Skip to main content

Month: October 2019

photo courtesy of Jack Kirwin and Bruntwood Dines

An inspiring evening at Hatch

Written by Aisha Al-Janabi on . Posted in Lifestyle.

I’ve walked past Hatch many times throughout my years in Manchester, but never ventured inside it. Last week that changed as I attended Bruntwood Dines, Drinks and Shops – an event hosted by Bruntwood showcasing the various independent retailers that are housed within Hatch.

It was inspiring to listen to an all female panel who were sharing their experience of working in Hatch. It was a valued escape from the male dominated world of CEOs and was refreshing to only have women in the spotlight – who certainly deserved it.

The three brands represented were Jenny Maxwell from Nordic Muse, a Nordic inspired jewellery shop; Barbara at Choc, a chocolate boutique; and Nicki Gillon from The Kitchen, a family run Thessaloniki style restaurant. Together these business founders discussed the importance of having spaces like Hatch, with affordable rent for independent businesses to be given a chance to have a physical presence. Whilst internet shopping is becoming more and more popular, it was pointed out that having a location is still valuable for face-to-face interactions with customers; providing the personal experience that keeps them coming back.

Having spaces like Hatch means that being self-employed becomes less isolating. Self-employment has been on the rise in recent years and, whilst it comes with benefits, there is no doubt that it is easy to feel secluded without office buddies. All three women emphasised how great the support network is when working in a space with like-minded individuals who are also small business owners.

Large shopping centres like The Trafford Centre, which are purpose-built structures to cram as many shops into one space for convenience, have changed how we shop. Hatch is trying to move shopping back to the high streets, into the hands of local and independent traders. The flexible pop-up approach making it accessible for new businesses, and a more personal and relaxed shopping experience for customers.

I’m curious to explore what else is on offer inside these industrial shipping containers, promised to be filled with innovative ideas, and I will be returning sooner rather then later.

Photo: Alexas Fotos @ Pixabay

“I don’t feel safe at all”: Manchester’s EU students speak out

Written by Josh Sandiford on . Posted in Investigations.

The UK’s departure from the European Union could happen as soon as the end of the month. 

Despite this, it’s been 117 days since the University of Manchester updated its guidance for EU students considering coming to the city to study.

For EU students that have already made Manchester their home, they’re directed to a five-month-old document from the British Council when they visit the University’s website for Brexit-related advice. The document is from the 30th April, nearly three months before Theresa May left Downing Street and was succeeded by Boris Johnson and his “do or die” Brexit approach. 

The UK’s chaotic road to EU withdrawal has cast a dark cloud of uncertainty over students from the EU in Manchester, some of whom have criticised the University for its lack of support. 

While there are students from the continent who are relatively relaxed, many are deeply concerned about how they will be affected and what the process will mean for their status in the country.

Victor-Mihail Galeriu, a second-year studying Business Management with Japanese – originally from Romania – decided to study abroad at the last minute and describes Manchester as the ‘greatest city’ in the UK.  

He tells The Mancunion that uncertainty over the Brexit deadline worries him the most – it’s currently unclear if the UK will actually leave the EU on October 31st.

Victor says he has not yet received confirmation of his settled status and he fears that if there is a no-deal Brexit, he’d struggle to get back into the country after reading week. But his Brexit-related apprehensions don’t end there. Victor says even though the University is a “safe haven” where people are mindful of their words, the vote to leave the European Union has darkened the mood of the country at large: “People are getting more violent towards the immigrants that are here.”

Victor worked for a horse racing company in Liverpool selling beer when he saw this dark side of post-Brexit Britain. 

“It’s one of the biggest horse racing [events] in the UK, and only very posh people go there… people treated me horribly. They were being racist because of my origins and my accent.

“My colleagues were also usually immigrants who didn’t comprehend English very well. [People attending the races] would ask if we had cellphones and parents in Romania, it was extremely hurtful. I felt crushed.” 

Living near Rusholme, he says he doesn’t feel safe “at all” and thinks “something will blow up” with “civil revolt” in the streets as we approach the deadline: “I can feel this in the air, my guts tell me that.” 

He caveats this by saying that not everyone who voted for Brexit is racist, and some just want to be independent and have their own say over the country. 

Eric Muires, a first-year Physics students from Sweden also told The Mancunion he was struggling to find certainty in the context of the Brexit crisis. Studying a five-year degree, he will potentially bear the consequences of Brexit more so than other EU students in the UK. 

Eric believes the University has an important role in supporting students through Brexit: “The University sent me a letter assuring me that I would pay the same fee for my entire degree, but I had to force them to [send it]. There was no further support, whatsoever. I got the information about the Residence Permit forms from my German friend. I think [the University] should be giving some sort of information to us because it’s a huge mess.”

Matyáš Pilin, a second-year Politics and Arabic student from the Czech Republic, is relatively relaxed about Brexit but does echo the sentiments of Victor and Eric. 

“The deadline has been stressful, whether I like it or not I have to settle here for the next two years,” he says, adding that he “was considering doing a masters degree or continuing education here in the UK, but now will probably try and find a job on the continent and that’s partly because of Brexit… I don’t wish to deal with this mess for longer than I have to.” 

Matyáš is looking into getting settled status but feels it’s a rather convoluted process. He also doesn’t know how easy it will be for him to get a part-time job in Manchester as an EU citizen. 

“It’s terrifying that this instability will plague me for the next two years … none of us know what is going to take place in a month’s time. None of us know if it’s going to be a smooth transition or if it’s going to be cataclysmic or if it’s just going to stay the same. None of us know, and that’s almost the worst part – there’s been so much insecurity.” 

Nick Toader, a Social Research Methods graduate from Romania, has felt his job hunt affected, despite holding a Master’s degree. He says the process is surrounded by uncertainty. 

“Obviously no one ever told me, ‘we didn’t employ you because of Brexit’ but it was always something in the back of my mind,” he says. 

With the Brexit deadline fast approaching, one thing is for sure – the uncertainty for EU students isn’t going to end on October 31st – and that in a time where EU students need guidance from their institution, some feel like that guidance is lacking.

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “The University has continued to engage with the UK government at all levels in order to understand and seek to mitigate the impact of Brexit, with or without a deal, upon our students, staff, research, teaching engagement and beyond.

“Regrettably little has changed in the general guidance for EU and EEA students regarding their status in the UK in the event of a no deal Brexit. Our position has been to direct prospective and current students to trusted external sources of information so that the most up-to-date information is available. Most recently the University is supporting the Students’ Union campaign to encourage EU and EEA students to apply for settled status.

“The University recognises that this uncertainty is difficult for our community… If students are experiencing anxiety then our provision for support can be accessed either through Schools or via the support pages as part of My Manchester.”

If any EU students are worried about how Brexit might affect their studies, they can speak with the International Office or check for advice on the British Council website.

Hong Kong protests in Manchester met with anger from patriotic Chinese

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in News.

A group of University of Manchester students protesting in solidarity with anti-government campaigners in Hong Kong were met with opposition from patriotic Chinese students.

The demonstration started near Manchester Museum on October 1, the National Day of China, which marks the 70th anniversary of Communist rule.

Campaigners chanted “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong”, and started walking towards the city centre after becoming aware of a counter-protest.

One participant said: “They [the counter-protestors] were singing their national anthem, just pushing us even, that’s a big threat so that is why we [were trying to leave] our University to go to Piccadilly Gardens but they were following us.”

The protest reached a standstill on the junction of Oxford Road and Portland Street. Those in support of Hong Kong stood outside Turtle Bay and the Paramount Wetherspoons pub, while Chinese nationalists gathered opposite. A police van separated the two groups.

One participant standing with the Chinese nationalists said he had seen similar clashes in London, and he had come down to be “crowd control” as he “didn’t want to see it happen again”.

The counter-protestors held up Chinese flags, with some wearing stickers of the Chinese flag on their faces. One told The Mancunion the Hong Kong students “made a scene,” and as it was the Chinese national day they were “trying to make a statement”.

“The Chinese are very patriotic, we take the national integrity as a priority, it is a difficult situation the tension has been growing for decades… China’s side emphasises more of the ‘one-state’ [ideal] …they [Hong Kong protestors] think they should secede from mainland China, and as it is our national day, people got offended and made a counter-protest.”

The day was given extra intensity after a teenage activist in Hong Kong was shot at “point-blank range,” with witnesses commenting that the bullet was three centimetres away from his heart, according to The Guardian.

A supporter of the Hong Kong protestors said: “I don’t think they really know what’s happening, because of the state controlling the media back in China. When they see anything anti-China, anti-Chinese government they protest.”

Another supporter said she wanted the Hong Kong government to: “Treat the protestors as protestors, stop attacking them”. She held up a poster that referenced Tiananmen Square to “annoy” the counter-protest, but also highlight the similarities between the historic protest and the demonstrations going on in Hong Kong today.

Hong Kong has been a part of China since 1997 but has its own system of law and government – known as One Country Two Systems. Protests over a proposed extradition bill – that would have made it possible to extradite to China – have dominated the streets of Hong Kong since June.

That law has been scrapped but protestors have kept up their momentum and turned their campaign into a pro-democracy movement.

“The government is non-stop suppressing our protests, which are for justice for human rights for freedom. We hope the international community can stand with us” a protestor called Denis told The Mancunion.

Campus football overview: The new season gets underway!

Written by Harry Deacon on . Posted in Sport.

As October rolls around a new season of the University of Manchester’s campus football got underway.

With players of all abilities playing for many different reasons, the campus league is a great opportunity for students to get involved in the Wednesdays afternoon sporting action.

The leagues are comprised of five divisions, each including a total of ten teams who play each other twice – with a cup competition running on the side.

In the Premier Division the question remained whether the Manchester Medics would once again dominate the campus leagues. It was a question they duly answered as the breezed past Athletico Dentico 3-1.

Elsewhere in the top division, the Owens Park First Team edged a thrilling encounter 3-2 over local rivals Oak House FC. Newly promoted University of Manchester Cricket Club FC quickly adjusted to life in the top league with a win over Geography FC, while the points where shared between Physics FC and Maths FC.

Dropping down to Division One and there was still plenty of football to feast over, despite MACE Athletico being awarded a walkover over Whitworth Park A’s, leaving the latter on -1 points.

ISOC have paired up with UMAS to create a joint team and it looks as if they have gelled quickly as they already top division one. The rest of the matches played have showed just how even division one looks to be, with six teams all sitting on one point.

In Division Two things look to be the complete opposite of the division above. The top five teams – from leaders Owens Park Two’s to FC Sheavyn in fifth – all are on maximum points, leaving the bottom half of the table all pointless.

In the bottom two divisions, International FC A’s and International FC C’s lead the way, while Languages and Haus F.C. already have some catching up to do.

However, with 17 games still to play there is a lot of football still to be played.

Conservative Party Conference marked by protests throughout Manchester

Written by Aidan Hunt on . Posted in News.

The Conservative Party Conference took place last week in Manchester, bringing the nation’s current government and Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Manchester city centre to discuss topical issues, decide on policies, and hear speeches from senior figures.

The conference was marked by protests, with approximately 13,000 people taking to the streets on the first day of the event to protest issues such as austerity and Brexit.

Key policy takeaways from the conference include a promise to rebuild North Manchester General Hospital, a “long-term funding package” for bus services outside of Greater London, and Priti Patel’s commitment to end free movement once and for all. However, confusion remains over Johnson’s Brexit plan, which is yet to be published in full.

The most prominent marches in Manchester took place on Sunday 29th September, as the conference began in the city centre. The People’s Assembly Against Austerity marched from All Saints Park, Oxford Road to Cathedral Approach (near Manchester Victoria). The organisation claims that austerity is “the most destructive force in Britain today” and that “there is an alternative to austerity with its policies of tax breaks for the rich and cuts for the rest.”

Thousands also marched with Reject Brexit, Defend our Democracy – a collaboration between Manchester for Europe and March for Change – from Whitworth Park to Castlefield.

Speaking to The Mancunion, Sue Wilson, from the organisation Bremain In Spain, said she wants to “stop Brexit altogether, because anything less than that would see our rights diminished, so we would lose free movement for example… it is not inevitable, we can still do something about it.” The organisation, based in Spain, campaigns for the UK to remain in the EU and to protect the rights of Britons living in Europe. Wilson was one of several speakers at the ‘Defend our Democracy’ rally.

Labour MEP Julie Ward, who attended both the anti-austerity and the anti-Brexit protests, said: “There is a link between austerity and Brexit. If Brexit goes ahead, we will have austerity on steroids. We’re going to feel the pain of austerity one hundred times more than we do now.”

Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, activist Peter Tatchell and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne Angela Rayner were among the other speakers at the demonstrations on Sunday.

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, praised the peaceful nature of the protests, saying: “The right to peaceful protests is a fundamental part of our democracy and we have seen that exercised on the streets of our city today… these large scale protests have passed off without incident.”

Greater Manchester Police said that only one person was arrested during the course of the protests. However, Police will investigate a banner that appeared in Salford earlier in the week which read: “130,000 killed under Tory rule, time to level the playing field.”

Impeaching Trump and Resuming Parliament: Why they won’t fix anything

Written by Joe Mason on . Posted in Opinion.

Almost simultaneously Boris Johnson’s suspension of Parliament was ruled unlawful and Democrats in the US launched an impeachment investigation into President Donald Trump.

There are many in both the UK and the US who hope this might be the beginning of the end for the two kindred leaders. But even if it is, our countries’ problems go deeper, and will not be resolved immediately.

Boris Johnson has only been Prime Minister for two months, but in that time he’s provoked unprecedented uproar in Parliament and among large sections of the public. He’s been called a “tin-pot dictator” and likened to Trump. With widespread disapproval (albeit also with approval from others), Johnson has pushed to complete the mammoth task of Brexit as quickly as possible.

To this end, he suspended Parliament for five weeks from September to October to shorten the time MPs would have to introduce legislation that could block a no-deal Brexit.

The government’s own no-deal contingency document – known as Operation Yellowhammer – details medicine shortages, higher food prices and increased public disorder in a worst-case scenario. Brexit will inevitably cause disruption but the problems this nation faces go far beyond Brexit and far beyond Boris Johnson – after a decade of austerity and wage stagnation.

The same situation plagues the US. The people of the US have suffered the same stagnation for more than a decade and simply impeaching President Trump will not reverse the decline of America’s fortunes. It’s a process that began long before Trump and will require a completely different approach to change it.

The issues facing us are common throughout the Western world. The ‘gig economy’ has millions of us working on zero-hour contracts with miserable jobs for miserable pay and miserable hours, and it’s only getting worse. More than a million families in the UK have been forced to resort to food banks to feed themselves and their children.

The number of people made homeless has more than tripled in the last decade. Victorian-era diseases have returned. Suicide rates are skyrocketing; violent crime and drug addiction are crippling our cities. The safe jobs which allowed ordinary people to provide for their families are being shipped off to distant lands in the name of greater profits.

These are not signs of a healthy society. Wages have remained stagnant since 2008. Eleven years after the crash, and with a new recession on the horizon, it’s hard to say that we’ve recovered at all. The situation we’re in now is intolerable, and it didn’t start with Trump or Johnson. We need to fundamentally rethink how our economies function and how we manage our governments. Surface-level solutions like removing the individuals of Trump and Johnson won’t fix anything.

Photo: David Ingham @WikiCommons

GMCA move to take back control of region’s bus networks

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

Greater Manchester is set to greatly overhaul the way bus services are run by re-taking control of the region’s services back from private companies.

In a meeting on October 7th, leaders of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) are expected to set in motion a public consultation into bus franchising.

The plan would see the implementation of a London-style bus system across Greater Manchester over the next five years, with private companies contracted to run the services, but any profits made would be reinvested back into the buses.

It is hoped that the changes, if implemented, will increase routes around the region, cap fares, and improve services all around for residents.

However, private companies such as Stagecoach have opposed the move in favour of a partnership approach, which they claim would address “car congestion and air quality, which everyone agrees are two of the biggest challenges facing the region”.

In a statement, Stagecoach also highlighted the cost of transforming the bus network, writing: “The mayor has provided no evidence to support his claim that franchising is better than a partnership approach and he is keeping Greater Manchester’s taxpayers in the dark about the massive bill they would have to pay for a London-style bus system.

“People in Manchester and districts across the region must be asking why Transport for Greater Manchester has needlessly spent £23m of taxpayers money on consultants’ reports assessing franchising, when practical improvements have been delayed and the partnership solutions are already staring politicians in the face.”

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, deputy mayor Sir Richard Leese disputed this, saying: “One of the things that bus companies have said previously was that franchising was going to cost a small fortune, and yes it’s going to be expensive to implement but nothing like the cost they were predicting.

“It will be a more effective way of doing things that ought to make it easier and have more routes for residents.”

An independent audit has estimated the cost of implementing the plan between now and 2024/25 at £134.5m, a cost that the audit concluded GMCA and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) could afford.

The funding is currently being budgeted locally, although local media has cited “positive” talks between Prime Minister Boris Johnson, transport secretary Grant Shapps, and Mayor Andy Burnham, about government funding.

If the plan goes ahead, it would see Greater Manchester become the first region other than the capital to regulate its own bus services since Margaret Thatcher privatised all bus networks outside of London in 1986.

Is Frida Kahlo the quintessential misappropriated icon? Photo: Charis Tsevis @Flickr

Is it time white feminism left Frida Kahlo alone?

Written by Chess Bradley on . Posted in Arts.

A marker of any kitsch indie shop is Frida Kahlo-themed merchandise. In fact, a marker of many larger scale fashion retailers is a display of items seemingly inspired by the monobrowed artist.

While perhaps not immediately evident in her more famous works, Kahlo was a communist. She explicitly announced her disdain for white people. The irony is, then, that Frida’s often white-washed image has been commodified into over-priced, quirky, but ultimately, mass-produced items for a middle class audience.

So, should white audiences leave Frida alone? Is it time that we accept that we are so far detached from her experiences that there is an overt irony when we shell out cash for a tote that profits a retail giant? That we have so messily turned her into a pop feminism icon?

The answer is perhaps not quite as clear cut as it may appear. As individuals and within institutions, celebrating artists of colour, especially those from outside of Europe, is complicated within our colonial history. When Frida was memorialised as a Barbie, she was white-washed into an easily digestible figure of girl power. Hitch up her skirt and call her ‘Painter Spice’ and the doll would have easily assimilated into the Spice Girls barbies, her own feminist ideologies reduced to the ‘girl power’ slogans of the nineties. At the Victoria and Albert Museum, tickets for a Frida Kahlo styling workshop started at £240, no doubt appropriating and adapting Kahlo’s traditional Mexican style. It appears that we are desperate to remember Frida, but struggle to capture her nuances.

But, of course, to see Frida simply as a Mexican communist would be as equally reductive. Frida was bisexual and disabled. Many of those who are fans of her work are captured by a woman who claimed her own image, who managed to represent the realities of disability. Personally, as a woman with disabilities, seeing that Frida painted from her bed was beyond empowering when I, too, lived my life lying prostrate in pain. Seeing chronic pain represented in art made me feel less alone, and expressed something I was so sick of expressing. While a lesser theme in her art, Kahlo has also been embraced as a queer artist.

Having Kahlo in the canon of art, then, is vital. However, we must be critical in our means of celebrating her work. When we reduce Kahlo to her eyebrow and flower headbands, we reduce a hugely complicated and ideological woman into a few distinct features. If we are to embrace Frida, we need to embrace her wholly.

Photo: Victora Evans @ Mancunion

The Warehouse Project: From Strength to Strength?

Written by Cameron Taylor on . Posted in Music.

The Warehouse Project has comfortably established itself as the ‘crown jewel’ of Manchester’s club scene, but with a move to the much-larger Mayfield Depot venue this year after ten years at Store Street (albeit with a two-year sojourn to Victoria Warehouse) – the question has to be asked: How has Manchester’s most unique nightclub experience adapted? 

Whilst the magic factor is still well and truly there, the nature of the beast has changed. It’s a lot bigger. And it was pretty big before.

For those who have been previously, they will no doubt have fond memories of  The Warehouse Project as this hugely significant event — people would travel from as far as Asia for it. Nonetheless, hidden away under an arch on Store Street, previous WHPs held a sense of secrecy about them — the smaller scale made it more exclusive. For years dance music could have been conceived of as another form of “counter-culture”, the same as punk and more recently hip-hop were to generations past, and this is what WHP showcased so well.

It is clearly evident now that to label the WHP as representative of any supposed “counter-culture” is inaccurate. The sheer scale of Mayfield Depot, with its capacity at an astonishing 10,000, scoffs at the idea of “counter-culture” — it’s just regular culture now. Naturally, an element of intimacy is lost with this shift in identity. Arriving at Mayfield Depot visitors are ushered along through a massive hall, a far cry from the comparatively tiny entrance to Store Street. The whole ordeal feels formulaic — gone is the sense of excitement and adventure, that feeling of liberation that Store Street featured so prominently, hidden away under Piccadilly Station. Now instead the whole experience feels a lot more commercial.

Like Store Street, the Depot is also host to three separate rooms, each of them remarkably larger than their predecessors. Instead of winding passageways leading people from section to section, the layout is much more straightforward, and therefore less interesting, albeit with added practicality. Exploring the Depot just isn’t as fun as it was exploring Store Street, but on the flip side, you’re less likely to get lost or lose your friends. Admittedly, the multiple tiers of the Concourse make for a more unique experience than anything Store Street had. Being spirited away from one room to the next in the whirlwind of a night just doesn’t thrill the raver at the Depot as much as it did at Store Street, thanks to how compact the latter was — and that was an integral part of the WHP’s charm. 

With the increase in scale, one would assume that issues would arise, mostly time spent waiting at security checks, or at the bar. So it is a massive credit to the organisers that neither of those waits seemed to be egregious, given just how many people are being packed into the venue. Despite the incredible amount of people packed inside, the scale of the venue still allows for relatively easy movement in and out of the crowds. Despite the obvious added difficulty in running these events, the experience there remains pleasantly fluid. 

Where intimacy is lost, spectacle thrives. Lights flash and shine across the chasm that is the depot, dazzling spectators as music pumps out in high fidelity. The huge scale of each event is now what sets it apart from any other nightclub. It’s easy to lament the change in atmosphere, but it is vital to recognise just how spectacular an experience that WHP is able to deliver thanks to its new home. Coupled with the star-studded lineup that has been drawn up this season, the size of the Depot is the perfect venue for showcasing the very best of today’s electronic music scene, on levels never before reached in the UK. The loss of the more intricate elements was clearly a necessary step for Warehouse Project to grow into the juggernaut it has now become.

Photo: Scudo 2009 @Flickr

Opinion: Racism still rife in Italy

Written by Iwan Hopkins on . Posted in Sport.

Football is known as the beautiful game for a reason. It is a sport which, when played well, can be incredibly aesthetically pleasing and is passionately supported all around the world. However, it does have an ugly side – and unfortunately, even in 2019, this still remains a prevalent issue.

While the story has disappeared from many of the back pages after its spike in interest at the beginning of the season, it is still proving problematic across all of Europe.

Despite Romelu Lukaku’s claims that Serie A is “taking action” against the widespread issue in the Italian game, the reality is far from this.

Italy, amongst certain other European countries, have a history full of controversy, both on and off the pitch.

Following the incident at Cagliari – which saw Lukaku racially abused as he stepped up to take a penalty for Internazionale – many believed that the Italian FA’s subsequent investigation would lead to action being taken.

However, it appears its controversial end is not receiving much media attention.

Cagliari escaped any sanctions over racist behaviour, as the League’s disciplinary tribunal came to the conclusion that the incidents “were not interpreted by the stewards nor federation delegates as discriminatory.”

Comically, two weeks later, the Italian side did find themselves picking up a punishment, for a far less serious event. Cagliari were fined €5,000 (£5,530) after their fans threw plastic bottles onto the pitch during a win over Parma.

This is not a one-off affair for Cagliari. The side, based on the small island of Sardinia, just off Italy’s western coast, has also been investigated for almost identical events involving Moise Kean (while at Juventus) and Sulley Muntari (while at Pescara).

There was “insufficient evidence” that the jeering was racist on every occasion.

It begs the question, therefore, what is going on in Italy? A country where football is worshipped, yet, so-called ‘fans’ still resort to disgusting abuse when faced by a black opposition player.

More action needs to be taken, perhaps beginning with a change of the definition under Italian law regarding what constitutes as “racist”. It is an issue which is seemingly driving a great number of talented footballers away from the country.

Moise Kean left Juventus to join Everton in a shock transfer during the summer. However, it is really no wonder why he decided to make the switch. The teenager has gone from being racially abused in Italy, to receiving lots of support from his new club.

The Evertonians even displayed a banner in his honour during their game against Manchester City. Its message was simple, but very effective:

No al razzismo. No to racism.

Feuds and bad blood: The difficulties behind boxing’s biggest fights

Written by James Owen on . Posted in Sport.

Later this year, Anthony Joshua will face Andy Ruiz in a career-defining rematch for the WBA, WBO, and IBF heavyweight titles. However this was a fight that was never supposed to happen. With stacks of talented fighters in the heavyweight division, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, and Dillian Whyte, Andy Ruiz was never the fight that fans wanted to see.

He took his chance and is living in the glory, but it begs the question why is it so difficult to set up these mega fights?

Boxers have always had managers and historically they’re aligned to a promoter. In order for a great fight to happen these promoters need to find common ground. Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for promoters to jeopardise fights due to long standing bitterness between them. Eddie Hearn (who represents Joshua) and Frank Warren (Tyson Fury) have had a public feud that increasingly makes it more difficult for the two camps to work together.

Recently Hearn claimed that ‘no one’ is interested in Fury because he is taking the “easy fights” – to which Frank warren responded that Hearn is trying to “resurrect his [Joshua] who got badly exposed and he’s off to Saudi to do it”. Hearn has also made jibes at Deontay Wilder’s manager Shelley Finkel, referring to him on multiple occasions as ‘Shirley Winkle’.

The grudge matches between managers and promoters has always been a part of boxing, and a major reason many big bouts were never arranged there. The financial incentive for staging the contest – such as pay per view and sponsorship deals – will often leave promoters putting their own interests above there fighters.

In one noticeable case, Miguel Cotto had to wait for his contract to expire with promotional company Top Rank in order to get his big payday vs. Floyd Mayweather, promoted by Golden Boy. This was all in order to avoid the long-standing blood feud between the two promotional companies.

Alongside promoters, one of the rising difficulties in setting up fights is the inclusion of television networks. Wilder and Fury was a rematch all set to go after their 2018 spectacle. However, as negotiations built it was announced Tyson Fury had signed a co-promotional deal with Top Rank, who are aligned with the network service ESPN. Wilder instead, remained with Showtime, who had partnered with FOX.

The role of TV networks ultimately should be to generate interest and views but has instead become another competing factor with networks having to agree on split viewing fees and cross platform viewing.

You can also throw in the rise of the US streaming service DAZN, partnered with Eddie Hearn. DAZN offers a monthly subscription fee that directly competes with the pay per view model, and have also signed British heavyweight Anthony Joshua.

In the Heavyweight division alone we have three of the most famous fighters on the planet, all with rival promoters, signed to rival network/streaming services with fans just wanting to watch them fight. As the money floods in to the mega fights so does the rarity in which fans get to see them, throw in the issues of different governing bodies and fighters personal terms and it’s a wonder how we see any fights organised.

Champions League: Man City unconvincing as Tottenham are thrashed

Written by Harry Deacon on . Posted in Sport.

Just as those student mid-week struggles are beginning to kick in, another edition of Champions League fixtures lends a helping hand to guide you through to the weekend.

The bite in the air on Tuesday morning in Manchester was noticeable. Yet, it barely seemed to bother the already swelling number of Dinamo Zagreb fans congregating by the fountain in Piccadilly Gardens.

Historically, travelling fans from abroad would be on a tram heading towards Old Trafford on a Tuesday or Wednesday night. However, these hopeful Croatians would be making the short walk to the Etihad as they faced Manchester City – the side currently dominating football in Manchester.

With Pep Guardiola’s side having 34 goals already under their belt this season, the away defence would have presumably been dreading the upcoming fixture.

Yet, it took the hosts 66 minutes before they could break down an extremely resolute Zagreb side. Raheem Sterling making the most of a sumptuous Riyad Mahrez cross once again proved why he is a player in one of the hottest runs of form in world football.

One would expect the floodgates to open after the opener but that was not the case. The Croatian champions dug their heels in and weathered the constant City storm.

The hosts’ pressure was relentless, and they finally got what they deserved when Phil Foden managed to wrap the match up in stoppage time, giving Guardiola’s side an early three-point gap at the top of Group C.

While the ball struggled to find its way to the back of the net in Manchester, it was hardly ever out of it in north London, as Spurs took on Bayern Munich.

An early goal from Son Heung-Min caused the Tottenham Hotspur stadium to erupt. The new 62,000-seater was hosting its first Champions League fixture and could not have seen a better start against the Bavarian giants.

However, a quick equaliser from Joshua Kimmich was enough to subdue the home crowd, before Robert Lewandowski hit the target on the stroke of half-time, silencing the Tottenham faithful.

At half-time Mauricio Pochettino would certainly have told his players not to let the game run away from them, as the German champions are masters at dismantling their opposition.

The second half reaction was exactly what the Spurs fans would have been dreading. Two goals in quick succession from ex-Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry heaped on the misery.

A dubious Harry Kane penalty gave the Tottenham fans something to cheer, and another VAR talking point, but it proved of little consequence. Gnabry was able to grab his hat-trick, and one more, while Lewandowski got himself a brace.

The 7-2 thrashing and a winless start to this year’s Champions League leaves Tottenham in choppy waters. However, winless in their first three matches last season, Spurs were still able to progress to the final, so all hope is not lost.

Mural of Tony Wilson artist Akse. Photo: David Dixon @ Geograph

Opinion: Is Manchester’s music scene still thriving?

Written by James Carroll on . Posted in Music.

There are many bands across the last 70 years that have given Manchester its reputation of being a city full to the brim with musical talent. It’s something the city prides itself on, how it sells itself, and why people flock from all round the world to visit this bustling metropolis.

Some say the driving force behind the surge in Manchester’s musical popularity was Tony Wilson and his famous Factory Records label – indeed, if you ever visit the club of the same name, you will see his portrait just above the entrance. Under his control, Factory slowly grew and nurtured young unknown bands such as Joy Division (later New Order after Ian Curtis’s death), The Happy Mondays, and James. Coupled with the opening of the Hacienda nightclub on Whitworth Street, and the growth of the ecstasy-crazed drug culture of the late 90s, which saw attendance to clubs and venues across the city boom. ‘Madchester’, as the media described, was the place to be.

The 1990’s Britpop movement continued the success of many, and kept Manchester at the forefront of the British music scene, which included possibly the city’s greatest ever music export: Oasis. However, this craze ended abruptly, and Manchester found itself in an unknown position.

Many of the clubs of the 90’s shut down due to poor alcohol sales. One of the key problems of a prominent drug culture is that people would rather spend money on drugs than buy alcohol at the club, leading to financial problems for venues across the city.

In the wake of this, Manchester began to struggle. The city seemed to grind to a halt for around a decade with the same musical dominance seeming to fade, confined to memories of better days. However, behind the curtain of downturn and despair, several small independent venues began to open their doors, especially in the developing Northern Quarter area of the city. This included venues such as The Roadhouse and Band on the Wall, both of which becoming safe havens for local indie and grass roots musicians looking at breaking through into a stagnant alternative music industry.

Over the next 10 years, more of these small venues appeared, each with their own character and charm. These new venues set out to take a hold of the previously under-used resource that was abundant in the city: Students.

Night and Day Café and Deaf Institute with their vegan options, and Gullivers and Castle hotel with good beer choice, appealed massively to this changing student dynamic. Many choose these venues due to character and charm; a massive selling point compared to other venues that lack that unique zest.

Manchester’s reputation for excellence was restored. Bands such as The Courteeners, Everything Everything, and The 1975 appeared, focusing the music worlds attention straight back to Manchester. These bands now sell out stadiums and headline festivals around the world, cementing Manchester’s place back into the music industry. These new bands led the way with many grass root artists putting their faith back into the industry, with a real chance of making it big being an option again.

As a developing city, Manchester is now being targeted by investors with the sole aim of creating new property developments in the city. Space in the city centre is limited and land prices have skyrocketed in recent years. According to property investment company ‘BuyAssociation’, prices in Central Manchester have increased by 24% (compared to a national average of 4%) over the last 12 months. This means that the land that many of these small venues are built on is often worth a fortune to an investor wishing to place a block of high rise flats on the land the building currently occupies.

One such venue that fell foul to this trap was Manchester Institution ‘Sound Control’. Opened  in December 2009, the venue was extremely popular with students not just as a live music venue but also as a club, hosting regular indie nights as well as some of the best emerging bands of the time (one mind-blowing gig included two unknown bands: The 1975 supported by Catfish and the Bottlemen in 2012). The club was thriving with regular sell out events, large crowds and an incomprehensible ability to host bands that will become huge later down the line. Eight years to the day after the club opened; it was to be no more. The building’s owners had served notice that the building had been bought and was earmarked for demolition, to make way for new student accommodation.

Today, many of the other venues in the centre of the city are at risk of befalling the same fate. Venues are at the mercy of their landlords, as buildings are often leased rather than bought outright. In a recent case, the much loved ‘Jimmy’s NQ’ was served notice that the building was being converted to offices by the landlord. This has forced the bar to relocate away from the centre of the city and to Ancoats, roughly 1km away.

With the onset of the digital age and an increased availability of music and video streaming services, many bands are now able to get their music to the masses far easier than in the past. Revenues from music sales has taken a bite, however, due to smaller returns from streaming sites compared to the tradition of buying a physical copy of an album. The result of this is that there will always be a need for bands to play gigs in order to receive the necessary income to survive. With the large amount of smaller venues in Manchester there to cater for this, bands and promoters have a choice of where to play instead of being limited to one or two small independent venues. The demand for these venues is booming with many bands travelling from all around the country (and sometimes the world) just to play in Manchester.

Manchester is internationally recognised as being a city with a great musical history. Even now, it continues to keep producing world-class bands and musicians. As Tony Wilson once said, “this is Manchester, we do things differently here”, and we’ve been doing things differently since the beginning and at this moment in time; we show no signs of stopping

University report examines austerity in Greater Manchester town

Written by Aya-Zoe Atallah on . Posted in News.

A new report by two University of Manchester academics and a University of Warwick professor highlights the daily struggles faced in Oldham. Published in the last week of September, the report focuses on the inequalities within the Greater Manchester town.

James Rhodes and Stephen Ashe, co-authors, are both members of the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity at the University of Manchester. Sivamohan Valluvan lectures sociology at the University of Warwick. They say the main goal of the report was to examine the harsh realities that not only the white working-class face but also those of minorities in the area.

Titled “Reframing the Left Behind”, the academics highlight the importance of including people of minority backgrounds in the term. The report claims that people of all backgrounds experience similar levels of deprivation in the Oldham area.

The research consists of numerous interviews conducted with White British, British Bangladeshi, British Pakistani and Black British individuals. These interviews covered matters such as past and present experiences of living in Oldham, and significant challenges the area has to overcome.

Their data analysis shows recent changes to social, economic, and demographic factors in the area. These changes showed widespread inequality due to deindustrialisation, austerity and welfare reform. The report also included studies of various regional and national news articles regarding the town’s recent key historical moments.

The researchers also reported that individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds suffer further disadvantages, struggling with issues like unemployment and affordable housing.

Stephen Ashe, co-author of the report, said: “Our findings demonstrate that inequality affects people from all races and backgrounds – disproportionately so for people from black and minority ethnic groups – and that political exclusion is an enduring reality for many minority people.

“Many people felt a sense of frustration that politicians have given up on towns such as Oldham and people like them.” It was also reported that many individuals in Oldham fear the potential effects that Brexit could impose on the town’s vulnerable economic position.

Oldham was named England’s most deprived town in 2016 by The Office for National Statistics. The report stated that its residents believe the government had failed to prioritize places like Oldham who had been struggling with the effects of de-industrialisation.

Politics and Modern History student at The University of Manchester, Beth Williamson from Oldham, said: “Years of Tory austerity and the abandonment of key policies targeting deprived towns, such as the closing of Sure Start Centres, have unsurprisingly increased inequality which now hits Oldham even harder than it did before.

“The lack of government funding in general for Northern towns like Oldham means that not only have jobs been lost, but community hubs such as leisure centres too, which have had to close down as part of a cost-cutting solution by the local council.

“I believe the only way to stop the continuation of deprivation in Oldham is to end austerity, specifically focusing on improving welfare, education, employment and the community in a physical and social sense.”

 

 

Gnangarra@wiki commons

Young People and Politics: How to make a difference with Amelia Womack

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

As we creep ever closer to a new decade, our society can’t help but wonder what it will bring, even before we’ve digested the turbulent events of the 2010s.

Many hark back to the extravagance of the roaring twenties, hoping more of the same is in store so the Millennials can have their turn playing Jay Gatsby and friends. Amelia Womack, in her rousing and poignant talk at the Students’ Union last week, also wants a new roaring twenties: Not one of excess and parties but direct action, a new roaring instead defined by popular protest and people demanding to be heard. 

Currently serving her third two-year term as Deputy Leader of the Green Party, Womack covered a lot of ground in her hour-long talk, advertised broadly as ‘Young People and Politics’.

Youth engagement was a primary point of discussion, as Womack highlighted the importance of growing activist movements such as the Schools’ Climate Strike, increasingly led by young people across the globe. The work of individual activists such as Greta Thunberg were repeatedly praised, and Womack saw ours as an era of popular protest, one in which people’s disillusionment with mainstream politics is finally being channelled productively.

The importance of personally trying to affect change on any scale was a theme throughout much of Womack’s talk, as she decried mainstream British politics as elitist and poorly-representative, owing largely to the largely privately-educated politicians we have as well as our electoral system and House of Lords. Green Party policies such as introducing proportional representation and encouraging diversity amongst politicians were brought into the discussion alongside this, again emphasising the importance of every member of society having a significant voice, not just through voting but consistent interaction with politics and politicians. 

Womack insisted we must build “a society that works for everyone”, founded on ideas of sustainability and co-operation rather than profit and efficiency. Money and the drive for profit has invaded too many aspects of society, corrupting politics, the media and people’s day to day lives in the wake of austerity politics, Womack argued, providing a firm stance that the Green Party felt major changes were necessary for us to properly call ourselves a successful nation. 

These changes had been laid out by Green Party leader Caroline Lucas some ten years ago in a Green New Deal that aimed to challenge all aspects of society from the financial sector to our schools and housing. This shift from a profit driven society was crucial to our development as a society, with Womack boldly proclaiming: “If you want an anti-capitalist movement, that’s what we’re here for.”

For the Deputy Leader of a (admittedly small, if well-known) UK political party to stand before a room of students and passionately vouch for direct action and critique our capitalist society so fervently is as worrying as it is encouraging. It speaks to the severity of our current situation: We’re a society of disillusioned people of all ages stuck for answers while we see the world burn around us, with no idea how to change any of it. 

But there is newfound hope in the mass movements of our decade, movements that can hopefully roar on into the 2020s. Amelia Womack painted us a picture of a 2p machine at an arcade, each coin hardly shifting the mass of metal no matter how close it seems. Every coin does bring us closer to that tipping point, just as every bit of anger and protest moves us closer to making the changes we so desperately need.

Photo: James Carroll @ The Mancunion

Live Review: City Calm Down at Soup Kitchen

Written by James Carroll on . Posted in Music.

Having shared the stage with the likes of Alt-J, CHVRCHES, and Bombay Bicycle Club, it was the turn of the Melbourne-based City Calm Down to lead the way with their own worldwide headline tour. The Manchester leg saw a modest crowd descend on Soup Kitchen.

Taking to the stage, the band made note of the musical history of the city and how many of the inspirations for their own music including New Order and Joy Division, stemmed from “this great city”. A ready-proven method of getting the mancunian crowd on your side.

Beginning with a humble and charming nervousness, the band opened with ‘Television’: The title song from their latest full-length release. First impressions were underwhelming; interactions with the crowd were brief and felt impersonal, with the band giving an air of disinterest. The crowd were urged to come forward, closer to the stage, yet no one budged. The nervousness had translated to them too.

City Calm down
Photo By James Carroll

This continued for the next four songs, including ‘Rabbit Run’, by far their largest commercial hit, where the lead singer’s vocal performance was leaving much to be desired. This was until they reached the eclectic ‘Pride’ where something changed for the better. It was almost as if a switch was flicked that brought the entire band to life. I don’t know whether it was the addition of the not one, but two saxophone players; all I know is that a massive injection of energy suddenly overcame the band.

From this point on, this felt like a completely different gig. The mic became detached from the stand and the frontman Jack Bourke found his groove and, more importantly, he now had the crowd in the palm of his hand. The crowd instantly responded; the singing became louder, the dancing more raucous and the whole place just burst to life. Something which failed to stop until the bouncers had to start clearing the building after chants from the crowd of “one more song” and “we want more” lasted well over five minutes.

City Calm Down
Photo By James Carroll

Closing the set with ‘In this Modern Land’, a New Order-inspired riff heavy monster, the lead singer dropped to his knees, in-keeping with the song’s themes of isolation and despair. The upbeat backing juxtaposed against the sometimes dark lyrics is a fan favourite. A song filled with meaning, passion and a gripping melancholy that highlights our growing disconnect with others and ourselves.

The band’s overall performance was straight-laced, refined and easy going. It took a while for them to get the audience dancing, but once they did, the put on a performance that left the crowd begging for more.

6/10.

Photo: Norman Wong

Live Review: Wintersleep

Written by caraconte on . Posted in Music.

Canadian rockers Wintersleep played a sold out show at the beautifully historic Castle Hotel on Monday, with support from the charming Glaswegian band Fiskur.

Authentically archaic and dimly lit with subdued blue tones, the venue had a friendly atmosphere about it – with just an 80 person capacity, the intimacy of the room definitely matched the rawness of Wintersleep’s sound.

The gig certainly felt more personal than anything I’ve seen before, in terms of both venue and performance. Had it not been so incredibly dense and sweaty, it would have been easier to give the band the unmitigated attention that they deserve.

Opening act Fiskur kept the crowd engaged with a mixture of poignant guitar ballads, lacklustre jokes and ripostes that landed a little awkwardly with a less-than-enthusiastic audience. I would have given him back some banter to work with had I not been two feet shorter and twenty years younger than everyone in the crowd. His sound quality and voice, though, were impeccable, at points showcasing incredible a cappella ability.

Wintersleep took to the stage modestly, playing the forlornly powerful intro song ‘Surrender’ from their newest album In The Land Of, and I couldn’t help but regret that the vocal quality didn’t match that of the support act. It was difficult to make out any lyrics, which is arguably a key part of what makes or breaks a musical performance. Still, lead singer Paul Murphy’s talent was evident. Alongside backing vocals from Chris Bell and Jon Samuel, Murphy’s unique, resonant sound nicely complemented the five-piece’s gritty, fervent vibe.

 The setlist was eclectic and well thought out, keeping the audience entertained with a rhythmic blend of melancholy rock ballads, upbeat, energised numbers like ‘Spirit’ and more light-hearted, easy going tunes such as ‘More Than’– the kind of track you might hear in a car advert.

The band’s more well-known singles ‘Amerika’ and ‘Weighty Ghost’ definitely elicited the best audience participation, inspiring all the couples in the room to cuddle up even tighter than they already were. The song ‘Beneficiary’ from the band’s latest album boasted stunning member involvement that created a hopeful atmosphere and sense of togetherness.

Frontman Murphy seemed a man of little words and audience involvement was kept to a stark minimum. But I perceived him as simply a no-bullshit kind of man – and that’s fair enough. Much unlike opening act Fiskur, none of the guys felt the need to fill the pauses with mindless chatter.

A plentiful setlist and a performance executed with observable confidence, content and belief in their own music saved the band from a gig that risked bordering on tediously average. The gig began to draw to an end and one of the final songs, ‘Nerves Normal. Breath Normal’ exhibited an intense and phenomenal guitar riff that left me on a high and feeling impressed – good timing.

To put it frankly, Wintersleep struck me as a mediocre but very well put together dad band with a nice sound and easy temperament, though perhaps lacking in modernity and uniqueness. If you’re a fan of the likes of Kodaline, Vance Joy, or are over the age of forty and are looking for some new stuff to add to your shower playlist, I would definitely recommend giving them a listen.

6/10

Photo: MUMs

MUMS open with successful welcome concert

Written by Florence Love on . Posted in Societies.

The Manchester University Music Society put their best foot forward for their welcome concert on Sunday 28th September. 

The concert featured all of the new members of the society, and they pulled off an excellent show with only twelve days of rehearsals. 

It was also great to see the choir directed by Ellie Slorach, a former University of Manchester student and an up and coming conductor. They started off with a performance of Norweigan composer Knut Nystedt’s Immortal Bach.

The performance was particularly interesting as the choir entered into the audience and stood amongst the aisles. They were also not stood in their traditional groups of soprano, alto, tenor and base, but scattered out randomly around the room. This created an intensely immersive effect, as instead of hearing all four parts coming from specific sections, they were fragmented all around the room. This created a speculative atmosphere in the hall and was a very striking first performance.

The choir’s second piece was another of Norweigan heritage, Ola Gjeilo’s Sunrise Mass. Slorach’s command of the room was particularly noticeable during this piece, as well as her clear love for the music. She conducted with so much passion that at points it seemed like she was head-banging to a very intense mass. It was not distracting but actually increased the drama of the piece. 

After the choir had performed, there was a decidedly different theme for the second half. The symphony orchestra featured a selection of 20th-century American symphonic music. Their performance started with a similar level of drama to the choir, but in a very different way. They went straight in with a startling ring of bass and percussion to start the Three Dance Episodes from On the Town by Bernstein. These three pieces were conducted by three student conductors, and all three gave very convincing performances. 

The trumpet and saxophone solos in these pieces were very enjoyable, and the members of the orchestra did that lovely thing of looking excited to hear them and subtly celebrating with the players once they were over. Student performances are always enjoyable in this way as you can see real comradery between musicians.

This was then followed by Copland’s Clarinet Concerto, performed by James Gillet and accompanied by the string orchestra. The piece started out a little tame but we were able to see the extent of Gillet’s skill as it became more dramatic and complex.

The concert finished with a performance of Gershwin’s An American In Paris. This was directed by Robert Guy, who is an enthusiastic and talented conductor who really get the best out of the players. The orchestra’s enjoyment of the last movement was really obvious, and it was a dramatic end to a great debut for the group. 

Photo: Bella Fleming @ The Mancunion

Live review: Theon Cross

Written by Bella Fleming on . Posted in Music.

Going to see a tuba player live doesn’t exactly sound like a wild Friday night. However, Theon Cross, in his own words, is not “just a random tuba player.”

Despite being part of the renowned modern jazz group, Sons of Kemet, as well as the Mercury Prize-shortlisted group, The Seed Ensemble, the name Theon Cross has perhaps slipped under the radar. However, his personal take on jazz-funk, combining elements of dub and hip-hop, has to be one of the most creative and refreshing takes on this emerging genre.

The pink room at YES was the perfect venue for this intimate gig. Despite the sparse crowd he had everyone there fully engaged and dancing to his unique blend of jazz. During the track ‘CIYA’ he had the room sing a hook back to him and had them carry it through the entirety of the song: the crowd’s voice in unison becoming the fifth member of Theon Cross’ band. This immediate connection he had with the crowd was especially impressive considering how little he conversed with them.

One of the highlights of the gig was how inclusive Theon Cross was of his incredibly talented band. The simple line up consisted of drums, an electric guitar, and a saxophone. It was interesting to hear the juxtaposition between the electric guitar and the tuba: two instruments you would not expect to see together. This almost oxymoronic combination of the sharp electric guitar and the much softer tuba made for a captivating live performance. Additionally, seeing the tuba act as the ‘lead singer’ of this band made it seem as if Theon Cross was using it to speak in a language we couldn’t quite understand, yet could connect to nonetheless.

Each member of the band was handed the spotlight to perform a solo of their own, including Manchester saxophonist, Chelsea Carmichael. Her solo was a sweet and slow jazz ballad that provided an appreciated interlude from the intensity of the group as a whole. Theon Cross joined in at the end of her solo, the deep resonating tones of the tuba perfectly complimenting the high-pitched counter-melody on the alto sax. This contrast in pitch made it feel as if you were witnessing a conversation between these two brass instruments.

The only disappointment of the evening was that there wasn’t a bigger crowd. While Theon Cross definitely made the most of the gig and had the whole room up and dancing, the night would have been even better had the room been full. It was also a shame to see such a talented musician play to a crowd half the size of what it should have been.

As the gig came to a close, the crowd, despite being small, was insistent for an encore. Theon Cross did not disappoint, coming back on stage to deliver almost 10 minutes of brilliantly upbeat music to the crowd’s great appreciation.

Theon Cross’ unique blend of jazz-funk proves that he is so much more than just a tuba player. The combination of all the contrasting instruments made for an extremely memorable night of live music and really gave the audience an insight into this emerging genre of music. The small crowd and the intimacy of the venue definitely made the gig feel like Manchester’s best-kept secret that night.

8/10

Reading effectively , Uni

Tackling the reading slump: Reading effectively

Written by jamiemattinson on . Posted in Books.

When you’re at uni, there’s no doubt you’ll be drowned in reading that you feel you just can’t keep up with – whether this be at the beginning of semester, or a good few weeks in, don’t panic.

We have some sure-fire ways to ease the burden. Below are some tips on how to make effective use of time spent reading.

Speeding things up

Before reading any assigned essays line by line, give it a quick, cursory reading or look-over. Getting familiar with the subject matter can make it easier to give context to any technical jargon. It can also speed up your reading time.

Pushing through disinterest

It’s a fact of university life that you’ll be assigned reading you’re not very enthusiastic about, or is written in a style you feel is inaccessible. Critiquing the academic style of a text is actually core to building your own style of writing. Push through the drier, more arid elements of seminar readings, and bring up any issues you have during the seminar. Seminars are places to share and discuss content, as well as guide you to developing your own academic style.

Structure your time

If you know you have lecture-gaps during the week, schedule in time to find a nice spot at the University and catch up on your reading. Half an hour blocks may be ideal to complete a cursory reading, so you can spend the next hour you have free doing the nitty-gritty engaging with the argument or plot elements. We’re spoilt for choice (most of the time) with areas to sit down and get on with work. With the Ali G, the Main Library, John Rylands, the SU and Uni Place, you’re sure to find a little spot of your own to crack on.

Write down any questions that may pop into your head when reading

If engaged, you’ll be asking questions. Maybe prematurely, maybe just through inquisitiveness, but those questions matter. They help you to track your thought process, and your understanding of the text.

If you fall away from a core argument, or forget key details of a plot, the questions asked will help you to identify when this happened, and probably why. If, once you’ve read the text, you can’t answer your own questions, take them to your seminars. There’s nothing worse than a silent seminar room because the class hasn’t prepped for a discussion. Make the best use of the time your tuition is paying for, by discussing readings that you’ve managed to read effectively.

You don’t have to do it all at once, but combining these tips can help you get the best out of seminars, study-time, and will have you well prepped for assignments.