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Month: April 2015

Club: Selective Hearing presents Robert Hood & Sunil Sharpe

24th April

Salford Warehouse Location

8/10

After unfortunate circumstances forced Robert Hood to pull out of Selective Hearing’s party back in December, Manchester has been patiently awaiting this rescheduled appearance. Patience is a virtue, and after four months of such righteous behaviour it was only fair that the revellers tonight rewarded themselves with some debauchery at the altar of the techno god.

The delay also conveniently allowed time for the completion of a new tailor made warehouse space in Salford that plays host tonight. With the December party planned to take place in Sankeys this is a marked upgrade – the eye-watering drinks prices are the same but the system is banging so no complaints.

Sunil Sharpe is pushing the Void speakers to their limit as I arrive at midnight. The Dublin DJ warms up for Mr. Hood expertly, driving energy levels upwards with the relentless kick of Slam’s ‘Catacoustics’ and Ben Sims’s throbbing remix of ‘Anipintiros #5’.

Then up steps Robert Hood – one of the few people capable of looking snappy in a pair of Beats by Dre headphones – and the repressed energy of four months waiting explodes within the crowd. He is everything a DJ should be: crafting a set of slick grooves and thumping beats, finding that perfect balance where the impact of high points of euphoria are propelled by the darker moments underpinning them. Drawing for Richie Hawtin’s ‘Spastik’ floods the room with rolling percussion, building a tension that is unleashed as the funk fuelled ‘We Magnify His Name’ comes in. Hands rise to the gospel vocals in a mood akin to religious fervour, dancers become disciples celebrating a master at work.

Calling that set a tough act to follow is an understatement, but Selective Hearing parties are not ones to peter out. Their roster of residents always ensure top to bottom strength on every bill, showcased tonight by recent addition Cleric’s closing set. His selections are minimal but atmospheric: the synths of UVB’s ‘Mixtion’ creep through the room before the stripped down percussive loop of ‘Rave (Dirt mix)’ keeps the room pounding until curfew.

Here’s to the next time Robert Hood graces Manchester; I’m waiting patiently.

Live: Jam City

24th April

Soup Kitchen

5/10

The transition from jagged, bare-bones production to brooding, woozy song-writing was never going to be a smooth one. Despite Jam City aka Jack Latham’s claims that there were clear signs for this being the logical next step in his music, the release of ‘Unhappy’ last October – with its jangly guitars and politically charged vocals – being greeted with widespread bemusement tells another story.

His second album Dream A Garden has some remarkable high-points, but ultimately it seems a little intermediate. A producer making an evolutionary movement along the sonic food-chain, but not quite being at the stage of the assured and fully-formed apex predator.

The signs of a disenchanted fan base are present tonight: last time Jam City performed at Soup Kitchen in November 2013 he played an all night long DJ set to a sold out crowd; tonight his live set draws a modest attendance of barely quarter capacity. Or maybe that’s just the nature of live gigs vs. club nights in electronic music?

Either way, the live show feels undercooked. Opening with sampled news bites detailing events on the “streets of London” amongst throbbing bass notes, the political message is lost amongst the underwhelming performance. Dream A Garden highlight ‘Crisis’ is stunted by untidy arrangement; Latham hangs off the microphone, knees bent, with the actions of an emotive frontman, but the sounds produced are hazy and unengaging – the audience’s decision to hang back around the outskirts of the venue reflecting this.

Write Jam City off at your peril however, I have full faith he can pull off this new direction. Latham already has one seminal album under his belt, this live show is just a step on the way to his next.

Opinion: Profit, Politics & Principles – How They Don’t Mix

The music industry is arguably one of the most secretive and difficult businesses to break into and survive in, and from the outside at least, appears to be a power struggle between two groups, one championing art and the other profit, but is this really the case?

The catalyst for raising this question is Sankeys’ recent sacking of long-running Tribal Sessions resident Darius Syrossian, a DJ who identifies himself as someone who is all about the music, and the people who travel miles to see him play it. Scrolling through Facebook the other day it was surprising to see a post from Sidney Charles, one of the 3 Sankeys Tribal Sessions residents, saying that he and Santé, firm friends and colleagues of Darius, would not be playing any more shows at any of the Sankeys venues in support of him, coining the hash tag #BROSOVEREUROS to help convey the message. The statement was measured and diplomatic, but definitely draws a moral line in the sand regarding what the present focus of the music industry is, and puts forward the question of control—is it with the artists or the promoters?

You would think that the two factions would typically have different goals. On one side, the ambition of making music that excites and causes listeners to connect with the artist, and on the other, the objective of profiting from people’s desire to experience that connection. In recent years, however, the lines between the art and the business have been blurred. In not too subtle a way, the finger can be pointed squarely at the business-driven culture surrounding artists such as the self styled “hardest working man in music” Steve Aoki, and others including David Guetta and Afrojack, to name a few who truly embody the definition of ‘commercial’ in Commercial Dance Music. As a result of this, you can see why it is attractive for some promoters have artists on their rosters who have goals aligned with their own, and aim to make Euros over supporting their Bros. This definitely breeds a profit-driven culture, and enables the dubious politics that come with generating revenue in an industry that’s primary output is considered an art.

With this in mind, recent events really make me wonder whether the goals of some artists and promoters have become so misaligned that they can no longer work together to deliver music to the fans that really want to hear it. Was Darius Syrossian sacked, as he claims, for caring and standing up for the fans that travel to see him, or did his principles no longer match the goals of Sankeys, and as they allege, cause conflicts? Unfortunately, the unique way that PR works means that we’ll probably never know for sure.

If anything though, the whole debacle makes me thankful for the smaller independent, ‘underground’ promoters that we have in abundance in Manchester, whose focus is absolutely on bringing people the artists that they love, and making just enough money to keep the lights on so that they can do it again. At a risk of touching a nerve, if championing the underground means getting the show the artist wants to deliver, instead of the most profitable one, then long live the underground.

Interview: Josef Salvat

When I first met Josef Salvat I had already read articles about him, watched a couple of performances on YouTube and checked his clicks on Spotify. Let’s say I had an idea of Mr Salvat in my mind; a young man on the rise who seems to have his shit together—and does the music in that one Canon advert. I can officially confirm: He’s nice.

After meeting me we immediately sat down to talk. I sipped my beer, his drink of choice was tea—foreshadowing of a no excess mentality. Mr Salvat was born and raised in Australia, where he studied Law until eventually deciding to move to the UK. What for? For the simple reason of music! Josef explained that he has been doing music for as long as he can remember and named Amy Winehouse, Florence Welch, Mark Ronson and Rich Cooper as his major influences. In order to create the style of music he wanted, Josef argued, London is the place to be. Whereas upside down, apparently, is not. Fair enough.

While I was smooth talking him in the green room of the Soup Kitchen, the venue slowly filled up—with both people and tension. It was the second time he played in Manchester, so I tried to bring up some trivia into our conversation: The Soup Kitchen is opposite the Koffee Pot, namely the place where The Smiths used to hang out. In various interviews Josef has been compared to Morrissey (I am not a fan of stale comparisons, but I’d add that he looks a bit like Joaquin Phoenix’s younger, more stable brother). Because of that I had to ask him what he thinks about the Morrissey connection, and potentially annoy this charming man. However he laughed and said he does not particularly like him; there were far important musical mentors in his life which are mentioned above—though he appreciates what Manchester gave to his music history, of course. His bottom line was “The streets feel good here.”

So what is his general approach towards making music? One approach could be this: If you image-search Josef Salvat you will see a certain type of ‘corporate identity’. The face in press photos is blank, malleable. The type of self-assured face you can project things onto. The type of face that’s lived a lot but remains weirdly serene. So I asked if he tried to create a stage persona that differentiated from the private Josef Salvat. He grinned again and said: “This is just the part of me that makes music. But I wouldn’t say never.” A perfect example of keeping it simple.

So how does he get to know new music? Well, as it turns out he is not a great fan of Soundcloud, which one wouldn’t expect to hear from an artist in 2015. His channels are mainly YouTube and friends and everything in-between. As he was talking I looked at the wooden table in front of us. On it was ginger tea and orange juice. Unfortunately no booze was going on here, nothing exciting to write about. Just a nice talk with a man who apparently takes sobriety very seriously on stage. This sobriety would later be channeled into intense dancing spasms in the vein of Ian Curtis.

In Your Prime is his most recent EP, including his cover of Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’. Josef told me that the EP was a collection of material he’d recorded over the last eight years. Songs and riffs he wrote a while ago, mixed with mint new stuff. His music, and especially his EP are part of an idea he described as “my music express[ing] life in the context of sometimes bittersweet songs.” It is supposed to be a little journey through life.

Josef is a really nice young man, who, by the way, did not get rich by making music for the Canon advert. Maybe he will when he releases his new album, which, according to the man himself, should be out by September 2015.

Summer shoe edit

Let’s start simple—the classic ballet pump. Definitely not too adventurous, and a safe option for any foot-o-phobes out there. I’m sure that most of us already own a staple pair of black pumps that we can wear all year round; summer gives us the chance to branch out and really make our shoes the focus of our outfit. With a current obsession with all things metallic (please tell me I’m not alone here…), these beautiful silver ballet flats are a definite must have for your summer shoe wardrobe.

Topshop, £26

Continuing with the metallic look, these gold tassel loafers are another necessity for the coming months. Loafers are the ultimate multi-purpose shoes—they can dress up an outfit and are even appropriate for a job interview, but their androgynous appeal means they can also be used to dress down an outfit. Worn with a pair of ripped skinny black jeans and a classic white tee, you will look the epitome of simplistic style.

Asos, £32

If you’re lucky enough to be going on an overseas escape, you’ll be in need of some good old-fashioned flip-flops or sandals. Although they’re generally worn for comfort and ease more than fashion, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t trade in your Primarni pair for something a bit more upmarket. These brown leather sandals are simple, yet much more aesthetically pleasing—they’re especially amazing for all of us that despise having a plastic thong separating our toes.

Zara, £19.99

Although sandals are the perfect shoe when on vacation, not everybody is comfortable with that amount of foot exposure whilst still here in England. Want to show off your pedicure in the Summer sun without going the full monty? Try this gorgeous pair of open-toed sandals instead, revealing just the right amount of foot. Sporting a weather-appropriate shade of coral, I have definitely just added this pair to my ASOS wish-list. Who am I kidding? Somebody give me the nudge to press ‘buy’…

Asos, £22

Club: RBMA presents Industrial City Sounds

17th April

Sankeys

7/10

Sankeys hosted a big night on the Friday of the Red Bull Music Academy tour; ‘Industrial City Sounds’ featured world renowned DJs including Surgeon and Mr. Techno innovator/legend Derrick May.

Having never been to Sankeys before and being warned by friends that I might not like it, I didn’t know what awaited me there. Perhaps booming bass drums, night owls staring with dilated pupils at the DJ’s podium – just a bog-standard techno night? But it was Derrick MayDay on the table, so it shouldn’t be, not when he’s been DJing for more years than I’ve been alive and involved in techno since its bloody birth.

So there he was: this 50+ year old master taking over the record player, pulling out a vinyl (keep it real!), not playing any oldies, not wearing a beige cardigan and suddenly bouncing madly with his head as he touched the mixer. High energy levels rose and were pulsating from the mixer over to Derrick over to the crowd; I spied one old raver dressed up in baggies shuffling as he reminisced about old Madchester.

Derrick May is truly a master of his craft, beatmatching songs within seconds and neither caring to use his headphones too long nor being helped by any visual aids as the generic spasming laptop DJ would do to create the impression he was busy. But May certainly was busy, using the knobs creatively, muting whole bars of songs to create a tearing discomfort, then relieving us with some banging Detroit four-to-the-floor.

He is not your ordinary 50 year old, at least he tried hard not to be – maybe a little too hard. His set was composed of contemporary underground techno, with industrial pounding, dark minimal synths creating an image of an abandoned dystopian city – Detroit, maybe? He didn’t play any classics, leading to some disgruntlement amongst the old school techno heads in attendance. Only small bits of soul diva vocals, lush deep synths and jazzy riffs reminded us of his musical heritage and created some warmth and emotion, which made the audience cheer and want to shake his hands.

The rest of the night was about going mad to tribal rhythms chosen by this futuristic shaman, and everyone tried to participate in this ritual. But I wouldn’t say his set created any ecstasy or euphoria within the crowd. Maybe his trademark sound wasn’t bog-standard enough. As he ended his set, however, he left a deep impression on me when he sat down next to the table unmoved, facing the wall, meditating, seemingly redeemed by nothing else but the hi-tech rhythms.

Club: RBMA presents Zed Bias & Friends

18th April

Antwerp Mansion

8/10

The line-up for the RBMA tour night ‘Zed Bias & Friends’ read more like a call to arms of stalwart Mancunian names in garage, house and techno. Hosted in the unique atmosphere of Antwerp Mansion, the venue had undergone a Red Bull themed makeover; the Mansion presented itself in its Sunday best with plenty of light screens adorning the peeling wallpaper and an impressively clear sound system.

After hanging up his headphones from DJing, Zed Bias returns with a new live show performing material from his extensive back catalogue, including latest album Boss. The first half of his set seems a little stagnant with the upstairs becoming borderline overcrowded and classic tracks such as ‘Music Deep Inside’ seeming to lose the subtlety that makes them so great. However, heading into the second half of the set the atmosphere picks up quickly with tracks such as ‘Flamm’ and ‘Tug’ feeling just as dynamic with the live reworking, drawing vibrant movement in the crowd. Finishing with a “live rewind” of Tessela’s ‘Hackney Parrot’ ends the set on an exceptionally high note, leaving a feeling that Zed Bias could have done with an extra half an hour considering he was the headline act.

Paleman takes to the decks downstairs, putting in a solid tech-house mix with a more party atmosphere than upstairs. Duo Akkord follow up Paleman with their signature blend of techno infused jungle, footwork and UK bass. Akkord prove to be a solid gem of the night with members Synkro and Indigo seamlessly playing back-to-back, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

Zed Bias & Friends played out as a fantastic night, but with the sheer amount of local talent on the itinerary – each able to headline in their own right – nothing else could be expected. Despite the small issues – blocked toilets and overcrowding on the dancefloor being the main culprits – nothing dampened the vibe on this excellent night.

Club: RBMA presents Wax Works

19th April

B.Eat Street

8/10

Aligned with Record Store Day, B.Eat Street hosted the Red Bull Music Academy event Wax Works, dedicated to vinyl-philes (if that’s not a word yet, it should be) with a number of acts performing on their turntables. Amongst those spinning sets were DJ Jazzy Jeff and PRhyme, consisting of hip hop producer extraordinaire DJ Premier aka Premo and rapper Royce Da 5’9.

As Royce Da 5’9 said himself on stage, it took him considerable amounts of personal growth alongside the development of his skills to finally make Premier his DJ. The hip hop legends have collaborated in the past (‘Boom’ in 1999) and now they are back together. Entering the stage they brought the old-school energy back, addressing the audience like church preachers commanding the admiration of the believers. It’s all about good old call-and-response to get a hip hop crowd moving (“Amen!”).

The duo started their one-hour set with some songs from their new eponymous album, characterised by the laidback beats of Premo, but with a more vintage sound. Premo incorporated samples by Adrian Younge (mostly 60’s organs and strings) into the mix, whilst Royce unleashed rhymes that demanded respect with their mastery of wordplay and their realness (“more squares in your radio than in waffles”). I almost feared it might be a self-celebrating event of their maintaining of “keeping it real” with a constant sound throughout the years – but this proved unfounded. After promoting their new album with only three songs, they began to take the piss out of themselves. A fun atmosphere was created by playing games such as a DJ-Rapper interview, where the DJ answers with scratching vocal sample. Another took the form of a sample-recognition game with the audience, where the original sample is played and then made into a beat – all live, of course!

These old hands showcased almost every skill they had within an hour, ranging from scratching to flow variations to creating beats from scratch. They also incorporated a guest act Kid Vishis to perform the art of battle rap without beat backing.

Although I felt this show might be interchangeable and not very personal, this changed when they shared what this tour really meant for them. Royce recounted staying sober for 5 years and dedicating his time to refining his techniques; Premo dedicated the tour to his deceased partner Guru from Gang Starr. For an audience who demanded old-school this was a nostalgic trip back to the golden age of hip hop.

What does your ASOS order history say about you?

What was the first thing you bought online? Back in 2009 mine was a pink and red polkadot bikini. This pre-holiday emergency buy was only thrown out last summer when after a good few years of service and a long stint of lounging in my underwear drawer, the elastic finally gave up.

If you’re as much of a clothes nerd as me you might well remember precisely which item it was that first inspired you to click buy, to type in your details and wait excitedly for the parcel of digital dreams come true to be delivered into your arms. But if not, your ASOS order history is here to help. I am assuming, that as the first of its kind, the online affordable fashion retailing giant will be where most people first went clothes shopping in cyberspace.

Yesterday I bought a new pair of sunglasses from ASOS (well two actually, I need to try before I buy!) and while checking that my order had gone through I noticed my list of previous buys and my curiosity was piqued. Except for the polka dot bikini which I knew was my first, I couldn’t call to mind any of the other items I had purchased during my nearly six years as a serious online shopper. So I settled myself on the sofa and took a sartorial step back in time.

To my surprise, I found it was a strangely emotional experience. Not that I was sobbing over last summer’s sandals or anything, but more that I could see the clothes I’d bought for sixth form; an awkward and unsure mix of pencil skirts and floral shirts I’ve long since thrown out. I could see a dress bought for my Leavers’ Ball which I then wore to my sister’s graduation and is so great I’m probably going to wear it to my own in a few months time. I saw flurries of purchases from when I’d decided I was done with my style and needed a wardrobe overhaul. And the fact that you can see—admittedly tiny—images of your purchases only helps to ramp up the nostalgia factor. From celebratory buys to pick-me-up purchases, from fashion landmarks to throwaway fads, this was more than a style journey, this was a little piece of my personal history.

So if you’re looking for a little procrastination inspiration and repeatedly refreshing Instagram has gotten old, take a look at your online order histories and say hello to the fashion hallmarks of a former self.

Live: RBMA presents Tropical (ft. JME, Skepta, Preditah, C4, Todd Edwards, Logan Sama)

16th April

The Ritz

6/10

Back in 2006, the influence of UK garage had somewhat petered out on the club scene and in the charts (Artful Dodger, DJ Luck / MC Neat). Around the same time, Grime had built up a big following but was still relatively underground. In an attempt to break the negative stigma attached to the scene, JME released Tropical on his label Boy Better Know. DJ’s such as Todd Edwards and Wookie were huge influences on this new direction of music that took the positive, bubbly and club-ready influence of garage and fused it with grime.

Fast forward to nearly ten years later and the influence of garage is prevalent in almost every house track that makes the Top 40. Whilst grime gathers more and more momentum, its underground roots aren’t forgotten in a night that fuses the old and new, with help from a few familiar faces.

Former Rinse FM DJ Logan Sama’s setlist is characteristic of the night; full-throttled and in your face. His hour-long set spans the legacy of grime music, from Fire Crew’s ‘Oi’ to Stormzy’s ‘Know Me From,’ via tracks such as Kano’s ‘New Banger’ and Newham Generals’s ‘Hard’. Solo 45’s ‘Feed ‘Em to the Lions’ receives one of the biggest receptions of the night: mosh pits and madness – the crowd are more than ready for the next act.

Birmingham’s finest Preditah and C4 grace the stage starting with a funkier, garage-influenced set of songs, throwing it back halfway through their set to the late 90’s/ early 2000’s with Ed Case’s remix of Gorillaz’s ‘Clint Eastwood’ and Paul Johnson’s ‘Get Get Down.’

With no introduction the first few notes of ‘That’s Not Me’ reinvigorate the kids of the Ritz to put away their shape-cutting house shuffles and pull out their poignant gun-finger salutes. This is grime at its purest; needless to say the song was a highlight judging by everyone’s Snapchat stories the next morning. JME and Skepta deliver bars over a solid set that includes RBX’s classic ‘Rhythm ‘N Gash’, the infectious ‘It Ain’t Safe’ and Skepta’s latest release ‘Shutdown,’ which receives huge reaction, however it is moderate in comparison to ‘That’s Not Me’. The gig sees the duo bring out BBK’s Shorty (who celebrated his birthday on stage) and Frisco, amongst others, in a 30 minute set that seemed like it was over way too quickly.

The London brothers disappear off stage, and the man who is regarded as the inspiration behind Tropical, DJ Todd Edwards takes over the ones and twos by bringing the exotic flavours to a dreary Manchester evening. Although a legend in every right, his set is wasted on the wrong kind of crowd. The house-y, electronic vibes don’t sit well with the crowd as noted by the streams of people periodically leaving the building during his set.

Overall, RBMA’s Tropical came across as a little confused – designed as a club night with the main attraction being a live grime set. Nonetheless, for the short time JME and Skepta were on stage it felt like the beginning of something fresh: a much needed re-emergence for grime music. It is a culture that promotes an outlet for a disenfranchised mass of people, and one which is becoming more and more accepted by an ever-growing audience.

Live: James Bay

11th April

Albert Hall

8/10

If you haven’t heard of James Bay you must have been hiding in a cave for the last few months. Since winning the Critics’ Choice Awards at this year’s Brits, this singer-songwriter has rapidly risen to success.

On the back of three EP’s and within days of the release of his debut album Chaos and the Calm, he took to Manchester’s Albert Hall in front of an eager crowd.

The combination of venue with artist could not have been more perfect; the Albert Hall was simply a treat. Like a hipster’s take on Shakespeare’s Globe, the roundness of the room and dimmed lighting made the whole thing more intimate; that “lived in”, homely feel that is missing from so many more corporate venues, really suited Bay’s sound.

Kicking off with the up-beat ‘Collide’, then moving through ‘Craving’ and a personal favourite ‘When We Were on Fire’, the already sun-soaked and enthused crowd were officially revved up. These songs also showed that Bay is not simply another man with an acoustic guitar singing about his wee little heart breaking.

‘If You Ever Wanna Be In Love’ was the first song that really heard the biggest sing along. It is one of the more, let’s say, commercially viable tracks on his album. It was the popular ‘Let it Go’ though that really captured everyone gathered. It was the first moment that things reached that more emotional level; even the man who had had one too many and was essentially football chanting his way through every single song toned it down for this one.

That’s the great thing about James Bay’s music. Every song is incredibly detailed, coming from a very pure place, and yet all are free enough of ambiguity that most people can relate. He manages to create that instantly catchy hook which gives his music a familiarity that many other musicians never capture.

Album: The Cribs – For All My Sisters

Released 23rd March

Sony Red

“Punk rock and indie are dead.” That was the declaration from The Cribs when asked earlier this week about the relatively poppy sound of their latest album For All My Sisters. Though that comment was made in jest, it certainly touches on an issue in today’s music industry. Why would anyone be in an indie band in 2015? The big money of the 80s is no longer around, nor is the hipster credibility of the 90s.

Nowadays indie rock seems to spend more time looking backwards than forwards, looking to a time when the quickest route to success was to find the nearest six string and learn every major chord you could. With that in mind, what is there for a band like The Cribs to aspire to with each new album? On For All My Sisters the band finds a kind of solution to that problem by ignoring any posturing or pretension for 12 songs of ruthlessly tight pop songwriting.

That said, this being The Cribs, this is pop song writing via distorted guitars and wailing vocals. The band have never been one to overhaul their sound and fans will rest easy knowing this is still The Cribs as they knew them before, but with a keen focus reminiscent of Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever. Teaser track ‘An Ivory Hand’ set out the album’s intentions late last year, sounding like the best Weezer song in nearly 20 years and showing the influence of producer Ric Ocasek from The Cars. His presence shows itself clearly later on through the jerky guitar riff of ‘Summer Of Chances’, which forges a stadium-ready chorus out of the Jarman brothers’ philosophical musings.

It’s an impressive feat that over its 12 tracks For All My Sisters never feels like it’s repeating itself, despite the lack of variation in musical styles on offer; only on ‘Simple Story’ and the 7-minute album closer ‘Pink Snow’ is there any change of pace. The only explanation for that can be the ridiculously high quality of songwriting on offer here. First single ‘Burning For No One’ successfully emulates the band’s 80s indie influences, walking a fine line between messy energy and pop efficiency, while ‘Different Angle’ would have been a highlight on any of their previous albums.

It may not be innovative stuff but no one ever came to The Cribs looking to hear challenging, ground-breaking music; they came for hooks and the band duly deliver. For All My Sisters is the closest yet to the classic album the band seem to have in them, and a welcome return for one of the most consistent and underrated UK bands around today.

The diary of a Manchester Bridget Jones

After having spent my Easter with my mum continually asking me why I don’t have a boyfriend, and then trying to fix me up with her friends’ sons, waiters in cafés, even the medics she’s teaching, I couldn’t wait to come back to uni and return to the nag-free haven that is Manchester.

It started rough; on the first bus journey to uni, I fell up the stairs of the bus. Not disastrous, but I dropped my lunch. The lid of my Tupperware popped off and my chicken salad was no longer edible, but merely resembled roadkill. Everyone on the very cramped bus looked at me, and to cope with my mortification, I laughed manically and then snorted.

Yep, snorted. Like a pig.

I figured there was only one way to turn this day around: Go to yoga. There are two benefits to yoga. One, it’s exercise without actually getting tired, and two, there’s an incredibly hot guy in my class. Only one of two guys, admittedly, but the other is a 60-year-old man. In I waltzed, my mat casually slung over my shoulder and I set myself down doing some back stretches. As Hot Yoga Guy walked in, I gracefully inhaled and sat up straight for optimum boob pertness. The class started, I was on fire with my poses, I felt so zen I was on another planet. We were finishing up with a bit of downward facing dog and suddenly… it happened.

As I breathed out and relaxed my muscles, I farted.

The teacher stopped, the class looked up from their mats and Hot Yoga Guy started to laugh. I’m 99.9 per cent sure I can kiss any possibility of him being interested in me goodbye, and I’m going join a gym in Cornwall to get as far away from him as possible.

If you need me I’ll be hiding under a rock.

Live: Peace

12th March

Deaf Institute

9/10

Cheap beer, pre-teen limbs flying everywhere and more loose hair bouncing around than barber shop’s bin on a paint mixer- what else could it be but another indie gig? Peace put on a stellar show on their first of three nights at the Manchester Deaf Institute.

After less than half the venue was filled for the support act I thought I was in for a disappointingly quiet show, but I was proven horribly wrong once Peace came on stage. The band’s big singles such as ‘Wraith’ and ‘Follow Baby’ had several albeit pathetically vanilla moshpits, which is strange for an indie crowd but still a testament to how the band can get the crowd riled.

The band also put aside their more playful side for a trio of sombre tracks including‘Perfect Skin’, ‘Happy People’ and ‘Someday’ to show they’re more than just a one trick pony and have a more mature side rather than just cheek and mischief. The highlights however were the climax of ‘California Daze’ leading into the mostly instrumental ‘1998 (Delicious)’, offering a good 10-15 minutes of musical skill and a sense of euphoric build-up to a worthy pay-off to the wild crowd. The other was an impressive mash up between Disclosure’s ‘White Noise’ and Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In the Wall’, showing that Peace’s can offer more than standing on stage, playing their albums and going home.

I will say it would have been incredible, if not a bit too ambitious, to see the giant disco ball in the Deaf Institute used on the more disco-y tracks like ‘World Pleasure’. But evidently the crowd would rather mash their perspiring bodies into each other than dance to funk tracks. In all though, Peace put on one hell of a show.

Do I have to wear a suit?

If you’re lucky enough to have bagged a summer internship or, better yet, a graduate job, you’ll have no undoubtedly started wondering whether your beloved jumper-and-leggings combo will work in the office. Most likely the answer is no. The days of comfortable and clashing outfits are over—it’s time to get serious. Sadly, it is very easy to lose one’s sense of style in the midst of spreadsheet reports and coffee runs, but how you present yourself can affect the direction of your future career. If you dress well now, you’ll be able to afford to dress well forever.  Focus on these following pointers and soon enough, Best Dressed status will be in your grasp. Perhaps even along with paid work.

 

I’ll start with the shoes, because so many of you don’t…

Bette Midler famously said: “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” Hyperbolic and patronising, but unfortunately true. Wear the wrong shoes and you may live to regret it. A popular interview technique used by major employers is to look at a candidate’s shoes: scuffed, dirty, impractical, and ill-fitting shoes can be interpreted as lazy, disorganised and unreliable. Yes it’s harsh but hello, welcome to adult life. As tempting as it is to go for the sophistication afforded by stilettos, it’s not worth the pain you’ll inevitably succumb to shortly after lunchtime. While you’re focusing on your aching soles, the more sensibly clobbered will have more time to impress your superiors. Oh, and please don’t be fooled by cheaper shoes; it’s much better to buy a well-made pair that you won’t have to replace in a month. Try brands like G.H. Bass, Kurt Geiger, Dr. Martens, Russell & Bromley, and London Rebel. Brogues and loafers are the saviour of the modern woman—chic yet comfortable. Give a girl a pair of Céline loafers and she really can conquer the world.

The Shirt

All too often overlooked, a good shirt can make an outfit. Why not make a statement with a printed number? If your placement has a more conservative dress code, keep it classic with a crisp white blouse; you can still have fun with neutral toned shirts—nude, navy and grey are all great colours to work with. The Kooples and Zara are frontrunners in the shirt industries, catering for simplistic tastes and the more daring dressers out there, and vintage shirts are often much better quality than high street-made ones. Attention to detail with a shirt is everything. Don’t assume no-one will realise that you skipped out on ironing, because someone will notice.

Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise

The simplistic nature of workwear can drive more flamboyant dressers to resignation (OK, maybe not). While your friends are posting pictures of post-uni travels around South America, you’re confined a colourless office in a colourless outfit. Fear not, accessories are the perfect way to add originality to that white shirt, navy trousers combo you’ve rocked 100 times already. Whether it’s with jewellery, a watch, a belt or even a manicure, making a fashion statement is never off the table. Use the same sharp eye to detail you used on your CV, and you’ll not go wrong.

All about the fit

The choice between trousers and skirts is entirely your prerogative; wear whichever you feel most comfortable in. You’ll find contradicting research saying one is better than the other but don’t overthink it. Whichever you choose, the number 1 rule is to never be complacent about length or fit. Heed my words; half an inch on a hemline can make a major difference. For the more petite of us, a high waist works wonders. With hemlines, those under 5’3″ should aim for just above or on the knee—any longer may look frumpy and ill-fitted. Those blessed with taller frames have the choice of both the high waist and the more androgynous, YSL-esque low cut trousers. A midi hemline on skirts is perfect for longer legs. It’s often necessary to have clothes tailored slightly to get the fit just right and it doesn’t have to be expensive.

However daunting the world of work may seem at first, hold on to your personal sense of style and you can’t go wrong. Focus on classic styles and buy investment pieces instead of seasonal fashion fads. Dress smart, think smart and someone will notice.

Live: Fozzy

9th March

The Ruby Lounge

6/10

The music of Fozzy falls into a niche genre, which is looked at as an unruly sibling to the rest of the mainstream. However, testament to Fozzy’s success is their small following, stretching across the Atlantic and all the way into Ruby Lounge, Manchester.

If I’m being completely honest, I do not fall into this category. And I only really had an interest in this gig due to the lead singer, Chris Jericho, being a childhood hero of mine. And I probably wasn’t the only one. He was, and still is, a WWE superstar, and seeing him standing on The Ruby Lounge stage was surreal. But nevertheless, I was there.

The Ruby Lounge is small and intimate, suiting Fozzy who were within touching distance of their energetic crowd who filled the venue. From start to finish, Fozzy put on an explosive show and it is undeniable that Jericho made a large part of it, but by no means was this a one man show. Rich Ward, guitarist, was intense throughout and the ease at which he played his blistering solos was inspiring.

The opening song, ‘Do You Want To Start a War’, set the seen and was a clear favourite. And during this song, it didn’t matter why you originally came to the gig, you were now in the grasps of Fozzy live – and that is a pretty powerful thing. I would implore any metal fans to go and experience this for themselves. Especially if they’re secret fans of ABBA, as a Fozzy cover of S.O.S. surfaced during the show!

Throughout this show, I wished I was a metal head, but alas I feel that shall never be. But if this gig proved one thing to me, it proved that you don’t have to be a fan of this subset of music to appreciate the art.

Interview: Peter Tatchell

Peter Tatchell is a renowned Australian-born British human rights activist. Known for his outspoken defences of LGBT+ people, opposition to the Iraq War, criticism of the Catholic Church—and two attempted citizen’s arrests on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe—he has been working for almost 50 years against oppression and injustice. He will be in conversation with Professor Colin Talbot on the topic ‘What next for democracy?’ on the 30th of April, discussing the crisis that our political system has found itself in. I spoke to Peter to discuss his opinions on the British political system, inequality, and Islamism.

 

What is next for democracy? 

A good start would be a fair and representative voting system. First Past the Post was designed for a two-party system, and it worked well while there were only two parties. However nowadays, there’s a multi-party universe, where First Past the Post skews the result. From 1955 to 2005, not a single British government won a majority of the popular vote. Every government was elected with minority support, usually around 40 per cent of the vote.

In 2005, Labour won 36 per cent of the vote, but bagged 55 per cent of the seats. That is not democracy. In this upcoming election, millions of people will vote for smaller parties and get few or no MPs. That is not what the chartists and the suffragettes fought for. We need some form of Proportional Representation like they have for the Scottish and London Assembly elections, where people vote for a constituency MP and for a top-up list MP. That produces a result that is much closer to reflecting the range of support for particular parties among the electorate.

Do you think that would be enough constitutional reform to sufficiently democratise our system?

The other big democratic deficit is the lack of economic democracy. We live under a system of economic dictatorship, where a handful of very rich, powerful managers, directors and major shareholders call all the shots when it comes to economic decision-making. The 99 per cent of the population are frozen out of economic power, in both the private and public sectors. We expect political democracy. Why not economic democracy too? I’d like to see every public and private institution with more than 50 employees be required by law to have at least one-third employee and consumer directors on their management board. They can act as representatives of staff and consumers—as watchdogs, and as whistleblowers if institutions act out of line.

 

How can we increase gender equality in politics?

I’m in favour of a radical reform of the House of Lords. I believe we need a second chamber, to act as a robust scrutiny and revising chamber, to hold the government in check, and in particular to scrutinise European legislation. But I wouldn’t want to see a replacement senate elected on a similar basis to the House of Commons. What I support would be a system of Proportional Representation based on regions rather than a national vote or individual constituencies. This will ensure a fair representation of the various geographical areas of the UK.

These regions could be based upon the regions used for the European elections, and each region could have 40 members. I’d like to see every party be required to present an equal number of male and female candidates in each region. In other words, for a 40 member regional constituency, 20 candidates for each party should be men, and 20 should be women.

Likewise, I propose that voters should be required to vote for 20 male candidates and 20 female candidates, with the right to pick and mix from the different party lists. That way we would ensure that the second chamber had automatic 50 per cent women’s representation.

Think forward to the 2020 election. We can’t know who will be in power, but would you be able to say what will be different?

The two major parties, often with the connivance of the Liberal Democrats, are conspiring together to maintain the status quo. There are some differences, but not much. It means that voters don’t have much choice, as the policies on offer are not significantly different.

The status quo is rotten to the core. It serves the interests of the rich and powerful to the exclusion of the vast majority of people. It preserves the positions of the 1 per cent against the 99 per cent. In Britain today, democracy is still an aspiration, not a reality.

How do you feel about tactical voting?

Tactical voting is second best. Why should people not be able to vote for what they really believe in? It’s outrageous that we have to put up with a system whereby many of us feel forced to vote for a second best party in order to stop another party.

I’m in favour of an anti-Tory and anti-UKIP alliance. Ed Miliband has made a fundamental misjudgement in ruling out an arrangement with the SNP, Plaid Cymru, the Greens, Sinn Fein, and the SDLP. Those forces together constitute a progressive alliance which Labour should embrace, not reject.

 

Do fringe parties such as UKIP and the Green Party offer real change? 

The Green Party, Plaid Cymru, the SNP, and the TUSC, are all in different ways offering some substantive change from the way in which the system currently operates. They don’t go as far as I’d like, but if they had power we’d be moving in the right direction.

UKIP often say that offering a referendum on membership of the EU would, in fact, be more democratic because we didn’t choose to be in it. How far do you agree?

That’s just not true. There was a referendum in the 1970s where people did agree to join up to European co-operation. However, that was a long time ago, and Europe has become a much closer union ever since then. That’s why I support a referendum. The people should be able to have a democratic vote on staying in or coming out.

Despite my criticisms of the European Union, I want to stay in and change it from within. I would like to see it democratised and decentralised. That means giving more power to the democratically elected European Parliament. It also means moving away from representation at nation-state level to direct regional representation in the European Union.

I favour not only direct representation in the EU for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but also for English regions. The nation-state is a legacy of the era of Imperialism. Breaking down the state into smaller, more accessible and accountable units is good for democracy and people power.

 

How should we encourage the young and the underrepresented to actually register and vote?

One of the reasons for political apathy is because many people feel that however they vote, nothing significant will change. They’ve seen the financial corruption of Members of Parliament through the expenses scandal. They’ve witnessed cash for questions, cash for honours, cash for access, and umpteen other corruptions by a huge proportion of Members of Parliament.

We’ve heard politicians say there’s no money for vital public services, but they always find money for weapons and wars. The Labour, Conservative and the Liberal Democrats, to varying degrees, backed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, at a time when they claimed there was no money to build new affordable social housing. Russell Brand is right in his critique of the system, but unlike him, I still think it’s important for people to vote. I just wish we had a truly democratic voting system.

Could there be other methods to encourage young people to get more involved in the system?

Not while the system is rigged in favour of the establishment. That makes getting people out to vote really difficult. If people feel their vote won’t count and the system will just carry on as before, obviously millions of people just won’t bother. We saw that in the last election, when the non-voters were greater than the number of votes received by any political party.

Does the media have a part to play in this?

Much of the media is hand-in-glove with the Westminster elite. Of course they criticise them from time to time, but there’s no equivalent coverage given to alternative ideas and voices. Every now and then, political radicals are given a platform, but it’s just a tokenistic smokescreen to enable the people in power to say that they’ve given other points of view a hearing.

In all the debates about the economic crisis from 2008, I hardly heard a single person being allowed to propose an alternative to prevent the recurrence of a similar financial crisis. Even when the media did interview left-wing spokespersons, they were always getting people who were very good at critiquing the system, but hopeless about proposing any credible alternative. That meant the vast bulk of the population was left with the notion that there is no alternative.

Do celebrity commentators, such as Russell Brand, act as a force for good on the whole? 

Celebrities, just as much as the average person, have the right to express their opinion. On the whole, most celebrities use their status to promote progressive causes. Although I don’t agree with everything Russell Brand says, I think he’s been a positive influence. His interview with Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight was a masterful critique of the establishment system. For the most part, Russell Brand was absolutely brilliant at exposing the flaws and failings of the political elite.

 

Is there really a serious issue with Islamism and Islamophobia in Britain today?

We are currently faced with two big challenges. Both anti-Muslim prejudice and Islamist extremism are threats to social cohesion and public security. It’s undeniable that there is an anti-Muslim prejudice in our society, though I don’t think it’s as great as some people claim. The Islamists exaggerate; they say that Britain is at war with Muslims, and that every Muslim is under threat from the British state. That is complete nonsense. Most Muslims in Britain have greater rights and freedoms than in any Muslim-majority country. They are allowed to practise whichever version of Islam that they wish, without the fear of persecution by the state. That’s not the same in many other countries. If you’re a Shia Muslim in Saudi Arabia, you’ll face persecution by the Sunni majority. If you’re a Sunni Muslim in Iran, you’ll face persecution by the Shia majority. We don’t persecute people because they happen to be Sunni or Shia in Britain. We have a problem with a minority of hotheads, circling around the BNP and the EDL, but that is not the general view of most British people.

While a lot of people highlight intolerance against Muslim people, they ignore similar intolerance against Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, and other faiths and ethnic minorities. There are a lot of double standards. What I find particularly shocking is the significant number of universities that regularly host Islamist preachers who advocate Sharia law, including the execution of women who have sex outside of marriage, gay people and Muslims who give up their faith. At some of these events there are attempts to enforce gender segregation in the audiences. This is completely against the Equal Opportunities policies of those universities, yet the authorities sometimes look the other way in the name of free speech. Free speech does not include the right to promote speakers who advocate the killing of other human beings, and who seek to enforce discrimination against women.

Sadly, we don’t hear enough about the many Muslims who reject extremism, and who support democracy and human rights. Those voices need to be given a greater amplification by the media and social institutions. The government’s Prevent strategy against Islamist radicalisation is deeply flawed. It’s based upon snooping and snitching. What the government absolutely failed to do is to counter Islamist ideas. The only way to defeat Islamist ideas is with better ideas, ideas that expose the fundamental authoritarianism and tyranny that lies at the heart of extremism, which threatens Muslim people more than anybody else. The prime victims of Islamist extremism in Britain are the Muslims. They are being harassed and victimised in their community. This includes pressure and harassment of women who don’t conform to a strict Islamist dress code, forced marriages, victimisation of gay Muslims, and a campaign of systematic harassment of liberal, progressive Muslims.

 

‘Peter Tatchell in conversation: What next for democracy?’ will be held in University Place, Lecture Theatre A, on the 30th of April from 6:45 – 8:15. Students wishing to register for the event should visit here to get tickets.

For more information about Peter Tatchell’s human rights work, to receive his email bulletins or to make a donation, visit www.PeterTatchellFoundation.org.

Voter registration closes on Monday the 20th of April. You can register to vote here.

The time I tried Crack

I know everyone says you shouldn’t do it.

I know how it affects your brain, your body, and your health.

I know it’s addictive, I know it’s bad.

But it’s so, so good.

Having had my first hit from the side of a van at a festival back in 2013, I was instantly hooked and suffered severe withdrawal symptoms, trying to supplement my addiction with sugar via the placebo of Sainsbury’s own caramel and peanut soft scoop.

It wasn’t the same.

I tried everything; squeezy caramel sauce and dollops of melted peanut butter, vanilla ice cream sprinkled with sea salt and drenched with syrup. My housemate found dirty spoons and used wrappers in my handbag, and I knew it was time to stop.

I went cold turkey for a while, six months went by and I couldn’t even look at a jar of skippy. I was ready to accept that my search for that rosy-pink truck with its supply of unbeatable quality would never again be on the market. Never again would I reach that high.

Life was okay, I ate chocolate fudge brownies and gorged myself on jam doughnuts whilst watching the mundane world go by. In an attempt to feed my adrenaline craving, I turned to the vice of piercing and tattoos, which by fate or fortune led me to Affleck’s Palace, home of all things alternative. Amongst the webs of gothic jewellery, salvaged 80s footwear, pothead paraphernalia and offensive t-shirts, I stumbled to find the dream-like sight of Ginger’s Comfort Emporium. Was this real? Was I hallucinating? Plush velvet booths in deep crimson, an Alice-Through-The-Looking-Glass chessboard floor, and a towering chalkboard listing the reams of flavour combinations of which my heart had eyes to see only one.

I’m talking of course about Chorlton Crack, Ginger’s Comfort Emporium’s intoxicating combination of salted caramel and peanut butter in an ice cream. It’s available in Elvis-style dosage between brioche toast and smothered with jam, Ginger now even cooks up with a brownie for the hard-hitters, but I personally like it pure.

Now there’s a steady supply, I’m back on the wagon and my habit is under control. Why get clean when I can afford not to?

Chorlton Crack, 500ml, £7.50
Pick up: 52 Church Street, Manchester M4 1PW
http://www.gingerscomfortemporium.com/

Independent Live at the RNCM

On Wednesday the 15th of April the RNCM played host to a General Election debate hosted by The Independent and The Independent on Sunday.

The event was chaired by Independent journalist Steve Richards and featured, on one side, John Bickley, UKIP candidate for Heywood and Middleton, and Ian Birrell, Independent columnist and speechwriter for David Cameron’s 2010 election campaign. They were joined by Vicky Pryce, economist and writer of Greekonomics and Prisonomics, and Andy Burnham, Labour candidate for Leigh.

The Independent Live event was marketed as “question time with an Independent twist.” The aim was to encourage conversation about anything election-related, and audience questions ranged from the economy to healthcare.

Pryce and Burnham were keen to quickly address the assumption that the economy passed on to the coalition government in 2010 was shrinking. “The UK’s large financial sector meant it was disproportionally affected [by the global financial crisis],” said Pryce.

“In defence of the Labour government, they pulled out all the stops to ensure that the economy didn’t collapse at that time. They expanded government spending significantly—in some ways, we’re now complaining that the government did all the things they needed to do.”

When quizzed on why the party has not been explicitly explaining that the economy was growing in 2010, Burnham said, “it is quite hard for a first term opposition to get heard. We needed to go through a deep reassessment like the Tories did in 1997.

“Yes, there was communication failure, but I think it’s more about spin than policy.”

Early on there was a question about whether the current election indicated that the British political system was becoming presidential.

“I don’t think this one will be. Some thought [the 2010 debates] sucked the life out of it. We had the seven-way debate a couple of weeks ago, and the debate [on the 16th] without the coalition parties that might feel quite strange. Overall, people want to see more than personality-based politics. You’ve got the best Labour manifesto for a considerable amount of time. Ed’s reshaped things from first principles and put his own stamp on policies.”

Bickley said, “incumbent parties are fighting for airtime. You need a leader who commands an audience. Cameron and Miliband are avoiding a close debate with Farage. We need to ensure politics is about ideas. At the end of the day politics is only about how some parties play their role in running the country.”

Birrell added: “Whether Ed Miliband can eat a bacon sandwich or not is irrelevant, but if he can stand up to Putin—that is important. Cameron was more Chief Exec-like than Thatcher or Blair.”

In response to a question on obesity, John Bickley was quick to criticise the Labour Party on both the economy and the NHS,. “When Labour are in power, the NHS is wonderful. When they’re not, it has to depict the NHS as in crisis. The Labour Party has very little credibility left after what they did to the economy.

“The NHS has not been privatised. It is a very large institution and things will naturally go wrong. The Labour Party has played as big a role in outsourcing services to the private sector. We should stop vilifying private services. [UKIP] wants the NHS to remain free at the point of delivery.”

Birrell was also critical. “I used to have the view that the NHS was the greatest institution in the world until 21 years ago when my family had a seriously disabled child. The NHS can be wonderful, with staff who work incredibly hard, but there is some absolutely disastrous healthcare.

“The ones that suffer are the disabled and elderly—there are many unnecessary deaths every year. Let’s concentrate on getting it right—let’s not use it as a political football.”

In response to Vicky Pryce’s emphasis that exercise is still disregarded by policymakers, Burnham said “physical health is the best way to tackle obesity. Compel? No,but exercise on referral in all GP practices.

“The question of a nanny state—I think it is right for the state to intervene decisively in the question of children because they often can’t make decisions. We are suggesting big changes—maximum levels of fat, salt and sugar in food, and a much more positive policy on physical activity.”

Birrell, however, disagreed. “It’s more about tackling food manufacturers than exercise. The Tory reforms were botched and bungled, but reversing them would be misguided.”

The debate quickly turned to the EU, with an audience member asking about its effect on our economy. John Bickley outlined the UKIP stance on this. “It’s important to separate the EU and Europe, which is a trading opportunity. We only ever gave permission to our politicians to join on a trading basis.

“This happens all too often—the government makes decisions on our behalf. If we are a democracy, this debate should have been taking place in the past 30 years. We should have a debate as to whether we want to be part of a super-state. Unfortunately, the political elite have bounced us into this, and they’ve never given us permission to decide on this.”

Burnham was emphatic in his response; “Why would you throw barriers between you and your trading partner? It seems to me there will be a moment when people want to have their say.

“People think a referendum can be easily offered. It causes polarisation, and so soon after an election it would throw British businesses into three years of uncertainty. I support free movement of labour, but I have never given my consent to the free movement of benefit. People don’t see why there should be entitlement for all the benefits of the British state. I am pro-European, Labour is pro-European, and I never want to see that change.”

As the debate turned to the campaign, Vicky Pryce commented that she was probably the only one to have read all the manifestos. “They were great fun. Because it’s so unclear about what’s going to happen, and the fact that fringe parties may give support, means quite a lot of what’s in them is worthless; it’s not going to happen.

“What was surprising was that the Lib Dems have much more of an international policy. We have had growth, yes, but a very poor labour market. There has been no real change in the economy—the financial sector still dominates.”

John Bickley encouraged disillusioned voters to take action themselves. “With UKIP coming along, the Greens, if we’re forcing the main parties to have to answer questions, they actually agree on things.

“If you don’t agree with anything you’ve heard, set up your own party! I wish I had got involved earlier.”

Burnham added: “For the first time in a long time, we’ve had an opposition leader stand up to the vested interests of business leaders. Nationalism is on the rise. Whether you are on the left or right, you will feel a little worried and use your vote to defeat nationalism in its tracks.” This final comment received the loudest applause of the evening.

You can register to vote up until Monday the 20th of April. Register here.