ACE Magazine issue 9 by ACE Magazine // ACE Liverpool

ACE L I V E R P O O L

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2014 // ISSUE NO. 9

PROUDLY IN ASSOCIATION WITH BANDTRAIL.COM

ZEITGEIST SPECIAL

+ Capitalism: What Next? Most people can envisage the end of the world before the end of capitalism, but what could come after?

THE POVERTY CRISIS FOODBANKS ARE OVERWHELMED AND THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING LITTLE TO HELP THOSE IN POVERTY. SEE THE FULL PICTURE...

+ THE BEST OF 2014 CINEMA THRESHOLD FESTIVAL PREVIEW + GORDON GEKKO WAS ONCE CONSIDERED THE KING OF 1980’S WALL STREET EXCESS... AMD THEN, AS IF FROM NOWHERE:

ALONG CAME THE

WOLF INCLUDING INTERVIEWS WITH MARTIN SCORSESE AND LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACE TAKES A LOOK AT THE FABULOUS:

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

the Capitalism issue TATE LIVERPOOL:

ART TURNING LEFT ACE COLUMNISTS DISCUSS the LATEST MAJOR EXHIBITION at the tate and the influence of art on politics

PLUS MUCH , MUCH MORE! ART, MUSIC, FASHION, FOOD, FILM , AND CURRENT AFFAIRS

ALL INSIDE!

ACE

M AGAZINE

>> presents

Lapsley

NADINE

THE MONO LPS

7pm

+ CAVALRY

start

CARINA

06.03.14

>>TICKETS @BANDTRAIL £6 advance // £5 with ACE Magazine discount code // tickets from bandtrail.COM

C O N T E N T S

the Capitalism issue

Editorial ACE folk... Welcome to our “Capatalism” issue. We were somewhat chu ed to be able to secure an interview with Mr Leonar Wolf of Wall Street” pretty cool huh? Then we got serious and realised the things capitalism. It’s a subject we here at ACE feel pretty passionate about. Head over to our Zeitgeist pages (39-43) for thought provoking commentators. We’r to the headline acts who we are proudly showcasing, with our friends over at No-Wave and Bandtrail. The lovely Lapsley, Nadine Carina and The Mono LP’s divulge their passions and love of music ahead of the hotly anticipated gig. There is plenty mor o get reading. Tweet us your thoughts @ACELiverpool #ACEMagazine

Features

ALONG CAME

THE WOLF

CAPITALISM

What comes next?

Film in 2014

MUSIC09 CINEMA27 ART33 FASHION45 ZEITGEIST39 FOOD51

ACE O

dani telford editor & designer // @iarewriter_ editor@aceliverpool.com

head of design alexander williams // @alexander_jw

design@aceliverpool.com

head of sales & advertising Elizabeth wilkinson // @lilly_betty14

advertising@sphinxmedia.org

ace Liverpool . co. uk

online editor simon mulligan // @simonjmulligan

online@aceliverpool.com

contributors dani telford // Elizabeth wilkinson // alexander williams // Adam Scovell // Emma seery //james margeson // christopher burns // nancy buckland // Christopher worrall // Laura Crossley // sam turner // harry sherriff // elizabeth ward // Ste fleming // join the team // contribute to ace

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HIGHLIGHTS

RUSSELL BRAND: MESSIAH COMPLEX 15/02/14 - 16/02/14 We just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get enough. After selling out two dates at The Echo Arena in December, Russell Brand is back by overwhelmingly popular demand for one last encore of his latest show, Messiah Complex this February. Tickets are hard to come by, bit well worth seeking out. This critically acclaimed show will last long in the memory.

EchoArena.com

FOALS

Kathy Burke: Once a Catholic

Casablanca

22/01/14 - 08/02/14

16/02/14

This scandalous dark comedy transports the audience back to the 1950’s in a tale of Sex, Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Convent of Lady Fatima. Critics are hailing the show as ‘disturbingly hysterical’ and one certainly not to miss.

This February, one of the gr returns to the big screen. The excitement, charm and romance of this iconic movie is fully restored to celebrate 70 years of its’ wowing audiences. With an all star cast including Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid and Humphrey Bogart, this tale of love, war will amaze and excite just has it always has. Catch it at FACT for one afternoon only.

RoyalCourtLiverpool.co.uk

Saljam Presents Electric Nights

FACT.co.uk

20/02/2014 Handpicking the best unsigned bands, just before they become your future heros, Saljam has brought together James Wyatt, Treetop, Doodah Farm, Kate Hezaldine and Edge of Edent for an amazing night of Music at the Blade Factory at Camp and Furnace.

Twitter.com/SaljamPresents

FOALS 02/02/14 Oxford’ return to Liverpool this February as a part of the 2014 Fly Awards tour. Fresh off the back of their Mercury Prize nominated LP Holy Fire, Yannis & co are an act in high demand in 2014, and rightly so.

O2AcademyLiverpool.co.uk

CASABLANCA

Ghost: The Musical

Liverpool International Jazz festival

11/02/14 - 22/02/14

27/02/14 - 02/03/14

The Oscar winning 90’s movie that captured the hearts of a generation has now taken to the stage. After enormous success in the West End, the smash-hit musical is embarking on a national tour which rolls into the Liverpool Empire this February to kick off the new year in style.

The Liverpool International Jazz Festival returns for its second year showcasing some of the biggest names in Jazz such as award winning Jason Rebello and BBC Jazz award winners Get the Blessing. The festival is held at Liverpool Hope University’s Capstone Theatre for four days of swing and sax.

LiverpoolEmpire.org.uk

TheCapstoneTheatre.com

Welcome To My World

Richard Hawkins: Hijikata Twist

14/02/14 - 18/02/14

28/02/14 - 11/05/14

Tate Liverpool are hosting this special free exhibition focussing on the work of young people from three areas

Another free exhibition at Tate Liverpool, this time showcasing the talents of contemporary artist Richard roposition of complex connections based on the juxtaposition of images and ideas brings a fresh ‘twist’ on classic Western Figurative painting.

photographer Joann Kushner, the exhibition explores issues affecting their lives and communities. Watch out for special poetry performances around the exhibition.

Tate.org.uk

MUSIC

Femme en Fourrure The Beach EP

We all know B is THE Queen. With her self-titled album she is cementing it, and ACE applauds her. She explores bulimia, postnatal depression, marriage, motherhood and copious amounts of sex; weaving a dark and mysterious path devoid of power ballads and sonic noise as she goes. Complex is not a word often associated with pop queens but Beyoncé is marching to her own drum. With its shadowy production, this form of R&B is no guarantee of hits or commercial success. But it’s Beyoncé, and one thing she knows is that she can turn it on and everyone will follow. We love it.

Pangaea’s Fabriclive, The 73rd instalment in the now legendary mixtape series, deftly embodies the bass-heavy, off-kilter genre of electronic music that he’s become synonymous with. The way in which tropical, bouncy rhythms merge effortlessly into hard-hitting basslines shows exactly why Pangaea is so good at what he does. The crescendo is provided by Pearson Sound with new track ‘Starburst’ for which he should really take a bow. Second half of the mix gets heavy with the Speedy J anthem ‘Something For Your Mind’ dropping in and out all over the show. A devilishly dark mixtape perfect for those weird 4am moments.

Femme en Fourrure, or ‘Women in Fur’ to me and you, make music for DJs and Models. Their brand of shoegaze electronica is certainly one to prick the ears. After a collaborative effort with South London Ordnance gained airplay from Marcel Dettmen and Julio Bashmor FEF release new ep The Beach. A seedy, sultry number, all three tracks should carry a Parental Guidance sticker with second track ‘Palms Glide Up Thighs’ doing exactly what it says on the tin. Worth a listen if only to check out the Maria Minerva ‘Arrhythmia’ remix. Unsettling, in the best way.

Elizabeth Ward // @elizabethmward

Pangaea Fabriclive 73

Elizabeth Ward // @elizabethmward

Beyoncé Beyoncé

Sony - Various Artists 12 Years a Slave

Bruce Springsteen High Hopes

The sixth collaboration between Malmus and the Jicks sees an expression of lamentation and freedom. Retrospect is key here, in “Chartjunk” Malkmaus is the old hat extolling that he’s been there and done that; almost saddened that he sees nowhere else for anybody to go. He is free to say whatever he wants and free to be older how he wants. Filled with concise tracks it feels like Malkmaus has something to say, but doesn’t really want the hassle. Worth a listen but nothing to set you alight.

Inspir

review] curator John Legend has called upon the likes of Laura Mvula and Alicia Keyes to produce an evocative soundscape of all things Americana. With small experts of Hans Zimmer’s original re, mixed with old blues, gospel and folk songs the exploration of slavery is conducted through the desperate themes of cruelty and suffering. Although heavy thematically the rich sound and seductive voices compiled here offer a sombre yet thought provoking album that seduces you.

rom the man who told us we were “born to run”, is an amalgamation of covers, outtakes and reworked classics. A retrospective of the previous decade that is full of high turns and surprises; not unlike the concerts Springsteen is so famed for staging. Joined by Tom Morello who recently joined his current E Street big band, the album is strewn with heavy guitar that at times can feel out of place. A record that largely works due to the masters control and belief in his own place, Springsteen back on top.

Elizabeth Wilkinson // @Lilly_Betty14

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks Wig Out at Jagbags Elizabeth Wilkinson // @Lilly_Betty14

Dani Telford // @iarewriter_

ALBUM REVIEWS

As Threshold Festival announces Natalie McCool, Etches, Mono Lps & The Wild Eyes as the first four acts that will begin the huge line-up set to take over Liverpool's Baltic Triangle in 2014, ACE Magazine looks forward to the city's festival of home-grown music and arts. Threshold Festival will be 4 years old in 2014 and organisers are more determined than ever to showcase the best of Liverpool's emerging artists, new work, collaboration, DIY, avant garde and community based projects encompassing music, theatre, film, performance and visual arts. It sounds like a daunting challenge but festival director, Kaya Herstad Carney believes that the first musical acts to be announced have got the ball rolling in style. "We wanted the first confirmations to all be exciting, up-and -oming and from Liverpool” Carney said. “We're so happy to have these acts on board." One aspect of the festival that organisers are particularly looking forward to in 2014 is the Visual Arts oﬀering. Having been an ideal platform for experimentation in previous years that has showcased work from the likes of Liverpool Art Prize 2012 winner Robyn Woolston, this year a unified theme will shape the exhibits across the festival. "The theme is 'Retrofuturism' and we are looking for artists to create new work especially for the festival” said Head of Visual Arts, Jazamin Sinclair. "My favourite piece from last year was that of Matt Seamless. His installation; 'Waterproof Sleuth' was a painstaking year

long project in which he'd documented discarded umbrellas around Liverpool City Centre." Threshold supplies Liverpool with 3 days of entertainment and innovative arts over 10 of the most exciting new venues in the city over the 28th/29th/30th March. Full price tickets are available for just £25 from Skiddle.com

+ NATALIE MCCOOL ETCHES THE MONO LPS THE WILD EYES DUB MAFIA GIDEON CONN BROKEN MEN THE FIRE BENEATH THE SEA

Lapsley

ELECTRO

BEATS

boss

Headlining ACE’s t eve live music event at LEAF Tea Shop in , Låpsley will be the one to watch in 2014. As she y blends acoustic and c sounds, unique style is simply addictive listening ’s the deets on all things Låpsley...

What’s your real name, age, and hometown? Holly Lapsley Fletcher. 17 years old. Born in York. Dad lives in Leeds, mum lives in Liverpool. So how did you pick the name Låpsley? Does it have an [cough] ACE meaning? It’s my middle name. Låpsley is a new project, electronic alter ego. We think you’re pretty Chillwave… How would you personally describe your music to people that aren’t into electronic music, like say… your grandma?

performing as Låpsley, still working out what kind of set up I will have as it’s all new. HumanHuman raised the question… “The UK’s answer to Lorde?” What would your answer be? I don’t particularly listen to her music, however Lorde is an example of how a young female artist can break into the music scene successfully; I think electronic music particularly needs more females coming through, girl power. What do you do with your free time when you aren’t making music? Go travelling, I visit a lot of European cities, I always take my camera with me. I sail, play hockey and love seeing my favourite DJ/Producers in town.

I suppose each song is di erent. The common theme re pretty chilled. Don’t really like to restrict myself to a certain genre as get a lot of rom di erent ones.

Any last words or shoutouts before you go?

At what age did you start producing music?

My dad, who bought me my synth.

I have been writing music since the start of high school but only started producing the past 4 months when I started Låpsley. SO we know your tracks are bedroom-produced [amazing e ort] and you’re still experimenting and playing with your sound? The music I make isn’ re, so I may make a track that has both acoustic and electronic elements, depends on each project. How can you tell when a certain track is done? Before I start a track I pretty much have a rough idea how I want it to sound, so when I am happy I have done everything I set out to achieve in a tune, then I feel it’ How does it feel going from that intimate setting and translating this into a live performance in front of an audience?

INTRODUCING

LåPSLEY LEAF TEA SHOP March 6th 2014

Tickets @ Bandtrail.Com £6 ADV, £5 WITH ACE CODE: ACE2.0

I have done loads of acoustic performances, love it, I feel it’s the best part of making music. Excited about

Nadine carina

I NEVER HEARD THIS WORD [QUIRKY] BEFORE I CAME TO ENGLAND & TRIED TO LOOK IT UP TO SEE WHAT IT MEANS REALLY & ENDED UP INTERPRETING IT MY OWN WAY AND LIKING IT... Joint headlining the gig in March, we’ve managed to nab one of our favourite artists right now, Swiss born, Nadine Carina. It has to be said, her track ‘The Love’ is pretty much on repeat at ACE HQ. If you haven’t seen this girl already, we think it’s high time you should. As a Liverpool Magazine, we obviously love musicians coming to the city. What made you choose Liverpool // LIPA? After studying music technologies in Geneva I wanted to live somewhere else outside Switzerland. Meanwhile I was regularly writing songs with a friend there and she told me about LIPA and so we made a decision, that little by little became our dream: to go to Liverpool and study music there. I was really happy that we came here in the end. Has the sound of the city and its musical history

more than eating we would be ending up in a jam for all the night!

See nadine play

leaf tea shop // march 6th 2014 Tickets @ Bandtrail.Com £6 ADV, £5 WITH ACE CODE: ACE2.0

I can say that it really helped me, the music scene here is much richer than where I come from and artists are performing their own music every night, which of y. It made me start to see things di erently. I think that the music history of Liverpool also makes envy to other cities, and I felt the magic of it as soon as I came!

Labelled as “quirky” by many, would you say this is an accurate interpretation?

Coming from Switzerland, do you think that there is a Swiss vibe to your sound?

Give us an insight into your creative world... music

Haha! Maybe not, as there is a lot of punk rock and metal there and just a tiny bit of folk and electronic. But, I was r rock when I was younger and maybe we can hear it deep down hidden in my songs...

There's no rule or standard way to start really. I'd say

You showcase a huge range of musical abilities, what is your favourite instrument to play?

I never heard this word before I came to England, and tried to look up for it to see what it means really, and ended up interpreting it my own way and liking it.. I think it describes really well what I do.

lucky. As I can just focus on writing down the music. When I can, I try to do them separately; I have a little book with me all the time where I write down feelings or stu that I think it could be nice for a song. Then, when I'm at home, I put the lyrics into music and just concentrate on the musical side.

Well, my favourite instrument is singing and then I really like discovering new sounds and play with odd rds that inspire me. I can say I really like my critteri pocket piano and the kalimba as their sound is always amazing me.

What are you most looking forward to for this year, apart from the ACE gig of course?

If you could hold your own musical dinner party, who would you invite?

Just for fun... If you were stranded on an island what

Can I go with big names? I would probably invite Brian Eno, David Bowie, Grimes, the guys of Diverting Duo, Victor of Sunglitters, Bijou, maybe Soko and obviously Mathieu Bedwani and all of my friends at LIPA.. But

Computer r, I know it's hard) maybe the iphone then obviously my midi keyboard, my mic, my audio card (cables included) and if I'm allowed a plus more, my bed.

I'm looking forward to Summer! And playing at Beacons and many other festivals, and graduating at LIPA, woo!

ACE can’t seem to get enough of The Mono LPs. We couldn’t wait to bill these guys and we’re , you’ll fast become a fan too. Ste and Vicky kindly took the time to answer some of our questions ahead of the gig... So it's what we call, a 'unique' but pretty ACE sound, is Mono LPs - where did it all begin? Vicky: Ste and I met in college where we were studying music. We had to form bands and Set told me he'd written songs and would be interested to see what they would sound like with cello so we gave it a go and it seemed to work really well! Ste's cello parts looked unusual to me as they weren't typical cello parts that you'd expect in a song but when we played them together, I was pleasantly surprised! Also, "Mono LPs" as a title, what does it mean to you? rough some old vinyls when we were looking for a name and I just loved the name 'mono LP' and thought 'The Mono LPs' sounded like a good band name. Also, I thought it r Having someone who plays the cello in the band is a plus surely? We've seen you [Vicky] play with our mate Paul Straws, do people take it seriously? ACE were pleasantly surprised. Vicky: When people see a cellist walk up on stage with a band, I think they expect long notes that act as a string padding to slow songs. People have told me that

they are surprised when they see me play in The Mono LPs as the cello parts are interesting and energetic and more like guitar ri s and solos. I also love playing for Paul Straws. His songs are really quirky so they make a great canvas to lay cello parts on. Being a Liverpool band, and with a debut single released by Cavern Recor you at all and in what way?

such a rich musical heritage, it'd be di cult not to be city through the years. I think it's important, though, not just to sound like The Beatles as that has been done and can't be bettered. W rom contemporary bands from all over and love to hear what other local bands are doing. You guys have supported some big acts, Toploader and Sandi Thom to name but a few, what was that like? Vicky: It's always exciting to support big acts. You never know quite what to expect but it's exciting to know you're going to play to a big crowd. We supported Space last year at the O2 Academy and we were blown away by their supporters. It's great with the headliners' fans arrive early to see the support and at

Space's gig there were 2000 of them and we had a brilliant response. What we really want to know... Do you always get on as a four piece? or secr Ste: W We're a bit more like a 4-headed monster. We all want the same success with the band and we love music. We're in our own little bubble all of the time and get on really well. There's always lots of banter and people probably think we're a bit weird sometimes because of it! You've made the big time now

up! What's next? Ste: W re going into the studio in a few weeks to record with Grammy award-winning producer Steve Levine. He worked with The Beach Boys and is curr We're very excited about it! We're currently writing new songs for our next EP and the festival slots are getting booked in y

MONO LPS SUPPORT

LåPSLEY & NADINE CARINA LEAF TEA SHOP March 6th 2014 Tickets @ Bandtrail.Com £6 ADV, £5 WITH ACE CODE: ACE2.0

CAVALRY

A band that has been making some waves on the Liverpool music scene recently, Cavalry will also be supporting on the night. The new quintet from Liverpool â&#x20AC;&#x201C; offering alt-folk tapestries and disarming harmonies caught in compelling structures, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re excited for you to hear the amazing harmonies these guys can produce. Certainly one to watch out for as they do the rounds this year. Check Out:ACELiverpool.co.uk/cavalry

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STEPHEN K AMOS THE SPOKESMAN

Fri 21st February, 8:00pm. All Tickets £16.00

MAIN FEATURE

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT GORDON GEKKO WAS THE TRUE EMBODIMENT OF WANTON 80’S EXCESS,

ALONG CAME THE

WOLF WORDS: DANI TELFORD ARTWORK: ALEX WILLIAMS

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

“It’s another look at America, another look at who we are, and a look at human nature” - Martin Scorcese

“Jordan Belfort was one of those wolves who took advantage of the loophole… like a modern day Caligula,” declares DiCaprio, Wolf Of Wall Street’s lead actor and producer, whom fought tiresomely ’t resist comparison of Jordan Belfort to history’s most debauched and insanely indulgent Roman Emperor Awestruck by what he describes as Rome’s boundless lust for the illicit transferred to a New York brokerage full of salesmen from Queens, DiCaprio says he was drawn to Belfort’s unconstrained honesty about the heights of ecstasy that was found within his grasp – money reely people were having carnal relations on stacks of it until the totally exorbitant became the ordinary was Jordan’s absolute candidness about his every crazy endeavour for wealth and his mad consumption – and I felt that was the basis for a fascinating character the fact that he ultimately had to pay the price made for a great story Teaming up with the ever-so daring Director Martin Scorsese once again, the pair partake in an excavation of American crime drama with Wolf Of Wall Street, though instead of skirting around the issue, delve straight to the edge with a tale from the outrageous and darkly comic realm of our most contemporary variety of criminal extortion: opportunity to showcase the late 80s, early 90s Wall Street, which was so incredibly unregulated… “It was like the Wild Wild W ’s story against the backdrop of a frivolous and indulgent New York, wher re out to have the time of their lives whilst fatefully binding themselves to result is an epic trip into intoxication, intoxication by greed, adrenaline, sex, drugs and the constant churning of all too easy money non-stop pleasure-hunting descent of Jor DiCaprio plays the New York stockbroker who, alongside his merry band of brokers, [cough] IPO rd, amounts of dollars and creating an empire of excess by defrauding Leo tells us that he originally approached Scorsese [AKA Marty] to jump on boar due to the fact that the “Gangs of New York” director was capable of bringing a reality, a life and a sense of

It was Scorsese in fact who sought the aid of Terence Winter to write the screenplay Winter is best known for his Emmy-winning work on “The Sopranos” and for the hit Pr rdwalk Empire,” which Scorsese also executive pr Twining together an penchant for writing about the lure and perils of the high life, he began research by going directly to the source, seems thoroughly exhilarated by Winter’s writing, explaining that Terry had written it stylistically for Martin Scorsese; it was a screenplay that encapsulated all the most insane moments of Jordan’ gave me some of the most wonderful dialogue I’ve ever had the opportunity to say as an actor,” DiCaprio goes on, “We’re incredibly thankful that he did the adaptation because he painted so many nuances into all these characters and brought bold colour into it in a way I don’ rom the really going to happen if it exuded the full force of wicked, wanton decadence that had been witnessed in Winter’ ’s book

Belfort, the man described by Forbes as ‘the Robin Hood the rich, and gave to himself’ has quite a strange allure to Martin Scorcese, he sees him as an opportunity

something ‘very rom the start, I couldn’t stop thinking of Marty for this material…I always remember Marty telling me that ‘Goodfellas’ was a dark comedy r call him “The Robin Hood who steals from the rich and give to himself” had a certain allure to Marty also - he observed the opportunity to go places even he has never gone before, leaping into unexpurgated depravity

It was clear from the start that for the , the full force of a decade of wanton decedance was needed

Jonah Hill

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

“The year I turned 26, I made $49M which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week.” - Jordan Belfort

Playing Belfort, for DiCaprio, was a must. Though this would of course require stepping over the edge somewhat. “The big question that you have going into a movie like this is whether audiences will respond to a character who is really committing atrocious acts. But I think that rests on the honesty with which you depict a character like Jordan. And that was one of the things that Marty said very early on to me. He said, ‘You know, through my experiences in making movies, if you’re authentic with the characters and who they are and don’t betray that, people will go along with anything.’ That stuck with me”. The attitude was to ‘pull no punches’, it wasn’t about whitewashing, nor trying to make the characters likeable in any shape or form, Leo insists. He was adamant to portray them for what they were and the unbelievable times they had during those few years when there was simply no rules. “These guys were running wild with America’s money in their hands. But watching them disintegrate, watching them succumb to their own lust and greed, is incredibly entertaining.”

Jonah and I were completely obliterated, he looked right at me and said “This is the most insane thing I’ve ever done in my life”.

We’re assured DiCaprio did a lot of research but of course, great actors will, at the end of the day, be great actors. During rehearsal, and on set, an improvisatory spirit reigned. “We had reference points of where we wanted the scenes to go but it was incredibly loose,” he explains. “It was like a theatre company coming in and playing around with the material. We’d have a scene that was only a page long and we’d be improvising for hours and hours. Anything could happen and a lot of m as well. Leo points out that Matthew McConaughey, y, became an incredible

I had to agree.

reason. Matthew started the chant that soon became the Stratton Oakmont anthem. “He started beating his chest like this weird drum and I sort of looked at Marty like, ‘Do you see what’s going on here?’ Later, I picked that up again for the scene where I’m bring my troops back for war”, DiCaprio explains. Many scenes allowed DiCaprio himself to delve far beyond the usual boundaries of human behavior – but one particular Quaalude trip stands out. “It all happens in one day that Jordan realises the FBI are bugging his house, Donnie messes up a money transaction, and then Donnie and Jordan take these very, very, very powerful pharmaceutical grade Quaaludes and take way to much of them because they don’t realise they have a delayed fuse. Marty created this insanely hilarious, very intense and -terrifying at times- sequence where both Jonah and I are just completely obliterated. I remember Jonah looked at me and says, ‘This is the most insane thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.’ And I had to say the same. It turned into this wild, surreal event in the life of these two maniacs.” Though he threw himself into Jordan’s self-destructive ecstasy, DiCaprio also became fascinated by his rousing speeches in front of the whole company. “The speeches were very interesting because it almost became like a U2 concert”, he muses. “It took on a life of its own. He had these money-crazed stockbrokers wanting to become rich at any cost and he had to ramp them up for warfare. So it was like stepping up on stage as a rock star and having to get the audience pumped up, only the irony is that he’s pumping them up to be as greedy as possible and to take advantage of each other. But those were incredibly memorable scenes for me because we worked on them in great detail and once I got up on that stage it became its own animal.” re came together, DiCaprio found by Jordan Belfort’s rise and fall. The actor and producer concludes: “In some ways, I think today’s audiences are very desensitised to a lot of things that they see up on the screen. But it’s so exciting the way that Marty has allowed the cast and the crew to play with this story that I think it resonates in a very different way.”

Margot Robbie

12 DECEMBER 2013 - 9 MARCH 2014 2

FREE ENTRY FACT.CO.UK 7

SCREEN Her

Spike Jonze returns with this boundary pushing Romantic Comedy which has already taken the Film festival circuit by storm. A must see this February.

12 years a slave

Christopher Worrall

In both Hunger and Shame, director Steve McQueen demonstrated that he can create brilliantly visceral and shocking There are sequences that stay long in the memory due to both their shocking clarity and sensual impact However as brilliant as each re, there is a shortfall Neither lm contains any degree of heart They were undoubtedly moving and excellently crafted, but they did have a cold, harsh fe 12 Years a Slave most de nitely recti s this This is a lm that is as gripping and horrifying as anything McQueen has ever done whilst also being moving to the point of genuine, heartfelt tears Based on his incredible autobiography, 12 Years a Slave follows the journey of Solomon Northup; a black freeman in 1840s New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Souther rough his years in captivity, he and so many others are subjected to the worst kinds of physical, verbal and mental abuse They are not only imprisoned physically, but also stripped of every single scrap of humanity and hope All that remains is what the system needed them to be: machines to work the s and generate the money We will never be so unlucky as to experience such inhumanity

depicts is ourselves; what this terrifying enough to last a lifetime The brutality of so much of this is genuinely upsetting and had people in the screening room jumping from their seats and crying out with discomfo McQueen never inches in his depiction of the repeated rapes and sadistic beatings in icting on his characte Blood cks onto the camera lens, we hear skin rip and bones break Not once is its authenticity doubted; it all looks, sounds and feels awfully, depressingly real It is made somehow more horrible by being placed against the beautiful backdrop of the sunlit, rural United States Indeed, there seems to have been a deliberate effort to make the exterior settings pristine so as to highlight the juxtaposition between civilisation and brutality Removed are the Gone with the Wind-style fantasies, this is slavery depicted as it should be remembered nothing less than a Holocaust What really sets this m above the rest is the powerful, beating emotional heart that lies at the very centre of it The appalling violence is only as powerful because of how emotionally invested you are in everything that is happening on screen It is from the characters that the real heart and soul of the lm comes

through Screen newcomer Lupita Nyong'o is fantastic as the slave girl struggling for survival while trying to avoid the forceful advances of her deranged master r performance deserves to be a springboard for more opportunities in the future The true star is Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon He utterly convinces you of his character and of the incredible journey he is forced o Perhaps most striking are his eyes and facial expressions; they speak of so much pain, of a battered pride and longing for a return to his former life A scene in which he joins a hauntingly beautiful song with his fellow slaves had me openly weepin It is in a state of wonderment that you leave the cinema when this concludes 12 Years a Slave isn't just McQueen's best work, nor is it merely a that should go on to win award after award It is a that combines wonderful storytelling, brilliant acting, shocking brutality and raw emotionality to create something that should be remembered and revered for a very, very long time The word 'landmark' shouldn't be thrown around lightly Yet I truly think this deserves such a lab It is one of the very best and most signi cant ms I have ever seen Christopher Burns | @Christophj87

FILM REVIEWS

The Railway Man has been somewhat overshadowed in the glut of high quality blockbusters which have come to big screens since the start of 2014. However, Jonathan Teplitsky’ res many commonalities with the biggest of those blockbusters. Like Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, The Railway Man brings to the fore a dark chapter in human history, explores man’s inhumanity towards man and is based on a true story written by its protagonist. The protagonist here is Eric Lomax (played by Colin Firth), a World War II veteran and train enthusiast who meets the newly single Patti (Nicole Kidman) on a Northern bound train. Like all women are, Patti is powerless against extensive knowledge of trains and the obscure Northern towns. A world wind romance becomes a marriage, but demons from Lomax’s past soon interfer beautifully shot with the stark wintery coast of Berwick-upon-Tweed juxtaposed with the humid tropics of South East Asia. As we move to and fro from the 1980s to the 1940s it is r fferentiate between the two periods and his new life with Patti becomes impossible. Lomax is haunted by the Japanese prison guards who forced him and his fellow soldiers to work in the deadly heat in horrendous conditions on the Thailand to Burma railway. Most pr Takashi Tanroh Ashida and as an older tour guide by Hiroyuki Sanad). Nagase was clearly one of the most brutal of Lomax’s torturers and when a fellow veteran discovers he is still alive and making a living from his past atrocities, Lomax’s peers encourage him to seek revenge. Liverpool’s Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s screenplay e corny at times but the performances carry it through. Firth is brilliant at showing Lomax’s stoicism slowly break into despair while the monstr remarkable conclusion.Lomax’s story is a true testament to reconciliation and forgiveness and reminds us that there are no winners in war. Teplisky deals rowing list of must-sees.

American Hustle

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Based on the memoir of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who in the early nineties founded the infamous Stratton Oakmont

The original title for David O. Russell’s American Hustle was the slightly more in your face American Bullshit. Why it got changed you can probably guess but that initial title still holds a lot of truth. But the very best kind of bullshit. O’Russell has gone for a blistering hatrick here after the successes ofThe Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook and it’s safe to say he’s done it. It’s 1978 and Irving (Christian Bale)is a master con artist and teaming up with his mistress Edith Greensly (Amy Adams) the pair run an investment type con until FBI Agent Richie DiMaso(Bradley Cooper) hustles them and the pair end up in the slammer, albeit with one condition; help us and we’ll help you. All in all, American Hustle is the reat movie of 2014.

With the name Ben Stiller comes images of “Zoolander”, “Tropic Thunder” or “There’s something about Mary”. So when you sit down to watch his latest directorial effort “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”, you anticipate two hours of lighthearted, comedic, maybe even hair gel infused moments. Sadly this was not the case. Loosely based on James Thurber’s classic short story, the Stiller we know and love has been transformed into a downtrodden fantasiser, Walter Mitty, who works as a negative asset manager at Life magazine. Walter escapes daily life by slipping into his own fantasy world of action and romance, imaginary efforts often fuelled by the object of his desire and co-worker (Kristen Wiig). The m is ambitious but lacks the humour we come to expect.

way to a wealth rumoured to be around $200 million. Belfort (played by DiCaprio) was indicted in 1998 and spent a meagre 22 months in prison mainly down to the fact he named names and wore a wire, as did Oakmont co-founder Danny Porush, who for legal reasons is called Donnie Azof isn’ Scorsese would have failed if that had been the case. The Wolf of Wall Street will continue to divide many. It’s the most talked about Best Picture nominee. There’s an effortless to the recklessness on show but above all, Scorsese has made a picture that evokes thought

Laura Crossley

Wolf of Wall Street

Christopher Burns

Harry Sherriff

Sam Turner

The Railway Man

2014

Words: Christopher Burns // @christophj87

A LOOK AHEAD TO THE BIG SCREEN EVENTS OF THE YEAR

You would be forgiven for completely ignoring 2014 in cinema. After all, 2015 is the year, right? That’s the year everyone is talking about at least. Next year just may be the blockbuster showcase to end them all, but to forget about 2014 would be to miss out on what also looks to be an interesting and exciting time for movies, yes there may not be a Bat, a Super or an Iron man in sight (Although there is an X and a Spider) but frankly, who needs heroes when you have this lot? And we’re given no time at all to catch our breath (or save money for that matter) as January gives us David O’Russell’s American Hustle with a stellar cast including the likes of Christian Bale, Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper amongst others, this true tale of con artists in the 1970’s brings the best of O’Russell’s previous two success together (The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook) to set up what could be another hit in his hot streak. But with it being Oscar season, January is just getting started as the master himself, Martin Scorsese, back with The Wolf of Wall Str collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio, TWOWS takes on the surreal memoirs of legendary wall street crook Jordan Belfort. The Goodfellas comparisons have already begun and a fair bit of controversy too. Expect sex, drugs + crime and lots of it. Expect classic Scorsese.

THERE MAY BE NO BAT, SUPER OR IRON MAN, BUT WHO NEEDS EM WHEN YOU HAVE THIS LOT?!

ready been tipped to dominate the Academy Awards, Steve McQueen’s third feature, 12 years A Slave is based upon the true and tragic story of Solomon Northup, a talented violinist who was kidnapped and forced into slavery, starring the underrated (yet hopefully for not much longer) Chiwetel Ejiofor, there is also McQueen regular Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch to name a few. Then we have the ever reliable Coen Brothers back with Inside Llewyn Davis, their tale of a folk musician trying to make it big in the pulsating well, folk scene of 1960’s New York, starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan and John Goodman, early word from the festival circuit was that it was one not to miss and apparently it has one of the soundtracks of any year let alone this one. Wes Anderson invites you to the Grand Budapest Hotel come February and let’s be honest, you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen that cast and Anderson’s latest looks typically crazy and deadpan hilarious. Bill Murray is also in attendance again so this is a must. Spike Jonze returns with Joaquin Phoenix in intriguing computer love story Her before things get a little gothic and blood thirsty with Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton in Jim Jarmusch’s long awaited Only Lover’s Left Alive which then takes us nicely onto Lars Von Triers much talked about Nymphomaniac. Yes, the hour mediation on one woman’s sexual history. The opinion at early screenings has been incredibly divided, some calling it a work of genius, some hating its guts. After all, what’s controversy without Lars Von Trier? Later on into the year things take a glossier turn as we have The Amazing Spiderman 2 which we wait and see with bated breath as to whether it can escape the too many villains/characters curse it looks to have bestowed on itself and then the big comic book movie of 2014 lands in the guise of X-Men: Days of Future Past. It’s XMen goes Avengers as both the cast of the early noughties efforts and the more recent First Class come together in a time travel extravaganza to thwart a plot that could wipe them out for good. The cast looks simply sensational, whether director Bryan Singer can hit all the right notes again, we’ll have to wait and see. But the Marvel assault doesn’t end there…

obviously as Captain America makes an appearance for his second outing in The Winter Soldier which we have been told has a conspiracy tone that lends itself to such 70’s paranoia classics All The Presidents Men and The Parallax View… just with a super soldier of be tiring out the best of us now but if it’s the big blockbuster you’re thirsting for come the summer then instead of deadening your senses with regurgitated trash like Michael Bay’s unfortunately imminent Transformers 4, those folks over at Marvel could be about to launch the surprise hit of the year in talking racoon with a machine gun and if that won’t get your ass on the cinema seat then nothing will. 2014’s big hitters don’t stop there either with Gareth Edward’s highly anticipated take on Godzilla (Trust us, you’ll want to watch the teaser trailer online now) and Dawn of The Planet of The Apes hopefully building upon a very promising mythology brought back so strong in 2011’s Rise of The Planet of The Apes. Some of the year’s most mouth-watering prospects are a little more of the radar right now though such as Gareth Evans’ sequel to this decade’ so far, 2011’s The Raid, (Yes, it really is. Go watch it now… but then come back as there’s exciting news on a sequel just up ahead) The Raid 2: Berandal looks to contain all the ferocity and all the beautiful bone br more if you can take it. Toward the year's end David Fincher’s adaption of Gillian Flyn’s bestseller Gone Girl accused of being behind his wife’s disappearance. Fincher is hardly known to put a foot wrong these days as his leading man so this could be something to keep an eye out for. Then, just when you think it’s safe to stay indoors comes the return of Christopher Nolan with his space thriller, Interstellar, which no one knows anything about except for a cryptic teaser trailer, all we know is that the cast is embarrassingly good, it’s that rarity of it being an original idea and script and with it ’s going to be something that probably becomes very iconic, very quickly. So, after all that and a lot more, at least 2015 will go easy on you… oh wait.

Sun 23rd February, 7:30pm.

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ART TATE: Keywords

Exploring how changes in r TATEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; res more r.

ART REVIEW @ FACT

“

The factory emerges as a clearly defined, physical space inside which the employees exist solely as the “workforce.” ...As viewers, we are resigned to the cyclic repetition of leaving the factory but never fulfilling the awaited freedom. 88 Wood Street

L1 4DQ

@fact_liverpool

Emma Seery // @MidtownMocha

“What Does Your Working Life Look Like?”

t’s a subject many of us are evaluating as we return grudgingly to the o ce, after a prolonged feast of SaturdaySunday-Saturday feelings. FACT’s Time & Motion opens with the gritty, monochrome images of Harun Farocki’s Workers Leaving the Factory looming above us, showing a regulated form of “work life” that is steadily vanishing. The factory emerges as employees exist solely as the “workforce.” The camera singles out individuals – in the form of Charlie Chaplin or Marilyn Monroe, to name a few – and follows them as they move away from the factory, shaking o their imposed “worker” identity. This is where the real narrative begins, yet in Farocki’ restricted to this single moment of departure. As viewers, we are resigned to the cyclic repetition of leaving the factory but reedom. Gregory Barsamian’s kinetic sculpture, Die Falle, plays out the unending cycle of human labour that many of Farocki’s subjects must endure. Its speed creates both an incredible gust of wind as well as res are condemned to a “Sisyphean” cycle, laboring eternally at an apparently futile task, never reaping the rewards of their work. ‘Cohen and Tuur Van Balen’ Watts shows a Chinese assembly line, where the construction of an entirely “useless” product is underway. As

much as it comments on the futility of many manufactured products, it also questions the role of the worker in a global system of massproduction. Tasks are broken up to ensure that no individual is given too much responsibility, and that little skill is actually required by each worker. Ultimately, they are reduced to mindless, emotionless factors in the system as well as rendered replaceable and easily dispensable. It’s a dehumanisation that occurs not simply on the assembly line, but to each participant in the system. Electroboutique’s IPaw highlights how an abundance of technology can make us passive consumers, while Je Crouse and Sephanie Rogethenburg’s Labours of Love transforms lovethe most personal and intimate of mankind’s emotions - into a crude, anonymously constructed commodity. In Workers Leaving The Googleplex, ex-Google employee Andrew Norman Wilson reveals a class hierarchy that is ruthlessly preserved by the managing classes. His attempt to document this system, with a focus on the “fourth class” “yellowbadged ScanOps,” led to his expulsion from the company. As in Farocki’ res time authorised by their superiors. The work of these employees “requires no cognitive involvement with the content of those materials. The labor process is quite Fordist – press button, turn page, repeat.” Capturing the shift in labour from the “industrial proletariat into the

proletariat,” it highlights that despite technological advances, little has actually changed for the workers, whose only possession

>> TIME & MOTION

still their labour-power. An adjacent screen shows the building of the higher Google “classes,” who are free to exit when they choose and r ’s facilities, which the ScanOps are prohibited fr using. This elitist hierarchy rors that present in the 1927

RUNS UNTIL MARCH 9TH FREE ENTRY

n Farocki’s piece, whose workers y, underground e futuristic city reside the reside in their stately towers. rocki and galleries in their central location and loud narration. Although a , during which the working envir inherent to the worker has barely changed.

Words: A d

a m S c ov ell

ATURNRINGT LEFT

Looking at an amalgamation of political ideas can be disorientating at the best of times. Trying to encompass a whole, global set of standard ideologies is ambitious but dizzyingly incomprehensible for one singular gallery space. Art Turning Left at Tate Liverpool aims to look at the, often naively inversed, relationship between the e ects of left-wing ideologies on the practice and reception of artists of all generations. Time is yet another factor adding to the ambition though it seems to be a mixed patchwork of creations and ideas, never quite achieving its admittedly progressive goals. The exhibition is split into several sections that begin with a question. These questions make up the general themes of each room, tying working ideas to more existential and philosophical ones. Left-wing attributes, often unlike their right-wing counterparts, seek to question situation and system more readily yet often come under attack for failing to provide tangible answers to the real-world implications. This relationship is mirrored effectively in the exhibition which is at least refreshing in so openly avoiding the naming of any political leaning as being either right or wrong. The stronger sections come from the stronger arguments which allow good ideas to follow through in well thought out collections of work. William Morris is a key example of this; his presence in the aesthetic employment of his work is put under scrutiny. The emphasis on process is almost essential to understanding a number of the works in all areas of questioning. In some cases, work is there purely because of how it was made and what its process meant to the people who made it.

Photography by Adam Scovell for ACE Liverpool, with permission of TATE Liverpool

Next Page: James Margeson takes a look at Art on the Left...

The exhibition's first section explicitly asks the question "Do we need to know who makes art?", exemplifying this perfectly. This seems more to stem from relationships within art and the art world rather than the real world (a delineation that is gradually blurred throughout) suggesting that problems of authorship and monetary value are ones of concern to a left-wing stance. Aptly, it would be the more materialist aspects of the art world that the works of Equipo 57 and Constant would create issues for, suggesting that ownership and authorship are as distinct as the money that often separates them. "Can art affect everyone?" sees a more general look at the curatorial theme and relationship. It showcases the first of many appearances from Bertolt Brecht whose multi-functioning, multi-media vat of work is the backbone of the exhibition. Along with several collages (Six original collages for the War Primer Kriegsfibel (1939-1955)) a 1962 performance of A Man's a Man is playing, consistently highlighting the musical elements of a potential revolution throughout the first room. It comes from the big boom in Brecht's popularity in America after a resurgence in admiration for his Threepenny Opera came to the fore and this particular performance seems refreshingly populist. "Can art affect everyone?" sees a more general look at the curatorial theme and relationship. It showcases the first of many appearances from Bertolt Brecht whose multi-functioning, multi-media vat of work is the backbone of the exhibition. Along with several collages (Six original collages for the War Primer Kriegsfibel (1939-1955)) a 1962 performance of A Man's a Man is playing, consistently highlighting the musical elements of a potential revolution throughout the first room. It comes from the big boom in Brecht's popularity in America after a resurgence in admiration for his Threepenny Opera came to the fore and this particular performance seems refreshingly populist.

A WHOLE SET OF IDEOLOGIES IS really quite AMBITIOUS FOR A SINGLE GALLERY SPACE the viewer and the work. It seems to want to empower its viewers, allowing them access to constructivist texts, Žižek philosophies and even some writing by William Morris. Add to this the object chaos that is scattered around the corner installation and the parallel is complete.

When it comes to an exhibition of this scale, it seems almost impossible to relate the feeling of actually experiencing it. There is simply so much work on display that it not only seems like a visual cacophony but also a thematic one too. While the former is a largely a positive thing to experience (albeit a difficult to surmise in words) the latter suggests a somewhat confusing result with large swaths of excellent work appearing to have very little to say about anything besides itself.

To assume that a left-wing exhibition would be relatively leaning towards the modern is mostly correct. There are however several works that verge on classicism but also hint at a potential subversion. Maximilen Luce's L'acierie (1895) screams of romantic impressionism but, rather than depicting a landscape or beautiful scenario, it depicts a furnace with working men as if Monet had picked up the interests of L.S Lowry. Then there is the highlight of Art Turning Left; Jacques-Louis David's The Death of Marat (1793-4). Its gothic shadows hide its revolutionary streak, with Marat being the murdered French revolutionist beautifully depicted almost martyrlike in his ubiquitous bath; a political death that seems one of choice and passion for the freedoms fought for.

The inclusion of My Room (1982), a former project by the Black-E Community group, highlights and epitomises the feeling that the exhibition gives; it seems far more like a public art venture. The sense of community, comradeship and lack of commerce associated with the themes of exhibition are equally, if not more, at home on the streets and projects of Liverpool Biennial's Contemporary Art Festival. Even Chto Delat's installation Study, Study and Act Again (2011/2013) is reminiscent of Alfredo Jarr's Marx Lounge from 2010's Touched. Both share the same concept; that of interaction and interconnectivity between

Art Turning Left proposes to be a tool for the viewer: to help, inform and to use. While its thematic aims are muddled, it presents a number of interesting pieces of work that are occasionally subverted. While it seems natural for art to lean to the left, it can't help but feel obvious; its ties being so greatly assumed. Its side projects, such as The Office of Useful Art, help the communal aspect that so many of works hint though an exhibition on the influence of other political ideologies on art would have been far less obvious and probably far more original and questioning.

son

Words: Ja m

es Marge

ART TURNING STILL

Seeing a May 68 poster on the wall of an art gallery is a bit like hearing the Clash on Radio 2. You know the message was once challenging, dangerous and revolutionary, yet on the wall they seem - and there is no other word for it - lifeless. This isn’t a barb at the Tate’s exhibition, but another way of saying they are weapons of battles lost; images of futures that never quite happened. Other than badly judged ironic culture reference placards (that one out of Father Ted wasn’t even funny in the first place, stop it) what does the current radical left have to show for itself aesthetically? When John Berger cut out part of Botticelli’s Venus and Mars with a box knife for his landmark sixties documentary Ways of Seeing he could scarcely have imagined how repeatable such images would become. During the American incarnation of the #occupy movement, UC Davis campus cop John Pike caused outrage by calmly and methodically pepper spraying students staging a sit down protest. The cut out image of this strikingly blasé act of brutality became an overnight viral hit, making its way into famous paintings, historical moments and cartoons; at once mocked and condemned. No box cutter required. This being the internet, he was eventually re-imagined into cookies and, inevitably, lego. A picture uploaded by a teenager at a lunchtime protest in London appears in milliseconds on the feed a Turkish revolutionary, and is plastered on the walls of millions across the world within the hour via a flurry of retweets, shares and upvotes. The screen printed posters displayed at Art Turning Left have done the rounds fairly often as it happens.

seething world of information, misinformation, contradiction, image macros, pixelated vertical videos of riot police, over-earnest blogs and shrill debates over the minutiae of obscure theory and historical events. Educate, agitate, like. However disorganised it may look, that network has the capacity to suddenly and collectively move against it’s common hierarchically organised enemies, seemingly without warning. Unpopular dictatorships, militarised police forces and a British national newspaper are among the targets. It’s unlikely any of the crisp mematic posters of the Deterritorial Support Group will be making an appearance on a future gallery wall, but they do neatly describe what has changed since 1968. Today social networks, computer design packages and mobile phones are used to create the aesthetics of revolt. The very tools of globalised 24/7 neoliberal capitalism are being weaponised and turned back at it by the more alienated of its subjects.

It is, of course, simpler to destroy the previous order than to create a new one

From the Guy Fawkes Mask to the Black Bloc, shared symbols of global revolt spread globally across the internet, and then into the street.

It’s of course simpler to destroy the previous order than to create a new one. For all the seismic upheaval of Egypt, or the experimentation of the square occupiers across Europe, it’s difficult to see what comes next. Mubarak is replaced by the military and The News of the World is replaced by the Sun on Sunday. Everything changes, but everything is the same.

The radical left of occupations and flash mobs couldn’t be further from the ideologically drilled vanguard and disciplined party soldiers of leninist imagination: it is instead a sprawling network of autonomous individuals endlessly experimenting, sharing and squabbling. A

Leftist philosopher Slavoj Zizek argued when you escape reality into your dreams, you are truly within ideology; that to revolutionise the world you must revolutionise those dreams. As today’s left is increasingly finding, escaping the ideology that raised you is no trivial task.

ZEITGEIST ACE Columnists talk contemporary culture, trends, technology, and the future...

ZEITGEIST

CAPITALISM WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? STE FLEMING, RELIGION & THEOLOGY EDITOR FOR COLUMN F AND MEMBER OF LE EMU TAVERN, FORESEES AM EMD TO THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM...

The apparent problem with the various anti capitalist movements that exist today is the lack of a clear vision of what COULD POSSIBLY come next. There’s a Palaeolithic cave somewhere in north Wales upon the walls of which can be seen ancient symbols dating back 12,000 years that have been roughly translated to mean ‘There is a spectre haunting hunter gatherers – that spectre is agricultural development’. All around it there lie fossils and skeletons of ideologically brainwashed cave-dwellers who died laughing, but never saw the fields of plenty. The point is simple, yet mindblowing; as history, knowledge and technology has moved on the systems under which human beings have lived have transformed beyond all recognition from each stage to the next, to the point where most persons living under them find it easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of the system they inhabit. The apparent problem with the various anti-capitalist movements that exist today is the lack of a clear vision of what will come next. This is actually okay because nobody ever designed the feudal system or sat down and drew up a plan for the successful execution of the industrial revolution, but these systems gathered a critical momentum none the less.

anarchy’ was averted by bail out packages which converted private into public debt. Once again, socialism bought capitalism more time

Capitalism has only lasted this long because it’s rapacious hunger for profit at any human cost has been kept in check by state regulation and workers’ movements. The circle that capitalism cannot square by itself is the fact that the workers it wants to pay less and less in order to maximise its profits are also the consumers it depends upon to buy its products. There is an apocryphal tale of Henry Ford showing oﬀ a new piece of automation in his car factory to a visitor and declaring smugly 'This machine doesn't go on strike.' The visitor replied 'But the machine won't buy your cars.' Fortuitously Ford didn’t live to see the age of neoliberalism; Instigated by Thatcher and spread around the world it has been characterised by the selling oﬀ of public assets for private profit and calculated attacks on the power of unions to agitate for fair wages. The fallout from the ensuing decline in household incomes was a spiralling of private debt which ultimately exploded in the financial crisis of 2008. Privately governments spoke about sending troops out onto the streets to contain mass unrest if the bank machines dried up overnight, but ‘anarchy’ was averted by bail out packages which converted private into public debt. Once again, socialism bought capitalism more time. The point is that capitalism will not save itself. The neoliberal policies which caused the crash are being intensified; living standards are falling and private debt spiralling again. Capitalism may have a few more throws of the dice, but one day it will all go bang and there won’t be public money or will to bail it out, the banks will dry up and there may even be troops deployed on the streets. The important thing to remember then is that there are more of us than them (and the troops won’t be getting paid either). And that seems like a pretty good starting point for building what comes next.

ZEITGEIST

BRITAIN ISNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T EATING

words: Alexander Williams

Since April, Foodbanks have fed over 500,000 citizens of the planet's 7th wealthiest nation. Owing to exponentially rising demand, the Trussell Trust is opening 4 new centers each week to provide for those without the means to buy food. Of these claimants, 42% are employed and 1/3 of the 58% majority, who are in receipt of have been forced into poverty through unnecessary welfare reform brought about by this coalition government. Currently, 90% of all donations to Foodbanks are made by a general public whose own meagre incomes rarely r t a living wage. The poor are feeding the poor in Britain today.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Ian Duncan Smith, along with his coalition cohorts, has attempted a whitewash of this crisis. In addition to the on-going suppression of a DEFRA report into the rise of Foodbank dependency, the government has also ordered the cessation of Foodbank statistic collation for the ONS, crippling the ability to accurately gauge the issue's severity. Callous, yet considered, directives such as these starkly reveal a government bound and driven by an ideology which creates and conceals poverty for the purpose of political ground-making, personal face-saving and private interest. These assertions were recently illustrated by the governmental rejection of ÂŁ22m worth of EU Aid offered expressly to quell Britain's burgeoning poverty crisis. Rather than accept this EU offering, which may have been perceived as a softening of the Right's obsessive Eurosceptic stance, the coalition instead decided to defend and effectively propagandise the destruction it is creating: â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the UK it is right that more people are... going to food banks because as times are tough, we are all having to pay back this ÂŁ1.5 trillion debt personally which spiralled under Labour, we are all trying to live within our means, change the gear and make sure that we pay back all our debt which happened under them" These are the words of Esther McVey, Minister of State for Employment, whose own constituency sits 3 miles y. She eloquently implies that the UK's stark economic inequality, an issue greatly exacerbated by her own party,

affected. It is not right that those with the political means to improve the plight of thousands refuse to do so and by extension hinder others in their efforts as well.

It is not right that a section of society has to rely on the generosity of its peers for nourishment

In 21st Century Britain, it is not right that a whole section of society relies on the philanthropy of its peers for

It is testament to the British sense of civic spirit and responsibility that Foodbanks have been able to provide for so many, for so long. Whilst this glowing endorsement for public concern is positive, we cannot allow the situation to become the norm. Directives to endorse and support Foodbanks are laudable and correct, but it is the system that has evoked their necessity that needs to become the focus of public effort. A vociferous, universal rejection of this government's cuts, welfare reforms and outright refusal to legislate against exploitative employers who seldom provide a living wage are what is required to slow this race to the bottom. Or else the poor will continue to feed the poor and the plutonomic disparity that is growing by the day will worsen beyond repair.

WWII, Britain is the subject of humanitarian effort as the Red Cross begins to provide food-aid to the worst

A fully referenced version of this article is available at ACELiverpool.co.uk

opposition in yet another 'It's all their fault' tirade. Assertions such as these serve only to heighten the impact of crises, as the rhetoric implies that those without are somehow deserving of their circumstance. Furthermore, the implication leads to the normalisation of Foodbanks and socioeconomic inequality as the working class gradually accepts its dire sentence.

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STYLE GIEVES & HAWKES S/S14

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LOGO NANCY BUCKLAND The logo is about to enjoy its moment in the style sun once more, thanks to everyone from Versace to Christopher Kane, and I ask myself, will I be giving it a whirl? This century started with a logo festival. Blame it on JLo, and P Diddy, or Puff Daddy as he was known then, and the optimism of a new millennium, but if you wanted to be noticed then you wore your brands on your sleeve, your watch, and your handbag. When Steven Sprouse created his Graffiti range for Louis Vuitton, which had been reborn thanks to Marc Jacobs, there were ‘homages’ popping up all over Liverpool within weeks of its launch. Anyone who wanted to be someone was draped in what has now become known as bling. The very word makes me cringe, and I was a serial offender. The problem with being so, well, showy, is that exclusivity loses its glitter when everyone is doing it. Before credit cards crunched, anyone with a bit of plastic could buy the real thing, and spend the next ten years paying for it, or there was always the alternative route: the fake logo. How they make me wince. I never got over someone cool called Dave, who ruined my image of him when I realised the crocodile on his Lacoste polo short had a cocky eye. Even people who could afford the real thing overdosed on the logo-off. Who could forget actress Daniella Westbrook, dressed head-to-toe, with a matching baby in pram, in the signature Burberry check? Burberry had spent a huge amount of money on relaunching itself as a fashion player, and was doing swimmingly well, until Daniella came along and took it from penthouse to pavement. It took several collections, the might of Christopher Bailey and a name change to Burberry Prorsum before the brand recovered.

Logos hit their peak when the WAGs dominated the media: picture Alex Curran in her Juicy Couture tracksuit and neon moon boots. To be fair, if you were young and had a big budget you literally bathed in labels. We have all have evidence of our fashion mistakes to hide, but for the likes of Alex and Coleen the pictures are there for all to see. When the WAG phenomenon died down Alex and Coleen moved on to less obvious labels, and at least had the ability to laugh at some of their fashion errors. Mine make my insides ache. There are some many fashion re-treads this coming season it would make your head spin, but will the logo make the style cut? Well, if you are still haunted by images of Vicky Pollard, then maybe not. However, if you fancy a bit of fun, then go for a logo. You can bet your bottom dollar that Victoria Beckham won’t, but you know, sometimes plain just isn’t interesting, and in a city where being a show-oﬀ is considered sport, a nice bit of metallic emblazoned Versace will go down nicely, but be prepared to pay for it. As the goddess of bling, Jennifer Lopez did inform us that love don’t cost a thing, but even she knows that a logo eats up your pay packet. Now where did I put my multi-colour Moschino belt? Vintage logo is my new look...............

Our Fav Serges DeNimes by oliver proudlock

LIFE SOLE &

ACE has a gander at the latest footwear from the high-street and beyond. Turns out, these some pretty decent stuff out ther

ASOS Brogues Created exclusively for

brogues of formal style for just £28.

Nike Air Max 90

CAT Colorado

If you’r , do them right. These will set you back a cool £105

Hyperbolic red-tops are pr prepared: £100.

ACE SELECTION

ASOS Chukka Boots Ok, we’r ’ e boots, whilst somewhat impractical are just about as smart as they get. Prices vary greatly, r r budget. £28 fr r

O.T Mexico ’66

Ted Baker Derby

ASOS Chelsea

Distinctive, functional footwear is Onitsuka Tiger’s forte. Well worth the slightly weighty £65.

These stylish derbies repr Ted Baker detail. Sunday best material at £130.

Zips on leather boots always smacks of S&M. But hey, that’s just me. Get kinky: £50.

ACE SELECTION

Converse All Stars (leather) Strictly speaking, these should be a staple in anyone’s wardrobe, But just in case you’re a bit slow on the uptake, or you’ve had your head buried in the sand for the last 93 years, you should know these boots are of the upmost importance. Don’r own a pair? Sort it out: £60.

TOMS Stitchout

ASOS B-Boot

Nike Eastham

You probably don’t own a yacht. But if you insist on dressing like you do, do it well: £37.

Offering a fusion of elegance and insulation, this effort from ASOS are all you need. £75.

Kanye West wears hitops, but don’t let that put you off. These offer style and comfort: £60.

For the best Quality, Price & Turnaround

Trust us, you will be in good company

Sales Enquiries Freephone: 0800 917 9809 Telephone: 0151 933 3289 Email: sales@wildthang.co.uk 331 - 337 Derby Road . Bootle . Liverpool L20 8LQ

GASTRO FREDERIKS HOPE STREET

food & drink review

’m always excited when a new eatery opens in the city. Lucky for me there has been a of new restaurants and bars bursting onto the Liverpool scene within the last 12 months; perhaps the most intriguing of them being Frederiks. A bar and restaurant that is daring to introduce a new style of eating and socialising based around the conversation of food and music. I told you it was intriguing. A bit of background information rst. Designed by the team behind the ever popular Camp and Furnace, Frederiks has set itself a tough task. Nestled away on Hope Street, occupying the space previously inhabited by Korova until it was burnt down, they are removed from the bursting Bold Street area where you cannot move for the number of independent, quirky eateries (no complaint here). Instead Frederiks is setting itself out as a “destination” to be sought after. It is a place to not only meet friends for lunch, but where you will end up staying all day because you just can’t help it. And trust me you won’t be able to help it because the genius of Frederiks lies in its design. Cool and urban it m nitely is, but it is all washed in the glow of a cosy open re and lounge-able

sofas. The emphasis is on relaxation; even the superb staff are friendly and vastly informative yet don’t intrude or interrupt (a skill I wish more could learn). After half an hour of what was supposed to be a food review, we had yet to look at the menu as we were too busy enthusing about our surroundings and warming our extremities on the aforementioned re. But now, this is supposed to be a food review after all so let’s get to it. The easiest way to describe the menu is Brooklyn tapas. The dishes vary in price from £2.00 to £8.00, basically allowing you to compose your own menu made up of whatever you fancy, and seriously entice you to order multiple plates. We ordered 4 savoury plates to start with as we were unsure how big each dish would be, we needn’t have worried. Everything that was placed before us was beautiful to behold and delicious to eat, with the bonus of generous portion sizes. The only dish that failed for me were the sticky strawberry, cinnamon glazed baby back ribs (£6.00). With a name like that they had a lot to live up to, but unfortunately they were neither adequately sticky nor packed with enough performers this was the one dud note.

As a menu I think Frederiks is overwhelmingly successful. Delicious, innovative food served in a way that makes you genuinely want to savour each mouthful and discuss the virtues of every flavour.

But boy did the stars sing. Devils on horseback, maple glazed bacon atop dates and mozzarella, (£3.50) were little morsels of sweet and savoury delight. Piping hot and devoured in one bite they reminded me how glorious the combination of fruit and meat really can be. Then there were the scotch eggs (£3.00). Banish all thought of rubbery eggs enveloped in greasy sausage meat dusted in soggy breadcrumbs, instead imagine soft, just cooked yolks and crisp deep-fried coating. Accompanied with a little spicy tomato compote to cut through the richness with a touch of acidity, it is clear that every single mouthful has been painstakingly developed to give the very best taste experience. Then there are the oysters Rockefeller (£8.00). Billed as Frederiks signature dish they can convert any oyster doubter into an oyster evangelist. Fresh, plump oysters are doused in wine, shallots, Served in their beautiful shells and eaten in one go they truly are delicious. After all that we thought it bad form to not experience some of the sweet options available (research must be thorough). We plumbed for the Guinness and chocolate cake (£4.00) and the lemon posset (£4.00). Both were equally yummy. by the dark nature of the Guinness, with a sweet cream cheese topping to enhance the sweetness.

It’s a dense, moist cake perfect accompaniment to a post meal co ee or cheeky beer. In complete contrast to the dark intensity of the cake, the lemon posset was a zingy, refreshing, lemon rich cream that cleansed the palette. Imagine a cold, smooth, rich custard with all the heaviness removed and you have an idea of just how delightfully di erent this posset is. As a menu I think Frederiks is overwhelmingly successful. Delicious, innovative food served in a way that makes you genuinely want to savour each r. You can lose yourself in its beautiful surroundings and laidback atmosphere for hours sampling as many dishes as you wish. Frederiks also has a bespoke events space called the Pillbox where they plan to hold cinema nights, live music and private functions as well as events. Serving food from noon till 10pm and a late night licence Frederiks is the place to eat, drink and be merry.

32 Hope Street

L1 9AX

@frederikshopest

THE YEAR OF THE CRAFT BEER Despite the decline in the number of pubs across the UK, a brewing phenomenon is slowly but surely sweeping the nation and changing the way in which we approach beer.

AND Liverpool has been swiftly following trend. ACE, of course, has done a bit of bar hopping to

Charging in from across the Atlantic, the idea of microbreweries is catching on; and in a big way. You would

Camp & Furnace

breweries as the UK has today. For beer lovers this is nothing but good news, but it also means that those who may previously have turned their nose up at the thought of beer may have to rethink their prejudice. Anything from pale ales, pilsners and stouts are having the artisan treatment and we just can’t get enough of re so diverse allows craft beers to be treated in the same way as wine. Bars and restaurants are increasingly marketing craft beers as accompaniments to food, garnering the same knowledge and enthusiasm usually associated with terroir than hops. As with most trends this one began in the US. A country regarded for its bland, commercialised beer such as Budweiser or Miller it is perhaps surprising that these new beers were created here, but not so that they became achingly hip in bars on both sides of the pond. And so it is that where the US start we invariably follow and craft beer has become the “des res” of urban drinking. As a country we are demanding more for our money (mainly because we seem to have less and less of it). We are increasingly concerned with buying local, and supporting our own communities. What better way to do that than by popping into our local and ordering a cool bottle of locally produced craft beer. ACE predicts that 2014 will not only be the year of the craft beer, but hopes that every year hence will be too.

call a ‘real’ beer.

One of our favourite venues, well, in general... Camp and Furnace supply atmosphere and pretty great beer in abundance. With their very own brew ale, Brown Bear, how could we not add C&F to our list? They tell us Brown Bear starts life smoking in the Furnace, before the beer wizards at Liverpool Craft Brewery get their hands on it, add honey and create something rather special. Mmm yes please. Salt Dog Slims You will probably catch one of us in here at some point during the week. With an eclectic menu of craft beer, and a rowdy / raucous night guaranteed, Salt Dog Slims is a winner every time. The simplistic decor leaves the drinks to talk for themselves. Plus what’s great about the SDS is the ever changing and adapting menu, so the beers never get boring. Around The World in 80 Beers The name says it all really. Brought to us via The Bierkeller Entertainment Complex, ATW80 is well, a dream for beer lovers. Grab yourself a passport and you’re away. Besides the ‘tourist’ largers, there is an emporium, the bar does attempt to widen the beer ATW80 is a welcomed addition to the Liverpool drinking scene. Find out more online: ACELiverpool.co.uk/craft-beer

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