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Month: February 2017

The politics of a galaxy far, far away

Written by David Moseley on . Posted in Opinion.

Disney’s ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’, released in late in 2016 and hot on the heels of Episode VII, was a welcome spin-off instalment. This year, Star Wars fans are awaiting the continuation of the Sequel trilogy proper. While these films offer us a classic hero story narrative of the clash between good and evil, the Star Wars franchise has also been swept up in our ever more divisive political discourse.

The recent controversy surrounding ‘Rogue One’ was tied up the election of Donald Trump and the emerging far-right conservative. One of the film’s writers, Chris Weisz, tweeted, “Please note that the Empire is a white supremacist (human) organisation.” Many have since accused Disney of inserting anti-Trump propaganda into the film. Bob Iger, Disney’s chief executive, made the statement that “there are no political statements in [the film], at all.” Those who called for a boycott also claimed that anti-Trump scenes had been edited out of the film.

Obviously, Trump supporters felt that they were being unfairly likened to cinema’s most famous authoritarian fascist government, the Galactic Empire. It’s no secret that the Empire of the Star Wars universe draws hugely on the aesthetics of the Third Reich and the uniform of the wartime German Wehrmacht. With all the comparisons of Hitler and the Nazis with Trump, his supporters clearly took Weitz’s tweet as another Nazi comparison.

It may seem pointless to argue about the nature of Star Wars in this way, or to even consider the franchise in political terms. However, the political debate about Star Wars is nothing new. Not only are the allusions to Nazism clear, but the 1977 original also draws on the imagery of the Vietnam War. As The Washington Post noted at the time, air to ‘ground’ combat in the trench-run denouement and having a technologically superior power oppressing an alliance of rebels were two of the transplanted themes of the film.

In fact, George Lucas intended to make a Vietnam combat film before setting out to make Star Wars, according to the same Washington Post article, but “it would have been impossible to make the film then and have it be so successful.” So instead, he made Star Wars, a film about Vietnam. Lucas has also been frank about the subliminal significance of the Prequel trilogy with regard to the Bush administration in Iraq.

Rogue One director Gareth Edwards has said that there are still references to Vietnam in the latest instalment, noting that early on in production they “took images of Vietnam and Middle East conflicts and World War II and literally just photoshopped rebel clothes over the soldiers.” This is especially clear in the beach assault scenes at the end of the film, both in terms of the tropical location and the rebel soldiers landing in transports.

The most striking, and controversial, political element of the Star Wars films, old and new, is the Galactic Empire. This totalitarian imperial theocracy rules with violence, demands conformity, and silences dissent. They represent, of course, whichever undesirable government we may be faced with. In 1977, the threat of authoritarian-style communist governments haunted the liberal democracies of the ‘free world’. Today, we are concerned with the rise of Trump and his wide-ranging use of presidential executive powers.

While it’s more common to cast the Empire as the baddies, some prominent figures have come out in support. One such notable figure is political analyst and former Chief of Staff to Vice President Bill Kristol, who has described the Empire as “a liberal regime [with] meritocracy, upward mobility. Neoconservative… in spirit.” He also observed that there is no objective evidence that the Empire is ‘evil’.

On screenrant.com, one author drew up “15 Reasons the Galactic Empire was Actually Good”, which included that “the empire was willing to leave lawful persons in peace”, “the empire grew the galactic economy”, and “the empire provided opportunities for advancement.” These benefits of the empire, while backed up by scant evidence, also clearly jive with small government, Republican ideals.

And that is at the heart of these debates: that we can read our own messages into the far-removed Star Wars universe. Either we admire the plucky rebels fighting a powerful tyranny, or we look for the strengths of the Empire’s ideology and apparatus. The lines between art, entertainment, and social commentary are as blurred as they have ever been.

It seems that nothing is safe from the mire of contemporary politics. The moral simplicity of the Star Wars universe (Jedi/Sith, Rebels/Empire) should also remind us of the complexity of our own world. The lines between the good and dark side are not so clear cut; as a society we can barely agree who plays which role. Though the science fiction world of Star Wars is distant from our own, our responses to it expose the concerns and spirit of our age.

LGBT History Month: body issues

Written by Michael Petch on . Posted in Opinion.

February is LGBT history month, and with the recent sharper focus on LGBT rights, many are asking why we still need a month dedicated to LGBT people. Hopefully, throughout this series, I will be able to argue why LGBT history month matters by examining the inequalities that LGBT people face today.

Body shaming within the gay and bisexual male community is rife. Beauty standards for gay men are either hypermasculine or are solely focused on being youthful and thin. These are so entrenched into the culture of gay men that we even have terms to denote these different kinds of men: jocks and twinks, respectively. The existence of these standards is harmful, as it creates a social narrative where men who do not fit into these boxes are not deemed attractive. As a result, it pushes people to try and fit themselves in, reducing themselves down to a vapid caricature.

This goes beyond people feeling unattractive; it causes serious health problems amongst gay and bisexual men. The International Journal of Eating Disorders found that 42 per cent of men who have eating disorders identify as gay or bisexual. This is ridiculously high, and it clearly shows that unrealistic beauty standards are impacting on the health of gay men in a very real way.

This then made me wonder if the same bodily pressures exist within lesbian and trans spaces. For lesbians and bisexual women, the answer is somewhat more contrived. Due to the close cultural ties to feminism, there is much more body tolerance within the lesbian community. Butch and femme identities are respected without people being pressurised from within the community to conform to these ideals.

The majority of body issues that affect lesbians and bisexual women come from the hyper-sexualisation of lesbian relationships by society. This is established in media, like music videos and films, whereby two typically attractive straight women make out for the purpose of pleasing straight men. This ideal is then awkwardly pressed onto real life couples, where the expectations are inevitably not met. Those who do not conform to society’s beauty standards are then seen as ugly man-haters to avoid them being a threat to masculinity, and as such a variety of lesbian identities are suppressed and shamed.

Trans body issues can appear more complex due to the nature of gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is usually explained as discomfort or unhappiness as a result of some incongruence between a person’s gender identity and the way their gender is perceived by themselves or others. It is worth pointing out that there is a big difference between dysphoria and body image. Dysphoria is not just a desire to look a certain way, it is the distress a trans person experiences where something about the way they look, act or even feel makes them in some way feel as though they are the wrong gender. This isn’t as much to do with beauty standards as it is to do with feeling correct and healthy within themselves as the right gender. Part of this may be wanting to exhibit feminine or masculine beauty standards, but that is only a part of dysphoria, and makes body image issues and non-trans beauty standards infinitely more complicated. Whilst women are pressured to be thin, trans women who have not undergone hormonal therapy will struggle to store fat around their hips and legs, which typically happens because of higher levels of oestrogen. But as women, they still are victim to a societal pressure to be thin, and as such it can create a conflict between the socially pressurised body standards, which tells them to lose weight, and dysphoria, which tells them to gain weight in areas.

These challenging beauty standards, both from within and without, are a reminder that we are measured by the stereotypes that people hold for us as LGBT people. Either we fall into the stereotypes that people have set for us, or we go so vehemently out of our way to avoid them — which only creates more problems. Within our community, we have to challenge peoples’ preconceived notions of the way that LGBT people will look.

To finish the series, I would like to reflect back on what we have discussed about how society still perceives LGBT people, and the social battle grounds of these judgements. Before we have even come out we are seen as deceptive, and afterwards we are held to dehumanising, oversexualised caricatures of what it means to be LGBT. This makes it easier to deny us rights and services, like the freedom to give blood. It makes it easier to verbally and sexually harass us in the streets. Finally, it makes it easier to ignore us when we speak out about these inequalities, which ultimately is why LGBT History Month still matters.

20th Century Women

Written by Esther Hamilton-Ivory on . Posted in Film.

In light of recent political events, women’s issues have been at the forefront of much discussion, and Mike Mills’ 20th Century Women is a beautiful representation of three women trying to navigate through these very same issues. The film follows the story of a mother called Dorothea, played by the brilliant Annette Bening, and her son, Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann), as he attempts to negotiate the difficulties of coming of age. As the story progresses, Bening’s character becomes worried that she is not doing a sufficient job in raising Jamie as the moral individual she so desires, so recruits the help of Abbie, her lodger, superbly played by Greta Gerwig and Julie (Elle Fanning), Jamie’s best friend and the object of his affection. In attempting to build Jamie up as a ‘good man’, the film raises pertinent questions regarding family, identity and happiness and in struggling to answer the questions her son proposes to her, it soon becomes clear that Dorothea, too, is struggling just as much with these big, life-defining questions.

Mills uses flashbacks, photography and voice overs in order to transport the audience back to the late 1970s. Some critics have argued that these effects add to the film’s feeling self-indulgent and affected. However, this seems an unfair claim to make. The cinematography and direction is part of what made this film so great; the perhaps cliché sweeping shots of windy roads, often with Jamie skateboarding down them, offers to the audience a warm feeling reminiscent of the Southern Californian evenings in which the characters of the film are enjoying. Additionally, the careful use of music, mostly acquired from Gerwig’s character’s collection of loud, purposely lo-fi punk and feminist records, suitably portrays the angst with which the young characters in the film are so familiar. It is these contrasts between the dreamy daze and the small angry acts of rebellion which so intricately portrays the intensity, and often confusion, of being a teenager.

This film, however, is not just aesthetically pleasing, it is also clearly political. As a result of Dorothea’s attempts to bring Jamie up a moral man, he becomes a feminist. However, it is not through Dorothea that Jamie receives his feminist education, it is from Dorothea’s two recruits, Abbie and Julie. Abbie gives Jamie ‘Sisterhood is Powerful’ to read and it is from that book that he learns about modern feminism and it is from his and Julie’s frank conversations about sex that he learns about true female sexuality. The film features a brilliant scene in which Abbie, suffering from cramps, forces all the guests at Dorothea’s dinner party to say, in unison, the word ‘menstruation’ in order to normalise it, something which Dorothea finds rather unpleasant. In order to portray truly human characters, Mills creates Dorothea as such that she finds much of this new feminism too radical, a natural reaction of a woman her age living in that era. However, this scene is one that would not be out of place in a film set in the modern day. It could be said that Mills is not only triumphing feminism but also highlighting that women’s issues and all the stigma attached is still very much ubiquitous today and in some cases, not much has changed since the late 70s. Perhaps Mills is urging us all to chant ‘menstruation’ in an attempt to truly end this stigma once and for all.

20th Century Women is a beautiful film with brilliant acting that tackles real human issues with real human feeling and certainly one which is worth a watch.

4/5 stars

Recognising a toxic friendship

Written by Shannon Winterbone on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Starting at university is obviously a brilliant chance to make a lot of new friends, some of whom might even become friends for life! However, not all the people we meet are going to add positively to our lives, and friendships are not always necessarily going to remain healthy. Therefore, it’s important to know how to recognise friends who are toxic, and causing more damage than good.

Firstly, I want to talk about that friend who is the one to always let you down and cancel plans at the last minute. We’ve all been guilty of cancelling on a night out once or twice because we’d rather have sat in bed with some snacks, but when you can predict that someone is going to cancel on you or just not show up without an explanation (yet again), then that person is being a bad friend. If you said you were going to meet for a drink at a certain time and they don’t show up, don’t let yourself be the one waiting by the phone for them to not call; you can’t allow yourself to be continually disappointed by the same toxic person.

The next friend that I want to talk about is the friend who will never let you feel good about yourself. When “I got 64% in my essay!” is answered by “Oh, I got 70%” or “Yeah, but your course is so much easier than mine,” then it’s safe to say that that friend isn’t contributing positively to your feelings. Real friends will let you have that moment to be proud of yourself and celebrate with you.

By responding negatively to your good news, a friend can bring your confidence down and thereby make you feel pressured or trapped into situations. If a friend is always forcing you to do something that you don’t want to do, then you shouldn’t do it. Don’t just go on a night out to a place you don’t even like every week if you don’t enjoy it; tell that friend the truth, and maybe they’ll ask you where you’d like to go instead, you never know! Do what you want to do sometimes, not what your friend always insists you must do.

In addition to pressuring you into uncomfortable situations, some friends could try and force their opinions onto you and make you feel bad for making your own choices. Yes, we need someone to truthfully judge our outfits in the changing rooms but not to judge our personal choices; if your friend doesn’t like your boyfriend/girlfriend, why does it matter? If you’re happy with your choices, then a good friend would be happy too and know when it’s important to raise any concerns they might have. Disliking your partner without good reason, for example, isn’t helping anyone.

Friendship is a two-way thing; no one can let themselves be continually hurt by someone on purpose and still carry on being their ‘friend’. Think about whether someone you’re having problems with is substantially adding to your life; if they’re not, then does that mean they’re taking away from it? Hopefully this will help anyone to spot a toxic relationship and work on making it healthier and happier!

The music of politics

Written by Cachella Smith on . Posted in Opinion.

On the evening of Sunday 12th February, the 59th Grammy Award ceremony took place in Los Angeles. With stars such as Adele, Katy Perry, and of course Beyoncé, all known for singing about “the one who got away” or being “drunk in love,” this would potentially have been the last place you would have expected a political debate to take place. Opinions on the recent events in America however seem to have wriggled their way into every aspect of our lives. Popular culture, being fundamentally a form of self-expression, is probably the most appropriate place for opinions to come to light. Political opinions are perhaps slightly more controversial however, and there inevitably will come the question as to whether celebrity icons, such as the ones mentioned above, have a responsibility to be more discrete. This is not the first politically-charged Grammys: the Macklemore homophobia controversy characterised 2014 and 2015 saw the rape issue on college campuses unravel. The question remains however, as to whether this has a positive influence on fans.

James Cordon’s opening speech went straight in and introduced the debate with an indiscreet message that his audience should “live it on up” now as “with President Trump, we don’t know what comes next.” Busta Rhymes stole Corden’s wind slightly, rapping about the Muslim ban and “President Agent Orange,” and we begin to notice a recurring theme. Katy Perry’s outfit featured an armband with the word ‘persist,’ and the end of her performance of “Chained to the Rhythm” showed her backing dancers sporting blank protest signs that turned into a screen for the projection of the US Constitution. The artists were certainly not concordant, nor were they overt about the particular message they were trying to convey. The resounding theme was however to stand up for what you believe in, and that politics clearly has a place in the music industry.

It would be hard to disagree with this of course. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and fundamentally we own the right to freedom of speech; the first amendment of the US Constitution. Music and performance is a form of self-expression, its entire purpose is arguably to present beliefs and evoke debate. With all the recent controversy in the States, is this, as Jennifer Lopez suggested “the time when artists go to work?” The value of music is that it binds us together, a form of empowerment that enables us to fight for what we believe in. It quite literally, gives a voice to those who don’t have one.

The argument is however slightly more nuanced than this. The question remains as to whether the likes of Beyoncé and Drake are in such a position of power that they need to be more discreet when it comes to expressing political opinions — particularly when it comes to the younger generation. They are highly influential and feature heavily in the daily lives of many. What’s more, their lyrics are often subconsciously learnt and re-enunciated, sometimes without any actual consideration for the meaning of the words that are said. Perhaps this is an extreme consideration, but often the tune, the music, and the celebrity status of the singer prevail over the words that they say. Their opinions in this way can travel through the minds of their followers who possess no recognition of the fact. Teachers, for example, and others in influential positions are not permitted to share their political values, for fear of manipulation, be it consciously or subconsciously — should the same not also be considered for celebrities? Can we really say that it is acceptable that these stars use their time in the spotlight to make digs at a political figure that they do not agree with?

Furthermore, if music is considered a point of unison and inclusion, does the expression of political beliefs not serve to do the opposite? Politics would not be political if everyone was of the same opinion. Expressing opinions could result in alienating those who do not agree, and be a medium that goes against its own values to promote exclusion and fragmentation within our society.

Lastly, we should consider the implications of the fact that The Grammy Award Ceremony, a point of celebration of talent and achievement, has become inundated with political opinion. Aside from some potential controversy as to the winners of each award, the Grammys has never before evoked such an atmosphere of tension and polemic. Is it right that political affairs, having an effect on all of us, need to be thoroughly integrated into our daily lives? Or is there more a time and a place for such discussions to occur? The result after all, is a detraction from the achievements of the artists themselves, and a movement away from the importance of music as a medium in itself within our daily lives.

Just as there are two sides to every political debate, there are indeed two sides to this one. Is music the food of politics? Or, have we reached the point where we need to establish some boundaries to prevent politically-charged opinions creating an irreconcilable divide amongst us in every medium possible?

 

Barbie Girl

Written by Sophie Soar on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

In March 1959, Mattel, Inc. released the iconic Barbie doll. The child of Wisconsin-based George and Margaret Roberts, Barbara (“Barbie”) Millicent Roberts has featured in many of our lives. Her CV boasts companionship with nearly every girl during childhood, in addition to a modelling career, several movie roles and a feature of Warhol’s work, not to mention an enormous wardrobe and long-term relationship with action-figure boyfriend, Ken. She also celebrated her 50th birthday in overstated style seven years ago, which involved a runway show in New York during Fashion Week featuring designs from Calvin Klein, Christian Louboutin and Vera Wang. Apparently life in plastic really is fantastic.

She is however an immensely controversial figure, who has evoked many controversies and featured in several lawsuits. Whilst her Wikipedia page tells us that she has a ‘significant impact on social values by conveying characteristics of feminine independence’, Barbie has come under heavy fire for her physique, exhibiting a standard of feminine beauty that is frankly quite terrifying to present to young children. Still, she features in millions of homes worldwide and my family home was no exception. Nonetheless, Barbie lost immense popularity by retail standards in 2014; perhaps an inevitability considering the disastrous haircut I gave her ten years before.

However Barbie’s three-year lull seems only fleeting as younger, world-famous companions flock to her side to boost their elder’s image. In November last year, the Ashley Graham Barbie appeared, praised for its ‘touching thighs’ at the body-activist’s request. She also has a custom-made lingerie collection to match Graham’s for Addition Elle.

Just two weeks ago, Mattel announced the next release of the Gigi Hadid Barbie doll, snapped rollerblading with her predecessor as they wear matching Tommy Hilfiger tees. The similarities are striking; Hadid’s modelling career and enormous array of accessories presents her as a keen comparison to Barbie, as do her celebrity besties and famous boyfriend.

However whilst Graham’s doll attempts to mirror the plus-size model’s image, Hadid’s representation follows exactly in Barbie’s miniature physique. Studies have shown that a human body’s incarnation of Barbie’s proportions cannot physically exist, which arises some key issues with characterising Hadid as such. The model is a keen activist for healthy living and exercise. She also appears immensely aware of her influence by responding accordingly on social media, but whilst many of us bear in mind the false reality that is Instagram and Facebook, it is still a platform of delusion and impressionability.

Presenting Hadid as Barbie’s body double aligns her with a physical impossibility and, whilst I’m not suggesting that with a few rounds in a boxing ring we’d all look like Gigi Hadid, she is still human. I will concede that the face is scarily accurate for a plastic doll but this representation complicates and undermines her work promoting positive body image and looking after one’s body. It also sadly undermines the steps taken by Mattel with their Ashley Graham doll only four months previously.

The changing landscape of Fashion Week

Written by Jennifer Knowles on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The many frequent and vast changes of everyday life are bound to have an impact on the way in which designers choose to present their collections.

This year for the first time, designers such as Tom Ford, Rachel Zoe and Tommy Hilfiger have chosen to move their runway shows to Los Angeles, a city rich in art, fashion, and culture, in lieu of the narrow-minded, money-centred city of New York. As well as this, new fashion week locations are on the up: in Copenhagen designers and buyers alike are opting for the cool quirky streets of an off the radar city, swerving away from the traditional New York, London, Paris or Milan.

With more and more of us relying on social media for our fashion fix, many designers this year including Tori Burch who streamed their show live using Google’s Lightbox, have decided to share their catwalk shows with the internet community. It seems fashion week is becoming less of an exclusive affair as fashion houses are realising the most effective way of broadcasting their collection’s is to anyone, anywhere – in 2017 this is through the global phenomenon that is social media.

Another drastic change on the runways this year is the introduction of wearable haute-couture. The garments we have seen on the runways have always had an ethereal essence due to the fact that we would never actually wear them in real life, but according to online sources such as new online fashion community Polyvore, which discusses current trends ahead of fashion weeks and streams clothing images at the time of the shows, this is all changing. The creation of garments that you and I would wear on an everyday basis is a massive stepping stone in the history of fashion weeks, could haute couture soon have a whole new definition?

Fashion week is advancing in more ways than location, the new ‘real’ theme in fashion means that designers are not only making changes to the style of their clothes but to the sizes of them. Thus, enabling for greater representation of model sizes on Fashion Week catwalks. Ashley Graham cover girl of January 2017 Vogue, plus size model and body activist has 3.5 million followers on Instagram. She constantly posts bikini pictures, model shoots and unedited cellulite pictures with the hashtag #BeautyBeyondSize. Graham is a prime example of how being super skinny is becoming less relevant to beauty and style in the fashion world and this is reflected in the slow but sure increase in weight variation of models in fashion weeks this year. Just take a look at the American Vogue March 2017 cover and you’ll see Ashley Graham in amongst the regular Vogue faces, is a change gonna come for good?

Feature: short documentaries of Sergei Loznitsa

Written by Mritunjay Sharma on . Posted in Film.

Sergei Loznitsa belongs to the generation of Russian filmmakers who were born in the Soviet Union and saw its dissolution at the young age of 25.  Loznitsa studied Mathematics and Engineering, but later ended up at the highly selective Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. His films, therefore, are highly influenced by the people living in the transition from Soviet Russia to a newly-made country. Sergei Loznitsa came into limelight when his feature film My Joy was selected for the main competition at 2010 Cannes film Festival. However, the avant-garde director had already made more than ten feature length and short documentaries.

His short films are rooted in the Russian countryside, and it’s safe to say that he is a distinctly Russian director in all his documentaries. The most flummoxing part of his films is that unlike conventional documentaries, Loznitsa doesn’t provide any voice over or any explanation. There is a clear violation of the beginning, middle and end. Moreover, there is no background music or folly music present in these films, only ambient sound is engineered carefully to maintain the sanctity of the image.  Yet, the montage that he presents in his films is breathtaking and provocative. The juxtaposition of images is a work of a world class director. His films are as surreal as Kafka’s novels and as grounded as Ozu’s films.

His film The Train Stop (2000) consists of only people sleeping; for 15 minutes we see people sleeping in different manners, people of different ages and possibly economic backgrounds. In The Settlement (2002), we go into the world of a mental asylum and we see their daily chores. However the film is made in a way that we don’t see them clearly, the people seems like ghosts on screen, a clever way to tell how the people in such a place are viewed as of no importance to the world.

In Portrait (2002), we wander across the quite countryside of Russia, and a milieu of people: Farmers, fishermen, men, women, young, old who are unaware of the socio-political situation of the world.  In Factory (2004), the pattern of the montage is the same but only the backdrop is changed, this time we peregrinate in a more noisy factory, full of workers, more mechanical than human, in a pursuit of nothing. The most captivating of all is Blockade (2006) — the film was made out of found footage of the longest siege in World War II, the siege of Leningrad which lasted for 900 days. The film consciously tracks throughout the siege capturing the life of people in various phases.

Loznitsa’s documentaries are quite and meditative, they don’t tell you anything but ask you to think and explore yourself. These films are like the four seasons of Vivaldi — the films will take you to a point and leave you to explore yourself in the hidden worlds that are seldom found in our privileged urban life.

Live: Mario Biondi

Written by Hugh Morris on . Posted in Music.

13th February at RNCM

4/10

Italian soul singer Mario Biondi draws comparison easier than most. His distinctive low voice and striking stature means that Tom Jones and Gregory Porter are among the names thrown about. However, regardless of an RNCM crowd intent on lapping up the stylish Biondi, the first set left me dissatisfied enough to wish to leave before the second.

There were certainly redeemable moments. Biondi’s backing band, a quintet comprised of two multi-instrumentalists, keys, bass and drums, showed their class in the solo sections. During a moment of mind-wandering in the first half, I wondered if the band could ditch the singer and play a jazz set with occasional vocal interludes.

The venue didn’t help. Biondi obviously suits a more intimate environment, which RNCM doesn’t offer. The balance and mixing were variations on a theme of poor, including a very loud bang at the end of one song, leaving the crowd to awkwardly applaud whilst anxiously looking towards the mixing desk. Even with the noted difficulties of amplifying a voice like Biondi’s, there was a physical void between band and crowd, highlighted by the singer’s awkward shuffles back and forth from his microphone.

Which leads on to what I felt was the main problem with Biondi. Every song from the newly released Best of Soul album and his popular Sun album is in English, a language which he clearly isn’t fluent in, making the role of a frontman in England an awkward challenge. The point of soul music is to connect with the subject, and his generic lyrics struggled to do this at all.

Best of Soul is an okay album; the highlight is the sing-along style of ‘This Is What You Are’. Mario Biondi has a unique voice that sells and a select fanbase which is growing in Britain. But, once the talented band is stripped away, the only real comparisons to Jones and Porter are in age and facial hair.

Interview: Stornoway

Written by Christian Hurry on . Posted in Music.

After ten years together, beloved indie-folk group Stornoway are coming to a close. Led by a PhD student specialising in ducks, scattering birdsong and sampling the sounds of nature throughout their work, Stornoway are a truly unique voice in British music and they will be missed. I was fortunate enough to speak with Rob Steadman, the drummer of the group, to discuss their break-up as well as their upcoming farewell tour.

I’ve been a huge fan of the group since their debut album surfaced almost seven years ago, and having listened to their music through my formative years it was nice to get the chance to interview them before their split. Asking Rob how the members of the group were feeling, he tells me “it’s the end of a big, long chapter” but that the band were parting for the right reasons.

As he described each member moving in different directions, focusing on family and other personal interests, he painted a picture of Stornoway naturally coming to an end. Indeed, Rob was speaking with me from New York, where he’s been living for the past two years, coming back to the UK to tour with the group.

The group have made much of their career, as so many do, through social media. Announcing the split online, the group opened itself up to a flood of comments from fans across the world. “With this kind of announcement people react honestly,” Rob tells me. “There was a real outpouring of love, and sadness — it was very important.”

The group clearly thinks much of their fans. They went so far as to ask each one of them to post online one song that they would want to see on the upcoming tour. “We literally tallied up everybody’s votes.” He laughs as if remembering the effort that must have taken. “Thousands and thousands of votes.”

I ask if there were any songs that surprised them on that list and Rob remarks that there were a few songs that were “a bit out there”. Listening back to the recording I can hear myself laugh, because I’m definitely one of those fans. “It was quite funny to see people requesting things from some weird EP before anyone knew about us.” Well… if you don’t ask you don’t get!

Looking back over their career Stornoway have had some truly huge moments, playing at prestigious venues including the Barbican, Somerset House and Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage. “That was a real special gig,” Rob says of Somerset House. “That was the first time everything felt really professional.” He adds that he’ll always be proud to say that he played the Pyramid Stage — “even if it was at 11am to about 500 completely hungover people.” He also remarked that the group reached a wider audience after performing on Jools Holland: “I don’t think Stornoway would be where it is today without Jools Holland.”

So what will the group do now? Oli (bass) is producing records and running TIGMUS, a kickstarter-type service helping small bands to host gigs. Jon (keyboards) is producing music for radio and film, whereas Brian (vocals, guitar) is returning to his conservation roots and is now a nature reserve warden. Rob is still playing music with several new groups in New York but reflects that “the folk sensibility and Brian’s ornithological, humble personality is something I will miss.” A feeling shared by many fans, I’m sure.

For myself, it’s interesting to see each of them taking these different paths. Stornoway are known for adding layer upon layer of quirky sounds (footsteps and chopping carrots, to name a couple) whilst still providing the smart arrangements, driven bass, solid percussion and catchy melodies that any indie-folk band needs. Knowing where each of the members is going, it makes a little more sense about where this unique, improbable band came from.

Stornoway have been praised time and time again for the energy they put into their live shows. From this dedicated fan, it would be well worth your time listening to their hits and seeing this group in their element.

Stornoway play Manchester Academy on 4th March for their farewell tour.

Feature: Interview with filmmaker Josh Appignanesi

Written by Barney Weston on . Posted in Film.

Josh Appignanesi sports a black turtleneck jumper, as well as longer and curlier hair. Both are an improvement on his appearance in the documentary that he co-directs, The New Man. It seems as though with that smarter dress and those few more centimetres of hair has come a different lease of life. Josh is clearly The New Man he depicts in his documentary.

Turning the camera on themselves, filmmaker Josh Appignanesi and his wife Devorah Baum film the process of becoming parents at a time when late reproduction is the norm and masculinity is in crisis. Having been through multiple rounds of IVF, the couple finally get pregnant, but when complications hit, they’re pushed to their limits. What emerges is a moving and intimate portrait of a generation going through a revolution that nobody is talking about. The New Man is a film for anyone who has children, is thinking of having them, or still feels like a child themselves.

We talk about the documentary in the context of Brexit. Josh describes how a “Brexit feeling” has led to some backlash surrounding the film. A voice has emerged stating “we’ve heard enough of them.” Them being “the metropolitan liberal elite,” and Josh is quick to define himself, as well as everyone else in the room (like it or not), as such. Josh seems concerned with the film being depicted as such. He describes how the film’s reenactments tried not to be “meta, or up its own arse.”

Within the context of Trump and Putinism, Josh believes masculinity has been warped. He has realised how the documentary appeals beyond that, depicting how modern masculinity “encompasses limitation and admits it.” He states that the documentary thus appeals to all humans, and their ability to overcome.

This gives the documentary an intensely personal feel. This is Josh and,  his wife and co-director, Devorah Baum showcasing their ability to overcome.

Talking about the documentary’s narrative, it seems to have “presented itself.” Josh references his rom-com writing experience — he wrote All Roads Lead to Rome starring Sarah Jessica Parker — in regards to such.

However, this is no rom-com. Josh and Devorah worked on the film together. Devorah was “the driving force” in the edit. Both found it difficult to go back. “No one wants to revisit stuff like that” Josh tells me. He has only seen the film 7 or 8 times, whereas Devorah has only seen it 3 times. Both are an abnormally small amount of times to review a film you have created.

“It was so horrible making this film” Josh tells me. But ultimately, “a truth is revealed in it and it’s the one we were comfortable showing.” I’m glad they did. For a film that gives you an insight, as a student, into later life and its potential trials and tribulations, see this.

The New Man was shown at HOME on Sunday, the 12th of February. The event featured a Q&A with the documentary’s co-director, Josh Appignanesi, and was chaired by Charlie Phillips, Head of documentaries (multimedia), Guardian News & Media.

Review: Gold

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Director Stephen Gaghan was probably trying to ride the McConaissance wave with his latest effort Gold, following the story of a near bankrupt mining company. Unfortunately Gaghan’s ship couldn’t hold against the relentless McConaughey performance, showing that one man can’t make a movie.

The star of Dallas Buyers Club and Interstellar looks unrecognisable initially, after a massive 20 kilo weight gain for the role of Kenny Wells. Portly and poor, this third generation prospector is desperately trying to keep his business afloat. So much so that he’s willing to risk everything for the chance to strike it lucky. Scraping together every last cent and even pawning his wife’s golden jewellery, he travels to Indonesia after a dream reveals where he must go. Wells meets with renowned geologist Micke Acosta (Edgar Ramirez) after arriving in the country in order to discuss a partnership in discovering and subsequently mining the gold. What follows is a gripping tale of corruption and the greed of man. Or at least it could have been.

What began on paper as a story with considerable financial and critical potential ends up lethargic, with messy narrative. It appears that Gaghan is unsure how he wanted to direct the film, as if he was attempting to complete a lego set without the instructions, having all the correct pieces but lacking the knowledge of how to assemble them. Instead of having a neatly constructed product to display with pride we have Gold, with its ugly structure, scenes that look entirely out of place and an irregular rhythm that hinders the viewer from being properly immersed. I feel as though there are other directors far better suited to tackle a film of this nature and it’s bitterly disappointing to see the initial promise go to waste.

Gaghan’s plight is not helped by the seemingly lifeless script written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. As a result it’s hardly surprising that several performances, notably Edgar Ramirez’s, fell way short. It must be made clear that this is not a judgment of individual ability, as those involved acted commendably given the quality of material. The film did feature a very light dusting of commendable displays though. In particular Toby Kebbell stood out with a wonderful yet disappointingly short stint as an FBI Detective. The Warcraft and Dead Man’s Shoes star has had several similar appearances recently begging the question why has he not been handed a leading role in years.

Although there is a quite considerable heap of negatives, a sprinkling of positives can be seen. Enough to sway a minor proportion of viewers perhaps, but look closer and you’ll see those positives don’t quite fit. They hint at another film — a better one.

Recently Hollywood has been awash with this type of rise and fall true story and as with any genre of films, not all will succeed in greatness. This is sadly the case with Gold, falling massively short of the competition. In the gold rush of gold rush films, not every one will hit the jackpot.

Paris: Exploring the city of love

Written by Megan Byrne on . Posted in Lifestyle.

We took the short plane journey across the channel, flying from Manchester to Paris Charles de Gaulle, before hopping on a short train ride into the city itself. The Hotel Charlemagne in Neuilly-Sur-Seine was a pleasure to stay in, as it was very small and quaint with friendly staff. The décor in the room particularly made me feel like we’d stepped into a F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. As it was a special occasion, my girlfriend had arranged for champagne and patisseries to be waiting for us when we arrived, which the staff were all too willing to provide. My favourite part of the room was the tiny balcony, which provided us with an outlook onto the Avenue de Madrid with its pavement cafes and fountain.

Photo: Megan Byrne

In Neuilly-Sur-Seine, I enjoyed a steak with a blue cheese sauce whilst Em tucked into a gigantic burger. The food was delicious and not badly priced (around €10-€11 each). After a day of travel and with the wine going straight to our heads, we made our way back to the hotel to enjoy a good night’s sleep before the next day’s adventures.

On our first full day in the city, we started at one of my favourite buildings in Paris — the Sacré-Cœur. After battling the 300 steps up to the building we were rewarded by the stunning views of Paris that the piazza provides, as well as being able to see the majesty of the Basilica up close. The walk down was much gentler, and we decided to wander around Montmartre a little and take the time to look around a few of the independent shops that populate the area.

After that, we headed to the Champs Elysees where we opted out of venturing up the Eiffel Tower and instead chose to climb up a narrow staircase to the top of the Arc-de-Triomphe. In my opinion, the views here are unrivalled as you can see the Eiffel Tower in all its glory, and the Sacré-Cœur as well as the eleven streets which spread out across Paris with Napoleon’s monument as their centre point.

Photo: Megan Byrne

Next, we paid a visit to another one of my favourite places in Paris, the Shakespeare and Company bookshop. The hub of writers and artists is also a stockist of new and antique books, and is a vital historic landmark for fans of both the Lost and Beat Generations. Unfortunately, the weather took a turn and we took shelter in a little café to enjoy a hot chocolate whilst it passed, then took a stroll along the river before heading back to the hotel.

That night we got all dressed up and went to Notre Dame, which is absolutely stunning at night as it is all lit up from within. We had a beautiful dinner in a restaurant whose tables spilt out onto the pavement. After a walking dessert of crepes with strawberries, we took the short trip across the city to the Eiffel Tower just in time for it to begin to sparkle at midnight. After a very long and exciting day, we collapsed into bed so we could wake up ready to make the most of our last day.

The final day of our trip was dominated by a boat trip down the Seine which took us from the Pont de Alma to the Pont de Sully and back again. It was a beautiful day and an amazing way to see lots of the city that doesn’t involve a load of walking! We probably had the most fun window shopping for dream houses out of the many beautiful buildings which line the Seine. We did a little bit of real shopping on the Champs Elysees afterwards before making our way back to the hotel in order to be ready for our flight in the middle of the night. All in all, it was an unforgettable and undeniably very romantic weekend.

Return flights from Manchester Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle are about £100 with Easyjet.

Live: Tom Walker

Written by Amy Matthews on . Posted in Music.

3rd February at Fallow Cafe

8/10

Tom Walker has only released a few singles in the past few months but has gathered a mass of followers. With over 1.3m monthly listeners on Spotify and increased recognition from Radio 1, it is clear why Tom’s five-date debut tour has sold out.

Tonight, the last night of the tour at Manchester Fallow Cafe brought the triumphant journey to a close. The crowd is full of friends and family, making it a pleasurable homecoming for Tom, who was raised in the city.

His entrance to the stage is brought by roars and cheers from the crowd eager for his set to begin. Despite being yet to release an EP or an album, his selection of songs are well received by all in attendance. He begins his set with ‘Rapture’, a loud, punchy song that captivates everyone in the room.

After thanking the crowd for selling out both the night and the whole tour, he then beams into ‘Fly Away’, showcasing a melodic riff which beams escapism and longing. Shortly afterwards, it is followed by ‘Home’, an upbeat track with subtle reggae vibes (no wonder the crowd are dancing in tune).

It is clear tonight is a celebration for Tom: the beers are flowing and the crowd are roaring for more. After a short chat about his latest prized possession, a guitar named Pete that he bought on Gumtree, he uses said guitar to play new song ‘Blessings’. This soulful track clearly has the audience hooked, but Walker’s raspy voice shines through, echoing the likes of Paolo Nutini.

“Counting our blessings, as we’ve got friends to lean on”, sings Tom, mirroring the atmosphere of the friendly, happy crowd. This is then followed by fan favourite ‘Play Dead’, where many phones appear with audience members singing along with Tom, who is throwing himself around the tiny stage, his raspy voice screaming “I can’t stand the TV screens”, echoing the worlds current state of affairs.

‘Karma’, a song that is clearly made for much bigger stages, shortly follows, with the front row clearly enjoying themselves and throwing themselves around. ‘Just You and I’, a previous Radio 1 Track of the Week, follows soon after, resulting in the audience singing in joyous harmony, bodies swaying to the beat.

‘Be Myself’ appears to be a new track, with Tom hinting at a new 4-track EP soon to be realised. The set draws to a close with the penultimate fiery track ‘Sun Goes Down’.

The crowd bellows “one more tune, one more tune”, with Tom replying: “if I had one more tune I would play it for you”. After tonight, it is clear that Tom Walker’s songs are built for larger stages. Leaving Fallow Café it feels like we have witnessed a real star in the making.

Review: The Founder

Written by Eloïse Wright on . Posted in Film.

The idea that John Lee Hancock’s latest film was probably just another narrative about making it in America meant that my anticipation for it was rather low. But as the film unfolded I was caught off guard by its surprising density.

The Founder —which has interesting ironic undertones — explores the conceptual origins of fast-food and the empire of the food-chain McDonald’s. It is 1954 when we are introduced to the insatiable salesman Ray Kroc; convincingly played by Michael Keaton. Struggling and fast-paced, he is the embodiment of the free market system and good old American capitalism. Unsuccessfully attempting to sell milkshake makers to diners, an order of eight from a San Bernardino burger stand piques his interest. What distinguishes this thriving restaurant from the ones that struggle to sell a single one? He drives all the way from Illinois to find out.

The stand, of course, is the original McDonald’s. The whole concept of the busy place confuses Kroc, he can’t seem to grasp that his food is presented to him almost instantaneously after ordering it, or that no crockery is required, or that he can eat it where ever he pleases. The movie addresses the shift of fast food and the initial learning curve consumers experienced superbly, and it is at this point that we first encounter with the McDonald brothers. Featuring terrific performances by John Caroll Lynch (The Zodiac) and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation’s Ron Swanson) as Mac and Dick, they manage to convey a down-to-earth pair who simply strive to have their own piece of the American Dream after years of persistence and hard work. Except they came up with a notion that would revolutionise America, and they didn’t even know it.

Over a particularly well shot scene of dinner between our three main interests, a fascinated Kroc listens to the brothers recount their long and arduous process to coming up with their unique system. Hancock unfolds the brothers’ past through a series of flashbacks of their thirty-year struggle. The story rises to an electric climax as they calmly come to explain their Eureka moment by pinpointing the weaknesses of competitors, such as poor quality food and slow service that attracts undesired clientele — here it is teenagers that are the problem. It is Dick who localises where they are losing and could potentially save time and money. From past experience, he assesses that certain items are guaranteed to sell, and by pure logic decides to strip the menu down to the basics such as hamburgers, fries and milkshakes. The next point is a stroke of genius, simultaneously in the film-making and in real life, as the scene shows Dick arbitrating his staff around a mock-up chalk kitchen, manoeuvring it over and over in order to create their pioneering time-effective system. This is the stuff capitalist dreams are made of.

Concise, minimal, and easy to keep cleanliness and quality in check, the McDonald brothers are perfectly content with their creation. But Kroc thinks differently, and has the gut feeling he has stumbled upon a rare opportunity. His love for business immediately latches onto the fact that the McDonald’s structure can be endlessly replicated, urging the brothers to “franchise it”. Here the direction puts the viewer in a conflicted spot, aware of the potential Kroc sees, yet faced with the brothers’ sincere attachment to their creation and high-quality standards. Soon enough, Kroc comes up with just the right hook to reel them in— American values. Each town he drives by has 2 things: a church and a court house. Both places where the American Family congregate, both symbols associated to these common values: The Cross and the American flag. Kroc insists that the “Golden Arches” of McDonalds could be of the same meaning, a place where “decent, wholesome people come together”.

After a tug-of-war business relationship between the three, Kroc’s hunger for more pushes him to cease all decency and figures out how he can pull the business from under the McDonald’s brothers’ feet through real estate trickery. In a poignant — and for the audience — uncomfortable phone call between the brothers and “The Founder”, Kroc hits them with the disheartening truth: “I’m national. You’re local”, succinctly addressing the at times chilling American capitalist drive.

Review: Hidden Figures

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Coming two years after the overly sentimental St.Vincent, Theodore Melfi returns to the directors chair for Hidden Figures. The inspiring true story of how three African-American women fought against gender and race discrimination to assist in arguably the greatest human accomplishment of the time, launching astronaut John Glenn into orbit. An event which turned the tide of the space race and united America in it’s desire to reach the moon.

The three women depicted in Hidden Figures begin as ‘computers’, someone who performs long and often tedious mathematical calculations prior to the invention of electronic computers. They all aspire for greater things but due to the societal hurdle of skin colour find great difficulty in getting acknowledged, let alone respected. Katherine Johnson’s talent (Taraji Henson) has incredible mathematic ability, Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) has natural leadership skills and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) is a fantastic engineer. All three actresses are commanding in their roles, which isn’t entirely positive as the weaker performances are more noticeable with the weakest of all being Jim Parsons’ portrayal of head engineer Paul Stafford. A character whose only purpose in the film is to reinforce the fact that people of colour face discrimination. Melfi must have doubted the audience’s ability to denounce racism on its first appearance so decided to make Stafford repeatedly, and to no additional story benefit, belittle Katherine.

Parsons’ character is not the only story element that if removed would have made the film less forgettable. Another example of this is the needless romantic subplot involving Katherine and Army Officer Jim Johnson. Romance for the sake of romance is usually for one of two reasons, either the scriptwriters needed an extra 15 minutes runtime and got lazy, or the film needed to be more accessible for the general public (to bring in those box office returns). Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) who plays Johnson is a great actor and it is a shame that his talent is wasted in this role.

Whilst there were many scenes showing discrimination against the women of the West Computing wing, and people of colour as a whole, one particular example was overplayed. After Katherine is assigned to the Space Task Group, a collection of the greatest scientific and engineering minds in America, she is constantly on the receiving end of racial prejudice. This occurs to such an extent that they are made to seem villainous to fit with the generic Hollywood narrative: character faces adversity, almost succumbs as a result but is eventually victorious. There is nothing new or original here. Just another underwhelming “based on a true story” film that seems to hit the cinema screens every few weeks.

In years to come it will be the films that took risks that will be remembered and sadly Hidden Figures took none. The outcome is an ordinary film about the extraordinary. One that uses the leads to push an agenda rather than treat them like the pioneers they were. Yet another addition to the pile of potential classics.

Costa vs. Lewandowski

Written by Dane Massey on . Posted in Sport.

Diego Costa has arguably been the standout player in the Premier League this season: he has been the catalyst in Chelsea’s surge to the summit of the table. Costa has scored 15 league goals, which gives him a goal on average every 136 minutes. He has also registered five assists, as he continues to impress following a disappointing campaign last season.

There is no denying Costa’s quality, but many football fans will be quick to point out his below par performances last term when Chelsea finished 10th. Understandably, this could lead to questions about the Spaniard’s consistency, but one striker who can’t be criticised for his consistency is Robert Lewandowski – the Bayern Munich and Poland star is on fire once again this season.

In Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Hertha Berlin, Lewandowski scored a stoppage time equaliser – his 25th goal of the season so far – which means he has now scored a quarter of a century of goals for six seasons running at Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. The Pole is a goal machine who epitomises the ultimate modern day number nine.

The former Dortmund man is two footed, excellent in the air and can hold the ball up and go in behind. Costa shares similar traits to his striking counterpart, both forward’s characteristics make a defender’s task an absolute nightmare. As he did two seasons ago and in his time with Atletico Madrid in Spain, Costa is terrifying centre-backs week in week out, just as Lewandowski has done for the last half a decade.

The statistics appear to swing in favour of the Bayern striker this season, but the club’s talisman has only scored one more goal than Costa in the league. He has a further nine in German cup competitions and the UEFA Champions League combined, while Costa has not played in Europe due to the Blues failing to qualify last term, and has one goal in one FA Cup appearance, which came on Saturday at Wolverhampton.

When examining a striker’s statistics, most people tend to look solely in the goals scored column, but there is much more to the game of a centre-forward than just goals. After an era of tiki-taka and false number nine’s, the traditional number nine is firmly back in fashion, and the front men form the fulcrum of their teams – including Costa and Lewandowski.

With possession now less influential, many of the game’s elite managers base their style of play around swift, fast, direct, expansive, counter-attacking football. Two prime examples are Italian duo Antonio Conte and Carlo Ancelotti, who like most football fans across the world, enjoy the fast-paced, high-energy side of the game as opposed to insipid solely possession based football.

Conte and Ancelotti represent not just successful, winning managers, but also managers who want their teams to play the right way. A huge part of this depends on the performance of the striker, who as well as scoring goals, is tasked with bringing their teammates into play and creating chances.

Both Costa and Lewandowski demonstrate this. They embody traits of an old-fashioned number nine, engaging in bloody battles with defenders. But they also have shrewdness and striking nous about them, running off defenders intelligently, getting in the right places at the right time to both score and create goals for their teams.

Aside of their striking sensations, however, Chelsea and Bayern are teams notoriously filled with pace and power. This undoubtedly helps Costa and Lewandowski, but their expert hold up play and their ability to link up play proficiently means that it equally works the other way, giving the players behind them more space and freedom to operate.

It combines to make a good recipe for excitement and success, and the key ingredient is a world-class striker who connects everything together. There are many reasons why Chelsea and Bayern are England and Germany’s premier clubs this season, but having a world-class centre-forward boosts any team’s chances of winning silverware immensely.

Who is the better player?
As we have seen, both Costa and Lewandowski are supremely talented footballers, two of the best in the world in their position. Lewandowski may have scored more goals this season, and been recognised as one of the best for a longer period than Costa, but the fact Costa is in a tougher league where it is harder to score goals just about gives the Spaniard the nod. His all-round play, tireless work rate and determination mean that Costa’s exemplary attitude rubs off on all his team-mates – he is a centre-forward who ticks all the boxes.

Why are England’s top Referees going abroad?

Written by Luke Maguire on . Posted in Sport.

On first inspection, the reason may seem obvious: money, money, money! With the likes of China offering some premier league players ridiculous salaries of over £400,000 a week, referees are treated no differently. What’s the point in having some of the best players in the world in your league if you don’t have the best officials? However the enticement of money only scratches the surface of the reasons behind this and we need to dig deeper to fully understand why big name referees are deciding to swap the green shores of Britain, for the deserts of Saudi Arabia and big cities of the USA, to name but a few of the destinations referees are heading to.

This story was sparked by the shock reports that Mark Clattenburg, argued by some to be one the best referees in the Premier League, and possibly the world, was resigning from his position in the Premier League to take up a new post as head of referees in Saudi Arabia, replacing Howard Webb (another memorable refereeing face from the Premier league) who recently resigned from the position. You could be forgiven for thinking this as rather odd; Saudi Arabia are not exactly renowned for their prowess in world football or for the quality of their national league. The furthest they have reached in the World Cup is the last 16 in 1994 and since then the furthest they’ve reached is the group stage. However oil has made countries such as this vastly wealthy, and with some spare cash to splash around, Saudi officials have deemed improving the country’s football image on a global stage as a top priority.

Clattenburg’s move is of course partially motivated by the large wage increase he is likely to receive, but it is also reported that he has become disillusioned with the lack of support referees receive from the Referees Chief Mike Riley, and the burdensome politics associated with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). It is true that in England particularly, referees do come under intense scrutiny with every big decision they make, often becoming subject to intense media attention. Referees are human, like everyone else and so are capable of occasionally making mistakes, yet in England they are expected to be almost super human in that every performance should be perfect without any mistakes being made. Referees who do make mistakes receive a torrent of abuse from the media and fans alike, making an already difficult job even more unpleasant. Therefore it’s not hard to understand why a referee like Clattenburg would want to get away from all of it to places where he’s likely to receive a much greater level of respect.

Initially it appeared as though Clattenburg’s move would be immediate, however he is scheduled to officiate in Saturday’s match between West Brom and Bournemouth, and it has now been confirmed by the Premier league that he will remain until the end of the season.

Clattenburg’s departure has been followed by speculation about Michael Oliver’s future as he is linked with a move to the USA to officiate in the MLS. This is coming just days after Clattenburg’s shock revelation about his upcoming move to Saudi Arabia.

Some commentators have described this as the beginning of a ‘refereeing crisis’. Morale amongst top Premier league referees is certainly low at the moment, though it arguably has not reached this tipping point yet. However if we continue down this path of losing our best match officials to foreign leagues, this crisis risks coming to fruition.

So what’s the solution to all of this? It is very difficult, yet small steps could be taken in the right direction to encourage our current top referees to stay and promote the development of future homegrown referees. Greater protection for referees from the PGMOL, and particularly from Mike Riley, would go a long way to helping referees feel more confident that they will be supported both on and off the pitch. New video technologies will help referees correctly make decisions in tricky circumstances and ensure that there can be no debate as to whether, for example, a player has deliberately dived or whether a penalty should be given for a genuine foul. The culture of disrespect and abuse among fans in England towards match officials is now so deeply embedded, it may be unlikely to ever be eradicated. However greater education for the younger generation on respecting referees and their authority on the pitch, may make some headway towards alleviating this problem.

Mark Clattenburg and Michael Oliver are not the first referees to move abroad for greener pastures and if more is not done to combat this issue, they certainly will not be the last.

Club Profile: Athletic Club Bilbao

Written by Magnus Henderson on . Posted in Sport.

In some far-flung areas of the world, football equals life. The sport boils down to its tribal best where football is not just a healthy competition, but a clash of cultures and beliefs. South America is renowned for their passionate addiction to club football, most famously with the Superclásico, played between Boca Juniors and River Plate; the fiercest domestic rivalry in the world. In the more civilised or commercialised Europe, such clubs are hard to find. There are a few, however, still kicking about and causing a fuss, despite the evolution into modern football.

San Mamés (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

The most successful institution of this type is Athletic Club Bilbao. Part of the Basque Country, located in the Western Pyrenees that spans the border between France and Spain, Athletic Bilbao are unique when it comes to unity. The club have a cantera (‘quarrying’) policy of playing only Basque-born (or Basque-related) players which has been the case since their foundation in 1898. Originally that was the case with the majority of football clubs, but instead of developing with the globalisation of football, Athletic, out of stubbornness or pride, have stayed true to their origins.

Similar to Barcelona, Athletic are in a part of Spain who have historically opposed Madrid as a city of arrogance and oppression who hold control over the Catalonian and Basque regions despite their want for independence. In the 13th century AD, the Kingdom of Navarre (Basque) peacefully merged with the Castilian Kingdom (Madrid) because of their superior power and trade goods. The alliance has been fractured over time however, with numerous unsuccessful campaigns for independence taking place in the past century.

San Mamés (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

All clubs have history, but not many cling to their history as lovingly as Athletic. The club’s stadium is named San Mamés, after the semi-legendary figure, Saint Mammes. Mammes was an early Christian thrown to the lions by the Romans out of punishment for his religion in the 3rd Century AD. According to tradition, Mammes pacified the lions and was subsequently made a Saint. Athletic Bilbao’s most commonly referred to nickname is Los Liones, and I am sure you do not need a translation to figure that one out. The very fact that San Mamés is nicknamed “La Catedral” confirms the religiosity surrounding the club.

It is not just the unity of Athletic which makes the club so special; their footballing history stands on its own two feet. Bilbao is one of three founding members of the Primera División that have never been relegated from the top flight, the other two being Real Madrid and Barcelona. Likewise, that trio of Spanish historical gold are also the only three clubs in La Liga that are not sports corporations, instead being owned and operated by its club members.

In terms of silverware, Los Liones are up there with the most established clubs in the division. Having won La Liga on eight separate occasions, Bilbao are fourth for titles won in the history of the league. More surprisingly, only Barcelona have managed to win more Copa del Rey trophies than Athletic’s 24. In fact, Bilbao picked up plenty of trophies in the first few decades of their professional existence, and, until Madrid came to power in the 1950’s, Athletic was the most successful club in Spain.

San Mamés (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

Real Madrid are the Basque club’s fiercest rivals because of their footballing history and political differences, however neighbours Real Sociedad offer a more sportingly competitive rivalry and a fairer competition with the resources on offer. Sociedad, like Athletic, used to only enrol Basque-born footballers until they signed Irish striker John Aldridge in 1989. Since then, ‘The Royals’ have moved with the rest of modern football and invested in foreign players to keep up with the growing quality in the European leagues.

Athletic, on the other hand, invest in infrastructure. With their ‘cantera’ policy, Athletic build and lift local talent to the heights of the top division. Eighty percent of Bilbao’s players came through their academy, with the others signed from different regions of the Basque country. The continual stability of the club proves that proper investment into grass-roots can reap rewards. While critics can accuse Athletic of being short-sighted, the club have actually globalised, but in a different way to the rest of the pack.

Iñaki Williams (Photo: WikimediaCommons)

Iñaki Williams, son of a Ghanaian father and Liberian mother who escaped difficult circumstances in Africa, was born in the Basque country and, when he scored against Torino on the 15th of February 2015, became the first black goal-scorer in the history of the club.

With this sort of environment, narratives seem to appear out of nowhere. The same has been true of this season. Yeray Álvarez, at 21 years of age, was called up to the first team during the pre-season for the 2016/17 season. He became an integral member of the first team squad at the beginning of the season, starting 17 out of a possible 20 matches before being diagnosed with testicular cancer on December 23rd. 46 days later, Álvarez played a full 90 minutes in a 0-3 loss to Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Five days after that fixture, Álvarez extended his contract until 2022.

There are very few clubs in the world like Athletic. Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara are famous for producing home-grown talent with the likes of Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela graduating from their youth academy. Parallel with Bilbao, Chivas only field Mexican-born players and are one of the most decorated football clubs in the country. The two Milan clubs, Internazionale and AC, came into existence because of a row between footballing ideologies. Have you ever wondered why AC Milan are known as ‘Milan’ whereas Inter Milan are known as ‘Inter’? AC had a policy of only investing in Italian talent while Inter, hence ‘Internazionale’, only promoted foreign talent. Almost all of the clubs similar to Athletic Bilbao have died out with the globalisation of football, so, instead of criticising the Basque-based club, fans should laud the institution for believing in more than just the money.

Top 5: Tracks by LGBT+ Artists

Written by Charlotte Ridout on . Posted in Music.

Ever since the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, which we now call Valentine’s Day, February has been associated with love and romance. Thousands of years later in 2005, February became the UK’s LGBT History Month to celebrate love of every kind and to pay tribute to LGBT historical icons who both fought for the rights and representation of the community. Throughout history, we have been blessed with a plethora of talented LGBT artists, so here are just a handful for you to enjoy.

1.“Standing in the Way of Control” – The Gossip

Never one to mince words, lead singer of Gossip, Beth Ditto, has been known to describe herself as a “fat, feminist lesbian from Arkansas”. Ditto has a powerful voice which she uses not only to belt out indie hits like this but also to advocate for feminism and LGBT rights.

2.“Spooky” – Dusty Springfield

Dusty Springfield was a Sixties icon and lent her sultry, sensual voice to classics such as “Son of a Preacher Man” and “I Only Want to Be with You”. Despite many of her biggest hits being about men, Springfield was reportedly never in a relationship with one, stating “I know I’m perfectly as capable of being swayed by a girl as by a boy. More and more people feel that way and I don’t see why I shouldn’t.”

3.“Ivy” – Frank Ocean

The name Frank Ocean will doubtless be one you are familiar with. In July 2012, the singer/songwriter posted an open letter on his Tumblr account describing his first taste of true love when he fell for a young man at the age of 19. The letter appeared just days before the release of his debut album, Channel Orange. Whilst the feelings were unrequited, Ocean thanks the man for his influence.

4.“Downhearted Blues” – Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith was a blues legend during the 1920s and 1930s and openly celebrated her identity as a black, bisexual woman during an era where one could be shunned for any one of those things, let alone all three. Nevertheless, Smith became the highest-paid black entertainer of that time, and was accompanied by greats such as Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson.

5. “Russian Dance (Trepak)” – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Being gay in Russia isn’t easy even now in 2017, let alone in 1860. Arguably one of the best ballet composers ever (and, I’ll admit, a personal favourite), Tchaikovsky was the man behind famous scores such as The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake. He lived as a bachelor for most of his life, keeping his homosexuality a secret but spoke of it in his letters which were censored by the Soviet Union.