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bay your favourite albams on tbe net
Iouis de bernieres revie
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the comprehensive guide to what's on around norwich Tile Event is produced fortnightly by Concrete: PO BOX 410, NORWICH, NR4 4TB TEL: 01603 250558 FAX: 01603 506822 e-mail: su.concrete@uea.ac.uk and printed by: Eastern Counties Newspapers, Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1RB E:dltor·ID·ciJiel: James Craham l:dJtor: James Tapsfield MIUifc Editor: Paul
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"Cn~mble"
Hanauer /lctlnf1 Jnteracflve Editor: Stuart
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Penny Broadhurst, JUix Smith, Lynettc JUcock, Laura Nield, /amie Maclue, Owen Thomas, Darcy Hurlord, James Brown, Thom Dunn, Jldam Chapman, Nicole Fortmann, Chadie Goldsmith, Rachel Cooling, Jlyodele Mansaray, Carla Thorpe, Jlmanda Jliken, ICate Smith, Emma Newbery, Kevin Howlctt, ICris Sielken, Nicld Shariat. Jlpologte. to: Luke Turner who's text credit
was missed off Taken tor Granted and JUison Bowditch who should have been listed as a contributor. Sorry.
THEEVENT,WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER14,1998
glad to be glana pg 10+ 1·1
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~event) ~~HMV ack in the early nineties, when Oasis were a mere glimmer in Alan McGee's eye and the Verve were little known merchants of sonic experimentation, there existed indie music. This was not the indie of today, bland, corporate and s:1adow-owned by the major labels, but an indie music that was on the fringes of the music scene: if a band got a single in the top fifty it would be time to pop the champagne corks. Much of this indie scene was populated by shoegazing; a style of music obsessed with walls of sound and with lyrics about floating in cloudy dreams. Among the principle proponents of the shoegazing gen ~e were a band called
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Country and shoegazing? lt may sound combination, but £uke Turner kinda likes it Slowdive, whose vocalist, lyricist and guitarist Nail Halstead now leads Mojave 3, along with former Slowdive band member Rachel Goswell (vocals, bass), and lan McCutcheon (percussion). Completing the line up are Alan Forrester on keyboards and guitarist Simon Rowe. another lapsed shoegazer. Mojave 3's sound has abandoned the effects pedals of yore, and instead reflects a laid back, atmospheric country sound. This is largely due to Halstead's changing musical tastes, "By the end of Slowdive I was pissed off with music. I was listening to a lot of techno, stuff like that. With Mojave 3 we were rediscovering songs again, getting into stuff like Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake and country. There's a lot of bad country music," admits Halstead, "but when it's good it's great; people like Gram Parsons brought the rawness back to country, and took it back to being about emotions." The music of Mojave 3 is undoubtedly
emotional too; both the debut album Ask Me Tomorrow, and current release Out Of Tune are full of songs of love, loss, tears and happiness all perhaps reflecting Halstead's turbulent time in the music industry. Slowdive were a band who were initially well hyped, only to be crushed by the views of journalists who had tired.of the scene
the music press is aU swings and roundabout& they had helped to create. This experience has made Halstead far more circumspect: "The music press is all swings and roundabouts. You've got to ignore them, otherwise it's too destructive. When Slowdive started we were just 18, but now we're growing up and becoming more aware of what we're doing. We understand how the business end works. And now
we just want to concentrate on the music and avoid all the bulls**! that goes along with it." Neil certainly seems to be avoiding the aforementioned bull in 1998. He spent the summer playing rhythm guitar for Bernard Butler at the UK festivals and in Japan, which was an experience he describes as "a really good laugh". Now Mojave 3 are on the road again, supporting Bernard Butler on his first major UK tour, including a date at UEA this Saturday. Their second album Out Of Tune was released on Monday, October 5. According to Halstead, it gained this title, "Out of perversity - some of it is out of tune. But it's more a reflection of feeling like we're not fitting in with what's happening at the moment. n Though Mojave 3 may feel that they don't fit in with the current trends in British music they are tuned into the sound of their emotions. And with this knowledge Halstead and his fellows no longer need to stare at their shoes - they can gaze at the stars.
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Knowledge no. 1& B I o n d 1e
What's the big fuss then? After the music boom of the sixties the 70's seemed a bit dull, with all the decent rock stars dead, and the rest making dubious noodly prog rock . Blondie offered a bit of sexy class and disco with catchy tunes that embraced the new electronic technology that was just starting to come onto the market. Who did/does what? Blondie were led by blond bombshell and former Playboy bunny Debbie Harry, a sexpot
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the band (all dark-haired) consisted of Clem Burke on the drums, Jimmy Destri on the keyboards , Nigel Harrison on bass; and finally one time Harry bodily fluid sharer Chris Stein on guitar and eo-writing duties. Rumours suggest that Louise Wener of Sleeper pinched the idea of inter band banking from Blondie.
Sold a few records then? Blondie's career took off in Australia before th ey broke Britain and then finally became big at home in the good ol ' US of A. During their career the band had umpteen hit singles in the top ten, including several global number ones .
. . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . Which is the best then? Blondie released five studio albums throughout their career, so to avoid incurring a large debt, one of the Best of Blondie compilations is the best Investment. These feature all the classics such as Heart of Glass, Call Me. Atomtc the list is endless. However, avoid ever listening to either The Tide Is High or Rapture; the former appaling cod reggae . whilst the latter contains some of the worst rapping ever ... apart from Kriss Kross.
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Did we mention how they got their name? Apparently ou r Debs was inspired to call the band Blondie from times when . as she walked past construction sites. the delightful builders used to shout "Hey Blondie, wanna screw?" So what does the future hold?
Following the release of yet another retrospective album earlier th1s year Blond1e are dusting off their silver suits, bunging on the eye shadow, and hoping no one notices their grey streaks as they embark on a major tour. Only time will tell if this will be a return to the glory days - or an embarrassing Gary Glitter style shrine to naffness. In Retrospect ... Cover me with kisses. baby
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THEEVENT,WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER14,1998
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Rialto were down, but now they're on the up again. Penny Broad.hurst spoke to lead singer Louis Eliot about the band's ascent f you know anything about Rialto, you 've probably heard their Pulp-esque single Monday Morning 5:19. Radio One liked it, and they got to play it on TFI Friday. You might even know that, somewhat unusually, they have two drummers. But what you may not know is that plenty has
been going on behind the scenes for a relatively new band. As was reported in the music press earlier this year, Rialto were unceremoniously dumped by their original label. Warner subsidiary East West, the week before the debut album was due for release.
lt seems they were dropped because East West got a new Managing Director. The old MD was connected to Rialto's A&R man, and the new bloke hated them both. According to Rialto he forced their A&R man to leave the company, and anything connected with him also faced the axe. Ironically, the new MD only lasted for five months before being sacked himself. Rialto's singer and main songwriter Louis Eliot is understandably bemused by the whole experience "All the other East West territories around the world said 'What are you doing? they've sold 60,000 records in Korea; Japan and America are very interested. ' They refused to let us go, so we had to find a label that would let us keep our East West deal in the rest of the world. The man [the MD that got them dropped) is an arsehole, there's no denying it. He said that we'd have to buy ourselves off the label in the UK. We could have stayed, but we'd have got buried " Fortunately for the band , China records, home of the Levellers, agreed to buy Rialto out of their contract, although East West wi ll stil l earn half the royalties on their first two albums. This is all now firmly behind th em , and with their eponymous debut album finally in the shops , appearances with Pulp, a headline UK tour and a new single, Rialto are ready to talk music . Their new single, the aptly titled Summer's Over is according to Louis, "basically a love song ." The song is set in a seaside town at the end of the summer season because, 路~hey ' re romantic ,
desolate places , and we wanted to evoke some of that atmosphere." Their apparent thoughtfulness regarding lyrics has earned Rialto favourable comparisons to Pulp, but Louis is keen to point out that he's no Cocker clone and lyrics can be something of a challenge. "I don't find it particularly easy wntmg lyrics," he admits, "but it's quite rewarding when you write a song and someone says that you really hit the nail on the head wtth those lyrics. For me tt's as important as the tune. Because lyrics aren't something you necessarily pick up on the first time you hear a song, a lot of bands get away with their songs being about nothing ." Along with lyrics, Louis has strong feelings about music in general. According to him "pop music is the most powerful art form . it's th e one that cuts to the nerve. Everybody listens to music, and songs can say something to people about their lives ." Rialto are not just interested in th e way their music sounds, th ey are also concerned with the way it's released. Monday Morning 5:19 was re-released earlier this year. Not that unusual , you might think. But it was available solely over the interne!, which is seen by many as the way all music releases will go in the future. "The reason we did it was because we got Ann Dudley to put a string arrangement on the song. She did the strings on Lloyd Cole's first album, which I really liked because it was the first contemporary pop record I heard that was intelligent at the same time. "Because it was a new version of the song we wanted to release it, and as there's a lot of talk about the interne! not being used to its full extent by record companies, we went for it. If's obviously going to be a way of selling records in th e future." Whether Rialto have set the trend for all future record releases only time will tell , but Louis hopes that Rialto will still be around for a whtle. "I hope we'll keep developing , but I want us to have some meaning in five , ten; maybe even in 20 years time." Cyberspace or not, more quality pop songs like Monday Morning 5: 19 might see them do it.
pop music is the most powerful art form
kay, the term's now in full swing, you're getting tired of the mindnumbing LCR. you've yawned at Embrace, and the prospect of Shed Seven at the LCR again makes the knees wobble in fearful anticipation Well , here's the solution to all your problems: Down The Local. our monthly look at what's happening in the weird and wonderful world of Norwich music. Every month we'll be looking at the latest releases from local acts along with gigs in the local area. So, tf you or any of your mates play the ukulele. kazoo or triangle tn a beat combo or maybe you're the world's best DJ and you'd like to be featured in thts very column, let us know at The Event by telephone on (01603) 250558, via e- mail at su.concrete@uea.ac.uk. or just pop in to the office. The next Down the Local wtll appear in tssue 92, and will cover the end of November and all of December, so get your contributions in by Wednesday, November 4.
( )Nice Things from Noisebox First this month are up and coming band Crest who return with limited single Summertime, a song which blends beautiful vocal harmonies and relaxed guitar melodies into a sonic soup guaranteed to please. B-side Against the Lands/ideis a scuzzy effects laden My Bloody
Valentine style tune - with a bassline very reminiscent of Suede's To The Btrds. Next up, a split A-side single, the latest in a series specifically designed to bring Norwich bands to the attention of the wider world. On the A-stde are Doolittle, a female fronted group with jangly hints of The Sundays. Also featured on the A-side are B-mer, a band who clatm to have had Vinda/oo nicked off them by Fat Les. B-mer certainly follow in the mustcal footsteps of Alex James et a/, with an angular moddy sound, and a chorus with a familiar sounding "woo-hoo." On a rather more dancey note are Binary, making what can only be described as experimental music of the highest order. Apparently their samples include baked bean tins and people relieving themselves, and everything is mixed into a futuristic soundscape that defies the imagination. Binary's debut album will be out on Monday, November 9, and ltve dates will follow. Back to the world of the plugged in six-string, and the final rel-ease comes from Fleece, who make perhaps the most commercial sounds on the Noisebox label. Current single Mona Lisa stands far above many of their established Britpop contemporaries, and creates a wi de screen anthem that Mansun would love to have. To promote the release of another single on November 9 Fleece play two dates, Fat Pauly's on Friday, October 23, and City College Savwell Bar on Wednesday. October 28. Along with these gigs Noisebox run their own night every Tuesday at Fat Pauly's, and are
THEEVENT,WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER14,1998
always on the lookout for new talent. If you're tnterested contact Noisebox on (01603) 767726.
.t~ .,.,, Live Stuff
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Bliss Funk rockers Bliss have been gigging for what must be coming up to the four year mark. An incredibly tight act, they have a quality eight track CD under their belts which diverges from the typical rock of the last decade by adding a marvellous fu nk dimension. The band have a tremendous live act which should not be missed. For gig into call (01692) 406931. Caz With a set consisting of covers performed to perfection and very promising original material Caz are more than worth seeing live - your next opportunity comes at Fat Pauly's on Saturday. October 17th. For more into call (01603) 627779.
Hyperstation UEA's fuzzy indie lo fi types return to the live arena tonight, playing at Fat Pauly's with support from pop rockers Flipside. Wanted - You! In December. UEA performing arts soctety are holding an evening of musical entertainment in the LCR, and need home-grown bands to complete the complement. If you want to strut your stuff in front of thousands of fellow students contact Louisa on l.j.davies@ uea.ac.uk That's it for this
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THE EVENT,-WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
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the round up of this fortnight's music releases Placebo
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Without You I'm Nothing
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Without You rm Nothing is Placebo's second album, and it follows on from the release of the singles Pure Morning and You Don 't Care About Us. The problem with the album is that frontman Brian Molko's lack of variation vocally leads to a lack of stand-out tracks, and consequently a general lack of structure and direction . Also, he feels the need to use lyrics such as "close up the hole in my vein", wh1ch do little to help the album's accessibility. The lack of tracks that reach the standard of Teenage Angst or Nancy Boy, their previous hits , may put off new listeners, but fans of Placebo won 't find much to disappoint them. They may also want to check out the so-called 'secret track' at the end of the album, which is as interesting as any of the 12 'non-secret tracks ' on the album . James Brown
David McA imont A Little Communication David McAi mont has struggled over th e last few years to establish an identity he's happy with. He first appeared as Bernard Butl er's new chum shortly after the guitarist was kicked out of Suede. From there he went to being Bernard's ex -friend then friend again, th en finally he we nt off on his own fo r good. In this wilderness period McAimont struggled to to find a suitable image , vee ring from indie kid to novelty showman with a cover of Shirley Bassey's' Dimonds Are Forever. Now David is back, with a new sleeker, harder look and a set of songs that
should turn him into the premier soul man of the 90s. A Little Communication has depth , tenderness, swooning strings and high harmonies; in short all the elements to make it a thoroughly decent record. Klaus Estop
Two Lone Swordsmen Stay Down Two Lone Swordsmen have probably never wielded a real sword in their lives, but we won't hold that against them . Not when they come up with albums as stylish as this one. Featuring former Sabre of Paradise , Primal Scream producer and all-round musical maestro Andre Weatherall, this is the second album from a duo that aren't adverse to a bit of experimen tation. Techno, hip-hop, electronica and even a bizarre re-working of Peter and the Wolf all appear, as the music switches from style to style so cunningly that you hardly notice the joins . However Stay Down can get a bit too mellow at times. Some of the sounds on the record are tru ly beautiful , but you could leave it playing while writing an essay and not be remotely distracted by it. Though th is maybe academically beneficial, it doesn't really make for an out and out excitement in a musical sense. Stay Down will not so much
grab you by the ears as offer you a herbal tea and invite you to put your feet up. Dar cy Hurford
The King Gravelands
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Hey pretty Mama! This is not your ordinary, run-of-the-mill Elvis impersonator, No-sir-ea-Colonel Bob. Classic numbers old and new are gloriously crucified by some random bequiffed loon , aided bizarrely by cheddary saxophone solos and chunky heavy metal riffs. Crooning masterfully like a monkey on mogadon , The King guides us thro ugh such hits as 20th Century Boy, and No Woman No Cry, the effect of which leaves you thinking: Wow, Bob Marley wasn 't rubbish after all, he just needed a club-style/cheese burgerNegas makeover to bring out his true talent. Elsewhere what so often happens to Elvis himself, happens here. Dead artists are ripped off left, right and centre with absolutely no respect or regard whatsoever. From Nirvana's Come as You Are (must be heard to be believed) to Hendrix's Voodoo Chile th is album will , with any luck, severely annoy Elvis hard-liners while leaving the rest of us to embrace it wi th legs wide open. Believe me, Marc Bolan never sounded so good. Mercy! Thorn Dunn
Marc Almond returns with the "voodoo tinged" Black Kiss. Kicking in with a bassline straight from Mission Impossible, that sets the tone for this lively, s u rpri s i ng ~y upbeat song. Vocally reminiscent of The Beautiful South, with a wonderfully anthemic chorus, it will surprise those who expected him to be collecting his Jam/e McKie pension by now.
Beastie Boys BodyMovln' 'Ucensed to be ill?' The dated drivel which is Body Movln ' makes me do anything but. The steel drum background is superb, but not good enough to suffer the arrogant burble which sadly dominates this latest single. Beastie Boys? Beastly Noise. Alix Smith
ldlewild I 'm a Message Despite not being quite as good as their much praised debut single Everyone Says You're So Fragile, this catchy and irritatingly cheerful tune, packed with energy and lyrics which make no sense still has everything you need for a good, Green Day style punk- pop anthem. Laura Nield
Garbage Special Garbage's third single from the hugely selling Version 2.0 is an upbeat number with all the lyrical joys and layered sound of previous Garbage tunes. Interestingly the band use the chorus of Talk Of The Town in the song; a glowing tribute to the Pretenders' songstress Chrissie Hynde or did they just run out of lyrics? Lynette A/cock
N Joi v r s. TACT Screeml Anthem '98
topdogformusic videos games THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
In a style slightly reminiscent of acid house from about 1990 (in particular the b-side Adrenaline), this very lbiza-esque tune is a sure fire crowd pleaser for your typical Ministry of Sound/ commercial audience. However, you can't help feeling you've heard it all before, the cheesy piano line standing out as an obvious example of dull un-originality. Owen Thomas
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icture the scene: your whole life is a lie; a self-contained TV series with you as its star. lt is this idea that lies at the heart of The Truman Show. Since his birth, Tn1man Burbank (Jim Carrey) has unwittingly been the subject of a 24-hour TV show after being th e first human to be adopted by a corporation. All his friends , family everyone he meets, in fact, are actors, and his home is nothing more than a giant soundstage. So when strange things begin to happen, and he tries to leave his.picture perfect little town of Seahaven, he finds himself blocked at every turn by megalomaniac director Christof (Ed Harris) . Christof is the man who thought up, produced and supervised the show from the ve ry beginning. And he provides formidable opposition for Truman , who becomes more and more desperate to escape his imprisonment with every moment that passes. This is good enterta inment for Carrey fans, who will enjoy his trademark buck-toothed smile and goofy laughs. And although it's nothing to get excited about, it can boast a few witty moments, good attention to detail and an underlying darkness unexpected from a Carrey film . With The Truman Show, director Peter Weir (who also directed Dead Poets ' Society, and Witness) has produced a movie that is wo rth watching , even for those of us who do not go wobbly at the knees at the mention of the man of a thousand grimaces. And that's no mean feat. Charlie Goldsmith and Rachel Cooling
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THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
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Let's face it, sports films are crap, says Jan llauclaer ere's a simple bit of arithmetic: sport plus movie equals catastrophe. it's a fairly easy sum, but numerous film producers seem to have been unable to grasp it, and as a result we've been condemned to some of the worst movies ever made. There are, of course, the few.exceptions that prove the rule. Robert de Niro put in a stonking performance as boxer Jake La Motta in Scorsese's Raging Bull. winning an Oscar for his troubles (and putting on 50 pounds in the process to play the podgy pugilist in the final scenes). Chariots of Fire is another sporty film that is
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generally well thought of, even though it basically consists of two awfully proper chaps going for a bit of a jog, and contains about as much tru th about the 1924 Olympics as the phrase; "Wh o, me? Oh , I run the mile in about 2 minutes , maybe one-anda-half on a good day." Movies like Field of Dreams, Fever Pitch, Jerry Maguire and , the needless to say 'gritty' British contribution, Twenty Four/Seven, have all similarly helped in the up-hill strugg le to earn the sports movie some credibility. Unfortunately, the sheer number of less impressive efforts produced over the years means that the mound up which they are battling is just a
THEEVENT,WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER14,1998
eventJ lad steeper than Waveney mountain. One film that gets the metaphorical red card is When Saturday Comes. th e story of an aspi ring footballer who's got potential, nearly gets there, makes an arse of it all , and then finally emerges triumphant. The standard fo rmula for a sports fi lm really, but in this one we have the ad ded factor of Sean Bean , and as a result the movie takes the genre to an all time low. Sti ll , one thing can be said in it's favour. In old Beany the makers picked a protagonist tru ly representative of the cliched footballer with less brainpower than a petit pois. He supports Sheffield United for Christ's sake! Another rip-roaring , scarf-waving, football rattle , er, rattling saga is Escape to Victory. 11 follows a bunch of Second World War POWs who, very plausibly, I think, organise a game of football agai nst the German national team in an attempt to escape. As a res ult of the inclusion of genuine football heroes, such as Bobby Moore and Pele , this film has a place in the heart of every true footbal l fan . Unfortunately it also has a place for Sylvester Stallone, who plays the annoying yank who takes a fancy to 'soccer' (it's called football , you idiot, FOOT-BALL) . Not bad for a lazy Sunday afternoon , but when you consider that the genuine footballers put in better acting performances than the supposed star, you realise that somethin g isn't right. Sly seems to have been a bit partial to these kind of movies. After all , he made co untless Rocky films. Al as for poor old Sylvester, quantity most ce rtainly did not bring quality. Each new installment of the boxi ng franchise, although popular, brought with it an even worse bit of th esping, and an increasi ngly awful plot. Here's a low-down of th e series: Rocky 1 - our hero overcomes adversity to becom e a boxing sen sati on. Rocky 2 - th e fallen star overcomes adversity to become a slightly less sen satio nal boxing sen sation . Rocky 3- fall , rise , varying deg rees of sensation; you get th e basic idea. Th e others don't even warrant a mention. However, in comparison to
some sports film franchises , Stallone's is positively masterfu l. An excellent example of excrement in film form is Mighty Ducks. In the film Emilio Estevez plays a failed ice-hockey pro who has the unenviable task of teaching a bunch of no-hoper ki ds to play. All the ingredients of top sporting tosh are there: the fat kid who everyone th inks is useless , until we have it rammed down our throats that he is actually not inept, but 'special' and 'unique'. There's the obligatory love interest in the form of one of the kids' mothers, and of cou rse the mandatory trials and tri bulations that th e team overcome on the way to the totally unexpected conclusion, when they triumph over adversity and win that 'big' match .
alas for Sylvester, quantity did not bring quality Prime sick-bag filling material indeed, but everyone is allowed one horrendous gaff in the ir life. Unfortun ately Estevez destroyed any chance of forg iveness wh en he went on to feature in two sequels, each infinitely worse than the last, if that is possible. Few film franchises co uld match th e cringeinducing factor of these efforts, but on e that is in th ere wi th a sh out is th e Karate Kid series. Although fun at the tim e, wh en you think back to the four-and-a-hal f hours you spent watching Ralph Macchio, anoth er former Brat packee who has disappeared from our screens, balancing on breakwaters on one leg, you can't help feeling that you 've been had. Just think of the number of poor, aspiring ka rate stars wh o have co me a cropper tryin g to copy that little tric k. All in all, sports fil ms are about as slick and attractive as a sumo wrestler during a particula rly vicious bout. But if you 're in the mood for some serious masoch ism then dig up those old videos sharpish, and get ready to cringe to your heart's content.
THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
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Warhol is well documenled) and tashlon. In ill qaat for lhe 86Sence of identily, glam manuladUred Its own Identity based on an otwsan lon wllh th& future and pelticularly the Space Age. This would be. accoRIIng to glam, a lime of very high platform shoes and above al a time of gliDer. WJih androgynous spacemen cropping up In glitter and ~applied make up a1 gigs up and down the OOlNy. the 1mer circle of at11sta that had come to dallne glem rnoY8IOt be)'ond appearance aa lhe dalinllion of identity, and acplored it on a rar mora fundamenlal Ml. that of aexuallty. ~the pnwailing notion& ol the time that eacually 'MIS inaxlricably int81twi118d wllh idenlify, mllnJ afh glam planeara chose to challenge the concept bolh lhrolV!ar1iltic ...... and in rather
lnstNd of &Imply relying on lhe obvious lggy COI'lii8C'i1ior"o. The film vlaws Slide and his contemporaries through the lnveatigalions of British Journalist, Arthur Btuart. who Is rasearohlng a 'Giam 10 Years On' feature into Slade. At the peak ot his fame, Sfade unsuccessfully attempted to fake his own aaaasainatfon, which led to him being abandoned by his friends and fans alike. In the film the eighties has turned out to be the surveillance-heavy decade that was erMsaged by the people of the 70s, and from 1hl8 perspedNe Stuart. who was a fan of Slacte and a UMUOC ••~
moia pndc:al terms . . . .. Considering lhls was taking plllce In a c:1mate that was inlolefant of t.on101811._ n bi&exuality,
.....,.!9
glam SJIOI4)S were~ a wry progressive social ata111ment by openly the tu1 nmge of their &eiW8IIIy and encouraging 1helr fans and followers to do the same.
glan. ., . _ ...................... tou.l ~~~=== through hit memDrtal ()I Slat. . . . . CMn "::
adolescence.
Ve/11'81 Goldmine i$ essentially a ~h m<Me in the
vein of Ousdropheiria, queatloning the nol'mS and valuea of today's aodely by using glam's obssS&Ion and "*-"'lon of idenllly and 88KU81ity. lntelaelnglyo DIMd Bowie rafu8ed to allow ~ Goldmlne to Ul8 ..,-o~ his IIUIIc. nMI8Ied
n
placebo
and they hope to use technology again in the future to build on the impact ot their last but one single, Pure Morning. Brlan MolkD is happy with the comparisons; While Placebo battle to remain constantly original - and hope they are succeeding in remaining original - they are prepared to admit to influences. "I think1hat we're just, In a very honest wt!tf. pulling together everything that we've loved and sort of digesting it. Digestion is an Important concept, because it means 'taking In' as opposed to just pure copying.•
Indeed. this seems a fair statement ot the facts. Placebo are not a carbon copy of the New Yort< Dolls or any ot the other glam acts for that matter; their own circumstance. situation, and time has seen to that. However, Molko is quick to deny that they are trying to reinwnt the glam &fa: 'We're definitely not trying to reinvent or comment ,
on [glam rock):'
This altitude is undel'standatll in a band like Placebo. who, wtth ~le release of their second album imminent, currenfty find tl1ernselves laddng the security or fan base to risk being written off as 708 wannabes. Vet this does not seem to be the reason behind Mollco's denial. In facl. he offers a surprisingly bllnkerad view on glam. Its progressive beliefs and Its ctAiral slgniftcance: "GGam for me,• he expfains. .,. Gary Glitter and The Sweet. which is essentially lager touts In lhelr mother's
undelwearf'
THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
Clearly this view, while holding some truth In relation to the artists mentioned, demonslrates a
chronic mlsunderstandln of glam rock and its convention ot cl'lallenglng values. 1t is a shame that Placebo shOuld think lhla way, as to conflont glam and lla obeasaion with ....aty and ld8nllly would gMt the batP ... mQf8 ~ 1hat Mollro odl't) dale. If Placebo could. update glam ideals in the WB¥ they've updated things on the musical side, then they ~ have the potential to transfer lheir status from 1hat of chart rock novelties, ID lhel of a far mora lntluenlial and relevant band. That dacislon Is up 10 them, wllflal the positive ecposure that glam rock Is llnaly about to enjoy Placebo wll wl8e up and face the MUSic.
.,.tban
hae.
but,...
THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
Mercury Rising Dir: Harold Seeker I 998 Now Showing
H
aving saved the future of mankind from meteors this summer in Armageddon, Bruce Willis returns to UK screens in US box-office flop Mercury Rising. Willis plays FBI agent Art Jeffries, assigned to investigate the disappearance of Simon, a nine-year old autistic boy (Miko Hughes) whose parents have been mysteriously murdered. Unbeknown to him, Simon is being pursued by a govern.ment agency after inadvertently deciphering a top secret military code, Mercury. Fearing for the boy's safety, and unable to trust anyone around him, Jeffries takes the boy under his own protection and flees. . Willis's character is an overly-cliched Hollywood cop, embittered and lacking any respect for
authority - in short, a character perfected by the likes of Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford. In films such as Die Hard, Willis managed to make this type of character entertaining, but here, with the need to show an emotional bond with Simon, he does, indeed, 'die hard'. Hughes' performance as the autistic child deserves credit, but Alec Baldwin as Nicholas Kudrow, head of the government agency, proves to be largely redundant. One is left wondering why he bothered to audition. This is a disappointing film from the director of Malice, Harold Seeker. What seems to have been a promising plot is sunk by unoriginal direction and a laughably poor script. A. Chapman and N. Fortmann-Shaloub
director's
CS[!J]fS
Wes Craven Starting..:.O :.u : .t: .__ _ _ _ __ _ After gaining an M.A. in Philosophy at John. Hopkins University Wes Craven started out life as a humanities teacher. In 1970 he entered the film industry as a production assistant, and soon found himself editing low budget horror films. 路
Making the Break He got his first major film job in 路1972, directing Last House on the Left, a controversial thriller centred around rape revenge. lt received mixed reviews, but ensured the director's notoriety. He followed this with The Hills Have Eyes in . 1978, and his first big budget film, Swamp Thing, in 1982. The formula was turned into a mainstream hit in 1984, when the first Nightmare on Elm Street film appeared, and was soon followed by numerous sequels over which Craven had varying degrees of control. After many other film and TV projects throughout the 1980s, he enhanced his reputation even further with 1992's cult film The People Under The Stairs, before returning to the genre with the subversive and playful blockbuster, Scream, in 1996. Scream 2 followed a year later and enjoyed similar success. Craven is already working on the third installment in the franchise.
THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
However, he is not solely interested in horror, and his next film will focus on the life of a violin teacher, possibly played by Madonna. He say~ s~ :
_________________
' I'm just fascinated by the whole genre. I mean, it was something that I just stumb[ed into and
didn't want to stay in, and then at a certain point, I realised I was in, like it or not.' Fi l mog ~hy_________
Directed: Last House on the Left (1972), lt Happened in Hollywood (1973), The Hills Have Eyes (1978), Deadly Blessing (1981), Swamp Thing (1982), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), Nightvisions (1990), People Under the Stairs (1992), New Nightmare (1994), Vampire in Brooklyn (1995), Scream (1996), Scream2 (1997). Ed Chamberlain
0
he end of music as we know it?! Tired of oaying over £12 quid for GO's? Do you want the freedom to listen to something new, experimental, or just different? Then the net maybe just the thing for you. The net is at the forefront of a digital revolution that will change the face of the music industry. You may not naturally associate music with the interne!, but all that is set to change. The technology and innovation being developed is posing a real threat to the music industry's monopoly. All this is due to the advent of a simple but staggeringly powerful compression format for storing music files, called MP3 or MPEG 1 layer 3. MP3 is an evolutionary leap from wave files, which guzzled up hard disk like there was no tomorrow, and can offer clear, almost digital sound, while only using a fraction of the disk space. However their real potential is when they are used in conjunction with CD 'burners' which allow music to be copied onto COs via their CD-ROM. An obvious consequence of this has been the growth of piracy. There are numerous web sites with bootlegged versions of albums by well known artists floating on the web.The music industry in America has been swift in taking action to shut down illegal pirate web sites, and has opposed MP3 development from the onset, citing the piracy as its main use. Though MP3s may be used for illegal purposes, it can, and is being used legally. The fact is that it may be illegal to distribute and sell copied music from any CD, just as it is with any other format, but as long as it is for personal
T
The times they are a changin' for CD quality music on the internet. · Ayodele Mansaray examines the new MP3 format which gives liste-n ers a lot more satisfaction use then it is 100% legal. The revolutionary aspects of MP3 is that it allows the fledgling artist the opportunity to distribute music directly to a potential audience of millions without the normal barrage of production costs, that can kill off new acts. Also some well known artists have realised the power of MP3s and the net. In 1996 David Bowie released a single, Telling lies on the net first. Web users could download the song from his web site for free. At its peak the site received 46 000 plus downloads per day. Clearly a great success for Bowie and fans alike. Fans can check out other songs and soundbites from his albums at http.!lwww.davidbowie.com Not to be left out, the loud men of rap, the Beastie Boys have showed their enthusiasm for the new technology by releasing live versions of their songs recorded from concerts on MP3. They distributed their MP3 files free of charge, although those wishing to download songs had to leave their e-mail details. Four songs are available from their web site at http://www.beastie boys.coml, which are changed on rotation every week. Their latest offering was a remix of their hit tune lntergalactic. What the few artists mentioned have shown is that along with giving struggling artists the chance, the format can also be used to support well established artists. Bowie and others have shown that digital on the net does not mean necessarily piracy. Through their ignorance and misunderstanding, the record companies could be left behind. The spearheads of this revolution are mainly from neVcomputer industry, while the music business with its antagonistic stance against MP3 and the net, could be excluding itself from a lucrative avenue of future growth. The next few months sees the introduction of the new digital portable MP3 player by Rio, which heads a list of products that are set to challenge the CD's dominance. About the size of a credit card, the MP3 man has no moving parts, which means no track skipping, and music (in the MP3 format) can be downloaded directly from the net, from sites such as http:www.MP3.com, which stock a huge music collection. If the record compan ies could see this as an opportunity, then listeners can only gain from the diversity of music that will be available. For those prepared to embrace MP3 technology, buying music will be a matter of clicking on a mouse, while walking to the record shop will become faded memory.
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ders) day and Sunday • York Special 6' screen Satell jor sporting a.a1•we beer en FREE arge functio oom with bar Available for pr ate bookings GF TAILS Two pool tables Pub Quiz on Sunday Evenings -starts 18th October
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Louis de Bernieres may have written the best selling book in the country at the moment, but it hasn't gone to his head. l{evin Howlett and Jack Hanauer find out why
11
T
hat bloody book" is how Louis de Bern ieres refers to Captain Corelli's Mandolin, although this can hard ly be the resu lt of any dissatisfaction with the success of the novel itself. The book is firmly rooted in the number one position of the paperback best-sellers and has been in the top ten for almost a year. De Bernieres' forth novel, it seems , has catapulted him into the big time. The man himself, however, is not about to show off. In fact De Bernieres comes across as a genuinely friendly and unassuming chap. He even seems a little embarrassed about all the attention he is getting , and is quick to play down the quality of his writing. "The characterisation in my first three novels isn't that good, and some aspects of the plot in Corelli are flawed ." Self-deprecati on indeed, and it does not seem at all staged. But maybe we shouldn't reall y be surprised; De Berni eres also shys away from interview~ when he can: "Afte r doing interviews fo r five
man , but the war got in the way of his pu rsuing a years you become bored of yourself, even career as a poet," he explain s. lt seems De paranoid." He says wi th a laugh. And he fi nds literary tours even more tedious. Bernieres fath er hoped his son wou ld achieve what he was unable to accomplish. "They turn writing into a profession, which is not what I want at all." "When I was growing up I was surrounded by literature, and my parents strongly encou raged me De Bernieres has devoted his life to avoiding a to write." long-term job. Spells Clearly not a as a mechanic, a man to dwell on trainee officer at his past Sandhurst, achievements, a landscape he burnt his gardener, earliest work tbre~tening and a and has no musician regrets about (oddly doing so. enough , he "I cou ld not plays the bear the thought of my grandchildren reading , mandolin) have all failed to satisfy De them when I'm dead ," he says with a grin . Bernieres. At one time he even had visions of himself as a rock-star. "I was in a band once, but none of the others had any talent, so that was the end of that"' he jokes . So now he is devoting himself to the "holiday" that is his li fe of writing. And his reason for pursu ing this vocation? Well there are a number of influencing factors, but as dedication of Corelli to his parents suggests, th e wri ter's upbringing was key. "My fath er wrote poetry as a you ng
a group of
evangelists are to sue
me for blasphemy
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And the content of his novels can also be largely attributed to th e experiences of his parents, who both, in different ways, fought against the Nazis and Fascism. As a result his novels are all steeped in history, in particular that of th e WWI I years. "Th e stori es of history are often far more interesting than anything you can make up, and as a storyteller this is something you can 't overlook. " However, perhaps th e most promi nent reason for his focusing on such violent periods of history is the scope it provides for his exploration of a subject close to his heart. "I've always been very interested in the abuse of power, and the effects it has on the 'little people ,"' he explains. And in order to create a realistic depiction of the impact of tyranny on communities portrayed in Corelli, De Bernieres put a great deal
of effort into learn ing about th e background . "I did a lot of research and made loads of notes for Corelli," he says. Perha ps even too many ... "Wh en I read the book through, I realised to my chag rin that I had only used about half of my notes." But he does not think that the extra work was a waste of time. In fact, quite the opposite: "I think it provides invaluabl e background. There's stuff you've got to know without necessarily putting it down on the page." Indeed it seems as though he derived a lot more satisfaction from Corelli than just having a book on the best seller list. "They loved the book on Cephalloni a [the Greek island where Corelli is set]. Wh en I went back , peopl e were coming up to me offering new bits of in formation about their lives in the war. I've got enough material to write Captain Corelli all over again!" lt must be a nice feeling to make friends wi th the population of an entire island by writing a book, but De Bernieres is not expecting a similarly amicable response to his next project, which he has already been working on for about three years. "My next book is about how badly Turkey and Greece treated each other during the war," he says, showing once again his preoccupation with the misuse of power. "lt follows one of the characters from Corelli, a refugee , in her original context as a young Turkish wo man." And he admits that he is concerned about how the novel will be received , but not by us readers or the critics; rath er by the Greeks and Turks , whom he criticises equally in the book. 11 is unlikely that we will be seeing another Fatwa, but who knows how th e two nati ons wi ll react when he tell s them that they are "essen tial ly the same". Not surprising , then, that the author is predicti ng a vicious backl ash. At the moment, though , he has other things on his mind, such as the furore that has risen up over his interpretation of the Book of Job, in wh ich he calls the Old Testament "bloodthirsty" . Evidently he is not a man to pull his punches. The hate-mail has already kicked in, and some have taken it even further. "A group of evangelists are threatening to su e for blasphemy," he says , matter-of-factly, not betrayi ng any great conce rn about th e whole matter. He is clearly someone who has th e courage of his own convicti ons. lt is an indisputable fact that Louis De Bernieres is a fine writer. But th at is not his only attraction . We can also reveal that he is a thorough ly nice chap too. So if you haven't read any of his novels, get down to your local bookshop sharpish: it will be money well spent.
ar
·facts
The Event selects a handful of tasty tit-bits from the arts world for your delectation t's prize time in the world of international writing , with the awarding of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature. This year's winner was the 45 year old Portuguese writer Jose Saramago, author of Blindness (1998) and The Stone Raft (1995). Saramago will receive a small fortune for his prize, awarded because. according to the Swedish Academy in charge, his literature, "with parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony continually enables us once again to apprehend an illusory reality." Which is nice. On a slightly more down to earth note Bill Clinton's former White House aide George Stephanopoulos is to publish his political memoirs for the tasty fee of $2.75m. The book was due out in November, but has been
l
Given that Jane Smiley's new book, All Troe Travels and Adventures of Udy Norton, includes the phrase •one thmg about life is true and that is, you can't telr, I should not, perhaps, have been surprised by the varied nature of the evernng or about it's occasionally unpredictable revelations. With this latest novel Smiley has surprised many by delivering on the promise she made as a postgraduate st t to write In every major genre. This time she delivers a romance, or, as she prefers, •en anti-romance" set in 1850's Kansas The novel was started after the Oklahoma bombing to examine the historical precedents of this "ideology and violence" and deals with America's abolitionist h1story. Though excellently written the imagery was sometimes a little too dense for the audience, who preferred 1nstead the readrng from her satirical campus novel: Moo. Smdey's honesty under questioning came as a breath of flesh air m the vaults of 'tortured' writers. Able to dismrss
delayed so that, according to the publishers. Stephanopoulos can "integrate these momentous events into his story". Presumably this means he's still picking the winning side in the ongoing impeachment debate Nothing beats sticking the knife into your mates, does it? Staying in the realm of personal recollections it seems that dear old Elton John's star is waning somewhat. An agency decided that it wanted to sell the rights to the wigged one's autobiography for £1 0m, but only managed to get just over £5m . This is apparently not enough to persuade Elton to locate his pen, and the work will remain unwritten, undoubtedly a tragedy for Princess Di worshippers and Daily Mail readers everywhere. Candle in the Wind? Just a load of hot air. Luke Turner
America's most prestlgrous literary award as, •a wonderful monetary advantage,p she revealed the writer as human and approachable: the kind of person who took a voyeuristic pleasure In watching horses breed when researching a novel: "it's one of my favourite tnings." The kind of person who, when questioned about the poor film adaptation of her novel "A Thousand Acres~. replied simply, "I was glad I was a novelist." This was a relaxed evening in the normally frenetic world of book promotions. lt 1s just a pity there were not more people there to relax with her. T. D. Hicks
1
A Clockwork~ e book set n the near future where teenage gangs roam e streets committing needless violence and youth culture has invented a whole new language for 1tself - a miXture of Russ1an and slang called Nadsat The novel's prem1se IS that when social control cannot be practised through moral punishment, brainwashing wrll be used. After murdering an old lady, Alex is imprisoned and volunteers tor 're amat1on treatment'. This pavlovian technique of facing him to watch violence while giving h1m drugs so he feels ill means Alex ceases to be a creature capable of moral choice. He is then used as a political pawn between the Augustinian government and the Pelagians. Although Burgess is dismissive of the ruling power, he is equally contemptuous towards the liberal Pelagians. However, Burgess' main point is not to question which type of government is better. Instead, he is questioning society's morals: is a man who chooses to be bad perhaps in some way better than a man who has good imposed upon him? Burgess obviously believed so, but must have changed his mind
basis of
I~-······r
as he later disowned the book. Rachel Cooling
...
~Tombland,
., .
Tel 766785 4 SPECIAL OFFERS ~ .....,-.,-.,_ r
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Given the advance buzz about Toby Utt's debut novel Beatniks, I was Intrigued to see what he had managed to 8Cl001'J111ish as a novelist. Fortunately, the book did not disappoint By the end of the prologue Utt had already killed off Bob Dylan In a 1966 motorbike acddent, and, inc:fe8d, for the protagonists of Utt's 'beatnik workf, the muaic had died In '66. Everything since has been 'unoool' and 'unhip'. Weklome to the WOI1d of Jack. Neal and Maggie: recreating Dylan's 'beat world In 1995 Bedford, with dark glasses and all. lt is imo this fantasy of black polo necks, bare feet, Kerouac novels, and bad goatees !het Utt's heroine Mary enters as participant and critic. Lilt's sharp, almost callous observation gives this novel a real bite: you find yourself laughing throughout at the character's surface pretensrons. These are not people with anylh•ng to say - their superbly awful, s your head in a lawnmower to make it stop poetry proves that - but people who JUSt want to be seen to be saying something. Vet Utt has a reason for sending up this world Jack and Mary drive across America with a eat's
cremated ashes, not just to be surreal, but to make you examine your own take on the world. For a first novel this Is an accomplished work marking the arrival of a writer with real prorrnse, not just as a storyteller, but also as social observer. Aa for cliff hanger endings. well, you'll just have to read it to see what I mean Kri8Sietbn
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eventJ
Why are the bottles at the end, the fruit at the beginning and the peas in the middle? Emma Newbery examines the sup~rmarket science behind product
placement upermarkets are frantically trying to convince us that th ey are our friends tha t they're here to make life easier. If we are to believe the adverts. their stores are fill ed with friendly shop assistants. willing to bend to the whims of thei r customers. But the reality is that the aisles aren't fill ed with fearl ess lone warriors.
S
~
~~-:----f~ig:h:ti: n g~tofull help us - instead they're of dro ne like employees of big businesses trying to make money. If you've eve r nipped in to buy one thing and come out with ten oth ers. you are not alone. Many people succumb to the two-for-one offers. th e discounts, or simply the strategica lly placed chocolates. But marketin g devices go far beyond blatant discoun tin g. Supe rmarkets spend a fortu ne maki ng sure th at the atmosph ere in their shops produces optimum customer spending. Those neutral co lours and strip lights have been pl aced ca refully throughout in a bid to inspire comfortable,
sterile, secure feelings 1n the customer. Many shops p1pe the smells of their bakery around the shop. makmg the customers hungry and giving the place a tradi tional. homely feel. Pu tt1ng the fruit at the entrance is also no
many shop s p ipe
the s me U of the bakery around accident. lt is 1n fact the most 1mpract1cal place to display them. but at the same time it makes the shopper feel more like they are in an open market, wh1ch means that they spend more money .. And if that's not enough. they move the products around at regu lar intervals. it's not just done to ru1n your day. leaving you dodging grannies and children as you search for the economy beans it's done to make sure th at you keep having to look for the things you want. increasing the impulse-buy potential. What abou t loyalty cards? Far from being designed to help us save; reward cards al low supermarkets to keep track of exactl y wh o buys how much of what - and encourage people to kee p commg back. it's the best consumer questionnaire everl Ultimately though, the success of all these marketing tools cou ld mean a loss of ran ge and
ere's a simple warming soup that will bring a taste of Italy into your kitchen. A traditional peasant dish, it's good value and perfect for a cold winter's night in Norfolk. Try to use fresh chillies, they're not expensive and you can get them from most major supermarkets, and although you can substitute sunflower oil for olive oil, it doesn't have quite the same flavour.
H
Method Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and gently fry garlic, chilli, and onion. When the onion is translucent, add tomato puree and herbs. Stir in the chickpeas, stock and red wine and bring to the boil. As soon as the mixture is bubbling, throw in the pasta and simmer for about ten to 15 minutes or until the pasta is done. Serve with fresh bread and butter.
THEEVENT,WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER14,1998
cho1ce for the cons umer. For th ei r success come~ at the cost of local markets and specialist shops that bring us distinguished and different goods lik fresh vege tabl es that missed th e green giant's tender care or recently caug ht fish. As the supermarkets' share of th e market gets larger these small players find it increasing ly difficult to remain in business. If we lose these outlets th en we may find all are left with is bland packets and dull produce wh1ch was grown and produced specifically the mass market. Those little. individual products with true charisma wil l be gone.
Warmin,g Italian Sou,e • 3 tablespoons olive . 011 • 2 clov . 1 es garlic, c rushed • small red ch·ll· and finely eh I I, de seeded opped . 1 small onion (eh • 3 tablespoons opped) • 2 tabJ tomato PUree espoons mix d • 400g tin of eh· k e herbs 2 le Peas • vege stock b . boil. cu e s In 2pts lng water • 100mJ red Wine . 8oz small Pasta • salt and pepper o:~~naJltes to season
â&#x20AC;˘
The most comprehensive guide to what's on around Norwich this fortnight
A C MERCURY RISING Bruce Willis turns to childminding in this conspiracy flick where the government kill people who know their phone number. Nice people. 1/5 THE TRUMAN SHOW Jim Carey learns to act seriously as his life gets turned into a TV programme in this dark satire on American life and television. 3/5
LAND GIRLS Anna Friel leaves Brookie behind in this Second World War drama centred around the love lives of three town girls sent to the country for a bit of muck spreading. 3/5
ARMAGEDDON Doomed! We're all doomed! That is, we would be if it weren't for good ol' Brucie. What a star, he's really come on leaps and bounds since the generation game. 4/5
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN Feast your eyes on this Spielberg screen sensation and they're bound to come out weeping. The 'war is bad cinema' hasn't been this good for years. 5/5
SMALL SOILDERS Killer Toys cheerfully destroy a small-town American home in this effects-lest.
LOCK STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS Vinnie Jones hangs up his boots and picks up a shotgun as he goes in for a bit of thuggery that won't get him a red card. Press Gang's Dexter Fletcher also stars having finally found an English accent. 4/5 DOCTOR DOOLITTLE The dogs find that sniffing each others' rear end is more interesting than talking to Eddie Murphy in this Beverley Hills Flop. 2/5
PRIMARY COLOURS Philandering President abuses his way to the top in this uncomfortably close to the truth election campaign film , starring John Travolta. MR MAGOO Film remake of the cartoon blind man. THE BIG LEBOWSKI Thriller from cult directors the Coen Brothers. EVER AFTER Swash buckling with a well hard Cinderella courtesy of Drew Barrymore.
DEEP IMPACT Friday, October 16 at 11.15pm Morgan Freeman looks to the skies in the first of this summer's big-budget big-rock flicks . APOCALYPSE NOW Friday, October 23 at 11 .15pm Martin Sheen in Francis Ford Copola's harrowing 'Nam movie.
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SCREAM 2 Thursday, October 15 at7pm All of Neve Campbell's friends get killed again. Somone should have warned them really. DECONSTRUCTING HARRY Friday, October 16 at 9pm Woody Alan's surprising and imaginative portrayal of an angst-ridden writer. Oh , and he has marriage troubles. Sound familiar?
ODEON MULAN The latest Disney epic tries not to stereotype women. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY Cameron Diaz is pursued by Matt Dillon and Ben Stiller in this politically incorrect comedy. 4/5 LETHAL WEAPON 4 The budget, stunts, and explosions increase as Mel Gibson's hairline recedes in the latest from this action/buddy movie series. 4/5 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN Spielberg does D-Day, but thankfully avoids the nauseating patriotism that plagues this genre. Really rather good . 5/5 ANASTASIA The Russian revolution never seemed so fluffy in this cartoon re-telling of the Romanov who got away. TITANIC Leo and Kale do it all over again as sinking ship mania strikes again with the release of the video. To paraphrase Jim Carey "Soaking!" 5/5 PAULIE Talking parrots have never been such fun , well not since Play School.
CINEMA CITY POINT BLANK Friday, October 16 at5.45pm and 8.15pm Monday, October 19 at5.45pm and 8.00pm Saturday, October 17 at 5.45pm Tuesday, October 20 - Thursday, October 22 at 5.45pm Cult stylistic film noir shown in Norwich as part of the Norfolk and Norwich festival.
Joel and Ethan Coen's latest work since the well received Fargo has won them further critical acclaim. Despite its unsavoury nature the film is best placed as a comedy, with Jeff Bridges seventies throwbacl< 'The Dude' being mistaken for a Pasadena millionaire. In his bid for revenge 'The Dude' travels through LA. getting caught up in a web of deceit, extrotion sex and dope. As with other Coen brothers films it potrays a mix of Characters from all walks of life. Also stars John Goodman anf Juilet Moore.
METRO LAND Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31at 5.45pm and 8.15pm First rung cinema in which a photographer's old poet friend returns to change his life and relationships.
THE PIANO Tuesday, October 20 at 8.15pm Winner of the Pal me d'Or at Cannes and voted an audience favourite in Norwich. The story of an arranged marriage with sweeping vistas of New Zealand. THE BIG LEBOWSKI Sunday, October 25 at7.30pm Thriller from cult directors the Coen Brothers.
FOOLS RUSH IN Tuesday, October 20 at9pm Friend's Matthew Perry gets to snag Salma Hayeck. Swine. AS GOOD AS IT GETS Thursday, October 22 at 7pm Oscar winner for Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. Moving but thankfully not too deep. KUNDUN Friday, October 23 at 9pm Martin Scorsese's film about, rather surprisingly, non-violence. NATIONAL LAMPOONS ANIMAL HOUSE/ PORKY'S Sunday, October 25 at9pm Double bill of American humour of dubious quality. it's like Carry-On never went away. WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY Tuesday, October 27 at9pm French film about a modelling agency. Not what you think, and actually rathw good.
THE BACK BAR CLOSE-UP Monday, October 19 This Iranian effort is first in an occasional series of World cinema, shown on the brand new telly in the back bar. Had to be good for something.
100 FREE TICKETS The Event has 100 cinema tickets to give away! That's right 100 tickets for a special preview of Fear and Loathing in Los Vegas the new film starring Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz. The screening takes place at the ABC cinema in Norwich on Sunday, October 25 at 11am. To claim your free trip to the pictures, all you have to do is to walk into the Concrete office proclaiming, "I should like to go to the free film please." And remember while the first100 people will be happy bunnies, the 101 st will Mr G01mpy so hurray hurray hyrrayl
100 FREE TICKETS
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October 14·20 Ash return to plug new album Nu-clear Sounds. SOLD OUT THE THATCHER YEARS WATERFRONT, CLUB 80s Nostalgia. In the Studio:Funky Groove Shack. £4/£3.50/£3 RICHARD Ill THEATRE ROYAL, DRAMA. The RSC 's high profile production of Shakespeare's most famous historical thriller. Starring Robert Lindsay c>s the dastardly king. Runs till Satu rday, October 17. 7.30pm, £16/£13/£10/£3. MARTIN AMIS LECTURE THEATRE 1 Acclaimed au thor of Times Arrow. London Fields and The Information comes to UEA as part of the International Literary festival. ?pm. £3.50
WRAITH ZOOM, CLUB The best 1n goth . Grrr! 10pm-2am CLUB FLINT RICK'S PLACE, CLUB £2 before 11 pm
SUNDAY SERVICE MANHATTANS,CLUB House night. 8pm-2am FREE
THEHUNCHBACKOFNOTREDAME THEATRE ROYAL. DRAMA, 7.30PM Full length ballet of the Fre nch literary class1c. Superb costumes and choreography bring medieval Paris to life. Runs till Saturday , October 24 . £19/£15/£10/£4.50.
REPUBLICA + GEL WATERFRONT,GIG. Marvel at SaHron's bizarrely dyed ha1r. £8 PRINCIPAL SKINNER 'S NIGHT CLASS WATERFRONT, CLUB The freshest student night 1n town . Cheap drinks. £1 Stud./ others £1 before 11 pm/ £2.50 after
PURE SWING MANHATTANS,CLUB Uplifting swing for the people of Norwich. 9pm-2am FREE
THE CONCEPT COMEDY CLUB London circuit comics, and all drinks £1.50. Tables can be reserved in advance with the club £4, Doors 8.30pm
SlAKE + SARKANSIS OKTOBRIS + RAY SPEEDWAY & THE DEVILS OF PACE WI LDE CLUB, FAT PAUL Y' S,GIG. £3.50Adv/£4
SILVERSUN +THE YOUNG OFFENDERS WATERFRONT,G IG Cheery Pop and Harmonies. Big in Japan apparently. £6.50
GORGEOUS MANHATTANS, CLUB Happy House club night. - 9pm-4am £5
NEW BREED ZOOM. CLUB Goth, 1ndie.metal and alternative. 10pm-2am £1.50stud. before 11 /£2.50 after
SUPERFLY MOJO'S, CLUB Feisty funk & ballistic beats. 10pm-2am £3
MOTORHEAD + GROOP DOGDRILL +RADIATOR UEA LCR,GIG The Grandfathers of rock come out of retirement. £11
UNDERGROUND MOJO'S, CLUB Lo-Fi and lndie night. 10pm-2am £3
BERNARD BUTLER+ MOJAVE 3 + ARNOLD UEA LCR, GIG The floppy-fringed , former Suede guitarist vis1ts UEA on his first solo tour. £8.50 MELTDOWN WATERFRONT, CLUB. Regular indie, Britpop, and alternative dance cl ub. In th e Studio: Fatboy. 9pm-2am £3 uea £4/ £3.50 cone.
SANCTUARY IKON, CLUB Old favourite Student night. Chart downstairs, lndie/ Britpop upstairs. 9pm-2am £1 stud. before 11 / £2 stud. after CARWASH LIQUID, CLUB Funky 70s disco night. Wear your flares and get in for free. Otherwise £3.
CHAINS ON VELVET WATERFRONT, CLUB Rock. metal & alternative. £2 before 11 pm/ £2.50 after STUDENT NIGHT LIQU ID, CLUB New cheap student night from Norwich's latest club Free before 11 pm with UEA card ESTEEM MANHATTANS, CLUB Gay night. 9pm-2am £2
CWFS@ZOOM ZOOM , CLUB Upl ifti ng house & garage. 10pm-3am £5 A NIG HT FOR DISCERNI NG ADULTS RICK'S PLACE, CLUB £ 3 with flyers before 11pm. NORMAN BAKER MP LECTU RE THEATRE 1, TALK The former Minister speaks about Geneti cally modified food. 1-2pm FRE E
DANCE CLUB MANHATTANS, CLUB 9pm-4am £5
FREESTYLERS + THE SCAMMERS WATERFRONT,G IG Breakbeat an d hip-hop fun. £7.50 THE LCR DISCO UEA LCR , CLUB Chart in the LCR , House 1n the Hive, Burgers at the van, Vomit on the steps. Superb. £2.50 CLUB CLASSICS FROM THE 70s, 80s & 90s RICK'S PLACE, CLUB FREE all night with Stud. ID/ £1 with flyers before
THOUGHTS OF CHAIRMAN ALF TH EATRE ROYAL,DRAMA 7.30PM Warren Mitchell as the refreshingly politically incorrect bigoted All Garnet!. £12/£10/£3.
RA V DAVIES, TH E STORYTELLER ST.ANDREW'S HALL ,GIG Former Kinks member sings and reads from h1s autobiography. 8pm £10/£7/£5/£3 ASH + IDLEWILD + CHICKS UEA LCR ,GIG
THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
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CLUB FUNT RICK'S PLACE, CLUB £2 before 11 pm GORGEOUS MANHATTANS,CLUB Happy House club night 9pm-4am £5
Wear your flares and get in for free. Otherwise £3.
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UNDERGROUND MOJO'S, CLUB Lo-Fi and India night. 10pm-2am £3
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MANS UN UEA LCR,GIG Mansun return . yet again, to promote new album Six. £9 LLOYD COLE +THE NEGATIVES WATERFRONT,GIG Lloyd Cole plays his greatest hits from new album RaN/esnakes. £9 TRIBUTE TO NOTHING + FREAK SPURT + FREEBASE FAT PAULY'S, GIG. £3.50Adv/£4 PURE SWING MAN HATT ANS. CLUB Uplifting swing for the people of Norw1ch. 9pm-2am FREE SUPERFLY MOJO'S CLUB Feisty funk & ballistic beats. 10pm-2am £3
MELTDOWN Regular indie, Britpop, and alternative dance club. In the Studio: Flying Squad 9pm-2am £3 uea £41 £3.50 cone.
FAITHLESS WATERFRONT,GIG Dance crossover band famed for their Insomnia. £8.50
CWFS@ZOOM ZOOM, CLUB Uplifting house & garage. 10pm-3am £5
CHAINS ON VELVET WATERFRONT, CLUB Rock, metal & alternative. £2 before 11 pm/ £2.50 after
A NIGHT FOR DISCERNING ADULTS RICK'S PLACE, CLUB £ 3 with flyers before 11 pm. DANCE CLUB MANHATTANS, CLUB 9pm-4am £5
THE CONCEPT COMEDY CLUB London circuit comics, and all drinks £1.50. Tables can be reserved in advance with the club £4, Doors 8.30pm
STUDENT NIGHT LIQUID, CLUB New cheap student mght from Norw1ch's latest club Free before 11pm with UEA card ESTEEM MANHATTANS,CLUB Gay night. 9pm-2am £2
Dton Liquid !'he Waterfront Mojos Zoom Concept Rick's Place $~Cue Club ABC Cinema Cinema Citv Odeon Maddermarket Norwich Arts Centre Norwich Playhouse Theatre Roval UEAStudio Norwich Puppet Theatr Kina Of Hearts UEA Union Ents Norwich Castle Museum Scoot 0800 Talldng Pages 0800
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TERRORVISION UEA LCR, GIG. Bradford rockers return. Great!! £9 GOREVIDAL LECTURE THEATRE 1 Author of Myra Breckinridge, and Burr. A Novel, as part of the International literary festival. £3.50
MOLOKO + DJ KID LOCO + HOOVERPHONIC WATERFRONT,GIG. Innovative tnp-hop and drum and bass. £6.50
LA DOORS WATERFRONT, GIG. Doors Tribute band Close your eyes and imagine Jim Morrison! £6.50 SUNDAY SERVICE MANHATTANS, CLUB House night. 8pm-2am FREE
THE LCR DISCO UEA LCR, CLUB More of the same, but you love it. £2.50 CLUB CLASSICS FROM THE 70s, 80s & 90s RICK'S PLACE, CLUB FREE all mght with Stud. ID/ £1 with flyers before 11pm.
PRINCIPAL SKINNER'S NIGHT CLASS WATERFRONT, CLUB The freshest student night in town. Cheap drinks. £1 StudJ others £1 before 11pm/ £2.50 after
THE THATCHER YEARS WATERFRONT, CLUB 80s Nostalgia. In the Studio:Funky Groove Shack. £4/£3.50/£3
SANCTUARY IKON, CLUB Old favourite Student night. Chart downstairs, lndie/ Britpop upsta1rs. 9pm-2am £1 stud. before 11/£2 stud . after CARWASH LIQUID, CLUB Funky 70s disco night.
THE EVENT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1998
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OCTOBER Sat 17 Bernard Butler £8.50 Sun 18 Motorhead £11 Wed 21 Mansun £9 Sun 25 Terrorvision £9 Tue 27 Oasisn't ·Quids In £1 Sat 31 Shed Seven £11
NOVEMBER Fri 6 Del Amitri £1 3 .5 0 Sun 14 Australian Pink Floyd £8.50 Sat 14 Jools Hollan d £ 12.50 Wed 18 Dr John £9.50 Fri 20 T he Stranglers £9.50 Sat 21 lan Brown £11 -
Sun 29 Henry Rollins spoke n word £8
DECEMBER Wed 2 Bjor n Again £9.50/£5 • special student concession
SOL D OUT: A s h (Oct 8), Strereophonics (Oct 30), Reef (Nov 23)
TICKETS FROM UNION FINANCE OFFICE OPEN 11.30 - 3.30
TEL: 01603 505401
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THATCHER YEARS 80'S NOSTALGIA WITH NO SHAME FRI 16 OCT £3+UEA ID DOOR
ME l TO OWN+CLUBFATB01 SAT 17 OCT £3+UEA ID DOOR SILVER SUN SUN 18 OCT £6.00
~~~! ~~A9G~UN~~NbYr~AL TUE 20 OCT £2 B4 11 DOOR
MOlOKO/DJ KID LOCO THUR 22 OCT £6.00
MElTO OWN•THEFL11NGSOUAD THE LA. DOORS SUN 25 OCT £6.50
SAT 24 OCT £3+UEA ID DOOR