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Month: December 2014

National HIV Testing Week

Written by Edward Bains on . Posted in News.

Last week saw National HIV Testing Week take place across England. The high-profile campaign, organised by the government-funded HIV Prevention England (HPE), aims to raise the levels of HIV testing among the country’s most affected groups; specifically gay and bisexual men, and people of African origin.

It also seeks to increase awareness of the facilities available for HIV testing within these groups and challenge the social stigma surrounding getting tested.

As part of the campaign, numerous outdoor ads have been displayed on billboards, buses and bus stops across the country in areas related to these target groups. Some of these can be seen in and around the Manchester Gay Village, featuring the ‘I’m testing’ slogan that champions the main drive of the campaign.

Adverts have also appeared on social media, TV and same-sex dating apps, and the campaign has been endorsed by celebrities such as Graham Norton. Additional testing services have been set up by HIV Prevention England, and free home test kits can be ordered from the Terrence Higgins Trusts at tht.org.uk/itstartswithme. Last year’s National HIV Testing Week saw a significant increase in the number of HIV tests performed at GUM clinics, and it is hoped this year’s week will have built upon this success.

It is estimated that up to a quarter of all people living with HIV are completely unaware of their infection, and these people risk unknowingly passing the virus on to others if they have unprotected sex. The longer the virus is left untreated, the more havoc it can wreak with the body, cutting the survival chances of infected individuals.

Early treatment can dramatically improve life expectancies, allowing people who are diagnosed with HIV today to live normal-length lives without ever experiencing the onset of AIDS—the terminal stage of the disease. It is hoped that by encouraging early diagnosis through testing, the campaign will help reduce the spread of the disease and allow those already infected to begin treatment.

The campaign is especially relevant in Manchester, which last year had the highest number of HIV cases anywhere in the country outside of London. Manchester further had the highest number of new cases and the highest levels of infection via dirty needles used for injecting drugs of any city in the North West of England.

14 per cent of these new cases—the equivalent of two every week—were in young people aged 15 – 24. The two groups targeted by the campaign together make up around three quarters of all new HIV cases. Gay and bisexual men are particularly at risk, accounting for half of all new cases, and as many as one in 17 gay and bisexual men nationwide are believed to be infected with HIV.

Manchester Campaigns Bazaar: ‘Local Activism in the Age of Austerity’

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

The Greater Manchester Campaigns Bazaar which took place last Thursday was an opportunity for campaign and community groups from across Manchester to get together in one space and to build their profile and gain support.

The Bazaar showcased just how many diverse campaign groups exist and are taking action across Manchester.

The night, organised by Manchester Mule, introduced guests to groups such as: Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition, Manchester Living Wage Campaign and World Development Movement, to name just a few.

University of Manchester student societies were also involved with campaign groups such as: Save Our NHS Manchester, Manchester Young Greens and Living Wage campus campaign.

The main event of the night however was the panel debate, titled ‘What’s Left? Local Activism in the Age of Austerity’.

On the panel chaired by Kevin Gopal, editor of The Big Issue in the North was Women’s Officer Jess Lishak, Stephen from World Development Movement, Steve from Salford Star and Penny Hicks from the Manchester People’s Assembly against Austerity.

The panel explored the state of local and national activism, questioning first whether they were optimistic about the state of the campaigns and movements against austerity and cuts.

This led to a discussion as to whether the plurality of the left wing campaign movement against austerity was a good or bad thing.

The general consensus was that the diversity of the discourses of left wing campaigns is an integral part of the movement.

However Penny Hicks suggested that for the issues raised by the campaigns bazaar to have a real political impact they would have to find some form of unity on one or two key issues.

Penny celebrated the fact that so many students are showing solidarity with strikes and campaign action across Manchester. She commented that it was a new thing and should be replicated, the unity of movements should spread.

The panel also debated, in response to a question from the floor, the role that social media plays within this generation of campaigning.

The panel’s consensus was that social media is an essential tool to spread the messages and get people listening, however it cannot be the only tool.

As Steve from the Salford Star highlighted not everyone has access to social media and the mainstream media still holds more credit as a source of information; therefore getting into this media still holds more power.

Finally it was also posed how the panel felt was the best was to get responses from politicians.

Recommendations from the panel included; letter writing, going to local MPs’ surgeries and writing for local newspapers’ ‘views’ sections.

Jess stressed that registering to vote, even if to only spoil the ballot paper, is essential in order to get even recognition from politicians. She argued that no one will listen unless they believe they are accountable to you.

A video of the panel debate will available to view on the Mule website shortly.

“Blame the system, not the victim!”

Written by Jessica Weiss on . Posted in News.

Students from Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester have gathered together to protest against sexual violence towards women.

A march was held to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, a day aimed at highlighting violence against women around the world.

Students marched through both campuses on Tuesday at around 2pm.

The march was also organised in solidarity with Emma Sulkowicz, a University of Colombia student who was raped in her university bedroom during her second year.

In protest to the university’s decision not to expel her rapist after a hearing in which three other victims came forward against her rapist, Sulkowicz began a performance art piece in which she carries her dorm mattress with her wherever she goes.

Sulkowicz will continue her performance art piece until her rapist is expelled.

Her case has led to a media storm in the United States surrounding the sexual harassment and violence on university campuses and in wider society.

78 universities in the United States, including Harvard, are now under investigation for mishandling cases of rape and other cases of sexual violence on their campuses.

Last week The Mancunion reported that Greater Manchester Police have launched a new anti-rape campaign aimed at students. This came after a reported spike in the number of rape cases reported in Fallowfield in comparison to last year.

On average one in every three women will be raped or suffer some form of sexual or physical violence in her lifetime and every nine minutes a woman is raped in the UK.

Zoology student Georgina Lake, one of the protesters, said in regards to the problem of sexual violence, “many don’t realise how many women it affects on a daily basis.”

University of East Anglia protests against tax on sanitary products

Written by Anna Phillips on . Posted in News.

The University of East Anglia Students’ Union will be the first student’s union in the UK to sell sanitary products for no profit after a Union Council motion was passed almost unanimously.

The shop will sell tampons, sanitary towels and mooncups for the same price the university pays to buy them in, which will halve the cost of some items.

The government classes these items as luxury, non-essential items and poses a five per cent VAT on sanitary items, and this boycott aims to minimise the cost of having a period.

The motion, proposed by Women’s Officer Dolly Ogunrinde, was met with applause and passed almost unanimously at UEA’s Union Council.

Dolly said: “It is a disgrace that sanitary products are being taxed at the rate of a ‘luxury item’ when they simply are essentials for so many women. I am proud to say that the University of East Anglia is now selling them at no profit and feel that other Students’ Unions should follow suit!”

The UEA Feminist Society hopes that the move will be the first in a trend among university unions and encourages other unions to join the boycott on taxed essential items.

Committee member Briony Hannell said: “Not only is it financially beneficial to the students that purchase sanitary products on campus but it is also a highly significant symbolic gesture that recognises the harmful implication of the tax.”

She said: “It would be incredible to see other University Unions taking action against the taxation of sanitary products and joining us in recognising that sanitary items shouldn’t be treated as ‘non-essential’.”

Society vice-president and secretary Bee Bishop also said: “Just like we get contraception for free we should be able to get basic health products at an affordable cost, though free would be preferable. People having to pay for having a vagina has gone on too long.”

This also follows a petition set up earlier this year by two students from Goldsmith’s College, University of London who set up a petition calling for George Osbourne to axe the five per cent tax, and the petition has gained almost 50000 signatures.

Graphene Week 2015 will be hosted by the University of Manchester

Written by Elena Losavio on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Manchester is the home of graphene, as it was from here that the first isolated graphene flakes originated in 2004. This discovery has great importance because this new material has a lot of interesting properties and it can be used to develop several revolutionary technologies.

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice. It is the first 2D material ever known and is also the finest one on Earth. Compared to a human hair, it is 1 million times thinner.

It is the strongest known material, harder than diamond and about 200 hundred times stronger than steel. In addition, it is extremely conductive, as well as transparent and impermeable. It can easily take any form you want because it is stretchable and flexible.

These unique properties make it useful in a wide range of fields and industries, such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, energy storage, cooking, paints, communications, solar power, oil and many more.

In recent years, Manchester has been at the centre of this scientific revolution. In 2004 Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov, two researchers at The University of Manchester, discovered the first crystal of graphene, using a very simple but successful method—ordinary Scotch tape.

Since 1859 many scientists were trying to achieve this goal, but without significant results. Andre and Kostya were awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in physics for the importance of their research. This made them the 24th and 25th Nobel Laureates in the university’s history.

Now the University of Manchester has a key role in this field of research. A lot of students and postdocs from all around the world come here to study the properties of graphene and its multiple applications.

Graphene Week 2015 is a great opportunity for the university and for the city of Manchester as well. Hundreds of academics are expected to participate and join the debate about new technologies originating from graphene.

The main annual event of Graphene Flagship, one of the biggest research projects of the European Commission, will be the most important international conference of the week. In the last years it took place eight times in European cities and once in the USA.
During Graphene Week 2015, for the first time the University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute will be opened for visitors.

Speaking at the Graphene Week handover ceremony in its previous host city of Gothenburg, Sweden, Dr Cinzia Casiraghi, Lecturer at The University of Manchester and Chair of Graphene Week 2015, observed: “We feel that with the opening of the National Graphene Institute in spring 2015, it is appropriate to invite the global research community to one of the top institutions for graphene research.

“They will be the first people to see the completed facility, as well as seeing first-hand the leading edge research that is being undertaken at our university.”

James Baker, Business Director of Graphene@Manchester, stated: “It is fitting that such a prestigious event as Graphene Week should be held in Manchester, the home of graphene.

“The conference will follow on from the official opening of the NGI which will be the national hub for graphene research and commercialisation in the UK.”

A considerable economic benefit is foreseen for Manchester, thanks to this international event. It is believed that it will be about £700000.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, added: “We are thrilled that the prestigious Graphene Week 2015 will take place in the city where the material was isolated and we look forward to welcoming scientists from across the world as they share their latest research and discuss emerging applications.”

If anyone wants more information about graphene as a material, about the research project and the University’s policy on this issue, they should visit www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk. Here, more details can be found about events such as Graphene Week 2015 and how to get involved in it.

Black Friday turns Mad Friday with Tesco crime spree

Written by Lauren Gorton on . Posted in News.

Black Friday had a grim start for Tesco chains across Greater Manchester as police were called to seven Tesco stores following disturbances at their ‘Black Friday’ sales events. The chain had been advertising the Black Friday sales and its ‘amazing deals in store and online’ with the tag line ‘limited stock—when it’s gone it’s gone’.

However at 12:40am on Thursday, officers were called to Tesco Extra on Barton Road, Middleton, following reports that around 200 disgruntled shoppers would not leave, despite being told stock had all gone. Doors had been locked but they refused to leave. No arrests were made.

Further, at 11:37pm on Thursday 27th November 2014, officers were called to Tesco Central Park, Wigan after reports of several hundred people trying to enter the store. Two men were ejected before control was regained.

Officers were also called to Tesco on Ashton Road West at 11:40pm yesterday, after more than 500 people attended the store.

The Tesco store at Ellesmere Shopping Centre in Walkden was closed down after a crowd of more than 500 people attended. Shoppers were asked to leave.

The Tesco Extra in Stretford was closed after fights broke out between shoppers trying to get their hands on sale stock. A woman suffered minor injuries after being hit by a falling television and an ambulance was called. The store was closed at 12:36am, just over half an hour after the sales event started.

Shortly after 1:05am on Friday 28th November 2014, police were called to Tesco on Woodrow Way, Salford. One man was arrested on suspicion of assault after his conduct in store was challenged by staff. He threatened to “smash” a staff member’s face in.

Shortly after 12:05am on Friday, police were finally called to Tesco Extra on Stockport Road, Hattersley, following reports of fighting in store. Approximately 300 people were present in store and staff were advised to close. One man was arrested for a public order offence.

Speaking on the early morning incidents Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Peter Fahy, said: “The events of last night were totally predictable and I am disappointed that stores did not have sufficient security staff on duty.

“This created situations where we had to deal with crushing, disorder and disputes between customers.

“It does not help that this was in the early hours when police resources are already stretched.

“Across Greater Manchester large supermarkets already make significant demands on policing through calls to shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and thefts of fuel from their petrol stations—much of which is preventable.

“We just ask these stores to work with us to reduce the demands on policing and reduce the risks of disorder and crime.”

Club: Tribal Sessions presents Boddika

Written by George Scrafton on . Posted in Music.

14th November

Sankeys

9/10

Tribal Sessions & Content’s 5th Anniversary, bolstered by the prestige of the chosen venue Sankeys, attracts a diverse, all-ages crowd ready to hear Boddika’s unique production showcased by the respected master himself. On the night, the Sankeys interior is typically understated but is brought to life by the swampy, techno-heavy sets in the main room and the healthy contrast of disco-house flavoured vibrancy upstairs.

The appearance of the main attraction is preceded first by a series of techno tools primed for elevation. As they are dropped one by one, anticipation builds to palpable levels, pupils dilate and limbs begin to move restlessly and rhythmically in time with the pounding percussive noise. Boddika’s arrival on stage is heralded by his typically trademark sound of murky bass and ruthless driving beats, textured by electro and indebted to the forerunners of the entire dance music spectrum, from garage to breakbeat. As Inner City’s ‘Big Fun’ Detroit synths cut through the pulsating fog of sound during Boddika’s introductory movement, the atmosphere spirals to ecstatic realms.

From behind the decks, the London-based face of cutting-edge orchestrates a barrage of dirge-driven bangers, interrupted occasionally to bring the crowd teases and excerpts of his phenomenal work with fellow experimental vanguard Joy Orbison. As the dark roars of Boddika’s ‘Mercy VIP’ blast through the sound system the crowd screams in appreciation and as the set draws to a close it’s handshakes all round for Boddika and nearby audience members.

Boddika’s current output, amongst that of contemporaries, is aiding experimental dance music’s outreach into new and exciting territory, and on the night, the sound of London’s underground is brought to Manchester with electrifying results.

You don’t have to get them to give them GAP!

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Fashion icon and globally acclaimed director of hits such as ‘Lost in Translation’, Sofia Coppola has directed Gap’s adorable Christmas campaign adverts. Capturing the curious charms of a family Christmas, Coppola has created a series of four short advertisements for the brand.

With the actors wrapped up in Gap’s AW14 collection which consists of warm, stripy staple items that you can wear with anything, one of the films portrays a teenage beauty playing on the pinball machine in a deserted restaurant. Whereas another short film depicts a quintessential Christmas environment with a boy left standing under the mistletoe.

With her beautiful cinematography, Coppola successfully warms the nation’s hearts with these adverts, leaving us longing for snowy, hot chocolate-filled nights, wrapped in (if you are lucky, Burberry) blankets around a warm fire.

The characters all have an idiosyncrasy that leads them to say the tagline “You don’t have to get them to give them GAP”. Gap’s creative Director, Rebekka Bay said that Coppola “helped us to bring our fashion themes to life”. The campaign showcases the brand’s optimistic stripe collection alongside their biker jackets. This collection is more giftable and as Bay says, “More Gap than ever!”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1uS-51cbck

Top 5: Christmas jumpers

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Tis the season to be jolly and what better way to express your festive spirit than with a jazzy Christmas jumper? But if ironic cartoon reindeers and blinding Fair Isle patterns aren’t your bag, the high street has plenty of stylish alternatives.

The Fashion One (Above)

This monochrome sweater is perfect if you’re just too cool and nonchalant for those regular Christmas jumpers. Those snow men and elves are just sooo cliché.

Photo: Asda, £14

The Cute One
What could be cuter than two little Robin Red Breasts? Embrace the festivities and share the Christmas love in what has to be the sweetest knit this season!

Photo: Asos, £35

The Traditional One
You can’t beat a classic, can you? A traditional Fair Isle knit never goes out of style but give it a modern twist with leather trousers and cool silver jewellery.

Photo: Marks and Spencer, £25

The Sparkly One
Trust me on this, I know M&S might be your mum’s retailer of choice but they are unrivalled this season for their selection of glamorous festive knits!

Photo: Missguided, £22.99

The D.I.Y. One
Sadly student flats and budgets don’t accommodate Christmas trees, however there is a solution. Thanks to Missguided all you need is this super-cute jumper for your very own portable tree. And as it comes with a bag of Velcro decorations you can have fun decorating it too!

One piece, three ways

Written by Kassi Allcock on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The countdown to Christmas has begun and party season is almost upon us! Although we’d all love to splash our cash on every sparkly thing that catches our eye, there is a cheaper alternative. Allow yourself to fall in love with one piece, simple and not over the top, so that it’s easy to style in a few different ways. Here is an example of how to have some fun with your festive outfits!
For my base, I have chosen a straightforward yet sophisticated black jumpsuit from Missguided which can easily be styled for every occasion this Christmas.

Option 1:

Photo: Kassi Alcock

Nice and easy, just throw on your favourite Christmas jumper like this one from New Look. This look could be used for a slightly more casual occasion; with the bottom half of the jumpsuit still making the statement that you’ve made an effort. Combined with some tinsel in your hair, or a cheeky Christmas hat, you’ll be the festive spirit of the party!

Option 2:

Photo: Kassi Alcock

If you want to add a pop of colour to your outfit, red is the definitely the direction to take and I love this gilet from Topshop. Faux fur is a popular choice this Christmas, meaning that you can also pick up a less pricey dupe in good ol’ Primark. By pairing this outfit with some blood red heels (and sparkly red jewellery, if you’re feeling brave), this option would be perfect for a formal event.

Option 3:

Photo: Kassi Alcock

The last option that I am going to present you with is a jewellery heavy outfit. Forget the jumper or the jacket – just go hard on those accessories. Whether you want sparkles and glitz or classic and stylish, a piece from your jewellery box such as this statement collar from River Island should add a festive feel to your outfit. Don’t currently own anything appropriate? Just another opportunity to pop down to Primark, leaving you extra spending money for getting royally egg-nogged.

Are you fur real?

Written by Kathryn Murray on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Fur has always been a  talking point in the fashion industry. Not only is it expensive, but many view the slaughter of animals for coats and accessories as cruel and unnecessary. As such a major ethical issue, many people are extremely vocal in denouncing its use, with some  even resorting to violence. Despite this, in a recent UK poll, only 58% of 18–24 year-olds said that they believed it was wrong to use fur compared to 77% of over-55s. This is in stark contrast to three years ago, when 95% of people claimed that they would refuse to wear it. With this increase in acceptance, is the fur industry clawing its way back?

It’s nearly two decades since a crop of supermodels including Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford posed naked in the iconic PETA anti-fur adverts under the slogan “We’d rather go naked than wear fur”. Clearly, celebrities and the media have the power to influence the public. As a result, it is through recent celebrity endorsements that the public are slowly going fur crazy. Public figures such as Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyonce and the Olsen twins have been seen wrapped up in fur making the item desirable. So is it ok to wear fur now? Has the taboo been lifted? Are people no longer outraged by the murder of animals for the sake of fashion?

Over 400 catwalk labels including Tom Ford and Christopher Kane currently use fur in their collections and the global fur market has almost doubled from £5.7 billion to £9.4 billion since the millennium. With demand for real fur on the increase and vintage fur being a coveted collectable, there is no doubt that it is well and truly coming back into fashion.

I should make it clear that I am against the use of fur for clothing. The main issues I have with the fur industry are the inhumane treatment of animals and the use of endangered species. I do not think it is moral or even necessary. However after a little research, I regrettably see where fur advocates are coming from. Humans already kill animals such as rabbits for food…should we waste the fur if people are willing to pay for it? The fur industry also offers thousands of jobs and it has recently been revealed that fur is cheaper to source than the synthetic alternative.

There is an argument  for fur’s environmentally friendly qualities. Fake fur is made from non-renewable petroleum-based products, like nylon, acrylic and polyester, which are then treated with heat and chemicals to improve its look and feel. According to the International Fur Trade Federation, these industrial processes use three times as much non-renewable energy as real fur.

Taking all of this into consideration, I am still firmly against the use of real fur. To be honest, the thought of wearing an animal’s protective layer makes my skin crawl. I find it unnecessary when a more ethical alternative is available to us. There is an abundance of fake fur in every high street shop; earmuffs, mittens, coats, clutch bags, everything you could possibly dream of. Not only is it cheaper, more practical, and more ethical but it looks pretty good too! And no animals were harmed for a trend that will be replaced next year.

Live: Linkin Park

Written by Dinesh Mattu on . Posted in Music.

22nd November

Phones4U Arena

8/10

Generation Y headbangers unite. Californian natives Linkin Park deliver an immense live performance, showing this side of the Atlantic how to melt faces in true nu-metal style.

Their latest release The Hunting Party is a departure from the electronic and progressive sound they experimented with on their previous albums and a throwback to the heavy rock sound we became accustomed to on their debut Hybrid Theory. The set is more extravagant, the lights a little brighter, the anticipation is a bit tentative; unsure what to expect from the gig, the band roll out to a short mashup of flickering noises spanning across their six albums, before getting into a few tracks from the new record.

Songs such as ‘Guilty All The Same’ and ‘Wastelands’ are played back-to-back with songs from their previous five albums, including ‘Blackout’ and ‘Runaway’, and whilst the tour is naturally a promotion of The Hunting Party album, the setlist is scattered with a heavy dosage of familiar material. Material from Hybrid Theory including ‘Points of Authority,’ ‘Papercut’ and ‘One Step Closer’, which are greeted with huge approval from the thousands in the Manchester Arena.

Each member of the band holds their own: turntablist and sampler Joe Hahn gets some limelight in a five-minute solo, scratching and stomping his way through a visually spectacular and sonically impressive performance. The two main vocalists, singer Chester Bennington and the ever-talented rapper/all-round instrumentalist and awesome guy Mike Shinoda are equally as superb. Bennington’s voice is exceptional; his ability to scream his anger through one track then delicately layer his voice on the next is astounding. I’ve waited the best part of seven or eight years to hear his vocals live and his energy is just as infectious as I anticipated.

The set gets a little monotonous if you’re not up-to-date with the new stuff, which takes up a large chunk of the latter half of the show. However Bennington and co. bring back the energy towards the end, dropping some of their biggest hits including ‘In The End’, ‘What I’ve Done’ and the highlight for me, which temporarily rejuvenated my rebellious punk adolescence; the monumental ‘Faint’.

Even though I’m not a rebellious and anger-filled teen any more, witnessing the band live reignited a spark in me that, for a night, took me back to the spotty schoolkid I thought I’d left behind in Year 8, so thanks for that Linkin Park.

Live: Passenger

Written by Amy Forde on . Posted in Music.

19th November

O2 Apollo

8/10

Michael Rosenberg—or Passenger as he is more popularly known—serenaded a packed 02 Apollo on Wednesday night, performing his vast collection of honest and heartfelt music.

The crowd, which was refreshingly free of the squealing teenie-boppers that I was expecting, was warmed up by a rather adorable The Once who livened up the crowd with their authentic folk music.

Humbly taking to the stage, Passenger began with ‘The Wrong Direction’, well-known from his hit album All the Little Lights and a true taster to his lyrical wit. Flowing through other songs with quirky anecdotes and banter with the lively crowd, his introduction to ‘Riding to New York’ was a truly moving story, his performance silencing the hall into a communal humility.

The core of the set I felt began with his rendition of the famous ‘Sound of Silence’; with a blaring white light behind him, the silhouetted figure gave the tranquil song a layer of intensity and, in that classic way that only true artists can do, made the song very much his own.

Quite unexpectedly that beautiful riff which begins ‘Let Her Go’ followed with no introduction. A song that carries so much emotion I found myself embarrassingly wiping a tear from my face whilst swallowing back a bigger outburst. This track, which Passenger admitted only took him 45 minutes to write, is an instant classic; it’s the sort of song that reaches out of the radio and immediately halts conversation.

After possibly the best, football-chanting style encore I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of, Passenger admitted that he had pondered: “What happens when ‘Let Her Go’ is not on the radio anymore?” Yet he showed through his truly down-to-earth nature that this does not really matter; his genuine love for making music should surpass any need or want for an overriding commercial success.

Album: Neil Young – Storytone

Written by Matthew Staite on . Posted in Music.

Released 3rd November

Warner Bros. Records

5/10

Neil Young’s 35th album is certainly an interesting one. Storytone contains two discs; one of Neil performing the album solo; the other consisting of the same songs yet this time backed by a 92-piece orchestra or jazz big band (talk about extravagant). To put this experiment in duality simply, some of it works, and some of it doesn’t.

Romantic opening track ‘Plastic Flowers’ is a classic demonstration of Neil’s knack for good song writing, even its lyrics do sound like they are written by a passionate adolescent rather than a man approaching his 70s. ‘Who’s Gonna Stand Up’ is Neil’s attempt at a modern day environmental protest song. However its calls for listeners to “stand up and save the earth,” by protesting against fracking and fossil fuel extraction, just seem a little hollow. They are especially weak when the track following it is called ‘I Want To Drive My Car’, and is truly the most naff song on the album. Both ‘Glimmer’ and ‘Say Hello to Chicago’ feel very middle of the road in relation to Neil’s impressive past output. Thankfully, this is where the second disk saves the day, as the big band backing on ‘Say Hello to Chicago’ blasts the track full of life. The backing band, thankfully, also save the day with ‘When I Watch You Sleeping’, and ‘Like You Used To’ (a song you can’t help but connect to with Young’s recent divorce to his wife of 36 years).

Storytone picks up towards its end with ‘I’m Glad I Found You’, my personal favourite song on the album. Its beautiful sweeping orchestral sections serve their purpose of heightening the songs emotiveness. Seeing as the tracks rarely work on their own AND with backing, you wonder whether it was worth making this a double album (of sorts). Whether it works or not, it’s certainly interesting to see both sides of the story. The last year has been an interesting year for Young; he became a tech entrepreneur, had his second book published, released an album of lo-fi covers with Jack White, and divorced his wife (and subsequently has found a new girlfriend a month later). The fairly average Storytone feels like it may get lost in all this commotion.

Live: Deer Tick

Written by Samuel Higgins on . Posted in Music.

17th November

O2 Apollo

7/10

Rhode Island five-piece received—and was deservedly appreciated by—a packed Manchester crowd. Being up in the rafters of the O2 Apollo was by no means an exclusion from the highly charged atmosphere created by John, Ian, Chris, Dennis and Rob of alternative rock band Deer Tick. Playing support act to notorious rockers The Gaslight Anthem, this particular half-hour set saw character, laughter and ample amounts of ear-busting rock.

With an undeniable foot-tapping effect reverberating round the iconic Manchester venue, numbers ‘Easy’, ‘Ashamed’ and ‘Main Street’ went down a storm with the band feeding off the committed reception of those in attendance.

Whilst generally a flawless gig, there were times between the bridge of tunes where excessive lead guitar pieces detracted from the cohesion of the rest of the band with focus altering to the antics of the performer rather than the quality of the music. Whilst not necessarily a criticism, clearer queues of transition from one tune to another would have provided greater clarity for newcomers to the band, as confusion could be seen on many a face as to when one song had finished and another had begun.

Nothing of note to write about concerning technical aspects. Basic lighting and speakers cracked up to the max, arguably all a music lover needs to enjoy the show.

No doubt Deer Tick prospered in the role of support act, leaving the crowd primed and ready for a knockout performance by The Gaslight Anthem, touring their new album Get Hurt. All in all, a fun, enjoyable night.

Live: …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead

Written by Henry Scanlan on . Posted in Music.

16th November

The Ruby Lounge

9/10

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead have a reputation (and ominous band name) that precedes them. They break shit and anyone attending a gig of theirs, whether knowingly or not, is bound in an unspoken contract that acknowledges this fact. White trainers and smart phones may not leave in the pristine condition in which they arrived. Trail of Dead don’t mean to cause any harm, but when they fly off the handle, collateral damage is part of the deal.

Frontman Conrad Keely begins with an apology for their previous appearance in Manchester at Deaf Institute. “We’ve got violent memories here in Manchester. I’d like to apologise for our last gig at Deaf Institute. Things got… out of hand.” A half-hearted sentiment perhaps—are they really sorry? “Tonight, we’ll play until the instruments explode.” I guess not then.

Making no more bones about it, Keely launches into ‘Ode to Isis’ and ‘A Million Random Digits’, two muscular tracks from their reliably heavy new album IX. The crowd don’t totally warm up until the opening chords of ‘Totally Natural’, for which they go Totally Fucking Ape. Soon the air feels like vapour and that annoying pillar in the middle of Ruby Lounge has become a tool for refuge from the moshpit (and a place to lean).

The crowning centrepiece of the pit is a shirtless man with hair down to his waist, windmilling his locks in a three-metre radius about him. Elsewhere, a woman heroically crowdsurfs to the bar to order a beer, while on stage Keely mercilessly destroys at least three guitars. This gig has hit its stride. Then, an impossibly perfect moment midway through the thunderous ‘Homage’: someone starts blowing bubbles in the centre of the moshpit. A dozen delicate little balls of light drift into the airspace, floating above an anarchic mass of flailing arms and contorting bodies. I can think of no better visual snapshot of Trail of Dead’s music: glints of beauty emanating from a fury of chaotic noise.

The band’s current tour appears to be about bringing the chaos back to their live shows, which means a simple, exhilarating formula of build-up/freak out/repeat, but the craftsmanship on show in classics such as ‘How Near, How Far’ and ‘Claire de Lune’ is a reminder that Trail of Dead are about so much more than the volume. I’m normally loathe to giving too much credence to the snobs over at Pitchfork Media, but the notoriously rare ‘10.0’ rating they gave to Source Tags & Codes in 2002 speaks for itself.

After nine albums and 14 years of bad behaviour, …And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead have become a cult unto themselves. I’m a member, and you should be too. Just don’t jump ship when it gets a little loud.

Live: Barrence Whitfield & The Savages

Written by Elizabeth Rushton on . Posted in Music.

16th November

Sound Control

7/10

After two support acts who displayed a disappointing and total lack of variety and range in their songs, Barrence Whitfield & The Savages brought a welcome mix of blues, soul and rock’n’roll to the stage. The band is currently touring a string of dates around the country following last year’s release of their album Dig Thy Savage Soul, their first since 1995. However, their musical cohesion and chemistry made it look like they’ve never been away. Barrence’s powerful vocals and sense of fun in his performance shone through the best in such soulful numbers as ‘You Told a Lie’ and their cover of soul legend Lee Moses’ ‘I’m Sad About It’. Opener ‘Bip Bop Bip’ is classic 1950s rock’n’roll with extra kick, while ‘Willie Meehan’ had distinctly punkish flavours.

There was a satisfying blend of music from throughout the band’s career, including tracks such as the blues-rock crossover ‘Bloody Mary’, written by bassist Phil Lenker, which featured on their very first album in 1985. The closing track ‘Walking with Barrence’, which hails from the band’s sessions in 2010 when they reunited for a new album, is five minutes of pure blues fun, and is a worthy conclusion to the evening’s entertainment.

Unfortunately the enthusiasm of the performance was neither fully rewarded or met by the crowd, who consistently disobeyed Barrence’s command to dance and sweat a little, and the number of people in the room seems to drop slightly as the night goes on—quite surprising, given that the majority of the audience seemed to be made up of dedicated fans the band have accumulated over their 30-year career, as opposed to curious newcomers. Despite the huge enjoyment all the band members were clearly getting out of the music, they fell just short of recreating the magic, common at gigs in such tiny venues as Sound Control.

Opinion: Bob Geldof – Should He Give Up, Or Should He Just Keep Chasing Payments?

Written by Stephen Miller on . Posted in Music.

When Sky News presenter Jayne Secker aired suggestions from critics on social media that if some, or rather most, of the musicians who recorded the Band Aid 30 single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ paid their taxes in the right way, this sort of single wouldn’t need to be made, Bob Geldof’s rather colourful response was to suggest that they were talking “bollocks.” What Geldof took as chastising victimisation, Secker highlighted a perfectly valid and legitimate point, but seemingly all discussions about ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ have been centred on these political and moral contexts, which should always be treated with the greatest respect, consideration and sensitivity. However, as this is an opinion article, this is what I have to say:

While it may be all good and well for Geldof to retort “bollocks this” and “bollocks that” to any form of criticism, constructive or not, he just does not seem to be taking any of it on board. Time, they say, is the greatest gift a person can give, but what Geldof is asking for is not our time, he’s asking for our money. If we say no and don’t buy the song, do we therefore not care? Of course we care. Giving money to a worthy charitable cause isn’t necessarily the issue, as we Brits, generally speaking, are a very generous bunch. The issue I have is the pretence and hypocrisy from Geldof and co. that have finally poked and prodded our conscience to question why we should hand over our money on the demands of a man worth an estimated £32m.

I for one feel rather uneasy handing over my hard-earned money, especially as a working student, because multi-millionaire singers happened to give up a few hours of their time on a weekend to record a song that still isn’t right at the third attempt.

In West Africa, where the Ebola epidemic is concentrated, a different song is gaining attention. Some of West Africa’s most famous musicians have joined together to make their own Ebola appeal song, ‘Africa Stop Ebola’, with profits going to Médecins Sans Frontières, the non-governmental humanitarian aid organisation who have been on the front line since the outbreak started earlier this year. The lyrics of the song are meant to educate Africans about the disease, as opposed to Band Aid’s ‘one song fits all humanitarian crises’ model.

Band Aid seems to portray the whole of Africa as a place where the only bells you hear are those of doom and despair, so while the initial idea to bring out the song, again, is commendable, scratching beneath the surface reveals how trivial and out of touch with the crisis it actually is. The debates about Band Aid haven’t focused on the Ebola crisis, instead, the petty side dramas have grabbed the headlines, most notably the dispute between Geldof and Adele, who perhaps quite rightly, didn’t take part in the recording, instead choosing to make a charitable donation on her own terms. The Band Aid crew need to put their money where their mouths are and follow suit.

Opinion: Why Don’t We Give A Funk About Being Innovative Any More?

Written by Stephen Miller on . Posted in Music.

Why did jazz become such a popular genre in the 20s? Why was rock and roll such a phenomenon in the 50s? You can explore any definable era in the history of popular music, and the answer will be the same: innovation. I view music as a kind of sonic tapestry, with genres seamlessly woven together over a period of time. When I say ‘innovation’, I don’t mean to say that jazz just ‘happened’ out of the blue, something is always cherry-picked from one genre and developed into something new, wonderful, and arguably better. Rap and dubstep, in my view, are exceptions to the rule.

Earlier this month, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars teamed up to release ‘Uptown Funk’, a brilliant throwback to the funk of the 70s that is one of the best tracks of the year. Inevitably, it will end up at the top of the charts—there or thereabouts—but have we got to a stage where we no longer have any interest in finding the next big musical innovation? Our obsession for the past seems to be stifling our desire to take the risk with something new; instead we’re more than happy to remain in our nostalgic comfort zone. Meghan Trainor’s ‘All About That Bass’ is an annoyingly catchy hit that reached number one in the UK charts in early October, but it’s a song built on a 50s R&B and doo-wop framework. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course, but it is rather worrying that artists seem to be looking backwards instead of forwards for commercial success.

Our very own Madchester movement was new and refreshing. The quality of music may not have been particularly good, but it was innovative and it paid off (at the time). Arguably, it was the last geographically-specific music scene in the UK to have a relatively lengthy period of mainstream success. We’re now living in the age of the boyband and production line X Factor singers. Musical innovations, that more often than not are born from small-scale underground scenes, have been kept out of the monopolised mainstream for so long that there’s a genuine fear that they won’t get back in again.

There seem to have been more visual innovations than sonic ones in recent years. Lady Gaga springs to mind; she’s tried her best to be shocking but somehow even by dressing herself in slabs of meat and sparkling lights (not necessarily at the same time), it feels more reminiscent of the shock rockers of the past, such as David Bowie and Alice Cooper.

Modern musicians have a Polaroid obsession in an Instagram world. It isn’t their fault, nor is it our fault. The mainstream music industry militates against change and forward thinking. The charts have become so one-dimensional that innovative ideas and aspirations are either repelled or reduced to spending the duration of their creative output in the underground scenes from which they were created.

Interview: Little Dragon

Written by Alyssa Vongapai on . Posted in Music.

Swedish group Little Dragon are definitely not one of those one-hit wonder synth-pop bands. They’ve come back with Nabuma Rubberband, nearly three years since their breakthrough album Ritual Union. Not only do they possess the Swedish style, they have upped their ante with their new album by being more musically experimental and magical. It consists of rigid electronic beats, melted R&B and is anchored with addictive sweet vocals. Their band name came from their front woman’s nickname ‘Little Dragon’ because she had a little temper in her sometimes when recording.

I spoke to their humble and cool bassist, Fred, about their collaborations with big names such as SBTRKT, DJ Shadow and Gorillaz. Their collaboration with SBTRKT “was a happy coincidence.” He thinks “the outcome” is what makes a good collaboration and he feels that as a band they are continually collaborating with each other as individuals. I asked Fred if they could collaborate with anyone dead or alive, who it would be: “We might have said Jimi Hendrix previously, but I don’t know, it’s kind of tricky to collaborate, so maybe a producer, someone like Brian Eno, would be interesting.” Sweden tends to spout out great musicians, and Little Dragon are definitely counted amongst those. Fred explained that they are “still kind of underground in Sweden.”

There’s no doubt that Little Dragon are an integral part of the current dance culture, and they have been pushing its boundaries with an injection of slow burners. Fred has always had a passion for dance music; I asked him what kind of dance music he is into: “I am into dark techno. I like the current Berlin sound a lot… Neil Landstrumm… so many names—so hard to remember.”

Nabuma Rubberband has been inspired by “Janet Jackson slow jams,” that front woman Yukimi Nagon used to listen to whilst wandering around Gothenburg in the winter. I discussed with Fred what they wanted their next album to sound like: “I want it to sound really banging.” I asked him if he wanted it to sound more techno: “We’ve been thinking about making an EP or something with more dancey stuff, but we’ve never really conceptualised stuff before so it’s hard to see what kind of stuff comes out, maybe it can be a ballad album.” I jokingly suggested maybe doing a half-techno and half-ballad album. He laughed and said: “Maybe an 8-hour techno song, and 30 minutes ballad.” I asked him if he had any inspiration already for the future album: “You tend to pick up small things from different artists, when you travel, you just want to listen to music you can relax to like Brian Eno or something like jazz music, a bit of Miles Davis, great artists like Nils Frahm and Max Richter.”

I asked him one of the most annoying questions you can ask someone, but it’s interesting and makes you think hard! The question was: “What song would you bring with you if you were stuck in a desert island?” After a long and hard thought he said: “I’m going to be smart and bring something that can grow on me and be a record I can experience stuff with…” Whilst pondering he asked me what I would bring, I responded with Jon Hopkins—Immunity, which still feels like the album of the year for me. Fred has sick taste; he agreed that Jon Hopkins is sick and then decided that “maybe dance music would be good ‘cause it keeps up the spirit, I’m going to bring Shed.”

Little Dragon are in the midst of a string of sold out shows. “Sometimes if we have time we see some DJs—but we mainly do that when we have time off. You’re on a different spirit or mode when you are touring, and so you are in a working mode so it’s hard to let go and rave for hours, but sometimes we get to catch some good DJs. The last DJ they saw was Skrillex in a festival in Las Vegas: “He played after us, it’s not really my cup tea.” I could have guessed that someone that likes Shed wouldn’t really like Skrillex.

Finally I asked him what he thinks the meaning of life is, if there is one: “I would say to enjoy it to the fullest—that could mean so many different things.”

Little Dragon are definitely a band to watch out for. They will always excite us with their dreamy vocals, slow-burners and heart-pounding electronic beats.