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Year: 2017

Cornerhouse cinema transformed into amateur art gallery

Written by Georgia Welch on . Posted in Arts.

The now defunct Cornerhouse cinema, which first opened its doors in 1985 and closed in 2015 after a merger with Manchester’s Library Theatre Company to create the much-loved cinema, theatre and art space, HOME, has been transformed into a temporary art gallery by a group of squatters, many of whom are homeless.

The derelict Cornerhouse cinema building is one of many buildings throughout the city to have been inhabited by squatters in recent months, but the first to be used in such an inventive and rousing way.

Many have suggested that recent years have been some of the worst in modern history for rising homelessness and people living in poverty in the UK. At a time when Manchester’s streets are lined with people struggling to find work, lacking a warm bed and roof over their head that most of us take for granted, it is truly inspiring to come across stories of Manchester’s homeless population channelling creativity and positivity to turn their experiences into something personally enriching, and engaging for others.

Whilst it is yet unclear as to whether any action will be taken by local councils and land owners against the movement, for now it appears many locals, homeless or otherwise, are enjoying the display.

The group identify themselves as Loose Space and are made up of approximately twenty members. They are said to have brought in and installed their own audio-visual equipment in order to be able to host film screenings, art workshops and music.

The building is allegedly due to be converted into new flats, a hotel and restaurant in the future, but has been empty for some time since the opening of HOME just several hundred yards away on First Street. The group’s innovative use of the space for displaying a whole range of art and facilitating creative projects is a surely a testament to not only their own productivity, but also the building’s ongoing legacy as an enduring symbol of Manchester’s arts scene.

King of the Fallowfield look

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

The University of Manchester has a distinct look. As much as students across the UK discover themselves at university through vintage fashions and leave behind their former high-street self, Manchester seems to take this to new highs. When the train pulls into Piccadilly, the Northern Quarter air must infiltrate the mind and send vintage vibes to the newbies in town.

It’s only fair that in our final issue of the year (sad face) we pay homage to the look that has dominated campus this 2016/17 academic year. So, let’s start at the top and work through the full look…

A mini fisherman’s beanie is the best hat in town right now. Rolled up so that it offers precisely no ear warmth, which to me forces the questions why would you wear a beanie in the first place? Ah, let me answer myself, it is to draw attention to your ears! Yes, I have deduced the reason that the mini fisherman hat has become so cool — ears. There is, however, no colour preference, so choose whatever allows your style to shine through.

Mr Fallowfield has selected his upper body as the best area to display his personality this year, the only real requirement is that whatever you wear must be oversized. Wavy shirts are no longer de rigour, instead, there has been a surprising rise in the number of 18-21 year old blokes wearing fleeces. Or, how about, a piece of vintage sportswear?

Here colour is most definitely appreciated, why hide when you can wear turquoise! Either way denim jackets, shearling and puffa coats have seen the Don Juan’s of Manchester through the winter months. I imagine a few shearlings will linger on into summer as well. There’s always a few stragglers.

Sadly for guys, there aren’t as many mainstream options for the bottom half. Much as I would fully embrace men in skirts this year the boys have stuck to their old faithful: skinny trousers.

The rolled up ankle has gone up a tad this year, preferably so a hint of white sock peeks through. I can’t lie, skinny trousers on men never look particularly comfortable but it’s your pain to suffer.

There has been a slight increase in the number of straight legged trousers in sight, so if I were to make predictions for next year I think those skinny jeans may be taking a back seat.

Trainers absolutely rule the roost of footwear choices. Stan Smiths, Superstars and Gazelles are all incredibly popular choices, providing they’ve got a smattering of mud on them too. Best of all, you can match shoes with your girlfriend.

The Fallowfield look has certainly advanced in my three years here. The windbreakers of yesteryear have been and gone, the edgetables have moved on. If I were to coin a term to describe the look it would be ‘sports loving skateboarder meets practical dad’.

Record Reappraisal: Avril Lavigne – Let Go

Written by Rebekah Shaw on . Posted in Music.

Released June 2002 via Arista

That’s right, it’s been 15 years since a teenage Avril Lavigne released her debut album, topping charts in the UK, Canada, Australia and Argentina, amongst others. As an owner of this record — my first ever music album, no less — I have a tender spot for Let Go in my heart. I also believe that it was incredibly important in capturing the attention of angsty pre-teens who hadn’t bought into the pop-craze of Steps and Britney Spears, yet were too young for ‘proper’ rock music. Even Entertainment Weekly described her as the “anti-Britney” in November 2002, a statement with which Lavigne did not agree.

For this debut Lavigne was musically inspired by artists of vastly different genres, from Shania Twain and the Dixie Chicks, to blink-182 and Marilyn Manson, to the Ramones and Nirvana. Yet Let Go stands separately, and has even been seen as changing the pop/rock-punk music scene, particularly in helping rise of female-driven pop-punk bands.

Let Go was mixed up with the ‘skater’ trend of the early 2000s, and let young girls (amongst others) know that this was a viable alternative for expressing themselves. However, in a now-YouTube famous interview from this era, Lavigne stepped away from the ‘punk’ and ‘skater’ images created by her PR, moodily describing herself as “just a rock chick”.

I first listened to this album when I got it for my ninth birthday (a year after it came out, when it started to gain traction in major charts in Britain) and I still know the lyrics to this day. At the time, I loved the dramatic, rebellious nature of the record and how much it stood out from most of the music my peers were playing. But I had no true understanding of the experiences my girl Avril was talking about. Listening to it just a few years later — approaching the age Lavigne was when she wrote it — it resonated immensely with adolescence.

Her debut single, ‘Complicated’ demonstrates this — a fond fan favourite, written shortly after getting her recording contract aged just 16. With heavy guitar as her weapon of choice (and pretty constant throughout the entire record), the teenager sings something you were probably saying to your own mum at her age: “Chill out, what you yelling for?” This track perfectly captures the confusion many young people feel as their friends change drastically around them, “you’re acting like you’re somebody else/getting me frustrated”.

Fears of change and fitting in are also a theme throughout tracks ‘Mobile’ and ‘Anything But Ordinary’. In the former, Lavigne is trying to get her head around the pace of her new life, both in the music industry and as a young adult, as “everything’s changing/when I turn around/all out of my control”. Similarly, ‘Anything But Ordinary’ is an anxious struggle to identify outside of ‘ordinary’ boundaries, and understand if you’re doing it right. The line “sometimes I get so weird, I even freak myself out” is painfully, yet suitably, full of teenage angst.

‘Sk8er Boi’ is the standout track from Lavigne’s debut, incredibly catchy and capturing the defiant ‘outsider’ nature of the skater trend amongst young people of the time. It is one of those early 2000s tracks that holds such a fond place amongst people who grew up with it that it is still played at parties by people in their early twenties. She recounts a story of a presumably higher-class girl who rejected a ‘skater boy’ who “wasn’t good enough for her”, yet he ended up becoming a rockstar. Boy, she regretted spurning his advances as she found out about this years later whilst “stuck at home feeding the baby, she’s all alone”.

Lavigne worked with production team The Matrix in songwriting, who she attributes as significantly helping with her musical direction and vision. However, after release, there were several claims from The Matrix that Lavigne was not the primary songwriter on key singles ‘Complicated’, ‘I’m With You’ and ‘Sk8er Boi’, but she has vehemently denied them. This songwriting actually received quite a lot of criticism by music journalists, so why try to take credit for it?

As much as this album is focused on the process of growing up, we must not forget that Lavigne was still a child for the majority of its writing. This is glaringly evident through Let Go, from her use of cringeworthy gimmicks such as Canadian faux-rap in ‘Nobody’s Fool’ and a comical record scratch at the beginning of ‘Losing Grip’, to childish lyrics: “Why should I care? If you don’t care, then I don’t care”. It makes me even more fond of this album, to be quite honest.

Let Go is a series of mood swings: Frustration with how the whole world is against you, to falling madly in love with a boy in your class, to determination that your identity as a ‘skater kid’ is truly you. Avril Lavigne’s ability to capture this teenage angst through music rebelling from the party-pop scene was key in getting this album to multi-platinum status throughout many countries after release. I reckon that this debut was her finest moment — sorry Avril.

6 Nations Review: England At A Crossroads

Written by Toby Webb on . Posted in Sport.

The script was set. In beating Ireland, England were to claim back-to-back Grand Slams, being the first team to achieve this since Italy joined the tournament.

For English fans, the match was a severe anticlimax. While the result was kind to England, at 13-9, it was a dominant performance from the Irish. Eddie Jones, England’s head coach, was tactically outfoxed by his Irish counterpart Joe Schmidt.

The Irish game plan, starving the English of useful possession through perfectly executed mauls and precise territorial kicking, eliminated the English attacking threat. On top of this, England were inaccurate and ill-disciplined: a tournament fully of largely average performances caught up with them.

England were left with what captain Dylan Hartley had warned against: The ‘dirty feeling’ of being presented with the tournament trophy having lost the final game. However, they are rightfully champions, the only team to win four of five games, and the only team to record an away victory of merit (to Wales), this effectively deciding the tournament.

With the tournament over, it seems like a good time to pause, reflecting on where the team is placed. International rugby works to the four-year World Cup cycle, with the next featuring in Japan in 2019. Following defeat, Eddie Jones said “we are 14 months into a four-year project”. There is truth in this statement. However, I think England need to start seriously thinking about the next World Cup now if they have real ambitions of winning it.

Since he took over, Eddie Jones has fully underlined the depth of quality in English rugby — there is little dip in quality between the starting XV and the bench. This has made the difference in many of the victories Jones has presided over. Jones needs to consider who will form the XV for the World Cup, who will be in their prime come 2019. These considerations must be factored into the remaining games before the tournament.

In terms of personnel, I highly doubt the starting front three from this tournament, Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole, will hold their positions in 2019. I assume, had he not been injured, Mako Vunipola would have started over Marler. This change must be instated come the next international game, when Vunipola is hopefully fit.

I believe Hartley’s place in the team is in severe danger. If he weren’t the captain, Jamie George would be starting hooker. George lacks the throwing accuracy of Hartley, while superseding him in his ability as a ball carrier. I believe George will be the starting hooker come 2019, and thus should be starting more games to gain valuable experience. The same can be said of Kyle Sinckler, the unexpectedly dynamic tighthead. While only 22, I foresee him playing a big role in 2019; like George, he should be given more game time in the one-off test matches coming up this autumn.

Maro Itoje worked well as a flanker, despite second row being his natural position. In 2019, I predict the soul of the pack to be made of George, Itoje and Billy Vunipola, all currently playing for Saracens. England are blessed with second rows right now: Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchberry were formidable this 6 Nations, while George Kruis, a star of 2016, missed the whole tournament with injury. Jones must persevere with a team selection that keeps Itoje, Lawes and Launchberry all starting, with Kruis on the bench.

Billy Vunipola is a certain starter at the number 8 position, and will be, bar something astonishing, one of the first names on the team sheet in 2019. There is uncertainty surrounding the rest of the back-row. Despite being 31, James Haskell has been magnificent since Jones took over; I doubt he can keep it up until 2019.

Up-and-coming flankers Teimana Harrison and Jack Clifford lack international pedigree at the moment — more game time will show if they are truly worthy. With the backs, I am happy with the current set-up. Bar Mike Brown (31), they are a young group who will have two more years of international experience come 2019. However, I would like to see Anthony Watson at full-back, allowing for Jack Nowell and Elliot Daly to play on the wings.

In the up-and-coming matches, team selection must show consideration for 2019, as well as getting wins. While the short-term impact of possible losses could be negative, it will undoubtedly benefit the long-term goal.

With Hartley’s place under heavy fire from Jamie George, captaincy will become an issue. Owen Farrell appears the logical candidate to fill the role, however, I fear the burden would affect his play in the short-term. Captaincy will be a conundrum for Jones in the time up to 2019.

The defeat against Ireland illustrated vulnerability in Jones’s team. England were unable to adapt to stultifying Irish tactics — there was no back-up plan. Against Italy, England were similarly flummoxed, although in that game superior quality eventually prevailed. Jones must work hard on England’s adaptability. Ireland have offered the template of how to beat Jones’s team, which opponents will likely attempt to emulate. England must have an answer in future.

A double Grand Slam would have been special but I think we will learn more about Jones’s team following the Ireland defeat. Too much winning is unhealthy, breeding complacency and often resulting in a façade of invincibility; defeat highlights flaws and aids development. The bitterness of a first defeat under Jones will soon fade. English rugby is in its best place since the dizzy heights of 2003. 2019 is now the aim for England.

New parallels drawn between ‘white working class’ and BME communities

Written by Shivani Kaura on . Posted in News.

A rise in identity politics since Brexit has shown there is a serious division between socio-economic groups within the UK. With 59 per cent of white working class people voting to remain in the European Union, researchers state the white working class have more in common with those of ethnic minorities than those of the white upper or middle class.

The ‘white working class’ and BME nationals are limited by a lack of job availability, opportunities at school and in higher education. The difference in social and economic resources contributes to the growing differences in culture and opinion between the white working class and the white middle class.

A press release by the Runnymede Trust argued that the “government must take action to help all deprived communities”, to improve the “economic conditions of the white working class”.

Dr Faiza Shaheen, director of CLASS, has stated “the working class drove the leave vote which is now being used to justify an idea of ‘white self-interest’ which is simply a rebranding for prejudice and racism”. Dr Shaheen makes a clear point of wanting to pull white working class people from this new stereotype and focus more on low wages, the housing crisis and the cuts to our public healthcare service (NHS).

Dr Shaheen continues, arguing “the shared interests of the white and ethnic minority working class demands a new shared agenda is developed and a platform for joint action and mobilization”.

Dr Omar Khan of the Runnymede Trust has called on the Home Secretary Amber Rudd “to bring in the socio-economic duty of the Equality Act”, which alongside supporting economic growth outside London will benefit the future of the white working class.

In a recent report, Oxford University offers summer schools for white working class boys in an attempt to encourage more to apply to university and pursue graduate jobs.

In response, Dr Omar Khan has outlined that the Government needs to “not just help the poor, but target the need to overcome problems like the middle class taking unfair advantage, for example ensuring public services such as health and education better respond to and reflect middle class attitudes and preferences”.

The Policy Exchange, a research project in the UK has recently analysed the issues around the term ‘white working class’ and the authors, David Goodhard and Eric Kaufmann have told The Guardian following a survey that ‘racial self-interest’ is not the same as ‘racism’ and that white Britons have the right to defend white identity.

Critics claim the divides within the working class community have been influenced by recent political campaigns.  Nigel Farage during the referendum claimed the white working class were less likely to get jobs due to immigrants taking their jobs. However academic research claims the entire working class population suffer from job insecurity lack of representation, citing an elite-dominated government as the main causes for socio-economic problems.

Review: Growing Pains

Written by Lily Brittain on . Posted in Theatre.

Growing Pains, a Battersea Arts Centre Commission, is a beautifully honest piece of theatre. Based around the story of a young working class boy from Salford, this one man theatre show follows the struggles that ‘Gilly’ (Tom Gill) faces whilst attempting to pursue his career as an actor.

After its sell out run at the Edinburgh Fridge, Growing Pains showed for two nights only at the Royal Exchange’s studio theatre. The intimate venue adds to the connection developed with the multiple characters Tom Gill perfectly performs on stage over the course of the hour-long show.

The range of emotions covered within such a short space of time shows Gill’s impressive ability to convincingly and breathlessly switch from character to character, portraying his story from many points of views using only himself and his acting talent.

The story takes the audience on a rollercoaster journey of emotions, one moment catching your breath amongst fits of laughter and the next stunned by the violence unfolding, most of which comes from Gilly’s father.

From the moment Gill steps on stage, his energy takes the audience on board, following his journey with fascination; I couldn’t help but feel instantly submerged and invested within the play. His ability to be several people on that stage meant that I was hooked, his performance was mesmerising.

The play itself is something entirely new and innovative, original songs written and performed by Tom Gilly are present throughout, each of which exemplifies the intelligence behind the writing of this play.

It is a play completely different from many seen on stage, rather than elaborate tales it is something truly raw and down to earth, simply the life a working class boy with a dream of becoming an actor. Not only does the play emphasise the difficulty faced when trying to achieve success within such a tough industry, it emphasises how much more difficult that journey is when an aspiring performer comes from a background that does not necessarily support or encourage this.

A play so wonderfully real —and what I can only describe as a breath of fresh air within the industry, addressing real problems in a realistic and utterly convincing way — is something I am sure many would love to see much more of. It meant that you don’t simply walk out and see it as a piece of theatre, instead it brings with it a much stronger message.

If I could watch this play again and again then I would not hesitate to, as I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it and I hope to see the director, Matthew Landers, and the starring actor Tom Gill in many more pieces of theatre in the future. They are definitely a pair to look out for, and certainly not to be missed, as I can assure you that you will not be disappointed.

Growing Pains showed from March 10-11th at the Studio Theatre, Royal Exchange and now continues its tour of the UK. For information on tickets and future shows, visit tom-gill.co.uk.

Review: Lovesong

Written by Lily Brittain on . Posted in Theatre.

A play by Abi Morgan

Lovesong tells the tragic love story of Maggie and Billy at two very different times of their life, with this play set across the 40 years of Maggie and Billy’s marriage.

This stunning production portrayed both the highs and the lows of this, from the whirlwind of excitement following their emigration to America to the very end, a time of darkness that very much contrasts what they once had and who they once were, and the very final decision that Maggie decides to make.

This entire play was wonderfully and professionally performed by all four of the actors involved, with the young versions and the older versions of the lovers entwining and crossing paths, the present and the past co-exist on stage alongside each other. The transition was beautifully captured, and enabled the audience to understand further the changing nature of the love story unfolding before them.

By mirroring scenes the director, Bradley White, was able to truly show the how the relationship had changed in a very raw and realistic way. The inclusion of physical theatre moved me; it opened up for a wider understanding of the symbolism that was present throughout the entirety of the play.

These visually powerful moments captured the couple over the years, with the younger smooth skinned versions and the old, cynical versions facing each other, the audience can’t help but pity them. We share their fears of “facing one another over a cooling cup of coffee with nothing left to say”.

Particularly moving scenes came from some of the most satire moments, with the audience laughing at the old man Billy had become, played by Oliver Maynard. However, these satire moments often turned into moments filled with emotion, capturing perfectly the vulnerability of the lovers as their lives and their relationship as they knew it slowly slipped away before them.

The presentation and manipulation of time and the idea of time slipping away is present throughout the entirety of the play, with time being a worry on everyone’s mind, the play became more personal and consequentially more emotional.

I thoroughly enjoyed this play; all of the actors gave professional and heart-breaking performances. Walking away from it I felt that time really is of the essence, and the importance of not letting time slip away uncontrollably before you really is something we must all remember.

Lovesong is beautiful, honest and real. After the final scene was over and the audience were struck back into reality, I think it was safe to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Directed by Bradley White
Assistant director- Joe Large
Producer- Jess Harkin
Old Billy- Oliver Maynard
Old Maggie- Pip Franks
Young Maggie/ Margaret- Emily Tandy
Young Billy/ William- Sam Ebner-Landy

Review: Yank! The Musical

Written by Sophie Graci on . Posted in Theatre.

Some stories didn’t make the history books and ‘Yank’ sets out to correct that. Subtitled ‘A World War II Love Story’, the musical, making its UK première at Hope Mill Theatre, tells the story of Stu, a Midwestern kid drafted into the army in World War II, and the rest of Charlie Company as they battle with masculinity and love in wartime.

Seeing the story through Stu’s eyes (and diary) allows the audience to take the show to its heart from the outset. Scott Hunter is a likeable performer and his portrayal of a boy struggling with whether he is cut out for the army, whilst he falls in love with his fellow officer Mitch, is sympathetic and multi-dimensional. Barnaby Hughes is also perfectly cast as Mitch, a wartime matinee idol type whose ability to ‘pass’ as straight gives him more freedom from harassment than his on-and-off partner.

Whilst Hughes does a worthy job of showing Mitch’s confusion in his feelings towards Stu, the material he is working with makes the character difficult to connect with and I found his constantly changing mood grating. He is a far more charming performer than the character he portrays.

We see Stu through all the classic tropes of ‘young gay man, big bright city’. Except it’s 1943, and he’s in the army. Where ‘Yank!’ excels is in the moments it deviates from this cliché. James Baker’s direction is wonderfully judged throughout, but particularly in the more dramatic moments.

Without giving away too much, one sequence in the final third brings the musical into more serious territory and it is all the better for it as we get a glimpse of what ‘Yank!’ could be.

This is not to say that there are not elements of the ‘lighter’ moments of the show that are not very entertaining. The tap sequences are beautifully choreographed by Chris Cuming and skilfully executed by the whole cast.

A particular mention to Chris Kiely as Artie, who has a lightness of touch in both his acting and dancing which makes him a highly watchable performer. I would have loved to have seen more of the “ladies” in the comms office, an early sequence that had the audience laughing throughout.

‘Yank!’ is a show that occasionally revels in comedic stereotypes whilst simultaneously subverting them in the tradition of musicals such as La Cage Aux Folles. Whilst enjoyable these interludes do feel somewhat out of place, although the direction and the performances mostly deal with the sharp tonal shifts effectively.

‘Yank!’ is trying to be three different musicals: a modern update on the Rogers and Hammerstein-style romantic comedy romp, a coming of age story, and a dramatic treatise on the way in which gay men and women were treated in the armed forces in World War II.

Its ambition is admirable, but the outcome sometimes falls short. Nevertheless, this production is a genuinely enjoyable evening of theatre.

Yank! is running at Hope Mill Theatre until 8th April.

I followed my favourite band across Europe

Written by Katie Shepherd on . Posted in Music.

Seven shows, six countries, Twenty One Pilots.

It was, without any doubt, the most reckless, stupidest thing I have ever done. And believe me, I’ve done some stupid things. But whilst it was stupid and it was reckless and I did end up literally sleeping on the streets of Prague, it was also the best experience of my life.

Twenty One Pilots have been my favourite band for a few years now; way back when they were still playing the Deaf Institute and no one knew who ‘twenty-four what?’ were. I had already seen them eleven times across the UK before my Europe excursion, but when they announced their Emotional Roadshow tour, I knew that, just like the venues they were playing, I had to go bigger.  A few months later and I was getting on my first flight by myself to Copenhagen.

From Copenhagen, I went to Berlin, then Prague, London, Brussels and finally Paris. In total, I was travelling for about two weeks and in that time I had one shower, spent seven nights on the pavement outside various music venues, accidentally stumbled upon a sex machine museum and ended up submitting an important essay from an internet cafe in the middle of Paris (French Google is not easy to navigate FYI).

But from that time I have some of the greatest memories with the most wonderful people, and ones that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

People often ask me whether seeing the same band performing the same set with the same songs every night starts to get a bit boring, but I can honestly say that every single show has retained the same magic as the first one. And there is something really special about your favourite band recognising you as being at the front of that crowd again; knowing that of all those faces in the crowd, they know yours.

But the shows are just half of the experience. I did most of the shows with friends of mine, but I also met a lot of new and really lovely people along the way too; I met a girl from Leeds in Prague, people I met in Berlin have become some of my closest friends and I have regular conversations with people living all across Europe that I met on that tour.

‘Diehard’ fans of any band get a pretty bad reputation from anyone outside of the ‘fanbase’, but I can honestly say the kindness and the generosity of the complete strangers I met lining up for those shows remains unrivalled.

If anything, what this tour taught me was how much good there really is in this world. Maybe that sounds dramatic for someone that blew all her money to watch two nerdy guys from Ohio play a ukulele and backflip off a piano every night, but it is true. Not just in the amazing friends I made; a man working in a SafeStore saw us camped out on the street in London, asked us what we were doing and immediately invited us into his office to warm up, made us tea and let us charge our phones.

The team at Alexandra Palace in London went above and beyond, even providing us with portaloos. And the shows themselves, the band themselves, created such a sense of unity amongst strangers, such a powerful and pure feeling that everything is okay.

I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how incredible it feels to be seeing your favourite band with your best friends, but I will say that I’m pretty certain its the closest thing we have to magic in this world.

The truth is that music really can help people. This band helped me, and they helped my friends too. And to be in a room of thousands of other people that had also been helped by, and brought together by one band, by music, in a completely strange country, really reminded me of just how powerful that was. And the immense hope and joy that one band can bring people brought a much-needed reminder of just how much potential for good the human race has.

So, if you have ever considered running off and following a band on tour, I say do it. Just maybe not during the most important year of your education. And definitely be prepared to go a while without showering and eating nothing but McDonalds fries. But then, that’s all part of the tour experience right?

If you want to read more about what I got up to on my adventures following Twenty One Pilots, check out my blog here. 

The toxicity of student politics

Written by Ally Routledge on . Posted in Opinion.

Manchester Labour Students (MLS) has regularly grabbed the headlines of this paper over the past 18 months, and increasingly for the wrong reasons. But it was not always this way. I went along to my first MLS event because I wanted to help put Labour into Government, to give people in this country the leadership they deserve.

My first experience of student politics was a cold, wet Saturday morning, knocking on doors in Withington. I loved it. This was not shouting from the side lines. We were talking to voters and changing minds. Despite the relative doom and gloom of the 2015 election, I took pride in the fact that Labour won a seat from the Lib Dems in the the constituency in which I campaigned for the very first time.

I joined MLS in campaigning across the North West, even giving up the two weeks before my first year exams to spend every day persuading the voters of marginal seats. I did it because I enjoyed it, and along the way I made some great friends. We did not agree on everything — the Labour Party has always been a broad church — but we respected each other’s opinions.

I made so many friends that I went to help them campaign at the National Union of Students Conference. Here, I experienced first-hand the toxic side of student politics. I had delegates that I didn’t even know approach me, blame me for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children, and hiss when I tried to campaign for one candidate. They felt that any Labour member was fair game.

Despite defeat at the polls in 2015, I enjoyed my time in MLS, so much so that I decided to run for Chair. I was incredibly humbled to be elected as Chair of the society by the people whom had made my first year so enjoyable. However, when I returned to Manchester two months later, something had changed. The first question that everyone asked me was who I voted for in the 2015 Leadership contest. Suddenly, we were a house divided: you were a ‘Red Tory’ or a ‘Corbynista’. There was no in-between.

Amongst our Freshers’ events that year, and after the sad death of Michael Meacher, MP for Oldham West, my Co-Chair and I decided to make campaigning against UKIP in that seat our priority. I would have loved to report that every member of the society was enthusiastic about this opportunity to campaign in the first by-election after the General Election. Unfortunately, a few individuals decided to hold ‘alternative’ Freshers’ events, without inviting the Co-Chair or myself, branding themselves the ‘Labour Left Students for Corbyn’.

There, individuals spread rumours that I was a bully and that Manchester Labour Students was an unwelcoming place. If these people had come to Oldham with us, they would have seen that all we wanted was to elect a Labour MP and to drive out the divisive narrative that UKIP was spreading.  I informed our Students’ Union of these events going on without us being invited and they assured me that they would intervene. Nothing happened.

I wish that these meetings were the only problem that I faced in my time as Co-Chair. Sadly, this was not the case. Around three months into my term, I was asked directly if I had slept with a previous Co-Chair, who happened to be a man, and was told that this rumour was being spread around MLS and actually being believed. This misogyny was just the tip of the iceberg: I was shouted at in meetings, harassed in the SU building, and pestered on a daily basis about the state of MLS.

My name was spread across both the student and national press, with newspapers obtaining my personal phone number and calling me relentlessly over the Christmas break. Unsurprisingly, my male Co-Chair was never accused of sleeping with anyone, and members behaved completely differently when he spoke or chaired meetings. And, despite their anti-harassment policy, again, the SU did nothing.

Throughout my year as Co-Chair, I was in regular contact with my Students’ Union. I spoke to five different members of staff about how I was being treated. They were fully aware of the misogynistic bullying I was facing on a daily basis and yet did nothing to intervene, support me, or look out for my welfare.

However, when a friend of one of the SU sabbatical officers had a complaint, a meeting with MLS’ committee was set up within a week. I wanted to be involved in the Students’ Union, but they just helped the people who wanted to push me out. I was asked by various people as to whether I was going to run for one of the Exec elections, but I replied with one question: why would I want to be involved with an SU that has let me down time and time again?

I joined MLS because I wanted a Labour government — not to be labelled Blairite scum, questioned on how I won my election, or to feel a wave of anxiety every time I got an email or Facebook notification. Sadly, this is what I will remember from my time in student politics.

Five more UK destinations to visit this Easter

Written by Jack Greeney on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Glasgow
Taking just over three hours from Manchester Piccadilly to Glasgow Central, Scotland’s most populous city would surprise many. The port town is full of distinctive Victorian and art nouveau architecture, with a tremendous Gothic flavour that can be likened to many locations across continental Europe, not just the UK. Glasgow is brilliant 24 hours a day: spend daytimes wandering around one of the city’s many acclaimed museums, or at one of its two internationally famous football grounds; spend evenings in the revered National Theatre of Scotland, or in the city’s many restaurants and cafes; and perhaps most impressively of all, spend nights in and amongst Glasgow’s well and truly thriving music scene. Full of charismatic bars, pubs and musical venues, the city becomes a bustling cultural hub after sunset.

Gothic Glasgow: Photo: Steven Isaacson @Flickr

Haworth
A village in East Yorkshire, Haworth is known for well-known as the location of the Brontë family home. The three Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne, made up an incredible literary family of contemporary writers. This great history is marked by the presence of the Brontë Parsonage Museum in their honour, and has been listed as a Grade 1 site of the National Heritage of England. How to get there is just as interesting in itself: after taking a regular Manchester train to the closest station in Keighley and catch the heritage steam engine valley railway, one of very few left in the country and filming location of The Railway Children, for a wonderful steam train journey, and lovely UK countryside sights too once aboard.

Steam trains to and from Haworth: Photo: TruckinTim @Flickr

London
The UK’s capital city may be far, but is incredibly accessible. Trains straight from Manchester Piccadilly, which can be reasonably priced at off-peak times booked in advance, complete the 163 mile journey in around two hours. You could never run out of things to do or see in London, so there’s still plenty left for those who have already taken the most beaten paths of the city. For something different, try the V&A Museum for world class decorative art, stand in the pits for a show at the Globe Theatre, take in views from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral or the striking ArcelorMittal Orbit tower sculpture, walk on glass panels over Tower Bridge as ships pass underneath, or delve into the Camden Town markets.

London: Photo: Jack Greeney

The Midlands
To those firmly identifying as northerner or southerner, the Midlands may remain a relative unknown, yet there are plenty of locations in the region crying out for a visit. Three in particular come to mind: Birmingham, Warwick, and Stratford-Upon-Avon, which can all be visited over a stay of a few days. Trains from Piccadilly to Birmingham, Britain’s second city, take under an hour and a half: other than the outstanding art gallery there’s Cadbury World to be found, and a secret garden on top of the library. From here take a short train to Warwick, for its iconic clifftop fortress castle and Charlecote Park; and again onto Stratford-Upon-Avon, for its Royal Shakespeare Theatre and other Shakespearean historical sites to see.

William Shakespeare’s home, Stratford-Upon-Avon: Photo – Andor Kish @Flickr

Lindisfarne
The Holy Island of Lindisfarne seem far away and notoriously inaccessible, but makes a great trip for anyone interested in the Humanities willing to make the journey. A car ride northwards and eastwards is undoubtedly the quickest and most convenient option, but the tidal island may also be accessed by public transport. A train from Manchester Piccadilly to Berwick-Upon-Tweed, right on the border, will take just over three hours including a train change in York: from here take the 477 bus southwards and across the causeway. Lindisfarne is absolute bombshell of rich, preserved UK history, all the way from 6AD, with ruins, priories, castles, lighthouses, unusual obelisks and time-old beacons all ready and waiting to be explored.

One of many ruins on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne: Photo: Damian Entwistle @Flickr

Review: The Salesman

Written by Georgia Welch on . Posted in Film.

Following his critically-acclaimed 2011 marriage drama ‘A Separation’, Asghar Farhadi is a director whose name has been at the forefront of world cinema for some years now.

Fuelling his noteworthy presence even further was his decision to boycott this year’s 89th Academy Awards ceremony on account of Donald Trump’s ban on travellers entering the US from seven Muslim-majority countries, with Farhadi’s Iranian heritage even at one point raising the question of whether he would be able to attend in the first place. When it was later revealed he would be permitted to attend, he made the widely-supported move to send an associate on his behalf to collect the Oscar he won for his latest film, The Salesman, in protest of the travel ban.

With the film still hot on the lips of audiences and critics alike, following Farhadi’s Oscar win, it was disappointing to find that it didn’t quite live up to my high expectations. Whilst its core ideas were interesting and ambitious, issues with pacing and structure prevented it from reaching its full potential.

The plot follows the marital turmoil which ensues between couple, Emad (Shahab Hosseini) and Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti), after Rana is assaulted whilst alone in the pair’s new apartment. A gulf emerges between them as a result of the emotional scars left on Rana by the incident, alongside Emad’s obsessive pursuit of the perpetrator.

Simultaneously, the couple are starring alongside one another in an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, which is not only affected by the troubles they face following the assault, but also begins to parallel aspects of their faltering relationship.

While this dual narrative structure added depth and texture to the events which unfold in wake of Rana’s trauma, the right balance was never quite achieved. The stage play parallel could have been developed further to create a more dynamic pace and create deeper characterisation, but the lack thereof eventually became the film’s main shortfall in terms of maintaining an engaging, stimulating feel.

While there were climactic scenes scattered throughout the two hour run time which were truly overflowing with tension, there were an equal number of moments which felt slow and would have benefited from a more succinct approach. It is undeniable that Asghar Farhadi is an immensely talented filmmaker, however, with his directorial proficiency lying most notably in his ability to elicit powerful and stirring performances from his actors.

The film’s second half contained much of its dramatic power, with Hosseini and Alidoosti’s nuanced performances delivering the kind of focused character development that the first half was lacking.

The Salesman is most definitely creative in its ideas about the effect of psychological trauma on a relationship, with the growing rift between Rana and Emad emblematic of the difficulties couples face in not fully understanding the other person’s needs, and not being able to rise above one’s own primal emotions.

Its pacing issues, however, created a lack of drive and cohesion which would have propelled the film to greatness.

3/5

The science of attraction

Written by Iqra Choudhry on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Science has been used to try and answer a lot of important questions. Amongst them are some real corkers: are we alone in the universe? When does life begin? What is dark matter?

And then of course, is the one we all ponder. Why do I fancy the people I fancy? What exactly makes certain humans intrinsically more appealing than others?

Well, science is on that too. Sexual attraction is pretty hard to unpick, however, because it’s so complex. There have been studies in every field from psychology to evolutionary genetics to try and put a proverbial finger on why some humans will make your heart beat faster and your stomach do that weird somersault-thing.

Some scientists are convinced that attraction (and love) are all down to hormones. Oestrogen and testosterone are the two basic types of hormones present in men and women’s bodies which, along with the limbic processes in the brain, respond to other substances called pheromones to create a physiological reaction categorised as ‘lust’, a state which is proven to have health-promoting and stress-reducing effects.

In a study in Psychopharmacology, scientists proposed that love and attraction were like addiction, where both participants’ limbic systems responded so well to the increased level of hormones associated with happiness (like oxytocin), that they entered into a psychological positive-feedback loop — seeing their partner made them happy and they liked that feeling, and so saw each other more, creating an attachment based on the hormonal feedback of the pleasure centres of the brain.

Others will argue that our consciousness plays more of a role. In a study by Arthur Aron in the 1990s, participants sat opposite each other and were asked a series of increasingly personal questions, before staring silently into each other’s eyes. The result? Attraction, intimacy, and in some cases, even marriage.

The scientists were just as surprised by the outcome of the study as their lovestruck participants, but concluded that part of being attracted to, and falling in love with someone, was self-disclosure — the age-old cliché of letting down your barriers and letting someone in.

More recent studies into attraction are wackier. A team at the University of Newcastle is currently looking into whether immunity to disease plays a part in attraction. The team are investigating whether people find those with different kinds of immune systems are more attractive than those with the same kinds of immune systems, to ascertain whether evolution and natural selection play a subconscious role in who we find attractive.

These studies are just the tip of the iceberg — there are thousands of studies trying to get at the reason why you might drool over Tom Hiddleston on screen. But it seems we don’t fully know why yet, and we might not even be close.

NUS presidential candidate aims to engage students with ‘anti-establishment’ agenda

Written by Tom Patterson on . Posted in News.

Durham University’s NUS presidential candidate, Tom Harwood, has gained media attention with articles appearing in The Huffington Post and The Independent, amongst others, on his self-proclaimed “anti-establishment” agenda.

This April, NUS delegates will be electing a new President at their 2017 UK Conference. Current President Malia Bouattia is standing with the slogan: “For a strong transformative union.” Bouattia’s Vice President, Shakira Martin, is also standing, with the aim of “making education an option for everyone”. Tom Harwood has said he will create “a credible, inclusive NUS” if he is elected.

Speaking on the BBC’s Daily Politics show, Harwood said the NUS is run by “a very narrow group of people that come from an even narrower spectrum of opinion and they’re in no way representing the issues that actually matter to students”.

Formerly the Chairman of the national pro-leave Students for Britain campaign during the EU referendum, Harwood was also a vocal member of the 2016 A Better Durham (ABD) campaign, which aimed to disassociate Durham University from the NUS.

The ABD campaign came away with just 40 per cent of the Durham student vote. Harwood is now seeking to bring about change from within and make what he calls a more “representative” and “democratic” NUS.

Currently, a minority of UK students participate in student politics. The Mancunion reported a 16 per cent turnout in the University of Manchester Student Union’s Executive Team elections, down 36 per cent from last year. However, Harry Newton, the Head Sports Editor, believes that “the fall in turnout may be linked to the crashing of the voting system, Mi-Voice, for periods over Wednesday and Thursday”.

Figures published by market research company Ipsos MORI show that most 18 to 24-year-olds do not vote in national elections, with a 43 per cent turnout in the 2015 general election. The national rate was 66 per cent.

Harwood claims this lack of engagement is a result of student politics being “too serious”. Aiming to engage students in his campaign, Harwood has made heavy use of humour and satire, including pledges to build a statue of Malia Bouattia and to take down ISIS through NUS boycotts.

Promises listed on his website include a “one member one vote” system in all NUS elections, raising the earnings threshold at which further education students start paying back fees and “[lobbying] to lower taxes on alcohol in student bars”.

Summing up his main argument on the Daily Politics, Harwood said: “All of the people within the NUS come from the same political opinion and they rail against the government and sometimes, perhaps, they should focus on presenting a broader spectrum of student opinion that actually exists.”

Live: Cosmo Calling

Written by Callum Oliver on . Posted in Music.

3rd March at Night & Day

8/10

Cosmo Calling’s sprightly, floral-shirted guitar pop seems to stretch beyond the dour Manchester they hail from — they are also signed to UoM student record label New Street Records — and into a more colourful musical lineage, though their spiky guitar leads hark back to various regrettably dressed mid-2000s indie bands such as the Pigeon Detectives, the lush vocal harmonies of Harry Preen & Phoebe Taylor heave the outfit towards a more folksy, Californian musical demeanour, as if Razorlight sinfully interbred with Crosby, Stills and Nash (but far more appealingly than that sounds).

Cosmo have gradually amassed a local fan base, as Preen earnestly remarks at one point to the packed-out venue, there were “like 5 people” in the crowd the last time they played there, and this gig at the Night and Day café has a valedictorian tone, with a resurgent band eager to promote their new single.

Despite the hideously offensive Northern Quarter pricing — £4.30 for a pint, which is almost enough to make one slide to the stained cobblestones in disgust — the place is busy.

Two support bands, A Gathering of Strangers and Tourist Attractions serve to rev the crowd out of a beer-sipping stupor. A Gathering of Strangers appear to be escapees from Aerosmith but play an engaging set of shirt-unbuttoned, I’m-so-wounded rock, complete with Jim Morrison poses and thrashy musical interludes.

Tourist Attractions, who are playing their last gig so I can’t be too rude about them, are a more studiedly indie proposition who appear to be compensating for A Gathering of Strangers’ disregard for buttoning etiquette by doing all their top buttons.

An avalanche of clean, NME-approved guitar riffs and funky, Foals-y drums follow in a polished set which is pretty much what you’d expect, ending with a likeable mashup of first-floor-of-Factory standards ‘Blue Monday’ and ‘Two Steps Twice’.

By the time Cosmo arrive, someone has given out glowsticks which have been shaped into halos throughout the crowd, transforming the venue into an outtake from Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet. Launching into their set, the band look endearingly bemused by the size of the audience and its willingness to play the game; halfway through, they try to get a chant going and the crowd gamely shouts along, to the apparent astonishment of the musicians.

Their bright-eyed and bushy-tailed indie goes down well in an increasingly sweaty room, with a series of handsomely crafted and easily danceable songs, and the band’s new single On the Wire spawns a jubilant impromptu sing-along.

Towards the end of the set, someone in the band asks the audience where they have come from to see them. “Australia!” shouts a man towards the front who is still jigging away in defiance of the fact that the music has stopped. “Argentina!” calls someone else.

My mate nudges me and tells me to say “Newcastle” but that would seem like small change by this point so I tell him to shut up. Still, if this energetic and melodic set is anything to go by, Manchester is only this month’s target for Cosmo Calling.

Gyalchester

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

As far as click bait goes, the most frequent resurfacing theme of article on my Facebook homepage reads something like ‘What is your uni’s defining look?’ Curiosity gets the better of me (yes, I am a weak sheep that succumbs to click bait) and I invariably scroll through dozens of “defining looks” to find our glorious university, which I always hope will prove itself the shining beacon of style amongst the array of clichés.

I am inevitably disappointed by the stereotype staring back at me, which slouches nonchalantly with a perfectly poised bucket hat, hoops, and Ellesse jumpers. The caricatures also always emit passive aggressive arrogance, as if we spray on attitude each morning like perfume.

These articles emphasise the aesthetic of effortless casual wear that takes hours to style. At this, you can’t help but share a self-conscious giggle with your friends. There is certainly a stylised effortlessness across campus, although little changes from these looks when day turns to night (aside from the added accessory of glitter).

Ok, maybe as a collective we are a slight cliché. After all, finding your friend outside Alan Gilbert in her once distinctive pink puffa jacket seems to have morphed into a hybrid version of ‘Where’s Wally?’, especially considering the puffa is invariably styled with a baggy pair of mum jeans, Adidas or Nike trainers, and some form of colourful hair dye.

Photo: Topshop.com

This footwear however really is unique to Manchester, for the look can only be achieved from traipsing down the gravel entrance to Antwerp. It provides the perfect muddy sheen to one’s brand new white sport lux trainers. Avoid standing in the smoking area for too long though; too much mud might ruin the balance between worn-in and lost-in-the-crowd-for-three-hours-at-Parklife. Even Vanish can’t help you relocate the Nike tick after that.

Photo: jdsports.co.uk

Whilst there is certainly a particular style Manchester girls adhere to, it holds far greater variety than the proposed pigeonholed personalities. After all, we wouldn’t spend so many hours in charity shops or the Northern Quarter vintage stores to look just like everybody else.

Manchester presents an endless array of personal style and, most importantly, it is a site for fun fashion. The city and university are spaces in which no one will judge you for what you wear, for it is guaranteed you will never be sporting the most outrageous outfit.

So whilst you finish your three years at Manchester, appreciate the time it gives us all to find our own personal style in an unencumbered environment. After all, Drake’s ‘Gyalchester’ is apparently an ode to the women of Manchester, celebrating our style and attitude in a wholly Mancunian way. Let’s own it.

Poet of the Week: Jake Piazza

Written by Roma Havers on . Posted in Books.

Jake Piazza is a writer and artist currently studying at the University of Manchester 

2.

Twisted skeletal ashes lie strewn down department stores, a serenade of parapets draining my despair is a runway of flowers. Dragonflies stain my body glimmering with translucent haze. Synchronise Swan co-aligned a ring of cygnets across the deserted blue pond so green dragonflies and pond skaters’ skimmer across the water’s surface. Poised, diagonal lines trace their memory through water to the sound of beetles clicking in the grassland. A baby rattle was found there. I rattle, girl lost crying at her bus stop, running rings round a tired winter. Dusting off his jewelled knife, scarlets empty within her crushed corpse lying dead in the forest. To what end did the Fox die strung a prise of his amorphic glass girl lost shards upon the sidewalk.

Preview: Manchester Lift-Off Film Festival

Written by Eliza Slawther on . Posted in Film.

On the 27th, 28th & 29th of March 2017, Lift-Off Film Festival is coming to Manchester. It will be held at Texture which is located on 67 Lever St, Manchester City Centre.

The festival seeks to promote the best of independent film making, from both students and professionals. Screenings include challenging features, short films and documentaries. The festival will end with a networking event and local filmmaker showcase.

The line-up includes:

Northern Lights, Directed by Nicholas Connor.

Northern Lights is a coming-of-age film starring Katie Quinn as a young girl named Emma, who wants to enjoy her final years of youth but is weighed down by anxiety and pressure from her mother.

The Botanist, Directed by Maude Plante-Husaruk & Maxime Lacoste-Lebuis

This award-winning short is about Raimberdi, a botanist who built his own hydroelectric station in order to aid his family’s survival during a crisis.

Where the Windmills Are Directed by Mads Erichsen

This Danish film will premier at Lift-Off festival, and is a story of young love in a school in Denmark.

To see the line-up, buy tickets and watch the trailers, visit the Lift-Off website which can be found here

Ben Pohlman Co-Director and Co-Founder of Lift-Off has said of the festival “Our film festivals are the perfect place to meet up and coming filmmakers at various stages of their careers, from new to award-winning talent, as well as other industry professionals. Through the Lift-Off Film Festivals, we aim to build a community of talented filmmakers and film enthusiasts. We’re all people who love compelling storytelling and good cinema”.

James Bradley Co-Director and Co-Founder of Lift-Off commented; “Getting into any Lift-Off Film Festival is a massive achievement. The world of independent film has grown so much over the years that many of the grass rooted filmmakers and emerging professionals are left without much of a platform any more. We felt that many of these artists who were producing exceptional work were being hugely ignored – and deserved to be seen!”

Controversy: Are sex-specific abortions OK?

Written by Jake Jones on . Posted in Opinion.

Ethics Professor and accomplished women’s rights campaigner Wendy Savage has come under fire from The Mail on Sunday and pro-life advocates for her support of sex-specific abortions.

Prof Savage, member of the British Medical Association’s Ethics Committee and long-time pro-abortionist, has voiced her support for sex-specific abortions. Her reasoning? It’s fully in the rights of a mother to terminate her pregnancy and decide what to do with her body.  Her comments follow recent statements by back-bench MPs to reinforce current laws which forbid sex-specific abortion, spear-headed by Conservative MP Fiona Bruce. 

Existing laws which forbid sex-specific abortion mean that many doctors deny women the chance to learn about the sex of their foetus, due to fear of prosecution.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Prof. Savage stated that making a woman have a child of an unwanted sex “is not going to be good for the eventual child, and it’s not going to be good for [the mother’s] mental health…it’s her body and her foetus, so she should have that information”.

The Mail on Sunday published Prof. Savage’s interview on the front page with the headline: “Let mothers abort babies of ‘wrong’ sex,” inferring the ‘wrong sex’ to be female, much to the dismay of pro-choice campaigners and other medical institutions who recognise Savage’s long-term support for women’s rights.

The ethics of sex-specific abortion are much debated and have caused a great divide in opinion, as not only do they involve the ethics of abortion but also the rights of unborn female foetuses.

I believe that the right to abortion is essential for gender equality, as without this right a woman with an unwanted pregnancy is forced to see it through until birth and expected by society to raise the child for years to come.  Women have a full moral right to do what they want with their bodies and not be burdened by an undesired pregnancy.  Not permitting abortions places women at risk, forcing them to seek riskier, illegal means of abortion.

However, the thought of a woman terminating her pregnancy due to the sex of foetus could be seen to be, in the words of Tory MP Mark Field “utterly abhorrent.”  It’s easy to accuse such a woman who commits such as act as being sexist and heartless for ending a potential life on the basis of its sex organs.

However, there is very little evidence of women choosing to abort based on the foetus’ sex alone, according to the Department of Health.

Other opponents of Savage’s views draw attention to China, where the combination of the one-child policy and desires for sons to carry on the family name and to assist in manual labour have resulted in baby girls being killed to enable the family to have a boy.  This caused the Chinese population to become disproportionately male-dominated, and critics of Savage argue that similar could happen here in the UK.  It seems highly unlikely that a similar situation would occur in the UK as it has no history of female infanticide and our society certainly does not favour baby boys over girls.

Critics of sex-specific abortion don’t take into account genetic disabilities which can be more likely to appear in one sex over another, and it is already common practice to abort on the grounds of a risk of severe genetic disease or disability.

Sex-specific abortion should be allowed to give women full freedom of choice and control over their bodies.  Who is anyone else to tell them otherwise?

Live: The Orwells

Written by Irune Vega on . Posted in Music.

Sunday 5th March at Gorilla

7.5/10

Having performed the night before in Bristol, Chicago band The Orwells brought their garage rock to Manchester. This time, they came with a set of songs from their new album Terrible Human Beings.

The deranged (as NME quite correctly puts it) Dead Pretties supported the band, setting the most awkward atmosphere. The lead singer shouted at the people in the back — one would have thought he’d come off the stage and drag you to the first rows — to come closer. Then, 30 minutes of mosh pits later, they left the stage the way a rebellious, 21st-century-society-hater band is expected to do — flying drumstick included.

When The Orwells finally made their entrance into the fairly crowded venue, guitarist Dominic Corso introduced the band to the crowd: “We are The Orwells from the United States, and are now in the United Kingdom”. ‘Black Francis’, from the band’s new album was the first song to be played. However, it was ‘Dirty Sheets’, one of their oldest songs, that made most of the crowd go mad and sing the lyrics as if they were the ones asking the woman in the song to “be their saviour”. It was surprising to see that the crowd recognized and sang new songs such as ‘Hippie Soldier’ from beginning to end, or at least in the case of those less acquainted with the song, the catchy back vocals “sha la la la”.

Mario Cuomo, smartly dressed for the occasion with a golden-sequined jacket, is a phenomenon that must be analyzed on its own. His facial expressions varied from an everlasting smile to completely inexpressive at times. He danced around, dove into the crowd, and livened up the gig with his quirky behavior. The rest of the band, however, did not interact much with the crowd, other than one moment when Matt O’Keefe (guitar) started joking around and pretended to sing the first lines of ‘Wonderwall’.

Overall it was a nice gig in a welcoming venue, although it did feel like the band was unexcited about the show, which is always deflating. For example, it only lasted an hour, and when the band left the stage the stage lights were still on for about five minutes. The crowd kept asking for more songs thinking that the band had planned an encore, however soon enough the bright lights of the venue were turned on and the people kicked out. Not a good idea to do to such an excited crowd.