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Month: February 2019

Photo @ Anuli Changa

OFOC: A campaign for a different kind of Britain

Written by nimoomer on . Posted in Opinion.

Our Future, Our Choice which is campaigning for a People’s Vote, arrived in Manchester last week as part of a national tour.

A behemoth of a blue bus was parked right outside the Students Union. Emblazoned across the side in bold, unmissable letters: “77% of us don’t want Brexit. Please stand up for our future!”

It was a sight for sore eyes. We often talk about how this generation has become more politicised and engaged, but from my experience, these politically charged spaces were often laden with a heady combination of hopelessness and cynicism.

Either people would be coming together to discuss the impending social, economic, and environmental apocalypse or they would be there to pad their CVs. Both respectable choices, but I for one, want more than that.

According to the Guardian OFOC already has representatives in about 50 universities leading many to pontificate about the reasons for their success in such a short amount of time. Are young people are simply Europhiles? Are they just more political? Perhaps social media has something to do with it because social media always has to have something to do with it?

I would suggest however that this transcends the political message itself and the means through which it is disseminated. OFOC is a campaign and organisation that seems to be running on the message that things can get better. Who would have thought that people would respond well to a narrative that doesn’t end with some kind of catastrophic nightmare?

With every broadcasting channel, radio show and newspaper article seemingly jumping at the chance to give airtime and column space to the most shocking click-bait, and alarmist voices for the sake of novelty, seeing young people who are trying to shift the narrative entirely is refreshing.

OFOC’s audacity to suggest that there is an alternative to the narrative offered by our two political parties lies at the epicentre of its success in the last few months.

With activists involved from all sides of the political spectrum, the organisation offers an entirely different kind of politics; one that derives its success from unity and not division.

I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the next few weeks, needless to say, it will be tumultuous, but I think what we see here is a glimmer of hope. The chasm created by increasingly destructive populist movements is being filled by an optimism that I assumed had been destroyed by the dark spectre that has been consuming our political landscape for years.

Photo: Mikey @ Flickr

Artefact of the Week: The Toast Rack

Written by Bella Jewell on . Posted in Arts.

This unusual building certainly divides opinion. Whilst some are drawn to the raw, 1960s brutalism of the concrete construction, others are disdainful of the monochrome, derelict building. Despite differences in taste, however, The Hollings building – known as ‘The Toast Rack’ – is a national treasure; a grade two listed national treasure.

Tucked behind the University of Manchester’s Fallowfield campus, the iconic Toast Rack has stood empty for the past six years, having been closed to students in 2013. Despite having been frozen in time for the past few years, there are proposals in the works to transform this modernist classic into a new futuristic space, housing flats, a restaurant, and a covered garden amongst other features.

To truly appreciate this Toblerone-shaped building, however, it is important to look to its past. The Hollings building was constructed in 1960 by architect, Leonard Cecil Howitt, and was certainly an avant-garde creation. The building was originally home to the Domestic Trades College, later becoming part of Manchester Metropolitan University. There is speculation that Howitt’s design was a humorous nod to the building’s function as a domestic science college, given its appearance as a toast rack, next to the attached semi-circular restaurant block, known as the Fried Egg.

However, the profoundly unconventional form of the building goes beyond a superfluous joke; the tapered shape served an intensely practical purpose, creating teaching spaces of varying sizes, hosting both small and large classes of students. The accompanying ‘fried egg’ construction equally held its own, as the circular hall provided the perfect space for catwalk shows, so students could display their needlework and designs.

The architect behind the design, Leonard Cecil Howitt, did not only contribute this modernist masterpiece to Manchester’s cityscape. As city architect of Manchester, he led several ambitious projects, including the redevelopment of Manchester’s Free Trade Hall after it underwent damage during the Blitz, as well as the construction of the mind-boggling Manchester Courts of Justice premises.

Photo: DPP Law @ Flickr
Photo: https://www.dpp-law.com/ @ Flickr

Howitt’s capacity to reimagine urban space has been praised by many, including the renowned architectural historian, Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, who proclaimed the Toast Rack to be “a perfect piece of pop architecture.” In fact, the Manchester Modernist Society, established in 2014, described it as “a gem of a building” and “one of the best designs of its era.”

The society, of whom the former Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr, is a patron, has completed much work over the years to document the history and architectural significance of this building, creating an online ‘Toastrack Museum’. The collection is an archive of photographs and objects associated with the building, forever cementing its silhouette in our imaginations.

In a period of constant geographical change, as Manchester’s urban space is in a state of flux, it is important to take note of the striking buildings that make up our skyline. Howitt’s Toast Rack challenged contemporary notions of design and architectural beauty, creating a construction which continues to spark debate, but is undeniably a Mancunian treasure.

Terrordome photo courtesy of HOME

The Terrordome is here

Written by daniellecarbonwilson on . Posted in Film.

In the last few years, the world has seen a surge in films fighting for change within racist, corrupt social systems of power. However, Ngozi Onwurah’s pioneering film, Welcome II the Terrordome, highlights the reality of how long people have been fighting for this change and in some cases, how little there has been. Part of HOME’s 2019 campaign to celebrate women in global cinema, Onwurah’s film is just as relevant today as it was in 1995 when it debuted as her first independent feature film, the first in Britain directed by a black woman.

It is an Afrofuturist science-fiction set in a near dystopian future, exploring, very explicitly, the racism, gang violence, and police corruption of late 20th century Britain. It has none of the subtlety of today’s films but made in a time when racism itself wasn’t as masked as it has become, Onwurah is not interested in subtlety. The film starts with a family of slaves who decide not to ‘brand their souls’ and so walk, shackled but together, into the sea. Here, Onwurah incorporates Ibo mythology as we learn that the souls of these slaves travel to the future Terrordome, where the same actors play the main characters – now, their shackles are hidden behind prison walls.

The film’s documentary style becomes evident as we, the audience, are placed in the driver’s seat of a car, cruising through the exaggerated ghetto that is the Terrordome. The traditional fourth wall created by the camera, allowing audience passivity, is broken as we are assaulted with the looks, shouts, and fists of its inhabitants: they are angry. Angry at their lives and at their audience, who, at the time sat and watched the injustices and were inactive on and off screen. That anger is pushed to the brink when a young boy is killed and a violent revolution begins.

Dr Amy C. Chambers, a Senior lecturer of film at Manchester Metropolitan University, introduced the film, stating that Onwurah was widely criticised in 1995 for this palpable anger, fuelling the familiar label, ‘angry black woman’.  The few critics who recognised she was a woman used this label to describe and undermine her and it is a label we still hear today. It’s true, the film is angry, violently so, but this was exactly the driving force that led Onwurah to make it in the first place. Tired of the daily injustices they incurred and the voices and stories unheard in the media, black people, including Onwurah, were by and large angry. Through the film, she creates a space to express this; it is not quiet or humble, described by Onwurah herself as ‘a primeval scream’ that what was happening was wrong.

The film is hardly perfect, the dialogue at times is simplistic and repetitive and some of the acting doesn’t quite meet Suzette Llewellyn’s emotionally charged performance. But despite her low-budget, Onwurah has achieved a piece of art which, as Dr. Chambers acclaimed, “packs a powerful political punch”. She cleverly uses form, specifically narration, bringing the African oral-tradition of folk-tale into her imagined future, using rap as a form of story-telling.

In this way, we see how Welcome II the Terrordome bridges links between past and future, a future that has become our present and for this, it is more relevant than ever.

 

4/5

Everything you need to know about The BRIT Awards 2019

Written by Bella Fleming on . Posted in Music.

Another year, another season of The BRITs awards. 2019 will mark the 39thanniversary of this prestigious music awards and this year’s show will take place on Wednesday 20th February at London’s O2 Arena. The show will be broadcast live on TV on ITV1 from 8pm.

The show will be hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall and Clara Amfo. This is the second year in a row with Whitehall co-hosting the ceremony. Radio 1 DJs Clara Amfo and Alice Lavine will be hosting the Red Carpet show for the third year in a row, which will be broadcast live on ITV2 before the official ceremony kicks off on ITV1 at 8pm.

Kicking off the show will be a performance from none other than Hugh Jackman. He will be performing songs from the 2017 hit musical The Greatest Showman, and the performance will be under the creative direction of Michael Gracey, who directed the movie. The performance is a teaser of what fans can expect for Hugh Jackman’s ‘The Man, The Music, The Show’ World Tour starting this May. Unfortunately, Jackman isn’t up for an award himself, but he has managed to secure an impressive five nights at The O2 Arena for his tour in May.

It appears to be all about the girls in this year’s BRITs awards with Jess Glynne, Anne-Marie, and Dua Lipa all raking in the highest number of nominations with the latter two being nominated for four awards each. Anne-Marie is up for the coveted award of Album of the Year, as well as Best British Female Solo Artist, Best British Single, and Best British Video. Despite Dua Lipa also being up for four awards, she has two nominations for British Single and two for British Video, meaning she’ll only be able to walk away with a maximum of two awards. Jess Glynne also has two nominations in the same categories.

Male artists up for awards include George Ezra, Craig David, and Sam Smith. George Ezra is also in the running for British Single and British Album of the Year. The British Group award nominees are pretty heavily reflective of male talent this year, with The 1975, Arctic Monkeys, Years & Years, Gorillaz, and Little Mix — the only female band — all competing for the title. Sam Fender will be walking away with the Critics’ Choice award this year. Previous winners of the award include Adele, Florence & The Machine, and Sam Smith.

The International Male Solo Artist nominations include the likes of Drake, Eminem, and Travis Scott, whilst the International Female Solo Artists will likely be a fiercely close competition between international pop princesses Ariana Grande, Camilla Cabello, and Cardi B.

The winner of the BRITS Global Success and the British producer of the Year award will be announced on the night of the ceremony.

See a full list of nominations and vote for your favourite artists here now: https://www.BRITs.co.uk/nominees

Headlining the event this year will be Calvin Harris and it has been confirmed Dua Lipa, Sam Smith, and Rag’n’Bone Man will all be appearing beside him on stage. It is rumoured Harris will be doing a medley of his three hit singles ‘One Kiss’, ‘Giant’, and ‘Promises’. Also confirmed to perform is Little Mix, who are on the list of nominees for the British Group award. Brit favorite, George Ezra is confirmed to perform as well as British Breakthrough Act nominee Jorja Smith.

It has been announced that Pink will be the winner of the 2019 Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. The award will be presented to Pink at the live BRITs ceremony and she will also close the show with a performance on the night. Previous winners of this award include Sir Elton John, David Bowie, Queen, Oasis, and Spice Girls. Pink will be the first international artist of the night to be presented with an award.

 Watch live on Wednesday 20th February from the O2 arena on ITV1 at 8pm.

Album Review: What Chaos Is Imaginary by Girlpool

Written by harrythorfinn on . Posted in Music.

After releasing their excellent debut album, Before The World Was Big almost4 years ago, followed by their affirming folk-punk status sophomore album Powerplant, Girlpool are back with their highly anticipated third record, What Chaos Is Imaginary.

It is clear that the L.A duo’s third album has allowed Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad to continue to expand their sound to the points of sounding a bit rougher around the edges and, in parts, unrecognisable to their previous material. It is an album which tangles together experiments in dream pop and shoegaze with unadventurous indie-rock fillers, resulting in a patchy but often compelling listen.

Their debut, Before the World Was Big was defined by simple guitar riffs and the intertwined voices of Tucker and Tividad. A collection of small songs which seemed infinitely large. It was a sound conceived whilst they were both in high school, reflecting on the growing pains and angst intrinsic to that time. It would be counterproductive to hold them to this specific sound, yet on Chaos, it’s difficult to shake the feeling that they’ve lost some kind of connection which previously made their songs so distinct and personal. For example, ‘Minute in Your Mind’ sounds more like a leftover Beach House demo than a true Girlpool song. The organs, drums, and guitar are eerily similar, yet feel oddly two-dimensional compared to a real Beach House track.

That’s not to say their experiments with new sounds and textures don’t pay off at times, as there are plenty of interesting and atmospheric moments on this album. ‘Chemical Freeze’ is warped by a rasping and jittery drum pattern, and on ‘Where You Sink’, Tividad’s voice is engulfed in a fog of guitar distortion, a gorgeous shoegaze tinted piece, an inspiration felt strongly on closing track ‘Roses’ too. Their lyrics now paint more abstract, fuzzy images as well: “drink up the spare change/ mute that golden drone” Tividad sings on ‘Stale Device’. However, as a complete album, it seemingly falls short from Girlpool’s identity.

Girlpool are clearly keen to evolve. Tucker’s newly lowered register due to hormone therapy undoubtedly plays a part in this as it has perhaps altered the dynamic of the band, now clearly consisting of two distinct voices. It gives new depths to the songs where they sing together such as on ‘Chemical Freeze’, yet too often the track list is split into separate Tucker or Tividad songs. A handful of these such as ‘Hire’, ‘Pretty’, and ‘Lucky Joke’ ultimately feel uninspired and weigh down the album, rather than blending together to create a smoother outcome.

Perhaps Tividad and Tucker might not feel as intertwined as songwriters anymore, both growing into artists in their own respects. Tellingly, a few of these tracks have been previously released as solo songs. ‘Stale Device’, ‘Lucky Joke’, and ‘Josephs Dad’ first appeared on Tividad’s Bandcamp release Love Is Rare about a year ago and Tucker has also recorded under their own name. Hence, Chaos at times feels patchy and less coherent as an album — as if Girlpool are trying to find their feet – but ultimately it reflects their continued growth both as individual artists and as a band.

6/10

Photo: Manchester University Quidditch Club

So you want to start up your own society?

Written by Ellie Martin on . Posted in Societies.

For those of you who have found a society that you’re enjoying, you might be thinking of getting more involved in the organisation and running of the group.  Societies are what the members make of them, so if you use the time you have at uni to make a society great, this can hugely benefit you and the society itself. If you’re not familiar with the way in which everything works, it can be a little confusing to get your head around how to become more involved in a society, or worse still, to start your own.  Here is all the information you need on navigating societies; the committee, the jargon and, most importantly, what you need to do if you want to start a society.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need scores of students to start a society.  The University of Manchester only requires a President, a Treasurer, a Secretary, and an Inclusions Officer (a 2017 addition) for you to be recognised. So, if you and your three flatmates want to turn those late night deep discussions about Game of Thrones into a weekly GoT social with 20 other people joining the conversation, then you’re on your way! These four roles are what makes up a “Committee”.  Each society must have these four essential roles to be officially recognised by the SU.

Societies can have as many roles as they want in the committee, and these will vary according to the needs of the society.  Some will only need these four essential members, while others can have more than a dozen extra roles, depending on the size and demands of the society.  These can be things like librarians, kit managers for sports societies, socials officers, and anything else that the society might need.

When it comes to who has the authority in a society, some may choose to give each member of the committee equal voting power when decisions have to made. Others may choose to organise themselves with general committee members, more specific roles based on the society’s needs, and then an inner “Executive Committee” made up of the four essential roles who have more deciding power.  

Societies who have links with Manchester Metropolitan University also must comply with their SU’s requirements, and so some societies will have members of the respective universities elected for roles set out by both SUs, working together in one committee.

If you’re interested in becoming a committee member, how do you go about it?

Each society holds ‘General Meetings’, which are open to all members of the society.  Most societies will hold Ordinary General Meetings (OGMs) throughout the year where the committee members meet to discuss the society, any events that might be taking place, or socials that need to be planned.  Annual General Meetings (AGMs) are usually held in April or May, before everyone has left. This is when elections are held for the following year’s committee. The democratic election of committee members is essential, and the minutes and results of the meeting have to be forwarded on to the SU.

The Pirate Society (proof that you really can start any society you want) had trouble a few years ago when they refused to hold elections, as they stated that “democracy was weak and unpirate-like.” As a result, they weren’t officially recognised by the SU, which lead to some real trouble with funding and organisation.

Generally, each member of the committee, including the president, will be elected (or re-elected) from a pool of members who have put themselves forward for the positions.  You can’t be elected if you haven’t put your name forward so, don’t worry, your mates can’t force you into a position if you don’t want to be elected. You may also have to present your reasons for running for a position at the AGM, and answer questions from the members as to what you might do in a certain situation or why you want to take on a certain role.  Election terms for a committee are between one AGM and the next.

Extraordinary General Meetings are rare and called when there is something special that the whole society needs to vote on, like a committee member quitting and another person needing to be voted in to take their place.

A society’s constitution is another requirement of the SU for the society to be officially recognised.  If you’re starting your own society, the SU can provide you with a template for one. The constitution varies from society to society, but it is a document that sets out the intentions of the society and the ways in which decisions will be made.  Society constitutions are really interesting documents, and you can find some real gems hidden within the clauses. For example, after the Quidditch Society was reformed in 2014, the newly elected committee rewrote the constitution in a way that was immediately telling that it had been written by a group of private school boys, with roles of “Quartermaster” instead of kit manager, “Squire to the President”, and “Secretariat”.  Sections of the constitution might include definitions of what is meant by “member of the society”, the ethos of the society, how elections are run, and the roles of the committee.

When the AGM of your society comes around, you’ll be ready to ask the right questions and get yourself elected. And, if you’ve not yet found one you’re into, maybe now you feel more equipped to start a society of your own! Registration for new societies is closed for the current year, but get yourself ready with a constitution and a committee and apply for registration in the coming year.

You never know, your idea for a society might be what someone else has been looking for!

Photo: University of Salford Press Office @ flickr

Pigeonholed by the puffa jacket

Written by sophiemarriott on . Posted in Opinion.

Facebook and Twitter are saturated with quizzes inviting you to discover which ‘type’ of student you are, or what style you suit best, or what you really should be studying based on your personality.

Are you fit? Are you chilled? Or are you a mess? These tired tropes circulate lazily through our social media and smuggle us into overcrowded pigeonholes like batter-farmed chickens.

Only certain people will live in certain halls of residence, and they’ll also dress in similar ways, and of course, have exactly the same lifestyle. What type of student are you according to your favourite takeaway? Or better yet, what takeaway are you based on what type of student you are?

What should be a time of experimentation and self-discovery is becoming a race as to who can finish this process first. It feels as if the aim is always to present yourself as a finished product; polished, buffed, complete. However, this leaves no room to relish the process before this point, to wear outfits that perhaps aren’t very ‘you’, and sometimes outfits which aren’t really very anyone.

Having the ability to experiment with your style or your social group, is an opportunity to explore your deeper identity. Clothes can be a way to articulate your interests and passions to the outside world, just as your music taste can. The way you spend your free time is a kind of scouting out of your own mind.

Not everyone knows exactly what they think, all of the time, nor is everybody in complete harmony with their background. It is often assumed that every member of an ethnic minority is profoundly in tune with their wider community, and if they’re not overtly Black or Asian it’s because of some conscious choice they’ve made. Or equally, the more prevalent category, that of the middle-class white student, are not all from the happy homes in the leafy Home Counties.

At times, the Library can feel like the infamous lunchtime diner scene in Mean Girls, segregating the cliques of high school.

Of course, in Manchester, it is far more nuanced, and there isn’t the same pernicious judgement of those who make different fashion and lifestyle choices from yourself. There are some, however, who dish out scoffs to anyone who tries to escape the expectations built around them.

Manchester can be wonderful in accepting people from different backgrounds and cultures, and with different body types, but there’s a disturbing readiness to confine people to these groups. I’m sure most would agree that, in theory, all should have equal access to the puffa jacket as well as the sensible waterproof. Yet unconsciously we see one of these items and make a leap to an assumption about work ethic and social habits.

There should be more room for people to experiment with different cultures and genres. What we expect of certain people becomes the only way they could behave.

Photo: Ryan Gear

Art in Mancunia: Ryan Gear

Written by Bella Jewell on . Posted in Arts.

In an ‘Art in Mancunia‘ interview with Ryan, he describes how his work “explores our city environments and uses the lens to offer a different perspective on our surroundings.” The untitled series captures various urban environments within Manchester, with a focus upon line and geometric angles.

In fact, Ryan explains how he is “very strict and careful with [his] composition” creating a distinctive aesthetic. He describes how he is constantly “manoeuvring [his] surroundings in a specific manner to block out the noise.” When considering his work, it is true that the photographs capture moments of calm stillness in a chaotic city environment.

Photo: Ryan Gear
Photo: Ryan Gear

 “I like to give an alternative perspective and look at my surroundings as shapes,” Ryan explains, describing how he “looks into the overlooked and unnoticed.” Ryan’s creative process consists of giving “an alternative perspective” whilst “looking at [his] surroundings as shapes, not just banal buildings. The deconstruction of the mundane and the habitual is central to the artist’s work.

This photographic series, however, diverges from the general stereotype surrounding landscape photography. Ryan describes how his aim “was to work strictly within our concrete worlds,” highlighting an alternative way of viewing our surroundings. Whilst the stereotype of landscape photography focuses on the rural and natural, Ryan claims that photography is “much more complex and close to home than that. We should be looking at all of our landscape. Looking deep into our city environments and finding beauty in it.” 

Photo: Ryan Gear
Photo: Ryan Gear

Ryan Gear looks beyond the surface, transforming seemingly unimportant cityscapes into individual pieces of beauty. Despite the realm of photography becoming more accessible — with the rise of technology and social media — Ryan believes “now is an important time for more creative and experimental ways of working to be established within photography and art.” This young artist is working towards bringing thought back into an art form which is becoming more and more habitual and, often, mindless.

In Conversation with Queen Zee

Written by Issy Bolitho on . Posted in Music.

Bursting out of the Liverpool scene, glam punk quintet Queen Zee are the antidote to apathy that music desperately needs. Sharing a message of togetherness, humanity and being unapologetically authentic to the sound of explosive, grungy guitars, the band bring fiery passion to everything they do. Zene Davine, vocalist, talks politics, being a transwoman and the release of their self-titled debut album.

Released 8th February, Queen Zee’s debut album has been a long time coming. Davine calls it a relief to finally be sharing it, saying “it feels good as a band to be putting out your statement.” She mentions the validation a debut album gives them as a band, “you’re not really taken seriously as a band… until your first album’s out.”

The album is set to deliver exactly what Queen Zee do best, loud, riotous, yet introspective, rock that is sure to keep you moving, singing, and thinking. Despite the weight of album number one being lifted, the band are keen to dive into new music. “I’m looking forward to the next record”, Davine says, “It’s kind of great to move on from the material.” But there’s no rest for the wicked; with new songs being demoed as we speak it’s clear the band are taking no time off in the wake of their debut.

Queen Zee make music that is undeniably energetic, whole-hearted fun while opening an important dialogue about trans and LGBT+ rights. Davine mentions that although their identity within the LGBT+ community has shaped the band, they don’t want that to limit themselves and the audiences they play to. “Playing Reading and Leeds I can go and preach to the audience where maybe 50% of them agree with me and 50% don’t,” and it is opening such dialogue that Queen Zee is all about. Davine talks about playing major festivals, “being invited to play there as a trans person is an absolute minority,” and the necessity of her “invading those spaces… and normalising who I am.”

Although the band are arguably political in nature, Davine takes the stance that because of the current “bizarre political climate” the writing of the band is politicised due to trans and LGBT+ politics being at their forefront. She describes the songwriting process as free-writing — “if you manage to capture it in half an hour then you’ve really captured it” — and says that although their song ‘Boy’ is often called political it’s just herself talking about a personal experience. “In an ideal world, it would just be an experience I’ve gone through,” Davine muses, eloquently raising the point that musicians who have a voice outside of what is considered the norm are often politicised in a way those within the majority are not. Queen Zee provide an essential voice in normalising trans and LGBT+ voices at a time where politics are “on the table for everyone to debate.” Davine adds that “my nature and my existence has become debated.”

Not only are the band unique in their poignant lyricism and their scruffy, boot-stomping riffs but in the DIY method that is behind everything they do. “It was almost DIY at the start out of necessity,” the band don’t have any major label backing, starting their own label Sasstone Records, and had no external funding. Despite this, they weren’t prepared to “sit around and wait for someone to do it.” It is this ethos that sets the band apart and allows pure passion to shine through the cracks of their punk imperfections. Davine points out the “rough around the edges” nature of the album, citing it as “energy and passion rather than just perfection.” This mentality has provided a vital learning curve for the band, getting them from a point where “neither of us could really play our instruments” to producing their debut, running their own record label, and creating their own artwork that is reminiscent of a 90s punk zine.

Charming all those who listen with their brutal honesty and tongue in cheek humour, the band have amassed a cult-like following. Fans have twitter competitions comparing the number of gigs they have attended, some upwards of 20 only two years after the band’s initial entrance onto the scene, with Davine adding “they recognise the same faces in the audience quite a lot of the time.” And the impressiveness of their devoted fanbase does not stop there, with the band receiving acclaim from the likes of Iggy Pop saying “they rock like crazy.”

2019 is set to be a record year for the quintet, with a headline tour, the release of their debut album, and “more touring, more shows, and more festivals to announce.” Things are only looking up for the band that is set to dance, kick, and rock their way into your hearts.

Be sure to catch Queen Zee this weekend (23rd Feb) at the YES basement. Tickets here: https://www.seetickets.com/event/queen-zee/yes-the-basement-/1283701

In Conversation with FEET

Written by Tilda Gratton on . Posted in Music.

We caught up with Harry from FEET, a 5-piece student band formed back in January 2016 at university in Coventry. The band began as a distraction for its members from their “endless bowls of pasta and lonely nights due to their poor game” (sound familiar?).

Their influences are ever changing but reach across a broad range of classics: Harry claims “(they) listen to a lot of classics: obviously the Beatles, the Beach Boys, really into the Kooks and Shuggie Otis,” as well as all of frontman George’s obscure Spotify finds, which he spends days searching for. “We’re into a lot of weird stuff, a lot of old stuff and keeping up with today and the general stuff that’s going on. We see a lot of live shows, like at the Windmill [Brixton, London] …I guess inspiration comes from lots of random live shows more than actual records.”

The variety of influences that FEET harbour is evident in their ability to jump around and change up the sounds in their discography. ‘Petty Thieving’ was released by Yala Records (Yak, the Magic Gang) in 2017, having been largely written on a 4-string guitar. Apparently, the 4-string idea largely transpired, purely out of not being bothered to restring it.

‘Pretty Thieving’ has twists and turns hinting at the Fall and the Libertines, again showcasing their key influencers. The video shows the band with “a green screen and random patterns and stuff…George’s mum walking his dog.” The song is “literally about poor students grabbing stuff and bits of cheese… it’s not much deeper than that.” But don’t be fooled by the title of their latest track ‘English weather’ released earlier this year: this track is just as upbeat and catchy.

It appears FEET have trouble defining themselves as one genre but settled on “indie” but “(they) don’t like to say it because it’s such a wide umbrella term.” When anyone asks they “give a funny answer like crease pop to wind people up a bit…poppy indie stuff.” Think jangly guitars, hints of the Maccabees and Parquet courts: they’re a band with the potential to shake rooms up and down the country and soundtrack day time radio at the same time. They’re here to have the best of times; just look up FEET TV on YouTube and see for yourself all of their adventures.

Last summer proved to be quite the period of change for FEET with four out of five of the band leaving university last summer. They retreated to “the barn” in Cambridgeshire for 2 months to write songs. “[Coventry’s] music scene isn’t the best for bands really; it’s self-sufficient, apart from bands that play NME, Empire, or Kasbah, its nightclubs and DJs rather than fresh, young, musical bands and stuff.” After university, FEET spent a lot of time hidden away, “writing so many songs and finding ‘the sound’ to move away from the pop-ier ‘Macho Macho’ and have a bit of a makeover, a bit dirtier and ruder.” FEET clearly hoped this time away would mean they could recollect their goals and sound for their future projects… “Well you know we didn’t want to be like we’re not that jangly indie stuff anymore like we were then, but we’ve sort of moved on a little bit,” with their album recordings taking place this week.

Ensuring FEET reach their full potential can also be seen through the fact that the band’s line-up has had some reshuffles since they started. Callum joined just 16 months ago and drummer Ben from disbanded, post-punk trio the Dead Pretties joined in October, who is now “fully inducted into (their) inner circle.” Since then, they’ve lived in Southampton and have been recording their first record, staying in B&Bs and, if they’re not out recording or on tour, just staying in hotels. They claim that they’d love to live in London but “can’t justify it when we’d never actually be there.” Their writing process, “living room treatment”, involves all of them sitting down chucking ideas around whether it’s their instrument or not (all of them are multi-instrumentalists).

As of this year, FEET have decided to release music through their own label, Clapped Records where they plan to get other bands on board: “hopefully in the future if the ball gets rolling … and if we did stuff with other bands or whatever that would be something we are really looking into.”

Boardmasters festival is on the horizon for FEET this summer, and more potential festival slots are flying through. Harry saw the Chemical Brothers there last year and thought they were “unreal” with high hopes for the rest of the line-up this year.

FEET are playing Gulliver’s, NQ, Manchester on the 2ndMarch.

Photo: Gazanfarulla Khan @ Flickr

Modern Art: A victim of British traditionalism?

Written by angusdickson on . Posted in Arts.

It’s fair to say that modern art gets a lot of bad press. Whilst there are still many who appreciate pieces that most people would describe as weird or boring, it is statistically proven that people go to modern art galleries less every year. There are many reasons for this, the first being society’s adversity to change.

Throughout history, humanity has been reluctant to accept any form of cultural change. Your grandparents wouldn’t listen to your music, and your grand-kids probably won’t either. This is something that is inherent not only to the human condition, but particularly to the British, with our traditional and nostalgic fascination for the ‘classics’. No more books, poems, or works of art will ever be added to this list of ‘classics’ because the deadline has already passed. It passed about 30 years ago. Art, however, has always progressed, and its ever-changing nature is what makes it timeless.

With the technology available nowadays, the ability to paint like a photograph is no longer as impressive as it was a hundred years ago. So, artists need to find a new way to impress — if not through the semblance of reality, then why not through the process by which they have tried to achieve it?

Practically everybody has looked at a piece of art and said, “I could do that.” The common response to this is “But you didn’t.” Nowadays, instead of valuing the artistic process, artists seem to focus more on the creativity or the source of inspiration. Whilst very few people would look at a Caravaggio and think they could reproduce a similar work with ease, a fair few might look at a Rothko and believe they are comparably talented. And perhaps they are, in terms of painting ability, but the point of Rothko, and modern art in general, is not the artist’s literal talent, but their creative talent.

You cannot judge a Rothko by its photographic realness in the way that you might a Caravaggio. You can, however, judge it by its ability to elicit emotion in the spectator, which was Rothko’s primary intention. Of course, some examples of modern art are far harder to dismiss by this logic. Piero Manzoni, for example, literally sold his faeces in a can. Whilst many see this as a blatant middle finger to the art world, there is always the argument that he was simply trying to widen the world’s perception of what can be seen as having artistic value.

As pretentious as people sound when they use this argument, it is true that art is subjective. Everybody has different tastes. I hate Damien Hirst, but that hasn’t stopped him from being worth $300 million, so clearly not everybody does. That is what modern art is about. Anything can be art, and if one person likes it or it makes them feel something, that’s the only definition necessary.

The biggest obstacle to enjoying something unfamiliar is the pleasure one gets from hating it. A lot of the time, people will claim to ‘hate’ things they don’t understand, because we get a narcissistic pleasure from being opinionated or different. In reality, all we are achieving is ignorant xenophobia.

This lack of understanding, or ‘fear of the unknown’, has recently increased as artists have delved deeper into ideology and artistic theory. But should a mathematician make their work more accessible to the public? Of course not, as this would dilute the complexity and credibility of their work. Art is just another field of knowledge inside of which there are very specific interests, and often in contemporary art, the target audience is other artists.

It’s irrational to ‘hate’ modern art without understanding, or at least acknowledging, the theories and creative processes behind its fruition. Perhaps this won’t result in the immediate gratification sought by the infrequent gallery-goer who looks for photo similarity in painting, but there is certainly a different sort of gratification when the artist’s ideas, intentions, and ideologies are understood.

Photo: Anders Adermark @ Flickr.

How going 100 days sober can transform your life

Written by Aaron Comer on . Posted in Features.

The beginning of February is an emotional time of year for students. The joy of exam results and the excitement of Valentine’s Day are always a call for celebration. Probably the biggest celebration for students this time of year, though, is the ending of the ‘Dry January’ campaign. Across the University, hundreds of students took part in this fundraiser by being sober for the whole month. Throughout January, students may have found this lifestyle quite rewarding. But how does university life change if being sober went on for longer than a month?

My friend James Herdman can help answer this question. From September last year, he decided to go a whole 100 days without any alcohol or cigarettes for charity. And trust me, this was a true endeavour for a man whose student career previously involved more trips to Fifth than to lectures.

James is resitting third-year in an economics and politics degree. Like some students, he has an interest in fitness, clubbing, and online gambling. In fact, it was the internet which was the initial inspiration for the challenge. “In summer I watched a review of Doug Polk (a YouTuber) going 100 days sober and I umm’d and ahh’d about the idea before thinking… why not give it a bash?”

By August, the plans for the challenge were getting into full swing. Personal goals were being set by James in all aspects of life — “I really wanted to improve attendance and general performance at uni, going to the gym six times a week in the process.”

The challenge became even more appealing to James after he realised how much alcohol dominates adolescent life: “speaking to my friends, none of us can remember the last time we hadn’t had a drink for more than a fortnight since we were 16!” He was beginning to realise that students drank far too much.

Reflecting on conversations with James at the time I could sense the excitement in his Yorkshire accent. The sacrifice was becoming more than just an act of personal achievement — it was forming into a health campaign for students.

Overall, the 100 days were a huge success. James’ social life surprisingly didn’t take a hit at all. He spent the money that he would usually slide across the bar at The Friendship on nice meals in Manchester’s restaurants instead. He also visited the cinema so much that he decided to put this to use and start his own film podcast (The Final Cut) on Fuse FM.

Reflecting on the general results of the 100 days, he noticed many healthy habits: “Without drinking, well-being gets better beyond belief… less anxiety, more sleep, and of course less hangovers.” An experience I imagine most participants of Dry January also shared.

But by the sounds of it, you really notice significant gains after 3 months sober. The facts are these: With the gym he went 53 times in 100 days, gaining 8lbs of muscle in the process. “I feel amazing, once I had been to the gym, I’d feel great all day and so much more confident in myself.” To put this achievement into perspective, this is the equivalent of gaining approximately 4kg – or 5% – of James’ total body weight before the challenge. As alcohol seriously damages the ability for muscle growth, a noticeable change in appearance can quickly be seen by going sober.

The maths doesn’t stop there. James’ performance in other hobbies also improved. He was winning so much at poker he was earning a satisfactory wage for a student. “In 143 hours of poker I earned an average of £8.10 per hour, that was more than I was earning when I worked at Spoons!” Without the influence of alcohol or the cravings for a cigarette at the poker table, James was making more conservative and less irrational decisions, bettering his overall performance.

It also turns out you do not need statistics to notice the improvements in your life. “I learnt a lot about my mates during the challenge, you really notice who is a genuine friend beyond a drinking buddy.” I personally feel this is quite an unexpected and important benefit, especially for a final year student. Relying on alcohol for entertainment is not sustainable after graduation when the real world of employment hits us in the face.

With graduation on topic, James feels it will be a happier occasion than it was for him last year. “I’m more involved in modules with more time to read and a clearer head, my exam results aren’t out yet, but they have absolutely improved!” It goes without saying that more visits to Fifth than university was a contributing factor for the need to redo final year.

It turns out alcohol and cigarettes really eat into your time more than you imagine. The few minute cigarette breaks and the morning hangovers can really rack up.

So, what advice does James offer to other students who are hoping to achieve the same? “Do it for a charitable cause so you feel better about yourself and to help others with alcohol-related problems.” There are numerous charity platforms online for students.

Websites such as JustGiving are financially safe and easy to use. He also advises to get someone else involved with the challenge,“It’s really important to do it with someone. It means you always have someone who is up for gyming or eating out when others are off to 256.”

So, if you’re reminiscing of the good times of going to university and a lack of morning paracetamol during Dry January, maybe the 100 days is the next step for you.

Photo: @MaxPixel

Opinion: The Oscars are the film industry’s worst enemy

Written by Tobias Soar on . Posted in Film.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the biggest cancer in the film industry. They have turned film-making into a competition for the viewer’s bloodthirsty pleasure. Casual film-goers will now be swayed to watch Oscar award-winning films over other (arguably more creative) “losers”, thus missing out on fresh cinematic experiences. This year, for the 91st Academy Awards, a decision to streamline the ceremony has had an unfortunate side effect. It has given the middle finger to a huge group of industry professionals.

Instead of excluding musical acts or enforcing shorter winning speeches or even reducing the number of commercial breaks, the 91st Academy Awards will skip over broadcasting the awards for cinematography, film editing, live action short, and makeup and hair-styling.

“In the history of CINEMA, masterpieces have existed without sound, without color, without a story, without actors, and without music. No one single film has ever existed without CINEMAtography and without editing”, tweeted Alfonso Cuarón, director of the Oscar-nominated Roma. I completely agree. The technical elements of film-making are core pillars of the art and hiding the celebration of their greatest contributors is a poke in the eye to every cinematographer and film editor, living or deceased.

Allow me to list “Best Picture” Oscar-winning films whose cinematography and editing elevated them to a position in the Cinema Hall of Fame, in my opinion: Moonlight, Birdman, The Artist, Silence of the Lambs, Rocky, The Godfather, and The Godfather Part 2. Without their cinematography and editing we wouldn’t have iconic shots which are burned into the mind of practically every living person who has seen a film. Another merit these films hold is that they aren’t “Oscar-bait” — I’m looking at you, The Post. Unlike some films which were specially made to secure an Oscar win, they are fantastic films which just so happen to have been appreciated by the Academy, too.

I also think that the Academy’s decision to exclude these categories is irresponsible. They have a duty to preserve and acknowledge every pillar of the art of film. They should be upholding a golden standard of what makes film special.

Fortunately, the exclusion of these categories is temporary — next year four different categories will be glossed over instead. Obviously, the solution is to give less recognition to industry professionals so the Academy can earn more during commercial breaks. And of course, the not-cringe-worthy-at-all musical interludes must be preserved at all costs!

President of the Academy, John Bailey, if you really believe that you are “committed to presenting a show which we will all be proud of”, you should take a step back and look at how your crowd-pleasing decision is not only harming but insulting the industry. If I were you, I wouldn’t be proud at all.

Photo: Callum Lunn

A Strawberry Jam is a bloody big success

Written by Chloe Hatton on . Posted in Societies.

Fuse FM’s most recent club night was a bloody big success, collecting enough tampons for someone to use for 11 years, alongside a whole range of other sanitary products.

Following our preview of the event, which was a night full of the very best of Manchester’s female talent, the collaboration managed to raise a whole heap of sanitary products and money to help women most in need.

The night managed to collect 78 packets of pads, 66 boxes of tampons, 19 tubes of toothpaste, and 16 bottles of shampoo, alongside a range of other products like shower gel, panty liners, and toothbrushes. As if this wasn’t enough, the night also managed to raise £80 on the door.

If you were unable to attend but still want to donate, a collections box will be set up in 532 Bar and Kitchen, in the Students’ Union. The donations will go to rough sleepers and refugee and domestic abuse shelters across Manchester through Every Month, a charity that works closely with Bloody Good Period to provide sanitary products to those in need in the North of England.

Not only was this event designed to help raise vital supplies for Bloody Good Period, it also helped to showcase some of the brilliant performances that female DJs in Manchester have to offer.

Martha Bolton, Fuse FM’s Head of Events, claims there is still a problem with female under-representation, especially in the world of work. Deciding to work with an all-female lineup helps to give many incredibly talented women, who may never have been on stage before, an opportunity to really show what they can do.

Seven DJs were given a chance to perform, with some even going on stage for the first time. Although this may seem daunting, they all rose to the challenge, and both the performers and the audience were incredibly supportive.

Leia Barlow (Velmz) said: “It was a great experience meeting other female DJs, as it’s quite rare that I get the chance to! Everyone was so supportive, and there was a great variety of genres throughout the night.”

Martha added: “We don’t want to use euphemisms for periods. This is all about normalising something that has historically been very stigmatised, and we want to break down those barriers.”

The event was a huge success, with just under 300 free tickets being nabbed before the event and welcoming even more students at the door. If you were one of the unlucky ones who didn’t manage to make it down — never fear! Our friends over at Funraising are, as we speak, compiling a short documentary of the night, full of footage and interviews for you to enjoy to your heart’s content. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for the video.

Stay tuned for Fuse FM’s next event by keeping up to date with their Facebook page — they’ll be back very soon with what is sure to be a bloody good night.

Photo: Hannes215 @ Pixabay

Review: ‘Mouthful of Birds’ by Samanta Schweblin

Written by Gurnaik Johal on . Posted in Books.

Following the success of her debut novel Fever Dream, which was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize in 2017, Mouthful of Birds is Samanta Schweblin’s first collection of short stories published in English. People have rightly compared her dark, surreal style with Kafka, the Grimm brothers, and even the films of David Lynch, but there is something distinctly startling in these 21st Century Argentinian stories. 

The first story, ‘Headlights’, begins with a newlywed abandoned by her husband as she takes a toilet break on the side of a highway. He drives off and she finds herself stranded amongst an otherworldly community of jilted brides. The story is flipped on its head — something you’ll get used to while reading the collection. The twists in the plots are like hard handbrake turns, perspectives shift with a screech.

Schweblin sweeps across a large area of life in Buenos Aires, from brutal gangs in stories like ‘The Test’, to the art world in stories like ‘The Heavy Suitcase of Benavides’. Some of the stories are barely a few pages long. Schweblin is brilliant at boiling off the excess in a story, leaving something dense and essential. The brevity and compelling writing style propel you through the collection quickly — you can finish a story in a matter of minutes.

The collection is wide-ranging. Schweblin is a writer unafraid to blend genre, from gothic to magical realism and fantasy. The one connecting thread that runs throughout is the theme of change. Like Ovid’s Metamorphoses, each story shows some form of transformation and like Kafka’s Metamorphosis, this change is uncanny and grotesque.

As is seen in Fever Dream, Schweblin is talented at creating suspense. There’s an eerie escalation in each story, as if with each sentence Schweblin is blowing up a balloon, bigger and bigger until, in the last paragraph, it is so full of air that it pops. These snap moments at the climax of each story are brilliant. Mouthful of Birds is filled with cliffhanger endings, each one satisfying in its own way. You’re left wanting more, but you don’t feel cheated out of a good ending.

Reading the book admittedly puts you in a strange head space. Her immersive style brings you down into the minds of characters who are hardly ever in control. They’re as lost in the stories as we are, stumbling through Schweblin’s strange new worlds. There’s a slight sense of detachment in her writing style, creating a sense of separation between what a character is thinking and what they are doing. It’s as if you are watching the stories unfold from the sunken place in Jordan Peele’s Get Out — the horror lies in being able to watch, but not being able to act.

One of my favourite stories in the collection, ‘Santa Claus Sleeps At Our House’, is written from the perspective of a young child oblivious to their parents’ marriage falling apart. A depressive mother and an aggressive father struggle to keep the family together while the child can think of only one thing: the remote control car they asked to get for Christmas. The story starts, “the Christmas when Santa Claus spent the night at our house was the last time we were all together.” Sentences like this are brilliantly translated from the Spanish by Megan McDowell, who also translated Fever Dream. The McDowell/Schweblin combination seems to working wonders, so let’s hope McDowell is hard at work at bringing Schweblin’s other short stories to English-speaking readers.

Listed in The Mancunion’s most anticipated books of 2019, Mouthful of Birds comes strongly recommended. Schweblin is a writer fascinated with the dark underside of society. She unearths and exposes things like a curious child picking up a rock from the floor, turning it over to see the wet dark mud beneath it, and all manner of insects running.

Photo: Eugene Sebastian Lim @ Facebook

Rats to riches: interview with entrepreneur Eugene Lim

Written by Jacklin Kwan on . Posted in Features.

Rats to Riches is a finance strategy board game. It featured in the London Toy Fair, caused a mini-viral sensation in the UK’s board game community, and it was invented by a guy I met in my first year. Eugene and I met at a society social, and throughout my course, I witnessed his game grow from a modest student beta test into a huge startup success all on my Facebook feed. In the past two years, I began growing a fascination with how a normal, full-time university student could create something so… complete. From conceptualising and designing a game, making the tokens and cards, and actually having people who want to buy and play it. How did Eugene do it? What had happened in between the time we met at the single social to when he was suddenly giving Ted talks about his game?

I sat down with Eugene at the Bright Building. It’s an open space floor plan and professionals with lanyards are brainstorming over coffee, and it’s all very impressive. “It’s actually not part of the University. It’s just a random building for start-ups. My office is actually just around there,” he points around a bend while we’re walking to a table. I learned that Eugene actually earned his office space through an accelerated start-up program provided by the Entrepreneurship Society at the University. But by that the time he applied for the program, he had already begun work on a board game.

The story starts when Eugene is volunteering with Enactors, teaching secondary school students in Manchester about economics. But early in, Eugene noticed that there were often consistency problems. During the exam season, volunteers could not commit to the hours, leaving Enactors short-staffed. “I wanted to make a board game that could teach economics even if we weren’t there.” It made sense; Eugene already found that volunteers needed to make games out of complex concepts like interest rates, lending, trading.

With just a humble idea began the steep learning curve at the beginning of Eugene’s second year. Youtube videos of board game reviews and of game design were a must for someone who had never played much more than Monopoly. Eugene also became invested in gaining knowledge through the board game community. He would show up to board game events he found on meetup.com with scraps of paper so people could test his proto-game, catalysing incremental steps of feedback and the product design of Rats to Riches.

Whilst talking to him, it was clear a lot of this feedback wasn’t always easy to hear. Criticisms of an early version of Rats to Riches at a game developer meeting was particularly harsh, “Yeah, they just ripped my game apart. ‘It’s too convoluted. There’s no element of luck or skill. The game plays the player etc. etc. They basically told me my game was shit…But that just made me want to prove them wrong.”

Rats to Riches was already in the throes of intense development when Eugene was chosen by the start-up program. With that, he suddenly had £1500, an office, and a mentor network program to support him. “I had no idea what to spend the money on. This board game takes like, what, £2 to produce? It’s just cards and tokens.” So, rationally, Eugene decided to make 1000 sets of Rats to Riches Beta (yes, he prints the word ‘BETA’ on the box).

He uses these sets to test the game with students and friends, but even late iterations of it were heavily criticised. 10 minutes of gameplay with one of his lecturers ended with a damning face-to-face review. “It was true. He told me that my game was too confusing, that it should be simple like chess, which only has six pieces but can interact in really complex ways. But it was hard. I realised that to incorporate his advice, Rats to Riches would look completely different to what I already had made.” In a move that speaks volumes about Eugene’s devotion to improvement, he did end up scrapping main elements of his game to design it from the ground up.

“But it wasn’t easy. I know when I’m telling it to you, it just sounds really fast. But it really wasn’t.” Early on, Eugene was putting in 13-15 hours of work a day, and his mental health began to deteriorate. “You just try so hard to make something out of nothing. And you’re just so aware all the time that it could so easily go back into nothing.” But something was born out of nothing. Using the remaining sets of Rats to Riches Beta, Eugene and one of his course mates began launching huge social media campaigns, asking board game savvy influencers to test their game and say their thoughts. Soon, Rats to Riches was a mini-sensation on Instagram.

Eugene was eventually invited to a meeting in Liverpool with Accentuate, a company that stocks board games in huge distributors like John Lewis and is backed by Dragons’ Den investor Peter Jones. “I just thought they wanted to talk. But I arrived and everyone was wearing suits while I just had a t-shirt and jeans on.” Accentuate had booked out the entire floor of a restaurant, and as Eugene sat down to dinner, they revealed that they wanted to buy the licenses to sell Rats to Riches. “I just remember listening to all of this and going, ‘No.’”

But eventually, with some more time to process their offer and iron out the exact terms, Eugene decided to partner with Accentuate. His board game will be sold all across the country.

Photo: The Mancunion

The State of Skate: where are the games?

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

Gaming and skating had, until the turn of the decade, gone hand in hand. The massive success of the Tony Hawk series throughout the late ‘90s and 2000s and the Skate series up until Skate 3 in 2010 has meant that skating fans have never been left wanting.

Now, however, nine long years have passed with the only release of note being the universally maligned Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5, which did little to satiate the appetite of fans of the sub-genre. So, what’s going on with skating games, and is there any hope of a better tomorrow?

Well, the short answer for fans of the aforementioned series is, sadly, no. Tony Hawk announced via Twitter in February 2018 that, “Activision owns the THPS (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater) license but I am no longer working with them.”

Rumours about Skate 4 have always refused to go away, but the last official word that we heard on the game is a trite statement from EA CEO Andrew Wilson saying that EA “are not currently making Skate 4.” EA, having recently announced that the 7.3 million sales of Battlefield V meant it had “flopped” are presumably disinterested in rebooting a franchise that sold little more than that at its zenith.

However, with the niche long uncontested, seeds of hope have begun to grow out of the ashes of despair for skateboarding game enthusiasts in the form of two in-development indie projects, titled Skater XL and Session (formerly Project: Session).

It is worth noting at this point that both games are still a very, very long way from representing the finished products. Skater, which is made by Easy Day Studios, is currently in early access on Steam, but amounts to little more than a mechanical proof of concept, being set on a small arena with no objectives, scoring system or narrative.

Photo: EasyDay

Nonetheless, its subreddit has been quick to praise the mechanics: in Skater, each thumbstick controls one foot, making for a deep, difficult, and ostensibly realistic playing experience; rather counter-intuitively (at least at first), board movement is done with triggers. It currently holds a ‘very positive’ rating on the Steam store and costs £15.49. It is only available on Microsoft Windows, although Easy Day have said an eventual console release is “very possible.”

Like Skater, Session maps each in-game foot to its respective thumbstick and movement to triggers, but a major difference is that it is being built using the Unreal Engine rather than Unity, which is being used for Skater. Which of these approaches is more successful remains to be seen, with Session set to hit Steam’s Early Access programme in Q2 2019.

However, Session’s life has hitherto been going somewhat less smoothly than Skater’s. Even though the game is not yet in early access, fans on its subreddit are worried about a perceived lack of communication from developers Crea-ture Studios on the project, and some feel that Skater has progressed better so far. A free demo has been available for some time, but, like Skater, it is very raw – probably even more so, having tried it out – and has not been updated for a long time.

Photo: Crea-ture

However, it should be noted that Session’s Kickstarter backers are receiving more regular updates as to how the game is developing. Additionally, Session currently has an advantage in that it will be available on Xbox One as well as PC, and, having signed a 3-month deal with Microsoft for launch exclusivity, will surely receive some backing from the tech giants. By implication, a PS4 release may be made available following that 3-month period, although nothing has been confirmed yet.

At the moment, then, the ‘state of skate’ is that we have two competing projects with small but passionate fan bases. Both look promising, with the commitment to realism, difficulty, and punk music that endeared so many fans to the original two Skate games. However, the games default settings of using the right and left bumpers to steer feels very cumbersome, and this doesn’t help the currently clunky feel of both games; a far cry from the smoothness of Skate or even THPS. Nonetheless, development blogs show varying levels of sustained progress, even if it is not coming quite fast or regularly enough for fans who have already financially backed the projects. 

However, it really is too early to tell whether either product will live up to the high standards set by the skating games of the 2000s, let alone which will ultimately will better. Whilst Skater XL has a firm upper-hand for now, there’s a long way to go until these two games are fully-fledged products ready for sale. The competition between the two and the intense scrutiny of their fan bases can only make for a more fascinating contest — may the best skater win.

Photo: The Mancunion.

New electric buses to hit Greater Manchester

Written by Lucy Menage on . Posted in News.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) have successfully secured £5.2 million to fund a total of 70 plug-in electric buses.

23 of the electric buses will be used on the Vantage route and the Manchester free bus network.

First Bus Manchester, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), Manchester Community Transport, and Stagecoach Manchester have been awarded funding to purchase the remaining 47 electric buses.

Stagecoach Manchester will be given the largest proportion of the funding at £6.9 million.

In August of last year, Stagecoach announced that they planned to use the electric buses on routes servicing the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University as well as Manchester Airport, six hospitals, the city centre and Piccadilly station. Stagecoach South Manchester recently reported a 14% increase in pre-tax profit.

The electric bus scheme is part of the government’s Ultra-Low Emission Scheme, which will provide £48 million for authorities across England and Wales to purchase low-emission electric buses.

The funds will also be used to build infrastructure, such as electric charging, to support the electric buses.

The electric buses produce 30% less greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel buses with the same passenger capacity. The green house gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitric oxide.

Emissions from some buses contribute to poor air quality. TFGM are said to be using the scheme to make Manchester’s bus fleet as green as possible.

The air quality index, a measure of air pollution, was measured this week as “moderate” over Oxford Road and Piccadilly.

Andy Burnham, the Mayor for Greater Manchester endorsed the investment: “This is good news for Greater Manchester’s bus passengers, who can now look forward to seeing even more modern, environmentally-friendly electric buses on our roads, in place of more polluting vehicles.”

“Some buses contribute heavily to poor air quality, a problem that affects us all – but in particular the poorest and most vulnerable in society – and which contributes to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths every year in Greater Manchester”

“Buses have an essential role to play in that, which is why we’re working towards having a zero-emission bus fleet – and today’s funding announcement is another step in reaching that ambitious goal.”

Photo: MergeGames

Review: RIOT – Civil Unrest

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

Riot – Civil Unrest is a game that looks at the most carnal expressions of modern human conflict, yet never really comes to terms with its own internal contradictions. Whilst it’s certainly an interesting and mimetic project, it remains a clunky and narratively uncertain piece which frustrates as much as it excites.

Riot, in essence, is a real-time strategy game which sees you take control of either rioters or police, set against the background of real-life riots. The Police, as you might expect, are more tactical: you control small units in each level, but have more powerful weapons. Playing as the rioters is much messier (which may well be the point), and it can be hard to control the throng of protesters from your position in front of the screen.

Whilst the gameplay, in this way, certainly represents what a riot might really be like for both sides, the graphical style does somewhat obfuscate the game in terms of functionality. The blurry, pixelated characters can be very troublesome to differentiate, which is problematic for a game which primarily requires pointing and clicking to get things done. Additionally, the camera and view controls felt unresponsive and unwieldy.

 

It also simply wasn’t fun. As nebulous as this sounds, I simply didn’t find myself enjoying playing Riot. The interface was hard to navigate and the game felt clunky, while the depersonalisation of both sides created by the blurred art style meant it was difficult to emotionally invest, as did the lack of an overarching narrative. It all felt a little like the gameplay had been contrived from the premise.

I never really got a proper grip of the narrative. Strangely, story mode seemed to have little in the way of story, which was mainly found in global mode, the campaign which sews the game together. Global mode held some appeal, asking you to consider public opinion when making decisions, but was mainly an exercise in repetition, albeit with increasing difficulty. Levels were small and delocalised, giving only a few cursory lines of context. The cut scenes were interesting, but did little to really engage you with ensuing events. More troubling, however, was the fact that this game seemed to so little of consequence about its subject matter.

Indeed, Riot, which I assumed would be politicised to the point of controversy, was mainly anodyne and inoffensive. Passiveness was always rewarded; violence almost always deemed unnecessary. Journalism mode sees you get paid to get pictures, with no expansion on the topic after that. Moreover, the levels were relatively straightforward as you are only ever given one very achievable objective, meaning that you could largely ignore more complicated and morally troublesome mechanics.

I can see why the developers wouldn’t have wanted to push politicisation too far as it would risk dividing an already niche audience, but its failure to meaningfully engage ultimately felt like an opportunity missed, rather than a pitfall evaded.

Perhaps the most profound thing RIOT does is, in many ways, to its own detriment. Riot is almost completely lacking the fun found in classic RTS games like Age of Empires, but this does have the knock-on effect and making the player ask, ‘should a game about riots be fun at all?’ The despair of humanity when in total revolt does shine through in this way; it’s just unfortunate that it’s at the expense of enjoyment.

4/10.

RIOT – Civil Unrest is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch.

Live Review: The Amazons

Written by Bella Fleming on . Posted in Music.

In Greek mythology, the Amazons are a tribe of female warriors who were believed to have existed near the Black Sea, in the land now known as Turkey. However, in the 21stCentury, The Amazons are better known as an indie rock band from Berkshire, and on Saturday night I went down to catch their intimate gig at Jimmy’s in Manchester.

The Amazon’s are back on the UK touring circuit in eager anticipation of the release of their second album. The last time I saw them perform was back at Truck festival in 2016, where the band was playing in the middle of the day to a rather small crowd. Fast forward three years and it is obvious they have made their mark in the UK indie rock scene. It was amazing to see how much they had grown as performers, both in the quality of the music and in their much more mature and confident stage presence. They also had a rather large cluster of fans dancing and moshing by the front of the stage, singing along to every word, and it was nice to see how much their fan base has grown in recent years.

The show began with lead singer Matt Thomson walking through the crowd to get up on stage with a cameraman trailing behind him. This gave an initial air of arrogance which didn’t seem to be too well received by everyone in the crowd. However, this façade very quickly melted away as the band formed on stage and began playing.

As well as playing all their biggest songs, the band also debuted a few new numbers at the gig. It was a slight change of pace as the crowd went from manically jumping around and singing to modestly nodding their heads along to unheard songs. However, their new music sounded pretty promising, and not too dissimilar to their older music. The Amazons have definitely found their sound and sometimes sticking to your roots and playing what you know suits a band perfectly.

The Amazons are a band who should really be playing big venues and headlining festivals by now, and they definitely have what it takes to make it big. However, seeing them play in Jimmy’s was a reminder of just how important small independent venues are in the UK. Seeing such a talented band play a small venue makes being in the audience so special. At one point in the gig, Thomson jumped into the crowd and danced with everyone. It was surprisingly heart-warming to see a lead singer jump into a crowd to dance, rather than onto a crowd to surf it. Small differences like this made it clear that The Amazon’s clearly didn’t care where they played, just as long as they can play for their fans and be with them for an evening.

The only slightly odd part about the gig was the stage setup. The smoke machine was used a lot during the gig; however, the placement of the machine meant that smoke completely engulfed guitarist Chris Alderton and missed the rest of the band. It was slightly distracting with him sporadically disappearing throughout the gig, but I suppose this was just an unfortunate mishap.

The Amazons ended the gig appropriately with their much-loved song ‘Junk Food Forever’, initially released on their debut EP back in 2015. This seemed to be the cherry on top of the cake for the crowd, who at one point were singing louder than Thomson himself.

It’s great to see a talented young band steadily grow and blossom in the indie rock world. Perhaps if The Amazons keep working at it then maybe one day they’ll end up in history books too.

7/10