Skip to main content

Month: April 2019

Review: Beneath These Tarmac Cracks

Beneath These Tarmac Cracks is a new play that questioned our idea of memory, shown as part of the Not Quite Light festival in Salford. A short piece of immersive theatre, it asked, what does it mean to remember, who has ownership over these memories, and if our past still causes us pain, should we bother to remember it at all?

May, (Melissa Sinden), is the oldest resident in Daffodil Residential Home with a lot of stories to tell. Having developed a rare regenerative neurological disease, she can vividly remember every second of her life. She hence becomes a target of a keen young PHD student, (Ellie Scanlan), who wants to use May’s memories to write her research novel on feminist history.

Greeted by a nurse ushering us in and telling us to watch our step was an immediate inclusion of the audience into the setting of the Nursing Home. The set was simple, a bed and blankets and various memorabilia from a long-lived life, scattered amongst the regular images of the elderly such as medicine and a cannular drip.

The almost stereotyped setting served as a symbol of the anonymity that comes with ageing in a society unable to associate the elderly with a current identity. Our initial inclusion into this setting linked the anonymity and voiceless nature of being an audience member with the anonymity of the elderly. An interesting decision, this effectively created a humorous and light-hearted beginning to the piece. However, I felt any deeper intentions were lost as this inclusive atmosphere quickly dissipated as the play continued.

The show was well performed. Melissa Sinden played the character May with a stubborn, hot-headed temper and straight-talking attitude and likeability. Her moments of clarity and openness of emotion came through as refreshing breaks from this personality, rather than a sea of sentimentality.

Ellie Scanlan lends the determined PHD student, Alice, candidly nicknamed “Wonderland”, a sort of wayward charm. Her absolute resolve to use May’s memories is constantly edged with desperation, which Scanlan allows to slowly bubble to the surface throughout the play.

The script (Joshua Val Martin and Ellie Scanlan) was well-written, infused with natural witticisms and intelligently built the underlying tensions of age and motivations between the two characters.

May both epitomises and contradicts images of old age. Her refusal to idealise the “Golden Age” and feelings of nostalgia from the past creates a conflict of interest between her and Alice. Past and present are created as equally tumultuous, equally painful and, ultimately equally important.

May’s lucid flashes of memories, created through audio and visual effect, broke reality into an eerie, dreamlike experience on the stage. This technique is not used to scaremonger the audience but used rather wonderfully to inhibit the pain caused by memories, contradictory to the ideas of nostalgia Alice is hoping for May to reveal.

Beneath These Tarmac Cracks was a touching illustration and warning of how ideas of the perfection of the past can cause pain in our present. A well done and beautifully performed piece, this story will stay with its audience long after the actresses left the stage.

Review: ‘The White Card’ by Claudia Rankine

Poet Claudia Rankine’s new play centres on race and racism, asking the questions of who is racist and does whiteness remain invisible in society today. 

The White Card is about a white family who invite a black female artist to dinner because they are interested in her work. Composed of two scenes, Rankine’s first published play builds on the themes set out in her 2014 award-winning book Citizen: An American Lyric, focusing on the idea of whiteness in America. 

In the preface, Rankine attributes the originating idea for The White Card to a question a white, middle-aged man asked her during a question-and-answer session of Citizen: “What can I do for you? How can I help you?” Her response was “I think the question you should be asking is what you can do for you”, an answer he did not expect nor appreciate. Rankine was intrigued by this reaction and began thinking about questions concerning race, racism, and white guilt and saviour complex. The White Card is the result. For Rankine, in order to assess and explore such issues you have to act it out. The play is a “way to test an imagined conversation regarding race and racism among strangers”.  

The White Card sets the scene with a white, well-off couple, their activist son and a white art dealer in conversation with a female African-American artist about her work and race. The result is an uncomfortable and intense exchange of dialogue and emotions, where whiteness is put on display. Rankine creates a scenario in which race is discussed publicly, and how people are defensive and feel attacked when they speak aloud their stance on such an issue. The play focuses on how whiteness has to be faced; it is skin but also a “dehumanising power” and like skin it sheds but grows back.

Black bodies that are painted and photographed are reduced to objects to be inspected and owned. As a result, black people, dead or alive, are illustrated as never having been human but merely objects of fascination and to be controlled. The purpose of art – literature, artwork, drama, music – is to “make the invisible visible”. Racism is both seen and unseen in American society. There is a fascination and obsession with dead black bodies, as embodied by the white and privileged couple in the play, but the “white officer” is invisible. 

Rankine’s The White Card is a short yet powerful one-act play that shines a light on structural racism and whiteness in contemporary American society. The traditional motif of the dinner party is used by Rankine to stage such a conversation so that race and whiteness are talked about and interrogated. Race as a topic may seem difficult to discuss and debate spontaneously or naturally, but this is the point of The White Card, to get us used to talking about race and whiteness.  

Review: The Binary Exhibition

Eric Brown describes the Binary system as “a double star, the component parts of which revolve around their centre of gravity” in his book, Binary System. It is around from concept that The Binary exhibition at Partisan Collective aimed to underline the duality of the subject through language, dialect, and how we are often torn between the sight of two realities.

The eclectic exhibition displayed works by a large group of artists: Hayley Harman, Andrea Christodoulides, Ella Squirrell, George Coldwell, Candice Dehnavi, Spencer Roe-Ely, Martha Horn, Michelle Oliver, Oli Jessop, Madeleine Ismael, Pippa El-Kadhi-Brown, and Megan Cowley. From cold glass works, playful paintings on silk, oil canvases paintings or a performing arts video; The Binary exhibition embraced an enormous diversity in techniques and foci.

In the underground partisan collective exhibition room, the atmosphere was exquisite. Alongside free booze and harmonious tunes, every art piece was accompanied by a detailed explanation in a little leaflet. Whilst the show was full of intriguing works, I was astonished by three in particular, Ella Squirrell’s ‘Grey Faced & Pride’, Hayley Harman’s ‘Fresh Eyes to See My Worm’, and ‘Caterpillar God Shit Me Money & Run! Run! Run!’ by Andrea Christodoulides.

Squirrell’s work was made up of two portraits; one representing a man, the other a woman. The pair symbolised the duality of sexuality, gender, and mixed race identity. Influenced by her own experience, Squirrell’s artwork draws a line between the sense of belonging and not belonging. Her portraits which blur time and context, dramatise movement and perspectives.

The portrait portraying a man was captivating; his figure seemed to have been accomplished by simple continuous grey strokes. However, one notes that small aspects of colour were added to evoke the exploration of his inner self sexuality. The various hints of colour seemed to relate to his possible diversity of expressions.

On the contrary, Harman’s work was entirely an exploration of colour. Paired with a piece of her own poetry, the painting captured the essence of her writing, leading to the visual outcome of her playful and colourful canvases. A sense of duality can be perceived though the combination of language and painting; this pairing questions her identity as an author and a translator.

Harman’s playful poetry is inspired by the banal, as can be read in an extract of her work: “that is the most luxurious toilet roll I’ve ever wiped on my arse smelling eyelashes…” The translation of this banality into such vibrant painting, therefore, creates a curious pairing.

‘Fresh Eyes to See My Worm’ by Hayley Harman

From the light-hearted, we then move onto an exploration of the difficulties of student life. Christodoulides’ large paintings on silk address the struggles a student (specifically an art student), may face to support their artwork and themselves once they leave university and enter the adult world.

Christodoulides’ work raises salient questions; how is it possible to adjust to have a healthy happy lifestyle and combine it with a hard work while still inevitably stressing about the future? The importance of money and the fast pace of our generation adds on to the anxiety Andrea shares with her observers.

‘Caterpillar God Shit Me Money & Run! Run! Run!’ by Andrea Christodoulides

I still feel the exhibition deeply, and reflect on the questions it has put through my mind. It has pushed me to consider on my own experiences and personal understanding of binary systems and dualism. This thought-provoking exhibition has encouraged me to look for illustrations of the binary in my own surroundings and everyday life.

Your new student money solution

Being a student can be hard at times. The never-ending coursework, the late nights and early lectures – if you attend, that is – alongside the cooking, cleaning, washing and the money. Ah the money.

I think the other variables mentioned come and go in waves of pleasure and pain but checking your bank balance after a night out, a big meal or literally any time is never something almost any student enjoys.

Unless of course it’s the day when student loan drops, then checking your balance is the best thing since sliced bread. However, we will aim now to give you a few tips on how to look after your money that bit better as a student. Our friends over at Curve have created a way to help with just this.

Curve is an all your cards in one app. You can now connect multiple cards to one, meaning you never leave the house with more than one card on you and can see all your bank activity on the clever Curve app. We will explain more about them as we go on.

Photo: Curve.

So, what can Curve help you with?

Money monitoring – it sounds easy, but looking after your money is hard. The best advice we have is to know your limits. Having more than one bank account gives you that extra step to be able to truly see how much your spending and where.

The Curve allows you to add your bank cards to their app so you can easily see where and what you are spending your money on. For the first time, you can manage all your spending across all your bank accounts in one place, which makes it much easier to keep track of that late-night all-important cheesy chip spending.

Being a student can now not only open doors for future career prospects, but also to student deals! Curve have also got deals to be had. Their card is free and better than that, they will actually give you £5 for signing up when using The Mancunion referral code.

There are more student deals now on the market than ever before. Whether it’s through getting an NUS card or simply flashing your student card in McDonald’s or Topshop you can discover a world of deals and discounts. This is definitely a great way to save a bit extra when at your favourite retailers.

Curve’s student deals aren’t just domestic, though. Going on a holiday during the never-ending summer at Uni is fantastic, often life-changing. But spending abroad can cause extra headaches which we really don’t need when living the life in Ibiza or trekking through south-east Asia.

Perhaps you’re a foreign student studying in the UK or around the globe. You can now have the luxury of using your local bank account abroad adding it to your Curve wallet and benefiting from all Curve’s fantastic features!

That’s why a Curve card could be your best friend. Curve blue holders can spend £500 a month whilst abroad from any bank card. Curve black and metal card holders will enjoy unlimited spending, as well as gadget and travel insurance included. You get a notification whenever you spend so you can see how much and where you have spent your money.

You can connect your Barclays, Santander, Revolut, HSBC or any of your UK or non-UK credit or debit cards and then use those accounts as normal when abroad. There’s no need to top up your card as well, the money instantly transfers out. It also means only needing to take one card out with you, which frees up space in your bum bags.

Lastly, a Curve card means you now only need one card on you wherever you go. No need to have a wallet or purse full of God-knows-how-many cards. And if you do ever misplace your Curve card, you can simply lock the card directly from the app. And then when you find hidden in the sofa – even though you swore you checked there ten times – you can unlock the card and use it as normal. All your card details and security info is encrypted using advanced encryption technology.

Interested? Download the Curve app here and you can order your free Curve card today. Use The Mancunion’s official code to also earn a free £5: MANC1

Terms and Conditions are available here.

This post is paid advertorial on behalf of Curve GB.

Zamzam Ibrahim elected NUS President amid groundbreaking reforms at conference

Zamzam Ibrahim, the incumbent National Union of Students (NUS) Vice President for Society and Citizenship, has been elected as the organisation’s new President.

In accepting the role, she promised to lead a National Student Strike, based on a range of headline demands. These will include fighting for liberation campaigns and re-introducing the post-work study visa.

The President-elect has also vowed to tackle rising tuition fees, and initiate a range of liberation campaigns, including anti-xenophobia and anti-racism movements.

Speaking on her election, Ibrahim said: “I am immensely proud and humbled to have been elected as the next National President of NUS. Education is a transformative experience for millions in the UK and it is now time to make sure everyone is able to access that promise.

“There are many challenges ahead, but together we will meet them and revitalise our Union.”

Ibrahim, formerly President of the University of Salford Students’ Union, ran on a platform of revitalisation of the student movement, claiming that transformative leadership was required to guide the NUS through a period of difficulty.

Financial volatility has rocked the organisation in the last year, with widespread cutbacks and austerity measures needed to keep the body financially afloat. In January, 54 jobs were cut in order to urgently address a £3 million deficit reported in November 2018.

These decisions sparked controversy, as the International and Trans officer positions were defunded as part of measures, as well as reduction in total elected officers from 20 to 12.

The organisation’s London office on Grays Inn Road is also up for sale, to help ease debts.

With the NUS now on a path of stabilisation, this year’s conference has proved more productive than the last, with a range of new policy proposals passed.

A National Scrutiny Council was approved, which will function to examine the accountability and transparency of student officers.

In addition, subject to the approval by the Company Law meeting, the NUS’s governance system will be divided into two branches, one to deal explicitly with students’ union development, and one to support student voice.

The efficiency of the board has also been boosted by the introduction of the requirement of corporate expertise in decision-making moving forward. In addition to this, all staff at the Union will undergo mandatory antisemitism training, to reduce instances of discrimination.

The approved changes provide a welcome step forward for the NUS, which has undertaken eight reformation consultations since 2014.

Outgoing President Shakira Martin praised the changes enacted by conference, as she concluded the policy debate: “I am grateful to Conference for taking this momentous decision to endorse reform and deliver the vision of members. This vote sends a clear message that we have listened, heard and acted.

“There was a different mood at this year’s conference which was far more conciliatory and willing to hear different points of view, perhaps in recognition of the serious issues being debated. This was appreciated and is an example of the respectful debate spaces we want to see across NUS.

“We will now prepare for a Company Law meeting and subject to their endorsement for transition, the organisation will reform. This will see us create a new NUS structure that addresses the governance issues that have contributed in part to our current financial challenges.”

Fallowfield hit by overnight burglaries

Fallowfield has been hit by a spate of overnight burglaries, with multiple students reporting that their houses have been broken into.

Students have reported break-ins on Parsonage Road and Derby Road, with at least two saying they saw men on bikes attempting to take off with goods.

Police arrived on the scene within ten minutes, checking houses and inspecting under beds to ensure no criminals remained.

It’s unclear how many homes were broken into in total as many students have returned home for Easter. However, there were at least three sightings of burglars on the prominent Fallowfield Students Group (FSG) Facebook page.

One resident said that there was somebody “climbing up walls” and “snooping” in windows on Derby Road, even though some homes had left their lights on.

Marley Sheene, a student at the University of Manchester, told The Mancunion that the door of her ten-person-house was broken down at around 3 am this morning: “I was sound asleep and heard loud banging and heavy footsteps. I was getting scared so I messaged my flat-mate to call the police. They arrived within ten minutes.”

Marley added: “They didn’t steal any computers, they seemed to be looking for small things like money and mobile phones. I don’t want to stay somewhere this unsafe because it’s scary when somebody’s walking around bashing down doors; even if they’re not going to hurt you, you just can’t be sure.”

Helena, a nursing student at the University of Manchester also had her house broken into, she said: “We were woken up by our front door being kicked through, they tried all of our room doors but they were locked, we just stayed silent. They ran out after hearing my flatmate scream.”

She added: “They didn’t take anything which seems to be the consensus of the other break-ins too. It also seems to be the same two lads by what the police are saying, my housemate saw them leave on bikes.”

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that they responded to two incidents on Derby Road and Parsonage Road last night at 12.30am and 3am respectively and confirmed enquiries are ongoing.

Review: The Haunting of Sharon Tate

In a story that follows the titular character in the three days leading up to her brutal murder by the Manson family, The Haunting of Sharon Tate fails to deliver the thrills it purports to. This summer marks the 50th anniversary of Tate’s death and brings with it a flurry of films about her life. This particular “commemoration”, however, is quite frankly tasteless in its incarnation as a naff horror film.

Hilary Duff takes on the role of Tate which is clearly a departure from what we’re used to seeing her in. Duff arguably gives it a good go and there are fleeting moments of decent characterisation. These efforts are then completely thwarted by her cast-mates whose performances are reminiscent of the badly scripted teen movies we typically associate with Duff. The most watchable parts were Duff’s solo scenes and that might be down to the fact it was in these moments I wasn’t forced to listen to as much of the terrible screenplay.

Depicting this story through the horror/thriller genre is a controversial endeavour seeing as the real-life incident is still a vivid and upsetting memory for many people. With this being the case, if you are going to go down this road less travelled, it better be good. The film’s failure to successfully execute any of the tropes of the horror or thriller genres transforms this controversy into cringe.

The incongruence between the suspenseful soundscape and on-screen visuals was so apparent that I initially thought a faulty WiFi connection was to blame. This lack of harmony was also evident in the cinematography as it moved between shaky hand held camera and long shots. These were punctuated by the random appearance of wide drone shots of Hollywood. Possibly a post-production antidote to the fact that the other aspects of the film hadn’t made this obvious enough

Certain elements of the film’s premise aren’t terrible; the concept of a narrative that is driven by Sharon Tate’s viewpoint is engaging. Ultimately, it didn’t even attempt to deliver anything beyond a cheesy slasher movie. It’s only saving grace is that its terribleness just makes us more eager for the release of Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood later this year.

1/5.

Big Screen, Little Screen: Jewish History Month Talk

Big Screen, Little Screen was a talk curated as part of the many events taking place for Jewish History Month. The event was comprised into two separate parts. The first speaker, Rachel Lichtenstein, explored the experimental film-maker Robert Vas and his short films which recalled Jewish life in Whitechapel, part of London’s East End. The second speaker was P.h.D student Rachel Taube who built on the theme of Jewish TV by exploring the founders of Granada television, Sydney and Cecil Bernstein, who played a pivotal role in British society through visual media.

The largely mature audience indicated a keen interest in viewing the works of Robert Vas. A sense of enthusiasm for Vas came across as some members of the audience had made a special trip for the discussion due to some relationship with the man himself.

But who was Robert Vas?

Born and raised in Nazi-occupied Hungary, Vas arrived in Britain as a refugee. It was in Britain that he was driven by the aim to preserve Jewish history and communities through film and media. The first of his funded works was called ‘The Vanishing Street’ in 1962 which captures the hustle and bustle of Jewish life on Hessel Street, the last surviving Jewish market area in Britain.

Vas’ short film was immersive to say the least, despite there being little clear dialogue between people. I’d argue, however, that this was what made the film so evocative of real life. The sounds that echoed through the speakers picked up on street life; the sound of feet tapping on pavements and gossiping grannies. Although the individual market goers went about their own business, a sense of pride and cohesion was certainly communicated through their shared Jewish identity. One part of the film showed young school boys reciting Torah at the synagogue which struck a chord with one audience member, who joined in unison with the truly endearing school boys from the short film.

Taube’s talk discussed television shows such as ‘World in Action’ and ‘Coronation Street’ which were designed by Granada Television.

The Bernstein brothers, although raised religiously Jewish, made a personal move away from practising their families faith; although they were not affiliated religiously with Judaism, Taube communicated the role Judaism played in Sydney and Cecil Bernstein’s running of Granada Televisions. It was highlighted that Judaism is far more versatile than its common association with religion. Indeed, it was through the importance of family and togetherness that Granada Televisions functioned in such a holistic manner.

The showing of Big Screen, Little Screen was timely, especially given the recent hostility of many universities across the country towards funding Jewish societies. As disconcerting as this may feel, given the fact that universities are supposed to educate and enable personal and group development, universities also facilitate a deep understanding of minority groups.

In an age in which communities of people who have resided in this country for generations may feel threatened in their place of residence, it is up to us all to engage with the people who have contributed so positively to society by attending discussions such as these.

More information on Jewish History Month can be accessed on their website.

Predicting obesity in children

The child obesity epidemic could be targeted by measuring the BMI of children as young as two, according to researchers from the University of Manchester and Oxford University. The researchers used health data from over 750,000 children worldwide in addition to reviewing 54 other studies to identify critical points in a child’s development at which obesity can be predicted. In the UK, which has been dubbed the most obese country in Western Europe, around 20% of all children are obese, and over 60% of adults are classed as overweight or obese.

BMI was routinely measured in children in primary school, during Reception and Year 6. However, the researchers found that in some children, adult BMI can be predicted from as young as two. In others known as ‘late increasing’ children, measuring BMI only in Reception and Year 6 misses out key growth points when future obesity could be predicted. Dr Heather Robinson, the lead researcher on the study, said: “A big group (5-19%) of children rapidly gain weight between Reception and Year 6, in the ‘black hole’ between NCMP measurements. These children are also likely to be overweight as adults and form a group too substantial to be ignored.”

Researchers have called for greater communication and support for parents and children, measuring children annually from the age of two. From ages four to eleven, children’s growths fluctuate drastically, and it’s the timing of these growth spurts that allow a prediction of a later risk of obesity and other diseases including Type 1 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and liver disease.

Funding cuts mean that up to 1,000 Sure Start children’s centres in the UK have closed since 2010. Sure Start centres offer families with young children health, parenting, and employment advice, with a particular focus on children in deprived areas who are at the greatest risk for developing obesity later in life.

Dr Robinson commented that “the progressive closure of Sure Start centres threatens the few early childhood measurements that parents currently receive, as well as reducing much needed access to nutrition and breastfeeding advice… a lot of current advice relating to food and exercise comes with judgement or fails to relate to parents who may be accessing food banks, working excessive hours or struggling to purchase food.

“To try to prevent obesity without addressing the root causes of poor nutrition is an incredibly difficult challenge for health workers.”

Children living in the most deprived areas of the country are around twice as likely to be obese as those in the least deprived areas – and obesity rates in the most deprived areas of the UK have continued to increase over the past decade. Not only a problem during childhood, obesity leads to greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, in addition to a host of psychological and social problems later in life.

Clearly families in deprived areas need greater support if society is to tackle the ever-growing obesity epidemic. Measuring children twice throughout their childhood does not provide nearly enough information or intervention to prevent obesity developing. However, the responsibility cannot be placed on schools alone to fight obesity. Researchers in the West Midlands introduced an anti-obesity programme in over 50 primary schools in 2018, involving extra physical activity, healthy eating, and cooking classes with parents. After 30 months, there was no evident difference in obesity between children on the programme and children that didn’t participate.

Many researchers have attempted to understand the multi-faceted roots of the obesity problem. Many point to ignorant parents or the easy and cheap availability of junk food and the lack of affordable, healthier alternatives. According to research by the think tank Food Foundation, four million children in the UK live in households that would struggle to afford enough healthy food to meet official nutritional guidelines.

This raises the question whether the onus should be placed on parents and schools to closely monitor children’s weight, or  should we focus on addressing the deeper root of health inequality.

New drugs developed to treat ovarian cancer

A recent University of Manchester study has indicated that there is a new class of drugs which can treat ovarian cancer by stopping its cell growth. This study, led by Professor Stephen Taylor, from the University’s Drug Discovery Unit at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, and published in the Cancer Cell, concluded that a new generation of inhibitors may be effective in killing ovarian cancer cells.

The specific inhibitors that were studied targeted the DNA replication of cancer cells and blocked their growth. They also disrupted the performance of certain enzymes which helped cancer cells repair their DNA and reproduce. However, these inhibitors have yet to be able to target all different enzymes that help cancer cells proliferate. The remaining enzymes compensate for the affected ones and still cause the cancer cell to grow.

As the result of a collaboration between the University of Manchester, the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, and The Christie, researchers were able to create drugs that utilise the strengths of the inhibitors studied. Through their screening of ovarian cells in the laboratory, scientists found out that ‘switching off’ certain genes that were involved in DNA replication resulted in higher inhibitor sensitivity.

One of the researchers, PhD student Nisha Pillay, explained: “Before a cell divides, it must replicate its DNA. This critical process ensures the necessary amount of DNA is passed on to its daughter cells. Our research has shown that an inherent defect in the ability of an ovarian cancer cell to replicate its DNA can be exploited by the PARG inhibitor to kill the cancer cell.

“This new class of drugs is potentially very exciting and could signal a new way to help patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer in which their tumuor has not responded to standard treatments.”

Also, the researchers explained that their new drug is safe from drug interaction and can be used alongside other drugs including CHK1 and WEE1 inhibitors that kill cancerous cells. Despite its importance, it is significant to highlight the fact that this research is currently still being tested and researched and might not prove to be a ‘cure’ for ovarian cancer. Human trials could still be many years off, and even more years before it becomes a regular clinical drug.

However, this new discovery may be breakthrough that will hopefully will carve the path for the future advances. Ovarian cancer is considered to be the sixth common cause of cancer in women, especially women over the age of 50, and takes more than 4000 lives annually. In 2014, It was estimated that the incidence rate for ovarian cancer will rise by 15% by 2035 in the UK.

According to Professor Stephen Taylor, “sadly, for the majority of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the cancer relapses within 12 to 18 months of their first treatment, and so there is a pressing need to develop new therapies to treat this condition.” Unfortunately, despite its significance and pressing concern, the diagnosis and treatments for ovarian cancer lag behind other diseases, possibly due to an institutional neglect of female-specific health conditions.

Album Review: When We Land by Anteros

There’s nothing quite like watching a band you’ve followed from the start slowly morphing into something huge. Sometimes in this process, that original charm and authenticity can get left behind by lure of commercial gain and mass appeal. And whilst Anteros certainly have the propensity to be adored by all, their debut LP When We Land is still as genuine and empowering as ever.

The self-proclaimed “bitter dream pop” four-piece from London draw heavily on a wealth of seminal musical influences. There’s sprinklings of Blondie, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, and even some Florence throughout that all merge beautifully with Anteros’ own idiosyncratic indie-pop aesthetic. It’s unashamedly joyful and wonderfully bold.

Performance-wise, Anteros are working as a collective phenomenon. Powerful front-woman Laura Hayden’s vocals truly shine on this record; swooning and soulful on the delicate tracks – ‘Let It Out’ – but fierce, passionate, and downright cool where they need to be, especially on ‘Honey’. Jackson Couzen on guitar also injects electricity across the tracks, accompanied superbly by Harry Balazs’ (drums) and Joshua Rumble’s (bass) intricate rhythm section.

A flurry of new tracks showcases some musical experimentation. ‘Afterglow’ makes attempts to break into synth-pop with moderate success, but there’s a strange almost monkey-like sound in the background that detracts from the instrumentation. ‘Wrong Side’ has a chorus that feels like a neo-disco version of Sheryl Crow’s ‘All I Wanna Do’ (trust me it works) with its infectious, head-bopping groove.

‘Drive On’ stands as a politically charged, environmental protest about the increasing destruction of the world. “How we learned to ignore what we needed to know” resonates Hayden in an impassioned plea for awareness. Seeing the band utilising their platform for this issue is massively important, and, hopefully, Anteros will become examples for their contemporaries.

Most of the classic Anteros tracks – ‘Breakfast’, ‘Ring Ring’ spring to mind – have undergone a sonic makeover. ‘Breakfast’ has the wonderful addition of some soft keyboard plunks during the intro, with both Hayden’s vocals and bassist Joshua Rumble’s rhythm feeling more pronounced than ever. This does come at somewhat of a cost, though. Long-time fans of the band will certainly be able to notice the changes to the older singles and whilst this change is inevitably for the better – and due to production improvements – the gritty, DIY vibe is much less tangible.

The closing track, the eponymous ‘Anteros’ is a call back to the band’s early days and remains perhaps their most definitive release. The steady build-up in the latter half of the song has always been an emotional, if not tremendously unifying climax, a notion that Anteros extend to their live performances. Whilst the LP version of ‘Anteros’ is certainly polished to studio-level quality, again, some of the rawness of the aforementioned emotion is lost in translation. Nonetheless, it still packs a hefty punch and truly feels like a perfect ending to the album and indeed the last several years of the band’s career.

When We Land is jam-packed full of infectious melodies and dance-able indie tracks, although this comes at the slight expense of rawer performances. The LP has certainly been a long time coming, and throughout this journey Anteros have never lost sight of who they are. I have no doubt that this release will catapult them further into the limelight that they are truly deserving of.

7/10.

A tribute to Her’s

The devastating news came through recently of the death of Liverpool-based indie pop band Her’s. Her’s were a band clearly on the cusp of being something huge, but deep down it was clear to see all they needed to be happy was the chance to play their music to their fans, with their signature cardboard cut-out of Pierce Brosnan watching from the back of the stage.

Quoted by the NME as “never really fitting into one genre, but somehow nailing whatever they end up doing”, Her’s had an incredibly unique and refreshing sound, cutting above other new indie pop bands with their addictive guitar hooks and defining bass lines. The vocals from lead singer Stephen Fitzpatrick were incredibly complimentary to these hooks, possessing one of the most impressive vocal ranges to be heard in the indie genre for a long time. Despite Her’s only being active for three years, they had defined their sound so distinctly and didn’t follow trends in the hope of fitting in – instead, they confidently carved out their own place in the indie-pop world.

Lead singer Stephen Fitzpatrick, from Barrow in Furness, and bassist Audun Laading, from Norway, met at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts when they were both students. It didn’t take long before they realised their potential as a duo and after graduating in 2016, they released their first single ‘Dorothy’ via Manchester label Heist or Hit.

This single was followed by Songs of Her’s, a collection of nine songs released as an EP-come-album, in 2017. This included their most streamed songs ‘Cool with You’, ‘Marcel’, and ‘What Once Was’. Songs of Her’s took the attention of many major publications and websites such as DIY, The Line of Best Fit, and Metacritic, all laid on very high praise.

Just one year later Her’s released their first official debut album, Invitation to Her’s. The true talent of the band was shown off perfectly in this album which consisted of jazzed-up Mac Demarco sounding songs such as ‘If You Know What’s Right’, airy pop songs like ‘Carry The Doubt’, as well as more mature indie rock such as on the songs ‘Low Beam’ and ‘She Needs Him’. This album ticked all the boxes and proved how versatile the duo could be in their sound, whilst still managing to tie it together into one great album.

Her’s played a sold-out gig at Manchester’s Band On The Wall just last month. At this gig, they performed a fantastic cover of Minnie Riperton’s ‘Loving You’ with a slow downed tempo and jazzed up guitar riff, which made the song completely unique and almost unrecognisable. Covers like these seemed to define the Her’s duo: A band with a sound and energy unlike so many others, yet you feel as if you’ve been listening to them forever, and could listen to them forever more.

Having played the UK tour circuit a number of times, the duo embarked for their second tour of the US in early March. This tour involved an appearance at the infamous South by Southwest festival in Austin, where the pair played a special acoustic version of ‘Harvey’ for BBC 6 Music. Her’s also landed a spot in The Guardian’s One to Watch feature.

Her’s were a band with so much talent, potential, and promise. They were a band who were loved by so many across the world, not only for being incredibly talented musicians but for their charisma, charm and genuine kindness. Her’s will continue to reach and inspire people everywhere with their music for a very long time.

Live Review: Valeras with Drenge

The atmosphere at The Ritz for the third date of Drenge’s ‘Strange Creatures’ tour was a surprisingly subdued affair, especially for a Friday night in Manchester. A steady line trickled into the venue as I waited patiently at the box office. This soon became a growing queue but considering the excitement towards the band that I had previously seen, I was a little taken aback. The fact that it continued to get busier as I waited was promising, I suppose. However, I couldn’t help but feel slightly concerned that there was a distinct lack of knowledge about the gig in the first place. This, paired with a sudden surge of interest, certainly affected the cohesion between the build-up and the supporting act, Valeras.

Consequently, during the supporting set, the entire venue seemed to be woefully empty despite the brilliant musicianship and charming nature of Valeras’ performance. Valeras are a five-piece band hailing from Reading who I had previously seen in a stellar supporting set for YONAKA during their ‘Don’t Wait till Tommorow’ tour. Their unique blend of natural sounding guitar riffs and genuine rapport meant that I had expected nothing less but an assured sonic quality and performance.

Their single ‘Painkiller’ has the pleasant appeal of an indie track but their latest single ‘Nunca Morirá’ provides a darker sound that has brooding undertones. This track stands out as you could truly see the enjoyment that the band got from playing this track together. A less than impressive moment for me is the cowbell used which, to put it politely, is quite intense. I understand why it remains as it is it a rather quirky feature of their set but with the success of their latest track, I hope this part will diminish significantly.

The headliners of the night, Castleton’s Drenge followed with surprisingly minimal fanfare and a quite startling lack of stage presence. Perhaps I am missing an ironic point here but with a tour title like ‘Strange Creatures’, I had certain expectations. After listening to the new album I had gathered there would be a turning point. It suggested to me that there might be something wild about to break out across the stage, perhaps a feathered creature as depicted on the posters.

Maybe this was veiled optimism and the reality of this was quite slim, slightly terrifying but nevertheless interesting. You can imagine, then, my mild disappointment when the band’s lead singer walked out in the wild apparel that is a trench coat. A trench coat. Still, I remained undeterred as the first notes rang out and some pretty spectacular lighting flooded the stage. It revealed that the point of the album’s title is truly reflected in the band’s lyricism and the disregard for conventionality in their instrumentalism. Tracks such as ‘Bonfire of the City Boys’ have a spoken quality about the lyrics which is refreshing to hear alongside a palpable bass line.

It cannot be denied that Veleras provided a night of music which was both fun and at times thoroughly engaging. Despite my trepidation around image and sound originality, a lacklustre crowd is not necessarily the fault of any band. The continued hard work of Veleras is clear across their recent supporting slots. As their sound develops it brings a refreshing take on the cultural diversities that are close to the band’s heart.

A good setlist and fantastic lighting design saved the day all in all.

5/10

Live Review: Filth

Hailing from Stoke and claiming to be “bigger than spice”, Filth, your next heavy punk-psychedelia muse played Manchester’s Factory gig space. This feverish four-piece are prodigies amongst their fellow young rising musicians and offer a refreshingly heavy Sabbath-inspired undertone which appears to yield nothing short of anthemic tracks.

Filth’s ability to produce such a definitive, polished and sonically hypnotic soundscape puts them far beyond their years of experience. Nailing each of their 4 released singles with the most recent being my personal favourite ‘Tongue to the Ulcer (10 Steps ahead)’, this youthful quartet have already proved far more of their worth than their competitors.

‘Tongue to the Ulcer’ is a weighty, cutting and intricate testimony to the band’s ease with conjuring songs that bare a backbone of headbanging rip-roaring riffs, beating drums and strained vocals. Staying true to his potteries accent, frontman Jack Melvin presents himself as an estranged disciple, one that is enslaved to his band member’s swirling nonconformist noise.

Lead guitarist Lewis Fernyhough possesses an insane level of talent for his age. Filth’s current discography is carried through by Fernyhough’s versatility in his playing. As a live performer, he displays profound confidence alongside bassist Chaz and drummer Adam Heath. The leading riffs are reminiscent of 80s classic rock, drawing on Whitesnake’s 1987 Album, but are heavily embedded in a darker Iommi-inspired groove.

As a live act, Filth offer their audience a glimpse of every dynamic you’d expect from a band within the more rebellious, heavy psyche rock genres. The introduction of synth adds a more interesting depth to the otherwise guitar-heavy tunes while, as a cohesive unit, Filth all work towards a show as opposed to a simple gig. With heavy rocking back and forth, jaunted body flinches and moments of mirroring each other’s movements, you’d honestly believe the lads have been on the road for years.

Brimmed with attitude, sarcasm and honesty regarding the UK’s political crisis which is particularly prominent in track ‘Full English Brexit’, Filth are intriguing and relevant, yet do not fall into being synonymous despite the recent resurgence in punk music. Put quite simply, Filth humbly yet reassuringly know they are good at what they are doing but have evidently struggled to attract the crowd in Manchester that they so rightfully deserve.

The voltaic atmosphere they bring to a climax is very much going unnoticed. Half the crowd gathered at Factory on Thursday evening left before the headliner’s and undoubtedly the highlight of the night, Filth took to the stage. This is a frustration I am finding more and more with raw talent in local music scenes.

Nevertheless, Filth continued to perform as though they were at one of their sold-out hometown gigs at The Sugarmill, holding their own at a sickening rate causing those that had gathered to create a spirited mosh pit.

Filth are on the cusp of something huge. Hopefully, the momentum of the punk resurgence and unsettled UK public will give them the mobility to really achieve what they are capable of.

The only reason why I haven’t given a 10/10 rating is I want to see what they’ll be like on a sold-out solid support slot.

9/10

 Be sure to catch Filth headlining at Your City Festival and listen to their latest single ‘ Tongue to the Ulcer‘ here. 

Live Review: Cherry Glazerr

Cherry Glazerr, the indie-rock band from Los Angeles, played at Manchester’s infamous Gorilla this week, supported by three-piece indie-pop band Peaness. The stage was set with a giant inflatable cherry and the visuals on the screen created a grungy vibe which added to the dark and all-encompassing atmosphere of Gorilla. Beams of light lit up the band darting on lead vocalist Clementine Creevy as she ran up and down the stage with passion. The band were electric, but the crowd did not live up to this energy, preferring the slower and more well-known songs.

Their most famous song, ‘Had Ten Dollaz’, raised the whole crowd’s spirits up as they began playing their opening songs and introduced the trio’s captivating style and stage presence. People sang along to the lyrics “I know that you notice my ways, and I feel, I feel your gaze”. This accurately summed up the crowd’s enchantment towards the band, not losing focus the entire gig. Although the energy of the audience was not constantly in sync, the attention towards Cherry Glazerr was never disappointing.

The lights during ‘Self-explained’ glistened purple and red, giving a mellow romantic scene which matched the song perfectly. This was accompanied with cool visuals of growing and transforming mandala-style patterns. Everyone seemed content to sway along to the slower songs, giving way to an enjoyable atmosphere during these. The amped up, rock-side of the band was embraced during ‘Juicy Socks’ and ‘Wasted Nun’, the drummer Tabor Allen providing the pulsing beat throughout. With a nod to their album Apocalipstick, they played the album’s namesake with all the angst and energy I’ve always loved the band for. Another highlight was one of their newest hits ‘Daddi’, which they released alongside the November announcement of their newest album (released February 1st, 2019) as a taster for the more experimental sound of Stuffed & Ready.

Cherry Glazerr finished with two more songs following an encore, featuring a cover of LCD Sound System’s ‘Time to get away’ which was a pleasant and welcome surprise. This was followed by another hit single and their last song ‘I told you I’d be with the guys’. By this point, the atmosphere in the crowd had hit a peak, and everyone showed more energy than ever. They left the stage quite abruptly, but this just added to the dark yet charming atmosphere of the evening.

Cherry Glazerr amazed me with their evening of cool lights and eccentric energy. Impressively, the slower crowd did not effect the performance of Clementine, and she was no less energetic towards the end than as when she began. Cherry Glazerr may perhaps be a band for more small, intimate gig venues, but they were complimented by the dark atmosphere that Gorilla provides and made full use of the visuals. They are certainly a must see if you are looking for an evening full of non-stop electricity and enjoyment.

8/10

Live Review: Julia Jacklin

Julia Jacklin graced the stage in the Pink Room at Yes with incredible vocals and beautiful new music. Her new album, Crushing, is the story of a traumatic breakup and carries a lot of pain and emotion. It was interesting to hear how this would be played out on stage, and whether there would be a sadder atmosphere in the crowd. However, Julia Jacklin proved that she is more than the heartbreak of her last album, bringing laughter, sadness and fun facts about cities across the UK.

The setlist for the show was clearly thought through well. She managed to get through the whole of her new album Crushing whilst still playing a good number of songs from her debut album ‘Don’t Let the Kids Win’. This meant there was something for all fans, both new and old, and the flow of the setlist worked surprisingly well. It was also impressive to see how most of the people in the crowd had clearly seen her multiple times, calling out to her periodically throughout the show to mention the last venues they saw her play at.

The recorded vocals on Julia Jacklin’s music are pretty impressive, but so often artists who record well don’t manage to sound as good live, and the backing instrumentals sometimes carry the vocals. However, Julia’s vocals seemed to be even better live. Her vibrato when hitting her softer high notes was incredible to hear, for example in the song ‘Convention,’ but in her punchier songs like ‘Pressure to Party’ and ‘Don’t Know How to Keep Loving You’, she still managed energetic and gutsy vocals. From the high notes in ‘Turn Me Down’ to the deep tones in ‘Don’t Let the Kids Win’ she really has an incredible vocal range and one that was, surprisingly, even better live.

Julia also brought a subtle comedy to the show, talking to the crowd about her gig in Birmingham the night before were she learnt that Birmingham as a city is the largest producers of pens in the world. A few fun facts about Manchester were shouted out from the crowd, and it was really nice to see an artist take a genuine interest in the city their gigging in and want to talk to local fans. Although she didn’t seem quite understand the relevance of bees in Manchester.

A really nice moment in the gig was when Julia played ‘When the family flies in’. All the emotion and pain that led to this album reaped out of her and onto the audience. Her vibrato filled the room and seemed to encompass the crowd, who were hanging onto her every note. It was a really special moment and the way she projected her hurt to the crowd was really impressive.

The epitome of Julia Jacklin has to be her guitar, which was glued to her the whole gig. On her guitar was two lines of tape, written in sharpie on which were ‘JULIAS GUITAR’ and ‘YOU GOT THIS!!’. The latter seemed to show just how down to earth and normal Julia Jacklin is, that despite the success of her recent heartbreak album, that heartbreak is still carried within her and she needs small pick-ups every day, just like the rest of us.

Julia Jacklin seems to be the diamond in the currently over-saturated rough of the indie music scene, and definitely deserves more praise and attention than she is getting. Leading the growing Australian music scene and making a stamp as a female empowering singer, Julia Jacklin is a breath of fresh air.

Don’t miss Julia Jacklin perform at this year’s Greenman Festival 15th-18th August alongside some of the industry’s hottest alternative acts!

10/10

Live Review: slowthai

Up-and-coming rapper slowthai has been emerging over the last year as one of the biggest names to watch. With lucid self-awareness, his music is fast becoming a soundtrack for the disenfranchised youth growing up in Brexit Britain’s society. With an identity so tied to our current politics, the selection of eleven dates was branded as the ‘Brexit Bandit Tour’. As I stepped into the Ritz, it became immediately apparent that the crowd seemed to thrum with excitement as it awaited the sold-out act.

Slowthai began his frantic and chaotic set with hit ‘Polaroid’. As the chorus of “Kodak moment, polaroid picture, shake it, yeah yeah” rhythmically recited over the crowd they began to jump. The frenzied groups of Supreme-clad boys jostled and beamed up at their hero. Right from the start of the show, it was clear that slowthai’s ownership of the stage had the kind of presence artists far older and more experienced haven’t mastered yet. His confidence was so obvious and his delivery was perfect – the lyrics were delivered with rapid but perfectly executed speed.

As he dedicated ‘ladies’ to all of the women in the crowd, something felt incredibly current about slowthai. His lyrics – wonderfully well-composed and carefully curated – tell the tale of what it’s like to grow up in the working-class areas of the UK. There’s something refreshing about his honesty, with lines like “tried talking to God, can you help me out? Never got a response, only asked as a child” striking a particular chord. It’s a story many are familiar with but not many are necessarily willing to admit to. Slowthai is the definition of self-made and he speaks to many of the young people in the UK. They feel lost, they feel the problems of knife-crime and Brexit and romance and slowthai understands them.

Demanding mosh pits and amping up the crowd at every opportunity, the rapper leapt across the stage clad in Supreme boxers. Chatting away charmingly between tracks, while the rapper was confident he seemed strikingly humble as he thanked the audience multiple times. Tattoos on full show and grinning down with that famed gap-toothed smile, it was impossible not to fall a little bit in love with him. The set treated the crowd to a raucous bunch of tracks like ‘Gorgeous’ from debut album Nothing Great About Britain as well as an unreleased collaboration with Denzel Curry to be released sometime next year.

It’s undeniable that the atmosphere was nothing short of spectacular. It felt like you were lost in the midst of something that really felt like the future – something cutting edge and fresh. Superbly raw, slowthai came to an end with two of his best – ‘T N Biscuits’ and Mura Masa collaboration ‘Doorman’. The final song of the set had the whole crowd spitting back ‘two’s up, two’s down, you stub it out before I finish on my arm and I scream out “wow!” with delight.

The whole gig pulsed with energy, feeling like it lasted forever in the best way possible. A privilege not only to witness but to review, slowthai was a night to remember.

9/10

Slowthai is set to play Leeds & Reading Festival’s BBC Radio 1 Stage this summer

Live Review: Idles

As the encircling lights dimmed and the garish pink Idles backdrop cloth was drenched in an eerie wash of light, Bobo, Lee, Jon, and Dev strode onto their raised platform eager to greet their hungry fans. Erratic frontman Joe Talbot followed very shortly after raising his knees in a fast-paced, dramatized march gleaming a bold smirk.

The ominous repetitive strumming of ‘Colossus’ charged a sharp bolt of electricity into the sea of fans that had already lurched forward in the hopes to grasp at Talbot’s caricature-like physique. ‘Colossus’, Idles’ pounding opener for their monumental sophomore album Joy proved to be the perfect warm-up for the rest of the evening’s frenzied antics.

Manchester’s Albert Hall heaved and pulsated in waves with the quintet’s every motion. The hall’s stained-glass windows, amphitheatre structure, and wooden trims were particularly fitting as Talbot stretched his left arm out to deliver his sermon, “Forgive me, Father, I have sinned”. By this point, sweat had already begun to trickle down the backs of adoring fans as they swayed in unison from right to left. The view from the limited seats looking down on the crowd below must have been biblical. Almost as if Talbot himself was parting the red sea.

I turned to my friend as the song reached its unsettling brief mid-silence and whispered “I’m scared” with excited and nervous energy. Moments later half of the floor were flung from the back as if they were trapped in a pinball machine to the sound of Talbot’s scratchy “Aaaaaah”.

This relentless and undivided vitality rebounded off every sweaty body into every crevasse of the Albert Hall. Idles possess a presence that singles out every individual in their grasp, making them feel and believe that they are important. That they are seen and that they are loved. Although guiding their followers with a stirring and hypnotic anger, there is absolutely nothing aggressive or hateful in their preaching.

Bobo incessantly fluttered from one side of the stage to the other as he greeted fellow guitarist Lee who dizzily hurled his body back and forth making a duck walk movement, with his footing offering a consistently entertaining spectacle. The two spread their warmth to either side of the venue ensuring that the fans on the periphery were never left dissatisfied. In fact, both joined their onlookers either by diving headfirst into their crowd or joining them on the balcony.

Talbot introduced each song from the band’s setlist with a short yet bold and revealing christening. Tracks off the band’s poignant debut Brutalism such as ‘Divide & Conquer’, ‘Heel/Heal’, ‘1049 Gotho’ and of course, fan favourites ‘Well Done’ and ‘Mother’ were all welcomed with outstretched limbs and flying shoes. It wasn’t long before a fan passed by with blood dripping out of one nostril, still with a crazed expression on his face.

It is entirely fair to say that Idles are causing a mammoth-sized stir in the live music scene, one that, since seeing them for the first time back in October 2017, has still remained unmatched. If anything, the fan base has since expanded and with that has come an overwhelming sense of community. Throughout their entire set, there were moments when you couldn’t even hear Joe’s brash lyricism. Fans knew every lyric, every backing dialogue, and studio exclusive additions.

10/10

Idles continue their sold-out tour dates until May when they join a plethora of festival line-ups including this year’s reigning line-up of Greenman Festival 15th-18thAugust 2019.

Live Review: Deaf Havana

Alt-Rock quartet Deaf Havana finally brought their latest tour to Manchester’s Albert Hall to a huge crowd who had long awaited their arrival in the north. Having spent months touring Europe, the band hailing from Norfolk finally had the opportunity to play some new tracks from their latest album ‘Ritual’. This gig comes way ahead of the summer festival season in which they are set to play a number of highly anticipated festival such as 2000trees.

However, before their arrival we were treated to the boisterous La Fontaines who provided an exceptionally energetic supporting slot, taking full advantage of the glorious space that is the Albert Hall. The three-piece alt-rock band from Motherwell, Scotland, launched through their set with some serious conviction. Across the fairly extensive show, there featured a mixture of tracks from their previous album 2017’s Common Problems with some exciting new material from their latest album Junior.

The dynamic displayed between the band members was really quite unique, with Drummer Jamie Keenan delivering some blisteringly corse vocals on many of the tracks. Not to be outdone by his bandmates, lead singer Kerr Okan threw himself about the stage and kept the energy at a pretty dizzying high. I was really quite captivated by their command for attention and stage presence. A factor that couldn’t be denied was their overuse of a backing track though unfortunately. As much as their live performance was intriguing, It did not quite have that live feeling that really would have given that extra edge on other artists. Needless to say, the crowd was thoroughly warmed up for the main event which in many cases can be such a difficult balance to strike, particularly when the crowd you are playing to is only mildly interested.

Then the room swam with bright neon lights as Deaf Havana emerged from the cathedral-like depths of the stage, their logo glowing with a stark lucidity that somehow elegantly contrasted their surroundings. The expectation and excitement began to build but as lead singer James Veck-Gilodi’s vocals slowly filled the space, the band looked lost amongst their environment. Perhaps the long tour across Europe had sapped their energy ever so slightly but I couldn’t help but detect a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Tracks such as ‘Mildred’ and ‘Worship’ came and went without having a real impact amongst the setlist. A helpful rejuvenation came in the form of track “Hell” which was supported by La Fontaine’s Kerr Okan who helped up the intensity and energy massively. The title track ‘Ritual’ offered a beautiful contrast which really set the tone for the gig and confirmed that the band has perhaps naturally subdued their style since their earlier releases.  The crowd, mainly made up of couples I might add, seemed content with the experience but I cannot deny that it was great to hear “Sinner” ring out across the venue and introduce a bit of riotous energy to the gig. It was a shame, then, that this track was the conclusion of the encore.

The band’s performance didn’t offer anything vastly unexpected or new but it most definitely provided insight into where Deaf Havana are going musically. I expect that the indie-pop genre will soon be within their sights.

6/10

Live Review: Hot Chip

Hot Chip emerge to the stage at Gorilla Manchester, which is unsurprisingly packed.  The audience feel lucky to be seeing this well-known London-born indie-electronic band in such a small venue; the excitement and anticipation is manifesting in the crowd.  The five band members appear on stage in front of a pastel back drop. Their clothes, too, match this ethereal, cloud themed set and even front-man Alexis Taylor has dyed his hair appropriately in pinks, blues and yellows.  The visuals create a dreamy feel which persists throughout the show as Hot Chip began to play their eclectic range of songs.

The band played favourites such as ‘Flutes’, ‘One Life Stand’ and ‘Boy from School’ as well as two new songs ‘Hungry Child’ and ‘Melody of Love’. It impressed me that even classics such as ‘Ready for the Floor’ sounded fresh after all these years – Hot Chip’s sound remains infectiously captivating which the changing colourful lights and dreamscape visuals only contributed to this.

Hot Chip have been described as indie-electronic, synth-pop, alternative dance and house to name just a few – fitting for such an experimental and diverse band.  The instruments on stage were also varied, and there were a lot of them: we counted at least eight keyboards.

There were moments at the gig when Hot Chip’s influences were particularly prominent: a robotic voice which sounded just like Kraftwerk and new wave elements akin to Talking Heads.  After some research of Hot Chip’s influences, both of the above band names were mentioned as well as perhaps less easily recognisable traces such as Prince and the late Beatles.  Garage and funk are also cited as influences. Hot Chip exists as an amalgamation of a broad range of artists and styles resulting in a unique sound which continues to inspire fans.

Hot Chip temporarily took a break from playing their own music to perform a cover of ‘Sabotage’ by Beastie Boys. It was well-received by the audience who were slightly older than I had expected. Although there were plenty of people around the age of twenty, the majority appeared to be in thirty to fifty age bracket. This reminded me how long Hot Chip has been going, formed officially in 2000.

Last night’s performance by no means suggested the band would be stopping producing music any time soon, their energy and enjoyment were clear. In fact, today it has been released that Hot Chip will put out a new album called A Bath Full Of Ecstasy which will be available on 21st June.  Upcoming performances include Blue Dot Festival on 19th July where Hot Chip will play amongst the likes of Kraftwerk and New Order.  That really isn’t one to miss.

Overall, it was a great night.  Hot Chip kept everyone entertained through their pulsating rhythms and eye-catching light displays.  I am sure for many there it was a nostalgic experience hearing the favourite songs of their youth.  At 19, the nostalgic element was not as strong for me; however, I still thoroughly enjoyed Hot Chip.

8/10