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Month: February 2020

Photo: Courtesy of HOME

Recommended: A24 films

Written by Josh Sandy on . Posted in Film.

In this week’s ‘Recommended’ feature, the Film section’s editors and writers reveal their picks from indie-distributor-turned-award-winning-production-house A24.

Amy – Zofia Gryf-Lowczowska

Directed by Asif Kapadia, the 2015 documentary film Amy follows the life and career of British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. The film details the singer’s relationship with her family, the media and addiction, empathetically depicting her struggles in life and the tragedy of her death. Most importantly, it exhibits Winehouse’s tremendous talent as both singer and songwriter, and her immense passion for music before and after fame. Accompanied by previously unheard recordings of some of her most famous songs, Amy is a reminder of the timeless excellence of Winehouse’s music.

Eighth Grade – 

In his brilliant and honest directorial debut, Bo Burnham wrote a character in whom we can all see parts of our younger self. 13-year-old Kayla is soon to start high school and simply wants to become a different person. After being an outsider and failing to make friends throughout middle school, she hopes that her graduation will be the start of a new chapter. While dreaming of the ideal teen life portrayed by social media influencers, she slowly lose the distinction between who she is and who she wants to be.

Good Time – Josh Sandy

Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, 2017’s Good Time is a sublime masterclass in tension and pacing. The film follows small-time criminal Connie (Robert Pattinson) on a gritty night-time odyssey through the New York underworld as he tries to break his disabled brother (Benny Safdie) out of jail. Alongside Pattinson’s stand-out performance, Connie’s anxiety-inducing race against time is skilfully enhanced by both Oneohtrix Point Never’s frenetic electronic score and Sean Price Williams’ urgent cinematography. Amid the film’s moral complexity, there is a subtle but powerful exploration of privilege and racial dynamics in modern America.

Mid90s – Jesse Byrne 

Jonah Hill’s directorial debut sensitively encapsulates the transition into adolescence, the comfort found in subculture, and the lonely intensity of deciding one’s identity after boyhood. Mid90s follows curious young Stevie as he enters the world of 90s skate culture. Juvenile thrills aplenty, it is in the quiet moments, following the boys as they therapeutically surf the pavements of Los Angeles, when Hill’s passion shines through. The narrative serves not only as a window into the ups and downs of maturation, but as a love letter to skating itself.

Midsommar – James McCafferty

Florence Pugh gives a magnificent performance as a college student dealing with immense personal trauma in Midsommar. Alongside her boyfriend and a group of his friends, she travels to a midsummer festival in rural Sweden. A mixture of disturbing horror and emotional drama, the audio-visual texture of the film is incredible and confirms Ari Aster as a filmmaker with deep understanding of the craft.

The Death of Dick Long – Tobias Soar

I’ll say this much: it’s like if Fargo was set in Alabama. Quite possibly the funniest film I have ever seen, the genius of The Death of Dick Long rests upon how the film uses the absurdity of mystery as the central tool for storytelling. With deadpan delivery, noirish visuals, and overly-dramatic acting, I reckon the film would have been a huge hit in the UK—it’s a crying shame it didn’t get a wide release.

Photo: Elisfkc @ Wikimdiacommons

Lack of inclusive cycling in cities excludes disabled cyclists

Written by Ellie Martin on . Posted in Societies.

Students within the UoM Cycling Society are conducting research into the accessibility of cycling lanes in Manchester.

Harrie Larrington-Spencer, a keen cyclist and PhD student heading up the project, suffered an injury 2 years ago after being knocked off her bike in Fallowfield, meaning she can no longer ride a standard cycle or participate in the long distance cycling she used to enjoy.

She is now passionate about creating more inclusive cycle lanes that are accessible to non-standard bikes. Many cycle lanes are not designed with non-standard cycles in mind, meaning that they are not accessible to many disabled cyclists.

Harrie explained that cycling is a form of exercise and a way of commuting that is actually extremely accessible to disabled people, due to the variety of non-standard cycles that cater to many forms of use.

There are tricycles, which allow for more stability; tandems, which allow two people to cycle together; hand cycles, which cater to people with loss of movement in the legs; recumbent, which allow for those with limited movement in their arms or who require less strain on their knees and hips joints, the list goes on.

Despite cycling being so adaptable to an individual’s needs, there are many barriers, literal and figurative, in the way for those who use non-standard cycles.

Often time there are actual physical barriers in place that prevent disabled people from being able to cycle. Barriers that are designed to stop motorcyclists from using cycle lanes also make it impossible for a non-standard cycle to use the lane.

There also a lack of pavement drops, which are easy to navigate on a standard two wheel bike but become dangerous to a non-standard cycle user. Many non-standard cycles can be wider than one meter too and anyone who has cycled up the curry mile will know this would be impossible in anything other than a narrow two wheel bike.

These are not the only barriers for disabled cyclists. Harrie explained that many people are discouraged from cycling for the fear of not appearing disabled “enough” and potentially have there support taken away.

“There’s a perception that if you are able to exercise, especially something as active as cycling, you mustn’t be disabled,” Harrie explains. This is extremely discouraging for people who could potentially benefit greatly from using cycling as a form of exercise or transport.

Non-standard cycles are also very expensive, which further restricts access to a lot of people who could benefit from them.

Harrie discussed the fact that when designing pedestrianised cities, access for disabled people is often a point argued by abled bodied people. She explained that able bodied people often have the idea that disabled people drive and therefore cities must still have car access.

In fact many disabled people do not drive for various reasons, and instead walk or rely heavily on public transport. Cycling would offer much more independence to disabled people, but the access to this is extremely limited because of the way cycle lanes are designed.

When planning cycle lanes in cities, Harrie explained that commuting is often the only kind of journey considered: “Commuting gets people interested but if you map out other day to day journeys like schools and shops, you need a much deeper infrastructure.” Cycle lanes must not just be inclusive of different types of cycles but also different types of journeys, so that people can be truly independent.

The study Harrie is conducting is asking people to map out their routes, so that they have a picture of the most commonly used cycle lanes in manchester. They are also asking people to take pictures of things on their route that could potentially prevent a non-standard cycle from using it.

By collecting this data they plan to pressure the University and the council to fund changes to cycle lanes to make them more inclusive, as well as widen the access to the ‘cycle to work’ scheme to non-standard cycles.

UoM Trans Campaign

UoM Trans Campaign calls for more gender neutral toilets

Written by Ellie Martin on . Posted in Societies.

The UoM Trans Campaign held an event in conjunction with the Feminist Collective last Monday in celebration of LGBT history month.

The evening was spent discussing intersectional issues that trans students face while studying at university, as well as how cis people can be better allies to trans people.

The University of Manchester is lacking in its efforts towards trans students having a better and safe university experience. Gender neutral toilets were discussed at length. Gender neutral toilets are extremely important to the wellbeing of trans students on campus, as they are a safe space rather than an otherwise very contentious issue for trans people.

Students expressed concern about them being perceived by others as being in the ‘wrong’ bathroom, or that they might not ‘pass’ for whichever gender they identify with. There is a fear of being challenged about your gender or being verbally or physically abused for using the space.

Gender neutral toilets eliminate this problem, as one is not forced to use a toilet labeled with a gender you don’t identify with and equally there is no threat of being challenged about being in the space.

According to resources provided by the university, there are 36 gender neutral toilets between both main and north campus. However, there are 127 university buildings listed on the campus map, meaning that access to gender neutral toilets is still fairly limited.

One student pointed out that all of the toilets in the Joules Library are traditionally gendered, despite them being single cubicle toilets with no common sink area. There is no point to them being assigned to one gender or the other, and it further reduces the access trans students have to safe bathroom facilities.

Another student explained that removing radar locks from disabled toilets can help trans people have access to safe bathroom facilities in the short term. However these bathrooms must also be accessible to the disabled people who need them, and there is always a feeling of guilt when using them.

Gender neutral bathrooms need to be normalised within the university’s infrastructure so that all trans students have safe access to facilities where they will not have fear of being harassed.

This is not the first time the UoM Trans Campaign have fought this issue. In August of 2019 they released a statement pressuring the university to increase their dedication to building gender neutral toilets, and ensuring the language was clear that the space could be used by anyone. This was in reaction to the university’s plan to sign post them as “universal toilets”, which was not suitably clear that all genders could use them, and may imply they were also suitable for disabled users.

As UoM commission more and more new buildings, UoM Trans Campaign will be lobbying to ensure that all buildings are accessible to trans students.

Photo: Alex Chi

Live Review: Blossoms at Stockport Plaza

Written by Georgina Davidson on . Posted in Music.

The latest run of shows for five piece Stockport indie rockers, Blossoms, has seen them take an array of North West venues. These special launch shows celebrate the release of their latest album Foolish Loving Spaces, which has seen the band take on and adapt their combined guitar sounds in an extremely palatable way.

One such event that really has captured attention is their return to their hometown for a special album launch event at the cinema-styled, 20s art deco inspired Stockport Plaza. It was a strangely stunning display that, despite being a seated event, had a real energy that pulsated through the room.

From the very beginning it was clear that great intention and effort had been put into creating an event that encapsulated and explained the entire process that went into making Foolish, Loving, Spaces, from the conception of ideas to the final output of the album.

A short film, directed and edited by frontman Tom Ogden, documented the band’s journey from their first album through turbulent and experimental explorations in the studio , to New York escapades, to recording at Liverpool’s Parr Studios.

The short cinematic spectacle also displayed the creative improvisations that made it onto the record, such as Ogden’s demo recorded piano riff for ‘The Keeper’. The documentary was insightful and greatly conveyed the unique quirks and personality that makes Blossoms such a likeable band.

The ‘super eight’ style editing was less convincing but it was overtly clear that their distinctive style would never falter throughout.

Photo: Chi @A1exCH1

Not long into the gig the crowd were treated to the stand-up comedian Lloyd Griffith. He delivered a blistering set based almost entirely around the application and removal of sticky tapes – bizarre and simply must be seen to be believed.

Other highlights from his set included his admission wanting to be in a band but in fact being a choirboy, followed by an equally baffling and yet wonderfully operatic style performance. His tangent-filled set was hilarious and well worth its inclusion in this eclectic showcase.

When the lights eventually dimmed for the main event, it was clear that something quite spectacular was about to unfold as Blossoms launched into their opening track ‘If You Think This Is Real Life’ with a fanfare of synths and percussive sound.

Ogden took to centre stage in an electric blue suit with a swagger akin to a 70s Rockstar and an incredible command of the stage space. The audience rarely remained seated throughout the performance as he moved and interacted playfully between the band and the attention of the crowd.

Photo: Alex Chi @A1EXCH1

The tracks varied from slow ballads with distinctive synth sound from keyboardist Myles Kellock  to huge highly anthemic numbers such as ‘Falling For Someone’, which was enjoyed and engagingly led by  guitarist Josh Dewhurst, with rhythm from Ogden.

The show also featured a good few moments for the backing vocalists and extensive percussionists to really prove their metal too – with tracks such as ‘The Keeper’ lending to their brooding and gospel sounding tones. Their talents were also key players in the highly anticipated live performance of ‘Like Gravity’, which delighted the already excitable audience and brought the show towards the encore.

From there Blossoms charged through fan favourite ‘At Most A Kiss’ and their arguably popular track ‘Charlemagne’, finishing their mini residency style performance at The Plaza in a hazy wash of golden amber light.

This show is ultimately quite a triumph for the band, showing that they are still building on their music capabilities. As they advance into festival season it will be intriguing to see what their future performances hold. Spellbinding and impressively delivered musicianship is sure to be expected at a Blossoms show.

8/10

Photo: Nicolas Völcker @ Commons

Rizzle Kicks vs Loyle Carner: They Walked So That He Could Run

Written by Erin Botten on . Posted in Music.

I want to be clear that this is not a ‘fresh outta the stonebake pizza oven’ kinda hot take; it’s more microwaved and luke-warm. What you’ll find in this ready-meal of an opinion is something that I think has a ring of truth about it. That rapper Loyle Carner grew to inhabit a space within British popular music which was pioneered and indelibly moulded by Rizzle Kicks in the early 2010s.

I wholeheartedly recognise that the two artists are very different and Carner’s musical stylings are more mature in nature than Rizzle Kicks, but I still think there is an echo of truth about this comparison. 

The thing that unites these two artists is their shared appreciation for 90’s-era and New York inspired hip hop. British rap is largely defined by a sound distinct from the US’s offering; where Jazz and sampling forms the backbone of American hip hop, garage is the underlying force in British sounds. But in shirking this mainstream sensibility, both the music of Loyle Carner and Rizzle Kicks is imbued with an affection for an East Coast sound. 

Historical context is required to make this point and it is worth turning your attention to the general picture of UK jazz-rap. British rap offerings which genuinely draw on jazz-stylings are few and far between; three notable examples in my opinion would be Us3, Massive Attack and Tricky. The former uses UK acid-jazz as the texture to its sonic output and is more dub-inspired than typical American offerings, and as for the latter, both Massive Attack and Tricky fall squarely into the genre of ‘Trip Hop’.

Trip Hop’s a fantastic music genre but it’s its own beast, it is not a British imitation of New York hip hop. And so a picture emerges in which there is a sore lack of classic jazz-rap in the UK scene. 

Enter Rizzle Kicks to this heated scenario. Of course, it is not a like-for-like comparison, Rizzle Kicks were a pop-rap outfit after all, but unquestionably there are influences in there – simplistic beats made up of kicks and snares underlie almost all of the tracks on their debut, and record scratches carry throughout.

What’s more, while the output is light on the sampling, there is brass instrumentation across the album, offering nods to the jazz/soul callbacks seen in New York’s traditional offerings. This is not to say that Rizzle Kicks are the second coming of Eric B and Rakim, but simply that their sound is clearly rich in inspiration from them and others like them. 

What Rizzle Kicks did here was import – they popularised a sound which, whilst commercially successful, had not to my mind, been echoed in the musical offerings of talent on our own shores. This demonstrated an appetite for British rap which was broader than grime and its garage-influences and paved the way for Loyle Carner to come in 5 years later and elevate this soundscape to a higher plane. 

From his first EP, to his debut, Yesterday’s Gone, Loyle Carner has paved over the cracks in Rizzle Kicks’ sample catalogue. With Donnie and Joe Emerson’s ‘Baby’ sampled on his first EP, and the S.C.I. Youth Choir’s ‘The Lord Will Make A Way’ on his first album, Carner has made it clear that samples, and more specifically soul-samples, are a significant part of his repertoire.

If you compound this with a slow, minimalist beat and the slacker-y, spoken flow that he brings to his music, then there is no doubt in anybody’s mind that he is paying homage to a sound originated 3,500 miles from our own shores. 

The crowning achievement of Rizzle Kicks was their demonstration that UK rap in this style could be popular. Not since the mid-90s had anything resembling New York hip hop been majorly successful in the UK and Rizzle Kicks demonstrated its commercial viability.

I would love to say that they were Loyle Carner’s direct inspiration but I am not him, and I cannot see inside his head. All I can say is that I believe Rizzle Kicks’s influence on the British rap scene was sufficient to help usher in the success of Mr. Carner – they walked so that he could run.

Photo: Spencer hickman @ Flickr

A Tribute to Andrew Weatherall

Written by Will Stonier on . Posted in Music.

Gilles Peterson tweeted saying it is “hard to put into words the influence and impact Andrew Weatherall has had on UK culture…so sad to hear of his passing.”

Novelist, Irvine Welsh said, “Genius is an overworked term but I’m struggling to think of anything else that defines him.”

The Chemical Brother’s, Ed Simons declared “A true inspiration and hero. A lovely funny man. Incredible DJ.”

These are just a selection of some of the reactions to the death of electronic music’s own man-of-letters and proclaimed swordsman Andrew Weatherall at the age of 56. 

Andrew Weatherall occupies a distinct position in British electronic music and club culture. To view him merely as the producer of Primal Scream’s 1991 album Screamadelica is reductive, rather he should be remembered as an arranger of Screams’s raw materials, allowing them to catapult to an untouchable pinnacle as a result of Weatherall’s knowledge of dub and house music’s sonic potential.

He worked alongside New Order and the Happy Mondays — producing a scintillating remix of the latter’s track ‘Hallelujah’. However, although Screamadelica and Weatherhall’s foray into the Madchester music scene was a commercial highpoint.

Andrew was much more than a one trick pony. He was a DJ, a tastemaker, a remixer, a record collector, a selector, a techno cosmonaut, a revolutionary. He signalled the confluence between the vitality of acid house and an emerging post-punk aesthetic and in the process, carved himself a niche as an idiosyncratic figure within underground music.

Weatherall was born in Windsor, Berkshire, in 1963. During his formative years, he spent his time immersing himself in the vibrant ‘funk and soul’ nights littered across the capital city. He eventually left home aged 18 and worked in various roles as a labourer; but it was in 1987, the year he moved to London, that Andrew’s career exploded.

Weatherall was hired to DJ at the south London club Shroom, where he began to establish himself as a selector, playing across the spectrum of electronic music. In 2014, Weatherhall told the BBC that “I saved up all my money and went to London at the weekend to buy records, I just got a really good record collection together to the point where people started to say ‘Why don’t you play this at our party?’, ‘Why don’t you play this at our club?'”

Following on from his emergence as a collector and DJ, in 1990 Weatherall created his own label — Boy’s Own Productions — where he became a highly sought remixer. He collaborated with Paul Oakenfold on ‘Hallelujah’, as well as New Order’s World Cup single ‘World in Motion’ in 1990. His Radio 1 Essential Mix — broadcast on November 13, 1993 — has gone down in electronic music folklore as an iconic touchstone that was to be heavily imitated yet never bettered. 

Andrew Weatherhall’s views on electronic music often aligned with notions of spiritual transcendence, viewing music throughout the ages as being the vehicle to which we achieve a higher level of spiritual enlightenment.

In an interview with Uncut’s Michael Bonner, Weatherall states that club nights imitate the “ancient Greek rituals involving herbal drugs to achieve transcendence.” For Andrew, “People were having transcendent experiences in 1940s dancehalls, dancing to a big band; now we do it with drum machines and electronic technology – it’s the same concept. Humanity hasn’t changed for 100,000 years, but our technology has.”

For Weatherall, then, there is something innate in humity’s quest to seek an out of body experience, an experience that he soundtracked for so many across different generations. 

I was lucky to attend a few of Weatherhall’s ‘A Love From Outer Space’ club nights in Glasgow that he ran with Sean Johnston. The nights were always intergenerational, attended by old-skool ravers from the late 1980’s summer of love, to new generations of dancers.

Weatherall set one rule and one rule only for DJs at these club nights: no track could surpass the 122bpm mark. As a result, the club nights plodded along to the steady rhythms of the 808 drum machine underpinning the swirling oscillations of synth stabs and the dancers gnawing on their Wrigley’s spearmint.

An anecdote I heard from an ALFOS club night was, upon hearing a dancer giving Sean Johnston trouble across the DJ booth, Weatherall asked the dancer how much he’d paid to get in. “A fiver,” he said. To which Andrew replied, “Here’s a tenner, now f*ck off.”

As tributes will continue to pour in across the underground and mainstream music world, Lord Sabre’s influence on dance music culture will last in the collective memory for as long as there are dance floors.

The Photographer - Shona Sterland

Art In Mancunia: Shona Sterland

Written by phedraabroch on . Posted in Arts.

“If moving image technology had been accessible in the 18th and 19th centuries, would more artists have used it to portray the tumultuous, terrifying scenes they were painting?” Posing this striking question is 21-year-old photography student Shona Sterland. Born and raised in the industrial city of Manchester, her present project explores the relationship between sublime landscape and the moving image.

In keeping with our unevenly developed city, Shona uses a combination of analogue and digital cameras. She has recently begun experiments with an 8mm film camera, to see the difference analogue makes for moving image technology. Her favourite lens is a 50mm, as it is best for the landscape photographs in which she specialises.

As evident from her work, Shona favours black-and-white photographs, lending a nostalgia to her pieces.

Shona Sterland - Landscape details and aggressive winds
Shona Sterland: Landscape details and aggressive winds

In her research, Shona connects the sublimity and liminality of the natural landscape to the uncanny. Mark Fisher defines the uncanny as “the strange within the familiar, the strangely familiar, the familiar as strange.”

Shona Sterland

Shona states that moving images have changed the way people view photographs, and can bring an entirely new feeling to landscape scenery.

Shona Sterland - Landscape details and aggressive winds

She believes that photography in her hometown has a lot of range and potential. Manchester lends itself to images of architecture, streets, or fashion, but due to its industrial heritage, finding landscapes is difficult. However, Shona departs from typical imagery of the city and looks outwards.

Shona Sterland

In the future, Shona hopes to work as a mentor for children, or as a teaching assistant in a university, though she also hopes to have her work in a gallery and published.

To see more of Shona Sterland’s work, check out and follow her Instagram @ssterland

Print and Chill: An African textile workshop

Written by Megan Oyinka on . Posted in Arts.

The University of Manchester saw its first African textiles workshop on the 12th of February, hosted by Tanya Mwamuka (behind the blog Never Taught in School) and Loz Textiles. Print and Chill’s aim was to teach the print art found in many African cultures, while offering a safe space for those of African and Caribbean heritage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6OafSpnIuM/

Art and being an artist can often feel like a white man’s game, with solidly Eurocentric standards pervading the scene. Yet, as this workshop showed, African culture contributes massively to the world of art and fashion as we know it. As someone of both Ghanaian and English heritage, I was aware of the importance of our textiles before going to the event. Sure, our cloth is used for fashion, but it is truly a work of art in itself.

Kente cloth, for which Ghanaians are most famous, comes from the Ashanti tribe. The colours and patterns are symbolic: in each panel, there is a meaning and message. My favourite is the cloth and symbol titled ‘Wofro dua pa a na yepia wo’: ‘One who climbs a tree worth climbing earns the help of others’. It is a testament to the belief that those who do good should be upheld and praised by the community.

Kente Cloth
Photo: Adam Jones @flicker

That said, the event was no lecture. It didn’t dissect all the ways that traditional textiles have been used, interpreted or developed. It was a space to embrace the brilliance of unwesternised art, to appreciate African beauty and influence. No panel was anywhere near the same—just as each of us came to the event with a different connection to textiles.

For me, it was all the memories of when I had visited Ghana. I had been amazed when I visited cloth shops or received clothes from my family, and was honoured to wear it at family functions. Perhaps my most poignant memory was the time I visited The Artists Alliance Gallery and saw exhibited the rich history and meaning of Kente cloth.

Mwamuka has done an amazing job with this event, creating a space for art to be inclusive, relatable and therapeutic. I hope to have the honour of attending another workshop like this.

The workshop was part of a series of events taking place at the University of Manchester over February through the organisation Never Taught In School, a platform which aims to educate and celebrate the rich culture and history of Africa and the diaspora.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4xZKK7HQm9/

Photo: Gavin Bond Photography

From ‘Back to Bedlam’ to ‘Bartender’: Has James Blunt changed his sound to appeal to the younger generation?

Written by Jess Foster on . Posted in Music.

James Blunt, known for ‘You’re Beautiful’ and hilarious twitter interactions, played to a packed Manchester Arena on Saturday night.

It was the second date of his Once Upon A Mind tour, and it was surreal to see that crowds still adored him, even after nearly two decades of making music. However, it is undoubted that Blunt has changed his sound throughout the years, which can be seen in the distinction between the dreamy acoustic optimism of Back to Bedlam and All The Lost Souls compared to the tropical pop sound of The Afterlove.

There was a certain demographic at the Arena, of a more mature crowd than the likes of Liam Gallagher would bring, meaning it became a completely different experience to a standard gig with a standing area. This was particularly clear in the shock and horror exuded from concert-goers when fans stood up during ‘Wisemen’, although the air was still filled with waving arms from those that remained firmly seated.

Blunt seemed unbothered by the lack of energy within the venue, as it appeared that the crowd were in awe as soon as he begun with ‘How It Feels to Be Alive’. It was only during ‘The Truth’, a more upbeat track, where many began to stand and dance. It appears that, although Blunt has introduced more pop into his music, the demographic of his audience has remained unchanged.

In terms of his performance, James Blunt knew exactly how to please his crowd. As he played ‘Smoke Signals’, a single red spotlight surrounded him and the audience were silent in sheer admiration. Blunt asked for audience participation during ‘Goodbye My Lover’, as he took a step back and allowed his fans to perform the final chorus.

His infamous sense of humour, apparent by his twitter interactions, came into play during his duet with his support act, country-pop duo Ward Thomas. Preceding ‘Halfway’, he told the audience that he “was desperate to be in a band” and would only let them be support if he could “join them”.

As well as demonstrating his comedic brilliance, Blunt was also able to elicit an emotional reaction  from his crowd – calling out “Manchester, I want you to be the stars!” during his performance of the beautiful ‘Same Mistakes’. Phone lights filled the arena, and the atmosphere of the immense, 21,000 capacity venue was incredible.

James Blunt’s fluctuation in sound was evident within the selection of tracks performed, ranging from his earliest release to his latest. The Afterlove, released in 2017, featured ‘Love Me Better’ and ‘Bartender’ – songs that characteristically fail to fit with Blunt’s usual sound. The album felt more catered towards dance tracks, which can be completely contrasted with heavenly acoustic ballads such as ‘You’re Beautiful’.

Blunt removed the aforementioned songs of The Afterlove from the set list, suggesting that Once Upon A Mind suited better to his current musical direction. Placing ‘Stay The Night’ next to ‘OK’ on the set list provided a stark contrast between the variations of music that Blunt has dabbled in over the years, however the recently released ‘Cold’ proves that the performer is heading back towards his acoustic “roots”. As the concert ended with ‘Cold’, ‘1973’, and ‘Bonfire Heart’, it is evident that this is the music that encapsulates James Blunt, his sound, and his talent.

From 2003 to 2020, James Blunt has provided the soundtrack to romance, heartbreak, and even dancing. Although he may alternate between genres, his concert at Manchester Arena proved that no matter his sound, he will still be loved for it.

8/10.

Review: Sonic the Hedgehog

Written by Tom Kuson on . Posted in Film.

If the Oscars had an award for “Quickest Character”, look no further than Sonic the Hedgehog. Fast on his feet, hunted by assassins, and armed with interworldly teleportation rings, he bides his time in small town in America, studying its human inhabitants.

But when Sonic runs a bit too fast and explodes, knocking out all power in the region, he finds the attention of Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). The film then turns into a Logan-style road trip with Sonic and his cop friend, except with less old men looking for their medication and slightly more bar-fights.

For me, Sonic the Hedgehog exists predominantly as a meme. Yet for those who grew up with this franchise he’s an important figure, and the final product is one that’s crowd-pleasing. From bar-fights to Fortnite dances, and Sonic’s feet (apparently a big deal for Sonic fans), this is some classic Sonic.

Even Carrey’s Robotnik seemed to signal hammy ’90s villains and evoked simple nostalgic pleasures from the audience. And as a non-fan, the film was charmed with a good-density of solid jokes.

Not everything reached full spin though. Sonic spends laborious amounts of screen time insisting how depressed and lonely he his with no projection through action or arc. Also, he simply goes too fast! Twice in the film does Sonic go so quick as to freeze time entirely, reminiscent of Quicksilver’s scenes in the latest X-Men films.

In lieu of meaningful threat or motivation that could be taken seriously, investment hinges on our cop-friend Tom. Yet despite being a wanted terrorist with a wife and dog, his predominant emotion is exhaustion and mild amusement at the scenario he’s caught in.

The films interlocking thematic threads tend to fall short of consistency. Note the character of Dr. Robotnik, a rich evil genius with PhDs in what can only be moustache-twirling and doing evil, who’s sole motivation appears to be power and resentment of his old bullies.

This leads to a relationship with the US government, operations including regime change in the Middle East. But not one mention of capital! In fact, the otherwise noble leaders at the Pentagon appear embarrassed by Dr. Robotnik, who’s involvement is the product of expedience and secrecy, like wearing festive underwear off-season only because no-one will ever find out.

Note also that despite being wanted on terrorism charges, Tom lacks any hint at a conflict with his cop job and role in law enforcement. This unwillingness to coherently engage is something I mention only because power and capital cannot be separated from the film itself.

While  it’s true that changing Sonic’s design after major fan backlash to the first trailer is an act of fan-power and of artistic democracy, VFX artists faced immense pressure to meet expectations and labour though upper-level management issues, eventually forcing studio closure.

Sonic the Hedgehog can’t claim many titles, even Warcraft and the latest Tomb Raider were both more interesting and entertaining (and underrated) video game films. But for a pleasant ride and a depressing case-study for workers’ rights in the VFX industry look no further.

30/50 Wild Hedgehogs

Photo: Film Fun @wikimediacommons

Review: Little Women

Written by williamjohnston on . Posted in Film.

Little Women (1994) was the first film that made me cry. I was a seven-year-old boy watching a period drama film and I wept.

There is no denying that the story is iconic – it touches many people in different ways, regardless of age, gender and most interestingly in relation to Jo March, sexuality.

It is always such a monumental undertaking to retell a story with such history and which so many people treasure. I can only commend Greta Gerwig for elegantly twisting, shaping and re-binding this story into one which is so relevant in the 21st century. Not only does this recent adaption capture the iconic and nostalgic aura of the story, but it also manages to make it feel like a breathing organism, which is so visceral and vibrant that it feels brand new.

Time is the most obvious originality in the film. Gerwig wrote the film with the sisters as adults. It is not until a large dancing sequence with Jo where the audience are transported back in time to the youthful March household, in which the sisters have barely begun their life journey.

The non-chronological, yet intensely significant ordering of the film, as it bounces backwards and forwards in two time-frames, forges a continually elevating pace as the childhood timeline energetically hurtles towards the adult timeline.

The swiftness and wit of the dialogue adds to the pace as well as forging a modern twist. Every department works together to seamlessly distinguish between the two timeframes; vibrant costume combines with intricately designed hair and precise colour grading. Transitions in time are further beautifully tempered by the delicate yet bold score which Gerwig briefed to be a cross between “Mozart and Bowie”.

 

 

Florence Pugh has been getting ample and deserved attention for her portrayal of Amy. The physicality of her acting beautifully differentiates the two timeframes and she creates a whole new and nuanced way of perceiving Amy with impressive comic timing and magnetic charm.

The power trio relationship of Gerwig working alongside Saoirse Ronan (Jo) and Timothee Chalamet (Laurie) also prove themselves an exceptional force to be reckoned with. Gerwig’s use of time in the film subtly explores the confusion of the character Jo, and by definition Louisa May Alcott who based the character on herself.

At the end of the film we see Jo being encouraged to end her story in romance with a man, inferring that this was not truly her desire or indeed the outcome in real life. Gerwig’s research included letters by Louisa May Alcott where she claims to be in love with women, as well as being a male in a female body. Added to the fact that the main female character , Jo, has a male name, and Laurie has a female name, the whole story is imbued with subtle comments on gender and sexuality which were nicely captured in the film.

The feeling of melancholy I got when leaving the movie theatre was for only one reason: I was sad to leave that marvellous world I had been transported to for two hours — that is the sign of truly impeccable cinema.

5/5.

The political importance of Billy Porter’s iconic Red Carpet looks

Written by Patrice Fisher Akins on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

American actor and singer Billy Porter has been known in recent years for his bold and bright outfits during awards season and fashion week, straying from the typical black or blue suit and tie classically worn by men on the red carpet. Last years’ highly theatrical Met Gala look highlighted the underwhelming efforts of other male celebrities appearing in variations of the same tuxedo. This year, Porter has continued to show up with some of the most iconic outfits of awards season.

Porter’s style truly encapsulates the forward-thinking, gender non-conforming ethos which, while typically prominent in fashion houses, falls behind on the mainstream red carpet. With other celebrities and fashion figures, such as Harry Styles donning blouses and varnished nails, we begin to question if the uber-glam feminine outfits are a fun awards-season expression, or if personal style is beginning to become a way of making a political statement.

With Oscar Sunday recently passing, we saw the Pose star serving not one, not two, but three spectacular looks, prefaced with Porter tweeting “Let the fashion games begin!” The first ‘royalty’ look debuted on the red carpet before the awards ceremony, which was custom made by Giles Deacon, certainly drew attention with Porter’s golden feathered torso and wide ball-gown style skirt imprinted with Roman deities.

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Sam Ratelle, Porter’s stylist, explored the implications of the audacious outfit as worn by an openly queer black man in a traditionalist space, explaining to the New York Times that it’s meaningful to celebrate and subvert expectations. Ratelle also drew parallels between Porter and the recent controversy with the Duchess of Sussex as “she wasn’t welcome, always” in such a conventional setting, like the numerous awards ceremonies attended by Porter.

The glittering looks certainly didn’t end there. Next appearing on stage alongside fellow singer Janelle Monae, Porter performed whilst wearing a sleek bodysuit and gleaming gold long-coat with bejewelled heels and glasses, as a spirited homage to Elton John. Whilst the outfit clearly takes inspiration from an iconic artist’s decades-long career, it serves as less of an overt statement on gender barriers in art than a refreshing reminder that fashion has first and foremost been a mode of expression. Therefore, Porter’s consistent blurring of typically masculine and feminine styles stays true to respecting fashion as an art form.

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In this thinking, his Grammys sparkling blue bodysuit with technologically innovative curtain hat speaks more to Porter’s personal confidence in himself as a now 50-year-old man uninhibited by fashion ‘rules,’ bringing custom and couture pieces to bless the public eye.

Reviewing his exciting portfolio of red carpet looks, there is a clear favourite piece that is beginning to become synonymous with Porter’s style in the way we now associate Ariana Grande with her iconic high ponytail. This typically includes a fabulous wide-brimmed hat which he reclaimed for his third and final look of Oscars night, along with another feathered (this time purple) Christian Siriano outfit with a long train. The flowing, colourful Siriano top and bottoms, understated in colours and jewelled aspects compared to his previous outfits,  provides a distinct old Hollywood glamour to Porter’s Vanity Fair after-party look. Coupled with more recognisable men’s slacks, the actor returns to challenge all notions of typical masculinity.

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In a recent Instagram post, Porter gave a heartfelt statement on his turquoise and teal ballgown with butterfly sleeves worn at the Critic’s Choice Awards. Detailing his struggles earlier in life “trying to figure out how to be masculine enough by society’s standards,” his hyper-feminine outfits such as the butterfly imprints represent his ‘metamorphosis’ to his real unrestrained self.

Whilst the actor’s outfits may not be to all trends and tastes or generally have a classic red carpet vibe, Porter has consistently provided an empowering social commentary through his fashion sense. His head-turning outfits highlight that gendered bodies and barriers have no place in fashion and by extension, personal expression.

Keith Haring. Photo: Sharyn Morrow @Flickr

Is the intersection of fast fashion and modern art democratic or exploitative?

Written by Maisie Scott on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Contemporary art and streetwear have always existed in dialogue with one another. Uniqlo’s recent collection of graphic t-shirts titled ‘Crossing Lines’ celebrates the relationship between art and fashion. The collection of graphic t-shirts features the artwork of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The designs are available in the UK and the Uniqlo store on Market Street stocks several items from the collection.

Modern art is an important part of contemporary streetwear culture. Recent streetwear collaborations, including Supreme x Damien Hirst and Uniqlo x Kaws, portray the popularity of the intersection between art and casual clothing. Uniqlo is not traditionally perceived as a Hypebeast clothing outlet, but under the creative direction of streetwear giant Nigo, the brand has been led in new directions. Nigo took over the brand’s UT line in 2014 which includes its graphic t-shirts. The ‘Crossing Lines’ collection featuring the artwork of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel is the latest release.

Uniqlo’s graphic t-shirt collection makes the artwork of some of the biggest names in modern art accessible to the general public, but at what cost? The tops are available in multiple different colours including baby pink and black and are priced at £12.90.

Uniqlo are committed to rejecting the fast-fashion label that has been pressed upon them in recent years, but they cannot resist competing with fast-fashion prices. The ethical fashion journal Good On You comment that Uniqlo ‘”has a repair and reuse program in place, however, its business is built on fast fashion, constantly changing styles and more or less disposable clothing which is inherently harmful to the environment.”

Fast fashion damages the environment and has the potential to drain the creative energy of modern art. Famous prints are made into novelty designs that get scrapped as soon as they dip in popularity. Online Editor Bec Oakes’ piece,  ‘Fast fashion is destroying the integrity of the fashion industry’ highlights the crux of the issue. Fast fashion has removed the artistry from fashion.

The history of the artists and the pieces of art themselves have the potential to get lost in the translation of art into highstreet fashion. Keith Haring (1958-1990) was a vital voice in AIDs activism in New York. Haring died aged 32 from AIDs related complications. Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat both used graffiti as a medium in order to make their artwork available at street level. Instead of confining their creative talent to galleries, the two radical artists desired for their artwork to be accessible.

Uniqlo’s ‘Crossing Lines’ collection is pocket-friendly and arguments could be advanced that this makes modern art (often still confined to expensive galleries) more democratic. Yet it seems naive to make such a claim as the fast fashion element of the collection obscures the creativity of the original artwork because of the exploitation involved in making the garments. The intersection of modern art and fast fashion streetwear must be carefully considered so as not to commit two-fold damage to the environment, the people making the clothes and the creativity of the original work.

Why I spoiled my ballot

Written by sachaperera on . Posted in Opinion.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the most recent general election was the most significant vote which our generation has been eligible for. The hard-fought battle for Brexit was decided here. The ominous cries of Greta reverberated around the peripheries of a divisive debate, characterised by questions of sovereignty and the preservation of our prized institutions.

In light of this, I understand why, when I have told people that I decided to abstain from voting, I received puzzled and sometimes critical responses. Most argue I neglected the privilege of my democratic right to participate and failed to contribute to the society which I’m part of. Instead they say I should’ve voted tactically, primarily due to my consequentialist preferences.

But I could not bring myself to do so. I believe we should vote on principle and not according to the option that is reasoned to offer the best possible outcome. I understand the temptation, especially as our electoral system incentivises this type of decision making. However, this consequentialist approach is dangerous and risks undermining the very values our democracy is founded on.

I felt that by voting I would be endorsing an electoral and, more broadly, a political system that is detrimental to the pluralism necessary for democracy; simultaneously supporting a party whose principled aims do not align with my own.

Corbyn represented a break from the increasingly similar and centrist attitudes of both Labour and the Conservatives, but his socialist ideal was one that was too divisive; alienating, even victimising, many individuals. The Conservatives’ failure to treat the Climate Crisis, among other issues, with the urgency and respect it deserves was the principle deterrent to my endorsement of Boris. I was close to voting for the Green Party, as their primary focus is a concern which I believe we have a duty to raise and voice – there is no better place than in an election to do this. However, their pact with the Liberal Democrats, who pledged to revoke Article 50 without a second referendum, undermining the democratic voice of the nation, is an act that made me deeply uneasy.

Regrettably, I was left with no choice but to act in the way I did. Unlike many, however, I don’t think that it was a meaningless decision. By spoiling my ballot, I have upheld the principles and values which democracy relies and is founded upon. I have fulfilled my democratic duty to vote on principle and what I think is best for the country. And finally I have voiced my disenchantment with the current state of our political system and its representatives.

I may yet be proved wrong and come to realise that my views are in fact incoherent. But what I hope is that this article might produce a response; one that asks me to reflect and question my understanding. But until then I maintain I acted in the only way I could and should have.

Art in Mancunia: Charlie Bird

Written by harrythorfinn on . Posted in Arts.

Charlie Bird is a photographer observing Manchester through the lens of his camera – documenting a changing city and sharing what he sees on his Instagram account.

A scroll through his account gives an insight into a photographer finding his own distinctive style.  “I have been taking photos properly for about 3 years,” he explains. His early work shows him getting to grips with the photographic form, taking candid shots of friends, spliffs and holidays.

Photo credit: Charlie Bird

However, a little over a year ago, Charlie began to take on a more distinct style. He turned to a rugged monochrome. This change in direction was partly in homage to classic street photographers such as André Kertész and Henri Cartier-Bresson, but he also saw the potential in stripping away colour:

“I like using black and white because it draws your attention to things you probably wouldn’t notice if they were in colour.”

Charlie’s photographs at first seem off-the-cuff; simple snapshots of the every day. Yet a closer look reveals a keen eye for shapes and textures, de-familiarising the ordinary in black and white. A personal favourite is a photograph of a basketball court covered in puddles. It’s the type of photo that takes a second to comprehend, the fractured reflections and the curved lines of the court create an odd but beautiful arrangement.

Photo credit: Charlie Bird

Charlie also explores specific themes, recalling “I try to explore themes like industrialization and how England, and particularly Manchester, is changing”. This can be seen in his photos of the glossy, square high risers that are becoming a more frequent part of Manchester’s cityscape. The black and white monochromatic style with the context of the city removed, makes the looming shapes look slightly alien.

A lot of Charlie’s work is classic street photography: people caught mid-stride and hiding under umbrellas. Yet there is often a tension here too. There’s a photo of a man in a balaclava looking straight into the camera with two police officers on either side of him- it’s, quite literally, an arresting image. There always seem to be stories lurking beneath these shots.

Photo credit: Charlie Bird

Charlie is from Kent but is based in Manchester. As seen with many young photographers, Instagram provides the perfect platform for showcasing his work. Whilst the books of Kertész and Cartier-Bresson that lie around his house have been constant sources of inspiration, Charlie also “follows a lot of great photographers on Instagram”.

We look forward to taking his photography from the internet to an exhibition setting, placing it alongside a wide selection of similarly great, up and coming Manchester artists.

Check out more of Charlie’s photography on Instagram: @charliej.bird.

The sustainable, multi-use French girl beauty secret

Written by Alexandra Bikard on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Want to get an insight into a French-girl beauty secret? Let us introduce you to the Savon de Marseille.

Unlike the majority of soaps available, Savon de Marseille is made from pure vegetable oil, traditionally olive oil. It is fragrance-free, colour-free and synthetic-free. It is traditionally cooked in a cauldron where, under the effects of heat, the olive oil and the caustic soda form the soap.

The Marseillaise manufacturing process guarantees an ‘extra pure’ soap, free of all impurities. It takes care of all skin types and is particularly good for more sensitive skin as it helps to clean and nourish the skin in a gentle way.

And, not only is Savon de Marseille good for you, but it is also good for the planet! It is fully biodegradable, and since it has no phosphates or synthetic products, it does not pollute rivers -great if you are trying to limit your environmental impact. In addition to that, it requires very little packaging and lasts a long time.

There are, unfortunately, many soaps that unrightfully claim to be Marseille soaps. Make sure to check the ingredient list, which should be quite short, as well as the price. Marseille soap is quite affordable, especially considering its longevity, and should cost between 5€ and 20€ per kilogram, far from the 55€ to 100€ which some fraudulent shops sell it at. Lastly, it should come in the form of a cube with a sign indicating “72%” and a logo registered by the Marseille Soap Professionals Union, an association created in 2011 by four founding members. This logo guarantees you an authentic Marseille soap, produced according to three essential criteria:

  1. Composition: vegetable oils only – fragrance-free, colorant-free, preservative-free.
  2. Manufacturing process: cooked in a cauldron, according to a specific saponification process, called the ‘Marseille process’, comprising of five steps. The production lasts between one week and 10 days.
  3. Geographic origin: made in the historic Marseille soap manufacturing area which today corresponds to the Bouches-du-Rhône department.

But how to use the soap? It takes care of the most sensitive skin and is recommended by dermatologists in case of intolerance to synthetic soaps. You can also hang a slice of Marseille soap in your wardrobe to keep moths away.

Additionally, placing a slice of it at the bottom of your bed helps relieve cramps and rheumatism and it can also be used as a stain-remover that is more effective than conventional synthetic detergents.

Marseille soap is also effective in cleaning small wounds and abrasions and finally, can be used as toothpaste – it is good for the gums and makes teeth clean and white.

There aren’t currently any shops in Manchester which stock Savon de Marseille however, it is available at the following online retailers:

Manchester City banned from European football after breaking financial fair play rules

Written by Will Stonier on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester City have been banned from participating in UEFA’s footballing competitions — the Champions League and the Europa League — for the next two seasons, as well as being hit with a €30m (£25m) fine after it was discovered that the club had misled UEFA by flouting financial fair play (FFP). 

The club responded immediately to UEFA in a battle-ready statement, illustrating City’s desire to fight the decision tooth and nail. The club seek to take UEFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) at the “earliest opportunity”, believing their decision — a judgement that arose through the leaking of sensitive information through the whistle-blowing organization Football Leaks — was based on a catalogue of information placed out of context in an investigative process they believe to have been, in City’s own words, “flawed”.

More specifically, Manchester City have been found guilty of having manipulated their level of sponsorship income through information they had submitted to the FFP process. City did not appear to be shocked by the decision, however, stating:  “The Club has always anticipated the ultimate need to seek out an independent body and process to impartially consider the comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position.”

UEFA’s decision should be placed in a wider framework with the battleground — as City’s rhetoric seems to suggest it as — being set in 2013, the year in which the FFP regulations meant that clubs had to spend within their means by balancing their expenditure against other forms of their income. Football Leaks, however, uncovered a number of internal emails and documents within Manchester that show Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the owner of City, was pumping funding into the club via sponsorship provided by his airline Etihad. As a result, the club has been found guilty of deceiving UEFA and not being compliant to FFP guidelines. Rui Pinto, the hacker at the helm of Football Leaks, now sits in jail whilst the documents he obtained have caused shattering ramifications to one of Europe’s largest clubs.

This is not merely a bloody lip for Manchester City — it is, indeed, a full-frontal body blow to the club and its ambitions for the future on and off the pitch. Since he took over Manchester City and cooly maneuvered the club to domestic successes, Sheikh Mansour has managed the club’s PR with a deft touch — leading to allegations of sportswashing, nonetheless — that have been paralysed as a result of the investigation.

However, any pre-emptive celebrations in the boardroom at a certain club in Turin would have quickly been muted as Pep Guardiola publicly stated that: “Even if they put us in League Two, I will still be here.” Although, he only has until the summer of 2021 left on his current contract. It is also understood that City CEO Ferran Soriano told the players in a squad meeting that they should place their trust in the club: “Trust me like I trust you,” Sorriano said, “this will be dropped”. 

It would appear as though the Manchester City hierarchy are quietly confident in the face of UEFA’s decision, seemingly willing to tackle them as the cabalistic society they view the governing body to be. 

The decision has been likened to other watershed moments in football, such as the Bosman ruling in 1995, but this is the first time UEFA have gone toe-to-toe with a modern superclub. For instance, the decision will have wider ramifications for UEFA: will other clubs now cower under their iron first and look to get into bed with the organisation, or will clubs — as Manchester City will have to do — build their brand outside of the body’s confines?

The situation, going forward, looks to be finely balanced. Rumours of a European Super League — a private league of elite clubs — have been floating around since 2016 when Der Spiegel uncovered  a series of covert discussions. Although discussions about a European Super League are not new, and have been bubbling for roughly thirty years, it would appear as though the recent emergence of discussions about its inception has put European football in state of unravelling, with Manchester City’s punishment just a symptom of this.

Where does this place Manchester City, then, in the immediate future? They are due to play Real Madrid on Wednesday 26th of February at the Etihad Stadium in what will be a particularly emotionally charged and hostile atmosphere. Manchester City fans are renowned for booing the Champions League anthem — probably not something to help in their cause, though they regard it as a ringtone of a corrupt conspiratorial network out to get them — at every home game. Additionally, the 1894 Group have received nearly £7,000 via crowdfunding toward a flag and banner display for the fixture to further bolster their disdain for UEFA.

It would appear, however, that this is only the beginning of an arms struggle between a superclub cast out to the wilderness and UEFA’s big stick.

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Sometimes, we need to be allowed to fail

Written by sarahfindley on . Posted in Lifestyle.

The famous writer C.S. Lewis once stated “failures are the finger posts on the road to achievement.” In the instance of failure in education, such inspirational quotes from intellectual giants, inventors and even celebrities are blatantly ignored or forgotten. But why are so many students and educators forgetting the importance of failure?

Education systems are the first major area of blame. The pressure for schools and universities to gain success in league tables has spun out of control. From the age of eleven we are trained to resist failure and pursue high grades. Such unnecessary stress, from as early as primary school SATS exams, has completely sapped away the enjoyment of education. This compulsion to pass and receive high grades continues throughout GCSES, A levels, and university for the many students today. But what for? To prove that we have the ability to memorise dates, names, methods, and theories? To contribute to our school or university’s position in national rankings? It is time for the system to allow failure. We should no longer be afraid to make mistakes on the way to success, but currently there are too many consequences to failing.

For the sake of our own mental and physical health, the pressure we place on ourselves is another factor in desperate need of change. The most recent exam period was a stark reminder of how exhausted we become from our dedication to passing assignments and exams. Looking around the library, I found myself, along with so many others, draining away in front of computer screens until late at night. Sometimes even the early hours of the morning, and many do not allow themselves to take proper time off. Whether breaks include going to the gym, eating out at a nice restaurant, going for drinks or binge watching a Netflix series, we need to accept that our body yearns for both rest and change. I am guilty of this resistance to failure and along with countless members of Generation Z, will regularly sacrifice proper periods of rest to achieve a high mark.

Failure has unfortunately always been more public than success. The current negative atmosphere around the topic causes many students to over think the expectations of lecturers, teachers, parents, and friends. By failing, we often feel as though we have let those closest to us down, even more than ourselves. This should not be the case. Our journey through education is our own. Both mistakes and successes belong only to the individual and we should not punish ourselves as a result of other people’s judgements. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times to invent a working light bulb. Therefore, as long as we continue to learn from our failure, why do the views of those around us even matter?

Society as a whole desperately needs to alter its demeaning attitudes towards failure, for the sake of both students’ mental and physical health, and to reduce the importance of exams when progressing through education. Until this change for the better takes place, failure really is not an option for so many young people today.

Be bold, be bald: It’s time to tackle hair loss head on

Written by Anja Samy on . Posted in Lifestyle.

What do Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson and Patrick Stewart all have in common? (Aside from being sexy.) They are all bald.

Thinning hair seems like an inevitability for many men as they age, and according to a study conducted by the department of epidemiology at West Point University, around half of all men experience significant hair-loss by age 40.

But hair loss is not just a trial reserved for the older and wiser men of the world. Plenty of men in their early 20’s go through it too – as many as 16% it seems. What’s more, by 30 almost a quarter of men will have become ‘follicly challenged’.

So, to all my balding kings out there, you are not alone.

James, an MA politics student at Manchester, is an advocate of embracing the no-hair-do: “I think it’s just the kind of thing that people should own a bit more. Just be bald. It’s a whole look and people in craft beer shops give you more recognition.”

He decided to take the plunge and reach for the razor after beginning to lose his hair in his 20’s, but explains that he “always knew it was coming in a way”.

“There was a point when me and my brothers must have been about 12 and our dad sat us down one day before school. He said, ‘Right there’s something I need to talk to you about. My hair didn’t make it to 30 and neither will yours. Come on let’s go to school.’”

The Norwood-Hamilton scale of male pattrn baldness classification.

Perhaps open conversations about hair loss like this is the only way to avoid a certain level of trauma which may come from losing your locks while others around you get to keep theirs. But hair loss during university is still an uncomfortable topic for many.

Callum, a recent graduate of UoM, realised he was thinning out in second year: “I was so embarassed, I would wear hats all the time to cover it up. None of my friends at the time could really relate to it.”

Callum realised he needed to “face his fears” after being turned away from a Manchester club for refusing to remove his hat: “I think I held onto my hair for way too long and I felt way better when I just accepted it and shaved it off.”

Yet many people feel compelled to hold onto their hair. You might not have realised but celebrities such as Matthew Mcconaughey, Jude Law and David Beckham have all undergone hair transplants, to name a few.

For those of you that don’t have access to tens of thousands of pounds, James pointed out one silver linings of having no hair is “the time it shaves off your morning routine – you are out of the shower and you are done. It is so convenient.”

Alongside this he offered two pieces of advice to cushion the emotional and physical impact of losing your hair: “I know not everyone can grow a beard but I do feel better having facial hair. I’ve tried having neither and it just doesn’t work for me. Being bald and having a beard is a strong look.”

James’ other tip to anyone “considering taking the plunge [of shaving your head] is to buy a hat. Your head gets so cold.”

There you have it, not only will you save time and water, but with a bald head, a cool beanie, a good beard, you’ll fit in well in craft beer shops . You can do it – be bold, be bald.

Home: A look at Rufus Jones’ “refugee sitcom”

Written by Sam James on . Posted in Film.

The return from the continent to a post-Brexit Britain bursts the blissful bubble of ignorance of one suburban family unit.

Upon arriving home, they discover a middle-aged Syrian refugee, called Sami, hiding in the boot of their car. This sets up Chanel 4’s Home to be a hilarious critique of middle-class Britain, complete with touching story lines, fully rounded characters and impossible situations.

The show is set firmly in ‘Little England’ – an area of comedy home to (among others) Alan Partridge, Basil Fawlty, and The League of Gentlemen. This nonspecific and metaphorical part of the country, which manifests itself in the show as Dorking, is classically exemplified by its fear of outsiders and change, but has a respect for tradition and etiquette. This seems like the worst place for Sami to have landed.

Home acerbically comments on the divisiveness of contemporary British politics, the refugee crisis and the frustration associated with bureaucracy. It treats all these issues with humanity and humour to great effect.

The show is much more than a comment on the refugee crisis and Britain’s response to it. It is also the story of two broken families and their quest for healing and resolution – one British and one Syrian, both cracked by emotion, one broken by war. This story line is just one instance of how the show attempts to point out similarities between the stereotypical ‘Little Englanders’ and Syrian refugees.

In series 1, Sami points out that he is from a similar social background to many of the lead British characters. “Before war I only worried about how my HDMI lead did not reach my TV”, he remarks. This was particularly effective as it dispensed with the innate perception of many in the west, that refugees are at worst, subhuman, or at best, ‘others’. There is a pervasive mindset in the UK that refugees are used to the hardships they face. As Home points out on many occasions, this is not the case.

Despite (or perhaps because of) the sympathetic and intelligent handling of these tricky and derisive subjects by writer Rufus Jones, and the emotive portrayal of the characters by Jones and the rest of the cast, the show is incredibly funny.

It is one of few shows in recent years that has made me genuinely laugh out loud. The style is obsessed with the minutia of everyday life. Not only does this add to the comedy but it also helps to portray the situation of Sami and his family firmly in a way that a British audience will recognise.

There are also many moments when Sami and the people around him triumph over adversity and ignorance. This gives the programme an overall uplifting feel, despite the hopelessness of the situations the characters find themselves in.

This is genuinely one of the best comedy dramas of the last five years. Home is entertaining, hilarious and sympathetic. It skilfully couples colloquialism with an awareness of the wider world, and brings the humanitarianism crisis into the context of the individuals effected.

If I was in the habit of predicting the outcome of the television BAFTAs, I would predict that Home would be a major contender for many awards, but I’m not so I won’t.

Both series of Home are now available on All 4.