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Year: 2017

Live Review: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Written by Blanca Herreros De Tejada Lobo on . Posted in Music.

Friday 27th October, Manchester Academy

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s music is vibrant, but there is something magnetic about listening to them live. Last Friday, Manchester Academy’s walls were flooded with BRMC’s emotional and honest tracks, as well as a devoted crowd and the soft mist from the smoke machine.

Opening their show with ‘Little Thing Gone Wild’, BRMC showed themselves keen to give their fans all they had. In exchange, a euphoric audience sang their hearts out from the second the band appeared on stage. The majority knew every single lyric. BRMC performed a total of 24 songs including their hit ‘Beat the Devils Tattoo’. When this track was played the initial energy seemed to have been multiplied by a thousand.

Although the staging was simple, it was enough for the band to excel on their performance. Alternating blue, red, and white dim lights fell over the artists. These lights pulsated to the rhythm of the bass which was at the same time supported by the clapping of the show-goers.

Altogether, the music, the cheering fans, the staging, the smoke, all went together to create a unique atmosphere. The band, formed by Leah Shapiro, Peter Hayes, and Robert Levon Been, rarely conversed with the audience between songs, cutting the chitchat to “How are you guys doing tonight?” BRMC played one song after another without interruption, however, words weren’t needed, and the fans didn’t really seem to care that the verbal interaction was practically non-existent.

One of the highlights of the show — besides the amazing guitar skills of Peter Hayes — was the fan relationship. Before they got on stage, you could see complete strangers engaging in conversation over their love for the group. Overheard conversations went something like: “BRMC is my favourite band not only because they make great music, but also because they give us an experience that not many artists give you. After concerts, they come out and ask you how your day was. They’re very real and that’s cool.”

Overall BRMC’s performance reminded me of musicians such as Lou Reed or the Rolling Stones — the latter’s influence on the band is clear. In other words, they pour themselves into the music and make their performance an exhilarating experience for everyone witnessing it.  Personally, I think BRMC are incredibly underrated. This garage and alternative rock band are definitely worth listening to.

9/10

HOME Cinema Preview: 3rd November

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

Films opening at HOME this week:

The Killing of a Sacred Dear

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos – Rated 15

Steven (Farrell), an eminent cardiothoracic surgeon is married to Anna (Kidman), a respected ophthalmologist. They are well off and live a happy and healthy family life with their two children, Kim and Bob.

Their lives take a darker turn when Martin (Keoghan), a fatherless youth with whom Steven has a strained friendship ingratiates himself further into the lives of the family.

Lanthimos’s follow-up to The Lobster is a brilliantly realised, Kubrickian look at human behaviour.

Click here to book tickets

78/52

Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe – Rated 15

In 78 setups and 52 cuts, the deliriously choreographed two-minute shower sequence in Psycho ripped apart cinema’s definition of horror.

With a shocking combination of exploitation and high art, Alfred Hitchcock upended his own acclaimed narrative structure by violently killing off a heroine a third of the way through his film, without explanation, justification, or higher purpose.

Psycho played out like a horrific prank, forcing audiences to recognise that even the banalest domestic spaces were now fair game for unspeakable mayhem.

With black-and-white film-geek reverence, director Alexandre O. Philippe breaks down this most notorious and essential scene shot for shot, enlisting the help of film buffs and filmmakers alike—including Guillermo del Toro, Bret Easton Ellis, Karyn Kusama, Eli Roth, and Peter Bogdanovich.

Click here to book tickets

Sorcerer

Directed by William Friedkin – Rated 15

William Friedkin’s remake of Clouzot’s Wages of Fear has acquired a sizeable reputation after having been marginalised on release.

Four desperate renegades, led by Roy Scheider, reuniting with the director after a public falling out following not being cast in The Exorcist, from different parts of the globe agree to risk their lives transporting gallons of nitroglycerin across dangerous South American jungle.

The equal of the original, the film has been restored for its 40th anniversary and, augmented by the Tangerine Dream score, is essential big screen viewing.

Click here to book tickets

 

Films continuing this week:

The Death of Stalin

Directed by Armando Iannucci – Rated 15

Based on the graphic novel The Death Of Stalin by Fabien Nury and Thierry Robin, writer and director Armando Iannucci’s (Veep, The Thick of It) acerbic satire is set in the days following the Russian leader’s stroke in 1953 as his core team of ministers tussle for control. An all-star cast includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, and Olga Kurylenko.

Click here to book tickets

Call Me By Your Name

Directed by Luca Guadagnino — Rated 15

It’s the summer of 1983 in northern Italy, and Elio Perlman (Chalamet), a 17-year-old American-Italian, spends his days in his family’s seventeenth-century villa lazily transcribing music and flirting with his friend, Marzia.

One day Oliver (Armie Hammer, Free Fire), a charming, 24-year-old American scholar working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father (Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor.

Amid the sun-drenched splendour of this sensual setting, Elio and Oliver discover the heady beauty of awakening desire over the course of a fateful summer. The latest film by Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love) is sensuously adapted from the novel by André Aciman.

Click here to book tickets

Breathe

Directed by Andy Serkis — Rated 12A

Handsome, adventurous and brilliant, Robin (Andrew Garfield) has his whole life ahead of him when he is paralysed by polio. Against all advice, Robin’s wife Diana (Claire Foy) brings him home, where her devotion, intimacy and witty determination transcend his disability and set him free.

The directorial debut of Andy Serkis and the opening film of the 61st London Film Festival, Breathe offers a celebration of human possibility.

Click here to book tickets

The Party

Directed by Sally Potter – Rated 15

Sally Potter’s (Orlando) latest feature is a comedy wrapped around a tragedy which unfolds in real time in an upmarket London house.

Janet is hosting an intimate gathering of friends to celebrate her promotion to Shadow Minister of Health in the party of opposition. Her husband, Bill, seems preoccupied.

As their friends arrive, the soirée gradually unravels. As people’s illusions about themselves and each other go up in smoke — along with the canapés — The Party becomes a night that began with champagne but ends with blood on the floor.

Click here to book tickets

Loving Vincent

Directed by Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman – Rated 12A

Co-directors Kobiela and Welchman explore Vincent van Gogh’s most inspirational paintings to tell the story of his remarkable work, career, and his untimely and controversial demise. A synthesis of painting and cinema, this is a lovingly crafted, intelligent, and informative work.

Loving Vincent will also be screening as part of Manchester Animation Festival on 15 Nov 20:15.

Click here to book tickets

 

Special Events this week:

November 4th – Z + Intro

Directed by Costa-Gavras – Rated 15

Winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1970, after also having been nominated for Best Picture, Z remains one of the most influential political thrillers of all time.

Jean-Louis Trintignant plays a magistrate assigned to investigate the supposed accidental death of a left-wing politician, memorably played by Yves Montand. In the course of his work, he uncovers a series of deceits and lies that attempt to hide the real political motivation of the killing.

Click here to book tickets

November 5th – The Mattei Affair + Post-screening Discussion

Directed by Francesco Rosi – Rated U

A key title in the development of Francesco Rosi’s style of investigative thriller, The Mattei Affair focuses on the death of Enrico Mattei, an influential businessman who made enemies in the mafia.

His story is interspersed with Rosi’s investigation into the disappearance of his friend, journalist Mauro De Mauro, who was undertaking research for the film. Driven by a thoughtful performance from Gian Maria Volontè, The Mattei Affair is one of Rosi’s finest works.

This screening will be followed by an informal post-screening discussion led by Adalgisa Serio, Italian Language Tutor CDLCI and Freelance Language Consultant.

Click here to book tickets

November 6th – Homeless Film Festival + Post-screening Discussion

Directed by Dana Flor, Toby Oppenheimer – Rating CTBA

Check It is a feature-length documentary about a black gay gang struggling to survive in one of Washington D.C.’s most violent neighbourhoods.

This screening will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Esther Lisa-Carew, freelance film moderator, on the themes of homelessness within the LGBT+ and black communities.

Click here to book tickets

November 7th – The Orchard + Q&A

Directed by Clive Myer, Lynda Myer-Bennett – Rated PG

Filmed in real time over one weekend, The Orchard is an experimental drama feature owing as much to Godard for its reflexivity and the Danish Dogme movement for its visual aesthetic as it does to Chekhov and Pirandello for its form and content.

We will be joined by directors Clive Myer and Lynda Myer-Bennett for a Q&A following this screening.

Click here to book tickets

November 8th – Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion + Intro

Directed by Elio Petri – Rated 18

In Elio Petri’s visually stunning and beautifully composed film, a corrupt police official decides to show how untouchable he is by creating a murder scene where the evidence can only lead investigators to him.

Starring the iconic left-wing actor Gian Maria Volontè who provides a mesmerising performance, this is a sly and slick condemnation of the state and the police from one of Italy’s major political filmmakers of the 1960s and 1970s.

This screening will be introduced by Adalgisa Serio, Italian Language Tutor CDLCI and Freelance Language Consultant, author of Collana Cinema Italia and Italiano al cinema.

Click here to book tickets

‘Night Owl’ scheme receives widespread criticism

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

The ‘Night Owl’ safety scheme proposed by the Students’ Union has come under fire this week, with many students in the Fallowfield area raising concerns about how efficient it would be and how it would safeguard the volunteers.

On the 31st of October,  The Mancunion reported that the scheme would be launched in early 2018, following an initial period of consultation.

The Students’ Union Communities Officer, Jack Houghton, said: “The union’s [‘Night Owl’] plan will provide self-defence training, bystander training, first aid training and advice training to ensure the safety of students. We will also be setting up an office to support students whilst on a night out. For example, to track volunteer locations and to maintain contact with police and security services during patrols.

“Between now and December I will be putting on consultation sessions with students so as to gain an idea of what people want the scheme to look like and whether they agree with the Students’ Union’s plan.”

After a petition titled “Greater Manchester Police & Andy Burnham: help us to make Fallowfield safe for students!” was signed by over 8,000 students and an investigation by The Mancunion suggested that students increasingly rely on Facebook for anecdotal advice about staying safe in South Manchester, the ‘Night Owl’ scheme is part of the Students’ Union’s response to make the streets feel safer for students.

The proposed ‘Night Owl’ scheme was heavily criticised by some Manchester students. Jack Joscelyne, a Law student at the University of Manchester Law, said: “so instead of police patrols we’re going to have vigilante students roaming about stopping crime?” This was in comment on Facebook and was liked by 52 people, suggesting it resonated with many others.

A Pharmacy student at the University of Manchester, Adam Jameson, said: “what difference is self defence going to make when you’re up against a group of blokes with machetes?”

Manchester University Philosophy student, Joe Martin, went as far as to say that the proposed ‘Night Owl’ scheme was “almost offensive to anyone that’s been assaulted, threatened, stabbed or mugged”, with another student adding that the ‘Night Owl’ scheme “really feels to me like it’s being organised by individuals who haven’t been on the receiving end of the situation that they’re trying to resolve.”

Despite the criticism of the proposal, there were some students who felt the scheme would be beneficial.

University of Manchester Chemistry student, Oliver Backhouse, responded to the criticism and said: “You’re all complaining that this is not going to solve the problem and that we need more police officers — but if you have half a brain…you’ll know that’s never gonna happen. What is wrong with volunteers trying to do their bit? Even if they make one person feel less vulnerable then it’s a success.”

Others students also had more nuanced views, with Rhianna Shaw, a Law with Criminology student at the University of Manchester, suggesting that “perhaps instead of using student volunteers use police volunteers, Police Specials have the same powers as regular officers and wear a similar uniform. They will also have better training. This is probably more of a deterrent than two students walking around in hi vis.”

In response to criticism and fears that students were to become substitutes for police in South Manchester, Jack Houghton said: “You are correct that increasing police numbers would help deal with the problem and is why Manchester Students’ Union is determined to fight for an increased police presence in student areas. However, it is important to remember that police numbers are at historically low levels.

“The result has meant that Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have had to reduce police numbers everywhere in the city. As much as I would love to see the Government increase police funding for the UK, we must be proactive and assume the funding situation is not going to improve anytime soon.”

Jack added that the ‘Night Owl’ scheme “has worked really well at other Universities” and that it is “not supposed to be reactive and therefore will avoid putting themselves in direct danger.”

He said that “volunteers are trained in first-defence for a last resort only” and that the scheme “is not the only answer”, citing how the Students’ Union are “working on a safety app which has a discussion board for students to warn each other of crime reports, a map to plot the location of these crimes and all information on current student safety schemes. ”

He also added that the Students’ Union are “looking into hiring a Student Safety Officer at Manchester Student Union to focus on improving current schemes and setting up new ones and pointed out that “56,000 street lights [are] being replaced with LED bulbs in Manchester and we are fighting for new street lights on certain streets, alleyways and parks.”

Statistics issued by the Home Office on the 19th of October covering the 12-month period from July 2016 to June 2017 suggested that crime increased by 31 per cent in Greater Manchester in the last year.

In the region of Greater Manchester, violence against a person was indicated to have increased by 46 per cent over the 12-month period, sexual offences increased by 31 per cent, burglary increased by 14 per cent and robbery was suggested to have increased by 53 per cent.

In the summer of 2017, the Home Office asked Police and Crime Commissioners and Police Chiefs to assess the levels of strain and resilience of all 43 police forces across the country. It was suggested that extra £440m is required for 2018/19 and £845m in 2019/20 to combat rising crime and protest the public.

Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Beverley Hughes said: “These figures show that while pressures on the police are increasing, resources remain under great strain.  I have spoken out time and again about the need for more funding for our police and it’s clear that this pressure is felt across the country.

“Recorded crime is on the rise in Greater Manchester, with an overall increase of 31 per cent in the last year. Our police are committed to protecting the public, but the funding we receive is simply not enough given the increase in serious and complex crimes such as sexual and violent crime and the terrorist threat we face. I hope the Government will respond to these new figures and create a new settlement for policing.”

Given the polarised debate the proposed ‘Night Owl’ scheme has caused, Jack said: “I urge people interested in influencing how this scheme works to attend the Night Owl consultation session on 28th November”, adding that it is “really important to the Students’ Union that all your opinions are heard.”

Live Review: Metallica

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

The 28th of October, Manchester Arena

There’s only one place in Manchester that could host Metallica and do it justice for all. And that is the Arena. Because Metallica don’t offer gigs, they offer battlegrounds. Violent performances for thirsty crowds, with only one rule: leave no witness disappointed.

The 36-year-old metal pioneers bring a ten-album career, including fresh cuts from last year’s Hardwired…to Self-Destruct, to the North of England for one of only a handful of UK dates.

A combination of the band’s exclusivity and legacy means the 21,000 capacity venue is packed with the most die-hard of fans. For many it is their first time, for many others, it’s another ‘best night ever’ courtesy of their all-time favourite ever artist.

In traditional Metallica uniform – black t-shirt, white skin, a look of impenetrable adoration – the hoards swarm around a stage centred in the room like some hellish plinth. The band finally take to it as the iconic final shoot-out scene from ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ fittingly plays, and the Arena is transformed into a war zone.

Opening track ‘Hard Wired’ sets the lethal tone for the rest of the night, with Kirk Hammett unleashing an abattoir of solos and James Hetfield’s drill sergeant bark having lost none of its ferocity with age. The four horsemen-turned-musicians play glaring out across the globe in different directions, backs to each other and balls to the crowd as they follow up with ‘Atlas, Rise!’.

Overhead, there’s chaos. Spotlights incarcerate the band, flashing through the colour spectrum as if some spaceship battle scene from the ‘70s were going on as they blast through their classic 1983 hit ‘Seek and Destroy’.

Back on stage, every member exhibits the virtuosity they have always been lauded for. Regardless of his cringey dad persona, drummer Lars Ulrich shows off enough shell-blast snare action and machine-gun rhythms to send tremors through the toe bones.

On bass, the hairy man-spider Robert Trujillo gives a superb rendition of the instrumental improv track ‘(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth’ as a tribute to original bassist, the deceased Cliff Burton.

But there are some sloppy moments. On ‘The Day That Never Comes’, the serrated edges are blunted when Ulrich’s bass pedal work and the opposing guitar lines fall over each other, breaking their usually strict ranks.

They go all Blue Man Group at one point, introducing a full-band drumming interlude to ‘Now That We’re Dead’, but some timing errors cause it to become crossfire. Overall the stunt feels a bit contrived, but at least Metallica are trying something new after all these years.

In spite of their legend status, the band has had to deal with accusations since the ‘90s of being sell-outs, caring more about profit than music. With tickets costing well over £100, it’s hard not to sympathise with their detractors.

That said, you really are getting the crème de la crème of concert spectacle. The pyrotechnics are jaw-dropping — fireworks and flamethrowers spouting through the stage floor pass inches from the band members, making Apocalypse Now look like a walk through Platt Fields Park.

During ‘Moth to Flame’, a load of tiny LED drones appear to weave and loop around each other in ballet style — it’s the most remarkable thing this reviewer has ever seen at a gig.

For a group with a history of perpetuating anti-oppression and anti-establishment themes in their music, Metallica — or, as the Mancs say, Meh-tally-cer — indulge the crowd in what can only be described as sheer mind control.

A dozen box-shaped screens surround the stage, gliding up and down like hypnotist watches. Hetfield’s voice is often drowned out as the audience scream the lyrics that have spent decades implanted in their heads and hearts.

There’s a sense that these people would literally do anything for their metalling heroes. Before ‘Now That We’re Dead’, when the singer promises his fans they “can live forever, but first, you must die”, you can see the fear in the security guys’ eyes as they realise they might actually have a mass suicide on their hands.

There’s a healthy balance of new and old songs in the setlist. They sandwich classic ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ between the newer ‘ManUNKind’ and ‘Halo On Fire’ and all three rage equally, Hammett firing off guitar lines with sniper accuracy.

The band even take the time to give a cute nod to their current location, performing short covers of ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ and ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ as on-screen neon bees float above. The crowd, of course, lose their shit.

But it’s when the hits come later that the room truly surrenders themselves to these four yank fifty-somethings. ‘Creeping Death’ opens up the floor for primordial moshing. ‘Sad But True’ sees a thousand fists smack the sticky air.

The inevitable highlight is ‘One’, a song that even the most cynical Metallica-hater will concede is one of the most sublime metal compositions of all time, unable to resist headbanging along to Hetfield’s optimism: “Darkness imprisoning me / All that I see, absolute horror / I cannot live, I cannot die / Trapped in myself, body my holding cell”.

The inexorable ‘Master of Puppets’ brings initial proceedings to a close, before the group return with an encore of ‘Spit Out the Bone’, ‘Nothing Else Matters’, and, finally, ‘Enter Sandman’. Although they end with their least accomplished but most commercial song, it’s hard to imagine where else in the set it could come as the exhausted crowd spend their last gasps of air belting out the chorus.

The band leave an Arena full of Metallica fans with stiff necks, sore throats, and years-in-the-waiting smiles. It’s been a long war, and at last, it is over. And in the end, everybody won.

8/10

Live Review: Joey Bada$$

Written by Kavindra Huggins on . Posted in Music.

Upon entrance to the archaic Manchester Albert Hall, the collective murmur of excitement coupled well with the thudding background-music — hitting like a wall of sound.

From the paisley printed US-Flag draped down the front wall, it was clear the Joey Bada$$ was to bring the turmoil of his homeland to the industrial North-West of England, to the swarms of Manchester’s hip-hop subculture — donned in bucket hats, expensive brands and rapper’s-merch.

US support artist Sampa the Great blared out her ‘Boom-Bap’ anthems but lacked the stage presence to captivate the audience the same way the warmup DJ was able to. ‘Bodak Yellow’ and ‘Bad and Boujee’ fuelled the growing fire for the headline act to play with.

The militant Joey emerged from backstage to perform with the DJ, his deep voice effortlessly carrying over the backing track: “Rockabye, rockabye, rockabye baby/shotta boy, shotta boy, shotta go crazy!” he shouted, erupting the crowd into a frenzy.

There’s something intrinsically hip-hop about a rapper wearing a bright orange ‘NYC SANITATION’ sweatshirt, cargo pants and military boots, holding a glass of white wine whilst rapping a nursery rhyme.

It showed exactly what Joey Bada$$ is — hip-hop. From the political message, the high energy music to the ‘don’t give a s***’ attitude.

The opening few tracks were high octane and the volatility rose, Joey gave no signs of slowing. From above, he looked messianic; the audience chanting “Joey, Joey, Joey” in between songs. It was a testament to the sincerity in his music and delivery — something lacking in modern rap. After a few scripted interactions followed a brief intermission, after which the performance hit new heights.

On return, the show mellowed as he played older cuts, unfamiliar to the hypebeasts. Tracks such as ’95 to Infinity’, ‘Paper Trail$’, and ‘No. 99’ got some of the older fans excited — it’s noteworthy that ‘old’ in this environment was 20 plus.

Joey then led a brief emotional tribute to his old mentor and founder of his rap collective, Capital Steez, who took his life back in 2012. Much to my own disappointment, the setlist didn’t include ‘#LongLiveSteelo’, perhaps his most personal track — but then it wouldn’t have fit with the night’s theme. “F*** DONALD TRUMP!” Joey exclaimed before he took the show into the stratosphere.

For ‘What’s My Name’, ‘Jozif Badmon’ carefully brought women forward out of concern for their safety. He called for the “biggest moshpits” you’ve ever seen. Mid-song: “Can someone do a backflip?”. Someone did. Joey took his top off in heat, sipped some wine and continued.

Being in the midst of this ruckus was like being in the eye of a hurricane that Joey had total control over. The heat, the sweat, the aches — nothing mattered as he was able to urge you to fight through these pains for his music and all it stands for.

Continuing the ascension, he commanded that the crowd memorise a new hook “When I pull up, pull up, pull up, pull up.”. Out came the videographer. He let down his braids and lost himself whilst steam cannons blitzed the frenzy on the floor.

The final track approached, ‘Devastated’, the bonafide hit from this year’s ALL AMERIKKAN BADA$$. It opened, his entourage came onstage, his earplugs came out, and his wine was thrown everywhere. “I used to feel so devastated/But now we on our way to greatness!”, he yelled. One step, and into the crowd he jumped.

As the lights came on, it was evident that no encore was needed from the energy of the last hour or so. Despite my disposition, Joey may have revived the dying cringe of a moshpit as he put on the greatest performance I’ve witnessed in a long time.

Joey Bada$$ had asserted that his name is uttered in the same hushed tones as fellow rappers such as Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole. From ambience to crowd command, he had it all. The only critique to be made would be the growing social media attitude surrounding live gigs — but that’s another story.

9/10.

Champions set to descend on Manchester for the Track Cycling World Cup

Written by Amy Quach on . Posted in Sport.

Following the launch of the Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup last week in Pruszkow, Poland, Manchester is set to host the second round at the UK National Cycling Centre this weekend.

From Friday the 10th to Sunday the 12th of November, the biggest names from around the globe will race a full schedule of both sprint and endurance events over the course of six sessions.

In addition to the races seen on the Olympic stage, athletes will also compete in the Individual Pursuit, Time Trials, Scratch Race, and Points Race.

The first time Manchester has hosted a round of the World Cup since 2013, the event will see a broad range of both experienced riders and talented youngsters making their world cup debut. British athletes will be representing the Great British Cycling Team, in addition to British Cycling’s Team Breeze and the 100% Me team.

The 2013 World Cup in Manchester, held one year following the highly successful London Olympics, saw a number of Britain’s Rio medallists take to the track.

Whilst riders included athletes who had conquered at London 2012 — Laura Kenny, Ed Clancy, Joanna Rowsell Shand — others were rising stars who moved through the world ranks over the course of the Olympic cycle — Elinor Barker, Katie Archibald.

It is therefore expected that Manchester will see some of our future Tokyo 2020 champions rise to the occasion this weekend.

Fresh from her European Championship wins in Berlin last month, Olympic and World champion Katie Archibald will be looking for more success in the women’s endurance events. Taking European double gold in the omnium and individual pursuit, she was joined by Emily Kay, Manon Lloyd, and fellow Olympic Champion Elinor Barker to win silver in the Team Pursuit.

Barker also teamed up with up and coming nineteen-year-old Ellie Dickinson — of Team Breeze — to triumph in the Madison. All will be competing in Manchester this coming weekend.

Olympic Champions Ed Clancy and Steven Burke will lead a strong Great Britain representation in the men’s endurance events, hoping to build on their achievements in Rio last summer. Following a disappointing European Championships in October, the men’s endurance team will be hoping to improve their performance in front of a home crowd.

In the men’s sprint events, Olympic Champions Callum Skinner — of 100% me — and Phil Hindes will lead a group of five British riders and Olympic bronze medallist Katy Marchant will be joined by rising star Sophie Capewell to fly the flag for women’s sprinting.

Also heading down to Manchester’s velodrome is Germany’s double Olympic Champion Kristina Vogel. The nine-time ICU World Champion sprinter will be a force to be reckoned with on the track having dominated the sprint events at major international meets over the past few years.

Stiff competition will come in the form of Russian World Champion team sprinters Daria Shmeleva and Anastasia Voinova, as well as 2016 Olympic Keirin Champion Elis Ligtlee. World Madison Champions Lotte Kopecky and Jolien D’Hoore from Belgium will also be racing this coming weekend.

Experienced Kiwi Edward Dawkins will lead New Zealand as an Olympic silver medallist and three-time World Champion, whilst Ligtlee and five-time World Championship winner Theo Bos headline the team from the Netherlands.

Also amongst the star-studded line-up is recently crowned European Champion and current World Champion Benjamin Thomas — the Frenchman will contest the men’s endurance events.

Tickets are available online at www.trackworldcup.co.uk/tickets via Ticketmaster. With prices starting at £15 for adults and £10 for concessions, this is a sporting event not to be missed. Get yours today before they sell out!

Safety ‘Night Owl’ scheme to launch in new year

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

A ‘Night Owl’ scheme where student volunteers will be trained in first aid, safeguarding, well-being training and self-defence to safeguard vulnerable people is to be launched in the new year by the Students’ Union, The Mancunion can reveal.

After a petition titled ‘Greater Manchester Police & Andy Burnham: help us to make Fallowfield safe for students!‘ was signed by over 8,000 students, an investigation by The Mancunion suggested that students increasingly rely on Facebook for anecdotal advice about staying safe in South Manchester.

In relation to this, on the 23rd of October in the popular Fallowfield Students Group, a University of Manchester student, Steve Jackson, proposed creating a “simple student volunteer-led system where we’ll pair up volunteers, put them in high vis jackets and patrol the streets at night, particularly on the weekend” which could involve making “a facebook page and have a Whatsapp chat where we can share information about potential threats and more general useful stuff about being safe whilst out and about.”

However, Students’ Union Communities Officer, Jack Houghton, warned of the “dangers of people setting up these schemes without sufficient training and safeguarding.”

Jack said he had been in contact with Steve and “would love to see us work together to find as many volunteers as possible,” as the Students’ Union look set to launch their ‘Night Owl’ safety scheme in early 2018.

Jack said: “The union’s [‘Night Owl’] plan will provide self-defence training, bystander training, first aid training and advice training to ensure the safety of students. We will also be setting up an office to support students whilst on a night out. For example, to track volunteer locations and to maintain contact with police and security services during patrols.

“Between now and December I will be putting on consultation sessions with students so as to gain an idea of what people want the scheme to look like and whether they agree with the Students’ Union’s plan.”

The announcement comes after statistics issued by the Home Office on the 19th of October covering the 12-month period from July 2016 to June 2017 suggested that crime increased by 31 per cent in Greater Manchester in the last year.

In the region of Greater Manchester, violence against a person was indicated to have increased by 46 per cent over the 12-month period,  sexual offences increased by 31 per cent, burglary increased by 14 per cent and robbery was suggested to have increased by 53 per cent.

Jack said that the Students’ Union were “working with GM police to establish which nights the night owls are needed, using crime statistics”, warning that the “police cannot protect students patrolling the streets without co-ordination with police.”

Aware of the reported frustration of many students regarding policing, security and safety in and around South Manchester, Jack said:”We urge people to be patient and are doing everything we can to set up this scheme as quickly as possible. It is important that the scheme is perfect upon launch because student safety is essential.”

Other student safety initiatives launched by the Students’ Union include increasing the number of street lights in Fallowfield, Withington, Rusholme and other areas, ensuring all new street lights are LED so will be brighter and a scheme set up with Street Cars which allows students to give a Street Cars driver their student I.D. if they have no money so they can still get a safe taxi home rather than have to walk.

Jack previously told The Mancunion that the Student Officer team “don’t want to rush into a decision” on long-term initiatives for improving student safety, adding that schemes such as the ‘Night Owl’ scheme have to be “very thought out” so they “don’t cause issues down the line.”

Review: The Evil Within 2

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

Two horror titles have largely dominated the marketplace in the last decade or so: Resident Evil and The Last of Us. The influences of both are clear in The Evil Within 2, which attempts to provide the stealth and survival aspects of The Last of Us whilst retaining the cheesy horror that was at the core of the Resident Evil series.

In terms of world design, however, The Evil Within 2 is better than both. The game takes place inside STEM – a kind of hybrid between the animus and the matrix where the world exists as part of a collective consciousness supported by futuristic technology.

This premise allows Tango Gameworks to be truly innovative with the design of The Evil Within 2. The world is fascinating: a phantasmagorical island floating in a void of corrupted cyberspace, yet retaining the surface facade of an American suburbia. This means that the setting is eerily familiar in appearance, but also allows the developers to really exercise their creative license on the game’s world.

Corridors reconfigure themselves when you turn your back on them, chasms open up in the ground, and the line between realism and representationalism is ever blurred in The Evil Within 2. In this way, the very fabric of the design of the game is itself part of the deception, which makes the very ground on which you walk part of the paranoia inducing atmosphere of the game.

photo:BethesdaSoftworks

In a climate dominated by sprawling open world games that exhaust much of their power and financing on background detail, The Evil Within 2 is a lesson in how to optimise man power without compromising artistic integrity.

The paranoia induced by the stellar world design is retained by the enemies you face. Reminiscent of The Last of Us, you can always hear the creatures lurking in STEM, and the sense that they can pop up anywhere is deeply unsettling. This is added to by the survival-horror tradition of making playable protagonist Sebastian Castellanos relatively weak compared to the creatures of STEM and perpetually low on supplies. This requires you to carefully manage resources and means that in combat, every bullet and decision matters.

However, this is contravened by some of the other mechanics in the game. The sneak mechanics are not as finessed as those in The Last of Us due to the slightly stiff feel of the controls. The cover system is horribly inconsistent, and sneaking itself is slow, clunky and one-note. Sneak attacks are often ineffective, and the lack of effort put into them is demonstrated by the fact there is only one sneak animation and an issue that sees the motion of sneak-attacking getting you spotted, thereby stopping the attack. You can also throw bottles, but this only distracts enemies in a very small radius, and for a very small amount of time. The crossbow is arguably the most useful tool available to you, but the fact that it’s non-lethal (with the exception of the exploding bolt that attracts everything) makes it somewhat of a chocolate kettle.

This is compounded by the fact that, especially later on in the game, you are chiefed with having to guide Sebastian through some very narrow indoor levels packed with enemies. This is a particularly frustrating experience as it really feels like the game is forcing you into a scenario that its own mechanics make incredibly unappealing.

This dissonance at the game’s core is mirrored by the paradoxical progression system implemented by The Evil Within 2. As a survival-horror game, The Evil Within 2 often actively discourages combat, but bases the progression system on collected ‘green gel’ to improve your character – a resource most commonly garnered by killing enemies. In this way, The Evil Within 2 seems slightly confused in regards to its own identity. Some missions and mechanics make confrontations unavoidable, but the nature of the premise and the way Sebastian’s strength is balanced against his enemies underlines a tension in the game’s vision that often make segments of the game jar with others.

The narrative is also somewhat divided. Overall, the plot is an acutely self-aware cliche, complete with hammy dialogue, and an overblown story that manages to be ridiculously far-fetched and generic at the same time. However, The game is broadly split into two parts. The first takes place largely in a small sandbox as you hunt the first (and most interesting) villain, and represents a very enjoyable eight or so hours that even encourages you to explore and do some side missions.

photo:BethesdaSoftworks

 

The second part of the game accelerates the story as you find out more about STEM, but seems hurried rather than fast-paced. A new villain crops up with no real grounding, and you are increasingly involved in very linear missions that culminate in generic boss fights. New and old characters are thrust into the narrative suddenly and without much explanation, and, whilst the story remains engaging enough, raising the stakes actually makes it much less intriguing.

In some ways, these deficits are probably intentional parts of what the game is aiming for: a nostalgic horror experience that harks back to the genre at its height. In the modern day, some of the things The Evil Within 2 tries to achieve fall flat.

The Evil Within 2 is very much a game of two parts in both narrative structure and achievement. It begins with such promise, but ultimately fails to meet the high standards it initially sets for itself with it superlative world design and inventive horror as it devolves into a rather generic horror experience that lacks the finesse or strength of writing of The Last of Us and the charm and silliness of early Resident Evils.

Live: Little Mix

Written by Millie Nettleton on . Posted in Music.

A fish out of water and a fan are amazed when they find themselves so close to the stage. The fish does concerts and not clubs, the fan does clubs and not concerts, but this chalk and cheese pair were both in for a great night, when fire canons blazed, announcing the arrival on stage of Little Mix.

They were sitting so close, they could feel the heat of the flames that leapt into the air as the four band members rose up through the middle of the stage belting out their recent hit single ‘Power’.

The thing about a gig on this kind of scale is that it’s impossible not to get swept up in the mob mentality. The age of the audience was all over the place — mums, daughters, 20 somethings — it was definitely a girl power atmosphere.

Little Mix were very much aware of this. Being extremely confident young women with an incredible stage presence, they used this as an asset to encourage their fans, predominantly young and female, to be strong and sure within themselves. Their performance of ‘Salute’ was enough to make anyone proud of their femininity — even some of the dads in the audience.

This open encouragement of self-love was not exclusive to women. A particularly powerful moment in the evening took place before their emotional rendition of ‘Secret Love Song’: as the four women walked down a catwalk suspended above the audience, they called attention to the LGBT+ community, recognising that the songs had become a sort of pride anthem.

This was reflected by the audience, with many holding up rainbow coloured flags bearing the songs’ lyrics throughout the stadium. It was the first time hearing this song for the fish, but here, the fan found a fresh light shed on the song and the possible meaning of it’s lyrics.

The stagecraft was immense, with confetti cannons, flamethrowers and various sets brought to the fore like tigers in the Colosseum. Equally, both were wowed by the intensity of the choreography, with not just the backup dancers but Little Mix themselves performing full routines, in perfect sync, whilst singing. Perrie Edwards in particular, was not afraid to prove her talent, singing daring vocal riffs and ornamentations.

One criticism might be their failure to establish any particularly genuine relationship with the audience. The short and sweet conversations between themselves and the audience intermixed with the songs frequently felt scripted; there was the ever corny line “I know I’m not meant to say this, but you are the best audience we’ve had.” This line is one that can be genuine, but it definitely did not have that ring this time around.

On the whole, though, both girls left the night buzzing, enough so that the fish even felt ready to go out and boogie the night away in the Northern Quarter. Little Mix worked like an espresso, giving both a shot of girl power that would last all week.

8/10

By Millie Nettleton and Francesca McClimont

Live Review: Liv Dawson

Written by Hannah Brierley on . Posted in Music.

The 19th of October

Fallow Cafe

There is an astounding skill to make something sound intensely beautiful, whilst also simultaneously making that look absolutely effortless. This is a skill that is rare to find in musicians this day and age in music, but something that Liv Dawson can do with such demureness that it can stun the whole room.

The setting itself of the Fallow Cafe, somewhere I have never been to see a gig before, suited this gig to perfection. There was such an overwhelming feeling of intimacy and love for all on that top floor.

The set kicked off with ‘Searching’. Electronic and upbeat, setting the bar and spirits high for the rest of her performance. Her songs have an exquisite combination and paradoxical contrast between the synths and rhythm of the music which lends itself in a way that compliments her soulful vocals in such a way that is stunning to listen to.

Dawson then lulled her audience which tracks such as ‘Reflection’ and ‘Hush’. which consisted of hypnotic slow beats that you lose yourself to. She even played a new song exclusively ‘Talk’, which in my opinion is single worthy… maybe even first album worthy? (hint hint.)

Despite being relatively new to the music scene, there is already a huge list of names associated with the London singer, one being Disclosure, with whom she worked with and produced single ‘Open Your Eyes’. Which again followed suit and just flowed magically.

However, during the set, there was one drum which consistently was a lot louder than it should have been. Which at some points overpowered and distracted from the rest of the song. Not sure if this was to do with the room or the actual drummer. But this did slightly take away from the otherwise stunning night.

Her cover of Amy Winehouse’s version of ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ was one that initially worried me when the singer spoke about how she used to perform it in pubs years ago. A song which is already a particular favourite of mine, it is easy to compare. However, it has got to be said that Liv Dawson, with her own unique spin on the classic, made it feel new and exciting again. All in all, she did it a huge justice.

Liv Dawson closed the show with the clean-cut and blissfully toned ‘Tapestry’ followed by her latest release and biggest hit to date ‘Pain Killer’ which finished the night as it started on that same high-quality bar.

Despite the set being only 45 minutes, Dawson managed to hold on and captivate her audience for the entirety of the set, keeping them leaning in the whole time, desperate to soak up her sunshine sounding voice.

Liv Dawson is one to watch. Her music is endlessly playable, and her talent is second to none.

9/10

Live Review: Train

Written by Amy Nguyen on . Posted in Music.

Manchester Apollo

The 19th of October.

As a child, Train played for a solid 87 per cent of all of my family car journeys, so it was a natural knee-jerk reaction and instinct to yelp at the chance of seeing them play on Thursday the 19th of October at the 02 Apollo. Skipping and delighted with glee I proceeded to tell all of my friends who looked up and said “Who”? HELLO! TRAIN! DROPS OF JUPITER! HELLO!?

Formed in 1993 and headed by Pat Monahan, the band to this date have sold over 10 million albums and an astounding 30 million tracks worldwide.

I will be the first to throw up my hands and say I was not expecting to enter the gig knowing all the lyrics to their latest record A Girl, a Bottle, a Boat, released earlier this year.

I can, however, tell you that the lady standing next to me did and was clearly such a die-hard fan, feet firmly planted in the same position throughout the performance and consistently thrust her card into her husband’s hands for more Jäger-bombs. Jägerbombs to Train, can you imagine.

The band’s performance was beyond my wildest expectations. They filled the venue with an eclectic track list comprised from their various studio albums, including past hits such as ‘Calling All Angels’, ‘Save Me San Fransisco’, and, of course, the Grammy Award-winning ‘Drops of Jupiter’.

Highlights throughout the evening were not bound to hit renditions such as these and the more recent ‘Hey Soul Sister’ or ‘Drive By’. Pat and his team of musicians created moments of magic throughout the evening.

As well as covering Queen’s ‘Under Pressure’, he incorporated Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’ into a medley. Proving he has the voice to boot, Pat and the angelic voices of his backup singers sang a harmony of ‘Midnight” leaving the audience stunned.

It’s not often singers have the confidence to go it alone with no backup, so I applaud him for this. Train’s rendition of ‘Marry Me’ taken from their 2009 record was met with a stunned audience, for more reasons than simply the music as someone was proposed to mid-performance! We swooned.

The atmosphere was palpable for all those who attended, spirits were high, the music was phenomenal, and it was fabulous to see such a diverse age range united by a single band that we have all clearly loved for decades, and will love for decades to come.

7/10

Gucci Goes Fur Free

Written by Esmee Samsworth on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

At the Kering Talk at the London College of Fashion Marco Bizzarri, the CEO and president of Gucci announced that as of 2018, the Italian fashion house will go fur-free, banning the use of coyote, mink, fox, racoon, rabbit, and other species bred or caught for the purpose of fur. Not only that, but they will auction off their remaining stocks and items of fur, the proceeds of which will be donated to animal rights organisations, LAV, and Humane Society International.

It should be noted that Gucci is not the first major fashion house to go fur-free however, in 1994 Calvin Klein banned fur after talking with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Other brands including Armani, Stella McCartney, and Ralph Lauren have all forbidden the use of fur in their products.

Hopefully, then, Bizzarri’s decision will please animal rights activists who have been protesting the use of fur for fashion and the practise of fur farms for years.

Indeed, in September this year activists drenched in fake blood demonstrated at several shows at London Fashion Week including Burberry and Versus Versace. Animal Rights Activists also launched a three-day demonstration outside of the British Fashion Council’s residence signalling a far more organised resistance against the use of fur in fashion.

In a speech at the Humane Society of the United States, Bizarre said, “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values… we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals.” Also adding that he hoped that this would inspire other leading luxury brands to do the same.

However, Bizzarri’s reasons for ceasing using fur are not entirely ethically motivated. In a conversation with Business of Fashion (BOF) before his Kering Talk, Bizzarri commented that the use of fur in fashion is simply “a little bit out-dated” and no longer innovative or modern.

Instead, Bizzarri and his creative director, Alessandro Michele, have decided to investigate faux-fur, wool, and cutting-edge new fabric innovations further; “The alternatives are luxurious.” Gucci is a luxury brand, and you can be assured that this decision was one that was made carefully and with consideration. If Bizzarri and Michele believe as they have stated that they do, that “there is no need”, then you can be pretty certain that there isn’t.

Bizzarri emphasised that this was the decision was made possible by Michele, who joined Gucci in 2015, stating, “I wanted to find someone who shared a belief in the importance of the same values.”

This coming together of ideas and vision is be welcomed — Gucci is one of the most recognisable brands in luxury fashion and it is important that the people in charge of it share the same ideals and hopes for the future as their customers. Millennials make up over 50 per cent of Gucci’s sales, and as research has shown, they are more ethically and environmentally conscious than previous generations.

By going fur-free, Gucci is adapting to the changing desires of its consumer base and showing its creative and innovative drive. As Bizzarri pointed out, “creativity can jump in many different directions instead of using furs” and Gucci is one of the most well-known fashion houses in the world. Hopefully, they’ll be able to lead the way for other fashion houses to do the same.

Embrace Turmeric – the Queen of spices

Written by Anokhi Shah on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Dare I say it, as students we often neglect our own health, focusing more on appearances than our precious internal system. We tend to be creatures of habit, quickly reaching for a painkiller or a glug of night nurse no matter our ailments. We are young, we lead a lifestyle we enjoy and embrace, but our bodies can pay for it at a later date.

All I am suggesting is a slight tweak, an incorporation of the yellow chalky power into our day to day routine. Unlike joining a gym or cutting out red meat, including turmeric into your diet plays no havoc with the day-to-day. Adopting this sunny spice into your lives takes little effort and will make your insides beam with happiness.

Sprinkle it on your eggs, add a teaspoon to soup, blend into a smoothie, mix with hot milk and honey, toss with roasted vegetables or make a turmeric tea. Traditionally used in curries for colour, its flavour is mild and unobtrusive so it can easily be added to a variety of meals/ drinks.

Turmeric, or Haldi as known in Ayurveda (Indian herbal medicine), has been used for centuries for its bolstering of the immune system, promotion of digestion and the circulatory system and its support of the brain and nervous system.  Tumeric contains curcumin which is a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

As a natural anti-inflammatory compound, it helps the body fight foreign invaders and has a role in repairing damage. It is believed that low-level inflammation plays a major role in every chronic western disease such as heart disease and cancer. Hence anything that can help fight the inflammation is important in preventing and even treating these diseases.

Anti-oxidants are beneficial because they prevent our bodies from aging and many diseases. Curcumin is a potent anti-oxidant and it also boosts the activity of the body’s own anti-oxidant enzymes, a win-win scenario. Curcumin has also shown some promise in treating depression. There is evidence that it can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

On a whole turmeric seems a pretty magical spice. However, it is important to note the amount of curcumin in turmeric can vary and a lot of the studies conducted use turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin alone. Regardless it is a welcome addition to the diet and can be bought in any health food store or you can take a trip down Curry Mile. Turmeric powder should be stored in a cool dark place for up to a year. Be careful as it can easily stain clothing.

Thank me in 2040.

Preview: Rugby League World Cup 2017

Written by Jamie McEvoy on . Posted in Sport.

The biggest event in Rugby League kicks off on Friday.  Hosted by Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, it will see 14 teams — two groups of four, two groups of three — fight to claim the title of world champions.  Reigning champions Australia will be desperate to retain the title in front of their home fans, but 2013 runners-up New Zealand will also be eager to impress their home support.

England will be looking to claim second place in their group behind the Kangaroos, but they will face tough opposition from France.  Victory against Les Chanticleers is vital for England if they wish to secure group runners-up and a less arduous fixture in the last eight.

Other home nation teams, Wales and Ireland, face a harder test — they will play each other before taking on co-hosts Papua New Guinea. Only one of the three will progress to the quarterfinals, and Papua New Guinea are favourites to do so.

Scotland are pitted against the Kiwis, Samoa, and Tonga, and will be looking to repeat of their thrilling 2016 Four Nations draw against New Zealand.  Samoa and Tonga are no pushovers, but the Bravehearts will be looking to justify their current world ranking of fourth and progress to the knockout stage.

The favourites

It goes without saying that the Kangaroos are the odds on favourites.  As the strongest team, as well as hosts, in theory, they should stroll through their group and towards the final.

The Aussie captain Cameron Smith, along with his fellow Queenslanders Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk, are the Kangaroos’ key faction.  Though Australia are without fantastic half-back Johnathan Thurston, their squad is not short of talent by any means.

New Zealand’s squad is much-changed, following Jason Taumalolo’s decision to defect to Tonga, and the dropping of cocaine-users Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor. However, Shaun Johnson, if on form, will be thrilling to watch; there is still an abundance of quality in David Kidwell’s team.

The party-crashers

Wayne Bennett’s England side, having succumbed to semi-final heartbreak in their past three World Cups, will be looking to dispel their semi-final curse. However, they have been dealt a huge blow by the idiotic drug-related actions of Castleford’s Zak Hardaker who has consequently been left out of the squad.

Due to the injury-prone nature of Sam Tomkins, Bennett has opted for Saints’ Jonny Lomax and Warrington’s Stefan Ratchford to fill the void left by Hardaker. Skipper Sean O’Loughlin missed last year’s Four Nations, but he will be fired up and eager to lead his country to glory after a disappointing season with Wigan Warriors.

Fiji, like England, have also fallen in the last four recently, in 2008 and 2013.  Expectations are high for the Bati, and key players Jayson Bukuya, Kevin Naiqama and Suliasi Vunivalu will be integral to Fiji’s chances of causing an upset.

Nations such as Tonga and Samoa are dark horses, yet their chances of reaching the final are slim if New Zealand and Australia are at their ruthless best.  Nonetheless, do not write off the two Polynesian nations from giving one or two heavy-hitters a run for their money.  Tonga could very well be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a rattled Kiwis side, especially with the recent acquisitions of Taumalolo and Aussie Andrew Fifita through the two-tier system.

Verdict:

Group Stage

Group A:  1. Australia  2. England  3. France  4. Lebanon

Group B:  1. Tonga  2. New Zealand  3. Scotland  4. Samoa

Group C:  1. Papua New Guinea  2. Ireland  3. Wales

Group D:  1. Fiji  2. Italy  3. United States

Tournament Winners

Australia

Runners Up

Tonga

Top Tryscorer

Valentine Holmes (AUS)

Interview: Pale Waves

Written by Alice Berkeley on . Posted in Music.

It has been a big year for Manchester band Pale Waves. After having wiped their Spotify of well-loved demos, they have rereleased two infinitely singable tunes, ‘Television Romance’ and ‘There’s a Honey,’ which now have around four million streams between them.

They have also toured extensively, both in the UK as headliners and in America and Europe with pop giants and mentor band The 1975, picking up many new fans along the way.

When I arrive at Sound Control it becomes clear just how dedicated some of their fans are. I am met by a group of them bundled up outside, despite the fact that the venue does not open for three and a half more hours.

I sit down with Heather Baron-Gracie, the charismatic front woman of the band. Her enthusiasm at being back in Manchester is evident, even with some notes of homesickness in her words.  She tells me that all of their “main, major memories of starting the band and meeting each other are from Manchester.”

Her favourite memory? Without hesitation she mentions her “music soul mate” Ciara Doran, the drummer of Pale Waves. Talking about their meeting, just around the corner from Sound Control, she says:  “You know that they’re your favourite person and that you’re never going to meet anyone like them again.” They write the songs for Pale Waves together, in fact Heather goes as far as to say that Ciara is the “wizard behind it all.”

Heather also notes that living in Manchester and the North in general – which she describes as somewhere very “grim and mundane” – has influenced the way they write: “you would look out and it would be raining, so you would spend most of the time in your bedroom writing music.”

She cites Prince, The Cranberries and The Cure as some of her influences when it comes to song writing, as well as the “icon” Madonna, who she would love to do a show with. These forces come together to form the basis of her love for “depressing emo lyrics with music that makes you really happy.”

Photo: Olivia White

Despite the fact that their just released singles are firmly in the genre of indie-pop, Heather insists that their debut album, which will be released on record label Dirty Hit next year (home to bands such as The 1975 and Wolf Alice), will have some surprises. She tells me that there is quite a lot of “emo stuff, a lot more emotional ballads” and goes on to emphasise that people shouldn’t just assume that they are simply a “banging pop band” simply because of their singles.

Because of their numerous links with The 1975 (Matty Healy directed the music video for Television Romance and recently appeared on the cover of the magazine NME alongside the Pale Waves front woman ), it is difficult to come across an interview in which comparisons haven’t been made.

But Baron-Gracie is her own person with her own tastes, quirks and aspirations.  It is clear that she is very determined, the taste of playing iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden with The 1975 particularly inspired her: “it is very motivating to see a band from Manchester with similarities to us be there and be playing shows to that many people.” It is a far cry from the 300-person capacity Sound Control Basement. Yet for her smaller venues are more intimidating as they are so personal; “people can analyse you way more.”

She tells me about her ambitions to sell out more shows and for more people to hear their music and to be “amazed” by it. She mentions her desire to go to Australia (despite her hating flying) as one of the many things on her to-do list (others include more tattoos). One thing is for certain, this is not the last you will hear of Pale Waves.

Pale Waves’ debut album will be released in 2018.

Universal Credit – the flagship Tory welfare timebomb that students need to get clued up on

Written by Matt Wynne on . Posted in Opinion.

Parliament held an emergency debate on the 26th of October, regarding the continued roll out of Universal Credit across the country.

Perhaps the following weeks will  see me get more phone calls from someone in my hometown about someone they know who has recently applied for Universal Credit and are now in arrears with their Housing Association and need help.

Maybe I’ll receive more emails from the manager of the Citizens Advice Bureau I work at in Salford asking for more urgent donations as the local food bank is running low on basic supplies — which has never happened this soon before Christmas.

Universal Credit is something that my fellow students will probably not know much about due to coming into Higher Education straight from college or having parents provide for them, but for me — as a final year student, 26 years old and lives with their partner — the reality of not having full time employment upon graduating is a thought not worth bearing about which will be explained over the course of this piece.

The fear of unemployment is nothing new to me, I’ve become hardened to it. Getting booted out of college in 2009 as a 17-year old, I walked straight into the wild west that was Warrington’s labour market at the height of the Global Recession and got my first taste of the dole a short time after.

Signing on and off became a regular occurrence in the years that followed, you get to know the rules of the game pretty quickly — the three letters in my life changed from EMA to JSA in no time. A fair few zero hour contract jobs and an Access to HE course later and here I am on the brink of academic enlightenment. Being debt-free now, I am fearful of going through it all again.

However, this time I will be entering a new paradigm, the possibility of being ineligible for basic state welfare. No safety net. The possibilities of the world of ‘Universal Credit’. I will not qualify for any benefits as my partner that I live with works full time and earns over £514 per month — an amount classed as the ‘Universal Credit income limit’. In the eyes of the system, we would be ‘jointly earning’ that amount.

I must find full time work immediately upon completing my studies. If not my partner will be financially liable for the whole of our £650 per month rent, bills (£200), food shopping (£100), and the whole Council Tax bill, meaning there will be more going out than what is coming into the house.

Knowing that I would be trapped by the means test, I have already begun saving £200 per month in preparation for this potential catastrophe — meaning I have had to cut down considerably on spending as a result, meaning less money is being spent in the local economy.

The result of being refused unemployment benefit, however, would put us both into immediate debt, rent arrears, and risk us being evicted — we will be on a month to month rolling contract in June — and would put an untold strain on to our relationship.

The scenario that I potentially face is not unique, it is being played out in thousands of households up and down the country right now. How many households in Britain contain people in precarious, short term work? Millions. How many go from short term contract to short term contract relying on unemployment benefit as a safety net between such work? Too many.

The reality of the cruel and ill thought nature of this benefit that will replace Jobseekers Allowance is yet another indictment of the sociopath traits that this Conservative government has espoused over the last seven years. The rules of the game have been changed so the onus of the responsibility of unemployment is completely and utterly on yourself, you are to blame and you and your partner only should bear the burden of your sins if this is the case.

Things get really shit? Pray you find a job, take out a loan — how’s that immaculate credit record, Skipper? — or give mum or dad a bell. Just don’t expect the state to provide basic welfare provision, you serf.

Universal Credit is regarded as the biggest reform of the welfare system since its formation. At present when you claim, it takes at least six weeks before your first payment.

Let me put that into perspective, if that was Student Finance and the start was the first week of term – you still won’t have received a penny of your loan and/or grant, and wouldn’t until the first day of reading week next week.

It is throwing people’s lives into chaos and causing unnecessary worry and anxiety for many. For example, Southwark in South London — one of the ‘guinea pig areas’ in which UC has been implement – the local council have said that although just 12 per cent of its social housing tenants were on Universal Credit, they have collectively built up £5.8m in rent arrears. The average Universal Credit household was £1,178 in arrears, compared with £8 in credit for the average council rent account across the borough.

Any receivers of a Catholic schooling, like myself, will remember doing the Shoe Box Appeal in school before Christmas for hungry kids on the other side of the world. Well, this year in Manchester they are doing them for kids on the other side of this city. Maybe Theresa May can have a song and a prayer on that cold hard fact down at her local parish this coming Sunday mass. If she does not tread carefully in the coming months this may certainly end up being her version of the Poll Tax. Thing’s ain’t pretty now, and if things carry on they will get a lot uglier.

I believe the continued roll out of Universal Credit is a failure of social policy in Britain not seen since the Means Test of the 1930s in the backdrop of the Great Depression. Me and my partner’s potential predicament reminds me of a contemporary version of Harry and Helen’s situation in Walter Greenwood’s ‘Love on the Dole’.

The fact of the matter is that I actually agree with the idea of Universal Credit. The consolidation of several benefits into one payment and the way it is meant to incentivise work and reduce bureaucracy and the way it is supposed to empower is a positive step forward in theory.

However, politicians and civil servants as they do, see things through only one pair of eyes — they cannot possibly comprehend the realities of what life is like for the common man. The faux-unemployment rate means nothing to many, nor does the politicians’ idea of what work ethic should be to those trying to get by with the surreal grind of day-to-day life in England 2017.

Losing face with a review of UC and its draconian regulations will be nothing compared to what people on their arse en masse will feel when there is nothing to lose when there’s no money coming in and their self-respect is long gone.

A final thought.: if you don’t feel too rosy about your full time job chances come finishing studies, you need to get clued up now. Don’t find out the hard way.

 

For more information on the rules of Universal Credit please see:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/what-universal-credit-is/

And the reality of it for many:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/17/we-went-days-without-eating-properly-universal-credit-misery-inverness

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/universal-credit-woman-benefits-slashed-penny-a-month-government-latest-a8010836.html

Donations to Salford Food Bank are always needed and appreciated. A couple of quid will provide a family with an emergency food parcel for a week. You can donate at:

https://localgiving.org/charity/salfordfoodbank/

 

 

Live: Beth Ditto

Written by Cassie Hyde on . Posted in Music.

Performing tracks from her debut solo album, Fake Sugar, Beth Ditto stole the show with grit and Southern charm.

The title track, ‘Fake Sugar’, combined a minimalist electronic beat with reverbed guitars to make a pretty country song. ‘Ooh La La’ was a rock n’ roll stomp. Percussive drums, fuzzy bass, and piano keys were all slammed together to make a high point of the show.

Yet, her performance suffered from the same problem as the new album. Quite a few songs felt like lesser versions of other songs on the album. ‘In And Out’ felt like a lesser version of ‘Fire’. ‘Lover’ felt like a lesser version of ‘Clouds (Song for John)’. This is not to say that they are bad songs, per se, but why go play on the swings when you could go to Disneyland?

All this fell away, however, when classic Gossip songs were played. Songs such as ‘Love Long Distance’ and ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’, which Ditto nailed with her killer vocals, making the crowd freak out with excitement.

One of the most surprising things about Ditto’s show was not the music, but her candidness. After finishing ‘Control’, she talked frankly about her fears for the future. “When Gossip put out Control, I was 24. I’m now 37. I was gonna be a hairdresser in Arkansas and now I’m here”. She added that if this album and tour hadn’t gone well, she would have called it quits.

It was hard not to be moved by this cathartic declaration, and, clearly, the crowd felt the same way. After the next song was wrapping up, the audience response was so thunderous that Beth realised that the audience was applauding her honestly. She broke down in tears. She was overjoyed!

Many things happen at gigs. It is rare to see someone on stage say something so honest so beautifully. It was clear that Ditto would genuinely treasure this night, and so would we.

7.5/10

Kanye’s Graduation Reaches Its’ 10th Anniversary

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Music.

For those of you who love the Old Kanye, now is the perfect time to relive the days B.Y. (before Yeezus).

Famous for his work ethic (amongst other things), the Old Kanye was in the studio for several consecutive years, and in this spirit, Graduation was the third release under Roc-A-Fella Records. West experimented with slower tempos and synthesisers more on this record, as well as taking a more minimal approach with regards to track list length and timing.

Graduation, as an album, allowed West to look into himself more as an artist, fine tune his story-telling and let him reveal more about himself to his audience, reminiscent of ‘Last Call’ from The College Dropout. West’s signature sampling took influence from gospel songs, as well as folk and rock influences such as Bob Dylan and U2.

The release date sparked concern between record labels as 50 Cent’s LP ‘Curtis’ was set to hit shelves the same day. Even though the competition was good for business, there was fierce debate as to who would emerge prosperous — but of course Kanye came through, with  sales reaching almost one million in the first week alone.

Songs that stay with you forever include ‘Good Life’ and ‘Flashing Lights’. Certified hits such as ‘Stronger’ launched Daft Punk right into the public eye. With featured artists including Lil Wayne and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, West was able to bring people of different genres and musical worlds together to create an album with a much wider demographic than the rappers that came before him.

Graduation‘s success allowed Kanye to emerge victorious in the noughties by arguably sparking the end of gangster rap. He paved the way for musicians to come, such as Childish Gambino, Post Malone and the whole OVO family. West’s lyrics still remain relevant to the pop culture of his day and Graduation will always be an important album in Kanye’s musical progression.

Universities are not businesses

Written by Jacklin Kwan on . Posted in Opinion.

On Monday and Tuesday the 23rd and 24th of October, the staff and students of Manchester will demonstrate against the staff cuts proposed by the university administration back in May.

The University of Manchester issued an official statement that over 800 members of staff were “at risk” and subject to dismissal, justifying such drastic cutbacks with the projected harms of Brexit and the planned decrease of student intake over the next few years.

The sincerity of the concern, however, is placed into question when the university has also announced that it will be hiring more than 100 junior teaching staff made up of early-career academics — which of course, are cheaper.

Believing that the job cuts were badly timed would be an understatement to say the least. The university recently appointed George Osborne as an honorary professor of economics, making it the politician’s sixth official occupation. It is a move sorely lacking in judgement or taste amidst the threatened livelihoods of the university’s most loyal and senior staff.

A look at last year’s financial statement would also suggest that the University of Manchester is in relatively good economic health, especially after a significant boost to its branding and international exposure with academic superstars like Andre Geim and Brian Cox.

Even walking around the campus, students and staff witness the renovations and upgrades of facilities such as the Student Union to make them more photogenic for prospective applicants. From the increased intake of international students to the rise in student fees, it is difficult to comprehend the rationale behind a thinly-veiled profiteering scheme.

The job cuts are, sadly, not symptomatic of a particularly new problem. Across the Western world, complaints that universities are becoming more business-orientated are increasing. The trend creates a significant nostalgia for a time when universities were smaller, more intimate intellectual communities that acted as the gatekeepers of academic pursuit.

In recent years, universities have changed significantly with characteristics that we would expect more from private service sectors rather than educational institutions. The desire for stable income streams have meant that enormous amounts of effort and capital is placed into the university’s branding, how prestigious its degrees are, and the customer satisfaction of its students.

Money is pumped into student amenities like shiny new dorms and emphasis is placed on international university rankings. Other defining characteristics of university ‘business-models’ are exorbitantly high student fees that, in the US, many struggle to pay back in a single lifetime.

So why have universities gone under such extreme changes? It is safe to say that external pressures from institutional and cultural shifts in our attitudes towards tertiary education is a root cause. In the past few decades, we have witnessed perhaps the greatest democratisation of higher education in history. More people from more diverse backgrounds are able to access what used to be a deeply nepotistic class structure.

Secondly came the growth of a ‘knowledge economy’. With the advent of an information and technology age, a premium was placed on the kind of research universities were outputting — in the University of Manchester, research income generates approximately 28% of the school’s total earnings.

But perhaps the most impactful change to the landscape of tertiary education is that it is no longer really a choice. The competitiveness of a global job market that has fewer spaces with a higher entry requirement means that individuals who wish to have any type of material security as a working adult must pursue a university degree.

This is especially true in states which offer no alternatives such as apprenticeships. All these external pressures have caused the leakage of free market logic into institutions that used to be relatively esoteric and obscure.

I would argue that we are seeing higher education in a crucial state of transition. Universities are having to work hard to create knowledge, improve accessibility, and respond to student needs, and to do so efficiently. They are expected to reach a creative balance between their academic mission and executive capacity; between financial viability and traditional values.

This transition has meant profound growing pains — financial administrations have changed within universities as well as their corporate hierarchies; there is general de-emphasis on the principle value of education.

Symptoms have manifested in often frustrating and disheartening ways: an unnecessary focus on politicking and positioning in university league tables, higher entry requirements, and the unfair treatment of those deemed “redundant”.  All these moves are geared towards making universities, and by extension, their graduates more prestigious and therefore more employable in the long-term.

The shortcomings of this corporate business model make for easy targets, but it is also worth pointing out that the view of universities as “bastions of academic integrity” is incredibly outdated. The contribution of higher education to economic success is now vital, and since degrees have monetary value, they should to some extent be treated as economic goods.

It has been shown that higher student fees, when coupled with government subsidies for working-class students, have increased the number of students able to afford a university education. And the need to satisfy customers has made universities more responsive to student concerns about their curriculum, equity, and quality of teaching — which all contributes to a more dynamic learning environment.

Here is the tension. The cruel and unfair staff cuts are reflective of a model that is not working, but it is impossible and inadvisable to regress back into outdated modes of education.

So we must ask ourselves what the most ideal and fair model actually looks like, and how we best transition to that.

A great number of complexities must be taken into account: affordability, curriculum design, competitiveness between universities for the best and brightest students etc. This author does not have the answers, it is a problem that demands the attention and regulation of peoples and states.

But before we reach that equilibrium, we must stand in solidarity with the victims of a system that is not only amoral but also dysfunctional.

Alan Hollinghurst at the Manchester Literature Festival

Written by Bethany Jones on . Posted in Books.

The audience that eagerly awaited award-winning author Alan Hollinghurst’s appearance at the Central Library was an eclectic one, ranging from young to the more seasoned reader. From what I could tell — from what one might call eavesdropping — it was not just filled with University of Manchester students and staff. I think I can be forgiven for thinking it may have been, as Hollinghurst’s works appear twice on our English Literature course!

Conversation pulsed amongst the audience, pausing only when a new guest arrived to see if it was our eagerly anticipated visitor. As time ticked by, the hubbub grew and one guest let out a particularly theatrical yawn; clearly, Hollinghurst’s fans are not as patient with him in person as they have been for his books! Six years have passed since his last novel and Hollinghurst was due to talk about his new novel, The Sparsholt Affair.

It is understandable why the event drew such a large crowd. Hollinghurst broke many taboos just as gay lit “came into its own”, as he told The Guardian. The novel’s release this year and its reception in this city, where the 50th year anniversary of the partial lifting of the Sexual Offences Act has been so widely celebrated, was fitting.

The Sparsholt Affair, spans from the dorms of 1940s Oxford colleges to the Grindr profiles of 2013 London, so expect some of the same licentiousness. However, whilst it still retains a “ravenously reported scandal,” according to Rachel Cooke — the host of the evening — it still feels “autumnal,” to her. It is “gentler and kinder,” than his more sex-drenched novels of the past. Cooke begins to tear up as she recalls the end of the novel, her eyes brimming with hope for future generations.

Hollinghurst, when questioned on whether we could expect more jaw-dropping erotic scenes in his new novel admitted there would be much less, physicality — suggesting “the old dance meets the new dance,” keen to not be too repetitive with the salacious descriptions which pushed boundaries in the late eighties.

Hollinghurst might be hanging up his erotic hat, but don’t fear loyal fans. When I asked him about a potential similarity between his new protagonist David Sparsholt, and the loveable provocateur, Will Beckwith, Hollinghurst admitted there were similar ‘‘core subjects’’ we would be able to see, albeit from a different, slightly more matured, perspective. He admitted, as he himself has aged he found a greater interest in the “ironies of time” playing out over the intergenerational plot.

A few critics so far have said this new — albeit not entirely PG — path is simply Hollinghurst being too lazy, wanting to avoid going into details of the affair. During the evening he insisted that instead of focusing on the sordid moments after which the novel is titled, he wanted to pursue the mechanics of a scandal.

In particular how scandals in an early generation can colour the experiences of the generations to come. Again, a wonderful plot throwback that fans of The Swimming Pool Library will anxiously anticipate, especially coming from this fresh, more mature perspective of the author.

The narrative voices in the text will also feel familiar to the Hollinghurst reader. We are first introduced to David Sparsholt through the diary of school friend Freddie. Hollinghurst’s pithy narrative is warming and hilarious.

Just as we once learnt of life, love, and lovers through Charles Nantwich in The Swimming Pool Library, Freddie entertains readers with painstakingly recorded accounts of his Oxford contemporaries. Freddie, however, is much less inclined to acknowledge his own admiration of the breathtaking David Sparsholt, whilst divulging the lust of his friends — much to their horror.

Hollinghurst delivered the passage in his wonderful and familiar plummy accent, sparking a common sense of nostalgia across the audience. No matter which novel holds your heart as a favourite, the gently mocking tone when narrating the lives of those more privileged seeps through Hollinghurst’s texts.

Hollinghurst’s novel has five sections to it, the first and the third have a certain sort of symmetry of darkness. Where we see David Sparsholt experiencing life in the Wartime blackout through the furtive glances of Freddie, Jonny Sparsholt goes through a bildungsroman sort of growth in the three day weeks of the 1974 blackouts.

Both father and son are trying to navigate the tricky spheres of having admirers. Hollinghurst deeply wanted to explore the reality of living before and after the Sexual Offences Act of 1967, and from what I heard of the novel on Wednesday night, there are few other narrators who could embark on such a perilous adventure.

The guests on the night were treated to a reading from each section, and I would be surprised if more than a handful of people walked out of the evening without a book in hand. If you have ever read a novel by Hollinghurst, you will know of the ardent longing, the unknowability of memory, and the fleshy lust that adorns his literature.

You will also know the depth within and variety of the characters. I did always wonder if he saw himself most in the Will Beckwiths of the world or the more gentle characters which caught our attention for mere snapshots.

Luckily, a member of the audience asked the burning question: ‘Are any of your characters based on yourself?’ To which Hollinghurst admitted, that when you write such a full characterization of a person it is hard to not become irrevocably attached and invested in them.

However, because he prefers to fill his protagonists with vices he was unable to pick only one instead, suggesting “I suppose my protagonists are never as nice as I am.” No, Alan, I don’t suppose they are.