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Year: 2017

Preview: Alston Bar and Beef launches in Manchester

Written by Anokhi Shah on . Posted in News.

Calling all steak and gin enthusiasts; get ready for some exciting news!

Construction has begun this week on the Corn Exchange’s newest venue, Alston Bar & Beef. First opening in Glasgow, this will be the first restaurant of the award winning brand on English soil.

The venue is set to open in autumn this year and will bring the highest quality steaks in the UK to Manchester. It will build on the success of the Glasgow venue which has the biggest selection of gins in the city. It also hopes to incorporate Manchester’s rich food and drink heritage.

Alston Bar & Beef will be the first venue in Manchester to showcase Tweed Valley steak on its menu. The beef is selected from the top one per cent of Scottish beef and dry hung for world class flavour. Additionally, a selection of bespoke gin-infusions created in-house will be on offer. Each gin will be created using a unique blend of botanicals, some of which will have been foraged from the Manchester area.

The General Manager of the new addition to Manchester’s thriving food and drink scene said: “We’re confident that when we open in autumn we will provide the perfect addition to Manchester’s buzzing restaurant and bar scene. We look forward to serving up the best steak and gin on offer in the city”.

As well as the premium menu on offer, the interior design of the restaurant is set to be a showstopper. Guests will enter the venue via a feature staircase and be greeted by a bespoke bar, the restaurant space will draw the eye to a 10m wide mural feature which has been specially commissioned by a Manchester based street-artist Tank Patrol. The interior will draw upon the heritage of the Corn Exchange location and the culture of the city of Manchester.

Alston Bar and Beef will certainly have steak and gin lovers waiting in anticipation for palate paradise to open in the heart of Manchester!

PVRIS Album Review: AWKOHAWNOH

Written by Hannah Brierley on . Posted in Music.

PVRIS’ second album All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell (or aptly can be shortened to AWKOHAWNKOH) has a far more mature sound than their often brash and intense previous work. The pop-rock group from Massachusetts have moved towards a synth and electronic tinged rock sound instead. This doesn’t, however, mean they have left behind the moody aesthetic themes which form a part of the bands’ original image.

Since the trio debuted their first album White Noise back in 2014, they have gone from success to success. Touring with the likes of Bring Me the Horizon, 30 Seconds to Mars and even rock superstars, MUSE earlier this year.

All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell opens with the previously released single ‘Heaven’. This song well-reflects the different aspects of what the band bring to the following tracks: catchy guitar riffs, bold and assured vocals, with a nice addition of gentle instrumental to finish. Leading lady and singer Lynn Gunn has flawless, silky vocals which flow from track to track. This makes the album sound masterfully polished and cleverly thought out. Tracks, Anyone Else and Winter have a much more tender tone to them. Nevertheless, there are still flashes of aggression scattered in the album. This is especially true for ‘No Mercy’, which is probably the heaviest song on the album. This is immediately contrasted with the breathtaking and hauntingly beautiful track ‘Separate’.

The concluding song of the album, ‘Nola 1’, has a uniquely different sound when contrasted with the rest of album. It has jingly guitar riffs giving it an indie dance feel. Could this be the new direction for PVRIS?

There are ambitious moments on the album but overall it isn’t anything too striking. The album feels dulled down compared to their other work. Nonetheless, the combination of hypnotic vocals with the complex layered sounds creates a seductive and mesmerizing overall tone. This is not the last we will be hearing from PVRIS, and will no doubt continue to grow and collect even more successes in the future.

The AWKOHAWNOH tour starts later this year, and are performing at the O2 Apollo in Manchester on the 28th November. Tickets can be found here: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/PVRIS-tickets/artist/1913602

7/10

Album: The Moods – Missing Peace

Written by Hannah Brierley on . Posted in Music.

The Moods are not like anything you’ve ever heard before. The 9 piece Manchester group who have been around since 2014 combine elements from electronic, reggae and rap music to create something rather spectacular. They have managed to establish some of the most original music to be on the Manchester music scene currently.

Their new album Missing Peace is released on the 29th of September. The Moods are kicking this off with an album launch at the iconic O2 Ritz in Manchester on the 8th September. This is being followed by a huge 15 date UK tour stretching through till November.

Missing Peace gets going with ‘P.O.P (Profit over People)’. Its up-beat and fast paced nature sets the bar for the rest of the album; they are very clear about their message and what they stand for right from the start. The group cover a huge amount of topical and political news, discussing things like police brutality, inequality and homelessness that surrounds the world, such as in the lyric: “The Government we trust hangs us out to dry, the system is corrupt we can’t disguise the lies.”

This trend continues as the album is full of crisp beats, synths and crashing symbols such as the like of ‘Black Triangle’ and ‘Speaking in Tongues’. Missing Peace is filled to the brim with cleverly catchy thought out rhymes sprinkled with beautiful melodic tunes. Each track has a completely unique feel from the previous, and it is clear The Moods have experimented with a range of techniques throughout the album, which generates an element of excited uncertainty.

The Moods released lead single ‘Joy’ from their album earlier in June which was the soundtrack and inspiration for a short film, that was produced and filmed around Manchester. The emotional film which can be found on YouTube; it stars singer and actor Steve Evets who plays a man who is tragically killed, and shows the effect his death has upon others.

The album finishes with title track ‘Missing Peace’ opening with familiar reggae sounds and trumpet riffs running through the entirety of the track; remixed with super sonic lyrics is a lovely mixture of the unusual but strangely entrancing.

This album has struck the right balance to inflict the listener with their messages, made by the people, for the people. Not only this, they have created infectious rhythm and to anyone listening will make them lose themselves in the music.

7/10

Summer 2017 Review: Westeros vs. The West Wing

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

It is that time of year again when Game of Thrones hands us back our lives. And I hope you’ll agree this was the weakest season to date. The fact that it moved everyone on from talking about that ‘Love Island’ tripe was the best thing about it.

In fact, the biggest show on TV was eclipsed by a darker, more turbulent drama series this summer: American politics in 2017.  Viewers have recently experienced levels of shock that HBO spend millions conjuring up.

Since mid-July, when the new Thrones season began, the level of White House theatrics has been as incomprehensible as the absurd distances everybody is somehow capable of travelling in Thrones at the moment. God knows what type of Lannister-style urination games Donald Trump plays with his daughter there now – eat your heart out Lewinsky.

In fact, I’d argue the great Game of Thrones, with all its fantastic, take-it-too-far drama, has finally been surpassed by the madness of our own reality. Here are just a few ways the West Wing has outstripped Westeros:

A Song of Ice and Fired

There have been a few occasions this season when the writers of Thrones spared a significant character, despite earning their reputation and arguably their popularity for being ruthless with killing off the main guys.

Between the first and last episodes meanwhile, Trump dramatically reshuffled his team to a staggering degree. Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was sacked at the end of July, whilst alt-right talisman and villainous chief strategist Steve Bannon was booted three weeks later.

The highlight of course was the four day stint of Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci, whose rapid, heroic ascendance was robbed in a way that would make Prince Oberon envious. Sadly, Scaramucci’s introduction drove out fan-favourite Sean Spicer, whose hilarious blend of belligerence and ineptitude will be sorely missed.

In Thrones, a whole bunch of main characters avoided deaths that could have been brilliantly upsetting for audience members. The fact none of the seven major bloke characters died in ‘Beyond the Wall’ whilst battling the army of the dead was a tad ridiculous. How on earth Jaime Lannister survived confrontations with a dragon and the Mountain is beyond me.

Alas, it really felt like the writers were holding back on the protagonist mortality in a way they have not done previously. It used to be the case that no one was safe in the Game of Thrones script. Perhaps they need some advice from Mr Trump on the art of letting people go in outrageous fashion.

No, really, Winter is coming…

Some have speculated that Thrones offers a description of an unknown but devastating threat — the white walkers — reflecting the issue of climate change in our world. It seems Jon Snow, the less whiny Al Gore of the Game of Thrones world, is starting to turn the tide of opinion. This is great news.

Back on earth however, leaps backward are being made. Trump’s anti-environment policies have given portentous insight into the President’s neglect for a planet in need of dramatic, proactive attention. It’s a tragic coincidence that, on the same weekend the final episode aired, in which a captured wight is presented to Cersei Lannister to convince her of the threat they pose, a devastating natural disaster struck Texas and Louisiana.

Scientists are arguing that Hurricane Harvey has been exacerbated by global warming and see it as indicative of how climate change can worsen such events. Whilst Cersei seems willing to act on the terrifying reality she faces, Trump is unlikely to do anything over the next three years but deregulate business at the expense of the environment, roll back the EPA’s budget and follow through withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.

As Westeros prepares for the Great War, the last stand between living and dead, the real world looks on as the American President turns his back on our potential doom.

White Marchers and the Army of the Dead-wrong

The White Walkers only really appeared in the penultimate episode this season. A week before airing, America was dealing with its own troublesome whites, only these ones carried Confederate flags and lynching torches.

Like a Spike Lee film, racial tensions simmered in the summer heat, as white nationalists engaged with protesters resulting in one woman’s death. The ‘post-racial’ America that Barack Obama’s election supposedly gave birth to was conclusively chocked out by the current President’s refusal to condemn neo-Nazis.

Instead of raise an army of the dead, these walkers resurrected archaic, racist ideas that America was supposed to have outlived by now. Scary as the White Walkers are, the revived confidence of white supremacists in a nation led by a man who refers to them as “very fine people” is even more worrying.

As the Wall in Westeros finally succumbs, the Mexico border wall is prototyped, soon to cage in a country at war with itself over its demons of prejudice, brought back into discussion by the current Presidency.

“Fire, Fury … the likes of which this world has never seen before”

Dragons are cool, sure. But we in the 21st Century have something better. Nukes. And not just three, but many scattered across the world.

Danaerys’ used her dragons properly in this season, to lethal effect, and the moral navigating to get there was by no means brisk. With Trump however we have a man proud of his nuclear arsenal and the threat it poses, and a North Korean counterpart who seems crazy enough to want to pick an arms race with him.

The two have been egging each other on, teasing mass genocidal destruction like it was deciding who should knock-and-run. The rhetoric heats up, military activity rises and the problem shows no sign of going away.

At the end of the season as the White Walkers killed and claimed a full-grown dragon for themselves, ‘Thrones’ showed what could happen when the most destructive weapon in the land falls into the wrong hands. With Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un engaging in a game of big-boy battleships, it’s hard to deny humanity has somehow found itself in an even more fatally exciting predicament.

It was a shorter-than-usual seven weeks for the Game of Thrones audience but possibly the longest seven weeks ever for Donald Trump. As this Presidency produces mental moment after mental moment, everyone’s favourite TV show has struggled with a strained plot, overburdened with characters and stories, under-provided with source material from George RR Martin’s original narrative.

In the end, the summer was stolen by Trump, who distracted everyone with the stress he so easily piles on the world. Not even the bloodied magic of Game of Thrones could provide escape. The final season of what will go down as possibly the best TV show ever is due for 2019; hopefully by then it will return to its old standards, or there is no more Trump to compete with.

Or North Korea just go ahead and put us out of our misery.

St Helens 16-26 Wigan: The Warriors keep play-off hopes alive in derby victory

Written by Jamie McEvoy on . Posted in Sport.

After the disappointing defeat to Hull FC at Wembley the previous weekend, the Cherry and Whites confidently surged to a much needed victory against local rivals St Helens.

Two early tries from Oliver Gildart appeared to sucker punch Saints, who were fired up upon the debut of full-back Ben Barba.  Justin Holbrook’s side were consequently playing catch up for the full game, failing to ever draw level.

Debutant Barba was donning the badge of The Red V for the first time, after serving a 12 match suspension which had been carried over from his failed drug test in the Australian National Rugby League.  Despite marking his debut with a try in the 21st minute following a mazy run, he had a catastrophic opening to the match. His wayward pass was cut out by Joe Burgess who released Gildart, leading to the second of Wigan’s tries in the first five minutes.

Fan favourite Anthony Gelling went over to score early in the second half, but it was George Williams — making his 100th appearance for the Warriors — who dealt the knockout blow, touching down a minute later.  Williams finished the game with five conversions, and was responsible for over half of his team’s points in a game which was a must-win for the Lancashire side.

Skipper Sean O’Loughlin was fantastic, and Sam Tomkins carried on a rich vein of form, epitomised by an excellent last-ditch tackle on St Helens winger Regan Grace.

Wigan now stand one point behind fourth placed Wakefield Trinity, and two points behind Challenge Cup champions Hull FC.  Their hopes of play off qualification are much brighter than those of Saints, who are three points behind the last qualification spot, with Salford Red Devils and Huddersfield Giants breathing down their neck.  With a mere three games left to play in the Super 8s, things are looking desperate.

Saints’ next game is against Wakefield.  They would be doing both themselves and Wigan a massive favour by emerging victorious against the West Yorkshire side.  Wane’s side have the opportunity to avenge their cup final defeat, travelling to the KCOM Stadium a day later.  Whilst the Warriors can possibly afford to drop points in one of their remaining fixtures, Saints coach Holbrook is well aware that his team must win all three.

Man of the match: Sean O’Loughlin

The Wigan Warriors veteran once again proved why he is a club hero.  One of several players who were suffering from illness in the days leading up to the game, the Wigan captain was outstanding and typically ruthless.  He played for a straight 56 minutes before being subbed off, and then returned to instil calm in his side, keeping them on course for a vital and hard-fought triumph.

Reading & Leeds 2017

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

I’ve heard a lot of people say that Reading and Leeds just “aren’t rock anymore”. Certainly, you could look over the names like Eminem, Glass Animals and Giggs high up on this years’ line up and struggle not to agree with them. I suppose that in comparison to the festival’s early years as Reading Rock Festival, it was certainly a more eclectic mix this August bank holiday.

And yet, I would argue that rock was profoundly abundant at Reading and Leeds this year.

Rock was in the moment Muse brought out Brian Johnson and performed AC/DC’s hit Back in Black, and it was in Eminem as he united what felt like almost all 90,000 festival goers in chanting “fuck Trump”.It was in the politically charged energy and anger that ignited almost every stage with declarations of love and acceptance and unity in the face of current social climates. It was everywhere. Hell, even the cheesy fries in Green Camp were oozing with rock.

Because seeing rock as a genre is, let’s face it, outdated. But that doesn’t mean rock itself is. And as the boundaries of genre have dissolved over the years, rock has evolved to encompass so much more than white men on electric guitars. It has always been more than that.

My weekend began at the main stage with Mallory Knox, whose latest album has seen the five-piece delve further into the depths of personal struggles and mental illness, but to come out more polished and certainly more at home on the main stage than ever before. The Cambridge boys were followed by Rat Boy, whose nineties vibes and exceptional energy left nobody doubting that he deserved his spot on that stage and on everyone’s playlists for a long time to come.

The main stage later hosted Two Door Cinema Club, who rather underwelmingly preceded Bastille, who in contrast, proved to have grown exceptionally since their performance on the same stage just two years prior. The band’s latest release Wild World stole the show with songs like Blame, Send Them Off! and Currents not only invigorating the crowd but providing particularly poignant moments lyrically.

It wasn’t just the music, however, but the concept running through the set that made Bastille a stand-out performance of the weekend, with their news-reporter and Theresa May look-alike glaring down at the crowd throughout, reminding us all of what it is we really are fighting against. It was barely subtle anti-right wing narrative delivered with vocals so silky and energy so joyfully contagious it could have convinced your tory nan to vote Labour.

One of the highlights of my weekend at Reading was actually a mid-afternoon set on the Radio 1 Extra stage, as San Francisco’s George Watsky made his Reading and Leeds debut. The rapper owned the tent and every one of us in it, commanding our energy with his flawless high-speed rapping, his witty and bitingly relevant lyrics and fresh talent. From the growling Woah Woah Woah to the bouncy Sloppy Seconds the crowd was captured, and the chants of “Watsky” that continued well after the set ended were a testament to his performance. An artist that is wholly deserving of any and all success that comes his way.

Whilst Kasabian were the Friday night headliners, I decided to wrap my day up with old favourites You Me At Six over on the NME stage. The band, who have been going on for thirteen years now, proved once again that they know exactly how to remain timeless, inspiring a gorgeous cocktail of vigorous enthusiasm and whole-hearted unity amongst a tent of strangers. Even when faced with technical difficulties, the band did not falter, instead leading the crowd in an acoustic rendition of Loverboy; “see, we don’t need power” Josh Franceschi said, and he was right. It was a beautiful moment.

The evening fell into a pool of moonlit partying and a magical, albeit occasionally concerning lack of restriction, before the sun dragged Saturday in. Along with its blue skies and hungover teens, Saturday came through with performances from The Pretty Reckless and PVRIS on the main stage – a band exactly where they are meant to be.

Loyle Carner was the highlight of the NME stage on Saturday, pulling in an impressive crowd for someone that released his first album just six months ago. This did not seem to phase him however, as he delivered a powerful performance that perfectly balanced between the catharsis of his lyrics and the exuberance of their execution.

Korn, too, gave an eager crowd a set to remember, but it was of course, headliner Eminem who truly ordered our excitement. I had, in truth, prepared myself to be disappointed by him. After all, how could anyone – Eminem or not – live up to that kind of hype? But, he actually did.

Now I don’t know if the sheer amount of wine I had consumed beforehand had anything to do with this, but I can only tell you that Eminem was the most fun I have had in a long while. His return to stage saw him on form, with a crowd-pleasing set-list dominated by Curtain Call and hits like Love the Way You Lie and Not Afraid, supported by his band D12 and female vocalist. There was something excitingly empowering, too, about his performance, not least in Mathers’ impressively unifying “Fuck Trump” chant. “I don’t want to cause any controversy so I won’t say no names…” he said archly, “but this motherfucker Donald Trump, I can’t stand him.”

Perhaps the only thing more magical than being a part of a crowd of thousands furiously yelling their hatred for the president, was being a part of a crowd of thousands singing Wonderwall with Manchester’s own Liam Gallagher on the Sunday night. The crowd were sold immediately, however, by Liam’s parka, retro sunglasses and appropriately rocky Rock N’ Roll Star as he commanded the crowd through a solid setlist that sewed the older Oasis tracks in with his latest solo work perfectly.

Sunday hosted another surprising highlight of the weekend, Halsey, who brought her sultry vocals, effortlessly sexy stage presence and powerful showmanship to the NME tent late that evening. From the haunting Gasoline to the drama of the more recent Heaven in Hiding, I was in awe of her talent; this woman is not wrong, she can put on a show. A show enough to rival the majority of performances across the weekend, and one you absolutely must see if you get the chance.

Closing the weekend for Reading, and the first night of the festival for Leeds, was Muse. They were captivating from the second they stepped on stage with latest single Dig Down. Entranced by the stage effects and bewitched by Matt Bellamy’s vocals, the crowd was theirs. The set was filled with unmissable moments, though none were as stunning as when the band brought out Brian Johnson with a brilliant performance of Back in Black. A winning pairing of Uprising and Knights of Cydonia provided a poetically apt and empoweringly defiant end to a weekend that proved music is, as it always has been, at the heart of a movement for all.

Imperial War Museum North invites student artists to join scratch event

Written by Amy Wei on . Posted in Arts, Theatre.

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) North is inviting artist submissions for a chance to participate in a scratch performance event titled ‘Responding to a Rebel,’ scheduled for 21 November.

Scratch performances use audience feedback to inform and develop a piece of theatre.

Each performance should be inspired by British modernist Wyndham Lewis. The museum’s current special exhibition about the artist and writer, Wyndham Lewis: Life, Art, War, will run until the end of 2017.

Lewis was the founder of Vorticism, Britain’s only avant-garde movement. 100 years ago, Lewis was hired as an official war artist for Britain and Canada in World War One. Upon his return, he painted his most recognisable work, A Battery Shelled (1919).

Lewis has been a contentious figure in literature, his writing including support for Adolf Hitler and derogatory descriptions of Jews and homosexuals.

IWM representative Angela Kirk explained in a written statement: “Lewis was a controversial figure, whose ideas, opinions and personality inspired, enticed and repelled in equal measure. When it came to his work, he chose to produce unpopular and even antagonistic critiques of society and his contemporaries.”

Scratch performances at the ‘Responding to a Rebel’ event should respond to any of the following themes: art and war, Lewis and Vorticism, self-image, or marginalised genius. They should work with minimal set and props, and total 10 minutes in length.

Kirk continued, “In the spirit of Wyndham Lewis, IWM North is looking for rebel creatives from all performance art-forms, including comedy, theatre, live art and music for an evening of work-in-progress performances and the chance to share new ideas with other artists and audience members.”

Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome to apply. Successful acts will be offered £50 towards materials and development, and free tickets to the exhibition Wyndham Lewis: Life, Art, War for research.
To apply, artists should email [email protected] with the following: a brief artist biography, a 150 word synopsis explaining your submission, up to 3 images of current or previous work, and up to 2 minutes of video footage.

The event, and the exhibition, mark the centenary of the IWM. Other special exhibitions featuring World War One artists are being held across the country at Imperial War Museums.

HOME’s Playback exhibition showcases new film talent

Written by Len Cotton on . Posted in Film.

HOME cinema is currently staging a new exhibition to highlight vast swathes of potential in the UK’s young filmmakers’ scene.

Located on the second floor of HOME, you would be forgiven for mistaking the exhibition for none other than an interactive information point. With a simple two-screen two-chair set up, the staging of this event was tasteful and simplistic- letting the sparkling creativity of the youth-produced short films take centre stage.

The exhibition ‘Playback’ screened over 200 short films created by students and young actors, directors and script writers aged 16-24. With each film being unique from another, it screened a variety of genres from comedy to sci-fi, allowing every film enthusiast’s palette to be well and truly satisfied.

Every film excellently portrayed a central and significant theme in life — from the necessity and comfort of love in All That Is, to the perils of individualism and technology in the dystopian Benefits. Highlights from the exhibition also included Battle, an insightful watch from start to finish, depicting the debilitating effects of depression on young mens’ work and relationships. In fact, one of the most exciting and unique aspects of Playback is that it provides the opportunity to looks inside the struggles that young people are facing across the UK — whether that be presented in the form of face-value reality or in a mythical setting.

As the truth of teen-life is far from the fast-paced dramatized portrayals of Skins or Riverdale, HOME’s latest pursuit gets to grips with real-life, hard-hitting issues that young people are increasingly coming up against.

Furthermore, a number of the films were produced in and around Manchester, providing an excellent opportunity for young film-makers who (outside of London) are so often overlooked. The project, however, is not exclusive to Manchester, with the short films being screened at locations around the country including Leicester, Bristol and Sheffield.

Sophie, a second-year Film Studies student at the University of Manchester told The Mancunion why she thinks events like this are so important: “It’s hard for young people to break into any creative industry, but film and TV is particularly tricky. An exhibition like Playback take very little effort for large theatres, such as HOME, to organise but means the world to the young people who might be having their work shown for the first time.”

Indeed, as each masterpiece is no longer than a few minutes and free to attend, Playback was immediately successful in its ability to provide access to great film for any member of the general public.

Playback comes as part of HOME’s ‘This is Human’ Autumn/Winter season aiming to take “inspiration from the brain and the four main areas controlling emotion, movement, biological rhythm and sense, this innovative project will combine sensory installations, live performances, interactive experiences and celebrations.”

The Playback exhibition has now finished running in Manchester, but the This is Human season continues with several more exciting endeavours scheduled for the next few months. Check out HOME’s website for further details.

Falmouth Anchor ends print publication but hasn’t lost hope

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

The Falmouth Anchor, the student newspaper of Falmouth University and the University of Exeter Cornwall campuses, has ended its fundraising campaign to finance its print circulation during the year 2017-2018.

This is despite the campaign receiving high-profile endorsements from senior journalists such as James Forsyth and Katy Balls, and raising enough money to fund its first two months of print.

Speaking to The Mancunion, Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper, Matt Solomons, said: “We tried our best to raise enough money to ensure that the Anchor could continue as a print publication, but eventually realised that even if we did meet our target this wouldn’t be enough to sustain the paper for the year. We had to accept that fundraising wasn’t a long term solution and that our efforts would be best focused on producing a strong online platform, rather than continuing to struggle as a newspaper.”

Everyone who donated to the fundraising campaign has been refunded, but PR Agency Gorkana Jobs have allowed The Falmouth Anchor to keep their substantial donation to fund website development.

Nonetheless, The Falmouth Anchor editorial team remain ambitious and have big plans for the year ahead.

“This year should be an interesting one for the Anchor as it’s the first time we’ve not had to worry about trying to produce the paper every month”, Matt said.

“We’ve got big plans to cover some of the biggest events on campus, like the FXU Presidential Elections and the Bottle Match (our varsity tournament against Imperial School of Mines). In previous years we haven’t had the resources to produce content suitable for these events, such as livestreams and interviews, so it’s an exciting prospect to be able to focus solely on this now.”

Amidst declining print circulation figures and falling print advertising revenue, an increasing number of newspapers are having to think carefully about their future.

Most notably, Saturday 20th March 2016 was the last day The Independent existed as a print newspaper.

Although The Falmouth Anchor took the decision to no longer exist as a print publication, Matt encouraged other student newspapers to “stand by their print publications if finances and circumstances allow it.”

Explaining his position, Matt said: “I’ve said previously that I see student newspapers as a staple of a university’s identity and atmosphere, and this is particularly prevalent when a regular physical paper, produced by students, is on show around campus.”

Despite taking this view, Matt said that he “wouldn’t underestimate the potential of becoming fully digital.

“While I love the tradition of a student newspaper, it’s hard to argue against the idea that going online opens up a host of creative freedoms to pursue. The multimedia opportunities and immediacy of online are just two reasons why I could see more publications shifting to online, and this is perhaps a reflection of the times.”

Nonetheless, Matt was certain that student journalism is here to stay, regardless of the future format in which it exists.

Encouraging incoming freshers to get involved in their University’s student newspaper, Matt Solomons said: “Student journalism exists as a platform to give students a voice and ultimately hold their respective universities to account. With free speech becoming ever more a morally grey area in our own society, I  cannot stress enough about the value that student media has for the thousands and thousands of students at university today. Many students aren’t even aware of the value these platforms have and so it’s our job as journalists to encourage as many people to get involved as possible.

“I see student journalism as a key feature of any university and would, therefore, encourage every student to try and get involved or at least appreciate the work that goes into producing print and online publications alongside completing a degree. For those who are  considering pursuing journalism as a career, nearly every journalist I have met has been involved with their student newspaper in some capacity, so take the opportunity while you can if you want some important experience before tackling the real world”.

 

82% of students suffer from stress and anxiety, UniHealth report suggests

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

82% of UK university students admit experiencing stress and anxiety, newly published research suggests.

The research report commissioned by UniHealth, the health and well-being messaging platform for students, indicated that 1 in 5 UK University students have suicidal feelings, 82% experience stress and anxiety and 45% have feelings of depression.

Making friends, doing well on their course, cooking, money and feeling under pressure to take drugs were the top five biggest worries for students starting university – a third of which didn’t feel supported by their institution ahead of freshers’ week.

Worryingly, three-quarters of the 1,000 students surveyed by UniHealth suggested that they don’t ask for help because they’re embarrassed, don’t know where to find it or think that it’s a waste of time.

Dr Dominique Thompson, an in-house university GP said: “Being able to manage stress, eat healthily, make new friends and sleep well are vital, not only for student wellbeing but great academic outcomes. As the research suggests, many students shy away from getting help, so it’s crucial universities consider how they can offer different support services that fit with their students’ lifestyles, and digital is one of the answers.”

76% of UK students indicated that better wellbeing support from their university, support to help fit into ‘university life’ and ways to talk about their unhappiness would stop them from dropping out of studies.

Signalling the need for different types of wellbeing support, the research indicated that 28% of students would prefer to receive support via private messages sent through social media e.g. Facebook messenger.

Daphne Metland, Director at UniHealth said: “We know that wellbeing support helps a huge number of students through university life and prevents them dropping out. However, we’re also aware it’s unrealistic to ask universities to provide 24/7 face to face support… Messaging programmes delivered on Facebook Messenger offer private 24/7 messaging support and can cover a range of topics from mental wellbeing and resilience to sexual health and contraception. A digital solution means students can get the help they require, when and where they need it.”

The findings come amidst recent reports that more students than ever are dropping out of university due to mental health problems.

Further, on average, every student who drops out is suggested to cost a university £33,000.

Liverpool 4-0 Arsenal: Rampant Reds run riot at Anfield

Written by Jamie McEvoy on . Posted in Sport.

There were always going to be goals in this game.  The past four fixtures between the two teams have seen a total of 21 goals scored.  The most memorable of these came in the opening weekend of the 2016/17 season when Liverpool came out victorious in a 4-3 win at the Emirates – their first win away at Arsenal since 2011.  Jürgen Klopp’s team went on to win the reverse fixture comfortably 3-1, and Sunday’s game saw Arsenal looking to exact revenge for the double defeat of the previous year.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, it could not have gone any worse.

Right from the start, Arsenal were on the back foot.  Aside from a fluffed chance from Welbeck early on, Arsenal could not penetrate the Liverpool penalty area, and when Roberto Firmino headed in the opener, they crumbled.

Before half time Sadio Mané curled in a sublime shot after effortlessly cutting inside Arsenal’s 18-yard box, and following the break, Mohamed Salah sprinted over half the length of the pitch with the ball before coolly slotting in past Petr Čech.

With 13 minutes left on the clock, the Egyptian turned contributor as he crossed immaculately for substitute Daniel Sturridge to nod in the final nail in the coffin.

Both managers made shock decisions on their team sheets prior to kick off.  The in-form Simon Mignolet was dropped for the demoted Loris Karius, making his first league appearance for Liverpool since December. Arsène Wenger opted to swap summer purchase Alexandre Lacazette for Danny Welbeck.  Both calls were met with bemusement by the two sets of fans, yet it was the latter that proved the most damaging.

Going into half time 2-0 down, it was thought Arsenal’s £52.7 million Frenchman would be brought on to add some much-needed flair into their lacklustre offensive performance.  Instead, Wenger chose to bring on holding midfielder Francis Coquelin in assumedly an attempt to give Granit Xhaka more support in the face of an energetic Liverpool midfield.  The decision proved futile as Liverpool enjoyed a further 45 minutes dominating the centre of the pitch, often leaving Coquelin trying to cope with the entire Liverpool midfield on his own.

However, Arsenal’s shortcomings cannot be held solely responsible for the final result.  Liverpool produced a stunning attacking display, showcasing again their new forward trio of Salah, Mané and Firmino.

Salah appears to have exorcised the ghosts of his disappointing spell at Chelsea and has made a seamless transition into Klopp’s team.  Despite a tendency to stick to his stronger left foot, Liverpool fan’s mouths will be watering at the prospect of Salah mirroring the whirlwind threat of Mané on the opposite flank.  You’d be hard pressed to find another team in the league with as much pace as Liverpool do in their attack.

Liverpool’s inconsistent defence had embarrassingly little to do.  Joël Matip was dominant at the heart of the defence, and even Alberto Moreno stood his own against future team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.  However, they will undoubtedly face tougher challenges as the season progresses, and would have benefited greatly if they had managed to secure a happy ending to the transfer saga of the summer which is Virgil Van Dijk.

As for Arsenal, they could be looking at a similar situation to the dark years Liverpool faced following their booting from the ‘Big Four’ in 2010.  Alexis Sánchez has been subject to several bids from Manchester City, and judging by his body language on Sunday he wouldn’t need his arm twisting to swap London for Manchester come January.

With Oxlade-Chamberlain now having joined Liverpool in order to attain more game time in central midfield, and after the club withdrew interest in Monaco winger Thomas Lemar, Wenger is looking at yet again ending a transfer window with a profit.  Arsenal have the weakest squad out of the top six, and they could very well be looking at consecutive seasons in the Europa League.

Regarding Liverpool, the future is bright.  After a successful transfer window – albeit without the arrival of a new centre-back – the Merseyside giants finally have the depth required to contend in the Champions League as well as at a domestic level.

Man of the match: Sadio Mané

The Senegalese forward has hit the ground running this season after an excellent debut year at Anfield.  He has a creative footballing brain rivalling that of disillusioned team-mate Philippe Coutinho, and his lightning quick pace makes him a nightmare for any defence.  He made life hell for an Arsenal back 5 which included Héctor Bellerín and Oxlade-Chamberlain, who are no slouches themselves.

Preview: UEFA Champions League 2017/18

Written by Jamie McEvoy on . Posted in Sport.

It could be said that last year’s Champions League ended rather predictably.  Real Madrid began the tournament as the favourites and ran riot in the final against Juventus to secure their third Champions League trophy in four seasons, and a staggering 12th European Cup.

However, the tournament did see its fair share of thrills and shocks.  Barcelona overcame a four goal deficit to knock out French titans Paris Saint Germain, and Manchester City slumped out in the round of 16 despite winning an 8 goal thriller at the Etihad – both fixtures which will surely go down in Champions League history.

This year, we are inevitably in for more of the same.  Six British teams are in the tournament for the first time since the days of the ‘Big Four’ in 2007, and German rich-boys RB Leipzig make their debut in the competition.  Here is a preview of what we can expect, from the tournament’s likely heroes to the potential surprise packages.

The favourites

It would be foolish to not tout Real Madrid as favourites once again.  In recent years they have truly made the competition their own, and as of yet, have managed to avoid losing any of their key men in this transfer window.  The meteoric rise of wonder-kid Marco Asensio is keeping poster boys Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale on their toes. Croatian dynamo Luka Modrić is enjoying the finest years of his career to date. ‘Los Vikingos’ will have their sights set on a thirteenth UCL title to add to their hall of fame.

2016/17 runners up Juventus are not to be snubbed, but with an ageing squad, and the loss of stalwart Leonardo Bonnuci to a rejuvenated AC Milan, they may struggle to emulate the run they had last season.

On the other hand, Paris Saint Germain – now the home of the Old Lady’s ex-full back Dani Alves – will be a force to be reckoned with.  Now boasting history’s most expensive footballer in Neymar, they have a formidable squad, with Kylian Mbappé recently completing a loan move to the capital (with an option for a full transfer at the end of the season).  An attack which consists of Angel Di Maria, Neymar, Edinson Cavani, and Mbappé is mouth-watering. A Brazilian-dominated defence commanded by Thiago Silva is equally impressive.   PSG will surely be looking to win their first ever European Cup, and they are surely close second favourites behind Real.

The dark horses

RB Leipzig will be relishing their first outing in European football.  Despite agreeing a deal with Liverpool to sell their key man Naby Keïta for £48 million, they will retain the Guinean star for another year, which could prove integral to their Champions League campaign.  In Group G they face 3 other clubs of a similar stature in Besiktas, Monaco, and Porto, but the Bundesliga runners up will be relieved they escaped drawing the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, or PSG.  Should they make it through the group, and perhaps with one or two more signings, they could potentially have one or two tricks up their sleeve.

Liverpool and Manchester United will also be optimistic.  Both were handed favourable draws, and Klopp and Mourinho’s teams should definitely be looking to top their respective groups.  Manchester United are still buzzing from claiming the Europa League trophy last season, and Liverpool will be fired up for their first appearance in the Champions League since 2014.  The Reds dispatched tricky qualifying opponents Hoffenheim with ease last week, and like United, have got off to a flying domestic start.  The two north-west clubs are by no means in the same bracket as Real Madrid, Bayern et al., but you’ve got to love an underdog…

Players in the spotlight

The obvious names (Ronaldo, Messi, Suárez, etc.) will doubtlessly make headlines during the various game-weeks, but there are others hot on their tail.

Neymar will be playing out of his skin to try and help PSG reach European glory.  Now he is out from under the shadow of Messi, he is eyeing up the first Ballon d’Or to be awarded to a Brazilian since Kaká, ten years ago.

Belgian wing-wizard Eden Hazard will be champing at the bit to play once more in the European Cup, and after a stellar season in the Premier League in the 2016/17 campaign, he could be central to Chelsea’s aspirations in the competition.  If he is hoping to break into the 3 final Ballon D’Or nominees, or even lure transfer attention from Real Madrid, European form is essential.

Kid prodigies Kylian Mbappé, Marco Asensio, and Marcus Rashford will also be joining the party, gaining vital European experience at staggeringly young ages.  Asensio looks destined for big, big things, and both club and country will be praying he repeats his form from last season in this year’s competition.  Mbappé will no longer be the main man of his club, which might help ground him and stop his ego from drowning out his talent, which has so often proven to be the downfall of countless young talents in the past.  Rashford is making his debut in the tournament and has yet to show any signs of being fazed by big occasions.  I would be very surprised if the UCL stage proves too big for him.

Verdict:

Group Stage

Group A:  1. Manchester United  2. Benfica  3. Basel  4. CSKA Moscow

Group B:  1. Paris Saint-Germain  2. Bayern Munich  3. Celtic  4. Anderlecht

Group C:  1. Atletico Madrid 2. Chelsea 3. Roma 4. Qarabag

Group D:  1. Barcelona 2. Juventus 3. Sporting Lisbon 4. Olympiakos

Group E:  1. Liverpool 2. Sevilla 3. Spartak Moscow 4. Maribor

Group F:  1. Napoli 2. Manchester City 3. Shakhtar Donetsk 4. Feyenoord

Group G:  1. Monaco 2. RB Leipzig 3. Porto 4. Besiktas

Group H:  1. Real Madrid 2. Borussia Dortmund 3. Tottenham 4. Apoel

Tournament Winners

Real Madrid

Top Scorer

Neymar (PSG)

‘Villains’ – Queens of the Stone Age

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

Sex and rock ’n’ roll have been in bed with one another from the beginning.

The genre is innately blessed with the attributes of sexiness, taboo and bad behaviour like a pair of Elvis’ suede underpants. The best bands know that rock can still be music to make love to. On album three, the Arctic Monkeys discovered this to great success, taking them from yappy upstarts to smooth crooners and making them a better band for it.

The man they learned this from was their then-producer Josh Homme, the lead singer, guitarist, songwriter, heart, soul, mind and body of Queens of the Stone Age. In a 20 year career spent directing one of the most acclaimed and heaviest bands in rock, Homme has always maintained this sexy element in his music.

Exhilarating song structures, tightly clenched rhythms and lyrics with cheek have always been the basis of Josh Homme’s sound. For this, his band have spent two decades sat back as they ascend through the ranks of hard rock to be one of the best acts still around.

In 2017, this sexiness is still at the heart of Homme’s sound. Much else surrounding it has changed, however. Lead single from their seventh album, “The Way You Used to Do”, their grooviest song to date – and perhaps their least characteristic – shows this off impeccably.

Ripped from the purest of rock’s roots, it sounds more like a Chuck Berry twist number than anything, handclaps and slinky guitar squeals inviting listeners for a boogie over a brawl in a mosh pit. Homme’s words are directed to “a girl he first met [when] she was seventeen”, Brody Dalle, who he has been married to since 2007, having “jumped like an arsonist to a perfect match / Burned alive” and brilliantly capture his witty, salacious style. A track then, with the same old Josh Homme sex appeal, just wearing a jazz suit instead of leather jacket.

It’s been over two months since this tune first aroused Queens fans, and now finally with the full release of Villains, it’s clear the rest of the band’s new songs stay a similar course, both in sound and quality. “Feet Don’t Fail Me” kicks off proceedings in typically intense QOTSA fashion, unsettling guitars creeping up on you like an Ennio Morricone score played by Jefferson Airplane, before boiling over into one of the most irresistible riffs the band have come up with. It’s simple. It’s seductive. It’s a pleasant surprise.

The rest of the album follows this tone, moving straight into “The Way We Used to Do” and “Domesticated Animals”, which works around a three chord progression as beginner-friendly as ‘Smoke on the Water’.

As the song rises to a sore-throat finale, a cinematic string section transitions into the moody synth opening of “Fortress”, another unexpected turn for the rock purists. The synth comes back for “Un-Reborn Again”, which features a full bridge made of strings and a saxophone in the outro. Neither song suffers for it in the slightest, proving QOTSA have reached a point where their experimenting can be welcomed without risk of tainting their hard rock style.

The dabbling in unexplored sounds doesn’t stop there. There is a waft of something British going on in this album. On “Head Like a Haunted House”, their thrashing is almost reminiscent of protégés the Arctic Monkeys. The full-band staccato of “The Evil Has Landed” resembles one-time collaborators Biffy Clyro. Both songs possess a very Led Zeppelin feel, picked up possibly from Homme’s sessions with John Paul Jones in 2009. The latter is also the album’s undoubted stand out, spaffing out an array of riffs and time signatures to drown the listener in incredibly crafted noise.

This all amounts to a half-step in a poppier direction. The half-step is accommodated by Mark Ronson on production, called in to help make something, in Homme’s words, “very tight… with the air sucked out of it”.

It’s not obvious whether Ronson’s funky tendencies have influenced anything asides from the odd string or brass instrument, but the clean shaven sound Homme was after can be heard everywhere. He sadly fails to make the most of drummer Jon Theodore, who is capable of so much more than simply ‘keeping it all together’ at the back of the mix, leaving it to the rest of the band to add rhythmic diversity. There are also far fewer guitar solos and shouty moments on this record, and one can’t help but miss the teeth-baring band of old at times.

The musicianship everywhere else is as ambitious and accurate as you’d hope, however. Homme’s crooning is as far from the strained wailing of his early years it’s ever been. On ‘Villains of Circumstance’, a track destined to end the season finale of a show about a time-travelling biker gang at war with vampires, his falsetto chorus of “Always, evermore, and on and on” is hauntingly catchy.

Lyrically, he’s the same silver tongued bastard, telling his “love slave” on ‘Domesticated Animals’ to “give us a smile / You got a number, is it the same? / Who you belong to? / You feral or tame?” Overall, he sounds like a man revelling in the challenges he’s set himself and in the end makes it all look far too easy.

Like so many other bands, QOTSA burden an early record that remains an undisputed classic; Songs for the Dead, which turned fifteen last week, will constantly be the album to beat, not just for Homme himself, but for all aspiring rock bands. Villains isn’t quite Songs for the Dead. It’s more on a par with their last album …Like Clockwork, which came out in 2013 after a six year hiatus to become their best effort since their behemoth masterpiece.

What’s odd – and endearing – about Villains though is it doesn’t seem to care for comparisons. Homme and the boys have proved they can do fast and furious and now they’re looking for something more subtle. They sound like a band holding their breath and trying a few new things between the sheets. Their open-mindedness reaps rewards, ensuring they remain the meanest, cleanest, sleaziest act in rock music. Conservative QOTSA fans who only like it rough might struggle with this effort, but that is their loss – this is an accomplished and exciting instalment from one of the only bands left in rock with something interesting to say and will surely go on to be the genre’s album of the year.

8/10

Review: Your Name

Written by Jamie McEvoy on . Posted in Film.

With Studio Ghibli maestro Hayao Miyazaki set to retire, the realm of Japanese animation is seeking a new king.  The release of The Red Turtle earlier this year proved that Ghibli was by no means dwindling, yet director Michaël Dudok de Wit was only making a fleeting cameo and is by no means intending to fill the shoes left by Miyazaki.

Before his latest film, Makoto Shinkai was flying firmly under the radar.  Despite critical success with Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) and The Garden of Words (2013), Shinkai was far from emulating the international acclaim which Miyazaki boasts.  However, Your Name has proven to be his breakthrough project, and already he is being touted as ‘the new Miyazaki’.

The film opens with a spectacular sequence showing a meteor crossing the sky, debris plummeting towards the ground.  This is followed by Tokyo high school boy Taki waking up to find he is in the rural town of Itomori, and now has the body of a high school girl – Mitsuha.

What follows is a chain of events in which the two characters find themselves sporadically and unpredictably switching bodies.  Your Name’s story shares more in common with Freaky Friday (1976) than with pictures such as My Neighbor Totoro (1988) or Spirited Away (2001).  But don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking the film is a teenage romp or a comedy caper.

Albeit charmingly witty and with plenty of gags about teenage insecurities and dilemmas – when Taki wakes up in Mitsuha’s body his first impulse is to fondle the breasts he has found himself attributed – Your Name is beautiful, moving and at times perplexing.  Fate, time travel, and the supernatural form the cornerstone of the narrative, but love stands strong as the driving force behind the animation’s events.

With every time the characters wake up to find themselves in the other’s body, they gradually fall in love with each other.  The film’s twist may seem telegraphed to some, but it does not detract at all from how stunning and heart-warming Shinkai’s creation is.

And as the spiritual and emotional connection between the two protagonists grows, there is the looming threat in the background of the falling star which threatens to crash down on the town of Itomori – akin to the meteoric backdrop of Lars von Trier’s Melancholia (2011).

As impressive as the film is, it would be wrong to hold it in as high a regard as the greater of Miyazaki’s masterpieces.  The plot at times seems to lose momentum and it could definitely be argued that coherence is sacrificed for complexity and over-ambition.  Works such as Princess Mononoke (1997) or Ponyo (2008), despite their other-worldly nature, remained simple and grounded, whereas Your Name occasionally teeters on the edge of convolution.

The regular intermissions of montage sequences backed by Japanese pop will divide international audiences.  Some will find it adorable and culturally absorbing.  Others will cringe and eagerly await the return to normality.  I have to confess I occasionally found myself longing for the delicate yet powerful orchestral scores of Ghibli regular Jose Hisaishi, during the upbeat pop-interludes by Japanese rock band Radwimps.

Nevertheless, Your Name is fantastic.  Released in Japan in August of last year, it has since overtaken Spirited Away as the highest-grossing anime film of all time.  It will undoubtedly be in the running for an Academy Award come January, and we can only hope there is more to come from Shinkai.  Despite not quite echoing the sheer genius and enchantment which Miyazaki’s back catalogue holds, it is a stunning emergence by the director onto the international scene.

4/5

Review: Death Note

Written by Lucas Hill-Paul on . Posted in Film.

Death Note is a ubiquitous and quintessential anime. A series so accessible and watchable it’s frequently cited as an entry point for the medium. So present is it, your mates whose only reference point to Japanimation is Spirited Away will have probably heard of it.

Hollywood has been threatening a big screen adaptation of the property for some years now. As one of maybe five people who quite liked the latest attempt to make “Anime US” a thing, Ghost in the Shell (2017), I was ready to give Adam Wingard’s Death Note a fair shot.

How fortunate it is, therefore, that Death Note has found its home as a Netflix Original, as to pay full price to see this in a cinema would have been a grave misfortune.

The inexplicably named Light Turner (né Yagami) stumbles across a notebook that grants its user the power to kill at will. A morally complex and sadistic premise that Light finds enthralling.

The original Japanese story becomes a quest for Godlike superiority over a crime-free new world that descends into a frantic and tense cat-and-mouse game between the narcissistic Light and an eccentric detective who goes only by L. The inclusion of iconic character Ryuk — here voiced by Willem Dafoe, in so few scenes he is almost not worth mentioning — a Shinigami (or death god) makes the manga typically Japanese, yet Wingard’s film rejects Death Note’s East Asian roots with extreme prejudice and malice of forethought.

Moving the action from Tokyo to Seattle is a predictably dreary Hollywood decision. The ingenious plotting of the original series, handed to Netflix on a silver platter, would have excused the lack of foresight at play here, had it not been completely discarded.

One of the most entertaining aspects of the perfectly paced opening episodes is Light’s experimentation with the various rules of the note, yet Wingard elects to disregard them, instead scribing his own rules in order to fumble an original plot of contrivances and contradictions. L’s second guessing and double bluffs of Light’s experimentation are dumbed down to Sherlockian deductions and assumptions, montages breezing through the most exciting plot points, to prioritise weak foot chases and a horribly misjudged romance.

Misa Amane’s presence lends yet more Japanese flavour to the original. A bratty, faux-gothic model in possession of her own Death Note and Shinigami, unhealthily obsessed with Light’s quest, the character is divisive. She has agency and moral quandaries of her own, whilst simultaneously encompassing and satirising Japanese celebrity culture.

Despite her stereotypical shrillness and objectifying outfits, the character who debuted thirteen years ago is more rounded, proactive, and empowering than Margaret Qualley’s offering, Mia Sutton. Reduced to a high school cheerleader, stripped of her own notebook and accompanying death god, Mia is introduced in leery slow-motion, accompanied throughout by 80s glam rock. It is perhaps the most offensive thing about Wingard’s adaptation.

Having already established the two characters as thoroughly unlikeable, Mia is almost immediately told of Light’s newfound powers. She proclaims “these people are sheep” and proceeds to psychotically manipulate Light into killing as many criminals as possible, clearly because she finds it arousing.

The film gets ever so close to an explicit sex scene that intercuts passionate embraces with furious scribbling of names and explicit, violent deaths. The fact that Light largely despised Misa in the source material adds insult to injury. Each loving look and soft moan of “what about this guy?” during the obligatory hot and heavy scenes feel like a repulsive shot to the gut.

Lakeith Stanfield is perhaps the only on-screen presence treating the material seriously. And yet, the methodical and child-like L here turns into an emotionally unstable action hero by the last 20 minutes. Scenes in which the camera panic zooms into the face of Nat Wolff, now canonised as a serial over-actor, and Stanfield, screaming, laughing, and arguing, seem to be an attempt to fondly recreate the heightened, confrontational style of anime. However, they are acted and shot so limply I couldn’t help but think one of my favourite aspects of Asian media was being made fun of. Fans of the anime will be thrilled to learn that Watari, personal assistant to L and least interesting character in the series, is the only character who remains Japanese. Given an unnecessary set piece in the third act stretches the rules of the film’s universe to breaking point, one wonders whether Watari’s extended role is intended as recompense for Wingard’s cultural ignorance.

Death Note says a lot about American cinema’s reckless abandon when it comes to adaptation. We can only hope that it serves as a warning to Hollywood to be more selective. US remakes of films such as Seven Samurai (The Magnificent Seven) and Godzilla work, or, at least, come and go without ruffling the feathers of those quick to label them as whitewashing, because their roots do not lie solely in Japanese culture.

Kurosawa’s samurai films, when not adaptations of Shakespeare’s tragedies, were, at heart, a response to the American Western. Godzilla and the subsequent kaiju mythos were bred from the devastation of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear attacks, yet owe a debt to early American monster movies King Kong and The Lost World. Westernised adaptations, though not always good, never feel jarring or culturally insensitive in the same way Death Note did. To remove it from its Japanese setting is to remove what made the original series so pertinent.

Death Note does not go out of its way to offend, but it’s a film longing for a higher budget — the CG creature Ryuk spends most of his time out of focus, obscuring its ropey effects — and a director and cast who understand what made the original so rich. An adaptation, at the very least, should entice new viewers into giving the original source material a go. Instead, Death Note simply lends more ammunition to those convinced that anime is melodramatic, confusing schlock.

I pray that Wingard’s attempt to Westernise such a cultural phenomenon falls into obscurity. A nice little experiment, but ultimately a failure. A warning to any filmmaker or studio wishing to rip a precious property from its cultural breeding ground.

This is not Death Note. This is Netflix presents Adam Wingard’s Death Note (2017). This is a plea to Western cinema: never do this again.

NUS President launches new poverty commission

Written by Kirstie O'Mahony on . Posted in News.

NUS President Shakira Martin announced on Tuesday the launch of a new commission that will tackle the concerns of working class students across the country.

Over a two year period, the Student Poverty Commission will survey students to unearth the financial barriers they face when from a disadvantaged background, then lobby the government to act on what they find.

The results of the research — thought to be published in February 2018 — will produce recommendations that the NUS will pose to government. Ms Martin hopes these results will trigger a review of practices within the education sector.

Throughout the course of the study, Ms Martin will also create testimonial films of the subjects of the survey, to “show the government what it’s really like to be working class, as facts and figures just aren’t cutting it.”

She added “long reports with inaccessible terminology and endless numbers have their place, and we will produce a written report, but it is important that people feel that they are talking with us, rather than being talked about. Our findings need to be articulated in a way that can be understood by everyone.”

The figures Shakira was referring to were part of a UCAS report released after A-Level results day. They found that students from disadvantaged backgrounds are 35% less likely to attend university, as well as being the most likely to drop out amongst their peers.

The commission also coincides with NUS Extra research that found 46% of students are worried about not being able to afford essential food and household items such as bread and milk. Additionally, a quarter of students apparently feel concerned about returning to college or university because of financial worries.

When asked what the aim of the research would be, Shakira remained vague, but did say that it is “all part of the parcel” of the campaign for free education.

The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union’s General Secretary, Alex Tayler, told The Mancunion that he thinks the launch is “a good idea”, and added that “it’s important that more research is done in this area as many of our students have expressed concern at the cost of living.”

However, he said that the commission potentially wasn’t reaching far enough: “I think that it is a good start although I would personally like to see the scope widened to more than working class as students from all backgrounds can end up in financial difficulty whilst at University.

“As a Union we are currently working on cost of living issues such as the the cost of food on campus and halls rent as well as the provision of more bursaries to help lower income students study for a masters.”

Finally, he mentioned that he plans to create a work experience programme within the Students’ Union for local schools to take advantage of, in the hope that the people who are affected by financial difficulties are encouraged to apply to university regardless.

Manchester student to make an impact in Nepal

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

A University of Manchester student is set to make a positive difference in Nepal when she takes part in an expedition with sustainable development charity Raleigh International.

Belle Gallop, 22, will work alongside volunteers from Nepal for three months, as part of Raleigh International’s volunteering programme. Living and working in a rural community, she will be getting stuck into sustainable community and environmental projects, working in some of Nepal’s most remote places.

The projects will seek to improve the resilience of communities, helping locals to protect their natural resources.

Three key themes of the expedition will be water, sanitation and hygiene. Alongside other volunteers, Belle shall be taking part in the education of rural communities on the benefits of clean water, sanitation and hygiene. This will include constructing wells for increased access to water and public latrines.

The second half of the expedition will focus on sustainable livelihoods creation and increasing employment in rural communities through training, workshops and funding for local businesses.

Belle said: “It is going to be such an amazing, life-changing experience. I have no doubt that it will be challenging, but I am looking forward to really making a difference to those people worst affected by the 2015 earthquake, and hopefully go some way towards rebuilding their communities.”

Belle is taking part in and hosting various fundraising activities, the next one being the Worcester City 10K run on 17th September to raise money for the charity before her departure. Belle’s father, Graham, will also be offering rides in his VW camper van to help his daughter raise money for the charity.

Funds raised for Raleigh International will contribute towards making a tangible and lasting change in rural communities in Borneo, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Nepal and Tanzania where the charity operates ongoing volunteer expeditions.

Belle said: “I am really passionate about fundraising for Raleigh International, as I believe it is such an important cause. I will do everything in my power to smash my target of £800. It is also really great to see my family and close friends getting involved to help me raise money as well.”

To stay posted on fundraising activities, or to donate online via Belle’s Justgiving page, click here.

Review: Tequila Festival

Written by Hannah Brierley on . Posted in Food & Drink.

The saying goes that you need to take life with a pinch of salt, however on Saturday this was followed by a shot of tequila and a slice of lemon.

The Tequila Festival arrived in Manchester on the 26th August 2017, the second stop of its nationwide tour. It was an unfamiliar yet entertaining experience.

The event combined heritage and tradition with a contemporary edge. It won the hearts and livers of everyone who attended, including that of Made In Chelsea star Alex Mytton… Eeek!

The festival ran as smoothly as the tequila sunrises from 1 pm until 11 pm and the turn out was notable despite the festival having to battle it out against other nearby events; Manchester Pride and a match at Old Trafford too.

On arrival, we were greeted with a complimentary shot along with a ‘Tequila Bible’ which provided insight and background of the brands of Tequila which were available to try.

The venue was brimming with sombrero hats, ponchos and all kinds of dancing. This combined with an infusion of Mariachi bands playing THAT Mexican song ( you all know which one I mean) but also DJ’s who were keeping the party going.

The Tequila Festival had an array of tequilas to taste, 30 brands from the house hold names such as Jose Cuervo, Don Julio and Patron to others less known. It was interesting to read about the drinks in the booklet which highlighted key notes and flavours in each; my personal favourite was the Casamigos Blanco, that was slightly twinged with vanilla and mint. It’s a drink I would never normally have tried and now one that I will encourage my friends to try for themselves.

If the shots are not quite for you, there was also a range of different Mexican food for you to experience and indulge in too! Burritos, and loaded Nachos, the perfect way to line your stomach… to allow you to drink and enjoy some more tequila.

The cocktails were tongue tingling from margaritas and tequila sunrises to a cocktail who’s name tickled me slightly; tequila mockingbird.

If you missed the Manchester one though, never fear — there’s still tickets for its appearances in Leeds, Birmingham and more, which you can buy here.

 

…Who knew hangovers could be this fun?

 

Don’t call the alt-right losers, call them racists

Written by Sam Glover on . Posted in Opinion.

Earlier this month, an assortment of Neo-Nazis and White Supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia carrying Swastika flags and Tiki Torches, and allegedly chanted “Blood and Soil”, and “Jews will not replace us”. Heather D Heyer, a 32-year old paralegal, was murdered for opposing fascism.

What kind of response should this march provoke? Unqualified condemnation. Praise for those brave enough to risk their safety to oppose it. Legal repercussions for anyone who broke the law. Serious thinking about the reasons that people who despise other races feel that the environment is ripe for them to hold this kind of rally. Questions about the response of the President. All of these things are necessary and important.

But there was another response to this public demonstration of fascism, and one that has become a weirdly common weapon in the Twitterverse’s arsenal against anyone who is disapproved of. Instead of expressing horror at the racism and violence, some people jumped online to give their armchair psychoanalysis: these guys say and think horrible things because they are sweaty losers who are either virgins or can’t satisfy their partners. LBC presenter Stig Abell tweeted, referring to the marchers, “not one of these men is in a mutually satisfying sexual relationship.”

Other, similar tweets received hundreds of thousands of retweets. Similarly, in the Presidential election campaign last year, statues popped up in Manhattan, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Seattle, depicting a naked Donald Trump with a tiny penis.

Most of the tweets in the aftermath of the rally were from the left, but ironically, this is a tactic straight from the playbook of the right (and alt-right), both in America and Britain. After the attack earlier this year in Manchester, President Trump branded the attackers as ‘evil losers’. Boris Johnson claimed that men who go off to fight for the Islamic State are “literally w**kers”, who turn to extremism when they are “rejected by women”, and are “obsessed with porn.”

There are a few reasons that this kind of response to fascism or terrorism is an undesirable one. When the immediate response to hearing about Neo-Nazi marches or the killing of innocent people is to construct a humiliating caricature of those involved, we undermine the actual faults of these people and the downplay the horror of their actions. Islamic terrorists aren’t worthy of our condemnation because they watch porn, they’re worthy of our condemnation because they murder children at a pop concert. Nazis aren’t odious because they’re not having sex, they’re odious because they hate people who aren’t white.

There’s another reason that the ‘loser narrative’ is undesirable: it’s baseless. There is, understandably, a tendency for people to find every way in which people they don’t approve of are unlike themselves. We take solace in the idea that we could never have these abhorrent views because we have friends and satisfying relationships, and we don’t sit in a dark room, face lit only by the screen of a laptop, and say horrible things about people who we’ve never met. But it’s not really true: fascists and the rest of the alt-right have families and friends. And to caricature them as losers makes it easier to fall down the rabbit hole. By being aware of the fact that there are people on the far-right who aren’t so different from ourselves, we can be more vigilant when we encounter far-right rhetoric and propaganda.

The most serious problem with the ‘loser narrative’ is that it increases the appeal of radical ideologies to people who are feeling alienated. On online alt-right message boards, people with normal social lives and satisfying relationships are resentfully known as ‘normies’. By calling these people losers, we play into their narrative, and advance the view that people who are isolated and unhappy will inevitably be the advocates of extremist positions. We make it easier for the alt-right to target people who are feeling despondent and frustrated, and those feelings are channelled into hatred and violence.

We have plenty of things we can say about those who marched in Charlottesville. Their views are vile and hateful. They are opposed by all compassionate and rational people. They, and their views, will be defeated, as they have been before. They may or may not be losers, but they are certainly racists, so why not say so?