The Event - Issue 149 - 26 February 2003

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don't like that Johnny Vaughan either, y'know

02 contents .,

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CON ENTS: 26.02.03

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Horray, we're back and smaller than usual (the more observant of you will notice that we are down to 20 pages this fortnight to make way for the excellent housing guide), however it's always been quality not quantity at The Event so no worries there then. If I talk about one feature this week then it's got to be the fictional TV channel on the centrespread. Feeling slightly cheated by the Dom Joly and Johnny Vaughan led shite on BBC3 we went forth into the Hive to find out what UEA. wants on it's TV screens. The results are surprising, and we have to admit to having moral dilemmas about editing a supplement that had Trisha Goddard on it's ultixnate TV channel, but the public had spoken. We've also got a whole host of interview, previews and reviews, we all hope you e njoy it.

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Featur

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04 TOM MCRAE The up and coming singer-songwnter talks to The Event ahead of his LCR performance .

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THE RAVEONETTES We catch up with this sexy indie Danish duo to talk about Buddy Holly and Denmark.

06 SUNDANCE FESTIVAL An exclusive Event report on America's b est known indie film festival.

Editor-in-Chief Katie Hind Editor Luke Wright Editorial As sistant Alpa Patel

08 GUERRILLA READERS Find out about one of the latest fads to hit the literary world . And no , it doesn' t involve the Vietcong

09 BOWLING FOR SOUP Big p hat Punk Rockers show their sensitive side after their UEA gig.

Arts Ed itor Kathryn Hinchliff Assistant Arts Editor Na than Dixon

10 DIGITAL TV REVOLUTION As the BBC3 buzz dies down we ask whether it's really worth the fuss , and try our hand at creating our own dream schedule for digital viewing.

Film Editor Ryan Stephens Assistant Film Editor Phil Colvin Music Editor Mischa Pearlman Assistant Music Editor Joe Minihane TV & Radio Editor Britt Juste Assistant TV & Radio Editor Sarah Edwarde s

Re

ulars

03 Opinion

1S

03 Critical List

17

Burn Out/Fade Away Ska-punker rockers, Sublime

Listings Editor Matt Sargeson

06 Cinefile

Contributors:

08 Almost Famous

TV/Radio Cold Feet, Manchild, Derren Brown Mind Control

Fortnightly round-up of the best in live events

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Films Solaris, Analyse That, Adaption, Talk to Her

The Brits

19

Listings Films, gigs, clubs and arts in Norwich this fortnight

1970s classic tragic romance Love Story

In touch with the Cosy C at Club Band

Dominic C hessam • Toby Gethin • Edward He ard ·Jocelyn Heath • Amy Hewitt • Alistair Lawre nce • Jim Parker • Ben Patashnik • Luisa Perat • Marc Peachey • Sophie Scott · Paul Vincent • Paul Wade • Hannah Walker • Fletcher W alton

12 Albums The Atari 's , Eve rclear, The Atari 's, Gary Numan

13 Singles Sugarbabes, Placebo, Ladytron , The Jeeva 's

And finally ...

14 A rts Mu ch Ado About Nothing, Th e Shorts, and much more

Thank-you to the mysterious Yan for his box of treats. Astrict for proofreding, e ven when she didn't have to. And to the DVD Box set of Pride and Prejudice. Respect to e veryone who was at the anti-war march on 15th.

The Event is published fortnightly by Concrete: Post: PO Box 410, Norwich, NR4 7TB Tel: 01603 250558 Fax: 01603 506822 E-mail: su.concrete@uea .ac.uk

Printed by: Archant Newspapers, St Andrew's Business Park, Norwich

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13

opinion 03

Critical •

1St hey might not be as glamourous as the Oscars or the Grarnmies, but when it comes to drunken fights, threats and snogs, the Brits have traditionally been at the top. The tabloids, and in fact, the majority of the nation love it. For days after the event, more and more sleazy details are revealed about our favourite stars. While I am not going to get into the argument over the Press's intrusion of celebrities, we all love it - even you Guardianistas out there -you know who you are.

So why, oh why, did these boring killjoys, aka the organisers of the event see the need to ban alcohol of all things? Okay, so I wouldn't like to be the cleaner at Earl's Court the following morning, but for crying out loud, it's a bit of fun.

We all remember those classic 'Brit moments'. Particularly Jarvis Cocker's visit to the stage while Michael Jackson was singing with dozens of kids. While most of the audience thought it was sick, good old Jarv felt the need to make his feelings known. It clearly would not have happened if he had been sober, but it

the pleasure - or not, girls, of watching Justin getting it on with lucky Kylie Minogue, but that was it. It is the first time in years that such a small, insignificant incident could dominate the front pages for days after. There were no bloody noses or winestained dresses - just sober celebrities begging the nutty Tony Blair not to go to war. And talking of politicians, who could forget the time when a sensible drunkard chucked the contents of a p int glass over John Prescott.

But while tabloid hacks must have been disappointed at this year's lack of naughties, there was undoubtedly some good, which came out of the night. It was a chance for the celebrities to put their views across about the war. Ms Dynamite and Coldplay's Chris Martin had the ideal oppo,rtunity to tell Mr Blair exactly what they thought of him. A song was even dedicated to the cause.

But please, next year lets bring back the alcohol before British showbiz parties end up like those in America. They don't call the Grarnmies the Grannies for nothing, you know.

t,Itl~ss

This classy singer-songwriter hits Norwich for the first time to perform his new just Like Blood set.

Check out the interview on Page 4 The Arts Centre, St Benedicts Street, Norwich 12102103- £10 ((01603 660352 for booking)

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made such an impact that Clive Anderson and Bob Mortirner one a lawyer and one solicitor, were ready to launch a campaign if he was to get charged.

And then there's Bryan McFadden. Obviously one too many pints led him to think he is tougher than he is as he challenged So Solid Crew to a match of fisty-cuffs. Not a good move. I don't think the Press have forgotten it yet. Nor have So Solid Crew.

But joking aside, this year's Brits were boring. Okay, so we had

02 Aisle16

03 Tom McCrae

7

I~IS'rY

The fioppy-haired funny man comes to Norwich to no doubt crack some jokes and tell some stories. Don't miss.

The Playhouse, George Street, Norwich 28/02/03 - £12

The last ever Aislel6 gig of this nature. The residents are joined by London poet Paul Lyails and comedian Markus Birdman The York Tavern, York Street, Norwich 25/02/03 - £3

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01 Ross Noble

The Auteurs' Luke Haines returns with a fresh batch of morose lullabies with an acid edge. Nice in an intimate venue.

Norwich Arts Centre, St Benedicts Street 10/03/03 - £8 (01603 660352 for booking)

05 Whole Lotta Led Jarvis Cocker: in a different class

A chance to get to grips with some classic Zep tunes, swig some cheap foreign beer and air-guitar the entire eight minutes of Stairway to Heaven .

The Waterfront, King Street, Norwich 27102103- £8 (01603 50 80 50 for booking)

06 One Hour Photo A final opportunity to see Robin William's often brilliant performance as Sy the photo guy before the film is forever banished to video-rental.

LTl, UE1I. 07103/03 • £10 (01603 457683, for booking)

07 I Don't Know Rising UEA band bring beats, astral guitar and didgeridoos to the Ferryboat, a new Norwich sound worth putting on your wish lists The Ferryboat, King Street, Norwich 25/02103, £4 (01603 613553 for booking)

08 Art One of the most successful plays in Broadway history. This production stars Nigel Havers and is well worth a little look.

Theatre Royal, Theatre Street 24/02 • 01/03 £12.50

26.02.03

04 features

Just L1ke Tom e ing nominated for , a nd winning, award s, we are always told, doe s not m a tter to the m ode rn day musician. The recognition and freedom which the y gra n t you however, is undoubte dly a b onus , e specially whe n you are a s trugg ling singer-songwrite r looking to break into the mainstream. To m McRae is a case in p oint. His fir st album received plaudits acr o ss the b oard , fro m b roadsheet reviews to nomin ations for the 200 1 Mercury Music Pr ize. His tours h ave b e gun to sell out rapidly , and he's e ve n ap peared on N ever Mind The Buzzcocks, much to his e mbarrassment. When Th e Event spoke to him, just ahead of his show this week at the LCR, he was p rep aring to release his second a lbum, just Like Blood, a tidy and experime ntal colle ction of songs , which m ust sure ly b e up b efore the Mercury jud ges come autumn. When we speak he 's quiet but talks a t a rate of knots, as if his life dep ends on telling all about music and his theories surroundin g it. So how d oes h e feel about Just Like Blood a nd all the h ype which has surround e d him over the p ast m onths?

"I'm really p leased with the record, I like it a lo t. I think it's a little bit different and we've dome some interestin g thin gs and still to m y e ar it sounds like what I want to d o. It' s still son gs and still sin ging about the same s ort of thin gs, but it 's a little bit of a step on. It's a way of moving things on and keeping it fresh for me a nd trying new things."

But how about the reception that the album's goin g to get? " I don't particularly feel under p ressure to try and impress critics again a nd just try and ge t the same acclaim . You can't ever judge that. You make your music, put it out there and see what happens."

Perhaps being described as 'this genre's saving grace' is a little excessive th ough, e specially when you can't define what genre you are. " I'd hope to think that m.y genre is good music which is quite a narrow thing , but I guess I am a singer-songwriter because I sing and write songs. I'm not ashamed of that although living in this country you feel that you ought to be the way that you're portrayed in the media. But I hope that I fit around and am part of the rest of the things that I think are good. And that my influences and the people and bands that I like admire what I do.

We live in quite cool times for music, despite what the mainstream may be, people like lots of different music. You can like Nu Metal and a singer-songwriter. You can like dance and you can like classical. There's no boundaries anymore."

Listening to just Like Blood, it is clear that this eclectic approach and taste is a major influence. McRae talks also of

the various bands and styles which helped him put the record together. " I was listening to lots of stuff, I was trying to go back through my records that I'd listened to years ago. So I was listening to people like Talk Talk, Kate Bush and Elvis Costello and just trying to, not copy them, but try and latch on to little bits of their attitude an d a little bit of their spirit. The y had something that was melodic and in some way s accessible, but also twisted it a bit and tried to do something a bit different. To me that's really important. " nfluences don't just come in the form of fellow musicians though, producer Ben Hillier, who in the past has worked with Blur and Suede, playing a key part in the making of the album. " Ben was a great producer to work with. He ' s got a really similar attitude to music to me, which is you get on and do it. You don 't talk about it, you don 't sit in the pub planning it, you pick up an instrument and you start and then you see what happens. I've got quite a strong idea of what I want my music to be and an even stronger idea of what I don't want it to be. So if you 've got a few guidelines that you trust

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and y ou trust your instincts, then you're free to experiment as well. He and I both like to grab wh a t's lying around the studio an d start smacking it and using it in different ways and mutate the recording somehow and not be precious about it. We like to get into unusual areas. He's very good at that, he's very good at knowing when to listen to me and let me do my thing.

And very good at pushing m e. So it's quite a fruitful relationship."

It seems evident also that this is the same approach which is taken to actual songwriting. " If you sit down and say 'right I'm going to write a song' you never come up with anything. You just have to do it all the time and sit there and experiment, even watch TV and distract yourself, just try and get in that place where ideas come. " Although the studio is clearly a productive tool for McRae, playing live is obviuosly his passion. " I love it. If it's just a few weeks I'm disappointed. I like going out and not coming home for months, but it's when you're on tour in say, America when it starts to get really good and you just get into the playing of it. You know, tonight I'm doing a show and tomorrow I'll do a show and the nigh t after I'll do a show. For me I've completely fallen in love with that way of life ."

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Helpful, really, considering the plans for the coming year .

"We've got tours booked throughout Europe and hopefully get out further and beyond, get back to America and go to Japan.

Maybe even get to Australia this time . Just play and keep writing so next time it ' s not two years between records because tours often last that long that you find yourself with all these songs and no time to record them. So if I can get the tour and the writing happening at the same time I'll be happy."

The infectious enthusiasm which McRae exudes about music and his life in the industry is totally affirming . With artists such as McRae around to buck the trend, it appears that we will always have a plethora of new and diverse tunes over which to wax lyrical. He is just one in a growing number of gifted singer songwriters (Ryan Adams, Jesse Malin) who look set to keep music spontaneous and helping it evolve . Let' s hope that he can push into the mainstream and begin challenging the big boys.

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features 05

Burn Out,

Rave On

Fade Away wha tever ha ppen ed to ...

enmark isn't a country famed for being home to good or well-respected bands .

There was , rather infamously, Whigfield and Aqua, but the less said about those the better. Now, however, the land that also gave us Peter Schrneichel, C arlsberg and , uh, bacon and pastries , has unleashed upon us an answer and antidote to all its previous musical travesties. Please put your hands together and give a warm welcome to The Raveonettes, one of only a few Danish b ands who could actually improve, if not save, their country's otherwise dire and diabolical musical credibility. Bizarrely and unfortunately, though, this is something which hasn't gone down particularly well in their homeland.

"In Denmark, they actually don't like us that much," says Sharin Foo, the band 's tall, blonde, typically Scandinavianlooking and consequently rather striking bassist and singer. " Or they didn't," she continues, "until we got recognition from the outside. But it's not really happening in Denmark. I guess, right now, there's a little more happening than before. We have bands like Mew and Nu, and though it's pretty rare for Denmark to have bands that even go outside Denmark, it 's better now than before ."

This seems all the more odd when compared to close neighbours Swed en, the country who have produced and exported bands such bands as Millencolin, No Fun At All, The Hellacopters and, of course, the Hives.

"There's a real alternative rock tradition in Sweden that we just don't have in Denmark," explains Sharm. " But I think bands now realise that the music industry in Denmark is so crap that they have to go outside ."

Which is precisely what The Raveonettes did, which is why they are here now, midway through a small UK tour, about to play to a nearly full Norwich Arts Centre . And so far , so good , according to Sharin: "We started in Wolverhampton, and then

we went to Glasgow and London, where we did an NME Brat Show, and yesterday, which was somewhere I can't remember now [it later transpires that the city is Northampton, somewhere Sharin continually has trouble remembering the name of) and it's been going really good, pretty packed. The first date was sold out, and yeah, we're digging it."

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he "we're" refers to herself and the band's other h alf, singer, guitarist and songwriter Sune Rose Wagner, who remains relatively quiet for the majority of the interview, until the questioning moves onto their music. When asked who writes the songs , Sharin immediately points to Sune.

"I write the songs," he clarifies, laughing slightly, perhaps at the abruptness of his response , and its shortness. On the subject of Ius influences, however, Sune is slightly more responsive . So where does his inspiration come from?

"From books and movies and being on the road . I used to travel a lot. Just people you hear about and experience and stuff."

He goes on to cite Jack Kerouac as his main lyrical influence, something which certainly shows on their debut mini album , Whip It On. Gritty, intense and, as its B-moVIe-hke cover proudly states, "recorded in glorious Bb minor" (each song uses the same three chords and nothing else), the album sounds and feels like something Jack Kerouac could well have recorded had he been a) a musician and b) alive now.

Musically, it falls somewhere between the Velvet Underground and the Dandy Warhols, which is somewhat surprising given that it is the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly who Sune proclaims as his main musical influences. Indeed, the latter even had a direct influence on the group's name: "It comes from the Buddy Holly song Rave On and our love of girl groups from the early sixties," says Sune quite matter-of-factly, then laughs, adding emphasis to each syllable of his band's name. "RaveOn-Ettes'" And rave on is what Sune and Sharin plan to do. After this tour, there is another in America with Interpol, then back to Europe again. And a t some point, there should be another mini album finding its way into stores all the way across the country.

"We originally recorded fourteen tracks in [the WhJp It On] session, but we decided to only release the eight songs, because it thought it would be a little too intense to have fourteen songs in the same key with the same three chords. So the whole idea was to release two mini albums and then start looking outside of Denmark, but then things just kinda happened really fast."

Which is lucky for everyone at the Arts Centre that night, because they put on an impressive show indeed. Joined b y a drummer and an additi0nal guitarist (on the album it is just the two of them), The Raveonettes and their songs really came to life. As with the album, each line of each song was sung simultaneously by Sune and Sharin, something that playing live really enhancea. And while the balance wasn't entirely right, meaning the vocals were muffled very slightly, it fitted extremely well with the very full sound that the band, as a four piece, proiuced on stage.

"I think it's great to be a four piece when you play live," says Sharin. "We actually tried it as a two piece and as a three piece with electronic drums, but we decided we'd like a live d"'"UIT\.Il\er as well. So as a live thing it works really well to have that dynamic which is a little more explosive when you are four and not two . If it's only Sune and I it can be a little boring.

It's nice to have some more people to interact with and share your experiences with."

So will they continue as a four-piece after the tours are all over?

"I think The Raveonettes, as such, will always be a two piece," says Sharin.

"Absolutely," confirms Sune .

"But who knows ," jokes Sharm, " we might be a ten piece in the future ."

Whether as a two p1ece, four piece or ten p1ece, as long as The Raveonettes keep doing what they're doing , there shouldn't be a problem. Making Danish music credible again, however , might be . We'll just have to wait and see.

T

Who? If you hear them when you're 14, the greatest band in the world; bassist Eric Wilson, drummer Bud Gaugh and guitar-toting front man Bradley Nowell's Um-Bungo flavoured mixture of ska, reggae, punk and !up-hop can't help but make any glum and gloomy day in Naaarwich seem that much closer to Long Beach, California. And singing about booze , blunts and b-b-bltches IS always the surest way to stoner cultdom. However, it was Nowell's death of a herom overdose in May 1996 that sealed Sublime 's status forever as trag1cally underrated ska-punk legends.

What?

Yowzers , where to start... Smoke Two joints is the stoner perennial, a twisted reggae-lite cliche strangled into a scratchy punk jam; Date Rape is the cautionary tale to both victim and aggressor of the titular crime , that brims with anger beneath its otherwise frothy surface; Saw Red is the ska answer to Shane McGowan and Kirsty MacColl's Fairytale of New York, Nowell's duet wi th a then still skanking Gwen Stefani a fiery tale of trigger happy lovin', and Burritos is the ultimate stay-in-bed anthem. Meanwhile, MTV favouri te What I Got is Sublime's career pinnacle, the ultimate expression of Nowell's travelling minstre l soul, life affirming and bitter sweet.

Why? More than the homespun dreams for social change, the hung over regrets, the citing of the reality of the L.A. Rodney King rio ts and the several other humble hopes Nowell's planted in his be tter songs, Sublime's slackerpack mentality permeated throughout. Recordings were loose and raw , allowing the love between band mates to flourish on wax and in turn show their unfaltering commitment to the communities and music of the Long Beach scene. Perhaps most important of all was Sublime's ability to explore serious topics without sounding jaded or pretentious; Bad Religion take note ... yeah, how'd you like them apples Gurewitz?

So wher e are they now?

As with most bands who suffer the tragic loss of an enigmatic front man, the end of Sublime signalled not only a meteoric rise in sales figures (1997's posthumously released Sublime went on to sell 2 million copies stateside alone) but also a cluster of retrospective releases including the fairly poor live album Stand By Your Van , a pretty malnourished Greatest Hits, and two odds and sods collections of lost songs and remixes (Second Hand Smoke) and impromptu acoustic performances (Bradley Nowells and Friends). Eric and Bud later went on to found the Long Beach Dub All Stars with a more reggae-orientated sound, and attracted guest vocals from such musical-luminaries as Jamaican dancehall legend Barrington Levy, and punk/reggae Godfather HR of Bad Brains. More recently, drummer Bud Gaugh joined ex-Meat Puppets guitarist Cris Kirkwood and Nirvana's Krist Novoselic to form Eyes Adrift whose eponymous debut album was released recently to wholesale critical indifference. Aww.

Matt Sargeson

26 .02 .03

ii#IW!iriijfii

06 features

Cinefile Scorp1o

• • I Sing

no. 27

Some queer, low-budget avant-garde trash?

Yes and no . Kenneth Anger intended his 1963 masterpiece Scorpio Rising as a death mirror held up to American culture. Running a scant thirty minutes, the irony-laden film portrays the lifestyle of a Brooklyn motorcycle gang set to the sounds of kitschy 1960s pop songs. The film , which he d edicated to the Hells Ange ls , shows a complex picture of what Anger saw as the violent and fetishist obsessions of biker subculture.

Who the hell is Kenneth Anger and what's all this about motorcycle gangs?

Anger started shooting movies at age e leven. He is a recognised m aker of underground, experimental cinema combining talent with an aura of scandal. In 1963 Anger decided to chronicle the studded, leather-jacketed biker culture of Coney Island Italian-Americans . The characters depicted in the film are rather obnoxious creatures; they hold wild parties and race maniacally, do drugs , wave the Jolly Roger, and desecrate a chur ch. During a Halloween party the unfortunate pot-bellied member of the gang is forcefully stripped a nd has his abdomen smothered with mustard by his buddies. Jesus is one of the reoccurring icons of the film; h e is cut in with images of skeletons, Hitler and James Dean.

How interesting, but what lies behind the homoerotic sado-fascist worship of mustard?

Fast cuts between fetishist leather road gear, the sparkling chrome bikes and an emphasis on the male body give the film a sort of queer aesthetic. The melange of shocking Nazi imagery and the bikers' aggressiveness certainly evoke connections with the sadomasochistic circuit. In any case, the bizarre masquerade of exaggerated masculinity seems highly artificial and frequently verges on the comedic. Anger is not your average gay, underground 1960s filmmaker with a Nazi regalia fetish. He is in fact a Luciferian (not Satanist) and deserves credit for smashing the stereotype of the frail, effeminate homosexual which was disseminated by the popular culture of the time.

Well, no cause for alarm then?

An aggressive rejection of contemporary society that doesn' t vex or at least provoke its viewers would seem rather pathetic. Far from being a senseless barrage of homosexual biker imagery juxtaposed with pop icons and Nazi references , the film is something of a lost classic. Its hyperactive technique of editing frames and music makes it the grandfather of both MTV and reality television.

What is progressive about the soundtrack?

First of all, Anger never bothered to get clearance for recycling either the soundtrack or the footage taken from Hollywood films and newsreel footage . Towards the end of the film we hear the sound of the Venture's Wipeout to Anger 's own footage of a bike race in upstate New York , where he captured the death of one biker who's machine spilled over in the mud. Angers ironic use of pop songs can be traced to the movies of Scorcese, Tarantino, Lynch and countless others . Unfortunate ly, the film is difficult to find in video stores as the rights to the soundtrack are still in a legal tangle. Nonetheless, Scorpio Rising remains the most widely seen experimental movie of its time.

Edward Heard

ii#IW!flj@ii 26 .02.03

Hoy, to Sundance ver the last ten years the film festival circuit h as grown considerably.

Following the Berlin International Film Festival 2003 we thought we'd take the opportunity to look back to last month and the beginning of the festival year: Sundance 2003 ( l 6-l6thJanuary). In 1978, the Utah/US Film Festival, an annual cinematic exhibition, was created in Salt Lake City. The Film Festival featured a national competition aimed at drawing attention to emerging American films made outside the Hollywood system-independent cinema. The United States Film Festival moved to Park City, Utah in 1981 and included documentaries and short films along with its program of dramatic features. At around the same time Robert Redford gathered a group of colleagues and friends at Sundance , Utah (so named after Re dford's character in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) to discuss new ways to e nhance the artistic vitality of the American film. The result was the establishment of the Sundance Institute. In 1985, responding to the need for support, the Film Festival became part of the Sundance Institute and added international films to its program. Officially r e named in 1991 , the Sundance Film Festival is now recognized internationally as a showcase for the best in new American independent film. The Film Festival h as expanded from 15,750 seats sold in 1985 to more than 142 ,000 in 2001.

For the last two years I have been privileged enough to attend the festival, rub shoulders with the stars, see some amazing (and some not so amazing) movies , attend a lot of parties and play in the snow.

So how do you Sundance? There are three main options available. l) Pay. For those of you with some serious money in your pockets this is the easiest way to get to the festival. There are many differ ent types of 'passes' that can be purchased usually about two months prior to Sundance . Then there 's the cost of accommodation, and bear in mind that Park City is a very popular ski resort as well as b eing home to Sundance, and travela plane to Salt Lake, a shared ride to Park City, and food, and alcohol, and on the door tickets to that movie you just h ave to see, and merchandise .. .. Etc 2) Volunteer. This is how I experienced the festival and it really is one of the better options. Volunteer jobs vary (I worked on the box-office of the Holiday Village Theatre) but it's somewhat like summer camp , only it's very cold and Matt Damon is one of the campers . As a Volunteer you receive a pass that gets you into Sundance Official parties, all of the theatre and non-theatre venues, you get SWAG (this year a very nice Kenneth Cole coat, a fleece and a silly hat), you get guest tickets for any friends w h o might be in town, and most importantly you get accommodation and a $150 stipend . As a volunteer you're also in a privileged position to schmooze with filmmakers and the like - although not whilst on duty. There are stories about volunteers w ho have tried self-promotion whilst working and been kicked out, the most famous of which was a model who handed out naked pictures of herse lf. Tut, tut.

3) Make a movie!

" I l\r 0 IJI. )) Ill~ (~ 0 11 Ill~ N )) Y 0 IJ Ii I~ I~ I, Y 0 IJ l I~ Y I~ S OI,I~N l,illl'fi(~IJI. Lllli. Y I~Oil (.}j.J I' 1' If llli\T (; 1'111~"' J?Jlll~"'IJ­ jJJJ.Ji\T!J'" The festival is split down into ll categories . Sundance holds an interesting seat in the festival circuit, a mixture of American Film Market where films come to be sold, and Cannes, where films come to be celebrated. The awards at the e nd of the festi val are a huge deal; however the sales that get made over the ten days are in some ways more important. Screenings are usually accompanied by a question and answer session with the filmmakers and cast, this year I attended Q&As with AI Pacino , Robert Downey Jr, Robbie Doyle to name but a few.

Alongside the screenings the festival also has a panels program in the very popular House of Does/ Filmmakers Lodge , and a music program at the aptly named Music Cafe. As well as the official Sundance Film Festival a whole host of parasites exist, the best known of which are No Dance and Slam Dance, but there is the odd occasion when you're approached by a guy with a scraggy beard offering to show you a film in the back of his van.

There was a strangely large number of gambling movies this

year, none of which particularly stand out as great: The Cooler, Bookies and Owning Mahoney. There were also a number of very popular documentaries, and the dramatic films people were scrambling to see included Hebrew Hammer, The Secret Lives of Dentists and Dopamine. I was surprised to see 28 Days Later at the festival as this already has US distribution (and an R rating- the Americans have nothing against violence, it's sex they object to) and Bend it Like Beckham both of which were very well received. I would recommend you keep your eyes open particularly for Capturing th e Friedmans , a harrowing documentary on a family caught in hysteria surrounding child pornography , Th e We ather Underground , a doco on an anarchist group during the Vietnam War and the Nixon administration - Robert Redford stayed to watch all of this film , a rare event. Also watch out for All the Real Girls, and a beautifully shot and acted drama, American Splendour - anyone who knows the comic books should be pleased with this strange hybrid of documentary , comic book, and dramatisation starring Paul Giamatti. Another film worth a look is Camp - a wonderfully handled musical set at a summer camp for performing arts. My one MUST SEE of the festival The Mudge Boy, but Buffalo Soldiers is worth a look too, the American military is brought into question and lots of cool shit gets blown up , this film was one of those delayed by 9/ 11 .

The other m ajor reason many people come to Sundance is the large list of stars that attend, a list that seems to be growing by the year. I saw Britney Spears walk out of The Singing Detective, Dustin Hoffman was surreptitiously sneaking around, his film Confidence (a bad, overly-done crime thing with way too much dependency on flashback and Edward Burns) premiered at the start of the festival. I fell in love with Alex Garland after a p anel on adaptations , especially after he said he hated the film version of The Bea ch , Oliver Platt and Katie Holmes got swamped by the press, and I stumbled into the party for Die Mommie Die (there were free cosmopolitans being handed out) where Anthony Edwards, Jason Priestly and that kid who dated the youngest daughter in Rosanne , were all milling (I then guiltily thought I ought to see the movie - don 't, its bad). Holly Hunter was awarded the Sundance Tribute to Independent Vision and she was often seen in the theatre I worked at, watching world cinema and does (a cool lady). But this year there was also a crowd of stars without any movie, most noticeably Matt Damon and his cronies- J-Lo , Ben & Casey Affleck. See the pretty pictures and be very jealous!

For more information on the other awards and the hundred or so other movies at this year's festival visit http ://festival .sundance.org. You don't have to go to Utah, or even Germany, to enjoy the film festival scene. The Regus London Film Festival is in November and also tours the UK art cinemas, including Cinema City. Raindance is in October, also in London this festival has some links to Sundance, and the Edinburgh International Film Festival is coming up in August.

Britney Spears: It's what's inside that counts

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08 features

A I m os t Guerrilla Readers Famous Looking Beyond the Top 40

no. 10

Cosy Cats (1-r): Mike, Ed and Nick

How d id you guys fonn?

Ed (bas s) : Me and Mike were in the same corridor in the first year, along with Fete, who isn't here at the moment, and they'd both brought guitars and I had my bass and we just seemed to be able to play together. And then Mike started writing songs and I started making up bass lines ...

Mike (guitar/vocals): Yeah, we were just playing guitar all the time in the first year, just januning in the rooms, so I started writing songs because Fete already had some together, and that inspired me to do some stuff. Then in the second year they had the Battle of the Bands and that was the first gig we ever did. It was on the LCR stage and was amazing. And we came third, which was a really good experience. And then we met Nick, our drummer.

N ick (drum.s): Initially, I didn't want to p lay that kind of music. But then we had our first practice, and it was really good. And then Fete went to America this year, which was less good.

Mike: But the plan is definitely to get back together with Fete. We're quite good at writing stuff together, and I really like singing harmonies, which can't happen at the moment.

Where did your name come from?

Ed: That was m e. Fete h as a very large video collection, and I think he's got the very first A-team video , and there's a woman reporter who they had to meet to see if they could trust her, and they met at this place called the Cosy Cat Club. And so I asked Fete if we should call our band that and he said yeah.

Milte: I think it's fairly catchy. It is a bit long, but people seem to remember it, so we're not going to change it.

Ed: And we write stupid songs sometimes, so it seems to fit.

So w h o are your main influences?

Mike: In the first year, I had a girlfriend who was in Cardiff, and she was the main influence for most of my songs, so they were rather sad, but optimistic too . I don't want to get people down, so a lot of the songs are cheery.

Nick: We sound a bit like Gomez. If they were quieter.

Mike: And like the Shins, too. And I really like Pavement.

Ed: But we're all influenced separately and it just sort of comes together.

And why cheery songs?

Nick: Because it's much more fun than droning away.

Ed: I really hate angsty, depressing music. I don't really see the point. Things can't be that bad, can they? But it's very rare that you actually get a happy song that's really good, because it ends up cheesy. So we try and write happy music, happy music that isn't cheesy.

The C osy Cat Club Band are going to have a demo out in March, so keep an eye (and an ear) out for it Mischa Pearlman

ii#IW!itJjfii 2 6 .02.0 3

asey Bookish, B.A., dons his deerstalker, polishes his pipe and dusts off his magnifyingglass, in preparation for another hard day's questing. He's on a job in Norwich - 'a fine city', no less. Pausing, by the mirror at the foot of the stairs of the B & B, he thinks he looks rather dashing . "Indubitably!" he bellows at his reflection, "quite elementary, what-what!" Puffing pensively on his unfilled pipe and intelligently twiddling his distinguished fake moustache he turns to leave, and catches the slightly concerned gaze of the receptionist. He spins quickly back to the lobby mirror, looks again at his likeness and decides he in fact looks ridiculous. "This is getting out of hand" he mumbles to himself, hastily stuffing the components of his recently purchased "detectives kit" into his duffle-bag while sheepishly paying and leaving. Outside, undaunted by the re-think in uniform, he gets to work - picking up the trail. After retrieving a scrappy piece of paper from his hoodie pocket, on which are scribbled the location of a number of recent drop-offs, he trots off into the pretty medieval back-streets of Norwich's city centre. "Thirteen in Age Concern?!" he blurts, "Crazy pensioners!" He decides it's too easy.

Casey wants more of a challenge; his eyes move down the list, settling on: "ah! Two in Oxfam, three in Castle Mall and one in Owen's Bar, that's more like it!" Sensing another fix is close he almost runs the distance to Plumstead Road and bursts into the charity shop, tripping slightly on the door-sill while quickly casting his eye over the customary array of frumpy jumpers and inoffensive videos. He cannot see what he is looking for . "Damn it!" he barks at the slight man at the counter as he rushes over and grabs him by the lapels, "where are they, where are they??! I can't see them anywhe re ...

Where do you keep them? WHERE ARE YOU HIDING TIIEM?!

PLEASE! !"

"The what?? The what??" replies the shop assistant breathlessly visibly shocked, his hand drifting carefully towards the alarm-bell.

"Curse your damnably villainous dark heart! - the books, the books!" Casey cries, perspiring now, his tongue lolling from the leftside of his mouth and dropping saliva onto his Adidas trainers .

"Not another bloody book crosser," sighs the shop assistant, "over there!" then, to himself: "that's three this week" . He raises his eyes heavenwards and settles back into moving paperclips aimlessly around the counter top.

Book crossing is a relatively recent development. Customers leaving restaurants, cafes, bars, train stations and hotels, after leaving a novel of some sort behind, are, more and more likely, when chased down by dutiful members of staff, to become cross, insisting the book be put back where it was previously. This rather laboured joke is not the meaning of book crossing; it is not a highly-strung reader's version of road-rage. But it is a reaction one might expect off a 'book crosser'.

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What is this all about? In short - the idea is to set up a world-wide free library that relies upon generosity, honesty and serendipity - a tough task in these bleakly cynical days, but one that is surprisingly, and encouragingly, gaining in popularity. It works really quite well.

The idea is to purchase a book, first or second hand, or to pick one you already own, register it with a unique number at bookcrossing.com, print off a label, stick it on the inside front cover and release it 'into the wild' by leaving it in a public place of one's own choosing. Anyone who hunts down and 'catches' a book is encouraged to read it, visit the website, say where they are from, where they found the book and what they thought of it. Then they are to release it again, back into 'the wild' . to be hunted down and caught by another reader, whoever they may be. In this way, those who have released a book can remain updated on its travels worldwide and the people whose lives have crossed with their own as a result.

The web-site also features leader boards of most travelled, most recently released and most recently found items. For example: there are currently 11 'uncaught' books in international airspace.

The club already has nearly 100,000 members worldwide, who arrange social events in cafes and bars etc., and there are approaching 300,000 books currently in circulation. This includes approximately 80,000 circulating America (the world's largest book-crossers, in more ways than one) and around 2,600 in this country- with about twenty currently moving around Norwich. As just one example of the mileage these books can clock up: a copy of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, released in California, recently found its way to a reader in Florence via a p hone booth in Prague.

Tracing the book is only one of the e njoyable aspects. Deciding which book to release and where, voyeuristically hanging around to see who picks it up and 'book detection' are other addictive aspects of a new craze that, if it continues succe ssfully, could see circulating books outliving their readers . Your b ook could build up a huge history; heaven knows who might pick it up one day- future prime

minister's and US presiBooks 'in the wild' worldwide: dents (whether the cur1) USA - 79,963 6) Netherlands - 2,091 rent one reads is debat2) Canada - 13,061 7) New Zeland - 601 able, however), Texas 3) Italy - 4,862 8) Scotland - 228 oil barons, lawyers, film 4) UK- 2,638 9) Singapore- 215 stars; but it's not all bad5) Germany - 2,136 10) Malaysia - 213 perhaps some decent Books 'in the wild' nationally: people too. Books have 1) London - 154 6) Berkshire - 39 been left on park bench2) Scotland - 68 7) Wales - 29 es, in the hands of stat3) W. Yorkshire- 67 8) Norwich- 22 4) Gtr. London - 42 9) Heathrow AP - 21 ues, on buses, trains and 5) Edinburgh- 31 10) Avon - 20 planes from Australia to Estonia since the site Books 'in the wild' in Norwich: was set-up in 2001. The 1) Age Concern (Piumstead Road) - 13 man behind it all is Ron 2) Oxfam 路 3 3) Castle Mall - 1 Hornbaker, 36 (pictured 4) Number 25 Bus (not seen it yet!) - 1 - 'book crossing', ged5) Sports Park, Dry Changing - 1 dit?), a software developer from Kansas City Do people know where they live? who wanted to be able to throw Jack Kerouac's On the Road out of his car window and "see what happens". His aim is to "make the whole world a library" and he firmly believes "generosity is addictive" and that, as a result, book crossing could become extremely wide-spread. There are approximately 400 people signing up daily and membership numbers seem likely to exceed one million within the next five years. "It is about being able to share, in an age of consumption and hoarding, a meaningful possession with the world at large" writes one member, 27, from Sussex. wever, after a look at the web-site it appears- on last nspection - that Britain is lagging behind a few other ountries in terms of its population-to-releases ratio. ustralia, for example, is currently beating us at this as ell as everything else. They have approximately 2,000 in circulation and book crossing has only been operating, officially, for two years! This must be addressed. Therefore , it is suggested by The Event that, in place of the rather tired ideas for the celebration of World Book Day on March 6th, all present here at the excellent UEA must release one properly registered book each into the wilds of Norwich. Now, the successful pick-up rate for books is around twenty-five percent. This means that around seventy-five percent of human beings are either kleptomaniacs who cannot, or do not, read; or are just very dull, very boring people. It also means that the student population of this 'fine city'. provide you all do as instructed, could at least more than double the number of books in circulation nationally and make our host city a hot-spot for bookcrossers from all over the world! No single city anywhere on the planet on March 6th, and for a considerable time afterwards, would have more books in circulation than us goodly North Folk! This is assuming you, and the rest of the people of Norwich, are able to read. lf you've got this far then the evidence is fairly conclusive. Do it for your university. Do it for your host city. Show that there are some generous, interesting, literate people out there in the jumbled concrete of this institution and release a book for Book Day. A first-hand book only costs the equivalent of three pints and there are always plenty of you in the bar. every night, willing to piss away at least two to three times that much, so you have no excuse! Visit bookcrossing.com, register and release a book- you can do it for FREE if you already own one - and let us know what happens at: su.concrete@uea.ac.uk. We will be releasing a number of titles on March 6th and we intend to print follow-up articles and track as many as we can over the next few weeks and months and years.

Let's see what happens. lf this does not work it will be assumed you are all dull and/or stupid and are not worth your place here! Go, students and teachers of Norwich- send a message to the world that this is indeed a highly literate, generous , interesting and damned 'fine city'! Go , now, and cross books. That is all.

H

Features 09

Texan Strike t's not easy knowing what to think about the nowubiquitous Bowling For Soup. On the one hand , they're a cheerful bunch of Texans who play melodic pop punk to an audience of under fourteens. On the other, they 're a cheerful bunch of Texans who play melodic pop punk to an audience of under fourteens.

You'll have heard their angsty anthem Girl All The Bad Guys Want all over MTV and the radio and now they roll into town on their biggest headlining tour to date. I met up with Chris (the big guy whose job description consists of "play guitar, sing a little bit, occasionally drop my pants and show my breasts." Lush.) But is there more to this lot than meets the eye?

The BFS live show is rapidly gaining notoriety as being full of gags and general silliness. But is it all scripted chaos? "From an improvisational standpoint, we really don't have a setlist," says Chris, "we just go up there and do a show, y'know? That's the thing, we're all into spontaneity. I think if we did the same show all the time we'd probably beat each other over the head with a bat. It keeps it fun, keeps it fresh , so every night we go up there and do a different show." It's probably fair to say that their success is due to their appeal to the younger and more impressionable members of society which contrasts with their current state in the US and Chris expands on this . "Over in the States, kids don't really come out to shows very often. There's a small nwnber of kids that do, but here they have more freedom; they can take a train to a show. In the US, if you're a 14 or 15 year old kid, your mum and dad aren't going to let you go to the show; especially for a band like us who are known for dropping their pants!"

Touring is something BFS do a lot, and are quick to dispel the myth that they were an overnight success bred by MTV. "We kept coming over here and playing different venues. The first time we came over and played Reading and Leeds, the second time we did a tour with Uncle Brian of small, 100/200 capacity venues. If you keep coming back and building, then the people

that saw you there will tell a few friends . We've built what we have over here." The accusation that they visit the UK so much due to his love for Elizabeth Hurley remains unanswered however (along with Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguilera, who are his top three 'Harem Girls '). t would be fair to say that it's not all screaming kids and doughnuts though. With a solemnity that belied his usually jovial exterior he said, " more than anything, I have to have a little bit of time alone, just sitting and relaxing sometimes. You just forget to take time out sometimes."

Hardly the talk of someone whom I expected to be full of jokes and pranks. It would appear that BFS don 't let their detractors affect them or their performances with accusations of selling out.

I

"I UON''I, 1\ri\N'I, '1,0 Sl~l~ 1\ri\ll UIJ'r I 1\ri\NT TO Sl~l~ SOIII~­ 'riiiNf} ))0Nit I 1\rOIJl.J)N'T 1\ri\N'I, TO tJ\TJ~ IN 1\ f~OIJN­ TllY NI~XT '1,0 SJ\J)J)J\11 IIIJSSIHN." "People just don't understand," relates the guitarist, with vitriol in his eyes. "They have to come and see my house, see what selling out looks like. I live with five other guys; my house has mice and rats .. .it's not the best place in the world! I'm not complaining, but nobody's selling out here."

Many have claimed that BFS are a simplistic band, good for comedic purposes only. While it is true to say that they are

indeed a funny group of people, the subject of whether or not they take themselves seriously brought out an honest , down to earth attitude that many may find surprising. "We all know that we 're pretty good at what we do. We all know we can go out there and give people a good show, show them something they're never seen before - fat guys jumping around. But at the same time we all know that this could be over tomorrow." He's well aware that the lifespan of such a band may be limited, and admits that "when it's our time to quit and be old farts we'll do that." Typecasting is brushed aside with a gesture of disdain: "You can't worry about those kind of things . We just keep doing what we do. If people want to bracket us then that's their issue, we'll just keep playing."

Theirs is the glossy side of punk rock, away from the politicised works of their tourbuddies Capdown, but BFS have never had any kind of political stance, preferring to stick with what they know. On the subject of whether or not they should speak out regarding certain issues, Chris became particularly vocal. "What 's right and wrong differs for everybody. To say that musicians are smarter than everyone is ridiculous . I think that when it comes to an issue, you should find out yourself what's going on. Too many people are quick to listen to the opinion of someone they think they respect just because they do something. Like athletes -who the fuck are they? Find out yourself! There's all kinds of information available." he asserts , going on to say that "I don' t want to see war but I want to see something done. I wouldn't want to live in a country next to him [Saddam Hussein]."

BFS do not conform to all expectations, in that from a band who caters for such a young audience, there comes a maturity and eloquence that many of their contemporaries would be advised to follow. Are they simply bland, throw-away pop punk, or is there another layer to this group of Texans? The answer isn't clearly defined, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm not going to argue with a man who, if locked in a bubble would listen to Slayer's Raining Blood on repeat for all eternity. Scary stuff.

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26.02.03

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10 Centrespread

fter 18 months of preparation under the watchful eyes of Culture Minister Tessa Jowell , the BBC's replacement for digital channel BBC Choice finally went on air at the beginning of February. BBC3 is aimed at 20-34 year olds, and guarantees a comve mix of news , current affairs, entertainment, music, arts and science: "a digital mix that promises to b e really quite groundbreaking" according to controller Stuart Murphy. Following a successful launch nigh t that attracted such stars as Johnny Vaughan and Steve Coogan, and with all its government-satisfying public service p rinciples firmly in place , the corporation . h as been typically superlative about the channel's achievements so far.

A month late r the hype is dying down, but one important question still needs to be answered. Is BBC3 actually worth watching? Like around 65% of British TV viewers, I don't h ave the answer, being in the majority who have not yet made the switch to digital. Perhaps it is pertinent tha t last week saw the announcement of the annual rise in the licence fee . From April this year the cost of a colour television licence will increase by £4 to £116 per year- 1.5% above the rate of inflation- which will create a £ lOOm boost to BBC funds . A significant share of this money will go towards the development of digital.

According to the most recent figures from the BBC Governors' Annual Report 2001-2, out of the BBC 's £2,59lm income that year, over half (£1,372m) was invested in television, and a further £278m on digital services. That's roughly 11 % of the overall budget p roducing services of no use to two-third s of licen ce p ayers. Doesn 't re ally seem fair , d oes it?

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Pictures (in desecending order): the cute little BBC3 blobs, the best thing the channel has to offer so far; 'orrible man Johnny Vaughan; Dom Joly on the set of his BBC3 spoof chat show; Char lie Higson as Swis Toni - proof that sketches should never be made into sitcoms . Ever.

26 .02 .03

While the knowledge that our meagre student loans are going to pay for programmes we cannot watch may be enough to bring out the Luddite in most of us , it is not the sole cost associated with the move ment towards digital broadcasting. There is a baffling choice of packages available to connect to digital TV and radio- many costing up to £100 for installation aloneinvolving set-top boxes, satellite dishes, cable cables, differing variations of free-to-air channels, and hundreds of subscription channels charging monthly fees . Also , if a generation brought up with multiple TVs per home doesn't want to buy a new settop box for every room, it will have to think about networking the televisions so that each one can receive digital programmes; a necessary process when the government turns off the analogue signals within the next ten years.

Let 's not be too negative , though, as contrary to these pessimistic impressions, digital television does have its many advantages. The technology will be particularly beneficial to audiences not currently well catered for, providing hard of hearing and visually impaired viewers with clearer, recordable subtitles and other facilities . Alongside this , better picture and sound quality c an allow viewers to see films on tele vision in the ir intended widescreen format , on-screen schedules will re place the batte re d -to-ille gibility communal c opy of the Radio Time s and e asy internet access through the TV will mean the d ays of h aving to move from the sofa to check your emails are

well and truly over.

There is also good news from BBC3 for budding writers and actors: Murphy has pledged that his channel will concentrate on nurturing new British talent rather than buying in US programmes, with 90% of its shows being made in the UK or Europe, and 80% of them specially commissioned for BBC3.

Digital channels can provide an ideal forum for innovation outside the spotlight of mainstream, ratings-based broadcasting, while the possibility of tailoring channels to reach sp ecific viewing audiences means that minority tastes can be exploited to the advantage of both viewers and programmers. Surely then, with all that choice there must be something worth watching?

Many people still don't seem to think so, and the vision of an all-inclusive digital network unconcerned by viewing figures is not yet to be. Revelations that Clive Anderson's BBC4 programme Before the Bookers received only 4000 viewers still filled column inches in many national newspapers, suggesting that without radical changes in media attitudes ratings will always be seen as an indication of a channel's worth . Indeed, the BBC is essentially in a no-win situation: make programmes that achieve high ratings and they are accused of dumbing down, produce high-brow arts shows that inevitably attract fewer viewers , and they are derided as elitist.

However, for many viewers the merits of these digital programmes are not measured in the ratings , but will be displayed by their eventual appearance on terrestrial TV. The BBC 's policy of repeating digital shows on their terrestrial channels (and even providing a late-night BBC3 "zone" on BBC!) to entice people to digital may backfire against the corporation, b y leading audien ces to the conclu sion that all of the b est p rogrammes will soone r or later be repeated on m ain stre am ch annels.

As a result, the impulse to re ly upon gimmicks to g ain exposure for digital channe ls appe ars to be a strong one: BBC3 itself is already n o stranger to controve rsy c ourting. The plan to scre en a fortnight 's episodes of Eastenders on digital a we e k before te rrestrial audie nces could see them was m e t with dismay by many viewers, and the animated sketch-show Monkey Dust fe aturing skits about paedophilia and te rrorism - has b een wellpublicised as headline-baiting satire reminiscent of the type that caused the Brass Eye furore tw o years ago . ven the targeting of channels towards specific audiences has been criticised by some sources, uneasy with re mote executives deciding what we want to w atch. Unfortunately, grouping viewers into stereotypically d e fined communities - which is to some extent a necessity with all channels - is a mistake BBC3 has already b e en accuse d of. As Guardian columnist Zoe Williams justifiably wonders of the channel's quick-fire attitude to news, " If the people in charge sincerely believe that 24 to 35-yearolds can't concentrate on current affairs for more than 60 seconds, why on earth do they let us vote?" . Catering for an audience does not have to involve patronising them, and cannot me an reducing the m to the bare bones of a label; something that the BBC will have to resolve if its new channels are to be successful.

So , to the future. Post-ITV Digital's collapse, it would be easy to say that viewing audiences are even more sceptical and unconvinced by the move towards digital than before, but conversely take-up continues to increase e very year. Current plans state that the government will switch off analogue television once 95% of homes have a digital receiver, provided that the cost of switching over is within re ach of all consumers. This is not likely to happen until 2006 at the earliest, giving the stragglers amongst us ple nty of time to save up for an adapter. As for BBC3, it might have a tough time trying to win round a notoriously hard-to-ple ase age group , but if it sticks to its promise s and does produce genuinely original, quality programming rather than e ndless Johnny Vaughan chat shows , it just might p ersuad e our genera tion that digital TV won't be so b a d after all.

E

Centrespread

11

Pictures (left to right): World's greatest crimestop· per, Dangennouse; Jerry Springer & Friends; The Clangers; idiot woman Trisha Goddard; The Wacky Races * None of the people we spoke to had seen BBC3, except for the previews on BBCl and BBC2. *However, most liked what they had seen so ofBBC3 far, but were keen that there should be more original programmes and fewer repeats on digital TV in general. * Everyone agreed that news should play a prominent part in the schedule, and resented controllers declaring that young people aren't interested in current affairs, although most programmes voted for were entertainments based.

11 7pm

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So, What would you like to see on UEA TV?

"I'd watch soaps, because they're entertaining and good for relaxation."

Lynnea Sparandero (EAS, visiting) "News, because it involves everyone. Just because we're young doesn't mean we don't care what goes on. We could have specific news that involves the university. And UEA Grandstand, with Des Lynam."

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"I don't have a 'IV at uni because I'm an exchange student.

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Katie Corneli (EAS, visiting) "I'd like to see more nature programmes because animals are really important and we need to know more about the environment."

Rachel Armour (BIO, 3) "Lots of good films !"

Hayley Money (BIO 3)

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ER Airport

Coronation Street

l!lpm

Brass Eye

2am

Jam

l4am

Who.•• Millionaire?

Tne Adam and Joe Show Seinfeld Monty Python

Sex and the City

Film: Ocean's 11

Film: Grease

Comedy Lab

Footballer's Wives

Late Night Music Yids and Live Performance

Late Night Music Yids and Live Performance

Late Night Music Yids and Live Performance

Late Night Music Yids and Live Performance

The Clangers

Button Moon

Roobarb & Custard

Wacky Races

Bag puss

DangerMouse

Blockbusters

The Weakest Link

DrWho

The Weakest Unk

Blockbusters

Film 2003

The Simpsons

Jerry Springer

The Simpsons

Jerry Springer

The Simpsons

Jerry Springer

Jerry Springer

Trisha

Friends

Ren and Stimpy

Friends

Top of the Pops

Friends

Friends

The Magic Roundabout

The Clangers

Button Moon

Roobarb & Custard

Wacky Races

Bag puss

Dangermouse

News followed

by CLOSE

News followed

by CLOSE

News followed

by CLOSE

News followed

by CLOSE

News followed

by CLOSE

News followed

by CLOSE

News followed

by CLOSE

li2an

lam

UEA Grandstand

Film 2003 Big Brother

l1<¥n

Liquid News

Wife Swap The Young Ones

Graham Norton

Late Night Music Late Night Music Yids and Live Yids and Live Performance Performance

Late Night Music Yids and Live Performance

26.02.03

The Magic RoundabOut Trisha

12 Albums

•

Everclear "Hey, this doesn't sound much like Everclear," I thought when hearing the opening guitar riff. Then it gets going and their familiar rock 'n' roll sound suddenly brings it all back!

Slow Motion Daydream is due for release next month and is set to be , in the words of Alexakis, the trio's singer/ guitarist/ songWTiter/ producer, "the best record, by far, we 've ever done " .

From my perspective, it definitely sounds like a new, mature Everclear has sprung up .

Forme d in Portland in 1992, the band have refused to go aw ay , releasing six albums over the last ten years. Slowly, they h ave become a successfully recognised band around the world.

Their unique sound that works so well for them, combined with this new maturity, will certainly keep both the old-timers and new fans happy.

Slow Motion Daydream , their newest edition, arrives after a break of three years when Songs From An American Movie , volumes I and 2 were released. These albums underlined Everclear' s status in the rock world , even if sales did not reach heights obtained from So Much for the Afterglow, released back in 1997.

The single , Volvo Driving Soccer Mom, has been played on the radio since mid January, and seems to have become one of the album' s signature tunes.

"Two hundred words by Monday on this bland acoustic rubbish."

Never one to question The Event 's editorial wisdom - I am after all merely a lowly contributor - I went in search of the nearest stereo ready to berate Colin Maclntyre and all his kind for having the temerity to unplug their guitars .

Then it occurred to me: why not, in an enormous fea t of insubordination, heap praise upon The Mull Historical Society?

Indeed, there is much here to heap praise upon . Us h as several albums worth of melody in its fourteen tracks , something best showcased by the addictive Live Like The

LEIGH LAWS ON

Automa tics a n d th e resigned lament of Oh Mother, and each of them exudes the wry wit

and charm that h as seen the Mulls make those mid-afternoon festival all slots their own.

Though perhaps not as polished as its predecessor, Loss, Maclntyre's most recent effort is still fine testament to his knack fo r penning a spirited sing-along, and, moreover, just about manages to stay the tasteful side of twee.

It just goes to show that the editor's decision is not necessarily final.

Marc Peach ey

NI GEL HAVERS

ROGER LLOYD PACK

Time has been kind to synth-pop pioneer Gary Numan. The New Waver with a skewed worldview, akin to Davids Bowie and Lynch dropping acid on the set of Bladerunner, was often dismissed as unworthy pop; his oeuvre, though challenging, original and mercurial, is patchy e nough to suggest the legacy was always greater than the result. These days he's respected as an enigmatic, highly influential trailblazer whose sound, a paranoid future-shocked Goth fusion thing, again infects the mainstream - see Trent Reznor's jarring brand of fuzzy industrial metal or Basement Jaxx's Where 's Your Head At? and Sugababes' musical larceny, Are Freaks Like

I,

Toby G eth i n

Hybrid is a curious amalgam beastie deal, a troika of satisfying original tracks - Crazier is a

stormer - surrounded by two of old work completely re-imagined by Numan and several hip producers. A strong opening- Bleed, Tom, Absolution - culminates in a truly mystifying spin on Cars, then proceeds into a b unch of far less successful songs. illtimately, it could all have come from the aggressive trip-hop , Nine Inch Nails-saturated soundtracks of The Matrix or Blade- not a bad thing, but perhaps a sign that an innovator now plays catch-up with his own successors.

Me Electric?

I7etch er Walton

. •

star in stunning, award-winning com edy About two years ago, acoustic tunes became briefly cool. Then The Strokes arrived and folk music was no longer the order of the day. Not ones to consider the opinions of the fickle world of the media, Turin Brakes, the pioneers of NAM (New Acoustic Movement, not a fullscale war against a de fenceless peasantry) return with a new album, Ether Song. Far more heavy on the anthe mic side of things this time around, Turin Brakes seem to b e making a play for the big time. Single Long Distance is a case in point, a master class in singalong songwriting, along with recent follow-up Pain Killer. Rather than tak-

ing the esoteric approach this time, Oily Knights and Gale Paridjanian have pulled out the stops for a rounded opus, a gamble which just about works. Falling Down's light acoustic groove is agreeable, as is Panic Attack. There is a nagging sense throughout, though, that it doesn't quite live up to their debut, The Optimist. The feeling is tha t Ether Song is trying to be all things to all people, something Optimist didn't feel the need to do. As the line to opene r Blue Hour states 'Ether song/For everyone.' Quite.

~~~

foe Minihane

The Ataris For the uninitiated, The Alaris are a Californian m elodic punk band who have been busy amassing a sizeable cult following on these shore s for the past couple of years, thanks to their tendency to make Jimmy Eat World sound like Discharge. Seemingly in a bid to make punk purists ha te them eve n m ore , the ir last action before this album was to jump ship from their indepe ndent stable and sign for Sony.

So Long, Astoria is , to all inte nts and p urposes, the record inte nde d to catapult them into the mainstream. What's more important is that it's actually pretty g ood .

If you hadn't already guesse d , the main strength

Monday 24th February • Sat 1st March Eves 7.30pm, Mats Wed & Sal 2.30prn Tckets: £4- £18 50

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Theatre Street, Norwich NR2 1RL BOX OFFICE: (01803) 83 00 00 WMN theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk !

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IIIIW!itiij§ii 26.02 .03

I

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Alexakis says much of their new album reflects the modern times of Ame r ica. "All of my records deal with American life, because that's what I know," Alexakis says . Emotions are set in full swing throughout the album, from the sad reflection of Science Fiction, the anxiety of New York Times and the sardonic feeling one gleams particularly from Volvo Driving Soccer Mom . The combination results in the album h aving a scattered feeling of modern, turbulent times .

It may seem risky to deal with such pressing issues of today ' s modern times , but it seems as if Alexakis would not care what you think anymore . Maybe he has it right , maybe doe sn't have to worry. The sound produced speaks volumes , and that is what counts.

Their distinctive rock 'n' roll sound, that works so well for them, combined with this new maturity should almost certainly guarantee more success for the band. It is clear what Alexakis thinks of the album, and the bands prospects for the future ; "I know that Everclear is rockin ' better than ever" .

After listening to Slow Motion Daydream, I am inclined to agree .

- -- - - - - -- --- - - -- --- -

of The Ataris is b eing in the right place a t the right time. There has been no compromise of their sound since d e parting for the brig ht lights of a majorlabel, instead the major labels have woke n up to the fact tha t this particular brand of guitar pop, all "De ar Diary" lyrics and clearskie d Ame ricana choruses, is as like ly to appe al to Radio One listeners as it is star-crossed emo kids in need of a soundtrack for their love live s .

Conse que ntly, the y don 't so much re-invent the wheel as fit it with a shiny new hubcap . Solid stuff, nonetheless.

Alistair Lawrence

Cheese & Onion

Ready Salted

BBQ Beef

Vinegar

Salt&

Singles 13

Going Live

Single Choice Sugababes Shape Another single from the Sugababes' second album Angels With Dirty Faces, and, unsurprisingly, still no shout-outs to "shake yo booty," "groove down on it," ... no, not even a "get funky now."

Alas, Sugababes are far too serious for all that, deciding instead to slink ever onward with their po-faced pop, on this track lifting a sample from Sting's Shape Of My Heart to help make spread the message that "Girls, don't let the fellas get you down, those rat bastards."

This Diet Feminism may be wearing a little thin, but Shape is a fine addition to a strong catalogue of singles from the freakily PC multi-cultural girl group; Sting's acoustic guitar lick is timeless, and suited perfectly to the kind of sophisticated handbag hip-hop beat that the Sugababes are pumping into Primary school discos here, there, maybe even everywhere.

As with recent single Stronger, the lyrics balance on a fine line between morose introspection and vague, girl power bullshit, but the saccharine vocals and deft couture production leave a most agreeable aftertaste, and made me feel that maybe they're right, maybe "the clubs are the weapons of war" after all. I know if I get into my thing-thing at the LCR on a Friday night, even the most virtuous of ladies can't help but get pulled into my Evil Axis of Lovin'.

Matt Sarg eson

"Katoi

The Jeevas Once Upon A Time In America

The track Touch You has been on the interne! for almost a year now, but due to Katoi changing labels there has been a long delay in its release. The CD includes five mixes of Touch You but it is a challenge to spot any difference between the first four. Andy Marston's mix is by far the superior, but generally there is nothing outstanding about this trance CD, and the song sounds like it belongs on a Kylie album! Perhaps the best recommendation is that Judge Jules "seems to like it" and my resident trance monster informed me it was "ok".

Amy Hewitt

Crispian Mills' house, yesterday, lunchtime: "Mummy, everyone thinks I'm a Nazi. They don't understand me. I want to do something different now."

"Of course you do. Go form a new band and write this song which sounds like the unholy alliance of Status Quo and The Proclaimers, with some faux-spiritual crap to attempt to reaffirm your long-lost relevance on the music scene, containing some of the most painfully bad and mundanely plodding music ever encountered by humanity."

"OK Mummy."

Ben Patashnik

How time flies . Already another two weeks has flown by and it's time to round up the live action of the last fortnight and examine what's coming up next. Exciting stuff. The only trouble is that there really hasn't been much. The Coral, who were meant to play on Valentine's Day postponed and Bowling for Soup and the Raveonettes are covered elsewhere in this issue, so it seems stupid to bore you with more on them.

So perhaps it's best, for once, to start away from Norwich and far, far away in London at the Hammersmith Apollo on Wednesday the 12th February, where the band who were responsible for last year's incredible ()-one of 2002's best albums, if not the best - played to a sit-down, sell-out crowd. Yes, Sigur Ros were in the country to showcase the songs from their amazing last record (and its predecessors) and prove that, yes, those songs really can be played live, and extremely well at that. To say they were brilliant would b e an understatement. They were much 1::1etter than that , the closing song (one of ( )'s untitled compositions) taking the title of 'best rendition of a song I have ever seen live.'

Which is a pretty good thing, really. When they next play in England, wherever it is, it would be an absolute crime to miss them.

On the same day in Norwich, Ed Harcourt played. He was probably very good, because he is.

OK Go Lapdance The Neptunes surpass themselves with the single Lapdance, a superb blend of hip hop and soft rock. Previously known for collaborations with Britney and Justin making them credible hip hop tracks (quite an achievement) The Neptunes now write for themselves so they can go "deeper" . What they do now is N.E.R.D which stems from their not so happy high school experience. They write material which is original and catchy.

However, Provider is definitely the weaker of the two tracks , not deserving two mix versions.

Amy Hewitt

GetOverlt Kicking in with a drum beat that threatens to turn into 'We Will Rock You' at any given moment, this new single from the Vines' US tour buddies does manage to find an identity of its own. With an air of sheer sleaze and dirty garage punk rock, this single weaves its way under your skin with the infectious melodies and a hook big enough to hang France on.

Extremely positive stuff, with the choppy guitars complimenting the scratchy vocals perfectly, leaving a result that lggy And The Stooges would've been proud of. Solid.

Ben Patashnik

Ladytron

Placebo

Blue Jeans

The Bitter End

The sweet trashed sound of electro-clash prettiness; a dirty sugary tune flowing confidently through your veins like a night out at Trash on mild barbiturates; Blue jeans effectively combines the raw, dark bass of songs like The Stooges' I Wanna Be Your Dog with coo-ing female vocal tones that fall the right side of cute. Put it on your wallanan, turn it up , strut down your street and imagine that you're in a New York bar nodding coyly to electro coolness whilst The Strokes buy you drinks . But before you do that you've got to buy it when it come out on March lOth. Luke Wright

COMPETITON TIME We really are good to you at The Event. Especially this week, as we have not one, but two competitions for you lovely people to win stuff by answering ridiculously easy questions.

For a chance to win a Paul Oakenfold t-shirt, album and single (one lucky runner up will also get copies of the new album and single) , answer the following question: What kind of seeds do oak trees produce?

We also have at-shirt, video and album by The Faint to give away as first , second and third prizes. To enter, simply answer this: What type of DIY product rhymes with faint?

Told you they were easy.

Email answers to su.concrete@uea.ac.uk. And good luck.

Simply put, Placebo's new single is an incredible and frenzied tour de force of a song. Explosive and furious, it starts with a single guitar then steadily builds up into an overwhelming wall of electric and electronic sound. It sits comfortably alongside the best of Placebo's faster songs (Every You Every Me and Special K being obvious examples) and demonstrates that Molko hasn't lost any of his ability to write and sing incredible emotive and incisive songs. If this is anything to go by, it seems that, for Placebo at least, the bitter end is very far away.

Mischa Pearlman

Above: Damien Rice. He's Irish. And a very good musician.

On the following Monday, Damien Rice , Irish singer-songwriter with a huge cult following, played the Arts Centre .

Again, it was a sit down crowd (very unusual for the Arts Centre) and again, he was very good, if slightly self-indulgent at times. What was great, though, were the ways in which he reworked and reinvented his songs, the live renditions often very different and much longer than their recorded counterparts. The only problem with that is that , listening to the album afterwards, it feels like something is lacking. Oh well. You can't have everything.

So what (who) is coming to Norwich soon? Well, for starters Tom McRae is playing the LCR on March 2nd, and if his last album is anything to go by, it should be a concert worth going to . Check out this issue's interview with him for a sneak preview of what to expect. The only other big name in the next fortnight is Turin Brakes, who are at the LCR again on March 10. Could be interesting.

On the local scene, Meltdown Live is on at the Waterfront this Wednesday (the 26th) showcases four Norwich-based bands . Headlined by the Asleep, and featuring All But Last, Rockastella and Sula, it should be a cool night for all involved. Nights like this are extremely important for local scene, and e specially here in Norwich, miles away from anyway and a far cry from the busy indie gigging circuit of London. So check it out - there' ll be DJs and alcohol there too , so you can always get pissed and dance around if you don't want to watch the bands .

And that 's re ally it for this issue . Feel free to write in with your live expe rience s - the more input the merrier. Just email a fe w s e ntence s to su.concrete@ uea.ac .uk . try as we might, we can 't b e everywhere at once, and we 're probably missing out on good thin gs , s o if so, let us know. Over. And out.

26 .02 .03

ii#IM!ifjjยงii

14 Arts

Books Rerevie"'ed:

unmade film script, commissioned in 1972 by film director Joseph Losey. The decision to adapt the script to theatre came from Di Trevis, director of The National Theatre's then current production and an ardent follower of Proust, she wrote her own stage version, had it performed for Pinter, and the two of them began working jointly on shaping the current version, completing it ready for performance in November 200 I .

Y ou can catch UEA's production in The Drama Studio; Wednesday 5th march through to Saturday 8th march at 19:30 (finishing 22:00), tickets priced £5.00 and £3 .50 concessions.

Michael Mo orcock, now one of Britain's bestloved and cele b rated contemporary, mainstream novelists, was once a prolific writer of sci-fi and fantasy in comics, sh ort stories and novels , with works such as Th e Con dition of M uzak and Behold the Man and The Land Leviathan to his name. M ultiverse, the n, is an important happening for the writer as it m arks a return to writin g comics afte r an absence of several decades.

Working with a range of fantastic artists , Moorcock gives us three stories woven into one narrative. This collected edition thankfully reformats them into a linear story which was far more complicated in the original serialisation. For those keeping track, there is an Elric tale for fans of his fantasy work, a tale of Time and Chaos for those intereste d in the sci-fi , and a detective pastiche set in the midst of the Second World War for those intere ste d in his modern, more political writing. My personal favourite was the pastiche, whe re Moorcock makes plenty of jokes at the expence of Sherlock Holme s and British intelligence's ignorance of what 's a ctually h appening to the Jews in Germany, communicated cynically through the m ain ch aracter's antise mitisrn.

The story is also referential to the Eterna l Champion novels (all the characters are incarnations) so anyone who's obsessively reading them may want to pick this up to fill the holes in that p articularly complicated series. The graphic novel also features a guest appearance by one of Moorcock's best-loved characters, which I won't spoil, but it was a nice surprise for someone who first got into Moorcock with that particular series of books.

This is highly representative, in quality and story content, of Moorcock's varied output since the seventies. It is a mixed bag, so there's either something here for everyone, or some thing to drive everyone away. However, a fan of Moorcock should have this in their collection and casual readers should be able to pick up the story easily . It's a great introduction to his w ork too, and a pleasurably compelling read.

Lui sa Peart

Ry an Steph en s

Remembrance of Things Pas t: Charlotte C hild as O dette

Theatre Previe"': For their assessed production this Spring the UEA Drama Progranune is performing Harold Pinter and Di Trevis 's stage version of Remembrance of Th ings Past, the seven volume classic modernist and autobiographical novel

by Marcel Proust, published in 1922 and now recognised as one of the twentieth century's major literary works .

The novel is a collection of Proust's childhood memories and observations of high-class lifestyle in Parisian society before and during the First World War which expose the world of transgressive desire, class politics and dark obsessions during la Belle Epoque (the good old times) . However, the play is not all doom and gloom, the predominant theme concerns the healing and redemptive power of memory

Remembrance of Things Past

and the mysterious force which allows us to conquer loss , or as Proust declares , "to regain lost time"; perhaps one of the reasons the play is as brilliant as the novel is Pinter's own preoccupation with time and memory.

The novel is presented to us in a stream of consciousness style to relay the fluidity of memory and the disjointed and departed sensation experienced by Proust during his childhood; such an effect has not been allowed to lose itself in the stage version due to the use of an episodic and fragmented narrative, and snapshot images and disjunctions, which allow the stage to transform into a mindscape where the fluidity of memory itself is evoked.

The script used is based upon Harold Pinter's

Theatre RevieYI:

The Shorts

Minotaur, The Drama Studio The Shorts - a series of plays written, performed and directed by Minotaur, presented a rare opportunity to see new writing at its most energetic and experimental.

The Class by Irnogen North sketched a village adult drama group, playing upon stereotypes and the inherent farcical humour involved in 'get to know you games'. It was an interesting mixture between The Vicar of Dibley and Liza Minneli stepping out that proved to be surprisingly successful, with hysterical moments involving primary school sized plastic chairs. It was extremely well directed by Harriet Plewis and not one member of the cast let down the quality of the comedy.

Corridors was a poignant monologue written and performed by Danny Liprnan and directed

by Sholto Morgan. It began as most monologues do, leading the audience towards empathy, which for me signals inunediate boredom. However, it took an unforeseen violent turn, snatching back audience attention as it emerged that he was not just another heartbreak victim but in fact serving a life sentence having murdered his wife in a crime of passion. It was well placed, being in stark contrast to the previous piece and provided moments of laughter along side the emotional sincerity.

Wonderful doesn't quite describe Cinderella

Theatre Revie"':

Much Ado •••

UEA Drama Society, Drama Studio Dreaming, performed by Sarah Bailey and writ-

ten by Torn Wilton. It dealt with the depressing theme of reaching middle age only to discover that you have made the wrong choices, in a hysterical way. It carefully manipulated audience mood, never quite allowing it to sink and provided cathartic laughte r, rendering it all the more touching.

What The Project lacked in script originality was made up for by the direction and performances. Dominic Yeats tackled the difficult task of playing a schizophrenic and made it somehow beautiful. It could easily have been longer and raised debate over NHS treatment of the mentally ill and how this relates to social awareness and attitudes. It was a play that managed to provoke and disturb the audience with morbid fascination.

The audience loved Tainted Love, written, performed and directed by Paul Morley, Lucinda Choat and William Hollinshead. It was hysterical, strange and slightly too long, borrowing strongly from the versatility and energy of all three actors.

It was a refreshing experimental eve ning that I would definitely attend again and unless you suffer from a deficient se nse of humour you should join me.

Hannah Walker

This production saw Shakespeare's Ado shifted from court life in Sicily to an English country estate around the end of WW I. By and large the transposition worked pretty well; the satirical figures of the Renaissance court an environment in which witticisms were valued highly, scant regard is shown for true feeling and well cultivated masks take the place of re ality - m appe d w ell e nough onto their post-Victorian versions. There were problems however. For example, the early line - "victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers" - carried ra ther more irony than it should in light of the mud of Flanders. Although artistic licence should certainly be granted, it is perhaps best that the audience is not asked to disregard the history entirely.

But this is p e rhaps quibbling rather too much with what was a very good production. As we all know, the sub-plot's war of wits, words and professed mutual detestation between Benedick and Beatrice is what the play is, justly, most famous for; Ned Glasier and Helen Butcher did not disappoint. The majority of their lines were delivered deftly, and both enriched the characters with their own comic quirks - the te mptation can be to follow rather too much in the footsteps of Brannagh and

Thornpson, but they avoided this well. At times the volleys of words were launched a little too quickly, and some of the sense was lost; but when relaxed both these promising actors shone.

Bad productions of the play can fowl-up the more moody second-half, but Jererny Page who , despite the odd line-slip here and there, was a fine Leonato , performed the angry fireworks of the wedding scene superbly. Ryan Troupe was good as a Don John the Bastard seething with bitterness - he possesses a marked stage presence, but possibly as a result of being bigger than everybody else!

Duncan Gates as the bumbling Dog berry provided first-rate light-relief (he certainly is not an ass) and Joe Trewellard had a shot at giving C!audio a modern feel here and there , and just avoided being too anachronistic. At times he was a little too redolent of Gary from The Office, but this worked within the satirically shallow, naive nature of a stock character that can be difficult to make interesting.

Adam Gaine as Don Pedro was also excellent and, by and large, the supporting roles did a great job . Others deserve a mention, but it suffices to say that it was a good mid-winter night's entertainment.

Nathan Dixon

Film 15

Solaris Director: Starring:

Steven Soderbergh George Clooney

" As we study Solaris, the most interesting thing is it seems to be reacting. Like it knows it's being observed." This is said by one the characters half way through the film and the comment holds true for the movie. Based on Polish author Stainslaw Lem's 1961 novel, Solaris is very strange indeed, especially when you find out it was directed by Steven Soderbergh, and produced by James Cameron. You might be wondering what these two are doing adapting an obscure Russian art-house sci-fi movie starring George Clooney and to tell the truth I'm not really sure.

George Clooney plays Chris Kelvin, a melancholy psychiatrist, who after receiving a mysterious and puzzling message from his friend Gibarian (Ulrich Tukur) travels to the space station Prometheus, which has cut of all communication with Earth and orbits the mysterious planet Solaris. Once he arrives he finds Gibarain dead and only two of the crew left, the paranoid Dr Gordon (Viola Davis) and Snow who's perpetually vague and permanently twitchy. Kelvin's situation goes from bad to worse when he wakes up and finds he has a visitor, his wife Rheya (Natascha McElhone), who's been dead several years is sitting at the end of his bed.

The performances by Clooney and McElhone are very well played, especially from Clooney who shows yet again that he can play parts which require depth. Rheya is played very well by McElhone who seems to have really got to grips with the idea of a woman who remembers herself

differently to who she really is. The other characters really aren't too prevalent; Solaris belongs to Kelvin and his relationship with Rheya. Their story is the movie and provides the narrative structure through dreams and flashbacks that resonate with Kelvin current situation with the visitor Rheya. This is how we find out about how their relationship developed and fell apart.

Director, writer, editor as well as cinematographer Soderbergh delivers in general his greatest work of art to date- all aspects are astounding.

Unfortunately art does not make a movie that appeals to the masses. Stories about psychological ghosts , failed romance, the metaphysical nature of memory do not appeal to everyone . Solaris, much like Kubrick's 2001 , is a visual feast and the story will engage those who have a taste for 'high' sci-fibut those expecting Independence Day will be disappointed. But even for a fan of such cinema, some bits simply don't work . This is clear near the end of the film as they try to escape. There seems to be attempts to add aspects of a thriller into the movie which really feel out of place .

You'll either love it or you'll hate it, as Gibarain says at one point "There are no answers, only choices. "

Paul Wade

Analyze That

Adaptation

Director: Harold Ramis Starring: Robert de Niro

Director: Spike Jonze Starring: Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep

Analyze That resumes the

Char lie Kaufman is fat , repulsive , and feels a strange compulsion to remind Adaptation's audience of this about every other time he speaks. He also happens to be the film's screenwriter.

In what could be considered a rather self-indulgent turn of the pen, Kaufman chose to write a movie about adapting the non-fiction The Orchid Thief, instead of just adapting the book. It's easy to understand this choice: as Charlie points out in the film, how can you make an interesting movie about flowers? More importantly, though , is the process of adaptation dealt with in the book and in screenwriting-a process undergone by plants, novels , and humans alike.

Though only parts of the book get into the screenplay, and the film ends up in a bizarre collision of worlds , Kaufman and director Spike Jonze preserve Orlean's insights into human nature and create a film that is fresh , funny , and strangely inspiring.

The process of Adaptation is split between the agonie s of Kaufman (Nicolas Cage) at work, the writing proce ss of Orlean (Meryl Streep), and the adventures of the actual orchid thief, John Laroche (Chris Cooper). (The book is real, as is Orlean; she is a professional journalist who originally wrote about Laroche in an article for The New Yorker.)

The fictionalized Charlie Kaufman lives in LA with his unemployed, ridiculously self-confident identical twin, Donald (also Cage) . On a whim, Donald decides to become a screenwriter too , and produces a ridiculously bad script that uses every cliche in the book. But through sheer dumb luck and confidence, Donald is able to sell his finished script and win the affections of a make up artist (Maggie Gyllenhaal) . This of course deepens Charlie's already strong inferiority complex, as The Orchid Thief project has thrown him for a loop. In the end, Donald comes up with the master plan to find the truth behind the book-a truth that proves as bizarre as any screenplay.

Cage is brilliant as the twins, developing a distinct physicality and characterization for each of them. Although Charlie's self-indulgent whining gets a irritating at times, Cage's performance is quality realist acting.

It's interesting and revealing to consider Donald and Charlie as two struggling sides of a person, but more human truths to lie in the combination of the fictionalized Orlean and Laroche. The sordid twist at the end of the film

story of 1999's hilarious Analyse This , in which insecure mobster Paul Vitti (De Niro) decided to seek professional help from psychiatrist Ben Sobel (Crystal. ) The sequel picks up a few years after its predecessor left off, with Vitti released on parole and, predictably, into Sobel's care. Sobel is given thirty days to get Vitti sane, sober and profitably employed.

The film then concentrates on Vitti's life outside of crime .

Employed as a car salesman, jewellery shop worker , waiter and , finally, a consultant on the set of a television show. Sobel attempts to discourage Vitti from returning to organised crime whilst also trying to keep his own family together . Another complication is Sobel's wife, Laura (Lisa Kudrow,) who is understandably hostile to the idea of her husband allowing a mafia boss into their home .

While De Niro and Crystal provide very funny moments throughout the film, with plenty of amusing facial expressions and on screen spontaneity, many of the old jokes from Analyze This reoccur and the funniest moments would be more suited to comedy sketches than to scenes in a film. The story lacks originality and, as the film progresses, it becomes clear that the makers had

used up all their good ideas the first time around. In this sequel the vast majority of the laugh-out-loud moments come from easy humour and one-liners .

With the thin story plot, it's down to the actors to hold the film together . Something which De Niro and Crystal achieve by providing good performances (discounting De Niro's attempts at crying).

Joe Viterelli returns as Jelly, Vitti 's driver , and succeeds in maintaining his dopey a ttitude from Analyze This while Lisa Kudrow 's part (whose style continuously brings Pheobe to mind) is restricted to a few lines . Overall, the story is poor (an inmate released into a psychiatrist's house - not likely! ) and the comedy value deteriorates as the film progresses beyond the halfway point. Despite these criticisms , the film provides some hysterical scenes and is likely to entertain those viewers who do not see a film purely for its artistic merit. Let's however hope that director Harold Ramis is satisfied that his extended analysis of mobster Vitti is now complete .

Paul Vincent

completely deviates from of Orlean's book, but many of her insights are real. Cooper and Streep deftly create the understanding that develops between Laroche, a toothless hillbilly type, and Orlean, a refined and reserved writer.

Orlean is moved by his ability to love things passionately, and in a memorable fantasy sequence duly advises Kaufman to pick one important thing from her book and "whittle it down." It makes writing and life easier.

Adaptation is quirky and especially at the end it cannot be taken at face value. There 's irony, wit, humor, and gifted actors revelling in the absurdity of the human condition. It's a combination as volatile as Laroche's beloved F1orida swamps.

Jocelyn Heath

2 6. 02.03

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16. DVD/Video

Insomnia

Director: Sta rring:

Christopher Nolan AI Pacino, Robin Williams

Rele ased last year to a frenzy of no fanfares and little attention from anybody , Insomnia marks the follow-up of director Christophe r Nolan to his phenomenal head-scratcher, Memento which proves that old a d a g e of Hollywood: your sec ond m ovie will always be greater than your first but nobo dy will g o and see it. In this re m ake of a 1997 Norwegian film of the same name , LA cop Al Pacino is dispatched to Alaska to find the killer of a young girl. His search is hampered, though, not only by suspicious local author Robin Williams, b ut also th e twenty-four hour dayli ght of summer tim e Alaska. Which deprives him of sleep and slowly b egins to drive him insane.

Upon its relea se last year, Insomnia's excelle nce, if noticed at all, was mostly attributed to Williams ' perform ance. He is g ood here, b ut in truth he pales to the m a ste rful work of Pacino .

Pacino, along with Robert De Niro , p r actically invented the modern movie cop and , it has to be said, has gotten a little lazy having played the role multiple times for the p a st three decades. So to see him play a cop trying to go through the motions of hunting a killer, but being tortured by his own conscience and, seemingly, by a natural world which refuses to let him sleep is like watching an analysis of most of Pacino's work. This is a performance Pacino , quite literally, can't slee pwalk through and the result is a mesmerising display of unease and madness. Proving tha t being pushed as an actor in a film possessing a wonderful script are what brings out the best in him.

And Insomnia's script is indee d wonde rful .

Offering a taught, tense mystery balanced with psychological mena ce. Usually the business of remakes is a cynical one, but Insomnia is actually a better interpre ta tion of this script than the original film. Not only due to th e prese nce of an on-form Pacino, but also b ecause of the exce llent cin ematography. From the opening sequences of glaciers extending as far as the e y e can s ee, the film takes advantag e of all th e cinematic opportunities the lush Alaskan landscap e can p rovide. Heck, even the big action sequence is a chase across floating pine trees.

But the lands cap e h as its part to play in increasing the torture placed upon Pacin o. The unending b rightness b ecomes a fe ar rather than a pleasure, whilst mist and the aforementione d pine tre es b ecome dangerous places where ch aracte rs' lives are placed in jeopardy.

It's incredibly rare for cinematography and location to play such a crucial role in a film.

Even the lush New Zealand landscapes in The Lord of the Rings served little purpose except to look pretty and be trampled over by hobbits.

Insomnia is a mesmerising film , written by geniuses and directed by a master craftsman.

It was far and away the best film produced in Hollywood last year and should be your first stop on your next visit to the video store. Else I will have Al Pacino come to your house in the middle of the night and shine a flashlight in your eyes until you do. You have been warned.

Talk to Her Director: Pedro Almodovar Starring: Javier Camara, Dario GrandineHi Set in Spain and spoken in Spanish Talk to Her is a de e ply personal film about two men losing women in their lives . From the very start of Talk to Her the viewer is made acutely aware that this is a film about the sensitivity of men. A hutch journalist called Marco cries a t the ballet because he can't e xperien ce its artistic beauty with his exgirlfriend. The other male character is what is g e ne rally p e rceived as homosexual, a carin g and g e ntle nurse called Benigno .

The story revolves around the two very different m e n b e ing brought together by fate and tragedy. Both of their women for very different reas ons are in comas. Even though Marcos's woman is in a com a he still has to learn to talk to her like the sensitive Benigno.

The story is typically Almodovar, it starts off very unas suming but as the film unrave ls it s uddenly b e comes enchanting. For example we soon learn that Benigno was obsessed with the coma victim when she was 'alive' , e ven going so far as following her home . His obsessively meticulous care towards her suddenly becomes clear, in her comatose state he regards her as his girlfriend. Almodovar subverts the perception of gender and effectively takes th e masculinity away from the men and gives it to the female characters. Throughout th e course of the film this is done the form of crude , purposefully stereotypical male-like conversation between the nurses during their lunch-hour. Marco 's girlfriend is a hutch female bullfighter, something that is seen as a typically masculine profession in Spain.

The performances of the two male leads 路 are perfectly judged. Javier Camara is quietly effective in his portrayal of Benigno whom obsessively looks after the beautiful female coma victim. His performance is marked by the fact that even though he eventually commits a hideous act we cannot help but feel sympathy for his heartbreaking situation. The pace of the film is graceful and controlled. There is a real resonance of loneliness running throughout its heart. Marco , when asked about his martial situation, refers to himself as alone and not as single . Similarly , we discove r that Benigno lived alone with his mother for most of his life and has n ever h ad sex.

However, e ven though m o st of the film resonates with loneliness it is not without humour or hope . Alrnodovar almost perfectly mixe s the shade s of come dy and tragedy. We find ourselves laughing one moment and swept with sadness in another. Indeed, typically of Alrnodovar he manipulates the viewer to the point of despair before concluding with a bright ray of promise for the future without being sugary or overblown.

It's not hard to see why Talk to Her made so many critics films of the year lists.

Although not as good as his O scar winning All About my Mother Alrnodovar confidently enhances his position as one of Europe's premier directors with this graceful and thought provoking film.

] im Parker

The Classic DVD

The Seven Samurai Director: Akira Kurosawa Starring: Takashi Shimura, Yoshio lnaba Over the period o f a long a nd e steemed career legendary Japanese dir ector Akira Kuros awa m a d e m a ny fin e an d influe ntial films . The multipl e p e rsp ec tive of a n event in Rashomon - adapted from a boo k by the same name - for e xample being a massive influence on the structure of co nt e mporary films such a s Am o rr e s Pe rr o s. Kurosawa was a master of combining visual beauty and character depth . Most of h is fi ne st films displ a y thes e c har ac te ri s ti c s a n d Se ven Samurai is no excep ti on.

The story is a simple one. Village rs in what appears to b e a lawle ss Jap a n a r e b e ing a ttacked by raid e r s w ho s teal the ir c orn , so they have no choice but to hir e Sa murai to protect them . Comp lex diffe r e nc e s between the villagers a nd th e Sa mur ai ar e played upon. They both lo a the e a ch o ther but cannot survive wi tho ut a compromised unity.

Ma ny c ritics broad ly call Th e Seve n Samur a i an action film , but thi s is to o g e nera l a

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statemen t. The action is an in tegra l par t o f the s tory, but mos t of it happe n s at the end of the film when we importantly have g row n to admir e th e characters. The characte r isa tion is one of the strongest and most effective elements of the film; the Samurai embrace many different types of character from the pragmatic to the fierce and wild.

The film balances the elements of comedy, drama and revenge perfectly . It is Shakespeare like in its construction. Indeed Kurosawa adapted King Lear for his 1985 masterpiece Ran .

The visuals throughout are beautiful. In particular the final battle in the rain and mud is perfect cinema . The film overall is stunning in its construction and is always included in many best e v er film lists . It's easy to see why - this is a perfectly paced classic with w onderful c har a cters and a compelling story .

Ironically, Kurosawa was massively influenced by American film and Seven S'l.murai w a s r e m a d e by Hollywood as The Magnificent Seven , a now -c lass ic matinee Western starring Steve Mc Queen a nd Charles Bronson. A great film in its ow n right , but as testament to its enduring ex c e lle nc e Seven Samurai is far better .

]im Parker

TV 17

Esse tial TV: lt reinvigorated ITV drama and spawned a host of imitators. Sarah Edwardes says goodbye to the ubiq路 uitous thirtysomethings of Cold Feet.

Alongside unorthodox policemen and Jade from Big Brother, relationship obsessed thirty-sornethings are proportionally overrepresented on television- there simply can't be that many of them in the real world In the eyes of the comedy-drama, the whole of Britain is a Swedish furniture store on a Sunday afternoon: full of co-habiting couples with jobs in advertising or "the media" and hopes for 2.4 children and a nice semi-detached in Henley, intent on furnishing their lifestyles with the kind of appropriately tasteful furniture that usually sounds like a type of cheese. Those of us outside these (admittedly rather restrictive) dernographics will have to look elsewhere to find ourselves represented on television. Too many cooks spoil the broth, and too many thirty-something comedy-dramas spoil the schedules.

Blame, if you will, Cold Feet, the riV show which opened the dramatic fioodgates for the writers of such dramas, but don't dismiss the programme out of hand After all, this is the vehicle that brought the scarily eyebrowed Jarnes Nesbitt to an unsuspecting public, revealed The Fast Show's John 'l'hornson to be a capable and loveable - dramatic actor, and proved that not all middleclass public sector workers live in London. Set in the suburbs of Manchester, Cold Feet was arguably the first of a new breed of TV drama, light enough for each episode to be watched as a stand-alone pr~. but with sufficient emotional depth to keep fans coming back for more; unashamedly populist, but clever enough to satisfy the critics.

Taking his cues from the cinematic production values and group dynamics that make American shows so distinctive, writer Mike Bullen sought to bring a transatlantic fiavour to British drama. His venture paid off. The pilot episode of Cold Feet won a Golden Rose award at the Montreu.z: festival, and was immediately commissioned by riV. Now into its fifth outing, Bullen has decided

Cold Feet

that the series has run its course, so the next four 90rninute episodes of Cold Feet will be the last. It's a brave move considering that the show has been one of ITV's highest rated series in recent years, with millions of viewers devoted to its likeable characters and gently undulating storylines.

Warrn-hearted external demeanour aside, since viewers first met the six Cold Feet friends in 1998 they have got married, had affairs, . divorced, fought alcoholism and cancer, and路 spent lessthan-relaxing holidays in Ireland and Australia. Such turbulence and emotional heartache would be more than enough for most people, but life shows no signs of letNo more Cold Feet, the cast grow up and buy slippers ting them off gently for the final series. Rumours that one of the characters will die before the four matters get worse when a face from the past turns up to make episodes are out remain unfounded, but with a number of altertheir strained companionship even more complicated native endings filmed, the chances are there will be a few surPerhaps the life of the thirty-something TV protagonist isn't quite prises in store for the Mancunian sextet before they say their last as simple as deciding which cutlery goes best with the fauxgoodbyes. antique dining table. As Cold Feet draws to a close, viewers can We catch up with the group as they return to England from at least wish on the six friends something that most dramatic Australia. For Pete and Jo Oohn Thornson and Fay Ripley), the chara.cters are not destined for: a happy ending. Whether that honeymoon is over, and they now have to come to terms with the happens or not, however, is entirely down to Bullen, and unsurrealities of married life together. Also adjusting to change are prisingly he's not giving anything away. There may well be too Rachel and Adarn (Helen Baxendale and Jarnes Nesbitt), whose many dramas about fraught thirty-something relationships on newborn child is putting extra strains on their relationship, as television, but as the first and arguably the best, this one will sleepless nights and anxiety take their toll. Karen (Herrnione undoubtedly be missed And if that sounds too depressing, Norris), meanwhile, has her own. problems facing life after the never mind. there are always plenty of twenty-something comeaffair which led to her divqrce from David (Robert Bathurst), and dy-dramas to fill the gap in the schedules. ITV, Sundays, 9pm.

Essential Soaps

Films On TV 01 Bang! Nicholas Cage and Sean Connery break into Alcatraz. Crash! Ed Harris tried to stop them from disarming his germ filled warheads because he really, really wants to kill the population of Los Angeles.

Wallop! Prepare yourselves for two hours of bone shattering violence presented with a Scottish accent.

Channel 5, Wednesday February 26th, 9.00pm

02 Legs crossed, legs uncrossed Legs crossed, legs uncrossed Legs crossed... Hrnrn? Oh, sorry. I was miles away. Sharon Stone's career defining moment as a kilt-wearing, ice-pick wielding maniac. Oh, and Michael Douglas is in there somewhere. That's about it, really. Now, where was I? Oh yes. Legs crossed.. ..

Channel 5, Thursday February 27th, lO.OOpm "But Barry ls so minging, I mean would shag him, Pat. No I thought not."

Tragedy strikes the Square this week when the most intelligent member of the Jackson household falls victim to the wheels of a car. Yes, Wellard the dog is about to take a tumble which will send Robbie to his kennel side to take vigil. This all comes at the worst possible time, as the gormless one is due to fiy out to India with his beloved Nita Why Nita's family should want an Eastend street sweeper with the cultural sophistication of a takeaway curry descending upon their home is another matter, of course.

Nethertheless there's some tense waiting as the clock ticks down and Robbie must decide between his best friend and true love ...

With Robbie and Mark out of the way the Square's testosterone factor has taken a severe nose dive in recent weeks. So \hanldully there's the prospect of a bust up between the nation's favourite wet blankets, Ricky and Barry, to liven things up.

Meanwhile, 'cheeky cockney conrnan' Alfie gets into a scrape involving four beautiful barmaids. With hilarious consequences, no doubt.

In Erinsborough we're finding out about the true nature of friendship as Harold offers to seal the rift between himself and Lou through the medium of a kidney transplant. Which I guess is

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03

what constitutes love between two middle aged Australians. The true master oflove on Rarnsey Street, the dastardly Darcy, also has designs, but for him it's old fiarne Dee. Yes, apparently the attentions of geriatric hotelier Chloe really weren't enough for the world's randiest doctor and, having obviously forgotten the whole pregnancy and miscarriage thing she went through at this hands, Darcy is convinced she'll dump Toadie for him. The cad And then there's the truly tiresome phenomenon which is the Hollyoaks serial killer. A crirninal so evil and hell bent on destruction that he disappears for whole weeks at a time, leaving Chester's not-so intelligent masses to start pointing fingers at each other. If he ever gets around to killing any of them, it'd be a miracle. But, then, with the two main investigators, Ben and Abby's dad and the hilariously named 'Dale', paying far more attention to each other than to the case I can see why he wouldn't be bothered. Oh, and Helen gets 'a sexy new image' apparently.

I think sleeping with Tony may go some way to undermining that, though.

PhilColvin

John Travolta plays an Archangel who drinks, smokes, possesses a colourful vocabulary and takes advantage of women. The Vatican would have been up m arms about the whole thing: had the film not been a load of old rubbish. But don't take my word for it, judge for yourself Channel4, Saturday March 1st, 7.0Spm

04 Torn Hanks, the world's nicest man, returns to the small screen as the world's nicest death row jailer.

Who supervises the execution of murderers and rapists but feels awfully bad about it. Aww .. . Oh, and it's based on a Stephen King novel So have a cushion to hide behind for those scary bits.

Channel4, Sunday Much 2Dd, lO.OOpm I - -

18

TV Highlights

Miss This:

Manchild

Text: Sarah Edward es

Celebrity Driving School Speaking from the persp ective of som eone who has failed their driving test more times th an they care to write d own on paper (OK, twice: I gave up after the B&Q car park in cident in a shamefully big s trop) , I am looking forward to the prospe ct of seeing minor cele briti e s struggle with hill-s tart s and thre e- ( or four, or five ) - point turn s with glee. Showing a s part of the BBC's Comic Re lief se ries, the inept p up ils are billed as having a s much a ffinity for the ro a d as the proverbial snowman in the d esert. Vic tims in the name of charity include G areth Gat e s and Lily Savage.

erren Bro m ontrol Friday, Channel 4, 10.35pm New series of the show in which a sl ig h tly creepy man (Derren Brow n ) pre tends he knows what members of the public are thinking . Is he a r ea l-life psy chic , or just a man in possession of a highly developed understanding of body language and the subconscious s ignals involv ed in everyday communic a tio n? To r e v e al that many of Brown ' s feats are based on psy chological approaches suc h as ' cold reading' (a suggestive te chnique often used by salespeople), whic h a ll ow him to anticipate a person ' s trail of thought by their subliminal movements , is not to undermine the magic of wha t he is able to do .

The male midlife crisis is a wi d ely accepted phenomenon. There comes a point in every middle-aged, suburba nite m a n 's life w h ere he feels the need to trade in his Valva fo r a motorbike and his p artner for a younger model. At le as t this is the image o f fortysome thing males portrayed in Manch ild.

Although it's mad e it onto o ur s creen s for a seco n d seri e s, the formula for this comedy drama h as never b e e n right. A cross b e twee n Sex in the City and Footballers Wives ', far from h aving y ou rolling on the floor laugh ing, h a lf a n h our o f this and you will be cringing in y our chair. The feeling you're left with is very sim ilar to when , a s a child, your father walks into the living r o om in a pair of sungla sses h e bought fr om the chemist and cheerfully informs you that there is n o need to worry as he is "down with the kids ." Last series saw James (Anthony Head) opt for penis enla rgem e nt a ft e r failing to satisfy in the bedroom, Patrick (Don Warrington) sign up with a d a ting agency and Gary (Ray Burdis) d evelop a

rather sickening and somewhat disturbing infatuation with a lap dancer. If this wasn't enough, Terry (Nigel Havers) had h1s model g1rlfriend stolen by his son.

It w ould seem th a t the new ser ies is going to continue in exa ctly the s ame vein. In the first epis ode Gary fi nds himself in that horrendous quan dary o f what to buy his wife for her birthd a y . Pa trick soon c omes to the re scue with the sugge stion tha t a n o str ings a tt ach ed on e night stand with a m a le stud is the a nswer. Of course, hil arity prevails ! If e v e n this is not enough to put you off, the n l a ter in the series we g e t to s e e Ja m es a tt emp t a n affair with his interior designer and Terry strut his stuff in tho s e v e ry same gla sses mentioned ab ove.

This is trashy comedy d r a m a a t its w o rst.

Even if you have r e signe d y ourse lf to a Tuesday night in front of the television and te rre stria l is your only option, the r e ha s to be something better o n o ffe r than thi s .

Dominic Chessam

Thursday, ITV, 10.30pm One thing to be said for ITV is their programmes do exactly what they say on the label.

Face lift Diaries involves video accounts of plastic surgery; Shake RatUe and Goal is a history of football set to a rock 'n' roll soundtrack. Sleeping Wi th Celebrities, then, probably

needs no explanation, but for the sake of clarity it 's a warts-and-all opportunity for people who have already sold their 'racy' stories to the tabloids to relive it all in full Technicolor glory on TV. Believe me , it was a close-run contest between recommending this and Channel4 's Hairy Wom en (Wednesday, 10.30pm, if you must know) .

Already midway through the second series, this exquisite programme still isn't pulling in the viewers , which is a shame because Rob Brydon and Hugo Blick's comic monologues are among some of the best observed half-hours on television since Alan Bennett's Talking Heads . Chauffe ur Keith Barrat has been replaced in his wife Marion's affections

by Geoff, leaving him with reams of divorce papers and a solitary room in a student house. The single-camera filming captures Keith 's melancholy, car-bound life in painful detail, as his genial delivery and perpetual optimism drip-feed the audience a tale rid dled with pathos and dry humour.

Manchild: Ugly , middle aged m.en don ' t m.ake good TV

a track >> Teaching Encouraging children to discover abilities they never thought they had can be a real inspiration - for you and them. it's a feeling that Fast Track teachers experience all the time, both inside and outside the classroom .

Fast Track is a unique programme - the first of its kind in the world - designed to train and develop ambitious. talented people to become leaders in primary, secondary and special schools across England. Join and you'll enjoy a year's training at one of the country's top teacher training providers. You'll also receive the development and career opportunities you'll need to make rapid progress. With unrivalled professional and financial support, you'll emerge with the skills to make a real difference in education.

Whether you're a student in your final year or a recent graduate. you'll need a strong academic record including a 2:1 degree. Add to that leadership potential and the character. ambition and drive to become a real inspiration in education and you could enjoy a truly rewarding career. You'll get a £5.000 Fast Track bursary on top of the £6,000 traitling bursary (subject to at1sfying certain eligibility criter'1a) . Once in the cla sroom you 'fi al o n ce1ve an enhanced sa lary and have additional responsibilities such as buuding bus:irJess and corT)muoity ink$ ·~

The deadline- for applications for the Fast Track Teacbing programme at UEA will be closi!Jg soon For other provider deadlines, please visit www.fasttrackteachtng.gov.uk

www.fasttrackteaching.gov.uk

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Listings 19·

Ross Noble: Comedian without fear

Film Campus All films start at 8.30 pm and are shown in Lecture Theatre One unless otherwise stated. Tickets £2.75

XXX Thu 27/02 Changing Lanes Fri 28/02 Rabbit Proof Fence Tue 04/03 Kissing Jessica Stein Wed 05/03

Film Gangs Of New York Mon 16:30 20:00 Wed- Sun 16:30 20:00 Ghost Ship Fri - Sat 23:50 Sat 23:50

Ice Age Sat - Sun 11:00

One Hour Photo Fri 07103

Punch-Drunk Love Mon- Sun 14:00 16:30 18:45 21:00

Amelie

The Hours Mon- Thu 12:15 15:00 17:30 20:00 Fri 15:00 17:30 20:00 Sat-Sun 12:1515:0017:3020:00

SMile Fri 19:00 21:30 Sat 19:00 Sun 19:00 21:30 Mon21:30 Tue 19:00 21:30 Wed21:30 Thu 19:00 llbout Schm.idt Mon- Sun 20:45 Catch Me If You Can Mon-Thu 12:0015:0018:0021:00 Fri 15:00 18:00 21:00 Sat -Sun 12:00 15:00 18:00 21:00 Chicago Mon- Thu 12:45 15:15 18:00 20:30 Fri 15:15 18:00 20:30 23:20 Sat 12:45 15:15 18:00 20:30 23:20 Sun 12:45 15:15 18:00 20:30 Daredevil Mon- Thu 11 :00 13:00 13:45 15:45 16:30 18:30 19:00 21:00 21:30 Fri 13:00 13:45 15:45 16:30 18:30 19:00 21:00 21:30 23:30 Sat 11:00 13:00 13:45 15:45 16:30 18:30 19:00 21:00 21:30 23:30 Sun 11:00 13:00 13:45 15:45 16:30 18:30 19:00 21 :00 21:30 Donnie Darko Tue 16:30 19:00 21:30 Final Destination ll Mon- Thu 11 :40 14:15 16:45 19:15 21 :15 21 :45 Fri 14:15 16:45 19:15 21 :15 21:45 23:30 Sat 11:40 14:15 16:45 19:15 21 :15 21 :45 23:30 Sun 11 :40 14:15 16:45 19:15 21 :15 21 :45

Gigs

The Ring Thu 21:30 Sat 21:30 23:45 The Wild Thomberrys Mon- Thu 10:45 12:45 14:45 16:45 18:45 Fri 14:45 16:45 18:45 Sat- Sunl0:45 12:45 14:45 16:45 18:45 Treasure Planet Mon-Thu 11:30 14:0016:3018:45 Fri 14:00 16:30 18:45 Sat- Sun 11:30 14:00 16:30 18:45 Two Weeks Notice Mon -Thu 13:15 15:45 18:15 20:45 Fri- Sat 13:15 15:45 18:15 20:45 23:10 Sat 13:15 15:45 18:15 20:45 23:10 Sun 13:15 15:45 18:15 20:45 Undercover Brother Mon- Thu 14:00 16:30 19:00 21:15 Fri- Sat 14:00 16:30 19:00 21:15 24:00 Sun 14:00 16:30 19:00 21:15

Cinema City The Hours Stephen Daldry's hugely anticipated follow-up to Billy Elliot draws together a remarkable cast for an audacious, era-spanning tale.

26/02- 27/02

grooves.

Open 8pm-12.30pm.

Free entry.

Ikon Student night with classic hits from '70s, '80s and '90s with DJ Stuey D. £2 before llpm, £3 after.

The Light Bar Superfly - Funk, ska, soul and hiphop. £3.50

Thursdays

I Spy Mon- Thu 11:15 Sat- Sun 11:15

Super Troopers Thu 06/03

From 26/02

Final Destination Z Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Lord of the Rings: Two Towers The Wild Thomberries Treasure Planet

Harry Potter And The Charnbe •• Mon 13:15 Wed- Sun 13:15

Lord Of The Rings: The Two ..

Mon-Thu 12:3016:15 20:00 Fri 16:15 20:00 Sat- Sun 12:30 16:15 20:00

Tue 11103

Film Clubs Clubs

Waterfront Whole Lotta Led Thu2710Z A Led Zeppelin tribute band? Argh matey, a fine night o'fun ... £8

TheD4 Mon03/03 Australasians form band, and rock bubble-rock style. The stuff creams are made of. £7 Anti-nag Thu 06/03 Punk about politics and politics about punk. Bop the night away to their pert and naughty tunes. £8

Norwich Arts Centre The Jeevas Mon03/03 "Save me jeebas!" .. . ex Kula Shaker frontman Crispin Mills tours with new band and some sultry rock ditties £6 Black Box Recorder Mon 10/03 The Auteurs' Luke Haines returns with a fresh batch of quality joints. £8

TomMcCrae Sun 02/03 Classy singer-songwriter tours new 'Just Like Blood' set £10 Turin Brakes Mon 10/03 Moving, intriguitar rock, delivering an interesting alternative to Coldplay. £13.50

The Loft Hornee: Resident DJs Hip, Hot, happenin Gay night. £2 The Light Bar Disco Sucks and The Underground - real '70s with indie donwstairs.

Free before 10.30pm, £2 after.

Fridays The Bank Pure Gold - silky smooth club tunes.

Free before 11pm, £2 after.

LIQUID Fab 80s.- classic tunes from the great sounds of the 80's Students £2 all night. Members £2

Saturdays 5th Avenue Chart hits and Classic Anthems with resident DJ Andy Norton. £5 all night.

Melt down Main Auditorium: MELTDOWNPop, Alternative, Rock & Indie. In the Studio: WRAITii - Goth, metal, rock & alternative '80s and '90s.

Open 10-2am. £4.50(£3.50 NUS) door.

PoNaNa BUTI'ER ME UP- Steve Wurley playing phat and filtered funky house. Twisted Skunk playing the very best in funked up big beat, disco breaks and breakbeat.

8pm-lam.

Free before 10, £3 after.

Sundays Brannigans DJ Paul Allen plays anthems and good time hits.

Free admission.

Mondays LIQUID

Tuesdays The Light Bar Real - chart, dance and R 'n' B. Open 1Opm-2am.

Free before 10.30pm, £2 after.

Time LIFE@TIME. Student night, Cheesy anthems through the decades.

Admission £4, £3 for members and for NUS card holders.

Arts Playhouse RossNoble Fri 28/02 The undisputed new king of standup Ross Noble is poised to go global. Don't miss this chance to see him at the Playhouse before he gets even bigger! £12 Daniel Smith: Bassoon & Beyond Sat 01/03 Daniel Smith is an international phenomenon with a mission - to place the versatile bassoon firmly in the jazz mainstream. £12 Thorpe House School: Honk!

Fri/Sat 07 - 08/03 A delightful musical for all the family, which won the Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards 2000, performed by a young cast aged 11 to 16. £5

Henry Lowther!Jim Mullen Quartet Wed 26/02 This quartet features world class players who use a minimum of amplification. £8.00

Theatre Royal Art Mon 24/02- Sat 01/03 Starring Nige1 Havers, one of the most successful plays in Broadway history. £12.50

Funky Jam Carwash - 70s and 80s

From 26/02 SMile Catch Me If You Can Chicago Daredevil

I Don't Know Tue 25/03 Cum feel the noize ... local bruisers make good with dark, static funkhop. Sensi. £4

music with DJ Chris Alexander and R 'n' B playing in the second room. Members and students £2 all night.

PoNaNa PLAY- It's Po Na Na's student night with DJ Nick South Join the gang for funk and classic

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York Tavern Aisle 16 Tue 25/02 Lo-brow beat poetry from the Aisle 16 residents. £3

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