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Month: March 2016

Vegan student convinces halls to offer new menus

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in Food & Drink, Uncategorised.

A first-year student living in Tree Court has managed to convince the catered halls to offer a vegan option at every meal as well as non-dairy milks.

Aless Donebauer, a mathematics student, is currently the only vegan in the Owens Park block. When arriving at university the options available to her were very limited, with the daily vegetarian option not always suitable for her diet.

She met with the catering staff from the accommodation and made the case to offer food that was not just animal-friendly, but sustainable too. Head of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Manchester Emma Gardner, also a vegan, told The Mirror the team had listened to Aless’s ideas and considered also the requirements of other students.

“As a university, we take our supply really seriously and source organic local produce whenever possible.

“We see more vegans coming to university and a result of student engagement, we now have at least one vegan option across the halls and bigger canteens.”

Myles Kitchiner, Operations Manager in Catering, also told The Mirror: “There’s been an increase this year of vegan students throughout Manchester and we’ve reacted to that.

“We have this particular student who was the only vegan in her halls and the chefs went out of the way to do the dishes for her.

“On the back of that, this semester we decided to put a vegan dish in all the halls on each day in all the menus. It’s been very well received that we’re providing the choice and the variety to all students. We’ve found that non-vegan people are also enjoying the dishes, so it’s a win-win.”

The chef Aless originally approached, Deana, went out of her way to make meals especially for the vegan student. “It’s very nice to be appreciated for the effort you put in,” she said.

“We always have a vegetarian option in Tree Court which is often vegan-friendly, so we don’t need to cook extra dishes all the time although I don’t mind doing it if necessary.”

Manchester team to develop Zika virus vaccine

Written by Tori Blakeman on . Posted in News.

A vaccine against the Zika virus will be developed by a University of Manchester team using emergency ‘Rapid Response’ funding from the Medical Research Council, The Wellcome Trust and the Newton Fund.

The rapid response funding initiative supporting the project was announced at the beginning of February, and aims to fast-track research tackling the risk posed by the Zika virus. Funding has been made available to researchers to investigate the nature and transmission of the virus, create preventative strategies, or explore links to neurological conditions including microcephaly.

Using £177,713 of funding, the Manchester team will create and test a vaccine that primarily targets the Zika virus, but also has the potential to combat many other infectious diseases simultaneously. At present, there is no specific treatment or vaccine available.

The project will be led by Honorary Senior Lecturer from the University of Manchester, Dr Tom Blanchard, who is also Fellow of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Consultant in Infectious Diseases at North Manchester General Hospital and the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Other University of Manchester experts involved in the project include Professor Pam Vallely and Dr Eddie McKenzie. The work will be carried out in collaboration with Professors Miles Carrol and Roger Hewson of Public Health England.

With the Zika virus now reportedly circulating in 44 countries and territories, research into treating the disease is needed as quickly as possible. The results of the Manchester vaccine project are expected to be delivered within 18 months.

Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitos, and usually presents as a mild fever persisting for 2 – 7 days. However the worry with Zika virus comes with its association with neurological conditions in newborns, including microcephaly, where the brain doesn’t develop properly, and Guillain-Barre syndrome, which involves a deficit in nerve development.

Lead researcher Dr Blanchard said: “As we have seen in the case of Ebola there is now a real need to react quickly to fast spreading tropical diseases. Zika can cause serious illness, but it often has no visible symptoms, so a vaccine for those at risk is one of the most effective ways we have of combatting it.”

He added: “We know that there’s an urgent need for this vaccine but we’ll be working carefully to deliver a product which is safe and effective and which can be quickly deployed to those who need it.

“If we can also use this vaccine on multiple targets then this will represent an exciting step forward in dealing with these kinds of outbreaks.”

Review: Bunzilla Burger

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Being an admirer of all kinds of Japanese food, I was very excited to try a burger inspired by Japanese cuisine. The head chef of Byron Burger designed a new burger after a research trip to Tokyo, advertised with the catchy slogan “Unleash the Beast from the East”. Before being able to unleash the beast and challenge my taste buds, a decision about the starter and drinks had to be made. Since films are another passion of mine next to Japanese food, my eyes fell on a caramel and salted popcorn milkshake. To make the menu even more diverse, we ordered Nachos as a starter.

While waiting for our chosen delicacies, we had a chance to admire our surroundings: To our delight, the location and set up of the burger chain created was well chosen. The Corn Exchange offers a relaxing atmosphere in a building full of history which is now packed with food chains and restaurants that all have a quirky interior. Byron Burger stood out with an open kitchen, promising freshly prepared food and a menu with a decent selection of staple and exotic side dishes and burgers. The service was forthcoming and quick to recommend and serve our food.

The milkshake did not disappoint with its creamy texture and a taste that can only be described as ‘cinema in the mouth’. The nachos were thicker than the usual cheaper variety and they were topped with a freshly prepared guacamole, jalapeños, and cream cheese. While the quality of all ingredients was superb and fresh, the small amount of molten cheese, which was hidden in the core of the nacho hill, made the starter dryer than it should have been.

Photo: Nicole Tamer

After enjoying our drinks and the starter, it was time for the star of the evening. The Bunzilla burger was sat proudly in the middle of the plate, accompanied by some lonesome slices of Japanese pickles around the edges. A shining brioche bun encased what to the eye would seem like any normal burger—a beef patty, a streak of bacon or two and an onion ring. With the only exception being that holding up those ingredients was a layer of chopped cabbage, and topping it was a wasabi mayonnaise.

However, both the cabbage and bacon were cooked in miso sauce, and the wasabi topping gave the whole package a nice kick. Ultimately, although its authenticity as a burger worthy of Japanese cuisine could be challenged, the Bunzilla burger was a burger of delight; with strong flavourings of the sweet and sour kind, following through with a mighty meaty munch from the traditional burger set up. Overall, a burger to savour for sure!

We finished our evening with a chocolate brownie dessert since the Oreo cheesecake was not available that day due to its popularity. Nevertheless, the soft texture of the warm brownie contrasted the cool vanilla ice cream on top perfectly and served as a sweet ending to a great evening with delicious foods.

What’s the Matcha with you?

Written by Perisha Kudhail on . Posted in News.

With the era of the superfoods slowly taking over, it’s no wonder that we in the West are trying weird and wonderful things to help give us a health boost. With herbal remedies and detoxes being at the forefront of a healthier lifestyle, it’s no wonder that matcha has hit the industry by storm. Matcha is a refined ground powder made from green tea leaves and is a great way to add a dose of flavour to your drinks. With Uji, Japan being the capital of matcha production, the taste, freshness and quality is a result of importing from there. The delicate storage of matcha means that the colour is retained, making the gorgeous green and purple colour pop.

Matcha is a great way to get a boost of vitamins and minerals in your diet and give your skin a glow at the same time. The health benefits of matcha are too many to ignore, and it should be given a chance. From being a tasty refreshment to being used as a cake filling, matcha is more versatile than you may think. From the refreshing taste of green matcha to the nutty taste of purple matcha, there are different flavours that can be tried and enjoyed.

The simplest way to consume matcha is to simply mix it with warm water and drink it like tea. With this in mind, think about replacing your morning coffee with a refreshing boost of matcha and give your metabolism a boost. One cup of green matcha tea has as many antioxidants as ten cups of brewed green tea, so it’s definitely worth your time. Starting your day with matcha is an effective way to burn calories and get the same jump start to your day as caffeine. Not only does it taste great, but it can help you lose weight.

Alongside this fat-fighting gem, matcha is a great way to enhance concentration. Vitamin C, selenium, chromium, zinc and magnesium are just some of the nutrients you find in matcha tea. In turn, matcha does not only help your concentration, but also enhances your mood. Whether you decide on purple or green matcha, you can always find ways to experiment with the flavours.

Your digestive system will thank you for the new addition in your diet, as the fibre found in matcha will keep your body running smoothly. Although, drinking matcha is quick and easy way to consume matcha, don’t feel like it won’t work in other things too. Replacing cocoa with matcha is a surefire way to get some fibre into your system and get a good night’s rest at the same time.

Want to get your hands on some matcha? Check out Williamson Tea for fabulous matcha direct from their farms and start experimenting.

Lemon and Almond Tart with Blackberry and Mint Sorbet and Mini Meringues

Written by Evie Horsell on . Posted in Food & Drink.

This lovely dessert is a perfect end to a lavish dinner party or a sweet treat when you’re feeling fancy! I made this dish for a dinner party at a customer’s house and it went down amazingly well. The combination of textures and flavours is perfect, while it is a dessert that isn’t too sweet on the palate. A lovely light end to any meal.

Serves 8

Sorbet (made a day ahead to be safe!):
200g caster sugar
200ml water
25g pack of mint leaves
600g blackcurrants
4 tbs liquid glucose
Juice of 2 lemons

Bring the water up to a boil in a pan, then add the sugar boiling until dissolved stirring gently. Once all dissolved take off the heat and add the mint sprigs. Leave until cool (about 15 minutes).

Discard the mint leaves and add the blackcurrants and glucose to the pan, cook until soft. Then add to a food processor and blitz. Then sieve the mixture into a bowl rubbing with the back of the spoon, add lemon juice here to aid the separation of the pips. Leave to cool.

Place in an ice cream machine until it becomes a thick slush then freeze. Or freeze in a shallow container, stirring intermittently 3 or 4 times.

Tart base, sweet almond pastry (made a day ahead):
120g very cold butter
70g icing sugar
25g ground almonds
Pinch of salt
Few drops of vanilla extract
1 egg
200g plain flour
1 x 23cm tart dish (loose bottomed preferably)

Beat the butter in a food processor (you can do this all be hand if you’re feeling strong!)  then add ingredients one by one ensuring each addition is incorporated after the next, starting with icing sugar, then ground almonds, salt, vanilla (if using), 1 egg and flour.

Beat until it all comes together (can be done by hand).

Roll in clingfilm and chill overnight.

Next day, butter and line your tart dish. Roll out the dough to about 2mm thick and place into the dish. Cut off excess. Bake blind for about 15-20 minutes at 180c, at halfway when the edges have started to colour remove the beans allowing the base to cook.

Meringues:
1 x egg white
60g caster sugar
Yellow gel food colouring
Preheat oven to 110C

Beat the egg white with a whisk until stiff peaks are formed, or until you can lift the bowl over your head and the mixture doesn’t spill! Then slowly while whisking add the sugar a teaspoon at a time, gradually adding more as the mixture becomes thicker and glossy. DO NOT OVERBEAT.

Once all the sugar is added, set the mixture to one side and line two baking sheets with parchment. Get a piping bag (or a small metal spoon and spoon out the mix) and draw on the inside with a toothpick dipped in yellow food colouring.

Fill the piping bag and pipe little meringues an even distant apart until the mix is all used up.

Place in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes to an hour, keeping an eye on them. You will know when they are done when they can be easily lifted off the parchment

Once done allow to cool completely. These cute little meringues can be kept in airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Lemon Tart:
1 x blind baked pastry base (kept in the tin)
Zest and juice of 5 lemons
280g caster sugar
5 whole eggs
7 egg yolks
240g unsalted butter, softened

You are in essence here making a lemon curd, an already set mixture that you can fill your cooked tart base with. Begin by placing the zest and juice of the lemons, the sugar and all the eggs in a saucepan. Cook over a low heat until the eggs have broken up and the sugar has dissolved.

Add half the butter and start whisking, gently turning the heat up slightly. The eggs will start to cook and the mixture will thicken.

Add the remaining butter and continue to whisk, allowing the mixture to thicken more. It is important to keep whisking the prevent scrambled eggs forming at the bottom of the pan and to prevent the mixture from curdling.

Once thickened until it thickly coats the back of a spoon, remove from the heat and whisk until cool.

Once cool pour the mix into the prepared tart base and leave in a cool place to set.

Finishing your dish!
Take the sorbet out of the freezer and allow it to soften slightly. Cut a slice of tart, dust with icing sugar. Scatter your mini meringues over and finish with a quenelle of blackcurrant and mint sorbet.  A perfect balance of sour and sweet, tuck in!

Butternut Squash and Sage Tagliatelle

Written by Evie Horsell on . Posted in Food & Drink.

This dish is an easy lunch for one or a wonderful starter to a dinner party. If feeling adventurous use less oil and omit the crème fraiche for a sumptuous ravioli filling. I make this just for myself when I’m working at home as one butternut squash goes a long way! Use wholemeal pasta to make it a dish packed full of fibre.

Serves 2

Ingredients
¼ Butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, skin on
½ onion, roughly chopped
Cherry tomatoes, a handful or more! Kept whole
Dried sage
1 tbsp of Olive Oil
2 tbsp light crème fraiche
Wholemeal tagliatelle or spaghetti
Parmesan and fresh sage, to finish

Method
Begin by roasting your squash, glove, onion and cherry tomatoes with your olive oil and sage in a roasting dish. Once that has got going (about 10 minutes) put some salted boiling water on for your pasta. Place the pasta in the water, note that tagliatelle takes a lot quicker to cook than spaghetti! Once done, take your roasted squash out of the oven, it should be lovely and caramelised on the edges by now, and using a potato masher mash the squash. Season to taste and stir in the crème fraiche. Drain the pasta and reserving some of the cooking liquid stir the creamy sauce through it. Finish with a scattering of parmesan and some chopped fresh sage leaves!

Preview: Manchester City vs Manchester United

Written by Harry Newton on . Posted in Sport.

The Manchester derby is upon us again, and as the two sides are getting closer in the table, bragging rights aren’t the only thing at stake this time. This will be Manuel Pellegrini’s last Manchester derby, and possibly Louis van Gaal’s too if rumours may be true of him leaving at the end of the season. With that in mind, both these managers will want to win.

Injuries

Ota-on-the-mendi

Manuel Pellegrini said that he will assess the fitness of the Argentinian centre-back Nicolás Otamendi on Saturday, but reading between the lines, City fans will feel hopeful that the defender will be back to play.

The Kompback kid

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Despite how the Belgium manager earlier this week stated that Vincent Kompany will be out for the season, Manuel Pellegrini has stated that Kompany will most probably only be out for a month, as his injury is similar to that of Alecks Kolarov’s earlier this season where he was out for three to four weeks. Kompany has just come back from a calf injury, however he has injured his other calf this time.

·         Bacary Sagna is fit to play

·         Samir Nasri is training with the team and will return after the international break

·         Kevin de Bruyne will be fit for selection after the international break

·         Fabian Delph will be fit for selection after the international break

Main Battle

Morgan Schneiderlin vs Yaya Touré

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Like any derby this will be a midfield battle, and these two men will be vital. Both will have to be up to the job in defence and in attack. Although it cannot be known if Schneiderlin will play, as van Gaal has been known to play around with his midfield options, I think Schneiderlin would be the one to offer the biggest threat to City and possibly able to cancel out Touré. Touré’s performance in the 0-0 Champions League draw to Dynamo Kiev was a positive sign that the Ivorian will be raring to go for the derby.

Manchester United played Liverpool on Thursday night in the Europa Cup, but were dumped out by their rivals. After the game, Jürgen Klopp said that it was Liverpool vs David de Gea, after the Spanish goalkeeper had a string of saves to keep the Manchester team in the game for as long as possible. When asked if the derby could turn into Manchester City vs David de Gea on Sunday, Pellegrini said “they are two or three points behind us in the table so I think they have good players,” dismissing that de Gea is the reason United are doing so well.

Last Time

Earlier in the season these two met at Old Trafford, where the score ended 0-0. It was very boring.

England Call-ups

Raheem Sterling and Joe Hart have been called up to the national squad, but it isn’t just the senior squad that are full of Blues. Angus Gunn, Kean Bryan, and Brandon Barker have all been called up for the under 20s squad. The future is bright for City’s youngsters.

Derby Day

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

It’s been a turbulent season for Louis Van Gaal’s Manchester United. Despite how they’ve been labelled as boring and struggled early on, they find themselves with a strong possibility of finishing in the Champions League spaces for next year—especially now that they only have the Premier League to concentrate on due to their exit from the Europa Cup in midweek. One thing is for certain with this fixture however—form means nothing.

Manuel Pellegrini said “always a derby is dangerous—it doesn’t matter the position of each team… If it’s a derby of the Premier League: double dangerous.” Obviously Pellegrini understands the importance of bragging rights for the fans with this fixture. He notes how psychologically a win would be important for their title push, still persisting that they are not thinking about the top four whilst it is still mathematically possible to win the league.

Once upon a time…

Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City

The greatest of rivalries often go blow-to-blow: Piers Morgan and Lord Sugar, Arsène Wenger and zip-up coats, and Mario Balotelli and bibs, to name a few; but none of these can compete with the intense rivalry between the two Manchester sides. Years of battling has often left City worse off, but since the 2008 takeover and the introduction of a higher class of player, the balance of power has been shifting. City became more of a threat to United’s supremacy and were chipping away at the reds, until the events of 23rd October 2011 saw Manchester City throw one giant swing at Manchester United, which saw them topple and sent shockwaves round the world.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The Old Trafford crowd might have been apprehensive prior to this match, but none would have anticipated what came. Often the pantomime villain, Mario Balotelli started the rout as he neatly tucked away a goal and revealed the message ‘Why always me?’ under his shirt. In a similar manner to that of Eric Cantona, Balotelli turned to the Old Trafford crowd and demanded their attention, but this time it was a man in blue. The expression on Balotelli’s face was ominous of the performance to come, as the team pushed forward and took the headlines away from Balotelli’s individual celebration and made them about a well-executed team performance.

Johnny Evans found himself going for an early bath soon after half time, and Balotelli doubled the lead not too long after. Sergio Agüero followed Balotelli’s second goal with a strike of a similar fashion. United pulled one back with ten minutes to go, due to a sublime Darren Fletcher strike beating Joe Hart and giving them a glimmer of hope.

While United pushed for a goal, City rode the wave and hit back with three goals in as many minutes to turn this defeat into a humiliation. Edin Džeko arrived on the scene with the fourth of the game, and David Silva nutmegged his fellow Spaniard David De Gea to get the goal that his majestic performance deserved. However, it was the next piece of Silva magic that he will be remembered for, as his eagle-like eye for a pass and inch-perfect delivery set free Džeko, who slotted home the sixth. Džeko sprinted off to the euphoric crowd and, after confirming the unbelievable score-line with Aleksandar Kolarov, revealed six fingers to the crowd in a photographer’s dream.

PSG

Photo: PSG World @Flickr

Moments before Manuel Pellegrini’s pre-match press conference for the Manchester derby, it was announced that City will face Paris Saint-Germain in the next round of the UEFA Champions League in April. PSG have already won the league in France and are a very strong side that saw off Chelsea in the Champions League round of sixteen. With the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimović in their team, they will be tough to beat. Pellegrini, however, suggested he would have been happy with any team except from Barcelona: “Barcelona are the team that make the difference. All the other teams are exactly the same.” Whereas some fans would have been happier with an easier draw, such as Wolfsburg, Pellegrini said that “maybe one team can have less names than another team, but if they are in the same stage then they deserve [it] because they eliminate important teams.”

In 2008/09 the two sides met in the UEFA Cup, and ended the match as a 0-0 draw. However, the two sides have improved a great deal since then, so expect a much tougher game in the Champions League Quarter Finals!

Prediction

To say anything else would be disloyal.

Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United. Sergio double.

 

A United Fan’s Perspective

Sports Editor Will Kelly had this to say on Manchester United’s chances in the game. 

The manner of Manchester United’s performance against Liverpool will be another cause of concern in what has been a miserable season for fans at Old Trafford. It was always going to be a difficult task to turn around a two goal deficit going into Thursday night’s game but in truth, United barely threatened. The tactical decisions made by Louis van Gaal were clumsy to say the least. The decision to play Michael Carrick and Maroanne Fellani created perhaps arguably the slowest midfield in history. The build-up in attack was slow, but what was more costly was that Liverpool were allowed to essentially play triangles around them, leaving the defenders completely exposed. Chris Smalling in particular, looked absolutely knackered in the second half as he spent most of the game chasing midfield runners. Why on earth van Gaal does not play Morgan Schneiderlin is beyond me as he has been one of United’s best players this season.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

United all season had snippets of good performances, but then go back through some woeful performances. Leadership is simply lacking in that squad. When the opposition score, heads go down and the pressure seems to get to them that they need to score. Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard all had very good games but they don’t get any help. United’s attack is certainly depleted at the moment and they do not go into the derby as favourites because Manchester City have a far superior squad. Vincent Kompany may be out the tie, but United’s problem has been creating chances in the first place. The pressure is on them now as being knocked out of the Europa League increases the pressure for a win to have any chance of qualifying for the Top 4. Sometimes in times of despair and uncertainty, there just needs to be a galvanising of human spirit. United fans would hope that they just go for it. No matter if they lose, what supporters demand is that they try their very best and not give up, like they have done in some of the performances this season. Van Gaal needs to pick an aggressive and energetic midfield, which does not mean the flailing arm of Fellaini. Schneiderlin must start, alongside either Ander Herrera and Bastian Schweinsteiger, who certainly brought a sense of control when he came on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw against West Ham. A similar spirit and desire is needed like the very recent win against Arsenal if United are to come away from the derby victorious.

Prediction: Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United 

Q&A: Eton Messy

Written by Nirav Chande on . Posted in Music.

Eton Messy has become a lot of things, from throwing parties, to being a record label, to having a hit Youtube channel; which do you see Eton Messy as first and foremost and how did it start out?

It’s important to point out that the reason we are where we are today is because of our Youtube channel. The music and artists we support/share is a huge priority to us. The Youtube channel is what comes first.

Having turned Eton Messy into all of these different things, what do you envision for the future of the brand, do you see yourselves taking it further?

I think that’s it for us. It was fun while it lasted!!! Only joking.

Near the end of last year another curator channel similar to yours, Majestic Casual, was temporarily shut down to copyright issues. Did your channel run into any similar issues that you had to deal with and how have you avoided a similar fate?

We’ve always made an effort to get permissions on all uploads and images along with making sure that everyone gets credited. Once your channel is gone it’s very hard to come back!

The Manchester stop looks to be a bit of a special show for the ‘All Night Long’ tour, could you tell us more about what you have planned and why you decided to choose Manchester for the special show?

We’ve been talking about the idea for ages as DJing has become a really important thing for both of us. In terms of Manchester, we’ve always had such an incredible time and the crowds have always been top, so we thought it would be the perfect place to road test the idea.

Your shows usually end up being a showcase for the new talent in the deep house/future garage sound that you guys are pushing, are there any new up and comers you are eyeing up to feature on the label or in future shows that we should be watching out for?

Obviously we don’t want to give too much away but we are about to drop a new track on the label from Ten Ven, which is getting amazing feedback at the moment. We can’t wait to show everyone it, may even hear it on Saturday! We featured a track of his on our first compilation last year so to get him in for a full on release is really exciting!

Eton Messy are playing in Manchester on the 19th of March at a Secret Warehouse Location for a special laser live show as a stop of their ‘All Night Long’ tour.

Tickets available here on Resident Advisor.

Live review: Red Bull Culture Clash

Written by Will Baldwin-Pask on . Posted in Music.

Way out in Old Granada Studios, Manchester’s maddest amass for one of the most anticipated nights out in modern Britain. Having had a few years to cultivate its reputation, there’s a sense the event is peaking in popularity amongst young music fans, the Fire-in-the-Booth generation, desperate to witness some hectic battle brutality whilst they wait for Game of Thrones to return.

The Clash features battles between four regional acts: local celebrities LEVELZ, the backbeat-loving Dub Smugglers, acid house hero A Guy Called Gerald and old school MC collective Made in Manchester. Upon four inward facing stages, each act has to prove their status as the best in the room, alternating every ten minutes within four ‘rounds’. The strongest sonic gladiator gathers the greatest crowd approval and wins according to decibels picked up during each cheer. Of course there can only be one winner, so if you’re bass doesn’t punch or your drops don’t hit, you’ll be hanging your headphones in shame.

LEVELZ aren’t even considering this an option. Dressed up in black balaclavas and pharaoh hats, they’re like some ironic, Manc Wu-Tang Clan. They smash the first round, using ‘LVL 07’ to raise the bar for everyone else. At this point, Made in Manchester’s drum ‘n’ bass melee seems the most likely to compete, whereas Basstronic – aka A Guy Called Gerald – are just too slow to get anyone kicking off. The first round acts like an exit poll, establishing LEVELZ as favourites with the loudest roar and rowdiest crowd.

It’s a noticeably young crowd. Your average individual likely went to Leeds festival for the first time last summer, saw some grime, loved it so much they decided to get into live music and made the natural next step to come here. There’s a festival-like feel in the way the audience shifts act after act, surrounding you with different faces each time. The sound systems, however, outstrip that of most festivals.  The volume balance is so clean and the lighting is so tidy that each act fills up the whole room despite sharing it with three other stages. In terms of spectacle, this is utterly unique.

In spite of the apparent sound quality, Made in Manchester express frustration with the speakers as the second round gets under way. Although it’s meant to be a contest of song selection, this round is about personality. LEVELZ respond to Made in Manchester’s rant by accusing them of blaming their shitness on the technology. Once again, they’ve stepped it up, similarly mugging off Dub Smugglers, channelling Liam Gallagher, Morrissey and Mark E. Smith—their inner Manc basically.

Aside from struggling to pick up any speed, Basstronic are lacking in inter-stage banter, simply for the fact their MC, Navigator, speaks limited English. That and he lets out a homophobic slur at one point, which Dub Smugglers jump on and call him out for, to a strong wave of approval from the liberal young crowd. The playground war wages on but the real violence is coming from the beats, which are sending people subhumanly mad at every drop. Jungle, drum ‘n’ bass, and a bit of dub seem to be everyone’s weapons of choice so far, which raises the stakes even higher for round three: The “something different” round.

Each act imitates another’s signature style. Reggae proves popular, which will certainly be amongst everyone’s main influences but can be heard most distinctly in Dub Smugglers usually. Garage is also prominent, the traces of which can be found in our man Gerald over there who is, sadly, looking like the loser at this early stage. Dub Smugglers almost scupper their chances as well when the sound cuts out for half their time—luckily MC Soom-T brings out her fastest bars and retains the crowd’s attention with her tremoring flow. A bit more desperately, she explains to everyone that the group “love smoking ganj, and fuck the Tories!” as if running through some checklist of ways to a young northerner’s heart.

Made in Manchester and LEVELZ get more personal, but Made… have clearly upped their game, bringing on stage more people and bringing out harder tunes. One thing they do very well is ensure they don’t rush; there are simply too many reel-ups and restarts in the other acts’ sets for anyone to settle convincingly in a song. Made in Manchester let their tracks get a good run before they reign ‘em in and consequently come out on top in this round. Wrongly, LEVELZ win.

It’s now evident who has the home crowd advantage as we near the end; LEVELZ have maintained their energy, true, but they’ve also been buoyed by the fact a lot of people will be there for them and them only. To overcome these odds, all the other acts now have to recreate New Years Eve in a warzone if they want to take the win.

The Fourth and final Round, slightly cringe-inducingly named ‘Armageddon’, requires all acts to put one final sprint in to prove themselves. Winning this round equates to winning two normal rounds, so in theory it’s all to play for. Realistically, it’s between Made… and LEVELZ, though Basstronic noticeably put in their biggest shift so far. They whip the strobes and the confetti streamers out for added effect, but are utterly robbed once Dub Smugglers bring on General Levy for an incendiary rendition of ‘Incredible’. The twenty year legacy of this iconic track is hitting every single person in the room; for the first time, the place goes truly bonkers. Booyaka booyaka, indeed.

Just when you think the night’s peaked, Made in Manchester welcome Liam Bailey on stage as they play Chase and Status’ ‘Blind Faith’ in its entirety and nothing else. Somehow, the lighting and the “sweet sensation” chorus elevate the energy even more. This is partly testament to the influence of Chase and Status—having won the last Culture Clash with Rebel Sound, this moment in the night suggests they could well be the sound of modern Britain, the group that tapped into what the kids wanted at the right time in history; a General Levy, if you will.

LEVELZ aren’t the strongest, but still insist on crowd-surfing in a dinghy to end the round. It matters not. They were always going to win. This is by far the closest round but one still feels a pang of embarrassment for Basstronic when, in the final crowd reading determining a winner, 0% of people cheer. Unsurprisingly, the most noise is made for LEVELZ, who still make a point about Dub Smugglers deserving it in humble fashion, though in my view Made in Manchester had a stronger claim. As things wrap up, the compere annoyingly concludes that “music was victorious”. Wrong. If there was a clear winner of the night, it was the one thing that linked everyone more than music, the reason we could have that much fun, the reason we could even be there: Manchester.

Red Bull Culture Clash – Manchester

Written by Nadia Cheung on . Posted in Music.

Red Bull Culture Clash Manchester

March 10, 2016 Old Granada Studios.

Old Granada Studios

Four rounds, four acts. The rules are to have no repeats of songs in each round—doing so would straightaway result to disqualification. But remixes are allowed. Each act is given 10 minutes each to impress their audience to cheer for them to win. The noise is the voting system, picked up by a special decibel meter that detects the sound frequency, crowning the act with the loudest cheers—in MC Dynamite’s words, “If you don’t want them to win don’t boo—it counts as noise.”

When I think of this sold out night, I think “0161” repeated over and over, rooting for Manchester’s music scene. In Old Granada Studios, where Jeremy Kyle used to be, sat four small stages on each corner—each representative of each act: Made in Manchester, LEVELZ, Dub Smugglers, and BASSTRONIC (fronted by A Guy Called Gerald—best known for his work in the ’80s Manchester acid house scene).

A heavy and pretty intense start, round one went hard with Made in Manchester playing some drum and bass, grime, and at one point mixing up The Fugees’ classic ‘Ready or Not’. Most people in the crowd were just bopping their heads to the beat and feeling it out. The crowd, naturally, were slow to warm up, and dancing didn’t really start happening until the end of the first round. Wearing balaclavas and bandanas, LEVELZ were next to perform. They had it all together aesthetically, and even squeezed in some bantz with Made in Manchester (one of the members held up a sign reading “Made in Chelsea”), and they threw cuddly toys around the stage and swayed them around up in the air above the audience with some sort of fishing line. They paid their respects to David Bowie, shouting “RIP” and mixing up ‘Let’s Dance’ with some dub. This sort of felt out of place, but it pleased the people and it was unpredictable at best, or you could even say they were on another level to the act before them.

Dub Smugglers gave a futuristic feel, producing sounds which felt almost as if you were stuck inside something like a retro video game. They were more electronic-dependent, unlike LEVELZ who had great flow—with members rapping to a smooth and upbeat tempo, but this was refreshing—especially in the first round and it really gave some diversity to the competition. Dub Smugglers were definitely the more sexually charged act, with heavy bass and raunchy beats, it got pretty much everyone dancing along even when their 10 minutes to impress were over.

BASSTRONIC was fronted by A Guy Called Gerald. They decided to go old school and give the crowd a “history lesson” and played dancehall classics like ‘Bam Bam’, Dawn Penn’s banger ‘You Don’t Love Me (No No No)’ and went back in time with Millie Small’s ‘My Boy Lollipop’. A Guy Called Gerald called out to“Wythenshawe” to represent, putting everyone in a celebratory vibe as the 10 minutes progressed into aggressive beats with soulful female vocals until mixing it up all over again.

There were some technical issues with the sound and this disrupted the flow of the competition during the penultimate round. It can’t be hard to imagine how frustrating it was for a live competition, and Made in Manchester made this known. Hiccups continued to happen with BASSTRONIC and Dub Smugglers, too. But this didn’t affect their spirit. It seemed like each of the four acts were looking to enjoy themselves and have some healthy competition. For an event that prides itself as a musical battle, pitting four acts to work up the crowd to win, I felt that the people were friendly and considerate, and they were really just wanting to have a good time and enjoy the live music. There was no hustle and bustle or rowdiness like how I would have imagined when queuing up to get inside. And I didn’t feel like I was getting knocked around or misled with while I nerdishly scribbled on my notepad, worried that I would forget any details.

In the end, the winner of the Red Bull Culture Clash – Manchester was LEVELZ. It was a well-deserved win as they were consistent and strong in each round. Their flow, banter, beats and playfulness set them aside and offered something slick and different. Next up for LEVELZ, they will be sent to perform the June 17th finale at ExCel London, where they will compete with winners from the UK’s leading cities for music.

Review: Hail, Caesar!

Written by Tristan Goldsmid on . Posted in Film.

Hail, Caesar!, the latest film from the Coen Brothers, explores the extravagant goings on at Capital Pictures in 1950s Hollywood. The Golden Era of Hollywood is beautifully recreated and reflects the silliness of filmmaking at a time when studios would make the decisions at the expense of directors and producers.

This silliness is embodied in Capital Pictures’ attempts to counteract the imminent arrival of television by creating more spectacular dance routines, cheesier westerns, and the grand prestige picture: Hail, Caesar!: A Tale Of Christ’s Life—featuring global star Baird Whitlock (George Clooney). Despite a large portion of Hail, Caesar! is devoted to Baird Whitlock and his film, the real focus is guilt-ridden studio head Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), who is tasked with keeping things ticking over, rushing from set to set to deal with the mounting problems.

These problems include key studio actress DeeAnna Moran (Scarlett Johansson) playing a mermaid in a mesmerising underwater swimming routine, giving the studio the headache of being pregnant and unmarried, and sophisticated English director Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes) being furious for having to cast Western star Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich) for his English drama. The biggest headache for Mannix to unravel is on the set of Hail Caesar!, where world famous actor Baird Whitlock has been kidnapped, threatening to derail Capital Pictures’ most important film.

These forays into exuberant sets form the majority of events, which are joyous and indulgent sequences but aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of their welcome. A riff between Hobie Doyle and increasingly frustrated Laurence Laurentz—who tries to get heavy southern accented Doyle to don a sophisticated English dialect—is ludicrously long; but for many, it will be full of laughs. Similarly a dance routine featuring a tap dancing Chaning Tatum as an outbound sailor distraught at the absence of ‘dames’ on his voyage, is superbly choreographed, but is essentially irrelevant to the story despite its long routine. To anyone not spellbound by the charms of these sequences, they may seem unnecessary voyages from the plot.

The chunk of the story revolves around the capture of Whitlock, but any intrigue or suspense surrounding his kidnapping is lost to the journey through the different studio sets. Instead, the real focus is Mannix’s internal battle with the film industry itself. On the one hand he’s tempted to leave the poorly paid, painstaking fantasies of Hollywood behind and enter into a more serious business, but on the other hand—there may be joys to be found in the escapism and excitement of Hollywood. Mannix’s internal battle embodies the key questions Hail, Caesar! asks about why people make films, and whether the film industry actually means anything. This storyline is cleverly woven in, but gets lost at times under numerous gags and set pieces and ends up as a whole seeming a little incoherent.

Yet these brilliantly entertaining set pieces are enough to carry the film and are helped by some excellent performances. Clooney provides some big laughs as the simple-minded Whitlock who is put through a rollercoaster ride of surreal situations, yet seems as happy as ever. In one particular scene Whitlock enjoys a bizarre meeting with his capturers due to its educational value, and belief that it’s a ‘study session’. Ehrenreich’s Hobie Doyle is similarly hilarious as a cowboy singer lost in the glamourous but serious production of a classy English drama. Although given the most screen time Brolin’s Mannix is the straightest of the bunch, looking consistently weary as a stressed studio manager, but successfully holds the story together through his entertaining interactions with the cast.

Despite the long takes and large parts riding on the audience connecting with its sense of humour, Hail, Caesar! is a brilliantly entertaining celebration of Hollywood and the absurdity that is film-making.

4/5

Re-wardrobing your wardrobe

Written by Sarah Kilcourse on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

As the first half of second semester draws to a close, the effect of our student loans can no longer be seen in our bank balances, yet the internet is awash with street style looks from fashion week. What’s a fashion lover to do? With all this new inspiration and so little money, full of hope and creativity, we must look to our current wardrobes.

Being stylish is often less about buying the latest pieces and more about creating your own style. However, it is easy to fall into a rut of wearing the same outfits because they are easy and comfortable. So when you are procrastinating, look to your wardrobe for hours of entertainment. You never know what might work unless you try.

The 90s trend is still going strong so this is a good basis tor your re-wardrobing inspiration.  T-shirts layered under cami dresses gives a subtle nod to Cher Horowitz, and also means you can wear the most darling summer dresses in March. Similarly, throw your biggest jumper over the top of a summer dress and play with seasonal style. Layering is essential in the spring because of the changeable weather, and a great way to create new looks.

Chances are, if you see an outfit that you like on Instagram, Pinterest, or from your favourite blogger, when you take the individual items apart you’ll have some of them in your wardrobe. Then work with the pieces you do have to make your own version of said outfit. Sometimes a bit of inspiration can make you appreciate what you’ve already got.

Cavern of Anti-Matter: Void Beats/Invocation Hex

Written by Jacob Nicholas on . Posted in Music.

Released 19th February via Duophonic Records

8/10

Stereolab were one of the most consistently brilliant and inventive bands around for most of their 19 year run, releasing many bizarrely named masterpieces, from Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements to Chemical Chords. Leading man Tim Gane has a new band: Cavern of Anti-Matter, krautrock revivalists even more indebted to Neu than Stereolab were. The group previously released a record on a tiny Berlin label that’s now rarer than a decent episode of Doctor Who, but Void Beats/Invocation Hex is their first proper album, a retro-futurist throwback with the tracklist revealing references to science fiction, bizarre philosophy and indeed the BBC’s shit show time bollocks. Cavern of Anti-Matter have a lot to follow, but have they delivered a worthy follow up to Stereolab?

Well they’ve sort of just side-stepped the question. Void Beats/Invocation Hex is very different to Stereolab. Instead of using multiple vocal melodies, almost every song is instrumental and strongly rhythmic, relying on either carefully crafted beats or Joe Dilworth’s exceptional drumming. The overall sound is closer to Beak>, Geoff Barrow from Portishead’s own krautrock homage. Opening track ‘Tardis Cymbals’ begins with careful guitar strumming, before switching gears to ultra-motorik repetitive rhythms and punchy analogue synths, slowly swelling and shifting over its monolithic 13 minute runtime. It showcases everything Cavern of Anti-Matter can do in a single track. The brilliantly named ‘Blowing My Nose Under Close Observation’ and ‘Melody in High Feedback Tones’ follow, experimenting with rhythm and texture over more normal song lengths.

These rhythmic experiments are the band at their best, and it’s only when singers appear that the album falters. Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox appears on ‘Liquid Gate’, which is a brilliant single, but musically a step backwards, only two minutes long and sandwiched between the album’s two best tracks; the towering, astonishing ‘High-Hats Bring The Hiss’ and ‘Pantechnicon’. The combined effect is just a bit jarring. Sonic Boom of the exceptional Spacemen 3 appears on ‘Planetary Folklore’, but suffers from the fact that, while he is an incredible musician, he isn’t a very interesting singer, although he does provide one of his best performances, and his cryptic declarations fit the album’s sci-fi feel. However, despite these two minor missteps (both of which are great outside the album), Cavern of Anti-Matter have delivered a glorious retro-futurist bolt of energy, one that’s definitely worth listening to, both through its relationship to Stereolab and in the band’s own right.

Manchester City 0-0 Dynamo Kiev

Written by Harry Newton on . Posted in Sport.

It may be the second consecutive goalless draw for Manchester City, but this one ended on a much higher note than their outing at Norwich at the weekend—City made history tonight. The Blues finished the game as 3-1 winners on aggregate and entered the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history. Although the game was not the greatest advert for the Champions League itself, the result will mean a lot to the City faithful.

If this game was a film…

The History Boys

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The fall of the Berlin Wall, the Holy Roman Empire and VE Day have absolutely nothing on the history made by Manchester City today (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating). In recent years City have only made the round of sixteen twice, when they were dumped out of the competition by Barcelona. This year, however, there was a change of scenery for the Blues, as they finally got a more favourable draw. Dynamo Kiev were dispatched over two legs by City, resulting in this historic achievement. Fingers crossed now that Arsenal can beat Barcelona…

Big Moments

5th minute: INJURY. Vincent Kompany went to ground after pulling his calf again. Subbed off for Eliaquim Mangala, to a rapturous standing ovation. I have not seen a man look as gutted as Kompany since my Dad showed me his wedding picture.

22nd minute: INJURY. Nicolás Otamendi was the next to go, as the Argentinian made way for Martín Demichelis.

60th minute: POST. Yaya Touré played the ball out wide to Jesús Navas who struck it hard and low, but the ball clashed the far post.

86: PENALTY APPEAL. City got away with murder here, as a double penalty appeal was waved away. Fernando clumsily brought down a player in the box, which went unnoticed, and the resulting shot hits him on the arm. Kiev will have felt hard done by.

Stat of the Game

This was City’s first clean sheet in ten games in the Champions League. Onwards and upwards!

Quote of the Presser

“When you have a new achievement, it is always important for your trust. I think that this season we are—I don’t know if the word is better prepared—but more experienced.” 

—Manuel Pellegrini on City making history, and whether they can go further.

Injury Hell

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Since his transfer in 2008, Vincent Kompany has gone from a cheap midfielder, to one of the best centre backs in European football, whilst most City fans consider him as one of the greatest players to have played for the team. It is because of this that it is so unfortunate that he has suffered so much with injuries in his time at City!

Kompany won City’s Player of the Month award for February, as he impressed since his return from a calf injury—but the problem has recurred again, as Kompany hobbled off after five minutes of the match. He will be gutted, but his pre-match captain’s notes in the match-day programme highlighted his personal battle with injuries, as he said that he will continue to fight.

When it rains—it pours. Kompany’s recent successful performances have come partly due to a great understanding between him and Otamendi, as both play better alongside one another. So, when Otamendi hobbled off with a muscle injury as well, City fans will have been doubly concerned, as it’s possible that there will only two fit centre-backs for the Manchester derby next Sunday.

Pellegrini said that Kompany will be out for a month at least, and that it is difficult to know if he will be out for the entirety of the rest of the season, however he noted that its possible Otamendi may be fit quicker and they will find out soon. Demichelis and Mangala are the only two official options for the team, however Bacary Sagna can also play centre-back and Mancunian Tosin Adarabioy would relish the chance to play against the city rivals.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The Draw

Friday sees the all-important Champions League draw for the last eight. You’d like to think that City would be very happy with pulling out Wolfsburg or Benfica in the draw as these seem the easiest bets; however Manuel Pellegrini noted that “I think that when you are in this stage, any team is difficult.” He went on to say that all the teams at this stage are the same… except Barcelona, who he thinks is the best.

I’m sure Pep Guardiola will not be happy about that one.

Fan Watch

After City’s second choice goalkeeper saved three penalties at Wembley last month to help the Blues lift the Capital One Cup trophy, the City fans have labelled Willy Caballero as a legend at the club! This will surely be enjoyed by Joe Hart, who has always had a great relationship with any back-up at the club before—but maybe he didn’t like one of the chants thrown his way this game.

“You’re just a shit Caballero, shit Caballero” was chanted from the South Stand to Hart, who turned and gave them a grin. It was all in good jest though, as the South Stand replied by chanting “England’s Number 1”.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Man of the Match

Yaya Touré

Touré was back to his old self in this match, and showed what City missed from him in the weekend draw with Norwich. The Ivorian had a fantastic first half especially, as he made two surging runs throwing players to the ground in his wake. He always seems to look like he’s running much slower than the players trying to get the ball from him, and yet he manages to keep the ball and power through with ease. His quick feet are especially surprising for such a tall man.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Another man worthy of a mention is Sergio Agüero. The striker may not have scored, or even fashioned as many chances as he usually does, but his hold-up play was great and the skill he possessed a few times to get past the Kiev defence was mesmerising. A cheeky back-heel and spin saw off two defenders during the second half, and had City fans on their feet.

Nude feud: Kim Kardashian divides the internet… again

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Now, we all know that Kim Kardashian isn’t exactly famed for being a wallflower when it comes to revealing photos, but her latest nude selfie has really kicked up a storm. Apparently not satisfied with “breaking the internet” with her 2014 Paper magazine cover, the socialite has managed to do it again, this time using the power of her own Instagram page. Framing the racy snap with the flippant (yet wonderfully sassy) caption of “When you’re like I have nothing to wear LOL”, the 35-year-old showed off her toned 2015 figure with only two black boxes censoring her, ahem… lady regions.

Less than an hour later, Twitter lost its mind. It seemed like everyone crawled out of the woodwork to give their opinion on Mrs West’s nudity, dividing fans and fellow celebrities straight down the middle. Actresses Bette Midler and Chloe Moretz chose to voice their disapproval, with Midler tweeting: “If Kim wants us to see a part of her we’ve never seen, she’s gonna have to swallow the camera”, while the younger star pointed out to Kim that she was supposed to be a role model for younger women (“I truly hope you realize how important setting goals are for young women, teaching them we have so much more to offer than just our bodies”).

However Kim K wasn’t fazed in the slightest and decided to take a leaf out of husband Kanye’s book, calling out her haters in true Yeezy style. Opening her Twitter tirade with a brazen reminder of her immense wealth (“sorry I’m late to the party guys I was busy cashing my 80 million video game check & transferring 53 million into our joint account”), she hit back at Midler and Moretz, branding the former as a fake and the latter as irrelevant. Kardashian also threw in a comment about Moretz’s Nylon magazine cover, which did well in pointing out a large chunk of irony: Ermmm, Chloe… you seem to have forgotten that the only thing covering your body on that picture is a coat—is it really that different from Kim’s?

Nevertheless, not everyone was quite so criticising. Modern Family actress Ariel Winter said it best when she reminded everyone that “No one was body shaming @justinbieber when he posted his nude guitar photo so why @KimKardashian? #herbodyherchoice #InternationalWomensDay”, and later adding that “everyone, men and women, should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies—and not be criticized.”

And isn’t she right? Surely by now people should be beginning to realise that nothing productive comes from slut-shaming women. It’s an irrelevant concept, and the fact that it even has a name shows that it’s gone way too far. Kardashian took to her app and website this International Women’s Day to defend herself, stating that she is empowered by her body and that her goal is—contrary to Moretz’s comments—to try and encourage females all over the world to take the same level of pride in their form and sexuality. She wrote “It’s 2016. The body-shaming and slut-shaming—it’s like, enough is enough. I will not live my life dictated by the issues you have with my sexuality. You be you and let me be me.”

Whatever you may think of Kim Kardashian or her Klan, you have to admit she has a point. To me, this is just another chapter in a long-running debate. Whether it be ‘free the nipple’ or ‘fat vs thin’, we can’t seem to turn our heads away from the row over women’s bodies and what they should or shouldn’t do with them. It’s the 21st century, we should be celebrating the beauty, sexuality, and confidence of women, not slut-shaming or criticising. We’re all different, but we’re all beautiful. How we choose to show that, naked OR clothed, is a personal choice.

Let’s face it, THAT picture is smoking hot and any one of us can understand why the mother-of-two would want to show it off! Let’s stop fighting and embrace the strength of ourselves as females. And to be honest, when it really comes down to it, it doesn’t matter what we all think. This isn’t her first nude picture, and I’m pretty damn sure it won’t be her last!

Review: Bone Tomahawk

Written by Dylan Kerlann on . Posted in Film.

Bone Tomahawk, written and directed by Craig Zahler, tells the story of a little town confronted to the horror lurking in the nearby mountains, in the American frontiers at the beginning of the 20th century. The Sheriff (Kurt Russell), an over protective husband (Patrick Wilson), one of the deputies (Richard Jenkins) and a veteran of the frontier (Mathew Fox), depart on a quest to rescue the husband’s wife (Lili Simmons), a depute (Evan Jonigkeit) and a “bushwhacker” (Sid Haig) abducted by a cannibalistic tribe of natives whose burial grounds was disturbed by the said bushwhacker.

This movie is well served by its impeccable photographic quality and actors, which perfectly captured the simplicity of the American Wild West. This maintains the viewer interested by the landscapes as the pace of the story may be considered too slow to some others. This becomes even more problematic due to the failure of this movie to deliver on the horror side of the story. The Indian tribe—though interesting in its concept of utter savagery and absence of humanity—is not developed enough and will fail to scare the vast majority. Its violent culture, though implied, is hardly ever shown and will barely impress those used to the gore of a zombie movie or a horror feature.

The camera—which remains of a stellar quality—participates in the waste of such potential and talent as it could have given the viewer a true sense of dread and the sensation of being watched. The films actors and their great performances as colourful and believable characters—not fully understanding the abominations on whose realm they are about to trespass on—only save the movie.

That, as a conclusion, can be considered a great documentary on the Wild West but alas, a failure as a horror movie—though it had the potential. I do recommend watching this film, not as rescue mission turned journey through horror—but as a simple one.

3/5

HOME Pick of the Week: Hitchcock/Truffaut

Written by Alasdair Bayman on . Posted in Film.

An enigma, genius and the ‘master of suspense’ all tip the iceberg upon the discussion of the man that is Alfred Hitchcock. The nature of Hitchcock is full well know in today’s society, but was something lesser known to his contemporaries. Yet fellow filmmaker, François Truffaut, saw Hitchcock for whom he really was—a true artist and auteur. This notion was developed in his 1966 book, Cinema According to Hitchcock. The book offered an in-depth insight into the mind of the director through transcribing the dialogue of extended interviews that were held between the two greats. Similar to their respective film, the text influenced generations of cinephiles into understanding the manner of Hitchcock’s work, alongside becoming a holy grail to many directors. The explorative nature that was at hand from Truffaut is centralized into Kent Jones’ latest documentary, Hitchcock/Truffaut.

As much as Jones creates an autobiographical piece for Hitchcock—outlining his origins as a title card designer and continual growth into the film industry—an atmosphere of critical appreciation towards such films like Rear Window, The Birds and many more is paramount. The narrator, Bob Balaban, is articulate in this manner. Through incorporating a wide variety of acclaimed directors as Martin Scorsese, Richard Linklater, Wes Anderson and Kiyoshi Kurosawa in the role of talking heads only serves to underline the cinematic importance of Truffaut’s book. Their discussion is not only key in developing the contextual background for the book, they also serve as significant reminder of the impact of the text, alongside both director’s works. Their passionate interviews place them amongst us—the audience—into our cinephilic nature.

Being an auteur, in theory, brings along with it boundaries in audience’s expectations for a director’s distinct style. Similarly, in regards to Stanley Kubrick, audiences of the time perceived Hitchcock as simply outstanding at one thing—suspense. Truffaut, however, saw past this social stigma in recognising and appreciating all of Hitchcock’s films as individual, and rejected to succumbing to audience’s stereotypes for Hitchcock as a director. In playing with audiences, Hitchcock transgressed the barriers of cinema in classics like Vertigo and Psycho. Jones is quick to draw attention to this particular factor in using them as a base for discussion and exploration.

Hitchcock/Truffaut is fully deserving of its subject matter and baring the title of two of the greatest film makers to have lived. Its deep focus on Hitchcock himself does not really leave any room for discussion up Truffaut as paramount to the French New Wave movement with films like The 400 Blows. Nonetheless, Kent Jones has created something that is a must see for any avid film lover and film enthusiast.

4/5

The “Generation Y” problem

Written by Paul Scott on . Posted in News.

Experts say that the Generation Y—people born in the 80s up to the mid-90s—demographic has been hit hardest by the economic crash in 2008. Recent research claims a “perfect storm” of factors have combined, putting young people in an extremely difficult position compared with their elder counterparts.

It is nothing new for young people to hear that their current economic position is somewhat precarious. Since the economic crash, global statistics on youth unemployment, graduate prospects, house prices and living costs have all made fairly bleak reading for the millennials.

A study by the National Office for Statistics found that in almost all countries which were considered as part of the research that young people suffered relative income losses compared with the generation before them. Pensioners’ disposable income, however, had increased. There are calls to address the problem that have seen a complete reversal from young adults earning more than the average national wage to them earning 20 per cent less nowadays.

Experts warn a broad set of socio-economic problems may arise from what is seen as a growing marginalisation of millennials and critics of the government will claim there is already evidence of this as the cost of living continues to climb.

According to homeless charity Shelter, “house prices are now almost seven times people’s incomes.” This comes as the nation has seen an increase in homelessness, particularly among young people.

In research from the Equality and Human Rights Commission published last year, young people were singled out as particularly vulnerable. Individuals from the 16-to-24 age range were the most likely to be living in poverty.

London, which is often seen as the epitome of modern inequality in the UK, has become an increasingly difficult place for young people to live. According to the real estate company Rightmove, the average house price in the capital stands at £548,857. The average rent fee per month is currently at £1,500, a figure that sparked protests last year as part of wider demonstrations opposing what charities like Shelter are calling a housing crisis.

Beyond these acute social concerns is also the difficulty in accessing the job market. The crash in 2008 has had devastating effects on young graduates’ job opportunities and is seen as central to the growing economic disparity between generation Y and the rest of the population.

The job market appears a very fluid entity, with a host of conflicting research and opinion on the matter. Some purport, despite graduate opportunities shrinking in the wake of the recession, that there have been recent signs of slow improvement.

A study last year reported a record 68.2 per cent of graduates were in professional roles and a survey conducted by the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services found that “81.5 per cent of respondents agree that the graduate labour market was more buoyant in the year to 31 July 2015 than the previous year.”

The Complete University Guide scores the University of Manchester’s career prospects at 75.5 per cent, with Imperial College London topping the list with 89.9 per cent. Economic analysts have warned a British exit from the EU could harm graduate prospects, the job market, and the UK economy as a whole.

Although the outlook for graduates may have improved marginally, critics of generational inequality will argue the position of millennials in society is, for students, one characterised by debt, and with those most economically vulnerable suffering the most.

Review: A Conscious Dream

Written by Daniel Cuty on . Posted in Film.

A Conscious Dream is a clear example of a reflexive documentary. It plays with a specific reality in which the author presents its philosophical-abstract point of view through the use of aesthetic resources.Following the journey of band along Latin America, the author reflects about issues related with the culture of this region of the world and adds interesting insights about what is the meaning of life and death.

This film is a reflection in which the author presents multiple characters in the journey a band along Chile. The style of the director creates a constant oscillation between what these characters in the journey think about the culture and mix it with interviews of writers and philosophers who perceive the same topics from a different perspective.

In this sense, the film breaks the old-fashioned documentary style in which tries to present an objective reality composed by historical records. Instead, it mixes the interpretation of the author portraying its particular point of view through the creative portrayal of the characters that met along the way. A Conscious Dream then, presents innovative and creative content not only in terms of the content of the topics that are discussed, but also on the style that gives a deeper connotation towards what apparently is real.

Rediscovering Tel Aviv

Written by Ella Kashti on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Being a country so widely followed due to its turbulent politics and history, it’s a rare occasion one gets a cultural insight into the leisurely side of Tel Aviv. Home to over 400,000 people, it is a hugely forward thinking, western city with a lot to offer. It has a prominent LGBTQ+ scene, and the pop culture and party scene is second to none—even the Black Eyed Peas claimed it as their favourite place to perform. Were we still in 2009 we would perhaps all be a lot more impressed.

Having grown up with Tel Aviv as my second-most visited city, I’ve been able to experience it without prejudice or fear. Walking around, it is more than easy to forget the context of the country you’re in. It’s a city that feels alive; there’s colour and noise everywhere, and enough eccentric Israelis to keep you on your toes and interested (shout out to Jesus on a moped), but it’s also impressively relaxed, filled with a silly amount of attractive youth with life long tans, sauntering the city and getting drinks with their really attractive faces.

1.     Pop culture and the party scene:

The nightlife in Tel Aviv is buzzing. It’s a city that starts late and finishes late, and unlike the British, seems to understand how to construct a nightlife without 18 year olds passing out, vomiting, or as Pangaea reminded us all, anything else. Entrance therefore to clubs in general tends to be restricted to over 21’s, but will be well worth the wait. The Lonely Planet ranked Tel Aviv in the top 10 cities for young people, due to its vibrant and exciting clubbing and music scene.

2.     Dining

The food in Israel is diverse and more than available. There’s endless opportunity for street food and authentic middle eastern cuisine, which I strongly recommend as the way to go. However, should you crave something a little more international, there’s a huge range of restaurants available. Head over to Rustico (located on Rothschild Boulevard), should you be craving a killer pasta or Nutella pizza.

3.     LGBTQ+ scene

Perhaps surprisingly, the LGBTQ+ scene in Tel Aviv is prominent, with Out Magazine naming it the “gay capital of the Middle East”. There is an annual Pride Parade in Tel Aviv each June with over 100,00 participants, and in 2013 a poll by Haaretz showed 59% support for same sex marriage among Israelis.

4.     The Beaches

The beaches in Tel Aviv are a huge selling point in my opinion. They are large and clean, with white sands, palm trees and clear warm water. There’s rarely beach sellers like you find in many holiday destinations, yet more often than not, you’ll find beach huts selling drinks and ice creams. Visiting in the day time guarantees you a tan and a perhaps even a chat with a (once again) hugely attractive lifeguard if you’re lucky/dumb/smart enough to get a little lost out at sea (because the water is just that warm). What’s more, sunsets on the beach in Tel Aviv are addictive. Gather the troops, get some food, and watch from the shore. You won’t even need a jumper.

And there you have it, more than enough reasons to plan your next trip away with your friends to Tel Aviv. It’s not cheap, but well worth it.