ is it exactly? Could you go swimming? Or does it merely withstand a tear or two? However Benefit’s ‘Badgal’ Liner has silenced my protests. Never again will you see me roaming through the library looking like a panda – my eyes will be super defined come rain or shine.

Leather Boots

 

Image: hm.com

I have a major issue with wellington-worshippers. City living does not require knee length, plastic shields when all we encounter are a few ankle-deep puddles and the occasional scattering of snow. So instead of looking like a lost farmer, try out these leather riding boots from H&M. They promise to keep your feet (and calves) warm and dry, and they look great with a whole range of winter outfits.

For a fair few years now, I have championed the wet-look (literally). It is such a relief to have a waterproof wardrobe! This calls for some sort of celebration, singing in the rain maybe?

Let’s face it!

Written by Nikki Patel on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Featured image: nordstrom.com The inevitable heavy showers of a Mancunian Winter can wreak havoc with your makeup. Luckily, with just a few simple steps, you can safeguard your face against the elements and arrive at that 9am looking just as fresh faced as when you left the house. Step 1:Primer Waterproof makeup begins with a good quality primer. A Holy Grail for any makeup maven, it is essential to ensure that your foundation stays put without sliding around or fading when you get caught in the rain. Lancome La Base Pro Perfecting Makeup Primer is my go-to, however I also recommend Cicaplast Pro Recovery Skincare by La Roche-Posay. Although it is technically not a primer it renders your foundation infallible whilst repairing any dryness or flaking caused by harsh Wintry weather. Step 2: Foundation   Image: beautylish.com Never fear, pesky showers do not mean that you have to brave the dreaded bare-fared look this Winter. The key is in choosing a durable product that enhances your skin’s natural glow as opposed to covering it. Mac Face and Body Foundation is water resistant and provides natural coverage. It also conditions the skin, a welcome bonus given the drying effects of cold Winter winds. Step 3:Mascara   Image: womanandhome.com Waterproof mascara is a beauty essential for every young woman at all times of the year. A safeguard against not only wet weather but also the blood, sweat and tears of a messy night out, I highly recommend L’Oreal Waterproof Volume Million Lashes which is a steal at just under £10.00. Flashier waterproof warriors could even invest in Terry’s Lash Coat Mascara. Launched earlier this year it effectively acts as a raincoat for your favourite mascara whilst also lengthening and curling the lashes. Step 4: Lips   Image: hqhair.com Finally, rain needn’t mean that you have to shy away from the dark lip, an annual Winter beauty trend. You just have to be cautious when choosing your products and prepping your mouth to keep it looking pristine. I personally recommend using a lip primer such as Too Faced Lip Insurance before injecting a splash of colour with a dark Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain. These stains require zero touch ups once applied and stubbornly refuse to feather/bleed in torrential rain, leaving you with an enviably indelible pout.   Image: twoheartstogether.com

Top 5: Controversial fashion campaigns

Written by Phoebe Nickalls on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

 

5. Sisley Fashion Junkie

The Sisley advertising campaign depicts two girls clearly snorting what appears to be a vest. The advert can be interpreted in a number of ways however one thing is clear, the girls are addicted to fashion as others may be addicted to drugs like cocaine, and Sisley believe they can fuel this addiction. Many people didn’t like the links this campaign made with drugs and alcohol. In recent times Sisley (part of the Benetton group) have denied links with this advert claiming they never made it.

4. Dolce & Gabbana 2007

They are famed for their sexy fashion advertisements, however in 2007 the company may have taken things a little too far. Their ad, promoting D&G’s ready-to-wear collection for 2007 features a girl with a hazy expression surrounded by five men, one bearing down on her. The advert received much criticism from the press including Debonair Magazine who called it “a glorification of gang rape”. When questioned about the campaign, Stefano Gabbana stated the advert was intended to show “an erotic dream, a sexual game”. Despite the unclear nature of the ad, the controversy only went on to raise Dolce & Gabbana’s profile in the fashion industry.

3. Gucci 2003

Gucci marked the spot with its press campaign in 2003 featuring model Carmen Kass pulling down her knickers to expose the letter ‘G’ shaved into her body hair. Shot by world famous photographer Mario Testino who also shot the likes of Princess Diana and Madonna. The advert (Testino calls it ‘Pubic Enemy’) was condemned by the press, who believed the image was degrading to women. The director of Mediawatch UK, John Bayer called for an immediate ban on the advert for being provocative and overtly sexual.

2. Tom Ford For Men- 2007

In 2007 we saw Tom Ford release a highly controversial advertising campaign to promote his new fragrance- Tom Ford for Men. The steamy photographs were shot by Terry Richardson and feature a woman, oiled up with no body hair holding the fragrance bottle between her legs. What message was Tom Ford trying to show? That this fragrance embodied women, sex and fashion. Sex sells but many believed he crossed the line, objectifying women simply to promote his product.

1. The Benetton Campaigns

Benetton advertising was all about showcasing their diverse range of colourful clothes and using their slogan ‘the United Colours of Benetton’. In the 1980’s the Benetton advertising campaigns took a dramatic turn and began depicting social issues of the times. These included world leaders Pope Benedict XVI and Ahmed El-Tayeb kissing under the words ‘Un-Hate’, a black woman breast-feeding a white baby and a dying HIV victim. However, perhaps their most shocking campaign came in 2000 when famed photographer Oliverio Toscani chose to take images of American Death Row inmates, naming the collection ‘We, On Death Row’. Many Americans and British citizens alike were shocked by these images. The campaigns relevance to fashion was questioned and from 2011, Benetton’s adverts were paired down, featuring conventional images such as happy teenagers wearing their clothes. The brand still maintains they are ‘socially responsible’ despite the tamer adverts.

 

Double indemnity at The Cornerhouse

Written by Elizabeth Gibson on . Posted in Arts.

This group show is spread over three galleries, each with its own theme inspired by lines from the film. While it could be argued that they are too different – Galleries 1 and 3 could be from completely different exhibitions – it was still a concept that made for an interesting viewing experience. And not just viewing: Double Indemnity really is a 3D experience. A good number of the pieces are video works, so you have sound as well as well as vision and there is even a work that caters for the sense of smell in the form of a fragrance.

The exhibition begins in Gallery 1, whose theme is “Object of Desire.” One particularly memorable piece is Hito Steyerl’s “Lovely Andrea,” a film investigating the practice of bondage photography in Japan. Shocking and somewhat revolting, it shows a dangerous and seedy underworld and tells how women are often dragged unwittingly into it and have to buy their way out.

Another striking video piece in the same gallery is Andrea Fraser’s “Official Welcome,” in which the artist quotes lines from various art exhibition openings while steadily removing her clothes, all in front of an audience. A third piece is Sophie Calle’s “The Shadow,” for which the artist had a detective tail her around Paris for a day. Her romantic account of the day and his cold, professional write-up of her activities clash very effectively.

Gallery 2 is divided into two sections. The first features one of the most disturbing exhibits – an installation by Bunny Rogers and Filip Olszewski which consists of a set of speakers from which a child sings about death, accompanied by three sound blankets based on images from a child modelling website, all under the title “Desiring Youth.” The second section is entitled “Desiring Bureaucracy.” One of its pieces is Sharif Waked’s “Chic Point;” a film juxtaposing fashion with bureaucracy at Israeli checkpoints, suggesting a link based on the way both can involve the exposure of midriff.

Gallery 3 – “Consuming Desire” –  features, among other works, Frances Stark’s “My Best Thing,” a bizarre but somewhat captivating piece discussing, in a novel way with animated characters, many different issues. The crudeness and vulgarity of some of the dialogue makes for uncomfortable viewing, but adds to the dark feel of the whole exhibition.

I came away from this show with an array of emotions, and the thought that Cornerhouse really is great at putting together exhibitions where there is a theme, yet the works are incredibly diverse.

 

The Beauty Trap

Written by Caitlin Noon on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

‘Am I beautiful?’ I speculated as I examined myself in the mirror. From a young and impressionable age I have been bombarded with society’s standards and ideals of what makes a woman beautiful.  The slender figure, the smooth skin, the blonde hair; that’s every female adolescent’s fantasy, isn’t it?

Nancy Etcoff once said that ‘no definition can capture beauty entirely’. The female body is a medium of culture where a woman faces pressures to meet certain standards of beauty in society. Women have historically attempted to change their bodies to conform to a particular era’s epitome of beauty, from the Rubenesque curvaceous body of the 1600s to the elf-like slender body of the 21st century. In current Western culture, plumpness is considered unideal, and as symbolising a lack of willpower. As women, we tend to internalize standards of beauty and judge ourselves to the point of self-hatred. This accomplishes nothing but distorted views about how our bodies and faces should look. I asked Lana Ekkes, age 16 from London, if she had personally tried to achieve society’s ideals of beauty,

‘Weight has always been a major thing for me. When I was in infant school, my best friend was stick thin and very pretty. I didn’t really know what weight was but I knew that she was different from me and that she had better physical traits than me. I wanted to be more like her. I now limit the amount of calories I intake depending on whether I have gained or lost weight. I also maintain a daily exercise regime.’

The ability of media publicising to affect adolescents today has advanced through many different means. Digital editing has created a fabricated ideal of women that is impossible to achieve. Celebrities, good or bad, have been made ‘role-models’ for young adults such as myself and are presented as people that should be emulated.

Adolescent girls have become a major target for commercial companies because they are new and inexperienced consumers. They are in the process of learning their values and roles, and developing their identity. Publicists are aware of their role and do not hesitate to take advantage of the insecurities and anxieties of young girls. This is done by offering solutions to their apparent inadequacies. One of the many impacts this marketing strategy can have on adolescent girls begins with lack of self-esteem, comparing their looks with that of an airbrushed model, conceal what they believe to be an imperfection, excessively diet and exercise, undergo cosmetic surgery and, in extreme cases, can develop mental illnesses.

The number of  young adults pursuing cosmetic surgery has significantly increased over the past two decades. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 300,000 people aged 18 years or younger underwent either major or minor plastic surgical procedures in 2012. People generally turn to cosmetic surgery because they’re not happy about the way they look. Teens who have cosmetic procedures — such as otoplasty (surgery to pin back ears) or dermabrasion (the camouflage of acne scars) — feel more comfortable with their appearance after the procedure. The most common procedures teens choose include nose reshaping, ear surgery, acne scar treatment, and breast enlargement. What most teens don’t know, or choose to ignore, is that a person’s body continues to change throughout the teen years. Body parts that might appear too large or too small now can become more proportionate over time.

Women are not the only susceptible victims of the Beauty Trap. It is estimated that about 45% of Western men are unhappy with their body to some degree, compared with only 15% 25 years ago. Gay men, models, dancers and athletes are particularly vulnerable to poor body image or feeling insecure about their body. This is because they are more likely to be judged (or believe they will be judged) according to their appearance. 17% of men are on a weight loss diet at any given time. But men also worry about being muscular. A desire to fit the ideal masculine image of lean muscularity means that over-exercising and the use of dangerous and illegal drugs (like steroids) are on the rise. Some researchers say that men with a greater preference for traditional masculine roles are more likely to be fixated with bulking up, while men who display a greater adherence to traditional feminine roles are more likely to have slimming disorders like anorexia nervosa. I asked Cameron Fletch, age 14 from Michigan, whether he had personally tried to achieve society’s ideals of beauty,

‘’I do want to be thinner and I’m pretty sure this has to do with society valuing thinness so much. I used to make myself vomit up whatever I ate in order to get thinner.’’

So is there any way to stop the poisonous transmission of society’s ideals of beauty? No. But there are ways that can help female, and male, adolescents put these ‘perfect’ idealisations into perspective. We need to be aware of what celebrity images or commercials have been digitally enhanced; to be shown that they have imperfections too. We need to know that excessive exercise and dieting is not the way to a ‘perfect’ figure. We need to embrace our originality and individualism in order to teach young girls of today that beauty is more than just a pretty face. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Beauty is your warm and loving family. Beauty is the sensation of falling in love.  Beauty is art and knowledge and creation. Beauty is existence. Don’t be your own worst enemy.

Exposed: American Apparel

Written by Anna Sopel on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Image: mamamia.com.au

Controversy is almost as synonymous with American Apparel as the disco pant. The high street holy-grail of leggings and basics has been through its fair share of lawsuits, criminal investigations and media storms. You may be thinking, what could this fair trade, anti-sweatshop, gay marriage embracing company be doing wrong? Well, their advertising campaigns alone are enough to cause outrage. For those of you who have not seen an American Apparel ad, imagine something close to softcore porn. Think young g-string clad models in polo necks, lying on a bed with their legs in the air, or a girl in a leotard lying on a sofa with her legs splayed open with the witty line “now open”. There are even whole buzzfeeds and tumblrs dedicated to ‘American Apparel’s raciest ads ever’ for those of you who wish to make further investigation (…perverts). While American Apparel claims these ads are creative, honest and artistic, many people think they are overtly sexual images, which objectify women and appear to show young girls looking vulnerable. As a result many adverts have been banned and are under investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The highly sexualised and risqué images that represent American Apparel as a company seem to be representative of its founder and CEO Dov Charney. It is fair to say Charney is unconventional in his approach as a boss; he is a self-confessed unrepentant sex addict who conducts most of his meetings in his underwear or merely wearing a sock (which isn’t worn on his foot, I should add). Charney has been known by multiple sources to masturbate in front of a female journalist in a meeting and even said in a deposition hearing “I frequently drop my pants to show people my new product”. However this ‘unconventional approach’ has landed him in some seriously hot water over the years. Charney has been the subject of at least five sexual harassment lawsuits since the mid 2000’s, although none of these has been proven and nearly all of them have been dismissed, thrown out, or remain pending. Dov Charney relishes his reputation as a libertarian and someone who shocks, and he believes that it is this “creativity” as he calls it, that has been so crucial in American Apparel’s success.

Even recently you may have noticed American Apparel once again being the focus of attention with a new T-Shirt they have brought out depicting a menstruating, masturbating vagina called “Period Power”. Whether you consider this taboo breaking and empowering or disgusting and distasteful, there is no question it will have provoked an opinion. Clearly these provocative acts of t-shirt and ad campaigns have done the company very little consumer damage; would you stop wearing one of their classic hoodies because of a slightly raunchy ad? Probably not. Dov Charney on the other hand should probably rein in his obscene acts, and maybe put on a pair of trousers in the process. The clothes seem to fit nicely, the CEO maybe not so much.

Sheffield ‘foiled’!

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Sport.

University of Manchester  1sts                 135

University of Sheffield  1sts                       121

 

Sugden Centre’s Hall C rang with cries of “Stick ‘em with the pointy end!” on Wednesday afternoon when Manchester Women’s 1st Team faced off against a steely Sheffield side. Even though Sheffield’s team featured a member of the Northern Ireland national squad, and Manchester were missing two members of their squad, the home-side owned the piste to slash their way to victory. This now leaves the Manchester Women’s fencing team undefeated in the BUCS league.

The afternoon’s fencing occurred in three phases. In the opening Epée round, competitors target their opponent’s entire body, having to hit them with the point of their blade (á la Game of Thrones) to score. Here, it swiftly became clear Sheffield were advantaged by the fact one of their number’s tall height lent her impressive reach. Her opponents were forced to lunge further than usual, leaving themselves exposed to her blade. But Manchester overcame this, emerging with 45 points to Sheffield’s 38.

This was followed by the Foil round, in which the confusing ‘right of way’ rule applies: should both fencers land a blow simultaneously, the point goes to the competitor identified as the ‘attacker’. Simple in theory, but in practice, rapid bursts of parries and lunges meant even the referees struggled to tell what was going on and baffled us as spectators.

Trailing 39-41 before the final Foil match, Manchester needed a strong display from Jennifer Schofield if they were to finish the round on top – and she didn’t let us down. Despite having to tape-up her footwear, Schofield’s mastery with the Foil won her six successive points in a devastating comeback. Her lunging was consistently impressive all afternoon, knee almost dropping to the floor, giving her incredible reach and speed.

With the scores at 90-79 overall, Manchester needed just 35 points in the final round, that of the Sabre, to win. This round easily provides the most adrenaline as all parts of the sword are used, competitors lamping one another into submission. One of Sheffield’s number was shown to favour the Sabre, as she consistently boasted throughout the afternoon, relentlessly chasing opponents across the piste in a vicious 15-point comeback that suddenly made a Manchester victory uncertain. Enter Nicole Rajan. Her performance in the penultimate bout brought Manchester the points they so desperately needed. All that was left then was for Jennifer to face Sheffield’s aggressive ‘Sabruese’. This final match turned into a sabre master-class that brought the overall score to 135-121 to Manchester.

All three Mancunian fencers performed at a consistently high level, and Women’s Captain Nicole was keen to stress that the afternoon’s victory arose from a team effort. “This was the hardest match of the season so far,” she acknowledged as Manchester celebrated their win, “but we have a really strong team.” Even with the absence of two of its members.

Comment: Club owners vs. Journalists.

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

Journalist, noun perpetual annoyance, scandal maker, master of the hyperbole.

Well, that’s not quite what the Oxford English Dictionary says, but it may as well. Opinion divides, and it can alienate, annoy and anger people. But it makes people engage in conversation, which is vital in a democratic society.

Unfortunately, football owners have increasingly turned their clubs into communist dictatorships. The two examples in the news at the moment are Port Vale and Newcastle United banning the local newspapers due to supposedly slanderous material. However, there are other examples from the past like Sir Alex who was notorious for banning journalists from Old Trafford like Stalin picking off his competitors.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Mark Ogden of The Telegraph who ably played the role of Trotsky several times, and ended up getting the metaphorical axe to the face for his troubles. But surely in a democratic society, with supposedly free press, the idea of banning journalists from football stadiums is unjust?

The story which broke the Camel’s, or perhaps Hippos’ (if we are referring to Newcastle’s hierarchy of Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear) back was Newcastle’s Evening Chronicle’s coverage of a Newcastle United protest named #time4change – a peaceful march ordained by council and police alike that went through Newcastle’s city centre before the Liverpool match a few weeks ago. Newcastle United argued that the amount of pages the Chronicle gave the march was excessive, comprising: the front page of the paper, an inside spread and four pages in the sports section. They argued this was disproportionate to the significance of the actual event.

This does seem extreme, however, when I flicked through a copy of the Evening Chronicle I counted 12 pages out of 60 dedicated to Newcastle, and this is after the media ban. On the other hand, if Newcastle didn’t cover the march, they would be doing a huge disservice to the fans that buy the paper. It is the definition of a ‘lose-lose’ situation.

Newcastle can turn their own official match-day programme into £3 issues laden with propaganda which defends their players with religious fervor. But surely it is the Medias’ job to relay the truth to the public and give them insight that they would otherwise be unable to receive? Journalism as a whole is in a precarious place. There is a fine line between creating press regulations and total censorship, and it will be a line which the government will need to tread very lightly.

Yes, Rebekah Brooks needs to be punished for residing over a phone hacking scandal, but surely writing something that upsets an owner of a sub-standard football club should not be any reason to ban journalists from stadiums?

The question is, who can, or perhaps who will, stand up for the journalists of today?

Who will stick up for that rare breed of person who thrives off scandal, and makes football managers’ lives a living hell?

Other members of the national press rallied around Newcastle United in a press conference the other day upon hearing that NCJ Media, the branch of North-East media were to be banned from Newcastle matches. Questions were refused and other members of the press asked them in their place. The conference resembled the last scene from ‘Sparticus’ in which everyone claimed that they were the eponymous hero. In short, it was a complete shambles.

My request to the FA is the following: stand up to tyrannical ownerships and to small time mediocre sports brand owners and give the power back to the press. This is not for the sake of the newspapers, but for the sake of the fans.

In a time of economic struggle, many fans can’t afford to go the matches or afford ever-increasing Sky Sport packages. They will turn to the papers to get the inside-scoop. In the 150-year anniversary of the FA, in times when they claim to be returning to the roots of their football heritage, how can they simply stand by when football is being destroyed from the top down?

Coke back in Students’ Union

Written by Jonathan Breen on . Posted in News.

Coca-Cola is back on sale in the University of Manchester Students’ Union shop after six years of being banned.

The controversial soft-drink became available again last month, after no motion to continue its ban was submitted to student assemblies.

The product was pulled from shelves following a policy backed by a strong campaign against the company in 2007.

Student’s Union policies last for three years, a motion to continue the policy was passed in 2010.

Other drinks owned by The Coca-Cola Company include Fanta, Five Alive, Dr Pepper, and Evian water.

The Students’ Union said in a statement, “The Students’ Union ‘Staying Ethical’ policy, which included the Coca-Cola boycott, lapsed on Monday 20th October 2013.

“Students’ Union policies last for three years in order to ensure there is a higher democratic legitimacy given to current students, rather than students who may have left three years ago. As there have been no ideas brought forward to assemblies asking the union to carry on with the boycott, the Students’ union took the decision to reinstate the supply of highly popular Coca-Cola products in Union outlets.”

A motion for all expiring Students’ Union policy to be automatically resubmitted to Assembly was discussed at assemblies last week and will go to an all-student vote to take place from November 22 to 29.

Other policies that expired last month include the Students’ union officially supporting the right to education in Palestine, a significant and widely-talked-about issue for Manchester students when passed.