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Day: 20 November 2017

Five advent calendars that will help you to get into the Holiday Spirits

Written by Sophia Macpherson on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Although advent calendars typically start on the 1st of December, there’s no harm getting one early and ordering yours now. By the time it comes in the post, December will be right around the corner! A swig of a drink every now or then — or every night — will help warm you up on a cold night as the frost creeps in.

Also, what better way to prepare you for the inevitably large amount of Christmas drinking that will ensue on the 24th? Get your bodies trained for the main event with the aid of these Christmas advent calendars. Hand-picked to pleasure your taste-buds, as well as not break the bank too much.

Here is a list of the best advents calendars out this year:

Craft beer advent calendar — available at Iceland — £39.99

This is a dream purchase for all those beer-lovers out there! Not only does this calendar serve quality, but also quantity. The selection is more than generous, with each beer being completely unique to itself. The calendar also comes with a fancy glass!

Laithwaites’ wine advent calendar — £69.99

Another worthwhile purchase, this calendar contains everything from French Sauvignon to fine Prosecco. Also expect to find yourself a red beauty amongst one of those days.

Very’s gin advent calendar — £49.99

Go crazy for this gin calendar, as I will! Well and truly a bargain price. Pre-order now as this little number will definitely be swooped up soon by those eager gin-lovers. Nothing beats a classic G&T.

12 Days of Christmas spirit advent calendar — available from Debenhams — £40

This calendar contains twelve pockets with miniatures of liqueurs, whiskeys, gins, vodkas, and even Baileys! Might seem a bit too much just for a single person so it’s perfect as a house gift or even for family members.

Christmas wine and prosecco advent calendar — available at Iceland and online at Amazon — £39.99

Two of our favourite things. How could you resist? This calendar contains everything from rosé, to reds, whites, and even mulled wine. All at a very friendly price that won’t damage your bank account.

Student gun-attack victim speaks out on Manchester Police gun amnesty

Written by Max Brimelow on . Posted in Features.

Greater Manchester Police have this week launched an amnesty, allowing anyone in possession of a firearm to hand it into the authorities anonymously and without consequence, in a drive to make the city’s streets safer. It is part of the wider ‘Give Up The Gun’ initiative taking place nationwide.

Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, in charge of the crime and forensic services division, urged the public that guns on the street are something to be concerned with. She pointed out that far from affecting just those most closely linked to gang crime and feuds, innocent members of the public have also been caught in the crossfire in recent years.

Doyle told Manchester Evening News: “It’s worrying because we know the damage firearms cause and it’s not always the person who’s targeted who gets shot. We’ve had incidents whereby innocent children have been caught in the crossfire. I think it would be naive to say don’t worry.”

The scheme was backed by Halton McCollin Sr., whose son was gunned down at a Stretford takeaway in 2008 in a case of mistaken identity. His killer remains unidentified. In 2015, Jayne Hickey and her seven year-old son Christian were shot dead on the porch of their Eccles home in an incident related to gang warfare.

The amnesty comes just 18 months after the last, in which 221 guns were handed into GMP. Whilst Doyle admitted that she didn’t realistically expect the most serious criminals to hand in their firearms, she asserted that any measure to take guns off the streets was in the greater public interest.

The announcement follows the release of Home Office statistics in October suggesting that crime in Greater Manchester in the year July 2016 – June 2017 rose by 31 percent. In particular, violence against a person rose 46 percent, sexual offences climbed 31 percent, burglary increased by 14 percent and robbery was up 53 percent on the year before.

In recent weeks there has been particular concern for student safety in the notoriously under-policed Fallowfield area. A petition entitled ‘Greater Manchester Police and Andy Burnham: help us to make Fallowfield safe for students!’ was signed by 9,638 people, signalling that years of frustration at the city’s neglect for student wellbeing may be coming to a point.

In lieu of police action, the Students’ Union recently announced plans for its ‘Night Owl’ scheme, whereby student volunteers, trained in self-defence, will patrol the streets in student residential areas and chaperone the most vulnerable. However, the proposal came under criticism from those sceptical of volunteers’ ability to protect against severe violent crime – a criticism thrown into stark relief by Chief Supt Doyle’s announcement.

Students’ Union Communities Officer, Jack Houghton, previously spoke to the Mancunion in defence of the Night Owl scheme, saying it “has worked really well at other Universities” and that it is “not supposed to be reactive and therefore will avoid putting [volunteers] in direct danger.”

Sadly, gun crime is an all-too real danger in Fallowfield. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous, exclusively told the Mancunion about an incident that occurred in his second year: “I was walking through Fallowfield at about 11 o’clock at night on a Sunday. As I got to the intersection of Amherst, Brook and Clifton someone cycled past me, dropped their bike and pulled a gun on me about three inches from my face and shouted what I could only understand as, ‘phone and money’.”

“He was dressed in black with a hood up. It wasn’t underneath a lamppost and the lighting wasn’t great, I can no longer remember what he looks like or many details at all. My only reaction was to shout, kinda throw a punch, and run to Shell as fast as I could. I sat in Shell for half an hour shell-shocked on the phone to the police. I have had PTSD and still have nightmares from time to time.”

“There was no way of knowing if the gun was loaded or even real, but the fear factor was there. And that’s the most traumatising part, how you are utterly helpless in that situation. Luckily I wasn’t harmed: A slight ego bruise and months of insomnia, yes, but if I had I may look back on it differently.”

The student in question was not optimistic about the Police’s ability to prevent such attacks: “Realistically, as far as prevention, there isn’t a lot that can be done in my opinion. Unless you have a member of the police on every street every night from ten to four in the morning , nothing will change.”

He postulated: “Patrols are another option, but they aren’t a sure-fire way of preventing or reducing crime. Security cameras are an option, but they are expensive.”

Ultimately, he said, the crux of the issue is cost, and the GMP just does not have the funds.

Speaking on the gun amnesty, he commented: “I agree with it, and I have said multiple times that this should be an option open to not just guns. It won’t solve the problem as people will be able to get more guns, but it’s a start.”

Dealing with anxiety at university


Written by Joe Whitfield on . Posted in Lifestyle.

In my first year, I suffered some severe anxiety and it distressed me greatly. Today I don’t suffer even half as much, and have found methods and coping mechanisms which have improved my quality of life greatly.

The first thing to remember when suffering anxiety, is that it is merely your bodies reaction to stress and fear — nothing more. Trivialising the problem helps immensely, as the more you think of your anxiety as an issue, the more anxious and panicky you will inevitably become!

The second thing to remember, is that whilst you are suffering, these feelings are temporary, and will pass! Whilst anxiety can be scary, and make you feel like life will never be the same again, I promise that things won’t always feel this horrible! What many people don’t seem to understand is that anxiety can be extremely physical, and does not necessarily mean the person is worried about anything in particular; it’s more of a constant sense of unease which will not go away. This means that sufferers of anxiety, who do not know what it is, will panic and overreact to the physical symptoms. This is the last thing your body and mind needs.

Therefore, as previously mentioned, recognising that you are simply anxious, and that your elevated heartbeat and tight gut does not mean that you are having a stroke, is of paramount importance! Hence I would recommend avoiding WebMD or googling your symptoms if you do feel anxious, as this can only cause you to consider the physical problems you’re experiencing in your body!

It’s important to shift the focus from your feelings towards your surroundings. When someone becomes too introspective, they begin to exacerbate their own symptoms enormously, which only panics the person more! Now the most general piece of advice is to stay active and busy, as distraction causes temporary relief from anxiety, you forget about your breathing and heartbeat when doing something that you enjoy, or that stimulates you.

The best activity in principle would be running. As you run, it is almost impossible to focus on anything apart from your breathing and movement. It is also a healthy activity, so an endorphin boost to boot! However, if you’re not the running sort, any form of sport is good. Other good activities include: video games, board games, going for a walk, yoga, and listening to music. Keeping yourself busy will decrease your anxiety.

For me, the key cognitive step to quelling my anxious thoughts, was recognising activities and things which caused me irrational anxiety, and trying to rationalise this myself. Once you rationalise the fact that nothing is going wrong inside your body, and that stepping out of the house puts you at no more risk than staying cooped up in does, your general anxiety will assuredly decrease.

Also, for me, I found gaining control of my breathing helped immensely. I would often find myself short of breath, or constantly having to manually breathe due to my anxiety, so finding certain breathing exercises to do when focusing on nothing but my own horrible feelings was greatly helpful. Taking a moment out of your day to simply breathe and focus on your breathing can really calm you down, and slows your mind down when having scary or irrational thought processes.

Of course, I do also recommend going to the doctors and speaking to them about your anxiety, as reassurance from a professional does count for a lot when trying to reassure yourself that everything is okay. Just taking time to discuss your feelings and mental health is greatly beneficial, as sadly, keeping your feelings bottled up does simply leave them to fester and evolve into greater issues.

I cannot stress the importance of simply discussing your feelings and worries with others, as suffering in silence and alone can be extremely overwhelming and awful. Even just a chat with your housemates or course mates about how you feel can be helpful.

To all males reading, please do not feel afraid so speak about how you feel, it does not make you any less of a man to seek help, and if anything it shows a real strength of character to admit that you do need some assistance.

I say this as males are often far more likely to bottle up their emotions and feelings, and hence have a far higher suicide rate than females.

To summarise my advice: remain logical and calm, remember that it is temporary and WILL get better, stay busy and motivated and get your feelings out!

Finally, remember that you do not suffer alone, a great many young people suffer with anxiety, and it’s invisible, so SPEAK UP! I sincerely hope whoever reads this takes some comfort in these words.

Top tips for taking care of your well-being

Written by Vicki Greenwood on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Looking after your well-being is crucial. It will help you function better, enhance physical health, improve academic and work performance, and improve overall quality of life.

Here are the Advice Service’s Top Ten Tips to looking after your well-being:

Connect with the people around you

If you are living in non-catered halls or a house share, why not suggest you take it in turns to cook for each other once a week. This will give you a chance not only to bond with your flatmates but will mean you are eating a home cooked meal most days.

Join a society

This is a great way to meet new friends and explore something new. To find out what societies are available and how to get involved take a look at the Students’ Union Societies page at  manchesterstudentsunion.com/societies.

Set yourself a challenge

Doing a degree is probably challenging enough! However it is always exciting to set yourself small challenges involving something you enjoy. It could be something large or small. Either way, accomplishing something new will boost your confidence.

Try out mindfulness

Living, working, and studying in a busy city can become quite overwhelming. Meditation is proven to reduce stress and anxiety. You don’t need any skills to do it and it is completely free. Free mindfulness workshops are available to attend via the University Counselling Service. Find out more at counsellingservice.manchester.ac.uk/events/workshops.

Know your limits

We can all be guilty of burning the candle at both ends from time to time, but knowing your limits can help prevent burn out. Whether you have been partying too much lately or staying up all night to try and finish an essay, in the end not looking after your body will take its toll. Keep an eye out for any warning signs that you may be over doing it.

Talk to someone 

Whether that is a friend, flatmate, family member, GP, counsellor, or an adviser at the Advice Service. There is no shame in seeking help. Between trying to academically succeed, financial pressures, trying to socialise, and meet new friends, being at University can be a tough place to be. You may be feeling low in mood or may be concerned that you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression. If you are concerned for a friend or would like to chat to someone yourself then please book an appointment at the Advice Service or email us at [email protected]

Get Outside

Go for a walk or sit outside and watch the world go by. Try and take in the world around you and see things you may not have noticed before. Get in touch with nature by noticing the leaves on the trees starting to fall and change colour in the autumn or spotting the new buds of flowers starting to bloom in the spring. Getting some fresh air is a fab way to take some time out for yourself and regroup your thoughts.

Be Active

Not everyone likes the thought of exercising but you don’t have to slog it out at the gym to be active. Whether it is dancing, walking, swimming, or yoga, regularly exercising will make you feel great. Exercise is proven to boost your mood and well-being. Why not try one of the many classes available through Active Manchester at the University. Classes can work out as cheap as £2 per class. sport.manchester.ac.uk/fitness/activeman/

Eat Smart

Try to eat a balanced diet. Eating healthily doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the foods you like. Just try to eat them in moderation instead. If you don’t like cooking try to cook meals in batches and freeze them. If you like to eat on the go you can always bring in a pre-prepared meal from home and heat it up in one of the microwaves available to use in the Students’ Union.

Take time out for you

Do something you enjoy. This could be anything! Look round a museum, listen to some music, watch your favourite film, or read a book. Life can be pretty hectic so it is really important to not forget about ourselves so try and spend some time doing something just for you.

And if all of this isn’t enough, you can access the Universities Wellbeing Week sessions from the 20th to the 24th of November! Find all the information you need here: studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/taking-care/wellbeing/wellbeing-week/

Review: Airport ’87

Written by Skye Demar on . Posted in Arts.

Shirley Baker’s Airport ‘87 collection at Manchester Central Library encompasses the vibrant atmosphere of Manchester Airport 30 years ago. Salford-born photographer Shirley Baker eloquently captured the hustle and bustle of holiday-makers and business people, using a 35mm camera with both black & white, and colour film.

This small but charming collection of photographs were discovered in the library archives, a true hidden gem from Baker’s career. At first glance, these photographs show an environment much alike to the modern day airport; families sat waiting with a huge pile of suitcases, shops stacked full of Superkings, and excited tourists wearing their sunhats before they even get on the plane.

Looking closely, these photographs show how times have changed since 1987. People of all ages are sat playing cards to pass the time  — an increasingly rare sight in the modern day. Newspaper headlines, the wonderfully big hairstyles, and the vintage arcade machines show us the lively spirit of 80s culture before people embarked upon their journeys to different parts of the world.

The hustle-and-bustle of Manchester airport, alike to the modern day, signifies the city of Manchester’s importance as a cosmopolitan place of connectivity.

The aesthetic style, and perhaps most significantly, the introduction of new technology, has changed the image of the airport. Yet these photographs capture a sense of excitement through the waiting passengers, whilst also being representative of how much Manchester – and society as a whole – has changed within the past thirty years. These works succeed in capturing a fleeting moment, that comes to represent decades of difference.

This exhibition is at the Central Library from the 5th October 2017 to the 6th of January 2018.

Art x Fashion

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

Art and fashion. The two words go together like Leonardo DiCaprio and Victoria secret models.

The collaboration between art and fashion is nothing new. For example, in 1965, Yves Saint Laurent revealed his iconic Fall Mondrian Collection. This was inspired by the works of Dutch abstract artist Piet Mondrian, founder of the Avant-Garde De Stijl, Neoplasticism movement.

Mondrian idealised the strict geometry of horizontals and verticals, as well as a primary colour palette, to reflect the invisible order of the world. Laurent designed six A-line cocktail dresses directly referencing this abstract formula.

Despite Mondrian creating this particular body of his work circa 1914 to 1940, Laurent’s Mondrian inspired dresses seemed more relevant than ever in the context of the swinging 60’s. An age where advances in science, technology, and society made possibilities of modernity seem limitless. There was a sudden yearning to reject the ‘make do and mend’ culture of the war years, where design had taken a back seat in favour of utility.

Instead, cutting edge designers began to favour a new minimal approach, based on the same design philosophy as artists such as Piet Mondrian. If such dresses had been created while Mondrian had been living in the backdrop of war, they would not have been received by the mainstream in the same celebrated way.

Most recent fashion x art collaborations favour historical works, rather than those by contemporary artists. For example, despite the fact that American Pop artist Jeff Koons collaborated with Louis Vuitton in April 2017, then again in October for his new two-part collection, whose work did we see on the bags? The old Masters.

In the aptly named ‘Masters’ collection, we see the art of Da Vinci, Titian, Fragonard, Van Gogh, Rubens, Boucher, Gaugin, Manet, Monet, Poussin, and Turner.

Yeah, it’s great and all. I would even go so far as to say that it’s my favourite design collaboration of 2017. Who doesn’t love a classic?

But where is Koons’ Balloon Dog? Or his Seated Ballerina? Or infamous Michael Jackson and Bubbles? All works of world renown and modern cultural significance.

Vuitton has in the past collaborated with numerous contemporary artists, examples include the graffiti inspired collection with New Yorker Stephen Sprouse in 2001 and the 2012 collaboration with 83-year-old Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, featuring her dotty artwork. Each collection has encapsulated an artist’s signature style.

Vuitton is not alone in artistic collaborations either, with various catwalk shows incorporating the works of contemporary artists over the decades. However, despite a small nod to Koons’ inflatable rabbit in the shape of a leather tag and a feeble wink to his Gazing Ball series that included plaster reproductions of famous ancient sculptures, the prints are not original and certainly not his own.

Likewise, Dr. Martens, in a collaboration with Tate Britain, have slapped the work of English 18th century Romantic painter and poet William Blake on to the iconic boot as well as other items. Blake was a man influenced by spiritualism and the supernatural; the 1826 work ‘Satan Smiting Job with Sore Boils’, has been chosen to best exemplify this. In a statement by the company, they said that the “misunderstood visionary William Blake embodies the spirit of a Dr. Martens wearer — rebellious, free-thinking, and creative”. A man that by the sounds of it, perhaps belongs in 2017, rather than Georgian England.

Why then, following a general trend over the last few decades for designers to collaborate with contemporary artists, do they now pine for historical painting?

Perhaps, like Vuitton and his love of Mondrian in 2017, artworks from previous times relate more to us than ever before. Like in the 1960’s, we have seen another great shift in society entering an era of post-modernity. The excitement of modernity has worn thin and instead many of us have become disillusioned. We desire the simplicity of bygone eras, this time however not so much in design but in society itself.

Of course, I’m not talking about outdated views of race and class, but instead a fundamental shift in for example, human interaction that has been somewhat marred by technological advancements. In recent years, we have looked at the past with rose tinted spectacles, pining for a time without the stress of answering 200 emails or the dangers of online dating.

We can see this reflected in entertainment, for example the nations romance with costume dramas and historical novels. Therefore, it is more than reasonable to suggest that fashion’s current obsession with art’s historical classics represents a shift in Western society, therefore effecting what we want to see and be seen with.

Fashion player of the week: Hailey Baldwin

Written by Amy Nguyen on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Occupation: Model

Age: 20

Nationality: American and Brazillian

Walked for: Moschino, Dolce & Gabana, Ellie Saab, Julien Macdonald, Tommy Hilfiger, Philip Plein, Missoni, Bottega Venetta

Campaigns for: Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Guess, Prabal Gurung

As the daughter of American actor Steven Baldwin, Hailey is certainly largely famous thanks to her surname. In recent years, it is not her family’s prestigious acting heritage that has caught the eyes of the fashion world, instead her talent on and off the camera has turned heads. You may also recognise Hailey from her brief fling with pop prince Justin Bieber back in 2015 (he was punching).

Her undeniable beauty and perfected millennial style has landed her campaigns with the likes of Adidas, Guess and Topshop. Often spotted hanging on the arms of BFF’s Kendall, GiGi and Bella, Hailey has definitely gained some insider top tips and tricks from the industry’s finest on how to strike a pose and glide down the runway. In addition to front covers for leading publications such as Marie Claire, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar, those infinite legs paired with her mesmerising eyes and lips have gained her much attention from the likes of Maxim, who in May of this year dubbed her ‘the most beautiful women in the world.’

Looks are one thing, but Hailey’s devotion to her faith is another, she frequently preaches kindness and posts inspiring and relevant chapters from the Bible to her 10.8 million followers. In a recent interview with InStyle UK, she shared her effortless staple style which can be reduced to well fitted jeans, a perfect white tee and a leather Jacket. When speaking to Vogue she also confessed to her obsession with leather jackets, wouldn’t we just like to have a peek at her collection…

Her work both behind the lens and on the runway gives me no reason to doubt that she will soon be donning her first pair of ‘angel wings’ and joining the Victoria Secret clan.

My prediction is that the future is bright for Baldwin.

 

University team forges new research opportunities and development in India

Written by Elizabeth Rushton on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A university delegation has recently returned from a trip to India which sought to open up research and funding opportunities with some of the country’s biggest companies, as well as to assist in the foundation of a new medical school.

The group, comprised of academics representing a range of departments from medicine to environmental sciences, travelled to the state of West Bengal in the east of the country, where plans are underway to build a new school and training facilities for doctors.

The head of the delegation, Professor Stephen Flint, described the purpose of meetings with officials and staff at the forthcoming medical facilities as “helping them to fast-track the complex challenge of setting up a medical school from scratch”.

Academics including Professor Douglas Corfield of Manchester’s Division of Medical Education helped familiarise the staff with medical training techniques such as problem-based learning.

Professor Flint, Manchester’s Associate Vice President for Internationalisation, identified the shortage of hospitals in West Bengal as the driving factor behind the need for new medical training facilities. West Bengal’s population far surpasses that of the UK with over 90 million people resident there. The new hospital is to be situated at Kharagpur, an industrial city three hours’ drive from West Bengal’s capital, Kolkata.

Links with the region were established through the Tata Medical Centre where another Manchester researcher, Professor Vaskar Saha, works six months out of the year at the Tata Translational Cancer Research Centre.

According to Professor Flint, the trip could create more links with Manchester and opportunities for students in the future.

“We have signed an agreement with the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP) to collaborate across a range of research areas, and we hope this will lead initially to jointly supervised PhD students who spend time in both institutions.” he explained. He added that this could eventually enable students to travel to Kharagpur as a study abroad destination.

Established in 1951, IIT KGP is the oldest such institution in India, and its headquarters are based on the site of a former detention camp for Indian freedom fighters, dating back to the British colonial era. During the trip, plans were confirmed for the development of a world-class programme in health informatics run jointly with Manchester, a commitment to which had already been made with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions during a visit from Manchester representatives this June.

Professor Siddhartha Mukhopadhyay, IIT KGP’s Dean of Alumni Affairs and International Relations spoke of the collaboration’s great potential to develop research programmes with global impact and create world-class training schemes, as well as joint research projects in areas including Smart Textiles, Earth-Environment-Water-Sciences, Advanced Materials and Biomedical Informatics.

During the trip, the delegation also met with representatives from some of the region’s most significant academic and research institutions, such as the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Indian Statistical Institute, and the Universities of Jadavpur and Kolkata, to discuss new possibilities in research and funding.

Spanning fields of engineering and biomedical sciences, conversations were held with such giant companies as Graphite India and Tata Steel, the owners of the UK’s largest steelworks and employers of almost 8,000 here, concerning material science research.

“Tata Steel have recently opened a biomaterials division, and we presented the cutting edge research on biomedical ‘smart’ materials being undertaken in the School of Materials,” Professor Flint explained, adding that this could open up the possibility of receiving research funding from Tata.

Interview: Lewis Capaldi

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

With his first UK headline tour completely sold out and a second well on the way, Scottish newcomer Lewis Capaldi is certainly impressive for a new artist, especially one who has only put two tracks online to date. ‘Bruises’ and ‘Lost On You’ have amassed a staggering 35 million streams globally, with both tracks demonstrating a mature understanding of classic song writing, whilst Lewis’s captivating vocal keeps things distinctly contemporary. Not bad for a 21 year old who only left college and wrote ‘Bruises’ a year ago.

Could you give a quick introduction to yourself?

My name is Lewis Capaldi, I’m a 21 year old singer from Glasgow. I played my first gig here a few weeks ago, and that was after the release of my first single ‘Bruises’.

So has this year been mad for you?

Aye, it’s been hectic to say the least. We put the single out not knowing what to expect, thinking it might just get a few plays and stuff. Then I woke up the next morning and it was top of New Music Friday in the US. Ever since then it’s been non-stop and my feet haven’t touched the ground. The last six months have been so fucking fast-paced. August was my first headline show, and literally yesterday I came back off a tour with Rag’n’Bone Man in massive European venues. It’s been such quick exposure. I’ve been gigging for eight years and it feels like all that was a practice run for this.

How was supporting Rag’n’Bone Man? How was he?

It was class. He’s lovely. I supported him once before in Hamburg back in May, and that was the fucking worst gig of my life. He’s one of the nicest guys I’ve met, but I took my own equipment over and it was a fucking disaster. None of the guitars stayed in tune, I was having issues with the amp and I had to do the last song a-cappella.

So that tour has just finished?

Yeah I got back home yesterday. I’ve not been home since before Halloween. I’m off to Hong Kong in a few days.

Your headline tour starts soon…

Yeah I think it’s the 27th, but it’s going to be pretty hectic from Hong Kong to Milan to Reading to support Jake Bugg and then straight to my own tour. The response to the tour’s been unbelievable. After I got over the initial shock, I wondered if anyone would actually come and see me, so to have sold out this tour is amazing.

So who are your biggest musical influences?

Paulo Nutini has always been a big one for me, just because he’s from Scotland.  I heard Joe Cocker sing a Beatles song and I knew I wanted to sound like him and then I discovered Paulo. Beyond that, my mum and dad got me into Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis from a really young age, and I’m a massive Bob Dylan fan. Lately I’ve been listening a lot to Sia. I totally missed out on her, and I’ve recently got her album. She’s fucking class. I was a proper indie rock kid, but I never listened to proper pop music until I was 18 ’cause I thought I was too cool. Then I realised I wasn’t cool at all.

The EP is available and your tour is nearly here, so what’s next for you?

I write songs every single day. I’m working on the next single now for January, and something else for March. I’ve got no plans for an album yet. I still think it’s in the distance a bit. It’s still really early for me, so I’m just writing and recording, so just more of the same. I want every song to be better than the last, and just keep up this momentum and see where it takes me.

So are you taking some time off for Christmas?

After the UK tour I’m in Holland, and I get back on 22nd December, and then New Year I fly to America for a tour with Milky Chance.

Sounds like you’ll be busy! Thanks for chatting to us today.

No problem, thanks for taking the time to interview me.

You can catch Lewis Capaldi at Sound Control on 7th December.

Interview: The Rills

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

In a cluttered green room at the back of indie bar Jimmy’s NQ, The Rills squeezed into a tiny sofa, spirits sky-high from their electric show which had dazzled with punk swagger, an undertone of politics and an indie camaraderie…

Great show guys — we loved it. Can you tell us a bit about how the band got together?

Mitch: Well me and Charlie went to secondary school together and he was a drummer at the time and we started a band. Callum was stupid enough to be a guitarist and we said come and play bass for us temporarily, and here we are a few weeks down the line. Then we finished that band and sort of started again when we met Mason, ’cause he’s a fucking mint drummer.

Mason: I’m pretty good. Yeah I met Charlie and Callum at uni in Clapham, and I think it was like the second day, I heard they had a bit of an accent and I thought ‘wow, I’ve never spoken to anyone from Lincoln before!’ So I went over, chatted them up for a bit, and it turned out they needed a drummer. We had our first practice and it was a match made in heaven.

Mitch: We’ve had some bad times in the past. We moved to Sheffield before we moved to London, me Charlie and Callum, and stupidly thought it would be really easy, but we worked really horrible jobs. I used to work in the Marks and Spencer fridges at half five in the morning, and Charlie would do the night shift. So we had a few hours in the day where we could get stuff done, but everyone hated each other.

Charlie: Just ended up smoking too many wacky cigarettes.

So if you were working so much how did you find the time to rehearse?

Charlie: We actually found a great space in Sheffield called the Yellow Arch. Arctic Monkeys used to play there. They’d bring beers to your room if you asked nicely. It was alright for practising, we just needed a drummer. We had a few but they were all just jokers.

Mitch: Sheffield actually really changed the way we wrote songs. Before it was a bit of an after-school club, we were finding our feet with gigs and we were a bit rubbish.

Mason: I feel grateful that I avoided these days. I just came in and it’s all been smart.

So you’ve done Manchester, where’s next on the list?

Charlie: We’ve got Liverpool lined up. Possibly one in Sheffield. We’re just going to focus on videos and getting songs done.

Mitch: We’ve got a couple of songs recorded that are ready to go out. We recently found a VHS from about 1932…

Callum: So we’ve started to just record everything we ever do with that. There’s some right rubbish stuff.

Mitch: Last weekend we played the Nambuka for This Feeling.

What do you guys want to be remembered for?

Mitch: My good looks. Boyish charm.

Charlie: The songs obviously.

Mason: Being the maddest drummer to come out of this century.

You have a kind of early Arctic Monkeys/Libertines sound, so who would you say are your key influences?

Mitch: Oh this is a really, really tough one.

Give us your top 3.

Mitch: I’d definitely say The Beatles, without a doubt. Libertines is definitely one. We sort of found each other through Arctic Monkeys but we’ve made a conscious effort with our music to try and avoid the cliche things they do. A lot of bands who come about nowadays are doing pretty similar things to what they did at the start.

Callum: Yeah they stick on an accent and play fast on stage.

Mitch: Yeah but we kind of do that.

Mason: We were talking earlier in the pub and Mitch was saying usually in music the drums and bass go hand in hand, but we’ve found in our music the drums tend to follow the guitar lead or the vocals, so you get these weird little blemishes.

Charlie: We just try and approach indie music differently. We had similar influences but we’ve brought Mason in and it’s like a new dimension to it.

Mitch: For the third key influence, it’s not just bands, it’s modern England. The state of Lincoln is like Manchester — there are a lot of homeless people and it’s very dominated by spice. Not that we’re trying really hard to be political, it’s just that things are so obviously there, right in front of you.

So what’s on the cards for next year? What’s the first single?

Charlie: Depends whether it comes out in December or  not. We’ve got two lined up and we’re off to record next month.

Mitch: But the title is ‘Us and Them’, if that’s what you were fishing for. That’s probably the one we’ll bring out.

Mason: It’ll make you smile in a time of need.

If you could describe your sound visually how would it look?

Mitch: Like a clown.

Mason: With a tear slowly rolling down. Like the album art of London Calling by The Clash.

Mitch: That’s actually an ironic joke of an Elvis album, so probably Elvis — that’s what it looks like.

Mason: Sexy and sort of fat towards the end.

Finally, what’s with the ‘De Niro’ tattoo on your arm Mitch?

Mitch: Oh we’ve all got silly tattoos. Mine’s De Niro.

Charlie: Mine’s Elmo, ’cause everyone called me Elmo when I was younger.

Callum: I’ve got one on both arms. ‘Ringo Starr’. I lost a bet on the football when Lincoln had Burnley in the FA Cup.

Mason: Now they’ve just got to think of one for me.

We can’t wait to see. Thanks for your time lads, and great show tonight.

Look out for future gigs and upcoming singles from The Rills.

Record Reappraisal: The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead

Written by Jake Oliver on . Posted in Music.

There are very few albums that are capable of standing the test of time and are able to leave a lasting legacy, but The Smiths’ third outing, The Queen Is Dead, refuses to be one of them. Released in 1986 during a whirlwind time in the band’s history, the album was met with high praise from fans and critics alike. Now just over thirty years later, The Queen Is Dead has been rereleased and remastered – but does it still pack the same punch? In a word, yes.

Drummer Mike Joyce propels us in to the titular opener, quickly accompanied by guitarist Johnny Marr’s jaunty riff and bassist Andy Rourke’s funky rhythmic beat. It’s an entirely hypnotic invitation to the album. The musical production throughout really sees the band performing at their peak, delivering sharp, punk-infused vibes at its most bombastic, and solemn slow-jams at its most vulnerable; a multitude of styles that seems to echo the turbulence in Britain during the mid-eighties as a shifting political and ideological landscape. Morrissey’s disdain for the establishment and the royal family within the lyrics are aloof, yes, but that is what makes it so thoroughly entertaining.

As a band that lead the charge against convention, The Queen Is Dead subverts the monarchy and the mainstream, pulling them from their lofty heights in to a more corrupt (and potentially more accurate) portrayal of society — a rather refreshing perspective that is just as relevant today in our post-Brexit, politically twisted world as it was back in 1986. This  witty and ever-cynical tone is one that remerges again in the satirical ‘Frankly, Mr. Shankly’, a sharp jab at the music industry, as well as the frankly bizarre yet endearing ‘Vicar in a Tutu’.

Yet, nestled comfortably between the more outlandish tracks of the album lie The Queen Is Dead’s more tender songs. The Smiths were never afraid to delve deep in to the pitfalls and agonies of romance. Here they deliver some of their most poignant material. Tracks such as ‘I Know It’s Over’ and fan favourite of the forlorn teenager ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out’, both detail the emotional passion that songwriters today can only dream of achieving.

There exists a strange comfort to be found within Morrissey’s harrowing lyricisms. “To die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die” is macabre as it is moving, the melodramatic nature of his words capturing the very essence of unrequited love in all of its desperation. Elsewhere, on the equally as heartfelt ‘I Know It’s Over’, are themes of isolation and loneliness with lines such as “If you’re so funny, then why are you on your own tonight?” The instrumentals for these melancholic songs complement the sombre vocals absolutely flawlessly, and it’s almost impossible not to be moved by the swelling crescendo of agony and heartbreak that these songs so effortlessly convey.

Meanwhile, Marr gets to work at presenting some of his most sophisticated performances on the album, with the furious ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’. It’s yet another fast-paced attack on the media, in which the frontman Morrissey likens himself to martyr Joan of Arc and is a perfect example of the sort of meta-songwriting that gained The Smiths such a cult following.

What makes The Queen is Dead so brilliant and so enduring is that it’s as darkly humorous as it is bittersweet; the hyperbolic nature of Morrissey’s lyrics are in line with our own occasional thoughts of grandioseness, making us feel a little less alone, and the excellence of the album’s instrumentals haven’t aged a bit and still serve as musical inspiration for some of the greatest bands of our generation. It’s an emotional titan of an album and if you have not already had the pleasure of listening to it, I implore you to do so as soon as possible.

Wellbeing Week at the University of Manchester

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

From the 20th to the 24th of November, the University of Manchester will hold its annual Wellbeing Week.

During this week, a series of events are held across campus aimed at helping students and staff cope with stress and maintain their well-being, both mental and physical. All events are free to attend, and address the university’s six areas of well-being: connect, take notice, learn and discover, be healthy, be active, and give.

The week kicks off with on Monday with sunrise yoga, followed by a packed schedule of other activities, such as ‘Calm your brain and have a croissant’, ‘Bungee run bouncy castle’ and ‘softball’. Several of these events are repeated throughout the week, giving students ample opportunity to sample what they wish. Highlights of the week include free massages, a quidditch taster session and a highly anticipated visit from Manchester Dog’s Home.

Event coordinator Katrina M Grier told The Mancunion “Looking after our well-being helps us to support ourselves in everyday life. This year, well-being week has been designed to raise awareness of the six ways to well-being and to get people thinking about looking after themselves. There are a range of activities and all events are free, so come along and enjoy!”

Student well-being has become a major issue over the last few years. In a survey conducted by YouGov, 27 percent of students reported having a type of mental health problem, with 77 percent highlighting depression and 74 percent discussing anxiety.

The number of students dropping out of university citing their mental health as the reason has also risen. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency shows these numbers were up 210 percent in 2014-15, from 380 in 2009-10 to 1,180 in 2014-15. Events during well-being week are tailored to help assist and encourage students to manage these problems in productive and creative ways, such as mindfulness, exercise and crafts.

The university are also holding a Staff Wellbeing Benefits Fair during the week. The fair is designed to demonstrate a number of the well-being benefits available to University of Manchester staff members. The university’s staff well-being lead, Sarah March, highlights the importance of well-being amongst those employed by the university on a dedicated well-being page on their website, stating “We want our colleagues not only work productively but also to enjoy working here and to lead happy, healthy lives.”

For more information on well-being week including timetables and event information, please visit http://www.studentsupport.manchester.ac.uk/taking-care/wellbeing/wellbeing-week/, or search ‘Wellbeing Week’ on Facebook.

What did we learn from Germany and Brazil?

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

The recent friendlies against Germany and Brazil, arguably the two best teams in the world currently, were a vindication of Southgate’s masterplan. It would have been easy for him to pick the same groups of players, lose both and move on but instead he’s doing what no manager has done for a long, long time. Giving youth players a chance.

Seven of the players that stepped onto the pitch against Brazil and Germany were under the age of 23 with four of those age just 20. Southgate, formerly managing the England youth sides, knows that to develop a competitive and trophy-contending side, we need to give these players the opportunity to play.

Sadly a number of England’s best young players were ruled out due to injury, but the results show that when Winks, Alli, Sterling and Kane come back into the side, we will have not only a strong squad, but a deep one too.

There is no better introduction to international football than a game against Germany, especially when they aren’t quite in the highest gear. It allows them to grow into the game. Ruben Loftus-Cheek on his debut showed that he isn’t afraid to run at players and take them on, striving to always move the ball forward, something that we’ve been failing to do all too often. His impressive performance earned the Man of the Match award and a certain spot in the Russia Squad.

Jake Livermore, while mostly competent, looked a little out of his depth. The West Brom player did the job but provided little in the way of creative passing. With Winks and Alli coming back he will almost certainly not go to Russia. The same can be said about Jordan Henderson too. I think to leave him at home would be a risk but with his safety catch forever kept on it’s one that Southgate needs to take to have any hope of going far in the competition.

With so many of our pivotal midfield and attacking players out, the focus was more on how our defence would perform. The ability to shut out a team of that quality was remarkable. We were rigid in our formation and forced the Germans into mostly potshots from distance. Gomez playing as if he had 50 caps to his name already and Stones and Maguire were both solid with all three surely mainstays in the team for years to come. Phil Jones, although he went off injured, is England’s best defender in a long time, his experience will help to steady the team in the event of any shakey moments.

On top of these white cliffs of defence stood Jordan Pickford, finally given his chance to prove himself and my what a performance. Not only did he make some great saves but his distribution of the ball was excellent, a key attribute is we are to play this counter attacking style of football, something that we can’t say of Joe Hart.

I’m not going to needlessly climb onto the Hart-hate bandwagon, he has been a great keeper for England. Now joint second in caps with David Seaman (75), he is the first England goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet against Brazil since Shilton in 1984. Granted the defence made it easy for him but he did make a couple of saves.

My primary concern about him is the inability to play a counter attacking style of football. When Pickford got the ball he launched it forward, sending Vardy or Rashford on the attack, absolutely necessary to catch the opposition with too many players committed forward. Hart on the other had prefers to smother the ball, and hold it in his hands for ten or so seconds to allow the team to take a breather.

In essence he’s trying to play possession football when we are supposed to be counter attacking. That, and the inability to hold the ball in midfield, mostly down to Dier’s shakiness, inhibited England from posing any real threat against Brazil. Any time I see Hart get passed the ball to his feet too he looks nervous and I get anxious, a sentiment similarly shared by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as he shipped him out.

When the World Cup rolls around he will probably be the third choice keeper. The game against Brazil was clearly Butland’s before his unfortunate injury. I think that would be a good decision for Southgate as his experience, especially in big tournaments, will help to calm the other keepers.

In that game against Brazil there were even more debuts. Dominic Solanke became the 14th player to make his England debut under Southgate, and for the 15 minutes he was on the pitch the youngster looked very exciting. There seems to be a competition between them all to see who can pull of the most nutmegs on their debut. Solanke embarrassed Fernandinho by not only nutmegging him to work the ball into space but by wrong footing the City player so he fell backwards simultaneously.

The difference between this game and the one against Germany was the desire. Brazil put out a full strength team and treated it like a World Cup knockout game, because we are the calibre of team they could face in the last 16 of quarter finals. Not only did we shut them out, but they only had three shots on target the entire game, not testing Hart once.

In his post match interview Southgate said “we couldn’t get hold of the ball and move it as well as we did the other night (against Germany). Tonight we just showed some outstanding defending.”

It would be silly to make rash assumptions based upon one match but with a few small player tweaks, namely in midfield and in between the sticks, we could have won. The defence proved itself to be watertight and the attack had a furious appetite for the ball, we just need to connect the two.