Concrete issue 041 30 November 1994

embe•IO, 111• -------··-·· lt's Panto time! Concrete meets the stars of 'Aiaddln', coming soon at the Theatre Royal.

Room overcrowding could be eased with fli~·over desk chairs, s~ UEA

Academic bosses consider this a possible way oftackling seminar overcrowding. But there's only enough room for an A4 pad. let alone a pile oftextbooks ... :..

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PHOTO: SAM JARY

SITTING in-a seminar could never be the same again, when Registry bosses move to tackle class overcrowding. They may recommend discarding seminar desks, replacing them with chairs featuring built-in flip-overwriUng rests instead. But this would scarcely leave By room for an A4 writing pad and textbook, and would be unlikely Andrew Biggs to alleviate the present cramped school have to face lectures or conditions. Academic Registrar, Or Tony seminars where there are not Rich, admits that increases in stu- enough seats and no taele space dent numbers have led to existing for taking notes. Added Or Rich, "Another soseminar rooms being unable to cope with overcrowding, some- lution is to increase the capacity thing that he feels is "particularly of existing rooms by removing the tables and replacing them with bad" this year. Students in virtually every chairs that have folding-out writ-

ing desks." One EUR student recently reported a seminar group with as many as 45 people, whilst others are being expected to take exams in similarly cramped conditions. When the 1994-5 academic timetable was set out last year, the exact number of students enrolled in each course was not known. This has meant many groups are now too large for the rooms they have been allocated. Or Rich also hopes that the new Elizabeth Fry Building which

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I CRAMPING OUR STYLE Cont. from Page 1 opens early next year, will case the situati on as it provides an extra 16 rooms. On ly seven rooms out of this nu mber wi ll have the tradit ional se minar-roo m layo ut. But it is situated away fro m the ce ntre of campus, near Constable Te rrace, and co uld lead to class and lec ture delays due to the d istance invo lved . Un io n Academic O ffi ce r, Daniel Owc n , is conce rn e d th a t classes may be moved to th e evenings and Wed nesday afternoo ns owing to the lack of s u itable space . "Once a sem inar has mo re than 15 peop le, it 's no longer rea ll y a se minar - it becomes a lec ture" , he said. Th is si tuati on co mes despite a slowdown in ex pa nsion of StlF dent numbers at UEA ; las t a u-

~~~~~:·;,~::,iomk<wOH"' This is the last issue for 1994. We'll be back on January 25. 1 So Merry Xmas f and good luck with l those exam~···

ANOTHER CHANGE OF COURSE? By Mark Austin .OPTIONS for a revision of t he new C ommon C o u rs e Structure assessment sy stem are being exam ined by a work ing party set up by the University. lt is looking at the possibility of moving to what is called the' 12-

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12-6' system , where all six weeks of assessment for both semesters would take place in the summer. The idea has been taken from London University, where the system is already been successfully used in several colleges for two yea rs, and could be intraduced here in the academic year 1996-7. But UEA are keen to gauge

student opinion on the matter and Student Union Academic Officer Daniel Owen is conducting a survey this week asking stu dents fortheirviews on the proposals. This will then be taken back to the working party. "lt is impossible to pick a perfectsystem ", said Daniel. "I have some reservations about 12-12-6, but I don't see an obvious solution to the problem."

But Dean of WAM, Sandy Heslop, one of the dons to put forward the plan , claims that end of semester exam s mean that there is too little time for students to reflect on what they have learnt before they are examined on it. "The present system means that we are never examining the degree itself, simply the small component parts of it" , he said .

"it's like testing the nuts and bolts of a car and then never testing the car itself once it has been built." The proposals are due to be discussed at a meeting of the University Teaching Committee on December 12. But fo r any cha nges to be made there will have to be significant support from School Deans and students.

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

MURPHY UNDER FIRE

DELEGATESatlastwQek'sNUS LGBConference in Manchester unanimously passed a vote of no-confidence in NUS PresidentJim Murphy. Policymeansthatthe motion will now go the NUS National ConferencenextMarchwhere if it is ratified he will have to leave office. Jimisaccusedofhavingtried to ban the LGBConferenceand diverting funds from the budgets ofthe liberation campaigns tocausessuchasthismonth's national demonstration in Lon-

don. Union CommunicationsOfficerandLGBSocietymember Phil Cleggdescribed his actions as "disgusting•. "I think he has clearly shown that he's homophobic and doesn't want students to set the agenda"; he sald. But NUS Executive Committee Officer Shelley Wright put the accusations down to backstabbingbyelementswithln the NUS. "This is being done purely for political motives and personal dislikes, • she insisted. Union LGB Officer, Gehrett Ell is, reacted cautiously to the allegations, and although he voted for the motion atthe national conference did not support the wording of a similar motion presentedatlastweek's Annual General Meeting. "I don't think it should be passed by the Union until we have heard the other side ofthe story."

FOLLOWING nine weeks of 'teething problems', the Union announced they are to take legal action against the University over conditions at the £12 million Village site. The declaration that they are to sue the university W3li accompanied by a list ofthe problems that are still being faced by residents. These include: •Strong smells on the site, possibly due to inadequately sealed sewage tanks; -continuing problems with mould growing on mattresses, and •Inadequate outdoor lighting and poor security on the site. These come after weeks of negotiations with the University over the new residences. Director of Residences Jenny Grant has made it clear that work is in progress to tackle all the problems raised by students. But she expressed her disappointment that the Union had resorted to threats and could not conduct dialogue over the Village through the usual channels. The Union will act on behalf of students with complaints and will take UEA to court on their behalf.

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University Village: UEA may face claims for compensation over living conditions. Insets: how Concrete broke the story and followed the residents' fight for a fair deal

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Union mark one year in control of Ci~ venue By---Catherine Stuart THE UNION celebrate a year in charge of The Waterfront this week, and negotiations to determine the long term future ofthe venue will begin soon with Norwich City Council. Since the Union were mandated to take over the running of the King Street club 13 months, ago, fears over financial difficulties seem to have proved unfounded a year on. Finance Officer, John Holmes, has estimated a profit of around ÂŁI 0,000 since August after deducting high administration costs such as staff wages. Over the past year, The Waterfront has been host to such top bands as Elastica, Senser, Tony Hadley, and the Christians. It has attracted several name DJs, such as Sasha, John Digweed and Smok.in' Jo, as well as hosting cl ub nights for Megadog, the Cow Club, Pure Sheng, Fluff Syndicate, Offyerface and Fishtank. Yet some promotions have been postponed or cancelled, with inhouse club nights being criticised for a lack of innovation despite their success. John Holl]les sees the past 12 months as being something of a 'trial period' for the venue, with financial objectives over-riding the importance ofcreative input, something which critics say the Union have lacked during their tenure. David Hooper, UEA 's Commercial Services Manager, recognises the importance of "a dedicated and permanent staff' to manage The Waterfront, but insists that such developments will require the backing ofNorwich City Council. With negotiations due to open in January over the future finance and staffing of the venue, he feels partnership has to be the key to its

The Waterfron t: negotiations begin in the New Year over its long term future

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH THE VENUE IF YOU WON THE NATIONAL LOnERY? CONCRETE asked 20 students what they'd do with The Waterfront if they won the National Lottery jackpot, writes Lori

Stabi/e .. All unanimously agreed that the venue needed major improvements, and responses ranged from the practical, such as renovation in the bar and toilet facilities, to the extravagant and obscure. First year, A lex Whaley said, "I would make th::: walls out of glass with water flov;ing inside. Lights would be underneath a glass floor instead of on the ceiling." However, Izy Rowe, EUR2, decided the emphasis of the venue should be on live music. "With all my millions, I'd build lots of extra rooms to be put aside for jamming sessions, because I i'eally believe in live music and

there should be plenty of opportunity for people to achieve their

dreams." Our survey also revealed that 50 per cent of students would prefer to teardownthebuildings,as the venue is frequently criticized for its warehouse-like appearance and dark atmosphere. Simon (EUR2), said, "I'd get a bulldozer and knock the whole lot down. Then I'd start again from scratch." Another comment by Guy EAS2, suggested, "What you really need are some famous-name DJsand more

Izy Rowe local bands down there. That's what the money should be spent on." A bar-worker at The Waterfront found it difficult to work there because of bad-design, saying, "Ifl had the money, I'd totally redesign the bar areas. They were obviously designed by someone who's never even been behind a bar in their lives."

Local job fears as Nestle factory closes NESTLE have announced plans to close down their factory in Norwich with the loss of 900 jobs. The factory will close in two years time as the multinational company seeks to cut costs in the face of increasing competition. Said factory general manager Douglas Ramsay, "I regret very much all the distress a decision like this has on everyone." But the company has made ÂŁ500,000 available to help staff to find other jobs and to pay for retraining. The closure has a twist of local irony, as UEA students voted last year to ban Nestle products from Union outlets. This was part of a national campaign against the company and their

Fair Trade arrives at UH ~

FAIR trade was the order of last

~ week as the Society for Environ~ mental Action, in conjunction with ~ DevSoc, promoted Third World products, writes Tom Geoghegan. ::i Stalls outside Union House of~ fered students a free taste of'Cafeil: direct' coffee, 'Clipper' teas and 'Maya Gold' chocolate. The organiser, Guy Hughes, maintains that producers in developing co untries rarely benefit justly from trade, so his aim is to "promote awareness of the 'Fai r Trade ' products on campus and next semester off-campus in major supermarkets.

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Nestle's Norwich factory: due to close. Inset: UEA students vote to boycott Nestle products policies over baby milk distribution in the third world . This ban has been in place for over a year, as students voted last spring to continue the mandate. Although there is clearly no link between the boycott and the

closure, the news comes at a time when the local economy is reeling from a bout of redundancies, the most notable being Norwich Union's plans to trim its work force by 1,100.

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Graduate Students

Association NEW GSA COMMITTEE Last week the new GSA committee was elected into office: Geoffrey Williams is the new President of the GSA, responsible for the GSA as a whole and representing it on the relevant committees. Geoff is doing his PhD in Economics in SOC and was the GSA Treasurer last year. lndira Bedi is the 'old' and the new Vice-President, organising the bar rota and generally being a 'busy body' .lndira is a Linguistics PhD (EUR). Tim Bergfelder is the elected Secretary dealing with the GSAcorrespondence and the GSA office. Tim is currently working on his PhD in Film Studies (EAS).

LCR to be refurbished. but UH will have to wait...

---By--Adrian Steel PLANS FOR a complete overhaul of the LCR have been scheduled for the Christmas break following an agreement on funding reached by UEA and the Union. The University have injected £39,000 into the scheme, although the Union will be more than match-

ing this with a contribution of £41,000 . The scheme includes extensive refurbishment to the Bar area and the finings of the venue. And concertina doors are planned for the back of the LCR to create a separate space, to be used perhaps by clubs and societies. "I think students will see it as a positive move towards making the LCR somewhere they want to go, and it will consolidate our position as one ofEastAnglia's leading ven-

PHOTO: SAM JAAY

ues", said John Holmes, Union Finance Officer. Further improvements to UH, involving the toilets, Steward's Office and the area in the bus turnaround may be carried out next summer. But the University has slashed its funding for the scheme from the £180,000 previously agreed to the present figure of £73,000. ePtans for a £100,000 refurbishment of Union House, due to take place in 1993, were also shelved due to financial implications.

SCVA ORGANISES WORLD AIDS DAY BENEFIT STUDENTFrlendsoftheSalnsbuf)'Centrearetoholdaserlesofeventson Thursday December 1 to coincide with World Aids Day. The activities will take place In the undergraduate area of the SCVA. A bucket collection will be taken at the entrance, with Derek Jarman's film "Biuen belngscreenedthroughouttheday. A drinks party will be held at Spm In the Sa/nsbuf)' Centre, followed by a screening of "Ph/ladelph/an In Lecture Theatre One, starring Tom Hanks. All are welcome and support will be gratefully received.

PatrickVincent, MA candidate in International Relations (SOC) is taking care of the GSA's financial aspects as its Treasurer. Chris Coo le is the Events Co-ordinator, organising bar events like special nights or gigs. Chris is a postgraduate in Education. AnthonyDohrdoesn'tlikethedesignation'PropagandaMinister',solet'scallhimthePublicityOrganiser. He is the one responsible for all those lovely GSA posters you see around campus! Apart from that he's doing an MA in Economics. Last, but not least, Andrew 'Gripper' Chapman-the Bar Manager, as well as being campus sport celeb and a postgraduate in computing sciences.

FRENCH NIGHT DECEMBER 2 Friday sees the return of the French Nighttothe Grad's Bar. lflastyear'sevent has set any standards to judge by there will be excellent French wines and food (a variety of smelly cheese) as well as the more dubious enjoyment of French pop and rock favourites. Last year the evening escalated into a ballroom dance craze (the French just LOVE to jive!) in which almost everyone eventually participated. The evening should be a pre-Christmas highlight and great fun!

OPEN NIGHT DECEMBER 9 On Friday the 9th the GSA has its Open Night where the bar will for once be open to non-members during regular opening times.

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

. - - - - By - - - Michele du Randt

PHOTO: MOHAMED HASSAN

PORTILLO FOXES LOCALDEMONSTRATORS TOP TORY Michael Portillo failed to turn up at a political meeting in Fel ixstowe - to the frustration of a group of students from UEA who had turned up to meet him. Portillo, who was rumoured to be a guest speaker at the 21st Anniversary of the Easter Area Young Conservatives, failed to materialise, despite posters circulated at UEA by SWSS advertising his appearance. Other Tory politicians speaking at the event included ministers John Gummer, Baroness Blatch and Or Brian Mawhinney.

Greek Students demonstrate in The Square MEMBERS of the Hellenic Society at UEA staged a demonstration and petition in The Square last week. They were protesting against "The illegal establishment of the Turkish Cypriotpseudostate state and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Later, candles were lit in memory of those who died in the Turkish invasion of 1974. They released a statement stating that Cyprus would continue to seek a peaceful solution to the problem, onethatwould safeguard the human rights of all its citizens irrespective of origin or religion.

lOTTERY

"Marketing and Sales have come up with this concept of showing students a different aspect of the promoti on of Guinness. "We're trying to get away fro m the old image ofEna Sharples sitti ng at a table in the corner of the pub with a bottle of stout in her hand." Mr Jackson said he was pleased

THE National Lottery has proved a success on campus as well as nationwide, with figures from the Union Newspaper Shop marking the sale of over £4, 000 tickets in the first week of play . This followed with £920 in prize money being handed out, mainly in the form of£ 10 prizes, but also including five prizes of £32 . Said Mary Chapman, manageress, "The response was phenomenal. We never expected so many people on campus would buy tickets."

Your 24

Union Bars manager, Tom Balls, was unable to identify any of the three products. "It's all the same to me, I don't drink the stuff', he said. I le added that the stout market in Union Bars was a niche product, accounting for eight per cent of total sales.

Our results assessed three stout products available in bars on the UEA campus- Guinness, Murphy's (donated by the Union) and Beam ish (donated by the GSA bar). The ten tasters had to assess the three brands (whose identities were concealed) for bouquet, taste and consistency, and then rate the overall quality. In add ition, they had to guess which product they were drinking. According to the panel, our results revealed that Murphy's was the best in terms of quality (67 per cent), Guinness the runner up (64 per cent), whilst Beamish brought up the rear (60 per cent). But when it came to identifying

Mike: guessed incorrectly each product, problems arose. SO per cent correct! y guessed they were drinking Beamish, 20 per cent Murphy's, but no-one identified Guinness correct! y- strange considering their recent presence on campus. Regular Guinness drinker, Mike Macnamara, thought that his favourite stout was in fact Beamish and awarded it 2 out of 10, whilst

hou r a day, 7 days a w e ek club • • • •

with the feedback he was getti ng fro m UEA students. "The response has been phenomenal. We've had people queuing up both days, even in the rain." He added," Guinness outse lls its nearest rival by SO per cent, even though the nearest rival is 20 pence cheaper."

... but Murp_hy_'s tol?_s the ~?_oil in Concrete•s own stout taste test GUINNESS may have the marketing muscle when it comes to stout, but its rival Murphy's swept the board in our own UEA taste test, held in the Union Bars last week.

GOING POm OVERTHE LOnERY

THE NATiONAL

UEA STUDENTS were the latest recipients of the Guinness Taste Sensation roadshow in Week 8, as part of the brewer's strategy to consolidate their share of the stout market. Several articulated lorries and a simulator, together worth over £1 million, appeared in Union Place, aiming to bring the wondersofGuinness marketing to the average student. It received a variety of responses fro m students trying it out. " It's a mixed nightmare ofSinead O'Connor, The Crystal Maze and a dodgy fairgro und ride", said one student, fresh from his experience of the Taste Sensation. Ray Jackson, roadshow manager, claimed the exercise was an effort to try and create a new market for stout drinkers.

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.Concrete would like to thank the GSA Bar and the Union Bars for their generous help in the preparation of this article. THE PANEL: Nia/1 Hampton (Editor, Concrete), Mick Macnamara (GSA member), Will Phimester (President, Debating Society), Stuart Campbe/1 (President, Nexus UTV), Anthony James (SOC3), Miche /e du Randt (EUR2), John Holmes (Union Finance Officer), Jo Stubbington (EUR3), Tom Balls (Union Bars Manager) and Craig Eason (EUR3).

Snooker ... 1\nd a ,v,. ,ho\e \o' more\

Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Concrete•s alternative view of campus life

id anyone go on the Guinness Taste Sensation the other week? lt sure was sensational. It's amazing what you can do with an articulated lorry, because they had one three-dimensional thing with Sinead 0' Connor's little sister doing eyes at you and saying 'The taste ofblack magic', giving the impression that they're giving boxes of chocolate out with Guinness now or something. Then there was a lorry where !11 it would have been perfect if you were tripping, with the whole lorry full of fairy lights. It started with a 3-D, 'let's pretend we're going on a roUercoaster' and they poured you out of a can of Guinness into a glass and then down someone's throat. You went all the way down into blackness, which presumably was the bladder. But it struck me as odd, because if you open a can, there aren't many people who actually pour it into a glass. TQey just pour it straight down their necks don't they? AND you never saw the widgit. That would have been nice- to

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WHAT ASENSATION ...

Mal A Propism takes a look at what's been going on around campus

UEA Students roll up for the Taste Sensation - some of them for the fifth time.. have gone inside right down to the bottom of the can and seen the widgit and then come floating back up again. Then there was a room based on the Crystal Maze theme, \¥here you stuck your hand in and had to pick

up vouchers. Of course there is a technique to it, as people discovered who went round five or six times. This was to pick one near the edge and then wedge all the tokens against the wall and take your pick from 90 or so

that you managed to collect. You could win aT-shirt- good if you've got dirty laundry piling up and you need some clean clothes. Or win a free pint. It depends on where your priorities lie really doesn't it? Then you came out at the end and

they gave you a free half. Very high quality plastic cups I have to say ideal for those summer picnics. The sensation I got having been round three or four times was of being distinctly pissed. And the ladies on the Guinness Taste Sensation must have heard 12,000 chat up lines from punters on their travels. I always wonder- do they actually get picked up? They stand there in frightfully tight clothes that look practically painted on - as Billy Ocean once said in Caribbean Queen: 'She walked on by in painted on jeans'. But they had painted on everything .. . slightly too much make-up, but at the same time just enough to let you know that they were professional glamour people. But what happens when you get 12,000 chat up lines? You must give in eventually, surely. By the law of averages, there must be one of these 12,000 people must have been sufficiently attractive for them to fancy. I know they didn't fancy me because they only let me go around three times, but there was one big fat guy who was cuddling them all and I suppose they like that. He wasn't any threat.

The models came here from Loughborough and they did comment that they had nothing like as amusing chat up lines there as they got at UEA. I can't say I'm surprised either, seeing as Loughborough's got 20,000 leisure centre trainees. It put me in a very good mood to go to the Rocky Horror too. That was very interesting- but why do people only do it once a year? Then they become quiet as ghosts fortheother364 days and it's their one big breakout. And then they go on to become Cabinet ministers or something. I find it very puzzling. But when people dress up in women's clothing it's never very daring- you never see crotchless knickers and keyhole bras and lots oftassles do you? You get Marks and Spencers thousandwash black bras that you put in the wash to get really black. But why does anyone go to the Rocky Horror Show? Are they too shy for the LCR? I don't know whether it's a reflection on the clientele or something, or just the fact that they're desperate. That's why I went.. .

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Leffers

concr$-le comment There•s room for thought Most of us have probably had one seminar this term where there were too many people in t he room and not enough space to listen and take notes effectively. With the increased num bers of peop le now goi ng on to Hi gher Educati on, it was inevitable that space would become an issue at so me point. But installing flip-top des k chairs instead of the traditional tables does not create any more space. There is barel y room for an A4 pad on these rests, let alone any other boo ks that might be needed. The Un iversity needs to address the cause. not the symptom. and find ways of addressing the increasing numbers of students, whether this be through further construct ion or better timetabling.

Not another change of Course The setting up of a working party by the University to examine possible alterations to the recently installed CCS system is an admittance that no such scheme is perfect. Yet the advantages of changing the syste m to a '12-12-6' configurati on where all the assessment takes place in a six week period in the s ummer are too small when weighed against the di sadvantages this will have for st udents. They will once again have to adapt to a new system and a new way of working. Having only recentl y le ft the idea of Finals behind, the Registry now seems to be swin gi ng back in that directi on. They may have stu dents ' best interest s at heart, but these would be best served by making a (Fi na l) decision and sticking t o it.

The passing of a motion of no con fide nce in NUS President Jim Murphy at last week's LGB Conference in Manchester indicates a situation of which the LGB are only one side. The Pres ident himself has made no public comment on the allegati ons as of yet. Before he is condemned for activities for which there are as of yet no justification, we should wait to hear the other side of the story.

And Finally::.: Wh at's all t his 'Ca rdboard Roll' business? Could it be hinting at what's fo und at the centre of toilet paper what it's wrapped around- a piece of recycled material? Surely it's the paper itself that's more useful...

Dead on your feet ....

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live in Ne lson Court and have a limited permit whi c h a ! !owed me to park at the Vi llage during the week and gave access to Uni versity Plain at weeke nds. Sin ce I came to UEA, I have been careful to sti ck to thi s as I d idn ' t want to ri sk the withdrawal of the perm it. On Tuesday I received a letter from the Traffic Office informing me that, because some limited permit hol ders had been parking on University Plain at weekends during the week, I would no longer have access to University Plain at weekends. On Mo nday I received a note fro m th e A ccom mo dat io n a nd Confe rence Office remind ing me that notices shou ld o nly be placed on pi nboards, and informing me that a nd "damage to communal areas" caused by attac hing posters etc " will be invoiced to all occupan ts." Since at least some of the notices are posted by non-res idents, thi s seems decidedly unfair.

UI!A'S Independent student Newspape• INCORPORATING

Dead worried. i nform ~n i on

annoys me. In UEA it seems that "the si ns of o ne are visite d o n many", to adapt a Bibli cal q uotation. So can I make a plea to everyone? If you di sagree with a rule, o r can't see th e point of it, by all

means ask questions or argue your case but please don' t just carry o n as th o ug h the ru le does n 't ex ist...It mi ght not be you that suffe rs most. Yours fa ithfully,

Margaret Fox (EN V P)G

UFO INFO REQUIRED ollowing a good re sponse from our last letter, we have two more requests for any relevant information regarding possible UFO activity in the local area over tbe last year. t. Over the past month, unidentified red pulsing lights have been seen in the Norfolk and Suffolk area. Four were seen over Norwich in the week November 13-19. If anyone saw anything please get in touch.

2. February, 1993. Fifers Lane or environs. Did anyone see anything unusual over the Fifers Lane area around the beginning of last year? If you did, your information may be quite valuable, so please get in touch. All replies will be treated with absolute confidentiality when requested.. Please contact either M Pilkington (EAS3) or S Beale (EAS3). Many thanks, Stephen Beale (EAS3)

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confidc.:miJIIistcning and

The re is also an a rrangem ent within Nel son Court, and poss ibl y so m e o th e r resi de nce s, whereby telephones can be converted to receive incoming calls if all re s idents pay a depos it of [po un d )25. Again, everyone stands to Jose if one person abuses the system in thi s case by receivi ng reversed charge call s. Now, if I have broken a regulation or lost or damaged something in my care, I expect to risk having pri vileges removed or los ing a depos it. But I object to being made to su ffer for someone else 's misdeeds. Whil st it was the letter from the Traffic Office that fi nally moved me to ange r (d irec ted mainly against the students whose flouting of the regulations has led to the change, altho ugh it does seem to me that if Security know that cars are bei ng parked " illegally" they must also know who the culprits are) it is the prospect of possible financial loss which really

st:n·ic.:c

The event PO Box 410, Norwich NR4 7TB (01603) 250558

•Editor: Niall Hampton •News & Features Editor: Mark Austin • News Co-Editor: Michele du Randt Sports Editors: Nik Davy & Jane Horner • Screen Editor: Caroline Jenkinson • Stage Editor:Joanna Stubbington • Music Editor: Peter Hart • Listings Editor: Caroline Adlem • Picture Editor: Keith Whitmore • Staff Cartoonist: Tony Lansdowne • Assistant Editor, Music: David Hall • Chief Music Writer: Sam Richards • Editorial Contributors: Dawn Emery, Adrian Steel, Glyria Chrysostomou , Sonja Sherwood , Seth Levine, Jo Phillips, Julie Drewitt, Simon Mann , William Neil, Paula Carr, Liz Mills, Torsten Fried , Luke Knights, Craig Sinclair, Martin Plant, Alberto Lopez, Alex Reeve, David Jenkins, Simon Raisey, Robert Knight, Lori Stabile, Shaun Harley, Damian Smith, Nicky Worton , Neill Johnstone, Joanna Gill, Emily Norton, Willaim Neil, Nicola Dayley, Adrian Steel, Richard Sheldon , Andy Pack, Jess Morriss, Andy Ivory, Jenifer Johns, Sandy Zeller, Matthew Laurence, Andy Tyler • Chief Photographer: Sa m Jary • Photographers: Mohamed Hussan , Tom Tolkien, Sandy Zeller • Proofreaders: Sophie Parnham , Vicky Arnold e Special Thanks To: Victoria at Bonusprint, Brian Lafferty, UH Stewards. •Advertising Manager. Simon Mann • Top Production Manager: Step hen Howard •Pony Assistants: Niall Hampton, Peter Hart • Concrete is published by the Union of UEA Students. Opinions expressed are those of the Contributor and not necessarily those of the Publisher or Editor. Use of the name 'The Event' appears by arrangement with the copyright holders, Planet Zog Ltd . •Printed by Eastern Count ies Newspape rs , Prospect Ho use , Roue n Road , Norwic h, Norfolk • Concrete is printed on recycl ed paper using biodegradable inks.

Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994 9

Letters

VILLAGE CLEANERS ARE REALLY GREAT

hilst at UEA for Sat urday's Royal Soci ety Of Chemistry Competition, I picked up a copy of 'Concrete' to read. Your cleaners are absolute gems and I wish they worked at Norwich High School. They do a job which none of us would like to do, and appear to not only do their job, but go further to make sure that you are alright At Norwich High School, if a room is too untidy, they just refuse to clean it. They have also been known to refuse to clean the toilets and restock the toilet-roll holders because the best part of a toilet-roll has been unravel led over the floor.

We were then made to sweep up ourselves. Approximately six times in the past four and a half years our form room has been left in a mess because there were empty cans on the windowsill and food wrappers on the floor. If food is baked on hobs, they will never remove it, and if a surface is too cluttered to be wiped, it will remain unwiped for weeks on end. I am unclear about what the argument featured was about, but if I was one of those cleaners who was complained about, I'd probably resign and leave you to your own devices.

Jane Beny (Age 15) Notwich High School

THE NET RESULT

a bookseller with two ears experience of work g in a small independent bookshop, I would like to add a few points to those made by Seth Levine in his well-researched article on the Net Book Agreement (Concrete, issue 40). A: Despite the Net Book Agreement, bookshops are not charities, and they are not run as such. Seth Levine 's suggestion that the book trade is 'facing the prospect of operating in the realm of profit margins' is quite absurd. Profit margins dominate every aspect of the book trade: from what gets published to what gets a window display. B: The main opponents of the Net Book Agreement are those who would benefit most from its demise. Six months ago, the trade was rife with stories about Dillons sacking staff, spending no money on new stock and being on the point of collapse.

News travels fast in the book trade, as reps visit independents as well as chains. Dillons is a very badly managed chain vainly hoping that a change in market conditions will solve its deeper problems. C: There is already competition on price within the book trade witness the effect of Words worth #I Classics on the pricing of Penguin and OUP classics. D: An equally great threat to independent bookshops is the ease with which supermarket chains, such as Sainsbury's and Tescos, are being allowed to join the Booksellers Association without providing anything like the full services required of any other bookshop. Try ordering a volume of small press poetry the next time you reach the checkout The Net Book Agreement may seem outdated, but it works. Toby Litt (EAS PG)

CHRISTMAS CLASSIFIEDS Donnen, I want you, same place, same time. Once is never enough. Rodney.XX ToLC I'm really sorry - Merry Christmas! Frieods?••• FromJD To IanP Merry Xmas Dude - hope you've sent me a message too. From the most taleoted ooe! To Mian Shakeel Aslam Don't study too hard during the holidays - they are holidays after all! -From Jo Do (big man oo campus!). Jane - Will Miss You Next term? John

To Johao Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Study hard but not so much that you obtain a better result than me. S A.!Jiam To Mog, Merry Xmas, Make sure you dont eat too much. Spend your money on presents for me instead. Bunker Mao To Shakeel and Johan To the best buddies a person could ever ask for! Merry Xmas. From Janet J To the rest of the Pine House posse. Merry Christmas, Love 'er upstairs.

LOCAL DEMO FLOPPER

he Union Exec sucks! They couldn't organise a demo for toffee. Take the planned demo at City Hall, Norwich on Tuesday, November 8. It was quite embarrassing to attend a demo where the complete turn-out of students was 12 (the majority of that was the Exec). There were around three or four actual 'students' and one of those was a camera person (is that politically correct?) from Nexus UTV, who was there in an official capacity and not as a demonstrator. The demo was even supported by Norwich City Council and representatives from Broadland Radio and Anglia TV were there to take account of the proceedings. Yet, still, the Exec could not organise a demo where police officers and traffic wardens (there to observe the demo) exceeded the number of demonstrators by about three to one. My God, all of us know that we are as skint and that, given the chance, we would all vent our grievances in a controlled, organised and peaceful manner, wouldn't we? Of course, the reason for the pathetic turn-out fom UEA students was because the event was so badly publicised wasn't it? If! were a member of the Exec trying to rally students together for a funded demo, I would have proposed the following: (i) From Saturday November 5, I would have initiated a 'Student Poverty Week' (ii) I would have door-dropped every room on campus informng students of the proposed campaign and of the demo. (iii) I would have printed shirts with the campaign logo on the front - an academic gorilla with the slogan 'PAY PEANUTS GET MONKEYS' on the front (iv) On the back of these shirts I would have printed 'UEA Students' Union Student Poverty Campaign I 994 supported by Norwich City Council'. These shirts would have been sold for only #2.50. Points (iii) and (iv) would have served as a money-raiser for charity and would also have served as a walking advertisement for the campaign. (v) In addition to the doordrops, I would have had a couple of students walking around campus in gorilla suits handing out even more flyers. (vi) These gorillas would also

be collecting money for charity. (vii) Finally, I would have had a more than conspicuous stall set up in The Hive rallying for support for the campaign, informing students (who may have missed the previous points) what exactly is going on. This is how the campaign should have been organised! Hang on a minute - isn't this exactly what happened? My God, what a coincidence! All of the points I proposed above is exactly what the Exec did to advertise the campaign. No, that must be wrong! The Exec must have advertised all this during the early hours of the morning of the said Poverty Week. How else could around 7,000 students not have witnessed this advertising campaign? Forgive my ignorance, but !just cannot understand this. As a percentage (assuming 7,000 students at UEA), the attendance of students on this demo was 0.17 per cent (2dp for all you mathematicians). That means, for every student who attended the demo, almost 600 declined. Or, in more direct terms, 6988 students felt they did not need to attend this demo. I didn't know there were so many affluent/ busy students around. Many of you must be taking your reading weeks very seriously indeed. Surely, there must be a another reason for the poor turnout of students on this demo. The reason that springs to mind is a word that begins in an 'a' and ends in a 'y', and has the word 'path' in the middle. I consider myself to be politically naive. To give an account of my naivete, I have voted in three General Elections and in two of those I chose the party that wears blue. But then I realised what the 'blue' party were up to and I'd had enough. That certainly does not mean I've turned 'red', 'green' or 'yellow' (any others?). I still vote for what I see as being right at the time. I don't think students are being treated right - do you? I know you don't think we are. I just wish you'd show that you care for, and value yourselves, other students, and students to come. Darren J Smith (SYS3)

Mon 5 Blubber + Tokyo Sexwhale + Des Lynam Allstars

(Wilde Club) £3.50adv

Weds 7 Thrum + Nivens

+ Delta

Radio

(Wilde Club) £3.50adv Mon 12 Laika + Ivy

+ Lorrelei

(Wilde Club) £3.50adv

Weds 14 Biorn Again £8.50adv Fri 16 The Persuaders £TBC

10 Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

I mmm hmm ...

MEETING OF THE VILLAGE PEOPLE

THE FAUX PAS The Welfare Officer wrote to the University two weeks ago to ask for compensation for residents on the Village site who have suffered among other things, fungi on mattresses, hazards (propane cylinders) and sewage smells. The University declined to reply to the letter, let alone state their position. Our response was to issue a press release to all external media. The. Welfare Officer and C::ommuni cation s Officer organised interviews between Anglia TV, Radio Norfolk, Radio Broadland and Village residents.

The result was astronomical. Our phones haven't stopped ringing, the press demand continual updates and we even had queries from MP's. The University can no longer deny that there is a very real problem in the Village - teething problems do not last nine weeks. However, our primary goal is to secure a decent standard of living for the residents and compensation (rebate) for the problems they've had to put up with. The fight goes on. Jaz lhenacho (Welfare Officer)

If you live in the Village site, please come to a meeting with Jaz Ihenacho and Janet Peck (Welfare Officer and Welfare Coordinator, respectively ) to find out where you stand and what action the Union is taking. There will be two 30 minute sessions at I pm and 1.30pm in the Steve Biko Room, upstairs in Union House. Please turn up to one of these meetings.

THE BIG DISEASE WITH THE LITTLE NAME In France a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name ... Remember those lyrics from the man who now has no name? Remember the iceberg and ' Don ' t die of ignorance' campaign? Well, we are ten years on from that now and what have we achieved? Not enough. HIV infection and the number of AIDS cases continues to rise worldwide. The AIDS pandemic has been used as a political pawn by the Government and drug companies are in a cut-throat war, only interested in profit. December I is World AIDS Day. To raise awareness, educate, campaign and remember, your Union is holding World AIDS Week, organised by Helen Bright (Women's Officer), Jaz lhenacho

FLEWSNASH, OR EVEN NEWSFLUSH!

(Welfare Officer) and Gehrett Ell is (LGB Officer). The week commencing November 24 includes banners, ribbons , condoms, qui zzes, safer sex info, videos, workshops, speakers, a comedy production and a candlelight vigil. -Tuesday 29 : Come to Live In The Hive and see "Off Limits", a comedy production with a safer sex theme. -Wednesday 30: Women 's sexual health qui z, 8.30pm in the Back Bar. -Thursday I : Visit the Sainsbury Centre, watch out for the condom fairy and join in the candlelight vigil in the sq uare at midni ght. All during the week visit the Union House stall, win a free suppl y of condom s for a whole year and put your fee lings on a 'quilt '/ banner.

WELL SEXY PEOPLE Women - did you know that WAC is free and that you are a member even though you may not be on the membership list? What the committee organises affects you and the whole communi ty of UEA. Get invol ved and come along to the quiz in the Back Bar on Wednesday

Women's Unit, for limi ting Anti-Racist Conference to just one day, fo r restricting LGB convenors' travel and for not allowing the convenors to ta lk directly to the media on issues specific to LGB stud en ts. Enough isenoughJim. During the same conference, the NUS LGB ca mpaign launched its "Stamp Out Homophobia" campaign.

INT ERNA TIO N AL FRIENDSHIP CLUB If you are a foreign language st udent, an international student or would just like to make friends with someone from another part of the world, then you maybe interested to learn that the Student's Union is currently establishing an International Friendship Club. The main aims of the club are to broaden cultural awareness and encourage greater relations between visiting and native students through meeting people with similar interests. To join is easy and absolutely free. All you have to do is simply fill in a form, obtainable from the Steward's Office in Union House and return it to the Community and International Liaison Officer with your name, age, school and interests.

November 30. Loads of prizes and the questions will tax even the most knowledgeable of wome n, be they lesbian, gay, hetero sexual, bisexual, transsexual or transvestite. This quiz is sexy. See He len Bright, Women's Officer

BUTT NAKED THANKS

President No-Confidenced Jim Murphy, the NUS National President was sent a stem warni ng from NUS National LGB (Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual ) Conference (November 19-20) when all 282 delegates voted on a motion call ing on autonomy fo r the liberati on campaigns and no confidence in the NUS President for his action in trying to cancel LGB Conference, for slashing the liberati on campai gns budget by 60 per cent, for trying to dismantle the

at the LCR. We crazy. Josh Busby, our Environment Officer, works intimately with SEA, who currently have four campaigns going These are: Third World, Campusk, CRIS P (Rainforest Action), and Transport.

Wast leek si Airf Tadre Wkee, and there was coffee, tea, and chocolate tastings to get all of you sufficiently high for your daily fix of the supreme legal wonder drug. This week, SEA will kick ofT a recycling awareness campaign. Look for us and our Big Bird banner

OVERSEAS STUDENTS

Look out for 'cut' and ' uncut ' safer sex videos in The Hive as part of World AIDS Week. The producer/director David Graham (EAS PG) would like to thank the Condom Shop (for the condoms), Folio for the furnishings and the UEA Drama Studio.

I would like to introduce myself; I am Robert Johnson, your represe ntati ve on Exec. I have heard that some overseas students did not get an opportunity to attend Soc Mart. There are a whole range of overseas societies, including: African, Asian, Buddhi st, Egyptian, French, German, Hellenic, Islamic, Jewish, Latin, Malaysian, Mod e rn Egy pti a n, Oriental, Scandinavian, Spanish and Turkish. If you are interested, please drop a note into the soc ieties ' pigeonholes, upstairs in Union House. If you have interests which are not accommodated, please feel free to drop me a note in my pigeonhole or find me in my office. As a final note, we are trying to rebuild the Overseas Students Association to hold some exciting cultural and social activities.

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

~~======================~~~==~~~~~~~--~~~~~ Features

With the Christmas Ball season just around the corner, Khushwant Sachdave skirts Norwich to find out where to buy that elusive dress, at an affordable cost.. w i t h Infinite Christmas celebrations just around the corner, the lnevHable questions that arises for mortals without a Fairy Godmother Is what to wear. One solution could be to hire a dress, In which case you could take a trip to a shop called 'Classic Collections' on Dove Street, where In stock you'll find a whole range of traditional ball gowns and formal evening wear. Designs Include off-the-shoulder, halterneck and strapless with detailing such as tolls, pleats, bows and sequins, In the traditional rich colours of magenta, night sky blue, gold and green.

But, according to Jane Tucker, the manageress, the average student Is "fairly conventlonal In their choice of dress, they often don't want to stand out and opt for the little black dress.· The collection Is updated two to three times each year and only one of each design Is stocked, so the chances of someone else hiring the same dress are non-existent - at least not from the same shop. Prices range from £35-65 and Include a hiring period of three days, the option of purchasing accessories and on alteration service. A student discount of 10% Is offered on any outfit.

Surprisingly Mrs Tucker claims that students are In the minorlty In terms of clientele. Yet this Is In contrast to the opinion of Jeanette Pltt at 'Estelle Charles' situated along Lower Goat Lane, which retails rather than hires dresses. According toMs Pltt, students make up a large cross section of potential customers, suggestlng that many students now consider formal evening wear as an Investment. And with the Infamous black dress being the most popular and safest option, HIs on Investment that should last a good few years. Prices start from £50 upwards, although many reductions are offered on dresses that have been In stock for a while. A 10 per cent discount Is given on dresses paid by cash or cheque and a five per cent discount on those paid for by credit card. If, however, it seems that this sort of Investment might burn your purse strings to cinders, then it may be worthwhile Investlng In a second hand ball

gown or evening dress of which there are a good selection In the Oxfam branch located along St Glles Street. Prices start at £ 9. 99 for - yes! the little black dress and go up to £22 .99 for the 'classic' strapless cocktail dress with black velvet bodice and full skirt. Alternatively, you could purchose one of the many black tops In stock retailing from £ 2. 99 to team up with this season's wide flared trousers for a look that Is 'smart yet formal'. Oxfam often stock a selection of quaiHy designer labels such os Frank Asher, os manageress Ros Myhlll readily admits. "We never get as many ball gowns as we would like, as although there are plenty of outlets that offer second-hand evening wear. demand often outstrips supply due to the high student population." lt may be worthwhile consldering purchasing your ball gown for the May Balls now as although Oxfam have a good selection during their peak Christmas period, during the summer it Is minimal to say the least.

There are also a selection of evening purses priced from £1.55-3.50, with many echoing the Influence of the 1930's, which according to high street fashion Is back In vogue. Should originality be a word that exists In your vocabulary then Hcould be worthwhile paylng a visit to the St Benedlcts Antlques Centre (pictured above). Owner Pot Fox specialises In retolling authentic evening wear from the Edwardian era right through to the 1970's, and lists the 1950's os the most popular period from which dresses are bought. According toMs Fox, "Women these days have fuller figures and their bone structure Is a lot bigger.· it seems opinion on the availability of second-hand evening wear Is as diverse as the dresses themselves. In contrast to Ros Myhlll's view, Pat Fox feels that "there are plenty of places available to satiSfy the student demand for second hand evening wear from car boot sales, market stalls

and plenty of charity shops.· But it seems that with the economy still gaining momenturn, second hand clothes shops and charity shops are being frequented by a diverse collection of the population, making Hharder for the Intrepid student to find a bargain. One final alternative could be to hunt out that ageing dress stashed away at the back of your wardrobe and revive Hwith the aid of accessories. 'Topaz', located along St Glles Street Is a family-run business that has been established for two to three years and has a wide range of jewellery, ranglng from silver and gold plated to diamante chokers and aztec bracelets. There are also a selection of ethnic necklaces and a varied selection of clip-on earrings for unplerced ears. Prices range from £1-55 and negotiable student discounts are offered on selected Items. The only dilemma that Is left now Is which boil to attend. Ah, decisions...

OUR MP NORWICH SOUTH Will be available to answer questions and help with problems at a surgery on

At THE VILLAGE between 12.00 - 1.00 p.m. and UH ROOM 1.31 between 1.00- 2.00 p.m .

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12 Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Features

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Features

Sarah Morris examines the problems still facing women in the supposedly liberal Nineties and their relationship with that age old enemy, men

f you fancy alienating peopie , fast, tell them you 're a feminist. Even telling a few people (male and female) that I was writing an artic le about women's Issues, rewarded me withthe'so,you'reoneofthose' response. UEA:s Women's Officer, Helen Brig ht , is well aware of this negative reaction to the concept of feminism. "People have this idea of feminists as women with crewcuts and dungarees," she said . "lt is important for us to shotIer that face of feminism as be-

ing the only one ." Helen is certainly not of the crew-cut type but she Is cornmitted to "redressing the balonce" of opportunities for men and women . Shefeelsstronglyaboutthe way in which women are portrayed In the media, particularly sexually. Th ere are two images to which we are a ll exposed from a young age, she believes, that of the "voluptuous pagethree woman" and the "pencilthin model" . She draws on her own experience to describe how these

images a ffec t girls. "I know that it made an impression on me," she reflected , "Around fourte e n , I went through a really insecure stage ... th inking I was rea lly overwe ight ... ! read girlie magazines then, now I thin k they're s**t." Women discussing issues together is the focus of one Internationa l group which eelebrates Its 35th birthday next year. Judy Ross, current National Organiser of the National Women's Register says, "When Maureen Nlcol began our or-

ganisation , she c ould not have foreseen there would still be a demand today for the informal discussions and opportunities for self-development provided by National Women's Register." Ironically, while those eelebratlons continue, the United Nations Human Rights Committee will review the UK Government's progress in (among other things) reducing discrimination against women. The chances are that Its findings will not give much cause for partying, if a report by Liberty is anything to go by. Liberty (the National Council

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• : 1

for Civil Liberties) has just produced 'Women's Rights, Human Rights' with numerous partner organisations. it details the extent to which women still face direct and indlrectdiscrimlnationin thepublie and private sphere. 1t is a wide-rang ing report which makes for grim reading . One of its most important claims was on the need for more attention to women and the risk of AIDS. it stated that women are twice as much at risk of lnfectlon by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

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th rough heterose xual Inte rcourse as men. Though far more men than women have AIDS, 1992 and 1993 saw a 51 per cent increase in reported female AIDS casescompa redtoaflveper cent increase in male cases. Despite this, there have been few drug trials which incorporate women with HIV and little publicity or research into how the virus operates specifically in women or how they pass it to each other. And concern was also expressed about women In hospital suffering from psychologi-

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Features col problems. Many more women are diagnosed as "mental health cases", possibly because of the social problems they face. However, Liberty, backed by the mental health charity MIND, suggests that "clinical judgements of women can be Influenced by social expectations of women's behaviour." Still on the subject of mental health, our predominantly male judiciary came in for some stick. Liberty are concerned about the effects of the prejudice of judges on sentencing and the outcome of women's trials. They quote the famous 1990 example of the acquittal of a defendant charged with rape. Judge Raymond Dean QC had said: "When a woman says no she doesn't always mean no. Men can't turn their emotions on and off as some women can.· Unfortunately, sexism is also prevalent In another body designed to protect the nation's morality. The Derbyshire police in March 1993 admitted operatIng a "quota system" to restrict the appointment of women to the CID; a study by the Inspectorate of Constabularly revealed that breaches of equal opportunities are often "Instigated or defended" by chief officers. More shocking were the reported findings of a leaked Home Office study. This showed that 80 per cent of policewomen had experienced sexual harassment from their colleagues which included sexually explicit comments, the display of hard core pornography in police stations and assaults. On a positive note, Liberty welcome the fact that "the po-

"People have this idea of feminists as women with crewcuts and dungarees" Helen Bright, Union Womens Officer a harassment-free working environment.• Employees for their part seem to be showing a greater willingness to report the problem. Other problems women face at work involve, say Liberty, low pay, less training than men and limited childcare facilities. Discrimination costs British women an estimated £21 billion a year in lost earnings. lack of adequate chlldcare provision keeps 500,000 children in poverty because their

In 1991 did the House of lords rule that a man who rapes his wife might be committing a crime and that this ruling has yet to b~ incorporated into statutory law. The law also appears to favour men who kill their wives to women who kill their husbands. liberty maintain that the Government could do much more to prevent violence through public educational activity. A scheme launched by Edinburgh District Council in 1993 was endorsed entitled Zero Tolerance of All VIolence Against Women. A similar campaign was launched In London In 1994 by the Association of London Authorities with the support of the Metropolitan Police and other organisations. These campaigns have, as one of their goals, the Importance of highlighting the need for adequate provision of refuges and places of safety for

T he Derbyshire police in March 1993 admitted operating a "quota system" to restrict the appointment of women to the CID; a study by the Inspectorate of Constabularly revealed that breaches of equal opportunities are often "instigated or defended" by chief officers. lice are adopting a more sympathetic attitude towards the Issue of domestic violence". However, this needs to Involve "a sufficiently vigorous policy towards arresting and prosecuting Its perpetrators." lt sees the establishment of domestic violence units by the police as a step forward but details two of their fatal mistakes. Vandana Pate! was killed inside the domestic violence unit at Stoke Newington police station where .she had been left alone with her violent husband.

meet this crying need." Sexual harassment In the work place remains a problem. One In three women had experienced it according to one survey. However, employers are being encouraged to combat lt and "be pro-active in creating

Suggest Uberty, "The police still appear prepared to put women's safety at risk while attempting reconciliations." The failure of the law to protect women from violence was one of the report's most persistent motifs. 11 was pointed out that only

the victims of violence. This emphasis on victim support Is also underlined by Sue lees whose book 'Carnal Knowledge' Is published next year. She writes of rape: "In Sweden, women are offered free counselling

mothers cannot take paid work. The good news (finally!) Is that a new picture is emerging from the achievements of younger men and women. According to a report on a study of people aged 18 to 34, women are winning new jobs created over the past 20 years, earning more money and increasing their share of the household Income. Helen Wllkinson writes in 'No Turning Back, Generations and the Genderquake' that: "Young men and women are optimistic about the future, at ease with themselves and open to the blurring of gender differences, while their parents are pessimistic and committed to the traditional nuclear family and distinct gender roles." These new attitudes are surely fostered at universities like UEA. Helen Bright, In keeping ~ith the national trend , opened up November's Reclaim the Night march to men as well as women. This recognises the risks that men may face from poor security and lighting and, on a wider level, it emphasises the importance of men and women working together.

Lack of adequate childcare provision keeps 500,000 children in poverty because their mothers cannot take paid work.

1918. Women over 30 win the right to

vot~ m general elections and stand for Parliament. 1928 Universal suffrage to all adults 1970 Introduction of the principle that women should be paid at the same rate as men for work of equal value. 1975 Sex discrimination outlawed. Equal Opportunities Commission is established to enforce anti-discriminatory legislation.

1991 The House of Lords ruled that a

m~~ who ra.pes his wife might be corn-

mrttrng a crrme.

1992 The Court of Appeal establishes

d t rece en and quashes the convict10n Of a WOman WhO killed her ViOlent husband. a p •

March 1994 House of Lords rules that the Government is indirectly discrimit• ~a mg against women by giving partparties tn Brltatn adtrme dressed this Issue and h workers fewer employment rr"ghts provided funding for t an full-time employees. Rape Crisis counselling to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.;._.;.;__ _ _ _ _ _.J

and legal support from

the moment rape is reported. lt is time the political

16 Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Features

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â&#x20AC;˘ Who are you featuring at this year's Autumn Fashion Show? We're using the same four shops that we've used for the last three or four years, which are the Blue Jean Company, Dogfish Catfish, Philip Browne and Bazaar for Women. We've also brought in three new shops this time round, these being Old Town, Kaizen and Jaspa. Plus we're using some clothes from Bad Style, who are dressing up our dancers and hair models. The shops all stock big name London stuff - a very expensive taste in clothes.

This time around it has just been a case of setting them in motion and they've done it. When you introduce a set and they all get it right first time, it is kind of worrying. it's like 'What the hell are we going to do with them for the next five weeks?' We're very happy with the way things have worked out and we're way ahead of schedule.

ist who is a friend of ours. We planned to do some staging the last time around but it never happened, so this year we actually made a point of doing it.

-What do you think is the look for autumn this year?

We've moved away from the couples sets that we used a lot

The look for autumn this year is still everything staying very short and club-orientated. Some of the men's wear is becoming very classic in style and the rubber and the leather and the bondage gear is still in.

last year and we've gone for much more theme orientated sets. We designed the music around the theme, which is something that we didn't do last year. We've got some artwork being done on the show by a local art-

We've also got some schoolgirl looks in, but there are no big jumpers or anything in it. There's a lot of mohair coming in, but it's all still very tight and small. We gave the shops the chance to decide what music they wanted to accompany their

-What are the themes behind the show? .

-What can the audience expect from the show? If anything, this time around, we've turned the show up a bit. We've gone for more models, more sets, and more sex I think. it's all a bit harder and more raunchy than before. The sets have got a lot more going on in them and we've got a lot more entertainment sets as well. We've even got a juggler and a didgeridoo player and a singer aligned with the LGB Society up here who will be promoting national AIDS Week.

-What has the standard of the models been like this year? This time round we've managed to find a set of models who we knew we could rely on and who are all extremely good movers. When we auditioned them, we wanted to see if they could walk and turn and dance and we were lucky enough to find 23 people who could do all three. They've been nothing but enthusiastic and full of ideas. lt was very easy to work with them this time round because they've managed to put so much in. Usually we have to bang their heads against the wall to some extent and keep going at them to make sure they get things right.

~t.LD4f#IMELDA'S ~ ~

~ ~

~Nlrt\\\~

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On the eve of UEA's third annual fashion show Concrete spoke to Martin Doust, one of the shows organisers clothes, because they've got a much better feel for the clothes that they are going to show. lt is a case of fitting the music to the clothes and then trying to do the choreographing around it If you've got leather j ackets then -initially you want to create a relatively hard feel and you can't really have them all

poncing around. I think the big difference this year is that we gained so much more attention than before, which made us feel very bigheaded. The reaction we're getting from the shops now is that this is the only fashion show that they will do, which makes us very bigheaded.

They actually said that to the reporter from the Eastern Daily Press, who were doing a double page spread on it, and we were on Anglia TV this time round as well, so we are the premier show in Norwich! But it's nice that we are the only one that a tot of big shops will do.

Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Features

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,In

he fact that we've been surrounded by it aU our lives, yet very rarely notice it points to the curious niche that cross-dressing occupies in society: ASk average citizen what~ dressing.means to them and they are mention drag, transvestites and gay me,. lt is viewed very mucll as a minorityconcem- sorne~nln< which other people do and which we don't want to be associated with. We're quite secure in our own sexual identity thankyou very much and we don't feel any need to dress in the other sex's clothes. People who do that must be odd. Mustn't they? Well not if you look at how many people have done it and in what ciroumstances. Drag and cross-dressing are curren11y in vogue with dragthemed movie 'The Adventures of Priscilla; Queen of the Desert' already on general release and further drag movies in the ppeline, starring such (IOtableS as Westey Snipes and PatriOR.~wayte. · Transvestites are still hot property on the club scene, with 'known DJ's such as Trannies With Attitude and Jon Pleased dressing up when they play. And the fashion world is not oblivious to the influence either, with Jean Paul Gaultier's autumn collection taking cross-dressing as its theme. Drag is big business. A heterosexual friend of mine told me over the summer that he was planning to buy a beautiful bls:k dress he'd seen in . ' French Connection. 'If I like it, why he gave when q1~>ti6r'\ei:t· . The profitognised the e · . of such attitudes in the eral-minded ·Nineties and the potential revenue that comes with them. Writer/director of'The A1ventures of Priscilla' Stephan EllioU is honest about why he made the film: "lt was simply to entertain", he says. But cross-dressing is far from being a modem pt\enQmenon in ~inment. ~ been scores offilmt made this have dealt with crotta-orut~"";

'an

1959. Yet theatre has also consistently used aoss-dressing. Fend memories of the .; childhood visits to the Christmes panto comfortable enough distance to be funny will invariably include the sus~ yet pervasively preaent all the same. burly Wdow Twanky and Ugly Sisters, _ lt is perhaps precisely becal.lse enterFor 'CrOSS-dressing is arguably the tainment-operates in terms of ~ c:entfal$ource ofh1.mour in pantom!~ · ap image that drag and~~ d~ss up as men, men a~ able to be viewed a~ up as :vyomen and everyone laughs For sucti open-minded~, ' not what is $UCJl harmless fun that it is~ spread to d~ queens and croWdt.esssidered perfect for children. .ers in the real world, who still encounter The roots of the Dame of English· widespread prejudice and misunderPanto go as far back as Shake- standing. speare and characters such as Yet gay men who make themselves Falstaff in 'The Merry Wives of up in drag see the process pr8cisely as Windsor'. art. as former Union Lesbian,Gay and The cultural relevance of the ·· Bisexual Offloer and new Communica·. play is revealed by reference tions Officer PhU Clegg poiots out incident that •0rag can be an ~form an by 1tself. mundiii'IO ofthe lof Qf drag queens slm~ .• ·j _ ar<~rtAr by l<ing Edward -they don't even flY ,® · The King picked up a ofthemaremeantto _ df9pped by the pletely frightening. but drag be beaubury at a dance and rebuked wit- tifut, it can be scary, it can be just maknesses w:th the words that being a statement, and it can be something came the Order's motto, 'Honi totally new and dilferent. soit qui mal y pense' - 'Dishon•aut a man isn't trying to be a woman our upcn him who thinks ill of when he dresses up in drag. He's trying this'. to create his own personality.· Today's most blatant In temls of his portrayal to his audiample of the actor is also ~ ~ Create conlained in personality, and.l t is , · phere and . that drag. Is Rocky Horror to entertainment " . , with its fishnet Dressing up in women's clothing was and red garters. lt certainty a revelation for Hugo Vileaving, seems that cross- who plays Mltzi in 'The Adventures of dressing has always Priscilla'. been viewed as a "Because we had been building up to source of entertain-. it for awhile, when I first put on the frock, ment - couched at a high heels and full make-up. I felt fan-

WOmen

can

tastlc,• he is reported as saying. "lt was such a release. I realised that everyone had their own drag inside them, and I wan~ to ~fQtJtJhere and find mine." The liberating . ~

dressing is oftiln refet'i'! pected. 'Priscilla' eo-star Guy Pearce (who plays Felicia) saw it this way. "The fikn was such a liberating experience. In life, I think lhe reason why you act in a particu1ar way is because of the way you see yot.lf$elf. •So when you totally different, it other aide of 'Mllch is the by transaexuals en's clothes. Sarah AMe PhilfiPs lives in Norwich and is what she calls a "trans-something·. She isc:urrentlysavingforthe surgery that will make her a woman biologically. but feels that she is mentatt one already.

19:

Features

t's ironic. the same way that a Nineties wolf-Whistle is a statement of pie of the film school conspiracy ~f plaO-· · post-feminist Irony to the New Man, so the recent plethora of ultra violent ing form over content. films are subtle re-interpretations of an old phenomena. Slickly produced, with snappy MlV The analogy may seem tenuous, but both are symptomatic of the great dialogue, it is a classic example of viopost-modem conspiracy d justifying what are basically discredited and lence for commercial art's sake. outdated ideas. Confront a Nineties man with being overtly sexist, and the Tying in pop iconography with graphic inevitable response is •t was oeing violence can only be dangerous, as the Tarantino is a product of a generaironic". tion which, through relentless expo- audience which it is aimed at has the Film makers can often be heard su!'\to violer:-ce, has become de-sen- ability to justify jt as art, and become furemploying the same tactic when ac- sltiSEid to screen gore. . ther de-sensitised to violence. · cused of using gratuitous or particult ;is difficult to comprehend why The assumption seems to be that larly graphic viOJen~ in their films. because·he .is re-working the violence graphic violence is necessary.to film art. The premise is 'the' same : "If I genre. there Js something of value in One of the most effective and terrifYcaused offence,· it's because you missed the poinr. Is motiVe, however. suitable mitigation for undesirable conseque'lces, particuarly if those consequences are foreseeable? A violent film, regardless of its artistic quality and the ironic intent of the film maker. will invariably produce an undesirable response from parts of the audience. $ Thtl assumPtion that film-goeiS will be too busy analysing the hidden agenda of a movie to have an)thlng so inappropriate as a base response to the violence seems spurious. In many ways, the attempts at justifying graphic violence in films Is the most immoral aspect of the process. Introducing Irony or artistic intent into the equation disarms the. audience's instinct to be repulsed by ~ vio:ence for fear of missing .~ Ji<)int. Ifs a cynical .ptoy because films are still producitd primarily to make money John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson as they appear In Quentin (if not by a film's creator then bv the distributor). and producers know that Tarantino's 'Pulp Fiction' his filrm, and that anyone who doesn't ing moments in cinematic history is the violence sells. So, In the case of 'Natural Born Kill- take an objective view of them as art shower scene of 'Psycho', where no ers', for example, it may be OliVer simply doesn't understand the signifi- actual perpetration of violence is deStone's intention to satirise Ameica's cance. picted. The infamous torture scene in Resfascination with violence, but it a the As a character study of criminals, controversy surrounding the violence ervoir Dogs ) s an obvious case in surely 'Reservoir Dogs' could have been point · .. In the film that will make it a box office The tecl'!nl~ue that Tarantlno em- as effective without the use of exce$- < hit If it is everrele in this country. sive violence. ,,. The Rambo g · {films were gra- ploy~ is undOubtedly effective. The characters would have remained ,_ · The lnfeGtious "Stuck In The Midtuitously violent. certainly, but they dle With You• draws the audience into as interesting, the suspense could eas.. wear their violence on their sleeves. lt is the violence of comic books - the scene, making the shock of the lly have been kept up, without the need simple morality tales far removed from ear-cutting more profound. to repulse the audience. But what does this achieve other the realities of urban life. 1t is unlikely though, that it would haw There Is no attempt at introdudng a than cinematic infamy as being par- been quite such a box office success. "Before I came out. I found it very "The stereotypes enable people to secondary agenda to appeal to the ticularly gruesome? difficult to r~ve, judge someone. If you don't know what more discerning critic. To an extent, it is taking the Amie •Ifs like living a dual life and denying sex they are, you don't know how to reconcept of delivering a one-liner beA reasonable amount of of yourself. · act to them." ' testosterone was the only criteria for fore killing somebody to its logical ~orN'Ill very stressful and y:qu But when the person is oil the scteen con~usion, wanting to see.th!!t~>e. films •. a lot of energy trying to or stage, they are not there to !>8 judged lt Is simply a more sinister delivery, Contrast this .wit);· the iecent spate except on their portrayal of:tne cllarac- of ultra-violent film$; · · with as littfe conteht. " ter. So if an actor portray!> a cross'Pulp FictiOn' is1he latest exam'Reservoir Dog$' was initially the predresser well, we are able to agree and serve of liberal art students in this praise the representation of a type withcountry, confined to a'Jtfe of artout considering what it is to be such a house cinemas. person. lt was easy to come ENI8Y from As such, although it has ~n around for centuries, cross-dressing has still having seen it talking about Its ciever &tybeen unable to gain widellpread accept- listic approach to violence, how it broke With narrative tradition and presented a character ance. to el(istentialism than to , But as Sarah ~. "'!< I1\8X r'!~ ~~ study which owed true ~that is ~~·fii~Sueh . history. All these o.ns are true' - it is a · as 'Priscilla'. but at leasf !t's :b)tlng to very clever portraYal of violence. this part of you~.· ., acknowledge that it does exist" And that is the problem. ln the Freudian conditioned times i,n Tme will tell whether the cunent sitult's violence based which we live, explanations can be ation focUssed on cross-dressingwill be found for this sense of liberation by a genuine force for good in the wol1d on violence'. admitting that men should be in touch outside entertainment. with their feminine side and women with Tme has told that it is certainly an . ~masculine side. issue that won't go lt is not a new idea, but one very ftay. taken to heart. This is largely due convention of what is seen as ~.and Sarah~ "' ' the problerrl. been dressed u •c~tis very clearly defined what8Jll!n weArs and does and what a woman wears and does. "But there's no need for it- it.has all been very stereotyped. , think it comes back to the issue of sexism.

Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Soar(ing) DoctorstJ Prev: Massive Attack

UEA Friday December 9 he paradox of The Saw Doctors: .

f this was a normal gig preview would probably go something like this: I would tell you about the group (they are part of the legendary Bristol scene with the likes ofTricky and Portishead), about their style of music (a laidback dub dance thing, often with vocals and often very inventive), about their past achievements (releasing the seminal 'Blue Lines' album featuring 'Unfinished Sympathy', 'Safe from Harm' and Shara Nelson). I would tell you what a great live act they are (I can't, they have never toured or played live before), and a bit about the new product they are pushing (their new album 'Protection') and would generally extol you to go and see them. But Massive Attack offer you much more to entice you to see them (and me much more to preview) than the standard 'album tracks live'. Yes, Massive Attack are jumping on the multimedia bandwagon. Not only will the group be playing but in an adjoining room top DJs will be playing including the Mad Professor spinning his upcoming dub remix of tracks from 'Protection'. On top of this there will also be an art show, animation and other visual stimulation. Truly a massive attack on your senses.

llave an incred

. show, which 8lwliYs ~to sell out, and yet they have failed to achieve any significant success with regards to record sales because most people have never ~ pf them or thejr

David Jenkins

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Th~ may not yet have the:Chart success that desertle, but their music appeals to all types of people. Pre-pubescent teenagers to ageing ~somethings all bounced up and down, like a brtde's nightie, at the LG:f{"gig. . New songs, such as 'L~~~ FrQill Loulse', initiallY re.eE»ved a cautious welcome from the crowd, but they soon warmed to them more. The band played a well scheduled gig list - the set lasted a little under two hours. Songs like 'Michael D ~ng in the Dail' really got the · crowd going, as did an impromptu jam of 'Presentation Boarder'. Old songs were even covered in new ways. The Saw Doctors have blitzed audiences all over the country and Norwich proved to be no exception. As they,' and the audience sang In unison at the end: "I hope we'll meet again." Martin Plant

ubweiser Promotions will be taking over Pe ppermint Park on Thursday December 1 for what promises to be a class reggae nig ht. The extremely bass-laden sound system will be provided by lration Steppes, who hail from Leeds. Rather than relying on other people's music, they prefer to play all t heir own reggae, techno-y sounds . D Tickets cost £3.50 (available f rom Soundc lash Records), or £4 on th e n ight.

Carter: Unstoppable!

arter the Unstoppable Sex Machine seem to have been around forever. Jim Bob and Fruitbat have always been recording and touring, touring and recording. Once again they are back on the road, and am've in Norwich to cause havoc on December 4. After five albums, countless gigs, several festival headline appearances and numerous singles, Carter's music is still vibrant and aggressive. The addition of Wez as a drummer has also given their music a new dimension. Their earty style, exemplified by the huge, anthemical 'Sheriff Fatman', was full of grinding guitars, cynical lyrics and upbeat rhythms. The album 'Post Historic Monsters', was full of optimism and hope against the blights of society. Tracks such as 'Lean On Me I Won't Fall Over' and 'Suicide Isn't Painless' offered a change from the pessimism that overshadowed their earty work. Trad~ionally, Carter have always played relatively 'small' venues, like the LCR, although in December of last year they supported Madness in a national stadium tour, offering them the chance of playing to a new crowd. Support on their night in the LCR comes from NWONW punk band, 'These Animal Men:. Martin Plant

oby's capability to please the adrenaline junkie in all of us will be demonstrated on Friday December 2 at the Waterfront With a successful back catalogue including the UK hits "Go!", "I Feel lt", "Move• and "Hymn", Moby moves ahead with the club anthem "Feeling So Real". This is the first single off his forthcoming album "Feeling So Real", which is an eclectic mix of House, Techno, Ragga and Jungle which meshes together in an energetic frame only known to moby. Throughout the years, Moby's musical background has been proved through his experimentation in punk, new wave, hip-hop, industrial reggae and indie, his guitar talents being highlighted through 4AD's Ultra Vivid scene. lt wasn't until Acid House hit that Moby took his accomplished skills and diversed into a new energy. Having toured with The Prodigy and lnspiral Carpets, Moby proves successful in holding onto an audience and bringing them to his higher spirituality. The New York techno genius has

dared to keep his audiences in a sweat.{jriven frenzy while he creates the same lunatic behaviour people are sent away for. Moby conquers and masters his

scene. Who else could cover a Joy Division tune that makes you come alive? Heather Braun

~,.e Yes! Now you, too, can be a 'top' DJ!

'i:)

Where does it

from?

Initially the trench-town ghettos of Kingston. In 1950s Jamaica the popular calypso and jazz sounds fused with the latest R 'n' B tracks to form a new shuffle rhythm known as ska. By the mid 60s the beat became steadier and slower and evolved through 'rock-steady' into reggae.

cots popsters Primal Scream arrive at the LCR on December 14 and offer surely the best pre-Xmas (or should be Hogmanay?) build up. The Union have surpassed themselves with this date, as Ptw: Primal Scmam after shrewd UEA negotiation, Wed& D8cemblr 14 the Ents Oft..:'.::..;_"'';.;;:_..;.....:,'l"..;...-----:--:-' fice have tempted the Scream to take a short break from big city venues to play at u.EA. Fresh from the release of their latest s1ngle 'Cry Myself Blind', Bobby and the boys are wrestling with ever-changing favour from the music press.

Supposedly, they're now an indie-dub outfit something that contrasts with the more down to earth praise attracted circa 'Screamadelica'. , But this shoudn't worry the band, as they ve gone on to fuse different musical styles over the years, despite Damon Albam's comment that they're in a latent Stones phase. Judge for yourselves, though, and if you want to get loaded before Christmas, hear some old faves and some current smashes, then move on up to the Union Finance Office (and other usual outlets) to get a ticket, priced 12. Support comes from Sabres of Paradise and the Dust Brothers.

COme

Who plays reggae music? Bob Marley and the Wailers, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Aswad, Toots and Maytals, Culture, Sly and Robbie, Buack Uhuru, Big Youth, Dennis Brown. What does it Sound like? Strong, very laid back bass lines almost dragging behind the beat, compelling lyrics (often spiritual) with chop stroke guitar scratching on the off beat.

What do reggae enthusiasts look like? variable. Not all are herb smoking, dreads bedecked in red, gold and green, chanting "Yes I" and "Jah Loves" etc. So identification may be difficult. Often the presence of a Bob T-shirt might be the only clear sign.

And how do they dance?

Depending upon tempo; either a slow-stoned sway as if a small electric shock were pulsing up the body, or a manic bouncing skank whilst flinging arms forward and back, and tossing dreads in all directions (optional) . Reggae clubs tend generally to be small, crowded rooms with sweat running down the walls and a high density of quality ganja flowing about. Dancing therefore often involves the sensation of sublime pleasure mixed with excruciating heat.

Pre11: Sjom Again The Waterfront Weds December 14 candinavian pastiche popsters Bjom Again play the Waterfront on December 14. Having staged a remarkable and most . unlikelY aS!ault on the charts with their ABBA covers, the band are proving to have more longevity than was at first thought Having doubtlessly benefited from the recent ABBA revival, Bjom Again are offering our generation the chance we missed - to see the SWedish 'greats' live on stage. Described as 'similar to ABBA, but much punchier' (by themselves), they're quick to dispel any rumours that they're just a rip-off band exploiting the talents of others and what an unreasonable and unfounded idea that is too. Sure to be playing such 'timeless classics' as 'Dancing Queen' (familiar to anyone who's been to ' the LCR), 'Thank You For The Music' and 'Money, Money, Money', and sure not to be playing anything vaguely original, Bjom again look set to fill out the Waterfront So, if you fancy seeing Frida Longstockin, Agnetha Falstart, Benny Anderwear and Bjom Volvoeus strut their funky stuff... well, there's no accounting for taste. Carol/ne Ad/em

How do you know when you are listening to reggae? Reggae is hypnotic and trance like, a strong repetitive melody and a swaying progressive rhythm. If the music makes you want to bounce uncontrollably, recite biblical text, snarl rude-boy lyrics or simply mellow out with a huge cone- you're listening to reggae.

Where is it now? After peaking

in the late 70s, the popularity of roots reggae has become somewhat select, the emphasis now lies mostly upon ragga and jungle beats. A recent (unsuccessful) reggae revival lacked the roots tradition and managed to popularize a new watered-down 'pop' style of the music. NB: UB40 do not play reggae, they merely take perfectly good tracks written 20 years ago and successfully destroy them. Jon Keast

• • • • • • • • • • • • • " • • •

are without ~oubt witnessing the best new band of 1994. Forget those lazy Smithsalike accusations and just revel in the sound of a band that can tum delicate songwriting ability into a commanding live performance. This is Gene. From the opening number 'Be My Ught, Be My Guide' through to the stunning 'Child's Body', the band. show off an amazing confidence In

····························~································· enough to make you think that th1s

Rev: Gene The Woterfront Monday Nov 14 their own ability. As it proves, the confidence is well-founded as virtually every song - even bonus tracks from the singles such as 'Sick, Sober And Sorry' - is memorable and eminently hummable. Ifs simple - Gene just have a whole stack of class pop songs,

is a group on to their third album rather than their third single. They've also got a tight grip on . dynamics, allowing songs to build from a subtle, mellow intro to a tuneful thrash in the chorus. As expected, Martin Rossiter is acting the homecoming hero on stage. His movements are almost theatrical but i think ifs probably a long time since fans reached out and stroked a singer at The Waterfront

Presumably, there's a Gene album poised for release in ~rly '95..on this evidence, ifll be mmdbiOWing. England ... can you wait? Sam Richards

I. Bomb The Bass .. Darlcheart 2. Boyzone • Love Me For A Reason 3. Beastie Boys .. Sureshot

And what's not•.. Jimmy Na.11 .. Crocodile Shoes

Concrete , Wednesday, November 30, 1994

~HMV '# '''-£¥ ''f1*1

SHAMPOO

DeliCioUS/ ,. The problem with Shampoo is that all their songs sound pretty much the same. We were playing their debut album in the office last week and one person even thought it was the same track on repeat play all afternoon! (I should add that this person also brought in a rather dodgy Rick Astley CD for us to listen to). Taken on their own, though, each of their songs contributes in some small way to pop history... even if you are one of the many who think the teen tracks are pretty poor. 'Delicious' enters the history books alongside 'Trouble' and 'Viva La Megababes', with 'funny' lyrics and catchy chorus meaning you 'll still be first on the dance floor when they play this at the LCR. Me? I just mosh and go.. . Peter Hart

VARIOUS

Mechanical PaNidlse/ LP Mechanical Paradise is a compilation of ambient sounds from local Norwich groups. Included are Faceless, Toxic Frequency, Alpha Seven and UXB. People familiar with "sofa' evenings at the Waterfront will no doubt recognise the sounds. The album has been independently produced through Noisebox records in Norwich. The compilation provides an extremely good vibe that is in keeping with the "play quite and enjoy' motto printed on the sleeve. This disk has barely left the stereo since its arrival. lt shows a depth of talent and presence that is usually so well hidden in Norwich. If you're interested contact Noisebox records on 767726 and get the low down. David Hall

VARIOUS

Positiva: Phase TWo/ LP Do you like Top 40, Ritzy's dancefloor mus1c? Then the Positiva Phase Two album is for you. Carrying twelve remixes of Positiva artists such as Reel 2 Reel and 2 In A Room, this album is sure to get any house/hall party heaving. Some of the mixes tend to drag on with several tracks clocking in at seven minutes and over. So, if you're interested it's out now in record store near you.

ERASURE 1 Love saturday/ ,.

Way, way, back, Erasure were quite a decent band who turned out pleasant pop tunes like 'Blue Savannah' and Drama I where the music didn't sound like it was being fed through a set of those dodgy speakers you can plug into your Walkman. Sadly, 'I Love Saturday' isn't one of those better tracks. There's nothing catchy about this track, and it sounds just like it's being fed through .. . (Yes! Yes! Get on with it- Ed). I'm still no wiser as to why Erasure love Saturdays, but I love them because it means I don't have to spend the evening listening to stuff like this. Peter Hart

S*M*A*S*H

SPEARHEAD Of Course "VOU Can/ EP

BaRabas «PIIot:edl/ ,.

Barry White meets The Brand New Heavies and goes out for a drink with Tribe Called Quest. That's Spearhead's sound. The band, based on the remnants of The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, provide a smooth soulful, laid back rap groove. The emphasis seems to be more on the hip hop side of things than it did in the days of Hiphoprisy, but Spearhead hasn't lost any of that style or finesse.

7" green vinyl in an endearing cardboard package on the credible Sub Pop label. lt's an indie trainspotter's wet dream. But is the song actually any good? As it happens, yes. The A-side is a scuzzed-up version of the track from 'Self Abused' with lots of punk rock guitars and shouting about Jesus and socialism or something. Top marks for the big false ending too. The B-side is a similarly noisy trash through the Afghan Whigs' 'Turn On The Water'. This single certainly deserves a

David Hall

For all your music requirements

KNOW HMV • KNOW MUSIC

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0\:!J@ [p\YAY] 0©[llJ 0\:!J [?J~ <1] @~ u®~g ®~@~@@

place somewhere between your Sebadoh import 10"s and that Flying Nun label sampler CD in your collection. Sam Richards

\1 Doh! ~ Frisbe e! ~- &a~e!

'+.- Bad ! ~ sound!

• PUBLIC ENEMY 1 Stand Accused 1 tl" The world 's most important rap band lift a second single from 'M use Sick-N-Hour Mess Age ' wh ich reflects their decision to calm down a little (musically, not lyrical ly ). There are less sirens and more jazz samples and the Sleek mix gives the track even more space . We al so get ve rsions of Flavor Flav's 'What Kind Of Power We Got' and an impressive new track called 'Mao Tse Tung ' wh ere Chuck D's voice negates the need for any type of instruments before going into a bit of a Cypress Hill choru s. Public Enemy are still on top form and will be educating and innovating long after Warren G and his watery funk-rap friends have gone out of fashion .

Sam Richards

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,,,

ALSO OUT THIS FORTNIGHT Other releases we

just HAD to mention... Top remixers, Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne, have together put out an album of their re mixes ... funny that! 'The Perfecto Album' contains great versions of Massive Attack's 'Unfinished Sympathy' and D:Ream's 'U R The Best Thing', amongst others, and is well worth a listen . Two newies that are bound to storm the clubs (and probably the charts): 'Funk and Drive' from Elevatorman, and 'Feel The Heat Of The Night', courtesy of Masterboy. Unfortunately, the former is great, but the latter is utter bobbins (read 'worse than Whigtield'). 'Feel The Heat Of The Night'? I'd rather feel the heat of a raging temperature, matey. Finally, I just had to mention the new one from Primal Scream , which had to be shoved in here as it almost arrived too late to review. '(I'm Gonna) Cry Myself Blind', the third track to be taken from their recent EP, is a smashing slowie, completely unlike 'Rocks' , but magnificent all the same.

Peter Hart

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------- -------- - - ------------------------- -Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

The

event

Martin Plant climbs in his sleigh an ys a visit to Tim Burton 's latest magical creation.

he Nightmare Before Christmas'? Isn't that the one about relatives coming to visit? But no. In much the same way that 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' revitalized the process of combining live action with animation, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' combines the power and artistry of stop-motion animation with state of the art technology to create a delightful film where fantastic characters come to life in a magical realm . Set in a fantasy world where each holiday has its own land, the film follows Jack Skellington, Pumpkin King of Halloweentown, creator of all things ghoulish and

The Nightmare Before Christmas USA (1994) Animated Musical

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someone who wants to delight with his scariness. Bored with his routine, Jack is given a new lease of life when he stumbles across the entrance to Christmastown. He attempts to create havoc among the warmth, toys and decorations that he discovers there, although his plans soon go astray. Produced by Tim Burton, whose other credits include 'Beetlejuice', 'Batman' and 'Edward Scissorhands', the project was conceived almost twelve years ago. But until now no-one had under-

taken a stop-motion animation picture on such a massive scale. A special studio in San Francisco was ereated especially for the demands of this production. During the two years of filming 120 animators, artists, camera operators and technicians operated on the film , and more than 227 'animated' puppets were used during filming. A typical shot would take an animator three days to shoot, and would last about five seconds on-screen. Songwriter and composer, Danny Elfman, used narrative songs to advance the story and to flesh out characters, making it a full movie musical. A great film for the child in all of us.

marvellously con ceived fantasy horror, 'King Kong' is probably the definitive monster movie. The key to both its initial success and its lasting appeal is the combination of a great original story with very innovative special effects. The inspiration for the tale came from the documentary filming experiences of the eo-director Merian C Cooper in Africa and South-east Asia. Culture-shock apparently caused him to imagine a gigantic primitive ape

pitted against civilised mankind in modem-day New York. This was translated to the screen using the latest in rear-projection technology, stop-motion animation, and a considerable quantity of rubber and rabbit fur. OK, so compared with 'Jurassic Park' the low-tech special effects admittedly seem like cheese of a fairly high order, and the dialogue is often riotously corny (though Spielberg's effort is only just this side of Cheddar in this respect).

King Kong

USA(1933) Fantasy horror Dlrs: Merlan C Cooper & Emest B Schoedsack Cinema City - Dec 10

There's also little in the way of acting, despite Fay Wray's admirable screaming talents. However, 'King Kong' arguably remains a fascinating and enduringly entertaining piece of cinema history. The film will be introduced by the award-winning illustrator Anthony Brown, who has just released a book based on the eponymous monster.

Concrete, Wedn esday, November 30, 1994 »•o"~\~~~., ~

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The Last Seduction USA (1993) Off-beat Thriller Dir: John Dahl Cinema City • Dec 9

Why is Santa working in a department store? Liz Mills enters the fairy grotto to find out more.

t's that time of year again .The north wind 's blowing , the turkey's fattening , the High Street's been decorated and the film studios are wheeling out their blockbusters for this Christmas season . One of the first of the festive goodies up for grabs, 'Miracle on 34th Street', tells the story of little Susan Walker (Mara Wilson ), who has been told the 'secret' about Santa and now fears her holiday wishes won 't come true . But wa it, don't reach fo r the Kleenex yet Having swapped his 'Jurassic Park' kharki shorts for a rather attractive ensemble in red , Richard Attenborough plays the man himself, Father Christmas . Well , actually no, he is in fact Kriss Kringle , a department store Santa who believes he's the 'real' thing . A tale of senile dementia then? No,

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Miracle on 34th Street USA (1994) Seasonal Heartwarmer Dir: Les Mayfield Odeon - from Dec 2

., T h e Last Seduction' is an excellent example of modern day film noir. lt begins with medical student Clay Gregory (Bill Pullman ) nervously completing a drugs deal. He recieves $700 ,000 for a ~ cache of cocaine , but within hours his scheming wife Bridget (Linda Fiorentino) runs off with the money. She hides out in the sleepy country town of Beston, where she attempts to keep a low profile , assuming a new identity and getting a job at the local insurance company. Meanwhile Clay is, perhaps understandably, not willing to let the matter rest and sends a private detective to track her down. Needless to say he eventually locates her. However, Bridge! is more than up to the chal-

wrong again . When put on trial to prove that he is in fact the genu ine article, Kriss turns the little girl 's world upside-down , showing everyone not only the importance of fam ily, but the "true meaning of faith ". With a touch of nineties relevance, this remake of the 194 7 classic looks at the rather weighty implications of the consumerism and commercialization of Christmas. Wow, slightly ironic considering this is an anticipated 'hit'. Cynicism as ide however, this little 'miracle' should at least get you into the spirit of th ings and will keep all those politically aware five year olds pleased with its 'deep' heartwarming story.

besto•~e

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lenge and a battle of wit, deception and sexual manipulation ensues with fatal consequences . What lifts 'The Last Seduction ' above any recent competitors in the 'erotic thriller' genre is the characterisation and its far superior script. Linda Fiorentino excels as the ultimate nineties femmefatale, who genuinely fascinates, as well as exploits, the weak-willed men around her. Full of twists , 'The Last Seduction' has an energy and originality that make it a wicked pleasure to behold . William Neil

rest

The Shadow USA (1994) Action adventure Dir: Russell Mulcahy Cannon • out now n Art-Deco cartoon feast drenched in mist and booming voice-overs. Dire in places and hilarious in others , 'The Shadow' originated from old radio serials and pulp novels . The cast over-acts perfectly. Alec Baldwin plays the Shadow, a slick superhero who has the ability to "cloud men 's minds". Tim Curry pops up as Farley Claymore, the usua l foam ing nutter and Penelope Ann Miller fits nicely into the 2dimensional love interest role . Her sexual in nuendos will steam the pants off any read -blooded male ! The film is so obvious in parts that it becomes funny. Amongst the corny oneliners and references to every film ever made there are some side-splitting moments. Look out for the funniest suicide ever to bounce off the Empire State Bu ild ing ! Definitely a film to take your younger sibling to; and to your surprise you'll probably end up laughing too, if only at Alec Baldwin's chest hair! Nicola Da/ey

t has to be said that from the outside, 'Airheads ' doesn't exactly look very prom ising . But appearances can be deceptive. What appears to be a rather limp comedy about a struggling Los Angeles rock and roll band actually turns out to be a mostly sharply-observed piece of humour wh ich sati ri zes the music industry. Chazz (Brendan Fraser), Rex (Steve Buscemi) and Pip (Adam Sandler) are the Lone Rangers , a group who break into a radio station to get their demo tape played on

Airheads USA (1994) Comedy Dlr: Michael Lehmann Cannon-outnow air. But they inadvertently end up taking the staff hostage ... and suddenly they become the hottest property in rock. it's not really what I'd call hysterical , and the nipple-ring stunt in one nightclub scene caused more shrieks of imagined pain than laughter, but it does manage to hit the mark more times than it misses it. Caroline Jenkinson

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30,

1994 25

Soft Top . Hard Shoulder Retatl- £10 .99

'Soft Top, Hard Shoulder' is a low-budget British comedy/road movie. Peter Capaldi plays Gavin Bellini, a London-based artist who must get to his home town of Glasgow in time for his father's birthday party if he is to collect a much needed share of the family fortune. He reluctantly picks up fellow traveller Yvonne (Eiaine Collins) and together they try to overcome the inevitable obstacles that befall them. Capaldi also wrote the screenplay, though it owes a considerable debt to a wealth of other

films such as 'Clockwise' and 'Local Hero' (in which he made his screen debut). A couple of scenes are handled rather flatly, not lending themselves well to the humour of the

script However, there is much to enjoy in the film. There are some wonderfully quirky characters, some nice cameos, and the dialogue is laced with considerable wit. Despite its faults, 'Soft Top, Hard Shoulder' has an endearing quality about it, and it is hard not to succumb to its genuine charm. Will/am Hell

No matter how old or cynical you are, there's no mistaking that Christmas only truly arrives when the 'Blue Peter' presenters light the first of the four candles on their advent crown. This year, the coat-hanger and fire-proof tinsel creation will be brought out for its first appearance on Monday, December 12, no doubt triggering off nostalgic memories of John Noakes, Simon Groom, John Leslie, etc. standing on tip-toes and trying to light the

thing with a long taper. Happy days indeed. But of course, there's more to a 'Blue Peter' Christmas than that. There's the carol-singers round the tree, the silly panto or song-and-dance routine, and, of course, the Christmas makes. You won't find anything like them in the shops, you know! Already we've been told how to make some highly original cards and gift-tags out of little

more than some tinsel and cardboard; and there's more to come on December 5, when the team demonstrate how to make some highly "unusual and effective· picture frames. Yes, you can always trust 'Blue Peter' to come up with some excellent gift ideas. Which is why I'm writing to Santa and asking for Tim and Stuart to turn up in my Christmas stocking!

CaiPoline·s

•

Man U need a win, and probably a miracle, to move on to the quarter-final stage of the competition. Sad, but true.

BBC 2

Anglia

BBC2

7.30pm

NEW SERIES: GET UP, STAND UP ~~~

9.00pm

Channel 4

NEWMAN AND BADDIEL

Terry Christian and Dani 'Giggsy's Girtfriend' Behr present another topnotch,high quality edition of this fine 'yoof programme. (I hope you're being ironic- Ed)

The last in the current series of repeats from the world's most aesthetically pleasing comedy duo (as once was). Savour 'History Today' and Jarvis for one final time.

Channel 4

BBC 2

11 . 1 Opm

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FILM: THE 'BURBS Tom Hanks stars in this amusing tale of suburban paranoia. When his dogl digs up a human bone from his next door neighbours' garden, Ray Peterso1 (Hanks) decides to investigate further.

8.05pm

BBC 1

9.30 m

SMASH HITS POLL WINNERS' PARTY

SPORTS REVIEW OF THE YEAR 1994

EVEN MORE TAKE THAT!! !I Scream! Faint! Dr... I think you get the picture. Lesser mortals East 17, M People and (God help us) PJ and Duncan will also be hoping to receive an award.

The BBC's annual celebration of a year of sport. If there's any justice in this world, Damon Hill will win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. So there!

BBC 1

7.00pm

THE HYPNOTIC WORLD OF PAUL MCKENNA

CUTTING EDGE: THE CLUB

More willing volunteers are made to do some very silly and strange things in the name of entertainment. Sadly (for Mr McKenna, at least) it's the last in the series.

First shown earlier this year, this programme aoout a Middlesex Golf Clubwent down an absolute storm, forcing the directors of the Club to resign. Will tradition win over progress on the greens?

I I I

Channel4

WITHOUT WALLS: J' ACCUSE SANTA CLAUS

FILM ON FOUR PREMIERE: LONDON KILLS ME Hanif Kureishi's directorial debut shows an uplifting and upbeat picture of London through the eyes of Notting Hill street hustler Clint (Justin Chadwick) .

Channel 4

1 O.OOpm

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Guardian columnist Suzanne Moore sinks her teeth into loveable old Father Christmas. Essential viewing for Scrooges and people sick to death with festivity everywhere.

Channel4

9.00pm

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7.00pm

11 .

THE WORD

BBC 1

7.20pm

A new, fast-moving, hard-hitting comedy show with TV newcomers Malcolm Frederick, Chris Tummings and Angie Le Mar. Expect the unexpected from

Yes, I know it's not exactly class entertainment, but this year the headline act is Take That. Scream! Faint! Drool! Scream some more! Of course, they'll only be on for five minutes ....

~ ~

News and music videos, and 'Home from Home' UEA's own living soap. Wednesday at 1pm and 5pm - Autumn Fashion Show, Safe Sex video Friday at 1pm and 5pm Fashion Show, Safe Sex video, The Bradshaws, Fashion Show- Highlights of the show and backstage footage ARCHIVE MATERIAL: Everything Nexus UTV shows is for sale - going back as far as 1992. Rag Hitches, Bungee Jumping, Rocky Horror Shows, Fashion Shows Bring your own tape and £3 for the copy.

Drivers, examiners and various celebs, including Jo Brand, tell Mark about their hair-raising experiences behind and beside the wheel. Pass the Highway Code, matey....

The world's most uncharismatic FBI agents, Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, get to grips with a group of genetically-controlled children in this justifiably cultish sci-fi series.

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Coming soon on Nexus UTV

ime

~.----THE~~~F~MHal:orivin9T~t~"---l

UTV

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

The

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es, it's panto time again! The time of â&#x20AC;˘ Jo Stubbington year when men don dresses and women wear tights and not much else to slap their thighs a lot amid cries of 'He's behind you'. For most of us the onset of the festive season is marked with copious amounts of alcohol, the odd mince pie and probably more alcohol, but for me Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to meet the stars who are all set to entertain our fine city with their own brand of yuletide fun. A far cry from last years rehearsal rooms in Putney we arrive at the Theatre to a hubub of reporters and 'actaws' all sporting the statutory glass of white wine and often precariously balanced vol-au-vent. No sooner have we arrived than I am accosted by a Photos by Peter Hart rather large shaggy dog. "lt was supposed to be a llama you know" a voice comes from behind," ... but responsible for the whole view without mentioning sofa. it's more of a Shitzu." thing rather than just playing 'Trainer' and he has to bring Ok, I think, don't mention the Ok, so they say never work it up now... time for a quick your own part like with acting infamous batteries! (Chris with children or animals - I have always wanted to was recently acquited of a exit. (and this probably qualifies Taking it easy is this shoplifting charge, accordmake the story come true." as both) but they also say years Widow At this point there is a cry ing to the Sun). that if you don't try you never Twankee, alias from the far corner Too late, Peter has spotted know - they were right the Christopher us again. "Don't mention the first time! Biggins, who "What's the differviewing figures" . What did I expect trying to do ence between seems to be it's Peter Simon, just an interview with a creature Chris and observing everymy luck! I of indeterminate origin Richard thing from the had mananyway? safe haven of a Madeley? he aged to do a \ The llama rapidly loses its croons," About comfortable whole inter- ' appeal as I spy Mark a hundred Greenstreet,this years quid!" Aladdin, across a bowl of But nibbly things. Chris This years production takes it at the Theatre Royal all in will be Mark's sixth or good seventh pantomime spirits. with previous roles Intact he including Buttons in is looking Cinderella and in rather Robinson Crusoe. good form overall London born and and soon reveals that he is bred he has a special fresh from a visit to a health interest in Norfolk. farm. He explained,"Next "You've got to really look year after the pantomime I am going after yourself when you do to be shooting a film which is based pantomime you know and I here in Norwich. am very strict. "I had this script that I really liked and "I have a bed in the dresswhich was written by people that I ing room where I sleep know. inbetween shows when "lt is set here, so when Peter Wilson , we do two a day and I the director,asked me to do panto in usually go home and have Norwich I thought right, 1995 is the something to eat, it's a bit year to do that film ." like doing a marathon, you Mark partly attributes his interest in film have to be fit." making to his childhood and also to Another reason for Chris's the time that he spent training to be a fine fettle could be his new painter. project in the sunny climes "When I was at school I worked in films of Barbados. in the school holidays from the age of "After we finish here I am taking fourteen . an English company to Barbados to I worked treating and repairing old do the 'Taming of the Shrew'. naval films for a company in London , re"I did 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' editing and recutting them, and when I left there last year and it has become a school I knew that I was going to be a sort of an annual thing . "I took on the painter and went to Chelsea Art School. persona of a sort of fairy godmother "But it was while I was at Chelsea that I realbecause I was able to wave wands ised that I wanted to be an actor and I left and over actor friends of mine and take went to drama school for three years. them to Barbados, they couldn't "I think my desire to direct films goes back to believe their luck." painting pictures and making things - being

goes behind the scenes of Norwich's Christmas panto, Aladdin, to meet the cast. She also runs the risk to find out why Peter Simon wants to live on the Isle of Skye with lots of sheep and discovers that 'Trainer's' Mark Greenstreet is much more interesting than your average llama ...

...

I had managed to do the whole interview without mentioning Mark Greenstreetâ&#x20AC;˘s flop TV show 'Trainer', and Peter Simon had to go and bring it up now ... I bet they couldn't, but unfortunately Chris hasn't got his wand here today. Still you can see him in Aladdin in the persona of the loveable pantomime dame Widow Twankee, a role that is a particular favourite. "I have played the dame for 22 years now. "Because I am big I just look fabulous in dresses,and I don't mind looking stupid it's wonderful!

"This year I am wearing a traditional kind of geisha dress, a bit like the Mikado but I have got 12 costumes in all." The conversation breaks for Chris to assume showbiz stance for an awaiting photographer. "Say battery" ... comes the cry, guess who! But now that Peter has got my attention he seems more interested in talking about

Mark Greenstreet has his hands full this Christmas

Concrete, Wednesday, November

the Norwich Arts Centre than his role of Wishee Washee. Co-star Oily Day, alias The Grand Vizier,joins the conversation until Peter suddenly remembers that he is talking to a journalist. "Oily, it will be a libel" he laughs,"but don't worry because the paper will come with us. "We'll just say that we were made to talk about it... • Oily disappears in search of another well timed vol-auvent apparently not quite knowing when to take Peter Simon seriously... I know how he feels! Ah well, here goes as I ask Peter if he is looking forward to this years production. "I am looking forward to it but it will be very different this year because it has been specially written and that means that there are lines. He beckons me closer and whispers, "Let's just say that it might not all be the written line, just something that sounds like it." So far so good but I remember that mischevious grin and sense trouble as I ask Peter what his gags will be about this year. "lt's very up to date, I mean I do gags about Sinead O'Connor and the Power Rangers, that's how up to date it is." (Power who?) "lt'$ also about how life has dealt me a blow and how my house has been repossessed ... • I knew it, quick, think of another question. So what does 1995 have in store for funnyman Peter? "I'm currently working on a new series called 'Cue Pete' which is all about people doing what they have always wanted to do. "lt's a sort of people show.. . • I interrupt to ask what he would choose to do. Bad move. "Go to the Isle of Sky and live in total isolation with lots of

30, 1994

Above: The cast of Alltddln meets for the first time. it includes lll•rlc G,..nstreet, Victor Splnetti, Peter Slmon, Oily O.y •nd Christopher Blgglns

sheep~

And after th,e pantomime? "I'm going to team how to shear. "lt's a very long process you • know - I tried to get an Open University Course but it isn't 1 going to happen. Peter is most definitely on a roll. "I thought about revamping Skippy but what I would really like to go and do is bring back Captain Pugwash. "That's an ambition of mine but other than that I suppose I will be doing light entertainment on Fridays at 6.30pm

Conc,.te sect/on editors, Catoline Jenkinson •nd Jo Stubblngton pose for • r.w pies with Peter Slmon••• In , between vol-au-ventsl on BBC1 from June." I can't help feeling that if he Finally I ask if we can expect does shift his allegiance then it will be a great loss for to see him do any more Run The Risk. The answer is the Beeb. Already it is time to short but ambiguous. go but before I do Peter "I don't know - Central TV calls me aside. "What do you think of Mark have offered me a lot of money so I might join the then • he says, "he's a bit serious isn't he?! other side." ·And did you ever see that 'Trainer' thing? •Just go up to him for me and ask him about the viewing figures" he sniggers his eyes twinkling wickedly. Now it really is time to go. All that is left to do is to wish the cast luck for what looks set to be the best pantomime yet. .. and there's not a vokiuvent or a llama in sight!

"I thought about revamping Skippy, but what I would really like to do is bring back Captain Pugwash - RUn The Risk's Peter Slmon tells Concrele ol his aspirations ..• ·· •··•

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 16, 1994

I!Vent~& Preview: Don Juan UEA Studio Nov 30 - Dec 3 7 .30pm £6.50 £3.50 cone

Review: Lee Evans Theatre Royal

ee Evans is without doubt a comic genius. For over an hour and a half he had a packed Theatre Royal eating out of his hand . His mix of manic humour,mime and down right insanity just mesmerised the crowd . He opens the act by playing a "How to be a comic" self teach record - a fantastic use of his talents . Evans follows the records instructions as it speeds up,slows down,get's stuck and skips . The combination of his Norman Wisdom-esque antics and sharp comic timing make everything he does funny. Even when he tells a mediocre joke, he realises it, turns

to the audience and says "Crap gag, I know, crap gag" and the audience are in fits again . Evans is described as the "comic genius of the nineties and he certainly lives up to this title by ending his show with his mime rendition of Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' . Before he starts he explains that he had to invent a sketch for a comedy festival in France that non-English speaking people could find funny. So,he simply acts out every lyric of the song with universal motions. If you missed the show be sure to check out his video 'Live at Her Majesty's'. He is outstanding . Dave Hall.

One of Spain's most infamous folk heroes is to be brought to life in the UEA Studio this week. Don Juan, the trickster of Seville leaves a trail of seduction and lies as he seeks to corrupt and exploit the world around him in this

modern transalation of the seventeenth century classic. A dynamic and contemporary version, this energetic production emphasises the colour and passion in this often hilarious play during an evening of sex,lies and narrow escapes .

A REAL TREASURE! A fantasy book with a difference 'Treasure' is, as the title implies, a search for just that. By following the clues £250,000 or 46 other prizes could be yours. 'Treasure' tells the story of Tallifer, the minstrel who was chosen to leave his native Normandy prior to the Norman Invasion of 1066. As he travels from county to county Tallifer searches out the advantageous spots for castles and cathedrals leaving a gold piece at each site. Beautifully illustrated , 'Treasure' is a compelling histori-

Review: Merchant of Venice UEAStudio

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arlier this month new UEA drama group 'Next Best Thing' presented their version of Shakesperare's Merchant of Venice . The amateur cast performed their interpretation of the classic manageing to capture both the humour and emotion of the play. Notable performances came from Richard Jones as the evil Shylock and Charles Marenghi who portrayed Antonio with due dignity and heroic pride . Though remaining true to Shakespeare and maintaining the intrigue and tension of the original , the company

added a modern twist to the play. Director will Bird set up the Next Best Thing theatre Company with two other UEA graduates and they hope to perform more plays in collaboration with the UEA drama soc. Will said his intention with The Merchant of Venice was to explore the many levels and complexity of the plot of one of Shakespeare's most difficult plays, as well as to provide an entertaining night out for the audience and invaluable experience for the performers ... and he did! Caroline Ad/em.

cal time-travel tale with every chapter representing one of Middle England's five counties . Each has a special prize of a bronze lute key and a painting by the author. The brainchild of the East Midlands Tourist Board and sponsored by Ordnance Survey Maps also entices you to visit the five counties of Middle England. So if you fancy finding your fortune with a bit more imagination than the National Lottery then this is probably the book for you. Julie Drewitt.

SPAM, SPAM, SPAM...

Don Juan alias Tom Mul/ian

"it's ... ." With those words was born one of the truly classic comedy series, 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'. Surreal and eccentric long before Reeves and Mortimer were even out of short trousers, the Python team helped to change the face of British comedy, and influenced a whole new generation of comedians, including

Steve Martin and Robin Williams. Sometimes the humour is so bizarre it goes well above your head, but stay with it and you are bound to fall off your comfy chair with laughter at some point. So buy these videos, lock up your parrot, shoot that flying sheep and indulge in some full frontal nudity! (That's quite enough of that - Ed).

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A MERRY (HRIITMAI AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERI

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If you're just coming out you need a good add re ss boo I<. Turn to the listings in any gay magazine and you can make a note of the bars and clubs. But where do you turn if you want to know about safer sex? We can give you the basic

facts, but for more detailed advice, make a note of these numbers. 路(If you 're worried that someone else might see the names, you can always list them by their initials as NAH, THT and LLGS.) Whichever one you call, you'll get useful advice and information from people who are friendly and easy to talk to. It's a good idea also to use a lubricant, but always

But what, briefly, does safer sex mean?

HIV

It's any activity where there's little or no risk of

make sure it's a water-based one like KY Jelly. Never

transmission through exchange of blood, semen or

use anything oil- based like Baby Oil or Vaseline as this

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30,1994

14 day listings in association with the Theatre Royal - Reservations (0603) 630000

Compiled Carolineby Ad/em

GuIDE

Cannon I Odeon Some or all of the films listed on Wednesday should be showing - ring for details. Also: The Nightmare Before Chirstmas and Miracle on 34th Street open today (Odeon) Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18). 5.00pm , 8.15pm, 11 .00pm . Theatre Royal Me & My Girl. £4-£24 , 7.30pm. Maddermarket Gaslight. £2.50-£6.50pm , 7.30pm .

UEAStudio The Last Days of Don Juan . £61 £3.50concs, 7.30pm .

Cannon Screen One: Forrest Gump (12) - Tom Hanks is the slow wilted southener who leads an extraordinary life . 1.45pm, 5.00pm , 8.10pm. Screen Two: Corrina Corrina (PG)- Whoopi Goldberg as Hollywood's latest nanny, in this 'touching comedy'. 2.30pm , 5.30pm , 8.20pm. Screen Three : The Shadow (12) -Adventure as another comic book character is brought to life to f1ght crime . 3.40pm , 8.15pm. Screen Four: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the DesertA transsexual and two transvestites go on a journey through Austraia . With Terence Stamp and Guy Pearce. 1.30pm , 6.10pm. Also: Airh eads (15) - Comedy about a heavy metal band desparate for publicity. 1.30pm, 6.15pm. Also: Speed (15)- Keanu fights to save the day and the passengers of a speeding bus . 3.40, 8.20. Odeon Screen One : I Love Trouble (PG) -Rival reporters Nick Nolte and Julia Roberts find their lives under threat. Screen Two: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (15)- Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of the classic horror story. 2.30pm , 4.30pm , 7.30pm . Screen Three: The Lion King (U) -Wait Disney's latest smash hit, featuring countless famous voices. 1.30pm , 3.30pm , 6.15pm, 8.30pm . Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18)- Quentin Tarentino's densely woven trilogy of tales from the dark side of modern Los Angeles. 5.00pm , 8.15pm.

Cannon I Odeon See Wednesday Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18)- 2.00pm , 5.00pm , 8.15pm . Theatre Royal Me & My Girl. £4-£24, 7.30pm. Norwich Arts Centre Harold Lester- classical piano recital £61£4concs , 8pm . Maddermarket Gaslight. £2 .50-£6.50 , 7.30pm.

Theatre Royal Me & My Girl - Andrew O'Connor in the engaging story of a cockney couple , with songs by Noel Gay. £4-£24 , 2.30pm , 7.30pm . Maddermarket Gaslight- Clever thriller in wh ich a man is deliberately driving his wife insane. £2 .50£6.50 , 7.30pm .

UEALCR Magnum- "Great British pomp rock, strong beats and guitar work at its best" . £7 .50 , 7.30pm . Waterfront Moby - house inflected techno

live on stage with the Milky Lunch club night . £6door, 9pm-2am . Oval Cathedral Samanthas Alternative Night, 10pm-2am. Boswells Lena Black Big Band . 9pmMidnight. Hys Club Night. Admission £4 all night. Ritzy Fast Trax. Admission £2 before 10.30pm, £3 after, 9pm-2am. Peppermint Park Labatts Ice promotion . £1 admission with flyer & free bottle of Labatts Ice. Manhattans Hyper! 9pm-2am. Free admission with an NUS card .

SATURDAYDECEMBER3

Cannon See Friday November 30.

UEAStudio The Last Days of Don JuanUEA Drama Sector present this 17th Century classic. £61 £3.50concs, 7.30pm .

Odeon See Friday November 30.

UEALCR Carter USM +These Animal Men . Jim-Bob and Fruitbat return to unleash themselves on the unsuspecting public. £8, 7.30pm.

Wa t erfr on t Salad + Throw That Beat + Compact Pussycat - scorching indie razzle at its very finest. £4 .50adv, 7.30pm .

Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18). 5.00pm , 8.15pm.

Oval Rogues Gallery & Support

Ca n non See Friday November 30 .

Boswell s Showcase. 8pm-11pm.

Samanthas The Fluff Syndicate - Dance I Techno I Trance Music, 1Opm2am.

Odeon See Friday November 30.

Ritzy Nth Degree. Entry free before 11 pm with an NUS card , £2 after. 9pm-2am .

MONDAY DECEMBER 5

Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18). 5.00pm, 8.15pm.

Bos w ells Lee Vasey Band . 9pm-Midnight. Hys Club Night. Admission £1 , 9pm2am . Happy Hour- midnight1am. Ritzy Admission free with a flyer. £1 .30 a pint. Pepperm i nt Park Mr B's Flying Circus. 50p admission all night with flyers or Concrete ad ., or £1 before 10.30pm , £2 after. Manhatta n s Sheer Bliss! 9pm-2am

UEAStudio The Last Days of Don Juan . £61 £3 .50, 7.30pm Oval The Klingonz (Psychobilly) & Phantom Cowboys Boswells The Roosters, 9pm-Midnight. Hys Club night. Admission £2, 9pm2am . Happy Hour midnight-1 am . £7 .501£5concs.

Oval Selector (Ska special)

Peppermint Park Student Night.

Theatre Royal Me & My Girl.£4-£24, 7.30pm. Cannon I Odeon See Friday November 30. Cinema City Beethoven's 2nd (U) - More comic capers about the family who adopt a trouble some St. Bernard . 2.30pm. Pulp Fiction (18). 4.00pm, 8.15pm.

Waterfront Kaliphz- multi cultural hip hop sound . £3.50door, 9pm-1 .30am . Meltdown, £1 a pint before 10.30pm . Oval Jean Jeannie (Bowie tribute)

Theatre Royal Me & My Girl. £4-£24 , 2.30pm , 7.30pm.

Samant has Rock Club. Classics and Rock Chart Music, 1Opm-2am .

Norwich Arts Centre Edward 11- Mix of Carribean reggae , jazzy brass , tender ballads, futuristic pop and English country dance . £6.501£5concs.

Bo s wells Beyond the Blues. 9pm-Midnight.

Madde r market Gaslight. £2 .50-£6.50, 7.30pm . UEA Studio The Last Days of Don Juan. £61 £3.50, 7.30pm . UEALCR Thunder- A chance to experience the band 's full-on rock soun close up, prior to the release of their new album . £10 .00 , 7.30pm.

Hys Club Night. Admission £3 before 10pm, £4 before 11 pm and £5 after. Ritzy Furious Fun. £3 B410.30pm , £5 after, 9pm-2am . Peppermint Park Club Night. £3 B4 10.30pm, £4 after. Manhattans Open 9pm-2am . Free admission with an NUS card B4 10.30pm

TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 Cannon See Friday November30. Ode on See Friday November 30. Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18). 2.00pm , 5.00pm , 8.15pm. Theatre Royal Me & My Girl. £4-£24 , 7.30pm.

UEA

Waterfront First Out- Billed as Norfolk's best night out for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and friends . 8pm-12 .30am, £31£2.50 unwaged or £2 before 10pm. 8 o s wells Jazz 'n' Blues Jam . 9pm-Midnight. Hys Club Night. £3 before 10.30pm , £4 after.

Live in the Hive: Grapevine - soul classics from this six piece. Cannon Cinema , Prince of Wales Road. Tel623312 Odeon Cinema, Anglia Square. Tel 0426 932450 Cinema CitY, St Andrews Street. Tel 622047 Theatre Royal, Theatre Street. Tel 630000 Norwich Arts Centre, St Benedicts Street. Tel660352 Maddermarket Theatre, Maddermarket . Tel620917 Manhattan Nightclub, Dove Street. Tel 629060 The Oval Rock House, Dereham Road. Tel 748244 Peppermint Park, Rose Lane. Tel 764192 : Ritzy Nightclub, Tombland. Tel 621541 . :·; BoswellsiHy's, Tombland. Tel 626099 ...;.~~

- ~~~)~'X~:~!"U.i!!~· _King Street. Te~-- ~J 2?,1'r.~s;~

£-•

Concrete, Wednesday, November 30,

____ ____ _______ ____with the ________ .;:. ____ - lrom £3 or in association Theatre Royal --ticket-s-always .:,

.::;..

.;..._...;..

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7 CannonOdeon See Friday November 30. Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18). 5.00pm, 8.15pm. Theatre Royal Me & My Girl. £4-£24, 2.30pm, 7.30pm. UEAStudio Edmond &Ambulance (CANCELLED) UEALCR Squeeze- promising some of the juiciest melodic phrases and wry lyrical observations. £8.50, 7.30pm. Oval Mary Jane (ex-Dogs D'amour)

SUNDAY DECEMBER 11

Samanthas The Fluff Syndicate- Dance/ Techno/Trance Music, 10pm2am. Boswells Horizon. 9pm-Midnight. Hys Club Night. See last Wednesday for prices and times. Ritzy. See last Wednesday. Peppermint Park. Mr B's Flying Circus. See last Wednesday.

Cinema City Pulp Fiction (18). 2.00pm, S.OOpm, 8.15pm.

Cannon I Odeon See Friday November 30. Cinema City Last Seduction 5.45 8.15pm.

MONDAY DECEMBER 12 Cannon I Odeon See Friday November 30.

Ritzy See last Monday.

Cinema City Sirens (15)- Current heart throb Hugh Grant is a young English clergyman trying to dissuade painter Sam Neill from exhibiting an erotic religious picture. 5.45pm, 8.15pm.

Peppermint Park Christmas Bash. £1 NUS card, £2 with student id, £3 without.

Oval Intension & Spider Murphy

Norwich Arts Centre One From The Heart: The Tum of the Screw, by Henry James Gripping ghost story. £5.50/ £3.50concs.

Hys Club night. See last Thursday for prices and times.

lEA

8os wells Jazz 'n' Blues Jam. 9pm-Midnight. Hys Club Night. See last Tuesday

Cannon I Odeon See Friday November 30.

Theatre Royal Me & My Girl. £4-£24, 7 .30pm.

Cinema City Last Seduction (18) - When a manipulative young woman arrives in a small country town, the locals don't know what's hit them . 5.45pm, 8.15pm. Draughtsman's Contract (15)Period piece about a handsome young artist involving bed , board, sex and murder.

Norwich Arts Centre The Hoax: Blues. £5/£4concs.

Norwich Arts Centre Old Heads Young Shoulders + The Lucys - 'Norfolk's finest electric folksters retum £5/£3concs.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

Live in the Hive- Xmas party disco.

FRIDAY DECEMBER 9

Theatre Royal Me &My Girl. £4-£24, 2.30pm, 7.30pm.

Compiled by Caroline Ad/em

Cinema City Sirens (15). 2.30pm, 5.45pm , 8.15pm.

Boswells 4D Jones. 9pm-Midnight.

Cinema City King Kong (PG)- Billed as the 'greatest monster movie of all time' by Halliwells. 2.30pm.

NORWICH

Cannon I Odeon See Friday November 30.

Theatre Royal Me & My Girl. £4-£24, 7.30pm.

Cannon I Odeon See Friday November 30.

TUESDAY DEC 13

UEAStudio Edmond &Ambulance (CANCELLED)

UEAStudio Edmond & Ambulance. (CANCELLED) Hys Club Night. See last Thursday for prices and times.

SATURDAYDECEMBER10

Oval Cannibal Corpse & Samaele & Desultery

Boswells Horizon. 8pm-Midnight.

Manhattans Sheer Bliss! See last Wednesday.

THURSDAYDECEMBER8 Cannon I Odeon See Friday November 30.

...;._...;._.;..

1994

UEALCR Massive Attack + Mad Professor -a multimedia extravaganza, promising an interactive hoo hah to get your senses buzzing and your body moving·with live music. £10, 7.30pm. Boswells The Boogaloos. 9pm-Midnight.

UEAStudio Dance Platform - a Norfolk and Norwich Community Dance Project Presentation. £51£3, 7.30pm. Waterfront Meltdown- £1 for selected pints before 10.30pm. Oval Think Floyd (Pink Floyd tribute) Samanthas Rock Club. 1Opm-2am.

Boswells The Boogaloos. 9pm-Midnight. Hys Club Night. See last Saturday. Ritzy Furious Fun. See last Saturday. Peppermint Park Club night. See last Saturday. Manhattans See last Saturday.

Miracle on 34th Street opens at the Odeon on December 2. Christmas Is officially here, and here's the film to prove it. A 'Thought-provoking' storyline questions the existance of Santa Claus • Is ha really Richard Attenborough? Summary: little girl (obviously cute) doesn't believe in Santa, meets Richard Attenborough, does believe In Santa. The End. Oh, and her single mother marries a very nice man. Aaah. • Live in the Hive X-mas Disco. Its live, its in The Hive ... its Live in The Hive. Its also an (uneeded) excuse to celebrate Christmas, the end of the term and say a few fond farewells and have the odd drink. Promising surprises and giveaways, If you're at a loose end on December 13, look no further than campus for an evenings entertainment.

Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

l I I ~

I ~

I I

••

I I

I t

r I

enny Abramsky is currently the head of News and Current Affairs atthe BBC . She was at UEA before it moved to the Plain , and had her lessons at the original University Village ... NAME: Jenny Abramsky SCHOOL:EAS

Nissan huts wh ich we liked . Then in the final year they opened the Denys Lasd un campus wh ich I hated as it was so impersonal. My professor was Angus Wilson - a joy - and he stim ulated a great love of Dickens . I had a lovely flat in Norwich and I loved the city , especially the market I fe ll fo r the cathedral , Norfolk and Norfolk skies so I bought a cottage there as a weekend retreat which we now don't have time to go to!

YEARS: 1965-1968

-....

HOW USEFUL HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR DEGREE IN THE WORKPLACE?

I found my degree very helpful especially when I started as a Studio Manager as I worked across a range of drama and history programmes, so having a degree in English and History helped. HOW DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR TIME ATUEA? I remember it with great love. There were only 300 of us in the first two years . lt was stimulating and exciting to be creating a university , to create a tradition .

WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF UNIVERSITY LIFE? To start with, the campus was temporary, in

WHAT NON-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WERE YOU INVOLVED IN?

I was very active in the drama club - doing choreography. One play , which starred Snoo Wilson, got to the final of the NUS Student Drama festival in Cardiff - other universities involved included York, Kent, Sussex and Essexand I persuaded the Daily Mirror to sponsor it I was involved in the musical life - this was when Phillip Leger ran it He got Pan's People to sing at UEA and I remember dancing in Handel's Saul. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU'D DONE WHILE AT UEA? lt was such a small group of students when I was there that everyone was involved in everything.

Jenny Abramsky: hated the new campus

Seco 1d ~,heres a p ser: did Mi 'ie Sinash go to UE ? oncrete investigates and talks to his alicer ego, cornedian Paul Whitehouse

op TV comedian Paul Whitehouse had a brief encounter with UEAone year in DEV to be precise. He's best known for his work with Harry Enfield (who didn't go to UEA, we're sorry to report) and in his many guises as Mike Smash and an Old Git etc. So what went wrong?

HOW DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR TIME AT UEA? Foggily

WHAT ARE YOUR MEMORIES OF UNIVERSITY LIFE? Fog

WHAT NON-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WERE YOU INVOLVED IN? NAME: Paul Whitehouse SCHOOL:DEV YEARS: 1977-8

Getting foggy

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WISH YOU'D DONE? Passed

HOW USEFUL HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR DEGREE IN THE WORKPLACE: I failed

HAS SMASHIE GOT A MESSAGE FOR UEA STUDENTS? Pop a doodle doo UEA. from Smashie

Don't miss our next series of interviews with UEA's top alumnicoming soon in Concrete. Future interviews include Sky Sports football presenter, Martin Tyler, and Carol Bundock of Radio Norfolk.

. ,..,

~x··,J..

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OPENING HOURS 9- 5.30 p.m. MONDAY- FRIDAY 9 -1 p.m. SATURDAY

SUPERMARKET Coca Cola and Diet Coca Cola (8 pack x 330ml cans) £1.79 6 Deep Filled Mince Pies 69p Royal Dutch Lager (10 pack x 250ml bottles) £2.89 Don Opas Wines £2.29 (Red and White) Catelin Champagne £9.99 £1.49 Lambrusco Fiorello Brewsters Bitter 39p Copperfields Sherry £2.59

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Union Bars & Ents Christmas Party/Disco Thursday 15th December- 2 a.rn. licence

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Sport

CANARIES TAKE TO THE AIR BAPTISM OF FIRE ,...--- By - - - - , Jane Horner

NORWICH City have become the latest Premiership club to set up their own radio station. Radio Canary broadcasts on 1602mw and should reach everyone within five miles ofCarrow Road. However, listeners from further afield my also be able to receive the signal- the station was recently sent a letter from a German who had tuned in, although admittedly he

was using profession! equipment. I listened in for the match against Leicester City, curious as to how it was possible to fill seven hours of airtime by talking about one club. Pre-match interviews with unknown ex-players, fans inside the ground, and even the referee were interspersed by an annoying new record, with the inspiring chorus of

"Norwich City, We love you, Oh, You're in everything we do ... "(?!) But on the positive side, 'Chairman Chat,' where fans are able to question Robert Chase, was interesting - it's always nice to see a chairman squirm ... The match itse lf made a refTeshing change from Radio 5 Live, with the comentators actually biased towards one side, instead ofthe usual impartiality shown even for England games. Peter Glanville, the producer, claims the station is unique. It pro-

---By---.. Eleanor Perkins THE UEA volleyball club stormed to succces last week as both the women's ar.d men's teams competed well to take them through the first round ofthe BUSA championz ships held here at UEA. ;Ji The women's team dominated en

PLAYING sport is an integral part of a student's all-round education.

A/exBainbridge, Union Sports Officer

FOUR rookie mountain bike riders from UEA tackled the BUSA race in Sheffield recently, writes Andy Tyler.

Reflexes were sharpened by playing Sonic whi lst eating porridge at Mark Warren's brothers' house, but all too soon we were among 250 other maniac riders waiting for the starting hooter. An hour and a half and several daftly-ridden laps later, having spent far too little time with both wheels in contact with the ground, and the end was in sight.

A STORMING SUCCESS

DearStudent, Different leve ls of sport are beneficial for different reasons. A t the most basic level, sport relaxes the mind and body, allowing greater concentration on academic work. Competitive team sports instil teamwork and other useful skills, while captains and committee members learn leadership, budgeting and lots more, all of which will impress future employers. Why then is sport so underval uedat UEA? In my post, I sometimes feel that sport is being attacked on all sides. Wednesday afternoons are gradually being eroded away !Tom the sporting timetable , and the Sports Centre is used for exams, taking away six weeks worth of use and revenue each year, which hits students both directly and indirectly. With just under half of all students a member of a sports club, and many, many more taking part on an occasional basis, we form a large section of the UEA community. It is only by working together that we can shout "Stop", and sho ut we must. I cannot do all the work on my own as I too have a degree to pass ! To get involved with changing the fate of sport will not take up a lot of your time. If you have a lecture on a Wednesday afternoon, complain to your Dean. If you have any other problem, write to me. Without your opinions I cannot represent you. l already receive information !Tom clubs, but l also want views from the occasiona l user of the fitness room or aerobics class. Unless action is taken soon, l forsee sport being gradually erased from university life. Please he lp the union help you. Together we can fight for change ...

vides a full comentary aimed only at City fans, and is the only station to broadcast the post-match press conference live. Which of couse means that with no editing facilities, the whole of Norwich gets to hear the choisest words of any irate reporters or managers ... Radio Canary has now been on air for several matches, and, accordi ng to G lanville, the response from fans has been favourable. For me though, the end of the broadcast came as a relief- ifl neverhearthatsongagain it will be too soon ...

their first match against Middlesex, with the hard work in training prov3: ing its worth as UEA showed that ~ their organisation and technique 0 were far superior to that of their b oppponents. Team morale was

fil

high, and after a 15: I score line in the first set, the only challenge was to shut out Middlesex in the second, which they promptly did. It was too much to expect this top-class standard to continue through to their next match against Essex. Although the better side, UEA let their game slip ssomewhat, but they fought well to win a scrappy first set 15:13. A change of formation and the team settled back into their familiar style to win the set comfortably 15 :7. With two clear wins under their belt, UEA were placed top overall, and so secured a home advantage in the next round of the tournament.

It turned out that both Andy and Pat Crew had both shoved the same cocky rider from Nottingham Uni into the bracken within minutes of each other, but the general opinion was felt that he deserved it! Andy finished first of the team, followed ten minutes later by Pat, who was five minutes ahead of Mark, in turn five minutes up on Rami Deen. Next stop Mark's brother's for a shower and a well earned glass of

Ouw ... The men ' s team did not start quite so impressively, losing the first set of their match against Midddlesex 15 :13. They improved their performance in the second set, and matched Middlesex point-forpoint before the opposition pulled away to take the set 15: 13 and the game2:0. Tactical changes before the second match, against Hertfordshire, paid dividends, with UEA producing a much improved performance by the team as a whole. With consistent setting, the attack was able to find flaws in the Hertfordshire team plan, and UEA took the first set 15 :4. A further switch brought in Phi lip Pernstich, and the team ran out 15: I winners of the second set, so winning the game and qualifying for the next round.

~---w~~-----------------------------------------------------------------To combat the winter practicing first varsity opposition, and Con-

Back To Base-ics! j Matthe:~aurence j AS WINTER rears its icicled head and the afternoons get shorter, the UEA Black Sox, a little-known and much-ad-

mired facet of campus sporting life, will still be found stopping ground-ails, catching flyballs and striking-out in a secluded cornerofColney Lane. Visiting CHEstudentMattDimmic -the voluntary and very capable

coach ofthis year's batch of hopefuls- is very impressed with the team's progress at this early stage: "They are doing incredibly well, much betterthan Ieverthought possible. I think we have a really greatteam," he said .

On the crest of a wave A GROUPof intrepid sailors from the UEA Racing Team made the arduous trek down to Plymouth last weekend for the annual Student National Sailing Competition.

6566

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...,

._______________________________~ r~~

Vying for line honours alongside top university teams from all over the country, from Abe rdeen to Southampton in fact, the UEA team competed in four stamina-testing races over two days . With upward of 200 boats in three classes, Lasers, Laser Twos and Larks, all jostling for water in Plymouth Sound, the competition was always going to be intense. The team placed withi11 the top half of the fleet overall, a remarkable achievement considering UEA had the oldest boats in the competition! The first day provided testing conditions with moderate winds, strong tides and several false starts reminiscent of the Grand National fiasco. However, gale force winds on the final day sorted the men from the buoys (and the swimmers from the flounderers!) and guaranteed that everyone had a storming time.

blues there is an indoor session on Monday afternoons. Typically, though , this is not very well attended for work-related reasons. With this in mind, communitybinding events (ie. club socials) become of utmost importance. The first to be organised will be a tenpin bowling night, but there are also rumoursofafive-a-sidetournament and even "Laser-questing." The newly-formed committee has high hopes for the upcoming season . lt wants to be the best university team in the country, and it wants recognition ofthisfact-a team photograph in the Hall of Fa me is just a semester away ... The Black Sox (nee Anglians) have been at the forefront of university baseball since their inception six years ago. lt was not until the spring of 1993 that they encountered their

crete reported our resounding victory over the University of Warwick at the time . Last season was not so successful- at /east in terms of game victories. Two more universities joined thefray(Bradford and Hull)onlyto be swept away with ease at the inaugural British Baseball Federation University Tournament. Only the weather and our unsympathetic hosts - WatWick prevented the championship the team deserved. The final was called off with the score 10-7 in WatWick's favour, but havong batted an extra inning thanUEA. lt was a dsisappointment that will surely be avenged this sum-

mer. â&#x20AC;˘ Further into from Matthew Laurence in EAS 3 or the club's pigeon hole at the Sports Centre.

i Troians Ladies Take Over AFTER being unable to field a complete team so far this season, the Trojans ladies upstaged the 1,1nbeaten men's team.

Led home by Jane Horner, the ladies cruised to first place on the podium in the RAF League match staged here at

UEA.

Meanwhile, the men's team were missing two of their top runners, and despite Nik Davy's 2nd and Martin Airey's 7th, they were unable to keep their perfect record, finishing second to RAF Honnington on the day.

Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

Sport

RDVARKS ADVANCE UEA 24-9 Cambridge UEA 32-29 Hertfordshire UEA25-16Essex By Jennlfer Johns HE UEA Women's basketball eam won all three of their ames at the BUSA regional ournament held at the Uni-

versity of Essex last week. The Aardvarks made up for their slow start to the season by dominating the four team tournament, beating Cambridge 24-9, Hertfordshire 32-29 and Essex 25-16. Each of the team's seven members scored points during the day, contributing to the excellent offen-

sive game, and indicating the high standard of talent within the team . In addition to being short on players, the team was hampered by numerous injuries during the course of the tournament. However, excellent coaching, as well as spirited sideline cheering,

kept morale high throughout. Said team member Kristen Cope, "We had the least players but the most team spirit, making our wins seem that much cooler." These victories qualify the team for the next level of the BUSA competition, to be held in Manchester in the new year.

UEA Lose Out to Low Tactics Herts10-5UEA By Jess Morriss

Captain Jake Austia spun on the mea's hockey fints.

------~--._-.~~~~

Unfortunately, the team uashed ~ to a tough Herts

side, though the team have qualified for the am round.

et Another Victory... Herts2-7UEA By Richard Sheldon and AndyPack N A cold November day, EA's Badminton teams coninued their winning ways gainst Hertfordshire. The men's seconds maintained eir I 00 per cent success rate with et another walkover, so it was left o the first team to drag themselves ut of the doldrums and hopefully nto the next stage of the BUSA ompetition. This was done through a 7-2 ictory, inspired by a reconstructed A side. Pack and Sheldon mainined their winning streak by takgallthreeoftheirgames, with the ewpairings ofBell and Saville, and udge and Payne each adding two ames to the tally in what can only described as an unorthodox maner! The ladies, who had already qualified for the knockout stages, were involved in an exciting match with a dilapidated but strong Herts side. They did however emerge victorious, following which, captain Susie "over the shoulder" Duncan quickly rushed to the aid ofthe netball team. But unfortunately her all-round sporting prowess was not enough to provide two wins in one day!

-~f&ls

iiiloiioo............ f

One of the women's tennis players helping the team to a 5-l victory, wblch guarantees clean. An excellent try was scored by Anna after she side-stepped her way through Hertfordshire's defence, bringing the match to a final result of 10-5 to the home side. An extremely large hand should also go Ruth, our Woman of the Match, for her superb running and tackling,andtoLindsey, who played

them a place iD the aext round of the competition.

an absolute stormer in her first-ever game. General all-round brilliance was displayed from the whole team, who gave everything they had, and especially from the 'boat race' team of Beth, Yoki, Julia, Maardje and Jess, who got their revenge in a very exciting rematch in the bar afterwards!

Golfers steal the show Herts2-4UEA By Andy Ivory UEA'S GOLFERS were one of the few teams to leave Hertfordshire with a victory In the recent BUSA fixture. The six man team travelled to Hatfield for a scratch match they had to win to reach the knockout stages of the competition. Herts,

Herts 31-24 UEA By Joanna Gill

Lift-off!

(UEA score first)

0-4 18-4 7-2 5-4

previously unbeaten and containing several low-handicap players, were stronger than UEA on paper and were going to prove very difficult to beat. Julian Cotton disposed ofHerts' Lincolnshire county golfer 2 and I, whilst Chris Clarke was narrowly overturned at the last hole. Adam Humphrey and Kelvin Gendus disposed of their partners comfort-

ably, but unfortunately Andy Richardson lost on the 15th hole. The performance ofthe day came from influential captain Andy Ivory who, despite losing all four opening holes, played sub-par golf thereafter to win by three holes -against a solid eight handicapper. UEA now progress to the next stages of the tournament. Bring on St. Andrews!

Disappointment for Netballers

BUSA RESULTS- WED 16 NOVEMBER UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE V UEA Men's Football I: Women's Football: Men's Badminton 1: Women's Badminton:

UEA'S WOMEN'S rugby team came away nursing bites and bruises, punches and pinches following the game against Hertfordshire. UEA were not expecting quite such savage opponents, but, admirably, they decided not to stoop to the same level and kept the play

ffi

Golf: Men's Hockey 1: Women's Hockey 1: Netball I:

l-2 0-6 0-5 24-31

Men's Rugby I: Women's Rugby: Men's Tennis: Women's Tennis:

3-20 5-10 3-3 5-I

ALONG with the majority of UEA teams, the netball firsts fell prey to an unexpectedly strong Hertfordshire side. Having had a brilliant start to the season, UEA played below par against the home side and eventually lost 24-31. After a sluggish opening, UEA managed to keep ahead of their opponents by one goal at halftime. But unfortunately a few minutes of sloppy play in the second halfby UEA were eagerly siezed upon and converted into a five goal advantage by the home team's talented Goal Defence/Wing Attack partnership. Even the arrival of a fresh player at three quarter time was not enough to redeem UEA. Now the only thing UEA can do is wait to see if they have made it through to the knockout stage of the competition. Certainly, before this match, there were no doubts about it. But now, with UEA, Middlesex and Hertfordshire all losing two matches apiece, it will all come down to goal average. Thank goodness for that 80-4 victory over Cranfield...

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Concrete, Wednesday, November 30, 1994

DESPITE only having a handful of practi ces together, the UEA Boat Cl ub put in an outstanding performance at the Cambridge Winter Head Race. The women's first V11l crew had an impresive third place fi nish, showing a lotofpov.erin the water and a lot of team spirit. The men's first V III fini hed in a fi ne fifth place fi nish, and afte r more o uti ngs and adjustmnts, they have a great chance of winning next month's arrow Cup. The men's IV placed third out of 13 crew, and despi te bei ng very pleased with their finish, they still felt they could have done better. The novice wo men's V III had onl) gone on one outing together

....---By Sandy Zeller before they placed fo urth outofl 5 crews, while the novice men's VIII also had a good showi ng, impressing officials at the start with the competence and spinning ability of an expe rienced crew. The novice crews pro ed they were able to handle the pressures of a first-ever race, showing a lo t of potential fo r the UEA team in the fu ture. Richard Kelsey o f the men's tea m sum med up the novice crews' fee lings: " We were mad! happy that we didn't come in last, but absol utely devesta ted that we di dn' t do better."

Photo: Sandy Zeller

â&#x20AC;˘

UEA'S BUSA teams did not have the best of days against the University of Hertfordshire. The women's football team seemed to ignore the results arou nd them , crushing the Herts team by an amazing 18-4, to earn the Team of the Day award . lt also ensured them a passage into the next round of BUSA competition w here they will meet QMWC. â&#x20AC;˘ Match reports and full results on page 35.

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