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Year: 2018

Photo: Gurnaik Johal

Review: ‘Codex 1962’ by Sjón

Written by Gurnaik Johal on . Posted in Books.

Writing a short bio of Icelandic novelist/poet/songwriter/librettist Sjón is easier said than done. We can say he’s won pretty much every Icelandic literary prize there is, that he’s been nominated for an Oscar or that he’s worked extensively with Bjork. But I think his books are the best way to characterise him: imaginative, experimental, and funny.

He was at the Manchester Literature Festival to promote his latest book translated into English, Codex 1962. I say book, but it’s a trilogy spanning twenty years of Sjón’s extensive career. It’s a “kaleidoscope of forms and styles”, an equally grotesque and beautiful meditation on migration and, as host Ted Hodgekinson said, a kind of “Icelandic Arabian Nights”.

Sjón began the discussion by detailing his “background in bad art”. He was raised on cheap boy detective novels and Enid Blyton (who is apparently huge in Iceland). As a boy, he fell in love with Icelandic folk tales and the way that they invented the fantastic in matter of fact tones. He even treated us to a retelling of an old Icelandic folk tale, The Furry Trout — trust me, google it.

Inspired by the folkloric tradition, Sjón pushes his writing into the “fantastic, the esoteric, the dark”. Talking about his previous novels, The Blue Fox and From the Mouth of the Whale, he said that he always wanted to write “stories where strange things are real.”

Codex 1962 certainly is a “strange” novel. It reads at the intersection of classic central European literature, Jewish myths, and Icelandic folk lore. Sjón talked about how there are parallels in all stories from all cultures, a transnational “network of stories”. Split into three parts, “A Love Story”, “A Crime Story”, and “A Sci-fi Story”, and translated by Victoria Cribb, Codex 1962 is a blend of genres, far reaching in time and scope.

While the trilogy began two decades ago, it is as timely as ever. In it, Sjón interrogates the idea of migration, of seeking refuge. He asks how open Iceland is to outsiders. To him, “all stories about islands are about people arriving, people escaping.” And he said that all his books are in some way about Iceland’s relationship with the wider world.

Sjón discussed Icelandic literature and how The Sagas make it unique amongst other nordic writing. The Sagas have shaped Iceland’s literary output for hundreds of years and their success as well as the ubiquity of folk lore tales have made literature a crucial part of Icelandic culture. To Sjón, “literature is part of building a society” and he believes that stories can “make society better.”

Sjón acknowledged that “all [his] books are about eccentrics and outsiders”, but there is a universality in his writing that has gained him a wide following across the world — his books have been translated into 35 languages. The eccentricity of his novels is balanced by their contemplative meditations on mortality.

In Codex 1962, Sjón creates a catalogue of every single person in Iceland that was born in 1962 and has since died. Even for a country as small as Iceland this is an impressive and singular feat. This thread of mortality runs throughout the three parts of the epic book, tying together disparate lives and linking far-fetched and far-stretched stories.

Sjón ended the event detailing how he was on a flight, part way through writing the book, when one of the engines exploded mid-air and the plane had to make an emergency landing in Manchester. He could have died. When he landed he made sure to go home and finish the novel; there was an added layer of intensity when he carried on to write the catalogue of the dead, as he could have been added to it.

While in a way I’m glad it led him to finish this epic novel, which I’m sure some will consider his magnum opus, I hope he’s found something a little less dramatic to get him finishing his next book. He ended the event by saying “the world of stories is one — once you start a story, you will end in another place.” This, to me, is a perfect summation of how Sjón’s transformative and transportive prose works, he writes singular stories with international range.

Esi Edugyan. Photo: Gurnaik Johal

Review: ‘Washington Black’ by Esi Edugyan

Written by Sade Omeje on . Posted in Books.

In Waterstones Deansgate, at another Manchester Literature Festival event, Man Booker shortlisted Esi Edugyan introduced her recently released novel, Washington Black.

The psychological brutality of slavery is a difficult topic to digest, and even more difficult to write about. Yet Esi Edugyan’s novel does so effortlessly. Edugyan captures some of the harrowing truths about slavery, from the psychological traumas of childhoods, to the staggering power imbalances within friendships between black and white people.

Edugyan is a Canadian novelist of Ghanaian descent and a self-proclaimed introvert, though you wouldn’t assume this by the softness and ease in which she carried herself at the event. Washington Black, her third novel, was not her first novel to be up for the prestigious Man Booker prize. Her previous novel, Half-Blood Blues, was also nominated in 2011.

Edugyan described the novel as protagonist Washington Black’s “search for personhood and his recovery from his trauma”. The novel explores the life of Washington Black, beginning as an 11 year old field slave who becomes the personal servant to the plantation owner’s brother, Christopher Wilde, or Titch, as he is also referred to throughout the novel. 

Set in the 19th century, it is a historical novel that explores both the traumas of slavery and the complexities of freedom. Edugyan looks at the more simplistic concept of freedom that slaves held, “a freedom not to answer a question that somebody puts to you, if you don’t like it.” She described these ideas of freedom as “rudimentary freedoms”, though we often forget how these freedoms were not always a given, a right, not always part of everyday life.

And yet, these were not the freedoms Edugyan hoped for Washington, she related, her eyes narrowing in on the audience. Washington begins to live his life based on these simple concepts and consequently finds issues along the way, as Edugyan told us, it is “not a roadmap of how to live ones life.”

The novel expands geographically which creates a structure for Edugyan to explore the reality of the African diaspora and the way that the legacies of slavery physically persist today. From Barbados to Virginia, to Amsterdam and Nova Scotia, among others, the novel moves from location to location exploring a key theme of home that is a deeply personal subject to Esi Edugyan herself.

As someone who has lived in various parts of the world: Germany, Hungary, Scotland, Iceland and Finland, a sense of what home really means has always been important to Edugyan. When asked about what home means to her, she responded the only way she knew how, that “home is, on some levels, a construct and we get to choose and make our home.” She now lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with her husband and two children and, she said, she feels very much at home now. 

In Conversation with Broken Hands

Written by Olivia White on . Posted in Music.

Potent 5-piece, Broken Hands are finally back from their two-year break having signed a record deal with the legendary Atlantic Records who approached them towards “the end of touring Turbulence.” The Kent-born band have returned to the alternative scene with 2 spectral brand-new singles: ‘Friend’s House’ and ‘Split in Two’. Taking a slightly different angle with their newly released tracks, Broken Hands have left their “mushroom farm in the middle of nowhere” and have finally “set up shop and got down to it.”

‘Friend’s House’ opens with a sinister piano tune, embellished with a distant, lo-fi, and fuzzed-out guitar riff. As frontman Dale begins his autobiographical vocals, the song suddenly transforms into a thrashing and intense concoction of everything that makes Broken Hands one of the most exciting upcoming bands of the decade.

In ‘Split in Two’, however, there’s certainly no faffing about before the quintet plunge you into an ecstasy of punching guitar riffs, echoing lyricism, and heart-pounding drums. Having said this, despite a strong comeback from Broken Hands, it appears their newer releases may resonate just that little bit more with the mainstream indie rock sound.

After asking the lads what kind of direction they see themselves taking with a new album on the horizon, they assure me that their newer material has had “a more instant punch in the rehearsal room” than their previous stuff.  This is a bold statement given their astronomical debut, Turbulence, is without a doubt one of the most peculiar, experimental, and exciting rock albums of the last 5 years.

A major reason why Turbulence has left such a profound impact on my senses is the band’s ability to translate such vigour and relentlessness live.  The album “focused on space and the outside” creating a very surreal and thrilling live experience, especially with half the members dressed in tinfoil coats and lab jackets — not to mention Dale’s exhilarated stare and whole-body flinches.

But now that Broken Hands have landed back on Earth, their new record is “focused on the inner — the internal.” I’m not entirely sure what that means to be honest, but I am here for it and you should be too. After announcing their upcoming December tour with dates spanning from Glasgow to London, Broken hands will be hitting Manchester’s Eagle Inn on the 3rd December. Taking inspiration from My Morning Jacket and Secret Machines, as well as landing a support slot for heavy metal godfathers Black Sabbath back in 2014, Broken Hands are certainly tight, pounding, and exhilarating performers.

It is clear the boys are eager to get back on their own headlining tour, after warming up with a few shows supporting Band of Skulls, they liken themselves to a “vampire that hasn’t had a drink for too long.” Feeling fairly confident for their upcoming stretch, Broken Hands draw value in helping their crowds achieve “escapism” at their shows. Through visuals, apt attire, and a whirlwind of electrically-charged energy, Broken Hands will do everything to ensure their fans “forget what they left outside” as soon as they enter their company.

If it’s only one gig you get yourself down to before the year is out, make sure it’s this one.

Photo: Alex Pepperhill @ Flickr

A brief history of the Curry Mile

Written by Helena Young on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Over the years, the Curry Mile has acquired an iconic status in Mancunian culture. To students, its name likely conjures up a multiplex of nostalgic memory, whether a late-night takeaway, a colourful food shop at Worldwide, or a hellishly slow bus ride to your 9am.

Its humble origins stretch back to the 1950s, when Manchester’s textile industry was in full flow. Rusholme and its surrounding neighbourhoods began to see an influx in migrants. Thousands of largely South Asian workers were recruited to fill British labour shortages. This new workforce took to Wilmslow Road’s cafés as areas to meet and socialise.

By the mid-80s, the name ‘Curry Mile’ had become commonplace. ‘Curry Mile’ is an umbrella title that refers to the many South Asian eateries which dominate the corridor, and is still considered a nickname. Nonetheless, in 2008, two flags bearing the title were erected to mark the start and end of the Mile. It’s clear that the moniker won’t be easily changed.

Yet the landscape itself does appear to be changing. A growing number of Shisha bars have emerged. The majority of its restaurants no longer boast the classic curried dishes of the Indian subcontinent. The mile is moving instead towards Middle Eastern territory — nearly a third of its takeaways are now kebab joints.

I asked one of the owners of Mughli Charcoal Pit, recently rated one of the best restaurants in Manchester, what they thought of these new developments. Mughli claim to be one of the first restaurants to move away from the traditional curry house. They recalled the initial struggles of their new dining concept, which was a hard sell back then to a crowd that “didn’t really understand ‘street food’ or ‘Indian tapas’.”

“The road has most definitely changed”, he told me, “but certainly not for the worse. You can, in one evening, taste the very best that Manchester has to offer [like] freshly prepared baklava and Arabic pastries, Indian desserts, street food, Middle Eastern grills, Qabli Pulao, pink tea — all whilst shopping for a saree, some fresh exotic veg, or enjoying a late-night dessert.”

It certainly seems to have worked. A wide variety of food attracts a wide variety of audiences. Mughli boasts of a unique array of former customers, from the Prime Minister to Sarah Harding. And with more of us becoming vegan than ever before, visitors will be happy to note their superb gluten-free and vegan menus.

Some may weep for the future of the Curry Mile, or ‘Shisha Mile’, as people often mockingly dub it. But the day when visitors may struggle to find a Rogan Josh looks, thankfully, far away. For now, its inhabitants are ready to welcome their next new neighbour, from whichever corner of the world, into Curry Mile’s rich, neon-lit, cultural tapestry.

Photo: Simon Buckley

With One Voice: bringing arts and homelessness together

Written by Liv Clarke on . Posted in Features.

Tucked out of sight away from the throngs of commuters walking from Piccadilly Station is a colourful mural on Ducie Street, recently commissioned by the organisation With One Voice for their International Arts and Homelessness Festival and Summit, which will take place from the 12th until the 18th of November here in Manchester. The mural was created by New York artist Joel Bergner with the help of 33 artist who are or have been homeless, and sets the tone for an event which seeks to start a positive conversation about homelessness by uniting arts with discussion.

I had the opportunity to speak with Lora Krasteva, who is one of the International Producers of the festival about the With One Voice organisation and what to expect from the event.

With One Voice is more than just a charity, it’s a worldwide movement promoting the combination of arts and homelessness, “[it was] founded by Streetwise Opera… [which was created by] Mark Peacock in 2002…[and] works with people who have been homeless in England. [It was founded on the] belief that… art elevates people. Art is a human right, everyone should be able to access that,” Lora explained.

Using the arts allows the homeless and those who have been homeless to break out of the stereotypes and to take a step away from their situation, as Lora told me: “Art is one part of a solution, [it] builds connections, [it] builds relationships… be looked at for your talent rather than your situation.”

The seven day event is split between the Summit and the Festival, “[The] festival is a week-long, all events are free, some are produced by With Once Voice, others are put together by our partners… putting things out there”. Lora explained the difference between the Festival and the Summit, “the Summit is part of the festival, from Thursday to Sunday, on top of the regular programme, ticketed, in the style of a conference”.

The Summit will take place at The Whitworth and features panels and workshops uniting artists and activists alike, from all over the world, Lora said: “[There will ] 40 people who work with homelessness and the arts in other countries… one example is Rico from Brazil, who leads a homeless choir called  Umo So Vos (with one voice in Portuguese)… he helped homeless people but is also a musician, he founded 5 choirs in Rio.”

Its clear that the international aspect is a vital part of the Festival and Summit, but the location of Manchester was also an important factor, as Lora explained: “Manchester is quite unique in terms of arts and homelessness… [there are] quite a lot of projects and programmes who integrate the arts with homelessness.”

The festival is composed of events happening throughout the week, across the city in various locations, including Nexus Art Café in the Northern Quarter and the Manchester Art Gallery. The events range from photography exhibitions to performances. The Festival will be highly interactive, inviting people to be part of the discussion and is a city wide event. You can even look out for limited editions prints by the artist Mancy posted around the city.

Lora told me that students are welcomed to the all of the events, for both the creative aspects and the political ones, “There are over 50 events so you can find something you… you might want to visit a photography exhibition if that’s what you’re into…you may want to ask questions which you can do at ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably’… it’s for the curious, for the brave.”

However, the events explore the serious side of the topic as well, “[its] Also for students who are socially and politically engaged, even showing up for the festival is already an act of support… You can pick and choose… the Saturday is an open day, so the centres will be opening their doors, and you can see how these spaces work so if you want to work in this sector [it’s a great opportunity]”.

Tickets to the Festival are free, those for the Summit need to be bought in advance, however 50% of those tickets are free for people who are or have been homeless. You can find out more on their website.

 

Credit: Wikimedia Commons @Fernando Frazão

Simone Biles wins record 14th world title at World Gymnastics Championships

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

American gymnast Simone Biles has won a record 14th world title as she took gold in the individual floor exercise at the World Gymnastics Championships in Doha.

That gold was her fourth of the competition and her sixth medal overall. She became the first gymnast in three decades to win a medal in every attempt in which she participated. The six-medal haul in Qatar puts her level with legendary Russian gymnast Svetlana Khorkina but with Biles aged just 21, meaning it’s very likely that she will become the most decorated women in a World Championship Gymnastics history.

The Championships were her first competitive gymnastics in 18 months and if her achievements weren’t incredible enough, she was also suffering from a kidney stone during her events.

Despite her great success, Biles was frustrated at the reactions her performances garnered on social media. After succumbing to Lui Tingting on the balance beam, taking a bronze medal, she wrote on Twitter: “just saying, I get to decide when I have a disappointing performance. Not y’all. Over a year out of the sport. Barely a year back in and my first big competition. I’m proud of myself!”

She later added: “It is upsetting for me when I see tweets after my performances of how disappointed people are of me, because they can’t set the expectations – that is down to me.”

Photo: Esme Windsor.

Phallic features found on Fallowfield frontages

Written by Ethan Davies on . Posted in News.

Several Fallowfield homes have been vandalised with large penises being sprayed on front doors.

Student Esme Windsor, whose housemate discovered the graffiti on the Ladybarn Road on Sunday morning, said: “we think it’s hilarious, as do some of the neighbours that we have seen.

“I don’t think anyone else on the street is annoyed by it from what we have seen, but I think but the house on the end isn’t actually occupied by students so I feel quite bad for them”.

The ‘illustrations’ caused quite a stir online. All photos: Esme Windsor.

Esme shared the photos on Fallowfield Students’ Group (FSG), prompting a large reception from the Facebook group, with 1,400 users reacting to the post, and a further hundred commenting on the images.

Esme added that she has “emailed our landlord but he is yet to reply – [I’m] not sure how he is going to react to it, I’m hoping that he is going to pay for it”.

Nicole Wootton-Cane, another Fallowfield resident, said: “It is quite funny but I worry that landlords will charge students for the damage even though it clearly isn’t individuals living in those houses that have caused it. It is vandalism and isn’t the most pleasant thing to have sprayed on the front of your door.

“I don’t know [who should pay for the clean-up], it’s difficult to know whose responsibility it is to clear it up, but I definitely think it is wrong for students to be charged for it”.

Jeremy Bijl, also a Fallowfield student, thought that the “vandalism” should be dealt with by “the council. It seems fairer than making the residents do it. Obviously the artist if they are caught”.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Inspector, Fahar Zaman, said: “We will not tolerate acts of antisocial behaviour in our community and this incident is currently being investigated given the type of graffiti sprayed.

“We continue to work closely with our university partners to reduce crime, take action against offenders and have a dedicated student safe operation in place working throughout the academic year. 

“Students are a vital part of our community and we want them to feel safe where they live and study. We will continue to work alongside key partners to ensure this remains a priority for us.” 

GMP have simple security advice on their website.

Photo: Isabella Jewell

The Muslim Arts and Culture Festival which is “Spreading Honey Not Hate”

Written by Bella Jewell on . Posted in Arts, Books, Film, Theatre.

MACFest is the first festival of it’s kind, putting the spotlight on Muslim arts and culture from around the world. The festival will be a celebration of the richness of Muslim culture, showcasing  the art, music, cuisine, history and literature of 10 different countries.

The aim of MACFest is to unite communities; throughout the festival social inclusion is promoted between Muslim and non-Muslims in order to break down barriers and encourage conversations.

It is led by Qaisra Shahraz: a critically acclaimed British-Pakistani novelist who – amongst a long list of awards – was the winner of the National Diversity Awards ‘Lifetime Achiever Award’ in 2016. In an interview, Qaisra described how the scale of MACFest will be “groundbreaking” promising a diverse schedule of events and venues, 30 of which are free to attend.

MACFest will engage people of all ages and denominations, including school, college and university students using venues within the local community for the events. Venues include The British Muslim Heritage Centre, as well as our own Manchester Academy.

Having examined the enormous list of events, we have selected three free events which seem too exciting to miss.

On the 17th November is the panel event, ‘Celebrating Famous Muslim Writers from Around the World with Ajmal Masroor’, which will include an Authors’ Reading, as well as a Book Launch. Writers include Leila Aboulela, Ajmal Masroor, Yasmin Alibhai Brown, General Aamar Aftab, Rabia Avci, Hussam Haj Omar, Sahar.

If the fantastic line-up alone doesn’t excite you, Arts and Film editors Bella Jewell and Aisha Al-Janabi will be introducing the Sudanese author, Leila Aboulela, whose writing explores identity and the stories of Muslims in Europe.

On the 18th November the 13th Century poet and philosopher, Rumi, will be celebrated at the British Muslim Heritage Centre, where Gulcin Bulut, Pasha Abdollahi, Masoud Ghasemi, Farshid Mahyari and the Sahba Ensemble will perform ‘The Alchemy of Love’.

Finally, on the 25th November you can attend a discussion event which will host Jewish and Muslim women in celebrating their shared cultural heritage. This will involve several organisations including Faith Network 4 Manchester (FN4M), an interfaith and multi-faith network which promotes dialogue and unity over division.

This fantastic festival, which Qaisra Sharaz claimed will “put women at the centre”, will shine a light on beautifully diverse cultures.

Qaisra described the importance of these sorts of events to place Muslim culture back in a positive light, after the rise of divisive anti-Islamic discourse following the Manchester Arena Attack in 2017. She told me gleefully that this festival stands behind the motto, ‘Spread Honey Not Hate’. Powerful words to encapsulate the positive atmosphere of MACFest.

For more information take a look at the MACFest website and scroll through the other events, talks, performances, and exhibitions displayed over the course of the festival. MACFest will run from the 17th to 25th of November.

 

Coco Chanel: the ultimate feminist fashion icon

Written by Liv Clarke on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Chanel is one of the most recognisable fashion brands in the world; its logo is iconic, its handbags sought after, and its muses include the likes of Claudia Schiffer and Keira Knightley. But the story of the woman behind the name should never be overlooked. Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel (1883-1971) lived the ultimate rags to riches story, yet a Cinderella in a corseted dress she was not.

Coco not only pioneered clothing for the modern woman, enabling them to break out of stereotypes, but she also overcame her own struggles to run one of the most celebrated fashion houses of all time.

Chanel grew up in an orphanage following the death of her mother, and at 18 began working as a seamstress, performing in a cabaret on the side, where she earned the nickname Coco. Her foray into fashion began with millinery, and she opened up her first boutique in Paris in 1910, selling hats which she designed. Chanel opened up more boutiques in Deauville and Biarritz in the following years and expanded her range to include leisure clothing, which became popular among the wealthy holidaying in these resorts.

In 1918 she bought 31, Rue de Cambon, Paris, opening up her flagship store there in 1921, which still remains at the address today. In the same year the perfume Chanel No. 5 was launched, which Marilyn Monroe infamously wore by itself in bed. Her career went from strength to strength, with her designs being worn by famous film stars at the time.

World War II resulted in the closure of her shops and Chanel slipped away from the fashion world. But a new movement in women’s clothing emerged after the war: Christian Dior’s ‘New Look’, which featured hourglass forms and feminine dresses all designed by a man. However, Chanel believed that a woman’s clothing needed to be created by someone who wore it themselves. She returned to the fashion stage in 1954, aged 70, and produced a revolutionary collection with functional suits in comfortable fabrics at its heart, ideal for the (albeit wealthy) working woman of the modern age.  She continued to design up until her death in 1971.

Every aspect of Chanel’s clothing was considered with the wearer in mind: soft fabrics were used, corsets and shoulder pads were avoided and practicality was key. A Chanel woman was not just a mannequin, she was someone who moved and worked in the modern world. Even her handbag enabled her to be hands-free.

Today Chanel clothing may be worn exclusively by the rich and famous, however the influence of its designs is evident everywhere, from little black dresses to handbags with shoulder straps. Chanel liberated women from their corsets – and made a business out of it too.

Nottingham maintains support for misogyny as a hate crime

Written by Felix Hanif-Banks on . Posted in Investigations.

With Manchester’s own MisogynyIsHate movement sparking widespread discussion from all sides, assessing the impact of the now two-year-old policy in Nottinghamshire, where it was first implemented, is key to understanding how it could affect Manchester.

In July 2016, when the policy was implemented in Nottinghamshire, 87% of the public supported the change, which was defined by the police force as combating: “Incidents against women that are motivated by an attitude of a man towards a woman and includes behaviour targeted towards a woman by men simply because they are a woman.”

Martha Jephcott, national Misogyny Is Hate Crime trainer and campaigner, said: “The camapaign started in Nottingham after me and some friends had some horrific experiences of assault and harassment. We originally assumed it would be a campaign made of students but we quickly realised that women of all backgrounds experience this.

“Mum’s on the school run, Muslim women, black women, school girls etc. All of us experience misogyny hate crime but the abuse can get worse depending on our identity. That’s why it’s so important these campaigns continue to come from the communities themselves”.

Despite public support and positive feedback from women who had reported incidents, officers from the Nottinghamshire police have voiced concerns over the policy as only one arrest has been made in the over two-year period since the policy’s introduction.

Research by Professor Louise Mullany, of the University of Nottingham, and Dr Loretta Trickett, of Nottingham Trent University’s Law School found police were “dismissive” and “not in favour of the introduction of the policy”

Officers have described it as “a vanity project” and “a waste of resources without being backed by a mandate from the public”.

While the figures from the 2016 survey, which was commissioned by Nottingham Women’s Centre and funded by the Office for Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, shows the public are behind the change, Police remain unaffected and have also described their training on the policy changes as “poor”.

Both the Chief Executive of the Nottingham Women’s Centre, Helen Voce, and a spokeswoman for the Nottinghamshire police have since clarified that the primary aim of the policy was not to see masses of convictions, but encourage more women to come forward and speak about potential incidents of harassment.

Of 174 cases reported between April 2016 and March 2018, 73 were recorded as crimes and 101 as incidents. In either case, police can open an investigation. In some cases, action can then be taken such as meetings with building site managers after builders have been reported as harassing local women.

Prof Louise Mullany, of the University of Nottingham’s School of English claims “the public are supportive of the policy that was implemented two years ago”. She describes it as a “postivive change” and believes that the progression of this policy can help reduce the “shocking” regularity of these incidents.

Two years on from the policy, Mullany adds that there are “easily addressed” issues with the policy, noting that they had been delivered to police. She, as well as a number of people from within the police force, remains confident that the policy can bring about a real shift in the attitudes of people across Nottinghamshire.

Lineup Builder @ Chosen 11

City on the edge of the knockout stages after demolishing Shakthar

Written by Sam Honey on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester City cruised to a third-straight champions league victory with an emphatic defeat of Ukranian side Shakhtar at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s side secured a sixth straight win in all competitions, keeping their fifth clean sheet of the run in what is fast becoming an irresistible vein of form.

The sky blues headed into the fixture with the Manchester derby in mind, resting Vincent Kompany and Benjamin Mendy completely, while Leroy Sané and Sergio Agüero were benched.

21-year old Oleksandr Zinchenko was handed a start against his old club, having been left out of the 18-man matchday squad in the reverse fixture, despite speaking at the pre-match press conference.

Gabriel Jesus was given the nod upfront, despite having scored just twice this season, going into the game.

City started slowly, as Shakhtar looked to sit deep and contain the hosts, but were ahead with their first clear-cut opportunity on 13 minutes.

Riyad Mahrez dribbled his way through the Ukranian side’s backline before his low cross was turned in by David Silva, who became City’s all-time top scorer in European competition in the process.

The Citizens’ second came in highly-controversial circumstances, as a scandalous penalty was awarded to the home side, with Raheem Sterling clearly going down in the box untouched. Referee Viktor Kassai awarded the spot-kick however, and Jesus duly stepped up and converted it.

The Brazillian nearly scored the third moments later after being put through by Sterling but saw his effort smothered by keeper Andriy Pyatov.

The Ukranian side looked to get back into the match after the break, with captain Taison providing a respectable performance on a miserable night. City put pay to any hopes of a comeback just three minutes into the second half, as Sterling brilliantly evaded two challenges before curling home from outside the box.

On 72 minutes, Guardiola’s team were given another penalty, this time correctly, after goalscorer Silva was hauled over by Taras Stepanenko, Gabriel Jesus slotted home for his second of the evening.

Yaroslav Rakitskiy forced a save from Ederson in the hunt for a consolation, but the next goal would be a fifth for the sky blues, as Riyad Mahrez brilliantly controlled İlkay Gündoğan’s lofted pass before slotting in.

There was a sixth to come, with just seconds left as Gabriel Jesus raced through on goal, before executing a perfectly-time chip to seal his hat-trick, and round off a top-class performance from City.

The result looked to be enough to confirm the sky blues’ place in the knockout stages of the competition, but a Hoffenheim equaliser deep into injury time against Lyon meant that despite a six-point advantage over the Germans in third place, the Citizens’ will only have their place in the round of 16 mathematically assured with a point in their next fixture against Lyon, and can confirm top spot in the group with a win.

But all in all, it was an excellent night for City, whose performance oozed quality going forward, treating fans to the kind of glorious attacking football that has dominated this side’s display in recent weeks. With Juventus defeated at home to United on the same night, the win re-affirmed the Champions credentials to challenge for a first ever Champions League title.

Photo: Lucy Simper

UoM Sport tackles the gender gap

Written by miagair1 on . Posted in Sport.

The benefits of sport and physical activity see a consensus across society; with many participating to build confidence, promote physical and mental health, and enrich their time at university. However, there remains the perception in society that men are more likely to access and enjoy these benefits than women; leading to yet another gender gap in society.

The 2016/17 Sport England Active Lives Survey (replaced the Active People Survey) found that men (aged 16+) were 12% more likely to take part in sporting activities than women. It reveals that whilst women are not necessarily being less active than men, they are missing out on the benefits team sports and competitive sports can bring, as often women opt for more casual activities such as walking, dance, and fitness classes.

To tackle this, the British Universities and College Sport (BUCS) have challenged all of the universities and colleges it represents to promote the This Girl Can campaign from the 19th to the 26thNovember. It aims at highlighting the sporting activities available to women at university and college. As well as showcasing the sporting success of female athletes.

The University of Manchester Athletics Union (AU) is embracing this fully – asking all of its 42 Sports clubs to promote their female activities and female athletes across their social media. The AU will also hold a series of events just for women, designed to kick-start higher rates of participation.

However, the move has been criticised for being a PR stunt; and not really tackling the real issues reducing the number of women regularly playing sport or keeping active. The BUCS impact report from the 2017/18 campaign reveals that 200 female participants took part in sporting activities during the week that had never done sport before, or who had taken a significant break. Whilst this is a win for the campaign, it doesn’t suggest that any long-term difference was made – no figures were recorded to suggest that the campaign led to long-term increase in female participation.

A recent survey conducted by the Youth Sport Trust revealed that 72% of boys aged 11-16, and 64% of girls saying that their schools encourage them to take part in sport and physical activity. As well as 76% of boys and 67% of girls saying that their parents encourage them. This suggests that for the most part, encouragement isn’t the main barrier preventing girls from getting more involved in organised sport. It also suggests that more encouragement (such as the This Girl Can Ads and Instagram posts) won’t make any long-term change.

Instead, Youth Sport Trust highlight “practical, personal and social and cultural” barriers which if overcome, are thought to increase female participation in sport. One of these barriers is financial costs; this is particularly an issue for students on a budget, who may not feel sport is important enough to prioritise spending.

UoM have responded to this by putting on a series of free sports clubs and classes throughout term time, known as Sporticipate. In 2017/18 alone, 2405 female students registered, compared to just 1778 male students. Despite 66% of the registrations being female, Recreational Sport Coordinator Andy Ellison explained that many have a higher male turnout than female.

The University has also appointed, for the second year running, a female Rugby Development Intern, Lucy Simper. Lucy works to build women’s development squads across both UoM and MMU to engage more female students in friendly, yet competitive, team sports. She added that “women’s rugby is one of the country’s fastest-growing female sports…[yet] a lot of women aren’t automatically attracted to the sport, however what [we] are doing is working.”

The role helps to tackle one of the key barriers identified by the Youth Sport Trust – that women are limited due to the perception that sports are “male sports”. Rugby is a prime example of this, making the work Lucy does crucial. The proof of this is in the pudding; with 52 female students attending the taster sessions, and 48 going on to pay full membership. Getting more women into sport long-term and changing perceptions of sports as ‘male’ is slowing shifting the balances to a more equal footing.

Whilst disparities remain between men and women, it is clear that in terms of sporting participation, things are moving in the right direction. Victories are being won, however small or big, and the talent amongst young women at UoM is being realised and celebrated.

Lineup Builder @ Chosen 11

Manchester United stun Juventus in the Champions League

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester United stunned Juventus in Turin with two goals in the closing stages to win the game, and, put themselves in a good position to qualify from their group.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored the opener against his former club with an outstanding volley from an equally outstanding through ball by Leonardo Bonucci. It was Ronaldo’s first goal in the Champions League wearing the iconic black and white stripes of Juventus.

His side should have put the game to bed and left United without a chance. Sami Khedira struck the post from a chance which looked impossible to miss, and Paulo Dybala hit the bar with a curling effort from outside the box early in the second half.

If those chances weren’t enough Cuadrado and Pjanic both stumbled with their big opportunities and despite not challenging Szczesny in the Juventus goal, United still had a shot at victory.

In the 86th minute, Manchester United got a free kick on the edge of the area. Juan Mata stepped up and floated the ball sweetly into the top corner. Szczesny took a small step to his left leaving him flatfooted and unable to reach the Spaniard’s effort.

Three minutes later United won another free kick, this one near the touchline on the left-hand side. Ashley Young fired a cross into a dangerous area which Juventus were unable to deal with. The ball bounced off multiple players before ending up in the back of the net. The Red Devil’s had come back from one goal down to beat Juventus in their own ground.

The game was the first loss for Juventus in a Champions League group stage home game since December 2009, an incredible record spanning 19 games since they lost to Bayern Munich.

Munich appears in another interesting stat emerging from this game. Manchester United came back to win a Champions League game with two late goals for the first time since 1999. The match in question was the Champions League final and will forever be remembered for Sir Alex Ferguson’s now iconic double substitution of Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Both players scored to complete United’s treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League), the first of its kind. It was widely regarded as the most successful in the clubs history and Jose Mourinho will be looking to emulate that this season.

After the match, Mourinho said: “A point or three would have changed little for Juventus, but three points makes a big difference to us. It is a big victory for us, not just because we needed the points but because it was away from home against an amazing team.”

The result leaves United second in Group H, only two ahead of third-place Valencia. With two games left to play, one against Valencia, the other against Young Boys, Mourinho’s side cannot afford to drop any points if they want to progress to the knockout stages.

Their next European fixture is against Young Boys on the 27th November at Old Trafford. Before then, however, United face their so-called ‘noisy neighbours’ City in the Manchester derby where the team will be looking to keep the momentum going and give the Citizens their first defeat of the season.

By www.vitastudent.com via Flickr

SU maintains so-called ‘clapping ban’ as votes are delayed at November Senate

Written by Josh Sandiford on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester Students’ Union Senate has doubled down on its controversial so-called ‘clapping ban’, with 53% either abstaining or voting against a measure to revoke the original policy which recently caused a media storm.

A proposal was put forward at November’s Senate to formally revoke the ‘ban’ on clapping, arguing that the BSL sign language policy “excludes blind people for participating”.

The Senate also voted to amend its constitution. A motion was passed by 77% for the ‘T’ to be added back into the names of ‘LGBQ+’ officers, making it clear they still represent and advocate for the transgender community.

In total, nine proposals were supposed to have been debated and voted on during November’s Senate, and part-time officer elections were supposed to have been held. However, there were a number of technical issues and procedural complaints with part-time officer voting, so the election was postponed. As a result, the session ran over time considerably, so only two of the nine proposals were voted on.

The seven proposals which were not voted on will now roll over to the Senate’s December meeting for consideration, which is likely to disappoint some campaign groups.

The environment would have been a big focus of November’s senate. Four out of eight policy proposals were related to environmental issues, including one that would have made the Students’ Union officially support ‘Extinction Rebellion’, the pressure group that recently caused chaos by blocking Oxford Road in protest.

Other proposals that were not voted on related to the inclusion and advocacy of QTIPOC (Queer, Trains, Intersex, People of Colour) and the SU supporting the fight for marriage equality in Northern Ireland.

Lizzy Haughton, one of Extinction Rebellion’s northern coordinators said: “Although it would have been really great to get the support of the Union before the Rebellion day that is taking place on the 17th November, the movement will carry on until we get Climate justice.”

“The rebellion doesn’t end after the 17th, and in fact is scaling up to go international next spring. Climate Breakdown is something all of us are going to have to keep fighting for, it is going to be a long and hard journey, so the delay in getting the policy put forward wasn’t a massive blow to us, as we can gather yet more support for this movement, and have more time to share what it’s about to students who are sitting on the fence about it.”

The Senate also didn’t get to vote on endorsing the #MisogynyIsHate campaign, despite a member of the audience noting that it was a time-sensitive measure.

Devi Joshi, from #MisogynyIsHate told The Mancunion: “We are very disappointed that the SU senate refused to let us present our proposal asking the Student’s Union to back the Misogyny Is Hate campaign due to the senate overrunning.”

“The campaign will come to an end on the 5th of December, culminating in our ‘1000 Voices’ Rally. One of the main points in our proposal was to support us in spreading the word about the Rally through the SU’s many media channels. Newly elected part-time Women’s Officer Safiyya El Diwany did make clear that we could not wait until the next senate meeting (6th December) to put forward our proposal, but this fell on deaf ears.”

“Instead, the senate discussed, at length, a repeal of the “clapping ban”, a policy which has no time limit. Misogyny is a problem which affects many women at the University, and we truly believe that we should have been able to put forward our case on behalf of the many female students who have been affected by crimes motivated by misogyny in Manchester.”

Following the so-called ‘clap-gate’ scandal which arose out of the first Senate of the academic year in September, attendees were asked at November’s Senate to “take extra care” if they wanted to report on the proceedings.

Senate is the highest decision-making body at the Students Union, meeting six times a year. The next Senate will be held on Thursday 8th December.

 

Credit: Wikimedia Commons @Aleksandr Osipov

Manchester United: The Number 9 Predicament

Written by Jacob Morris on . Posted in Sport.

A frustrating start to Manchester United’s season has been mirrored in their £75,000,000 No. 9 Romelu Lukaku’s form. Despite a promising start with 4 goals in his opening 5 games, the Belgian striker has been unable to continue in this vein, struggling in the league and without a goal in 800 minutes at the time of writing.

Mourinho was characteristically blunt in his reason for dropping Lukaku from the starting line-up in the Red’s 2-1 victory over Everton. Blaming his absence on poor form, Mourinho highlighted his striker’s inability to be clinical in front of goal.

Regardless of Lukaku’s lack of form, Mourinho’s quandary lies in how to help him return to his prolific best to build upon the impressive number of goals he has managed in his short career. Mourinho decided to drop Lukaku having initially attempted to play him through his bad form. While praising the Belgian striker’s brief involvement on Sunday, the problem remains as to how and when that elusive goal will come to build his confidence back.

His current struggles were typified on Sunday when Paul Pogba floated a precise ball into the back post. Pogba’s inch-perfect cross was met with an untidy attempted header which failed to trouble Pickford’s goal. A chance which was once a formality has become another aspect of Lukaku’s continuing frustration.

A number of fans have been calling for Rashford to be given a run of games at centre-forward. Alan Shearer has made no secret of his preference for the English striker to be used for an extended period. Shearer has credited Rashford’s willingness to run in behind to stretch the opposition creating space in midfield. This space was certainly enjoyed by Juan Mata who found the pass to match Rashford’s run on a couple of occasions against Everton on Sunday.

Pogba and Martial also appeared to be able to operate more freely, finding significant success attacking the left side of the pitch with some effective passing combinations. Manchester United had more joy in attacking situations on Sunday but continued to miss chances in front of goal.

Ensuring their No. 9 stretches the game to create space is just half the battle. To change their fortunes in the league United will need an in-form No. 9 to finish the chances created. It is clear that neither of United’s striking options currently have the confidence to turn half chances into goals.

Reports this week suggest that Mourinho will receive significant financial backing in the January window should the right player become available. Mourinho has made clear his desire to strengthen the squad in central defence and should Lukaku’s form continue to disappoint we can be sure that a goal scorer will be near the top of his January wish list.

Review: Football Manager 2019

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

Football Manager is back, and it’s business as usual for the series. Whilst the game, having been subject to decades of polish, remains largely the same at its core, there’s some major improvements in FM19 which make it a worthy installment in the stellar series. Whilst some familiars issues have remained unaddressed, there’s enough here to provide a meaty update to the iconic series, even if it doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. A lack of major innovation probably means that this iteration is not an essential upgrade for anyone who isn’t a hardcore player, but it’s definitely another step forward this year, even if there was room for one more.

The most welcome change (after the fact that, mercifully, the awful menu music of FM18 has gone) is the tactical changes. It’s not quite an overhaul, but it’s certainly a big change. In FM19, tactical instructions are split into three distinct panels: in possession, out of possession, and in transition. The latter two of these, in particular, have received some much needed attention, and, overall, the new tactics system allows, for the first time, to manage all phases of play rather than treating the match plan as homogeneous.

photo:SportsInteractive

FM19 also comes with a number of tactical presets, such as tiki taka, wing play and gegenpressing. Whilst this is a nice little addition for those struggling to find their feet tactically, I couldn’t help but feel it puts things on a plate for you too easily. Part of the challenge of FM has always been not only conceiving of a tactic, but executing it, and presets make this a little too simple for my liking. Of course, customisation options still abound, but in a genre that will always favour results, the temptation of choosing a tactic preordained by Sports Interactive (SI) may be too strong for its own good.

Once you’ve finished tinkering and make your way onto the pitch, you’ll also find some decent tweaks to the match engine. Gone are the janky animations, the bizarre pass backs (mostly), the dawdling ‘stand on spot and turn in circles’ thing, and the fluorescent green pitch, and the match engine feels sharper, more responsive to tactical tweaks, and more attuned to representing football as the beautiful game, rather than the rather ugly affair that was last year. Adding noticeable curve to the ball physics is a nice touch, whilst a greater variety of goal types immerse you more in the experience than ever before.

As most footballers (I imagine) will tell you, the training pitch is just as important as the match pitch. Accordingly, training has finally received some attention, and this time it is an overhaul. Previously so minimal, SI have gone to the other end of the spectrum with a wave of new training features so zealous its almost overwhelming. Whilst this does result in the screen being unusually cluttered for a Football Manager game, this goes a long way to paying attention to the gaps between matches, which previously felt as long as your average international break. This, along with a slightly enhanced player interaction system, meant my desire to holiday between games is the lowest it’s ever been.

photo:SportsInteractive

Unfortunately, as I alluded to in my introduction, there are a couple of features that remain criminally under-developed, and have now been points of frustration for several years. I am talking primarily, of course, about press conferences.

Press conferences: the bain of every manager’s existence. If you’ve played a Football Manager game for any length of time, you’ll know how dull, monotonous and unrewarding it is to wade through the in-game press’ array of recycled questions (sometimes they ask over fifteen) in order to progress to the match. Doing a Fergie and sending your assistant is always an option, but given that these questions can affect match performance, it’s a dangerous game when my assistant has the tactical nous and interpersonal subtlety of a P.E teacher.

What really doesn’t help is that the questions are so middle of the road to begin with. SI has always struggled with recreating the drama of football by way of its press, and it really struggles here. Fortunately, the game’s relentless stat-tracking and the strength of the overall product means you’ll always thrive by creating your own narrative for your team, but much work is needed here if FM is to get to that next level.

He missed this one. photo:SportsInteractive

Set pieces are another area that remains ignored, which is a shame considering how important they now are in the modern game – just look at England’s World Cup exploits. Perhaps the most damning criticism I can give these two areas is that I flagged them as major worries last year, and they remain exactly the same. It’s started to make the game feel a little lopsided; ridiculous detail often sitting right next to over-simplicity. Perhaps SI want to leave themselves some major work to do on FM20.

FM’s biggest strength remains its insanely large and detailed database, which remains dutifully updated once again. This maintenance is vital, making the often number-based in game universe feel alive and diverse. From Barcelona’s first team to Harrogate Town AFC’s backroom staff, not a single corner has been cut in FM19.

Reviewing FM is, in some ways, an inherently flawed idea as many of the problems with the game as the game’s simulation moves away from the controlled laboratory that is SI’s recreation of real life, towards the murky waters of regens. This is hard to cover in a review as it doesn’t really become clear for at least ten seasons (maybe even fifteen) and getting that far can take well over 500 hours. If you’re sad like me and you make it there every year, you’ll have noticed that, over time, regens sap the diversity out of the database and result in a game full of generic players (who look really weird to boot). The game often becomes unbalanced at this point, but I’ll address whether this has changed at a later date.

Overall, this is another great edition of FM. Whilst it might not be a landmark installment in the series, it definitely throws down some markers and represents a significant improvement in the series, even if more could have been done to push forward some of its more archaic features. Whether it represents £37.99 of improvement is certainly up for debate, and whether this game is for you probably depends on what you want out of FM. If you are looking for an ultra-detailed installment with a rigorous focus on tactics and training, look no further. If you are waiting for the long-vaunted additions of improved man management, press interaction and enhanced personality, you may be best off waiting another year.

7.5/10

Photo: Mancunion

The Mancunion’s favourite female video game characters

Written by robertpate on . Posted in Games.

With the Misogyny Is Hate movement in full swing, The Mancunion’s game section has decided to take a look back at our favourite female video game characters from across the ages. With gender representation a big issue in games right now, and the conversation over positive discrimination louder than ever, we remind ourselves of why we want to see more women in prominent roles in video games.

Carmelita Fox (Sly Cooper series) – Robert

A character who had the potential to be nothing but a love interest, and gets involved with plenty of romantic clichés, was so badass she came out of it a crucial part of the franchise. Carmelita Fox, an Inspector for INTERPOL, took absolutely no nonsense. While you skulked around, Carmelita was dispatching crooks like someone out of Road House. While often being the damsel in distress herself, she gave as good as she took – coming to aid Sly and the gang in the most pivotal moments of the story. She never strayed too far from her principles, and was firmly grounded in what was right and wrong. Even when she was framed, arrested, and fired from INTERPOL she was strong enough to stick to her guns and clear her name.

Meve (Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales) – David

The Witcher franchise is full of strong female leads, many of whom are vital characters. Yennefer of Vengerberg, Triss Merigold, and Ciri are as important to the course of events in the games as the male lead, Geralt of Rivia. Yet in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the game is as much about Ciri as it is Geralt. Ciri isn’t my favourite female character, though. That goes to a hidden gem who, apart from in the books, has only just appeared in the latest title, Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales.

Queen Meve of Lyria and Rivia is a strong, wise and independent character. Her husband’s death left her the unexpected monarch of the country, as well as the mother of two children. Yet when the Nilfgaardian invader threatened her nation, instead of surrendering or sending her vassals to die for her while she remains safe in a palace, she led her forces herself unlike several of the kings of The Continent.

Lara Croft (Tomb Raider series) – Danny

My favourite female character is an easy one: Lara Croft. Whilst the conception of this character undoubtedly has roots in some unfortunate and unsavoury female stereotypes – the rich, overly-sexualised ‘cyber-babe’, dual-wielding smoking pistols and perpetually pouting at the camera – studying this video game heroine’s evolution cuts much closer to the root of the adversity that we are examining this week.

Since the 2013 reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise, this indisputable gaming icon has continued to develop and overcome struggles of sexism and archaic, archetypal representations of women, transcending boundaries through reclaiming her sexuality and encouraging female empowerment each time she snuffs out her chauvinistic in-game oppressors.

As Vox’s Aja Romano posed in her piece earlier this year, Lara Croft’s evolution from “fembot” to the feminist figurehead of video games is promising thus far and shows no signs of slowing down – or, put in a language we might better understand: whilst she might not have maxed out just yet, she keeps on levelling up. Happy 20th anniversary, Lara!

Mrs Chu (Sleeping Dogs) – Callum

While not a player character, one of the strongest characters in 2012’s Bruce Lee-style Hong Kong action game Sleeping Dogs is that of Mrs. Chu. Mother to gang leader Winston Chu and owner of the Golden Koi restaurant, the hangout for the gang the player infiltrates, Mrs. Chu is shown to be a force to be reckoned with: brutal and uncompromising, and intensely loyal to her family.

While her actions may not exactly be that of a role model, it’s refreshing to see a role that may have been traditionally associated with a father (that is, the one who passed down the gangster nature to their offspring) being played by a woman.

GLADOS (Portal series) – Jeremy

For me, casting female characters as villains is just as important as casting them as heroes, and GLADOS is a great example of when that’s been done effectively. Okay, so GLADOS is an android, technically, but her voice – which is distinctly feminine – is her strongest weapon.

As players, we are used to hearing the female voice as something calming and, in many entries, little more than an obligatory romance option. GLADOS completely subverts this, lulling in the player with her seductive tone before revealing herself to be the villain of the piece, and one of the greatest video game villains of all time.

I’m also really excited to see what Darksiders III’s Fury has in store. To my memory, we haven’t seen any female anti-heroes, so Fury could be a massive hit if the writers who scripted Death and War so well can make it three out of three.

Honorable mentions: Ciri (The Witcher 3), Emily Baldwin (Dishonored), Clementine (TellTale’s The Walking Dead), Jean Thompson (Ether One), Bayonetta, Rose of Sharon Cassidy (Fallout:NV), Mazoga the Orc (Oblivion), Ellen (I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream).

5 Seconds of Summer. Photo: 5SOS @ Flickr (jus10h)

Live Review: 5 Seconds of Summer

Written by Georgina Davidson on . Posted in Music.

I will admit that my fascination with 5 Seconds of Summer began when I was 15 years old. I was pretty much enamoured and enthralled by their somewhat simplistically romantic songs of young heart break and teenage dreams. Sure, the lyrics were not anything groundbreaking, but I was always excited to hear their emerging pop punk sound and enthusiasm. Although fans were lucky enough to witness this enthusiasm at the band’s sold-out show at Manchester’s Apollo, the overall performance seemed a little lacklustre.

Lovelytheband were, as the name suggests, lovely, but not particularly of any specific note to keep me engaged in their performance for more than a couple of seconds. Set up far too close to the front of the stage, this band formed a small semi circle and played mostly to the crowds of fans in the lower standing area, leaving the upper balconies to feel rather left out apart from during the fairly repetitive track  ‘These Are My Friends’ when the rest of the crowd were acknowledged. Their songs were mostly amiable and sweet but altogether more suited to a smaller, cosier venue rather than the vast, empty space that encapsulated their set. Their attempts to regain the crowd with a cover of ‘Mr Brightside’ was admirable, but came a little too late.

When 5 Seconds of Summer finally did appear before us, I was shocked to see the same issues with the stage space arise again. There seemed to be far too much room surrounding them, affecting the performance – backing vocal tracks immediately became lost to this static space. What I saw at their show was not the same band that I had grown up with and loved.

This had the potential to be a good thing; perhaps 5 Seconds of Summer had now transformed in to something new, interesting even. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Poor stage design and set up plagued the performance. The show was riddled with mirrored walls, smoke machines and an inherently frustrating light show that dizzied the entire auditorium.

One thing that could certainly be held to their credit was the dedicated fan base that accepted all of this and took it in with extreme delight. From the start it was clear that I was in for a glittering, pop-centric night that would be dominated by their new release ‘Youngblood’, which the crowd lapped up excitedly. They opened the set with ‘Babylon’ which has a strongly anthemic style but was hindered by an over-loud backing track that took away slightly from the beautiful vocals of frontman Luke Hemmings.

In older tracks such as ‘Waste The Night’, Hemming’s talents were put to better use, when the band really shone with a hint of their old glory. It was also a fantastic opportunity to see Ashton Irwin’s reckless command on the drums which I had always felt gave a unique edge to the performance and was often a highlight of my concert experience through the many shows I had seen over the years. However, whilst the huge kit of extensive pedals and equipment remained, all the heart and vitality that I’d come to adore from Irwin’s performance was (for the most part) replaced with an almost permanently restrained pop style. There were other moments that broke away from this but I found myself constantly hoping for more and it simply didn’t materialise.

It is evident that this band is highly talented but it is rather bizarre that they have been thrown together again, reemerging in a whirlwind of glittery pop music. Admittedly, the tracks seem well-produced and polished, but gone is the grungy foursome that burst onto the scene years ago.

Perhaps this new era appeals to some but it would be more impressive to see this band build and progress, rather than completely overhaul everything they’ve ever created in a blur of bright lights and murky mirrors.

4/10

Manchester City Women cruise past Liverpool to close gap on WSL leaders

Written by Sam Honey on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester City Women remain unbeaten in this season’s Super League. They cruised to a 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Tranmere Rover’s Prenton Park.

Nick Cushing’s side have now closed the gap on this season’s pacesetters, Arsenal, to just three points. Although the Gunners have a game in hand, and will remain top if they avoid defeat in that fixture.

The citizens knew that an away visit to face the Reds, who have already picked up three wins this season, presented a stern challenge. The sky blues came into the match in form however, having scored 13 goals in their previous two league games, against Brighton and West Ham, conceding just 2.

It was a frustrating first half for the visitors. They didn’t manage to break through despite causing Liverpool goalkeeper Anke Preuss significant trouble. The German was forced into action inside the first 10 minutes, punching away Jennifer Beattie’s powerful header.

Jill Scott quickly produced another chance for her side. Although the 31-year old volleyed narrowly over the bar, after good work from Claire Emslie.

City began the second half with intensity, and quickly seized their opportunity against a fragile Liverpool side.

The opener came just five minutes into the second half. Emslie picked out fellow Scotswoman Caroline Weir with a pinpoint cross, with Niamh Fahey turning into her own net in an attempt to clear the ex-Gooner’s shot.

Taking control of the match, the away side doubled their lead just before the hour mark. Nikita Parris equalled Eni Aluko’s record of 36 WSL goals as she delightfully chipped the oncoming Parris after weaving her way through the Reds’s backline.

Parris was then handed the chance to surpass Aluko’s record from the spot, after Georgia Stanway was brought down. The 24-year old stepped up, and converted the penalty, ensuring a seventh win of the season. Also guaranteeing her status as the league’s all-time top scorer, an achievement surely sweetened by the opposition, for the ex-Evertonian.

Although producing yet another convincing performance, City remain under scrutiny for not being clinical enough. They have already racked up three draws so far this campaign.

The sky blues know that they must improve if they are to have any chance of ending title rival’s Arsenal 100% record, with Joe Montemurro’s side visiting City on December 2nd.

Ahead of that clash, Cushing’s team travel to Yeovil Town on November 25th. They are hoping to bank three points before facing the greatest test of the season so far.

 

hate crime reporting Photo: Students' Union Advice Services

Reporting hate crimes: what you need to know

Written by Su Barton on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Emmeline Pankhurst, Ellen Wilkinson, Elizabeth Gaskell, Marie Stopes, Carol Ann Duffy, Maxine Peake: Manchester is shaped by women.

As a city that claims“things are done differently here”, Manchester has a long and proud history of women working for equality and recognition. Nationally, there is renewed debate over another chink in the armour protecting inequality in society – specifically, how society deals with hate and how women experience misogyny. It is important to note that currently hate based on gender (other than transgender identity) is not considered a crime. Currently hate crimes and incidents cover those motivated by disability, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and subculture identity.

The current debate is about whether misogyny or hate based on gender should be adopted under the conditions of other recognised hate crimes. Chief Constable Sara Thornton, commenting in the Metro and The Independent, questioned “whether a criminal offence is the best way of dealing with what is essentially an issue about how we all treat each other” and that police should “bear down on violence before [they] make more records of incidents that are not crimes”. This sentiment has been echoed by other senior police, noting that recording hate incidents may be desirable but there are not the resources to support this. These are concerning arguments as they ignore the escalation of hate.

Online abuse, verbal abuse, and slurs build to physical violence, arson and other serious crimes as perpetrators become more confident through committing acts. Conversely, witnesses or victims of hate are made increasingly vulnerable if they are unable to get help early making them more susceptible to further attack.

If you believe that you have been the victim of a hate crime or incident (under the current definition), you can report it. The Students’ Union Advice Service can help you with this. We understand that reporting can be intimidating, especially if you are the target of the abuse. However, we would encourage students to report because this helps to understand the extent of hate crimes and incidents. Reporting can lessen the likelihood of others also experiencing similar incidents.

You can report a hate crime/incident if you are the victim, a witness or on behalf of someone else. The easiest way to report is online.  Just go to the information website Report It and click the red ‘Report Hate Crime’ button. Alternatively, you can use the Students’ Union Advice Service, which is a Third Party Reporting Centre.

The Students’ Union Advice Service is here to:

  • Assist in reporting hate crime/incidents
  • Support you by reflecting or discussing what you have witnessed or been a victim of, regardless of whether you want to report what happened;
  • Support victims of bullying, harassment or discrimination, whether from staff or another student. This includes making a formal complaint through the University system. If you feel that you have been subjected to bullying, harassment or discrimination, you can make a complaint. Indeed, The University recognises harassment, discrimination or victimisation because of your gender as grounds for a formal complaint. Contact the Advice Service to find out how we can support you.
  • Provide support in applying for Mitigating Circumstances if, as a result of abuse due to your gender or identity, your academic performance has been affected.
  • Direct you to and talk through other support services that can continue support
  • Talk through the various support options with you if you are not sure which is best for your needs.

Currently the law does not recognise gender-based hate as a hate crime, and therefore it cannot be reported as such. Manchester already has a good record of acknowledging hate in society. Greater Manchester Police were the first force in the country to start recording hate based on subculture membership. This example should continue for gendered hate. The Students’ Union Advice Service recognises the prevalence and seriousness of this issue.

You can contact the Advice Service on [email protected] or call 0161 275 2952.