The event issue 241 09 03 2010

The Chic Norwich Student Night

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"241"路 cocktails and shots Guest DJs playing universal sounds of Disco, R&B, Funk, lndie, Pop, Dancehall and International Music Every Monday Night 7pm - late Special Guest PAs and Givaways Win a trip to a dream destination!

FREE ENTRY

- WIN a Trip to a Dream Destin路ation! -

1, Queen Street, Norwich - Tel 01603 6.21640 Noi rBar facebook.

info@noi r-bar.co. uk www. noi r-bar.co. uk

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fashion

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fASIIION> TII£ Nrur T£STAM£NT Tom: Red skinny jeans>£24.99, Military mini jacket>£44.99, Polo t-s hirt>£19 .99, Sunglasses>£4.99 Caroli ne : Black cardigan>£24.99, Hawaii's 50 Dress>£39.99, Wet look leggings>£9.99

Special thanks to Nathan and Mo from The Rock Co ll ection for all t heir help and to Ran the Verger of St Andrews Church for allowing us to use it as our location . www. rockco llection.co. uk

Stepping into this shop is like stepping into a new world. There is a huge selection of alternative clothing, particularly swaying towards the Goth Rock and Grunge styles. Having recent ly incorporated the shop Black Lace, there is an even mix of clothes

somethi ng w ill catc h the eye of even t he most ma in stream of shoppers.

For starters, with the influx of skin ny jeans this seaso n, The Rock Collection has a great choice, with practically every colour available for both me n and women. The re are leopa rd pri nt va ri ati ons too fo r those feeling a little braver and an array of denim hot pants for warmer weather.

Band t-shirts also feature heavily, including The Rolling Stones, Queen and Led Zeppelin. Emblazoned logos in graffiti style tags for men, or diamante-d studs on the slim-fit

one of the many retro pri nted pieces wit h colou red fl owers, nautica l stripes and anc hors, or embroidered ro ses. Th e brand Hell Bunny adds underslips of ruffles and roushing to give volume to the skirts of their quirky dresses. Check out t he SO's style pa le blue " Di xie Mi ni Dress" with a pattern of poster girls and stars, a full skirt and a tiny, cinched in waist for just £24.99.

The staff are all friendly and helpful, and are happy to give advice on the use of specific purchases like dread pins and coloured contacts.

for men and women. Even if you are not a person who dresses head-to-toe in black leather and spiked jewellery, don't be so quick to dismiss this shop.

Yes, it sel ls w hat you wou ld expect f rom t hese trends w it h baggy, black trousers embe ll ished with cha in s, fluorescent vests and tutus, tight lace bodices and built-up platforms, but have a good old root around and

tees for women, this range of fan paraphernalia is definitely worth a look.

For women, there is a huge cho ice of dresses, all with that "someth ing a litt le bit differe nt" quality. There are short, tight leather numbers for the hardcore gothic girls with co ntrasting lace sleeves and ribboned corsets, or snap up

So step in, look around, embrace this alternative trend and be adventurous.

Situated opposite Delaney's pub, St Andrew's church is simply beautiful inside and is home to one of the UK's oldest stained glass windows. Service is held at lOam every Sunday and welcomes everyone.

14-16 Lower Goat Lane, Norwich Lanes, Norw ich NR2 lEL 01603 625 055

GucCI Gonnc>> > We saw it with the Autumn 2008 Col lection of Luella Bartley, and here in the Gucci Spring/Summer co llection of 2010; gothic style is back. Less vamp ish in cut and pattern, t he Gucci col lection is

more romantic with seductive curves and si lver embe lli shments for women and luxurious blazers in magenta, ruby and cobalt blue for men .

Dresses are scu lpted ove r every line of t he body, and jet black fabrics

are criss-crossed w it h start ling co lours to create enchanting prints.

These prints are sublime; they make a stateme nt with the entwining of colours rather than a full blown hit of bold and clashing patterns that were so apparent last year.

M id night blu es, si lve r and metal lic black feature in t he jackets of the

mens' suits. Drain pipe trousers stream the leg to gather at the ankles of incredibly shiny shoes and boots. The man bag is the staple item seen throughout the collection and dark-tinted to give the Gucci man a bad boy image .

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KAOS (short for Kids Action Overseas) is a UEA-based charity focused on fund raising and drawing attention to the inequalities, particularly in health and education, suffered by children overseas.

The third annual KAOS Fashion Show was held on Sunday 7th March to raise mo ney for student-led projects in Thailand, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya this summer.

The main feature of the event were the fashion shows, featuring predominantly UEA students (who knew that UEA students are so good looking?) modelling clothes (or not, in the case of Ann Summers) from local boutiques.

Stores and labels featured in the catwalk show included Shhhh, Peardrops & Oddsocks !, Love Couture, Ann Summers, Revolutionz, Daisy & Lola, Bespoke Boutique, Elements, Blue Jean Company and Jane Shilton, with music provided by E.D.A.M. Project. The event expanded this year to include fashion and craft stalls, not to mention the great prizes on offer in the raffles.

The professionalism, creativity and enthusiasm exh ibited by the organ isers, the local businesses and all the brilliant volunteers is a credit to KAOS and the hard work they put into one of UEA's best and successful society events.

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The Event would like to thank Christopher Butchart, Greg M ann and Casper Palmano for these fantastic photos and KAOS for inviting us to watch their fantastic show.

For more information on KAOS, join the Facebook group, KAOS UEA.

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ART> NJ,ID To KNow>GRAttiTI Greg Mann Tracks Down Some of Norwich's Best Graffiti

Norwich has three legal graffiti walls, in the Pottergate underpass, on Grapes Hill and near Ang li a Square. They act as ever evolving canvases for Norwich's graffiti artists, who use a variety of tec hniques and co lours in their art. It's advisab le not to get too attached to one piece of work though, like the brilliant Batman that once watched you as you walked through Pottergate- it' ll soon be gone.

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At South Bank, by the River Thames in London, skateboarders noseslide, grind and flip against a backdrop glitteri ng with an ever-changi ng mural.

Some of the most interesting graffiti can be seen in the parts of cities with a stro ng appreciation of the arts, especially those rooted in underground hip-hop cu lture and b-boying.

In recent years, Bristol's Banksy has become a hou sehold name, pioneering graffiti art to give to the masses. His work is satirical , often giving out political messages that are anti -war, anti-capitalist or anti-establishment, with a dry, comic t w ist, and often consists of stenci l

images, sometimes with slogans. Banksy is one In most public places in the UK, the illegality of of few graffiti artists ab le to experience such a . graffiti and ten sions between art and vandali sm high level of success, and you know you've hit is contentious enough without deeper political the big time when a house gets sold as ' mural meaning being required . However, in countries with house attached' rather than 'house with in the clutches of war or dictatorship, graffiti mural on wall '. lt is impossible to discuss graffiti goes beyond these boundaries and becomes a art without giving him a mention. bastion of free speech.

Some might question the va lidity of In Prague, you can still visit John Lennon labelling graffiti as a type of art. However, this wall, where, despite the communist regime t hat inspired the work being crushed, the tradition of using images of John Lennon and messages of peace along a stretch of wall near t he French embassy still thrives . Lennon's music was banned in the Czech Republic, and the se images were an important symbolic message to the government, believing to have facilitated Prague's peaceful dissolution of communism throu gh th e Velvet Revolution .

More famously, in Berlin the wall that split

ea st and west turned into a gigantic canvas for many artists on the western side . The difference between the colourful expressive western side of the wall and the blank, grey eastern side became a symbol for the difference between the two societies. After the wall fell, people also painted the eastern side and a few of t hese

is not about the 'tags' you may find sprayed on your garden fence. Graffiti art is about community and human rights, not claiming territory and ownership.

There is a line between vandalism and art; but it can be a thi n one. When graffiti has sty le and technique, or a message- political or comic, only then may it be considered art. The right graffiti, in the right place can have the public captured more than at an expensive exhibition at the Tate Modern.

In the summer (outdoor art is viewed best in sunny conditions), take a trip to Brighton, East London , Bristol. .. and you will find yourself stopping, staring, camera flash ing as you wander through the streets. If you're lucky enough to have money to go abroad , seek out what other countries have to offer in the name of st reet art. You just need to look a litt le closer at the world arou nd you.

Carmina Masoliver-Marlow

examples remain dotted throughout the city.

In Palestine, the Israeli West Bank Barrier has even attracted Banksy to make his mark. Graffiti isn't all about famous names though, and there are lots of po litica lly charged drawi ngs done by lesser known artists which act as immediate, creative reactions from the people of Palestine.

Graffiti has flour ished in Iran, despite the political climate making it an offense punishable with time in prison . The most famo us artist on the Iranian scene is Alone who uses his work to educate and protest social injustices. His work can be found throughout Tehran, but he also posts photos of all his work on his blog (http:// tehranwalls .blogspot.com) .

Like depictions of grand battles in oil paint that we have become so accustomed to on ga llery walls, graffiti is the 21st century method of depicting the pains of a society in flux.

Kirsten Peter

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TIUATRf> NAMf To DROP> TIIfATRf>PRfVIfW> CIIAPTfRIIOUSf TIIfATRf CoMPANY IIAMLil This year Chapterhouse Theatre Company enters its 11th season of touring open-air theatre at some of the most beautiful country houses, castles and heritage sites across the UK and Ireland with performances ranging from "bringing Shakespeare to life in an exhilarating and raucously entertaining fashion," (Edinburgh Evening News 2006) to a more recent adaptation of Beauty and the Beast.

Chapterhouse has est<1blished itself as one of the most successful and acclaimed touring companys in the country, from a first year of performances at some thirty venues with Romeo and Juliet in 2000. In previous years they have toured with a variety of shows including Shakespeare's Rameo and Juliet, Twelfth Night and The Taming of The Shrew, together with performances of classic works such as The Mystery Plays and A/ice's Adventures in Wonderland. In 2004 this pioneering company produced the first West End show ever to tour open-air; ART, directed by Nigel Havers.

As this professional ensemble pride themselves on producing accessible, traditional but innovative shows that will entertain thousands of theatregoers throughout Britain.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company is touring five wonderful new productions in over one hundred of Britain's most beautiful and idyllic garden settings, such as Woburn Abbey, Fountains Abbey and Savill Gardens; the perfect venues for garden and theatre lovers alike, with openair theatre lending itself perfectly to pre-show picnics, creating an enjoyable and memorable experience for the audience. A wonderful opportunity for friends and family to watch a fantastic evening of entertainment which the Eastern Daily Press claims to be "open-air theatre at it' best."

Whether a play seen under the stars or during an afternoon of summer's bliss, Chapterhouse welcomes you to their new season, performing some of the best-loved stories of literature from June to late August 2010

A MIDSL ~~~1m NJGm's DlllAM Allow the mischievous Robin Goodfellow to spirit you away into the Athenian forest as Shakespeare's verse comes alive with

sets magnificent costumes, wonderful and a custom composed musical score in Shakespeare's renowned romantic comedy.

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Raise a glass as you join ChapterhO!JSe for an evening of authentic Shakespearean merriment. Much to the delight of the engaged Claudio and Hero, the inimitable Beatrice and her begrudging match Benedick are tricked into confessing their love for each other, with consequences both hilarious and romantic.

Complete with the jealous machinations of the villainous Don John and a whole host of delightfully cheeky characters, this light-hearted love story is sure to entertain and enthral.

This week the Drama Society presents its second performance of the semester with William Shakespeare's Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's most famous plays, directed by Hannah Rowley. lt is a tragic tale of mystery, madness and murder within the microcosmic Danish court, as Prince Hamlet seeks vengeance for the death of his father. Sporting a strong and inventive cast, including Joe Wright as Claudius, Suzy Gill as Gertrude, Shona O'Leary as Ophelia and Elliot Ruocco-Trenouth in the title role, this production is set to be one of the must-sees of the year.

With live sword fighting, famed soliloquies, and tickets costing a mere ÂŁ4.50, it promises to be a night of hearty entertainment. So come along at 7.30pm on the 10th, 11th or 12th of March if you are up for a new retelling of a story that has beguiled audiences for over 400 years.

PI~ID[ AI I) PR[JUDIC[

Suze Wood

Step back in time as we meet the Bennetts.

Whilst their interfering mother engineers various courtships, sisters Elizabeth and .Jane must pursue their own quest for love.

Amongst misunderstandings, mistakes and miscommunications, the two girls must fight for this until Elizabeth can finally surpass her prejudices to see past Mr Darcy's proud exterior.

After all, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife ...

R[AlJfY AND Tll[ ll[AST Louisa and her trusty companion MilkyWhite the cow are back to perform Beauty and the Beast this summer. Laura Turner's interpretation of this classic fairytale is sure to delight children of all ages as Louisa and her friends transform their ordinary 1940s' garden into a magical setting for this timeless fairytale.

Watch this heart-warming story of fun and friendship in fancy dress and join Louisa and her friends in a parade during the interval - a true Chapterhouse tradition!

But if just watching these productions doesn't quite float your creative boat, Chapterhouse Theatre Company are holding auditions at UEA on Thursday 11th March!

Richard Main, Chapterhouse producer, would also like to thank Jonathan Hyde, Scott Brown and everyone in the Drama department for their hard work in putting this together.

For more information and details of how to order tickets, go to www.chapterhouse.org or find their Face book group.

Laura Riggs

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WANTED!! Every type of book, from your textbooks to your general reading books.

Ho-w it -works: • Go to fatbrain.co.uk

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CODledy.

The Blue Horn beaked fish warbler, has been found by me, I discovered it the other day, just sitting in a tree.

I am the first to see it here, no one else has yet before, lt was the most amazing sight, I' m sure I ever saw.

The Blue Horn beaked fish warbler, lives in Timbuktu Although it has been sighted since, in jungles of Peru.

Whereto it migrates twice a year, with flights frorp Ryan-air And steals the in-flight magazines, to take back to its lair.

The Blue Horn beaked fish warbler, is in fact a bird, Who's singing lures all passing fish, with lyrics quite absurd .

Although when a tree falls on it, and no-one is around, Does anybody really care, for its god awful sound .

Run, student, run.

You'd never know that the average student puts on of a sizeable amount of weight by the end of their first year, with how much running they seem to do. And all those varied types of running too. You could be walking along side a young man in a trench coat (He is the true Neo The Blue Horn beaked fish warbler is, or so I' m told, and Morpheus will call one Not in fact a shade of blue, but rather Aztec gold. day), when sporadically, lt doesn't flock, or herd or run in packs, Jt doesn't tend to they decide to break into a swarm, run, out of nowhere. Once Instead, lt hangs around the branches looking quite forlorn. you notice one of these sporadic runners, you start The Blue Horn beaked fish warbler, its the missing link, to notice more. Stopping Between a multi-storey and a skating rink. and starting on a whim.

Its diet is most anything, its habits will amaze, Moving without bending lt favours bamboo shoots and leaves, with Col man's either knees or elbows. mayonnaise.

Sometimes you just got somewhere to be, and no time to 'just walk'. it's scarecrow running time.

The Blue Horn beaked fish warbler, I know it is around, Another type of running is the lecture dart. You'll be sitting in LTl, 5 Despite the critics claiming, that it simply can't be found.

The problem with discoveries, of which you should be wary, mins in to a lect~re, when you hear a shuffle, and by the time you've Is finding out the thing you found, is just imaginary. done a 180degree turn,they're out of there with a tense but smug look on their face. lt makes you think; why did they even come? IBS is Simon Cox

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.a bitch sometimes.

While I was walking by the lake, suddenly, I saw a snake.

So I ran quickly to LCR because it is not too far.

I took shelter in the hive before reaching the Chancellors' Drive.

But when I passed the pub, Unfortunately, I broke a cup.

When I went up to the bar, I heard a sound of a smashing jar.

So I left for the Students' Union to ask for advice and opinion .

Then I entered the Employability, I found for work no possibility.

I received a letter full of gloom.

Then I went to the Drama Studio to be able to watch a video or a play for Shakespeare.

I think it was King Lear.

When I went to the Medical Centre, I found no doctors, but a路carpenter.

Then I went to the School of Law. I saw some students making a show.

I took a bus to the city centre

Then I visited Nelson Court.

The way was really too short.

Next, I reached the School of Education in order to perform my presentation.

When I visited Zuckerman Institute, I met scientists who are so cute.

although it is very cold in Winter.

I got off and entered Pound land.

They sell everything even sand!

I saw two beggars like a band playing music outside Iceland.

Then I reached Elizabeth Fry. lt was so big and high..

When I saw the Constable Terrace, lt was so great like a palace.

Then I walked to the centre of Sainsbury and I had some juice of strawberry.

I went to the School of Communication so as to get some information.

After that I went to the bank where there is somebody to thank.

Then I took a short rest and had a drink at Zest.

Next, I went to the Chaplaincy, it's a place for religious democracy.

Then I moved to the library to prepare an essay for February.

I looked at the Lecture Theatre and decided to visit it later.

When I went to the Arts, I found it is two parts.

Next, I went to the Post Room.

I visited also the School of Commerce which inspired me to write this verse.

As for the School of Computing Sciences, I found them all wearing glasses.

Then I decided to cross the bridge in order to go to the Security Lodge.

I reported a leak in the Arts ceiling, So they thanked me with a deep feeling.

Then I went to the Sports Park.

I heard the sound of the sky lark.

Before reaching Blackdale School, I passed a big swimming pool.

Then I moved to QD. All staff welcomed me!

Then I went to Primark I bought jeans blue dark.

When I went to the Castle Mall, I saw two boys playing with a ball.

So I went to shop at Morrisons, I found it is out of comparisons!

Then I took a bus to Anglia Square.

Charity shops were everywhere.

I entered the second hand shop and asked for a used laptop.

I looked for the Rose Lane for an hour, but in vain.

So I took a bus to the Carboot.

I managed to buy a nice suit.

Then I went back to the village after having no further knowledge.

Finally, with the first beam, I realized it was a dream.

Ashraf Zidan

But the gym is where you find the real runners. The professionals. Where you can run just to run, even if you have no-where to be. 30mins on a treadmill without gaining an inch. But that's OK, because you got fit. Walking past the Sports Park's huge glass window (on route to the bar), the athletes, who somehow gravitate towards the window, bust a gut. The burn. The sweat. Good for them . Playing Pool counts as exercise though, right?

And then of course, there is the plural. The runs. The runs from too much takeaway. it's always funny, just not when it's you . Phone food ain't always fun . For some readers, the only time you do run is for the 25 bus, or even the 35 sometimes. But if you miss that bus, you better pretend convincingly that if wasn 't the bus you were running for at all. Hence, you see the occasional student miss their bus and then continue running past the bus stop. I'm not sure how long they carry on for, probably just far enough to be out of sight. But it's usually the bus pass in their hand that gives them away.

Running is great. We students just seem to love it. So, if you' re a student, never stop running.

Carl Silverstone

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Tu1s Is Tu£ N£Ws Television never fails to excite reaction and discussion, this week The Event's writers express some of their more controversial views about what's been on the box of late ...

r1 v 1~ l)AVS> l{t 1NN INC Ll ~ [ (~ LOC~\VO I~ ~ The first half of Five Days proves as entertaining as it is nail-bitingly tense, including the dramatic twist of a broken-down train which comes screeching to an agonising halt, leaving the passengers dwel ling on their unfortunate situation.

Happily this also leads to light-hearted moments of banter, such as the police-woman's mother constantly comp laining, Clerks-sty le, that it's supposed to be her daughter's day off.

Updates on the baby also provide some much needed relief from the harsh realities of life that have to be confronted by the protagon ist. lt is often a gruelling watch, enhanced greatly from the performance of David Morrissey, who leads

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A Sn-r1 Heroes has used up a lot of story lines: the

past, the future, family reunions, family unity, families at war, and the simultaneous loss of powers . Wha t on earth could be left? Exactly!

Perhaps it's not 'Earth' t hat they should be on.

Or at least Earth as they know it - a different dimension perhaps?

A different dimension would allow a new world to be explained and explored, the heroes' circumstances would be fresh and new, and they would have new friends to make, and new enemies, too.

The show normally works best if they're outnumbered - freaks and underdogs - so they work as a team. The new dimension could be a

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Friends has been -without a doubt- one of the most dominant fam ily TV shows of the last two

decades, which explains why the announcement of its disappearance from our screens was met wi th a near-riotous response earlier this week.

Arguably, Friends has infiuenced the formu la of every othe r po pu lar TV show, with many being deemed as the 'new Friends': How I Met Your Mother, Will & Grace, among ot hers. Yet one cannot help but compare these shows to Friends, and come to the conclusion th at they lack the sparkle and popularity that it had at its peak.

Officially ending in 2004, fans have since been spoilt by its repeated airing on the

the search for the infant.

There are some interesting visual choices, such as the jump-cut just as the train draws back.

Punctuating the driver's emotional breakdown, there are bouts of verbal frenzy as the anxiety level of the passengers rises, prompting one of the passengers to take matters into his own hands despite protests of, "where do you think you're going?" The hammering on the driver's door causes further alarm (as if his stress levels weren't high enough already) but luckily there is always room for introspection as the driver recal ls the terrible moment he saw a body on the tracks to PC Franklin .

Five Days is a clever intertwi ning of the funny and upsetting and concocts an emotional intensity t hat w ill leave you gripped- at least for the rest of the week.

Ella Fai rhurst

place w here powers are natural and the norm, and much more advanced than our heroes alread y have. As t he natural world has not featured highly so far, super-powers could be so commonplace that animals have them too. Our heroes would be seen as weaker than a kitten!

Np doubt the produce rs wo uld go as far as to have humans that phase into animals, but that might be a bit too Twilight/True Blood .

There remains the question of how this new dimension would be available to the heroes.

Change is always caused by scientific principles in science fiction worlds, so a movement of tectonic plates opening a portal could be acceptable . This new chapter could add some new faces and new life to the show. We might even lose some dull characters who wan t to 'stay in the alternate dimension'.

Natal ie Steph enson

Channel 4 enterprise, not just once, but four times a day. Adoring fans we re once again ab le to view the magical relationship between the six characters, who had become like fami ly membe rs. Many watch the repeats, even if they have seen the exact same episode ten tim es over, which is precisely why it has continued to be popu larly screened. However, since Cha nn el 4 announced its intentions to drop the show from its broadcasting schedule in the autumn to free up space for new shows, we're sure we won't be the only ones to think of this as the end of an era.

So, while daily catch-ups with Friends can be enj oyed unti l the arrival of autumn, the hope continues that somewhere in the near future t hose six familiar faces wi ll make a return to our screens ... Friends: The Movie anyone?

Rebecca Harrington

A l)llT S\V[~I Who says cartoons are for kids? On American cable, a little after Cartoon Network goes off air, the Adult Swim channel raises its ugly, sweary, violent head. it's depraved, it's twisted, it's grotesque, it's very NSFW, it's awesome. Here are some of the best shows:

1 ~() 1 !111 t'iiif 1-:1\' You may well have heard of this one, thanks to celebrity ties (Seth Green is its eo-creator) and successful Star Wars parodies. it's basically a lightning fast, pop-culture based sketch reel, with al l sketches animated in charmingly shoddy stop-motion, and some lasting only a few seconds.

Although fairly hit and miss, there are mo re tha n enough class ic sketc hes, suc h as the Gummy Bear Trap, Mortal Kombat Reh abilitation and M r T and the Foo Fighters fightin' Foo's.

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Let's get one thing straight: either you'll love this more than breathing, or you'll have literally no idea what's going on .

One of the on ly live action shows on Adu lt Swim, Awesome Show is made up of sketches, but th at 's as close as it gets to co nventio nal.

Highlights include John C. Reilly distributing dubious health advice, inappropriate children's dance workouts, and Tim sporadically turning into a terrified cat. lt should also be mentioned that Eric has the world 's most amusing face.

,\1_11 •\ ·111, 111 '\'1 .111 rlll/11 Following the adventures of a Machiave llian chip box, a sociopathic drink cup and a... meatwad, Aqua Teen Hunger Force is Adult Swim's second most widely known show.

Although a great ensemble piece, this show's secret weapon is neighbour Carl - the episode in which he is repeatedly raped by a dog cloned from a banana is hysterical.

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Seemingly the brainchild of a crazed bulldog strai ni ng on a leash w hi ch has bee n fed nothing but hallucinogenics for several days, Superjail! is a sensory over load. Eac h episode fo llows The Warden - a cross between Willy Wonka and the Marquis de Sade - as he attempts to keep order in a futuristic prison. And so follows madcap humour, psychedelic imagery and ... ultra-vio lence. Seriously, it's off the sca le each episode ends with a surreal blood-bath t hat makes South Park look like Disney.

Duncan Vicat Brown

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PRIMITIM[> MARRI[D SINGL[ 0TI-JIR

DoWNLOAD > CALitORNICATION

Married Single Other is an exciting new dramedy for British eyes only. The show takes three households on the same street and digs into unconventional -yet oddly familiar- lovelives.

And so we return to the humble beginnings of Californication . Five are starting from the beginning and reminding us all what the show is truly about: an arrogant, witty but ultimately tragic man who loves him some boobs and some drugs. Through playing Hank Moody, a miserable writer from New York who finds unwanted success in LA, David Duchovny himself has been able to find success post-XFiles but there is also the suggestion that the lifestyle he plays ironically has also found a life of its own- Duchovny himself visiting rehab for sex addiction in 2008.

The show, due to start its fourth season this year, focuses around Hank's self destructive behaviour and twisted relationships with a limited number of fri~nds (including the mother of his child) and a copious number of easy women . The relationship with his ex is of particular interest because it provides a small ray of hope that Hank isn't entirely devoid of romance . Not to say that the swearing, sarcasm and idiotic behaviour isn't delicious, but we all want him to have a little bit of innocence and love in him somewhere. Don't we? Would that spoil the fun and end the misbehaviour on which the show is based? Is Hank Moody too cool for a happy ending? Does he need consequences for his actions? Different debates have gone on since the show's inception but it will certainly

be something to keep your eye out for.

Showtime have had other quirky hits, such as Dexter and Weeds, but it is Californication that is compared most to the HBO feel, and particularly its counterpart, Entourage. The similarities are largely in the LA showbiz scene they dabble with and the expensive antics that the characters get up to in both shows. lt has been said that the easy going feel of Entourage is superior, but if you prefer the edginess and wit of Hank Moody then Californication is the deeper experience. Hank is so dark that your reaction to him is stronger, especially when all is lost for him. The character might not last as long, especially if he is to get his comeuppances any time soon, but it'll be a rollercoaster to watch it unfold.

Natalie Stephenson

health care system that is seriously flawed.

Unable to learn from their mistakes, and unwilling to discuss any link between mental health and violence, the Mental Health Trust is painted here as a villain; an organisation which fails both its patients and, on rare occurrences, the people who are harmed by them .

Hendy asserts that he didn't want his film to contribute to the stigma surrounding mental illness, stating that he simply wants the link between mental health and violence to be more freely talked about. However, one can't help feeling that he could have gone slightly further to prevent the audience drawing any

such negative associations. For example, while he does talk to the families of attack victims he fails to include interviews with those who actually suffer from mental illness; interviews which would surely have helped make this

documentary more objective.

That said, this issue is obviously a very personal and painful matter, which is generally handled with great care and tact. With such a disturbing subject, the viewing experience is often harrowing, particularly when Hendy looks over his father's personal effects, which include a blood splattered pair of glasses. However, he doesn't allow these emotional elements to obscure the purpose of the film . Whether Hendy's documentary will prompt the changes within the care system which he desires remains to be seen, but it is certainly thoughtprovoking enough to get audiences thin king about the problems it raises, and is therefore, by definition, an excellent documentary.

Undsay Harris

Diaries, and Being Human are all regulars on our screens, not to mention the sheer amount of vampire films released each year. lt must certainly now be near impossible

to actually do something new, being that there is only so far one can go with that premise. Vampire boy meets human girl has been done to death - pardon the pun - yet the brooding 'good' vampire is a character the genre cannot seem to shake; from Angel, to Edward Cullen, to St~fan Salvatore, they are everywhere. Now throw in the typical good vs bad scenario and you have a synopsis of any vampire related drama out there .

So how does Being Human differ?

Does it even differ at all?

Well it does ... a bit. lt, of course, has a bit of a different set up. The whole vampire/werewolf/ ghost living together thing adds a new and quite interesting dynamic. lt attempts a lighter take

on the topic, at times even being comical, and the show is not just about vampires; it has its share of werewolves, ghosts, humans, scientists and revenge-driven priests. In addition, it has characters that you could actually imagine existing, if you forget for a moment the minor problem of them being non-corporeal. lt does unsurprisingly have its fair sha re of cliches, the attractive 'good' vampire (Mitchell), the ill fated love story (George and Nina) and the archetypal bad guys (Jaggart and Kemp).

However this is a supernatural series that, for sheer entertainment value alone, is probably worth checking out despite the vague feeling of deja vamp.

Caroline Walker

There are plenty of British comedy regulars that you would never expect to see in the same show, yet who all work amazingly well together.

Lucie Davis (of The Office fame) is the hardworking and remarkably tough mum of two sons with her partner of16 years, Shaun Dooley.

Then there's the gorgeous Dean Lennox Kelly (Kev from Shameless), who is married to Babs (Amanda Abbington, shamefully recognisable as 'her from the Maltesers adverts'), and last but no means least is Royle Family star Ralf Little, as the philandering Casanova of the north.

Taken individually, the cast amounts to a collection of under-developed, almost caricature-like personalities (with the possible exception of Davis' fiery Lillie), but together they display such an endearing sense of love and friendship that it is wholly convincing that they care for each other. Their various stories are buoyed above lazy cliche by sparks of originality, exemplified by Lillie's work in a women's refuge, where we see the apparently commonplace event of her being threatened by one of the husbands. While this is a frighteningly believable depiction of Britain's less light-hearted face, her bravery when faced with this man puts many a soft-spoken comedy stereotype to shame - and is all the more moving for it.

Like Lillie's car-park showdown, Married came about completely unexpectedly - there was some hype surrounding it, certainly, but far less than that seen by some more mediocre shows . And not only does it deal with much more than the average British sitcom, it does it all whilst being genuinely funny (and not in the obligatory post-Boosh surreal way) . Here at Television, we recognise this as a rare nugget of thoroughly good comedy, with enough real drama to have meaning. Let's hope it keeps up to the high standard it has set itself.

Micha Butler

RÂŁALITY> WIIY DID You KILL Mv DAD? With such a provocative title, you could be forgiven for thinking Why Did You Kill My Dad? was going to be a documentary more notable for its exploitation than information. And while it does indeed occasionally tend towards the sentimental, the film's sensationalist title actually does a disservice to the very serious issue raised within it.

Following the fatal stabbing '?f his father by a mentally-ill stranger, filmmaker Julian Hendy decided to find out the cause behind such an attack. Following nearly three years of research, including talking to other families affected by similar attacks, Hendy discovers it is the mental

tiNAL[> RJ;JNG IIUMAN Unless you've been living in a cave for the past couple of years you'll have noticed the massive upsurge in the number of vampire/ supernatural series taking over our screens.

The genre was, in the beginning, pretty much a monopoly held by Joss Whedon, with his hugely successful series Buffy, and the subsequent spin-off, Angel. Then along came Stephanie Meyer and the phenomenon that is Twilight, and the genre exploded from more or less cult following to mainstream success. Now there's no shortage of vampirerelated drama; True Blood, The Vampire

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<GAMING> < R£VIfWS > You lurk in the shadows, watching your prey whilst they are blissfully unaware of your presence in the room. You move from wall to wall, scrambling from surface to surface to stalk your victim as they move along th e corridor and come to a standsti ll. Carefully you creep until you are direct ly above them . Then you pounce, grab them from behind and turn them round so they can see what you are, a look of pure horror flashes upon your victims face and then su ddenly your tail whips around and stabs them through th e eye with a bloodcurdling scream and they fall lifeless to the floor, at which point you can choose to either run away or feast upon their brain. This is the life of H.R. Geiger's Ali en, and Aliens vs. Predator recreates the experience faithfully.

Originally started as a spin off to the Aliens universe under the guise of Aliens: Colonial Marines , Rebellion (the developer), quickly changed its mind and produced an update of its classic Aliens Versus Predator franch ise. Split into three separate campaigns, one for each species, a survival mode and an online play mode, where the longevity and life of this game is contained, there is plenty on offer. Survival mode is a riot and great fun if you want to see yo ur friends squirm with fear. The prem ise is a simple one; survive waves of Aliens and then event ually Predators. Dropped into an arena as a Colonial Marine with a coup le of health packs (although there are more dotted around the arena} and a couple of weapons, on ly your flashlight and radar can help to detect the oncoming attack and noth ing except moments of th e single player campaign can match the genuine tension and fear on disp lay . whi lst playing.

As the single player campaigns go the Colonial Marine campaign is by far the strongest of the three, as it ha s had the most work focused

on it and it contains the core sto ryline for what has taken place on the research co lony. That does not mean to say the othe r two campaigns are sub-par, however.

As a Co lonial Marine the game does a very good job of making players feel helple ss against the onslaught of Aliens and Predators that you come across, as all players have to defend them se lves with is a handful of weapons, including the infamous Pulse Rifle, a gun mounted torch and some flare s to he lp pick out enem ies in th e dark. Story-w ise, it's the usual cliched affair of crash -landing on th e planet you are meant to be investigating and losing the rest of the team, after which point it's up to you to find any survivors and figure out what happened on the planet that lead to 'xenomorph' aliens being let loose in the colony. Th e campaign plays out much like a survival horror shoote r, almost like F.E.A.R., due to the fact that th ere is a persistent threat of encountering an Alien at any point. To raise that psychological tension, the radar continually lets out a dull blip that

becomes increasingly high pitched and faster as an enemy approaches.

The Alien and Predator campa igns, however, feel like they have been stapled onto the side of the game, both of them bring ing a much more stea lthy approach to the game. ~laying as an Alien, players can climb wa lls and traverse su rfac es with relative ease, and the helpful crosshair indicates whether the Alien is in the cover of darkness and which way the ground is to help ease disorientation . However, it is stil l li kely that players wil l become disorientated.

The Predator is much more bulky than both the M arin e and the Aliens, so cloaking and evasion are key when playing with him . Luring enemies away from each other and then striking with sneak kills is pretty much the only way forward.

Both spec ies have the use of a heavy and light me lee attack and an abi lity to block . The predator also ha s its signature we apo ns at its disposal, such as the spea r, cloaking, proximity mines and the shoulder mounted cannon. No matter how short and sparse the campaigns

for th e Aliens and Predator may be, they do recreate the experience faithful ly.

Overall thi s game is an exce llent update of a franch ise; its omission of iron sights and crouching along with a dipped frame rate do create a feel of a mid-nineties' First Person Shoote-r, which for this game is ideal.

Unfortunately Concrete was unable to experience the online mode as on the PS3 it is shoddy and laggy. However, on PC and Xbox 360 it is of a better standard . If you are considering buying and playing this excellent game, it's worth considering what you want from it. The PC and 360 versions are far supe rior to the PS3 version, with improved visuals and a decent on line mode. Having said that, the PS3 does run the single player a lot more smooth ly. In the end it doesn't rea lly matter as whatever format it's on it is bloody good fun. Remember, you're not in space, so everybody can hear you scream .

Vaughn Highfield

Available on : PC, 360, PS3 Price: £30 (PC)

I £5 0 (360/PS3 }

-Three individual campaigns provide variety -Fun, if lim ited , multip layer -Uses the Alien/Predator franchises well

-Cou ld be more graphical ly impressive -Other campaigns worse than M arine one -Steep learning cu rve for Aliens/Predators -Multiplayer in need of more maps!

1.5/ 10

NINTrnDo To LAUNCII Nrnr DS1 In the ear ly nineties kids played with huge gre y bricks which had a screen on them. Twenty years on they're sti ll playing with bricks, but these ones have two screens.

Nintendo has ju st relea sed th e DSi XL, "a companion to the origina l DSi". For anyone who isn't famili ar with the DS family, these are the latest incarnation of the old Game Boy. The OS boasted two screens, one of which was a touch screen allowing for more spontaneity and interactivity between the player and the game. The OSi , launch ed last April, featured a new camera and a slightly larger and brig hter screen. This newest member of the team is simply a larger OSi; its screen is 93 % larger or 4.2" compared w ith the OSi's 3.25". Sadly, Nintendo have not increased the sc reen

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resolution, so the graphics wi ll be slig htly chunkier.

Additionally, thi s OS feature s improved angle views, mean ing people surro unding the player can get a better view of the action. Ultimately, this is not designed to replace your DSi. Really it's just a OS that your granny or dad might prefer because of its larger size, pen -shaped sty lu s and brighter screen. If you just bought a OSi, don't worry: it's not obsolete. If you haven't then thi s is worth conside rin g, but remember that bigger isn ' t necessarily better when it comes to handheld consoles. loch la inn Coyne Available in Wine Red & Dark Brown Price: £160

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N£W L[GISLATION Pms PURLIC WitI AND YouTUR[ UND[R TIIRJ;AT Since the last time Wired wrote about the Digital Economy Bill, significant changes and events have happened. The controversial Clause 17, that would have given business secretary Peter Mandelson and his successors unlimited power to amend internet copyright law as they see fit, that top internet companies such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo and eBay objected to, has been voted to be scrapped in the Lords.

However, as is often the case in government legislature, they have taken one step forward and two steps back.

First, official advice released earlierthis week reveals that the government will not exempt libraries, universities and small businesses from the draconian copyright crackdown . This means that open Wi-Fi has essentially been outlawed .

Say goodbye to using the UEA campus Wi-Fi as well as the internet in any public, open place, since preventing copyright infringement for these places will be impossible.

Second, the Lord's chosen replacement to Clause 17, proposed by Lord Clement-.lones (who takes £70,000 a year from DLA Piper, a copyright firm who would gain a grec;~t deal if this bill is passed), has been criticised by ISPA, Open Rights Group, and Pirate Party UK for being ·almost, if not just as bad. The proposed provision could result in sites like YouTube or in theory even Google being t-aken offiine as it gives a high court judge the right to issue an injunction against a website accused of hosting a "substantial" amount of copyright infringing material, potentially forcing the entire site

MAil£ AWrRSITt:> Grr I IIOUSANDS Ot PoUNDS WORTII OJ;" SorrwARr If you have a .ac.uk email address, 123-Reg (in partnership with Microsoft) is offering you web hosting and a domain name for a mere £1 per month. This is an opportunity to put whatever is in your brain on the internet. Suggested uses are creating a website for your band, blogging, or the first steps towards e-commerce, but your imagination is the limit. Rate biscuits, catalogue graffiti or start your own campaignfor a series of tubes, the internet has plenty of niches to explore.

123-Reg is the largest web domain name provider in the UK and aims to make build ing a website easy, and this offer includes 12 months'

II'

hosting and a .info domain name. In addition, you are given access to the full versions of industry standard Microsoft software, thanks to Microsoft DreamSpark, so anyone wanting to get into the technical side will have plenty of opportunities to experiment. The total cost of all of this is £14.10 per year (VAT included).

This is an excellent saving, given that the Microsoft software on offer would usually cost hundreds of pounds per application and, whether you want Windows Server or Visual Studio, it's all free .

So the cost is min imal. Is it worth the effort of making a website? Probably. For all

the advertising and market research value this offer has for the companies involved, it's also a pretty good deal for students. If you want to get anywhere in life, exposure is important, and, in these technically advanced times, the internet is a good place to start.

Even if you have no concrete goal, the skills you pick up tinkering around with websites are sure to stand you in good stead. So next time you're slumped in front of your computer and the first twinges of boredom set in, visit http:/ I www.123 - reg .co .u k/web-hosting/studenthosting.shtml and check it out.

Kathryn Heuston

Nrws To Mr> SillY STORirs, TIIr SUN AND SomD Sa

Since The Sun recently used our humble publication as a source for their article (if you haven't read it yet, go to http://www.thesun.

eo. uk/sol/homepoge/news/2854315/Sexystudents-naked-ambition.htm/ and be proud!) 1 am going to return the favour!

Over 11 million people visit The Sun's website every month, the highest figure for any UK news website. However, it is the qualification of thesun.co.uk as a news website that makes this figure all the more disturbing.

I visit The Sun's website on a daily basis, not to find out what's going on in the world, but for it's hilarious "news" stories. One of my favourites from last week bore the headline 'Perv "had pies of sex with squid"'. To the left is a mock-up of the photo accompanying the story, where the newspaper has sensitively protected the identity of the squid. However, the offender is named and shamed, showing an obvious bias towards the sea creature.

The Sun claims that the man was charged with 'performing an act of intercourse with a dead animal, namely an octopus/squid, which was grossly offensive, disgusting or

otherwise of an obscene character'. Not only was the poor squid sexually abused, The Sun called it offensive, disgusting and obscene.

So much for protecting its feelings.

Bizarrely, this story was on the main news page, not the Weird page, which feature~ far more mundane headlines such as 'Snakes on a window pane' and 'Cat-boy sees in the dark'. On a more serious note, it is disconcerting to think that these articles are presented to 11 million people every month as news. Headlines such as 'Mary painting " weeping oil"', 'Special rules for Yorkshire puds' and 'Squirrels go nuts for a snack' were among The Sun's top ten weekend news stories.

Though The Sun's website is a constant source of amusement for me and all those who are able to see the irony in such stories, for the millions of people who use thesun.co.uk as their primary source of news, they will begin to develop a very strange and warped perception of the news, if they didn't already.

The popularity of content sharing websites such as Reddit, Fark and Digg are a testament to the volume of internet traffic generated by

ridiculous "news" stories. To the original site, a hit is a hit and sure-fire moneymaker as these silly stories attract users to thesun .co .uk in their millions, inadvertently increasing their advertising potential and warping statistics to make The Sun the most read news website in the country.

My enjoyment of these stories should not be confused with condonement. The aforementioned Sun article about last month's Concrete Sex Survey exemplifies the danger of manipulating genuine, factual sources for the purpose or humour, ridicule, sensation or titillation . Unless a quarter of you do "bonk" four times a times a day in between lectures ...

Grace Simpson

offiine. ISPA are "outraged" by this amendment.

"This would open the door to a massive imbalance of power in favour of large copyright holding companies," said Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Groups. " Individual and small businesses would be open to massive 'copyright attacks' that could shut them down, just by the threat of action ." Lilian Edwards, a cyberlaw expert at Sheffield University, commented, "for the first time, Sony and the rest can now go to court and demand that every ISP in the UK blocks YouTube," she wrote. The saga continues.

Disclaimer: article is written on 04/03/2010, events are liable to change in between time of writing and publishing.

Richard Joslin

MICROSOIT LAUNCI-I[S ANDROIDAPP Microsoft has recently released an application for rival Smart Phone Operating System (OS) Android, developed by Google.

The App, a barcode scanner called Microsoft Tag Reader, is already available for other Smart Phone OS', and allows barcodes to be decoded by a phone. This means barcodes can be used store to store and send information not traditionally stored with barcodes such as, among other things, web links.

Although it is the first Application developed specifically with the Android OS in mind, it is not the first time Microsoft released a Smart Phone App designed for use with a rival company's hardware. In late 2008 and 2009 it released two Apps for Apple's iPhone platform, one of which is the Tag Reader.

Although these are both Microsoft's biggest rivals in the Smart Phone market, it is likely that the company is looking to create awareness of its Apps and the functionality therein to attract consumers to their own dedicated phone software. Apple recently stated that their App store had seen over three billion downloads, with the highest market share of the App market. However, this is also part of the greater effort by phone companies to make more Apps accessible to more hardware, and easier to develop for multiple phone OS's. Microsoft's Smart Phone OS is widely seen as inferior to alternatives such as Android . Microsoft will be releasing a revised version of its phone OS later in the year.

The Microsoft Tag Reader Android App is available as a free down load from the Android Marketplace.

William Moran

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MAIN r £ATURf When Tim Burton first an nounced that he wou ld be em barking on a fresh take of Lewis Ca rrell's classic chil dren's novel, fi lm and literary buffs ali ke rej oiced t hat A /ice in Wonderland wou ld fina lly be painted with an appropriate ly sinister brush. What was perhaps overlooked, however, wa s that with Disney sticking a firm finger in each of the Red Qu ee n's tarts, th ere was rea lly alwa ys a limit to how far the sinister co ul d be taken.

Nevertheless, a new take on Alice's sto ry is exactly w hat Bu rto n has given us. Reinventin g th e plot to on e th at occurs many years after her fi rst childhood encounter with Wond erl and, th e fi lm co mbin es fri endly ec hoes from th e novels with a coming-ofage narrative t hat has more innovation than a simpl e transfer from page to screen. Flee ing a shock marri age pro posa l from a ta ut man w ho looks unsettlingly like Roger Ra bbit, Alice (M ia Wasi kowski) is once agai n thrown down th e rabbit hole into 'Underl and'; an exuberant fa ntasy land sca pe ove rfl ow ing with ecce ntric cha racters. lt is here th at she must face her biggest demon - th e fearso me Jabberwocky - in order to rescue Underl and from th e Red Quee n's re ign, and come to t erm s with co ntrolling her own fut ure.

Visua lly, Underland is a lu scious feast of th e col ourful and th e koo ky, comp lete with t he Burton 's sign at ure spira l tree branches

and beautiful, ric h costume. There are some amusing gems of typecasting too, partic ul ~r ly the sa rcastic Caterpillar (Aian Rickman) and eloq uent Ches hire Cat (Steph en Fry). The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and Red Queen (Helen a Bonham-Carter) are the most charismatic onscreen; the former a schizophrenic Scot sma n and t he latter a tyrannical big-head (quite literal ly), wi t h a penchant for decapitati on . And, as anot her typically-Burton touch, in the land of good, evil and all the nonsense in bet ween, no character is as black and white (or should it be red and white?) as th ey first appea r. There is a tragic element w ith in even th e ugl iest of odd bal ls: t he Hatter's childl ike co nfusion occasiona lly gives way to a snarling, psychotic rage of t emper, whi lst th e Red Queen's cruelty is un derp inn ed by insecuri ty and neglect.

Unfo rtu nate ly, Burton's usua l area of expertise is precisely w here thi s film falls fl at. He opens a win dow of hum anity previously un seen in A/ice productio ns, yet w ith all thi s potenti al th e characterisati on doesn' t follow through. In th e end, it is with Ali ce th at we are most disappointed. With little evidence of her maturati on from disil lusioned gi rl to determin ed wom an, vi ewers are left unconvince d th at her " mu chness" has real ly bee n fou nd.

Whi ch lea ds us to wond er wh eth er Tim Burton has retain ed much of his " mu chness" either. Des pite it s vi sua l bea uty, th ere

lt is quite possi ble th at, somewhe re in Hollywood, large bets are being placed on which

succeeds at being unpred ictabl e, even fo r those who have seen th e origin al.

genre can produ ce th e most movi es, zombie or vampire.

Both sets are com ing at ten a penny, with all origin ality being crumb led into dust. Th e Crozies is one of th e zombie variety and to be fair, it was kind of arou nd before all th e monster hype bega n, being a remake of t he 1973 Geo rge Romero film.

There is somet hing in th e wate r in t he small US tow n of Ogden M arsh and it is send ing the loca l fo lk crazy. She'r iff David Dutton (Timothy Olyphant ) and hi s wi fe Judy must esca pe as the tow n disso lves into pandemo ni um and th e military moves in .

While it may not be massively sca ry, it is tense C! nd th e plot unfolds intel ligently.

Unfortun ately, th e sa me cann ot be said of th e incredibly cli ched dialogue and wooden acting. lt · does, however, raise some interesting questi ons about who th e real mon ste rs are; th e infected ci vi lians or th e army sen t in to quarantin e them ? lt may not be th e grea test zo mbie movi e of all tim e, bu t it is at least watchable .

From Paris with Love follow s CIA age nt Wax (J ohn Travolta) and hi s sid eki ck James Reece (Jonath an Rhys Meyers) on t he ir quest to break up a coca ine racket , in ord er to bring down a t errorist attempt at an Intern atio nal summit in Pari s.

Plot-holes litter th e script, w hi lst t he cast and t he directo r (Pi erre More I) apparently cl as h ove r th e ge nre of th e movi e.

With Travolta and M eyers donn ing Britn ey Spears styl e microphones in one of t heir multi ple, unnecessa ry gun shooting sce nes, au diences would not be penali sed for t hinking was a co medyinsp ired film . However, M orel appea rs t o have other ideas; his di recti on produces some

The

Crozies

act ua lly

Michael Blunt

5/10

good ca mera angles and we ll shot scenes, meaning it co uld have been effecti ve tensionfi lled th rill er had it not been for t he appa lling script and painful ly cliched perform ance

by Travolta.

Everyth ing about t his movie is regurgitat ed, with th e old good cop-bad cop ch aracterisati on thrown in for good meas ure. Th e one memorabl e aspect of th is movi e is t he lin e: " I wish so meone would lock me" up."

Beca use honestly, Tra volta, we co uld not agree wit h you more. Josephin e Lister

2/10

is an uncanny polish applied to A/ice that bears the Disney watermark and underc ut 's our hopes tha t Carrell's novel would finally be given a more insightful and macabre treatment. Perhaps now is the time for Burton to give up on remakes before it is too late, and leave off the fancy 3D for what he does best: treating the 'freak' Scissor-hands, Corpse Bride's and Pee-wee's of our world with the bold but sympathetic handling they deserve.

Steph McKen na

Leap Ye ar follows Anna (Amy

Ad ams), a bra tty Am eri ca n wh o plans to propose t o her boyfriend on lea p day; an old Irish tra dition. However, she faces a maj or setb ack wh en bad weat her t hrea tens to rui n her t rip to Dubl in, bu t hire s charm ing loca l Declan (Math ew Good e) to drive her cross-co unt ry so she ca n reac h her boyfri end by th e 29t h of Febru ary.

Osca r-no minated Adams is a little ann oying to watch at ti mes an d this is ce rtain ly not her best ro le as her se lfis h persona lity is often draining, but Geode's dry wit and good looks prove to be th e highl ig ht of th e film . Leap Year is a very predi ctabl e rom anti c comedy and easil y fo rgettable.

7/10

However, th e film boast s so me spect acular sce nery of th e Iri sh cou ntrysi de and has some entertai ning moments, often target ed at th e incompetence of Ann a.

Th e funny misa dventures of th e main characters, such as Ann a managing to blow the power to a wh ole village are entertaining, but th e fluffy storylin e and weak charact ers drag t he fil m down .

Overall, th is is a good film t o wat ch fo r som e light entertainm ent, but proves to be a predi ctab le rom-com.

Sarah Hemsted

5/10

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A television movie with a better cast pretty much sums up Extraordinary Measures.

Brendan Frazer and Harrison Ford are working against the clock to develop a life-saving drug for sick children. A cause worth caring about, no doubt.

However, the film does not go to any lengths to bring anything new to the medicaldrama genre. Instead, it uses the same-old conventions of schmaltzy piano music and heartless capitalists, who are more interested in protocol than saving the kids.

John Crowley (Frazer) is a desperate father on a mission to save his two dying children.

He quits his well-paid job, forms a partnership with t-he rogue Dr. Robert Stonehill

(Ford) and is in a constant battle for funding; what's more, his daughter Megan has requested that the "special medicine" should be pink.

Ford brings his trademark worried expression ¡ to a character with anger levels, but his shout-offs with various characters lack any emotive spark. The only good thing is that the film brings attention to sufferers of Pompe disease.

On paper, Extraordinary Measures has the elements to become the next Erin Brockovich; but on screen it fails to deliver.

Catherine Watts

Low-budget Australian thriller, The Horseman, tells the story of grieving father Christian (Peter Marshal!), who goes on a killing spree in order to inflict revenge upon the ~ornographers who inadvertently caused his

hitch-hiker Alice (Caroline Marohasy).

The film's main flaw is that these tenderly handled scenes seem to be secondary to the genital mutilation and immolation that comes to form the backbone of the film. The violence is so prominent and so frequent that it becomes either repetitive or gratuitous according to your sensibiUties.

Nevertheless, Marshall's central performance exerts some power and the film creates a convincingly dismal

3/10

Case 39 is the latest contribution to the horror genre to come from German director, Christian Alvart. In the film, Renee Zellweger plays overworked social worker Emily Jenkins, who's instinct to protect a child leads her into supernatural peril. The film follows the established formula of creepy child horror stories.

When Emily first meets Lillith, she is a shy, haunted girl, but as people start to die horrifically, she becomes confident and reveals a dark intelligence.

Like last years Pandorum, also directed by Alvart, Case 39 is a film completely devoid of originality. The film takes most of its plot and style from better films in the genre. If you have seen The Exorcist, The

Ring or The Omen, you will find nothing new here.

Zellweger is a strange choice for a leading role in a horror film; despite her best face-scrunching efforts, she is unconvincing as a social worker and is so inept and naive that it is hard to take her seriously. The casting is not all bad, however; ¡Jodelle Ferland does a good evil kid, lan McShane offers a solid performance as Detective Mike Barron and Bradley Cooper comes off well as love interest Doug, despite being given perhaps the dumbest torture scene in the history of film.

Bert Ward low

atmosphere of anonymous people living in a drab, claustrophobic world. The effectively low-key camerawork and terse screenplay help separate The Horseman from the scores of other revenge thrillers that have populated the market; but it also makes the film a difficult watch.

Luke Nash

Whilst the animation goliaths Disney-Pixar were creating the intelligent, endearing and dazzling likes of Cars, Ratatouille, Wa/1-E and UP, Wes Anderson and his plethora of artists, model-makers and animators were working on something entirely different.

Whilst both are set to battle it out for the Academy Award. for best animation, the film represents something closer to the sepia-toned nostalgia and roots of a now-thriving.genre of film and the DVD release offers

3/10

Chloe opens with atmospheric voice-over narration from the title character, a prostitute played by Amanda Seyfried, who tells the audience of her chameleon-like ability to transform herself into anything a man desires. This inviting insight into Chloe's mind sets the tone for the rest of this enigmatic film Gynaecologist Catherine (Julianne Moore), believes that her husband David (Liam Neeson) no longer loves her, and is emotionally estranged from her angst-ridden teenage son . In desperation, she hires Chloe to try and seduce David to see if he is having an affair, a plan which escalates to have shocking consequences for Catherine and her family.

Whilst the film is called Chloe, it is Moore who steals the show in a powerful and compelling performance as another independent yet vulnerable mother, a legacy she has crafted through her roles in films such as Far From Heaven and A Single Man .

Visually, the film is stylish anQ_ the ultra-modern, yet at times stark and bleakly minimalist sets evoke the emotionally destitute terrain of the characters' lives. Abundant with twists and turns, Chloe is an intriguing and absorbing film right to the very end.

Michael Lovelock

a collection of extras to support this view.

The meticulously modelled stop-motion of Anderson's film exemplifies the real heart and soul behind one of the industry's most lucrative markets. Attention to detail is an understatement as all 621,450 still frames are beautifully crafted. The film is a culmination of five years of tirelessly passionate and creative work to create a film that returns to the roots of its inception. The handmade

models and 100+ sets give the film a feeling unseen in other animated features. Under the innovative direction of Wes Anderson, the witty nuances and dry humour work brilliantly to produce a piece of cinema as close to the atmosphere and emotion of live-action as animation can get.

Paul Cook

8/10

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daughter's death.

The film opens with a scene of intense brutality and continues in much the same way, providing little relief for the viewer; apart from the surrogate father-daughter relationship that grows between C~ristian and young

5/10

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Krcu-Ass:WILL Ir? The eminent release of KickAss, the new super hero movie with a difference, has got tongues wagging in the film industry because of its unusual and precarious start.

Each Holly}Nood executive t hat was presented with the idea turned the film down because of its violence and excessively profane language, most of which comes from an 11-yearold girL In addition to this, the film is based on the idea that Mark Millar had for a comic series, which was to be written and published whilst the fi lm was being written and made.

But what is Kick-Ass about?

In short, a geeky schoo l kid, played by upcoming star Aaron Johnson, can't seem to fathom why no one has ever become a superhero fo r reaL He dec ides that he is going to step into the breach and become Kick-Ass a masked vigilante who wants to defend t he city from evi l, despite a lack of actual super powers. Running alongside his attempts of being a hero, a father-daughter combo is fighting crime and the local villain in New York City. The villain, .afore-mentioned however, thinks Kick-Ass is to blame for making his life difficult, so hi s son poses as a superhero in order to try and capture him.

With the confusing nature

of the plot and the violent litt le girl who likes to use the 'C' word, it is understandab le that the stud ios were just not interested; despite the past successes of Matthew Vaughn's work, most notab ly Stardust (director) and Snatch (producer) .

Despite the lack of interest from Hollywood, the film has go ne ahead as an indepe nde nt.

it is only recent ly (i n December 2009) that the film has gained any form of backing, due to the grow ing interest in this new super hero movie. One of the most talked about aspects of the film is Nicolas Cage's portrayal of his character, Big Daddy. Since the Big Daddy cha racter looks like a cheaper version of Batman, Cage decided to pay homage to Adam West. Vaughn believes that th is will add to the rea lity of the character because it is as if Damon MacReady (aka Big Daddy) has just watched

one too many Batman re-runs on TV. Thi s issue of reality is a huge factor in Kick-Ass: the plot has to be somew hat set in a reality that probably would not occur, but might if someone in society should want to be a super hero.

Kick-Ass is going to be one of those marmite films; people are either going to love it or hate it, in particular the violence contained within it.

Vaughn realises that his critics will be all too ready to slate the film, commenting on the underage violence, however he stands by the film, insisting that there is a moral in the narrative.

Kick-Ass is apparent ly a comment on society's lack of willingness to help each other when faced with difficu lties.

The Good Samaritan angle that Vaughn insists is t ~ e re is perhaps enough reason alone to ensure that this film is a success. He must not forget, however, that what is more likely is that a large proporti on of people might be offended, in addition to a possible string of backlash from the press.

Despite the gloomy realities of Kick-Ass, there are already ta lks of a sequel, should the film become a box office SJ,Jccess.

The Eve nt sat down wi t h Dr. Keith Johnston, a lecturer of Film and Television studies in UEA's sc hoo l of FTV. Keith has written several publicatio ns on the subject of the film trailer including The Coo/est Way to Watch Movie Trailers in the World. Before undert aking his current position, Keith was an honorary guest speaker on the subject of the film trailer, and we document some of his expertise here.

What are t he key element s t o a successful trailer?

·I r I know that the big thing Hollywood insists on is narrative. it is a balancing act between showing enough, so that peop le want to see the film ... Films have a three act structure, trailers have two; they have to set up the fi rst t hirty to forty minutes so t he audience thinks 'What is the next step?', and so giving away too much has always been seen as a problem; the What Lies Beneath trailer was roundly criticized for this. There's a great campaign fo r Psycho, where Hitchcock basica lly says in it 'Do not tell anyone the ending to this film.'

How important would you say trailers are to the marketing of a film ?

RacheiCoxon

Probably more

in to see the trailer and then leaving! Pe rsona l favo urite ...

I have a hankering after the 1940s, hyperbolic style trailers, and the Hitchcock ones.

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How do you feel that trailers .

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~~~Hf~~Htf ~lf important than they have ever been . it has always been an essential component; by th e 1930s and 40s they were the most important element.

Ironically, all t he technologi.es that have come on since then that have challenged film dominance have actually increased the number of screens on which you can view film trailers, like the internet, and people downloading trailers onto mobile phones .

Which trailers do you fee l were particularly effective? r+l lo1h q r For sheer

f

impact, the Independence Day trailer. it was the first time the production was scheduled around showing something in the trailer; that really changed the blockbuster trailer mentality. Another one is Star Wars: Episode One. it was responsible for getting peop le in to see films they did not want to see, people were going

have progre ssed over time? ~r t I· Well, there are obvious stylistic changes.

In the 1930s and 40s they had much more titles, you know, 'The Most Staggering Film Ever Made!', really screen filling stuff. Those disappeared around the 1950s, when you start to get the big 'trailer voice'. There have not been huge changes; t he bas ic elements have remained the same.

Do you think that stunt trailers are more or less effective?

think they can be; anything that makes the tra iler stand out is good . For example, t he first Spiderman trailers with the web between the Twin Towers, and more recent ly the new one for Toy Story 3 which features footage shot just for the trailer, those were very effective. If you successfully target your demographic and get people in cinemas, then it has done its job.

Duncan Vicat-Brown

TRIVIA TIM[ *With Avatar already reaching the milestone of being the hig hest grossing fi lm ever, it is no surprise t hat 20t h Ce ntury Fox will be push ing James Cameron to create an Avatar 2. But he cautioned analysts not to "hold your breath for an early one", as it has been said that Cameron project s often take a long time to come to fruition. Will' t his awa rd winning film suffer from t he dreaded curse of the sequel flop? *Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer) has been hired to

helm the next Spider-Man film.

The film was originally set to hit the big screen in May 2011, but due to a conflict regarding the creati ve direction of th e fou rth fi lm, its release dat e has been rescheduled to summer 2012. *The long anticipated A/ice Wonderland has caused uproar across the country.

Odeon had said they wou ld not be screen ing t he fi lm as a result of a row with Disney.

They were less than keen at t he shortened win dow that reduces the period in whic h they can make money before the DVD release. However, in

agreements have now bee n made and it transpires that Odeon will now be showing the fi lm. Perhaps they are "fanatica l about film" after all ! *Bad news for girls of the Twilight fan base; after over a year of spec ulation, Robert Pattinson has finally confirmed he is dating his Twilight eo-star Kristen Stewart. They were due to make their first pub lic appearance as a couple at the BAFTA Film Awards, but ended up arriving separately.

After refusing to comment on their relatio nship for months, Pattinson finally broke his

sile nce and adm itted we re a coup le.

they

Hill. NBC and Working Title

*U.S. TV bosses are working on sma ll sc reen adaptations of Brita in's most famous films, including Bridget Jones's Diary, Billy Elliot and Notting

recently anno unced t hey would partner up for a TV venture - entit led Working Title Te levision. Work ing Ti t le's theatrica l releases include the aforementioned movies and films such as Nanny McPhee, Shaun of the Dead and Four Weddings and a Funeral. * What is the last film you would consider for a sequel?

How about Zoolander? it has been nine years since Ben Stiller taught us some invaluable lessons about the modelling industry, but with Justin Theroux and Ben

Stiller eo-writing the script, apparently it is never too late for a seq ueL The re lease dat e is yet to be announced.

* Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson will add a f urth er prove rbial string to his acti ng bow wi t h Mario Van P~ebles' Ame rican football drama, Things Fall Apart . Fiddy wi ll take t he lead role of a star "who faces a personal tragedy as well as his own mortality while in his se nio r yea r in co ll ege." Sou nds like he may be required to actually act for this role.

G~mma

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> LosTPROPIIils Ahead of their sold-out gig at the LCR this month, Lost prophets' Mike Lewis and Jamie Oliver stopped by the office and chatted w ith Th e Event's Seb Crane, about everyth ing f rom t he band's deca de in music t o bibl ica l super-groups...

How's th tour going, any htghltgh o far?

Mike (rhythm guitarist): it's been amazing so far. it's been one of the most fun we've done. Pretty much every crowd has been amazing and all the bands we've had out with us have been really cool, so yeah it's been a blast. it's definitely been our biggest tour for a long, long time- 18 dates altogether. Edinburgh stands out for me so far, it was incredible.

Jamie (keyboardist): I think it's certain songs as well. Obviously songs like Last Train Home that we've played at Reading and everyone's jumping up and down is great, but there are songs from the new record like Where We Belong which immediately connect and there's a vibe about them which is just special. So to be able to play those every night and the way the crowd responds is epic.

So the new songs have been going down really well?

J: Yeah and this obviously fills us with confidence.

When we're in the studio writing them, this time more than ever, we thought about how they would perform live as opposed to just how they sound on the record, so it feels really good to

have a positive feedback from the audience.

How does the new album compar to your other effort ?

M : I still stand by that it's the best album we've done.

J: Yeah, even the process of this part of the record; doing it ourselves, taking the weight on our shoulders. We're just incredibly proud that it came out as we wanted it to. lt really sounds like us.

M : I think it's a really good mix of all our previous albums. If you're into Fake Sound... then you will listen to it and find something you'll like, if it's Start Something or Liberation Transmission then the same thing. I think it's the most all-rounded Lostprophets album.

You've been around ten years now, what are your career h•ghhght ?

M : Every time we've played Reading it has been a career highlight at that point in time. When we played there in 2001 - when we played the tent -that was when we felt like we were moving out of clubs. When we played the main stage in 2004 and 2007, both were massive for us. Headlining

Down load was pretty awesome. Getting a number one album was pretty cool. I don't know where we go from here.

M: it's almost like a highlight of our career is still being here ten years later as well. If you had asked us ten years ago would we still be here now, then I don't know what we would have said, probably no. But it's pretty cool to still be here ten years on and people still give a shit.

Why did you choose Sharks and Kids In Glass Hou es to support you?

M : Because they are amazing bands. The new Kids In Glass Houses album is awesome; I think they deserve to do well and they're some of our good mates as well so it's a double bonus. We get to watch an amazing band every night and hang out with our mates during the day.

If you could form a super-group, who would be in it?

M : That is the toughest question on the planet...

J: I'd have Jesus Christ.

M : I'd have him on drums. Jesus Christ on drums, he'd have to be good wouldn't he? I'd have two vocalists. I'd have ...

J: I'd have Goliath on drums, I would .

M: He'd crush them.

J: He'd be a beast though, wouldn't he?

M : And you could have David on bass.

What musicians did you aspire to be when you were growing up?

M: Loads: James Hetfield from Metallica, Joe Strummer from The Clash, Paul Weller from The Jam. J: Chuck D from Public Enemy.

M: Mike Patton when I was growing up, yeah loads.

What can we expect from you tonight?

M : We have kind of tried to make it more of a show. Sometimes we have played and there's been endless banter on stage and we just mess around. Other times we just want to perform.

J: I've noticed that every show has been different.

If you're really up for it, anything could happen; it could go crazy or whatever. But there are times you just want to go on stage and just perform your best. lt's just nice to be granted that sort of privilege of being honest, which I think is really important.

LosTPROPIIrrs LM > TIIJ;: tAK[ SoUND or PROGRJ;:ss?

Lostprophets have claimed that their fourth album, The Betrayed, is "by far the finest, darkest and most real" of their career, marking a self defined "apocalyptic" departure from their highly successful number one cross-over album Liberation Transmission. Liberation Transmission was constructed with explicit mainstream orientation, blending melodic riffs inspired by 80's new romantic pop, with insatiably catchy choruses. Teenage girls liked them, Radio One liked them; a kiss of death for any 'credible rock band'. Yet there comes a time in every man's life when he's required to build a podium, stand atop of it and sing his heart out. .. or 'Scream his heart out' from a 'rooftop', if you will. This was their moment.

Lostprophets are clearly indebted to their cross-over success. What act, in this blighted age of decreased record sales and economic crisis, could record a full album's worth of material in LA - reportedly spending around $500,000 - to merely suggest that the resultant recordings were too "slick and shiny"? Guns and Roses perhaps? For the first half of their set, Mr. Watkin's own roost-ruling podium antics were akin to those of 'misunderstood', mood orientated Axl Rose; his charisma initially

obscured by a pop diva like ambivalence. Clad in a Vivienne Westwood diamante belt and long black mac, the frontman preened and eased _his way into the opening of their set, flicking his sweat-glossed Toni and Guy haircut (the sound may change, the hair remains), acclimatising to his smaller than usual surroundings. Stuart Richardson stated that the alleged thematic change of The Betrayed had been nurtured by subsequent difficulties with "behind-thescenes bullshit". The band seem to translate this grievance into the lackadaisical opening of their set, this aggravation palpable in the lyrical content of Dstryr And Dstryr, a standout track from both album and set: " Religion needs a new employer I I've got the rope you need to hang your Jesus even higher."

Ironically, it was a medley of Prodigy songs that seemed to inspire both band and crowd, the rendition of Omen inciting the · floor to a degree not seen again this evening until the customary renditions of Last Train Home and Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja, the latter still being one of their · finest, most aggressive and complete songs (in addition to The Fake sound of Progress and We Are Godzil/a You Are Japan, both of which are omitted from the set).

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Watkins, with enhanced kinetic energy and minus mack, has the crowd in the palm of his hand, leading the assembled throng through a passionate rendition of Next Stop AtroCity, and the title track from their most complete album, Start Something. Lostprophets 'treat' their audience to a greatest hits set, occupying the stage for an hour and a half, and in th is sense their commitment cannot be questioned. The band tlearly satisfy the appetite of the sold out crowd; constituted of a mix (not entirely reliant on teenage girls) testament to the bands crossover appeal. The 'darker' sound of their fourth offering does not obscure their accessibil ity.

While offering a dramatic improvement, the second half of their set - post Prodigy, preening, and pouting - is filled with banter, that, while comical, verges on the self indulgent.

Lostprophets have gone to substantial lengths to validate their credibility, yet the duality of their set seems almost microcosmic of their career, both highly successful but sometimes flattering to deceive, the aggression of Burn Burn, compromised by the glitz of Vivienne Westwood attire and self indulgence. The fake sound of progress?

Oliver Brook

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> ALL-STAR (IIARITY SINGLfS Both the UK and US have almost simultaneously released singles in the aid of those effected by the Haiti earthquake. Kate Hinksman ta kes us on a comparative journey through the se past and present charity efforts, featuring our best-loved artists .. .

NOW:

THEN:

Everybody Hurts (Various Artists, 2010)

Is This The Way To Amarillo? (Tony Christie "featuring" Peter Kay, 2005)

This January, Simon Cowell rounded up an allstar line-up, including Mariah Carey, Susan Boyle, Robbie Williams, JLS and more to record a cover of REM's Everybody Hurts, in order to raise money for victims of the tragic Haiti earthquake.

Within its first week of release it sold 453,000 copies, making it the fastest-selling charity single this century so far. Although less emotionally ~<Os onant than the original, fans of Mariah-style warblings and polished-within-an-inch-of-its-life production will not be disappointed.

Sometimes, an adm ittedly fairly average song reaches extraordinary new levels of popularity solely on the basis of a really good promo video.

The re-release of .. Amarillo for Comic Relief 2005 is a great example of this; somehow all Tony Christie needed to re-launch his career was for Peter Kay to walk in front of a green screen and mime (hilariously) to his song, whilst joined by various celebrities. lt gains bonus points for that moment when Ronnie Corbett falls over. Simple things ...

We Are The World (USA For Africa, 1985 & various artists, 2010)

Do They Know it's Christma s? (Band Aid, 1984 & Band Aid 20, 2004)

Across the pond, and also in aid of Haiti, American artists have joined forces to re-record 1985 charity single We are The World. The original was eo-written by Lionel Richie and the late Michael Jackson, who also both sang on the record alongside ma ny ot her stars, in aid of famine charity USA fo r Africa.

25 years on, the song has been re -recorded by stars including Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, P!nk, T-Pain and Janet Jackson. In a (thankfully quite

Probably the UK's most well known and loved charity single, Band Aid was masterminded by Boomtown Rats' Bob Geldof in aid of ongoing famine in Ethiopia and featured 80s legends such as Wham! and U2's Bono . lt had the double success of lead ing on to the Live Ai d concert in 1985 and becoming a Christmas compi lation CD staple for years to come .

To mark Band Aid's 20th anniversary in 2004, and to raise funds and awareness for Make Poverty History, various solo artists and bands were called upon to form Band Aid 20. The line-up included Natasha Bedingfield, Dizzee Rasca l and aga in, U2's Bono, who insisted that

tasteful) nod to the star beh ind the original, clips of Michael appear be hind sister Janet in her section of the video for the song. So far it doesn't seem to have been the instant success

that Everybody Hurts has been, which is a shame because overall it is a genuinely uplifting, spirited and eclectic record.

Duncan Vicat-Brown and Tom Mclnnes discuss the Am erican justice system 's latest cla im to fam e, rapper Dwayne 'Li l Wayne' Carter.. . lt had to come to an end eventual ly. Apparent ly having inherited Bernard's watch, Lil Wayne managed to release a total of twenty one mostly bri lliant LPs, official mix tapes and collaboration albums in ten years, as well as co ll aborati ng with everyone from Emi nem and Kanye to Weeze r and Madonna, al l while putting half of Colombia's annual product up his nose.

However, 2010 is not shaping up to be a vintage year for Lil Weezy. Following his arrest in 2007 for criminal possession of a weapon, to which he plead guilty last year, Wayne is all set for a one year stay at Rikers Is land, making him probably the on ly inmate to have featured in both an Obama speech (talking to .; choolchildren in Georgia: "You are probably

not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school") and the IMDB bottom 100 movies list (for Who's Your Caddy?).

Not t hat the heat has done anything to slow down his seemingly limitless creativity. Since the original charge in 2007, Wayne recorded Tha Carter Ill, a critical and commercial smash: it's currently rated 84 on Metacritic.com, and was the biggest selling album of 2008 in the US. He also released the first album from his collective, Young Money, four mix tapes and an ill-advised rock album, Rebirth, not to mention numerous collaborations . Oh, and he also starred in over fo rty m usic videos. Yeah, t hat's righ t , forty. And ten of t hose were filmed this year.

Someone up there was clearly listening, and doesn ' t want Lil Wayne behind bars. In February his sentence was delayed because he urgently needed root canals. Eight of them. And, for good measure, they fixed his diamond fillings, added some tooth implants and repaired what little remained of his original teeth . So, the date was moved to March 2nd. But on March 1st Manhattan's Criminal Courthouse mysteriously caught fire, injuring eight people and further delaying Wayne's imprisonment.

By the time you read this, Lil Wayne should fi nally be in a nice, comfy cell , but his legions of fans wil l still be hoping for a swarm of locusts to de lay proceedings just a little bit longer.

TONY CHRISTIE FEAT. PETER KAY (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILL

C MIC RELIEF

he should keep his line from the '84 recording: "We ll, tonight thank God I'm me, and in U2"...

Wait, was that not it?

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Chipmunk took to the stage in spectacular fashion and performed his track Saviour with the charisma, confidence and energy of an experienced artist. lt is hard to believe that just six months after gaining his A-levels, the 19 year old has already achieved a number two album, five top ten singles and a UK number one, as well as a MOBO for best hip hop act.

The Bizarre tour, headlined by Chipmunk, exposes audiences nationwide to the increasingly popular grime genre. Opening act Tenny Ten, however, provides us with a reminder of why this style of UK hip hop has largely been enjoyed 'underground' since its conception in the early 90s. His performance failed to live up to the creativity of his stage name, and the single 0 My Daze is unlikely to trouble the top 100 UK singles chart anytime soon.

The show's poor start was nevertheless rescued by top notch sets from Skepta and Tinie Tempah. The pair produced exceptional performances of their singles Too Many Man and

Pass Out, demonstrating how the improved production of strong bass lines has allowed a new and significantly more talented generation of gr_ime artists to propel their genre into the mainstream.

Nonetheless, it was Chipmunk's climactic set which most had paid to see and which stole the show. His mature and commanding stage presence combined perfectly with his youthful exuberance to create a friendly atmosphere in which the crowd felt genuinely connected to the artist, but equally in awe of his talents. Chipmunk's energetic style of delivery saw him cover almost every inch of the stage as he performed top quality and highly entertaining renditions of the singles Oopsy Daisy, Look for me and Diamond Rings. The only question of this exciting artist is whether he has enough quality songs to fill an hour long set? For now, however, he can bask in the glory that comes with being Chip Diddy Chip.

Kieran Cordery

lndie-pop, at least real, good indie-pop in the classic British sense, is dead. In fact, Britpop pretty much wiped it out at the start of the 90s. Where can you go now to find a band like Tallulah Gosh, The Jesus and Mary Chain, or the Sea Urchins?

Well, as it turns out, quite possibly the Arts Centre. Los Campesinos! may have been accused by some as being overly twee, pretentious and too arty but really they're the only band on the UK scene that seems to 'get' the eighties bands that they're impersonating (looking at you, White Lies) and even going on to exceed those aforementioned names.

"Hi, we're the Lost Prophets" frontman Gareth Campesinos! proclaims one song into the set, before launching into a scolding Death to Los Campesinos!. Their fellow Welshmen may be playing just down the road at the LCR to over a thousand people but, to the two hundred-ish inside the Arts Centre, the bubblegum metallers have nothing on what is almost certainly

the UK's best equivalent to the Arcade Fire; if not musically then definitely in t~e live show. Eight of them crowd onto the stage, which at times produces some pretty harsh feedback. lt really doesn't matter however; nothing tonight can bring Los Campesinos! down.

The set list stems mainly from debut album Hold On Now, Youngster and new album Romance is Boring, every song delivered with a chaotic precision. There Are Listed Buildings and Romance is Boring are delivered as a mid -set double cheap shot, and new tracks like the brilliant The Sea is a Good Place To Think About the Future slot along perfectly with older (well, from 2008) standards like You! Me! Dancing!.

Los Campesinos! show tonight that, if there was any justice in the world, they would be the band selling out the LCR. And there's nothing twee about it.

Michael Blunt

llor C111P > UIA LCR > W~DNÂŁSDAY 24TII f~n lt wasn't that Hot Chip were bad as a band on Wednesday evening, that they didn't perform well, or that they didn't pour effort into their performance- it was just that the atmosphere wasn't right. After seeing what crowds at Hot Chip gigs could be like; frantic swathes of fans all enjoying the music, and considering the hype that was surrounding the evening; the first listen to the new album live, you would have expected a mass turn out of giddy and energetic people, dying to get to the front to join in all the merriment.

But no. Instead the crowd were very unresponsive: only a select few were dancing along to songs, and even then only to the more popular hits. An audible groan of disappointment could be heard during the intro of No Fit State when all the crowd wanted was Ready for the Floor, and the general turnout was just poor; there was enough space, not just to breathe, but to swing a bloody cat down at the front. lt was simply not good enough. lt seemed as if the majority of the people, what with the 'cool status' attributed to the band, had bought tickets just to

say they had been to see one of the more popular acts around.

This is not to say that the entire crowd were as bad as this, some were cl~rly enjoying themselves, but standing in the band's position, with a full view of the room, it is surprising they put in as much effort as they did. Indeed, the comments on the crowd should not detract from the panache that well versed performers showed on stage.

Their new album, making up the majority of the set, was well executed, sounding fresh and professional; the more tender songs allowing Alexis' voice to shine and the dancey tracks giving the band a chance to energise the stage.

The classics were only few and far between, but brilliant as expected; the beats during Hold On and Over and Over resonated through the venue, and the strobes burnt the retinas of the crowd. Yes, perhaps the P.A. was a little bit quiet, and there could have been more hits in the set, but the band were as good as they could have been, and did not deserve many fans walking away feeling underwhelmed.

Alex Throssell

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Ellie Goulding's first album is a triumph of style over substance. A long time ago this might have been a mediocre collection of acoustic folk songs. Since then, mu sic industry vultures have descended upon Goulding with the same enthusiasm that real vultures descend upon a rotting carcass. Lights is not really her album anymore; the songs she originally wrote are now buried under dense, overwh elming production. Goulding's acoustic guitar is lost in the mix to impenetrable layers of drum machines, pounding synths and vocal

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treatments reminiscent of late 90s dance pop .

This is definitely an example of where more is less.

Commercially, this was certainly the right thing to do. Strip the se songs down to their bare minimum and Goulding would get lost among the current abundance of female singer-songwriters . Her vocals are monotone, while the lyrics lack any substance. The chorus of latest single Under the Sheets is a perfect example with "Like all the boys before, like all the boys, boys, boys" repeated ad infinitum.

You feel sorry for Goulding; maybe she just wanted to play her mediocre folk to a small crowd of mediocre fans. Now she's playing her dire 90s di sco pop to a large crowd of dire fans. The marauding masses will flock to her soulless music, they will pick all the flesh off of its bones and move on.

This summer, Goulding will be massive. This time next year, she will be nowhere, no one will care anymore . Goulding will be chewed and spat out before she can capitalise on her success with a second album. She should enjoy the current attention while it lasts. lt won't last long.

Jack Lo ughran

CHUM BA WAIVIBA

Chumabawamba have come a long way since their nineties days. In comparison to all that getting knocked down and getting up again , ABCDEFG is an eclectic mix of sampling, a capella harmonies, and thought-provoking lyrics.

The most notable tracks are Underground, with its surreal, childlike voice and radio snippets, and Voices, That 's All, which has brilliant timing, making you long for the chorus after every verse . Less successful is song number two, though there is something

5/ 10 compelling about a group of grown men singing about pickles, and Singing Out the Days has a nursery rhyme 'the -animals-went-in-two-bytwo (hurrah)' thing going, which doesn't make for great music.

That said, the album is innovative. Wagner at the Opera uses sound effects like a rattle, a whistle, and something that could be squeaky trainers, and Puccini Said samples opera, which oddly adds to its appeal. You Don't Exist is probably the most lighthearted existential angst you will come across.

However, after extensive listening, ABCDEFG is, really, just a bit of a let down. Whilst individual downloads of some of the tunes (Underground, Puccini Said, Voices, That's All,) may well be worth it, the entire album is not very strong. Chumbawamba may be stuck in that rut from their one hit wonder forever- as the band self-commentates in Torturing James Hetfield: "[Chumbawamba's] greatest hits; there's only one." And though there is musical talent and a wealth of clever lyrics on show in this album, the band are unlikely to ever rival the earlier success of Tubthumping.

Hazy Hale

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Joanna Newsom's two hour epic, Have One an Me, has evoked anticipation, anticipation, and anticipation since the news of its existence at the beginning of the year. This new record can be perceived as an extension of her 2006 album, Ys, mirroring its ten minute winding fairy tales, but not without the stripped down arrangements to the bare harp/piano/harpsichord that we first heard on debut The Milk-Eyed Mender. Triple disc'd and first unveiled in a secret concert in California, at which Newsom performed under the pseudonym 'The Beatles's', Have One on Me seems to span the entire length of human emotion, musical genre, and literature.

7/ 10 Whilst adhering to the cliche labels of baroque pop, avant-garde, and simple folk, Newsom's work always seems more deserving of a magically fabricated label. Baby Birch, closer of CD 1, trails off into a Japanese-inspired fade out; No Provenance is reminiscent of a fairy tale love story in a modern urban scape, alongside modern endings, twisting the folk happy ending one expects; and opening track Easy has the stereotype full orchestration, drums, choral arrangements, and so on. The whol e album wouldn 't be out of place as a soundtrack to a film. Newsom, on the full scope of keyboard instruments, as well as her notorious harp, has ditched the polyrhythms that epitomised her earlier songs, yet retained the atypical structures, stories, and arrangements that evidently characterise her music.

Newsom's famous child -like voice that has removed her from archetypal folk outfits of recent years seems more toned down in Have One on Me, obviously still present, yet vocals and accompaniment blend more easily than on Ys. This may appeal to more fans, but the length can be off putting, especially as it requires your full attention from start to finish. Musical challenge, yes; typical new release into the mainstream for 2010, no.

Helen Thomas

The Automatic Tear the Signs Down

Yeah, it's the same band that released Monster almost four years ago. Admittedly most people seem to have assumed that they have ceased to exist, due to the lack of a novelty follow up to accompany said hit, but the Welsh rockers are actually now onto album number three .

Wh ile Monster brought them to the public eye and bizarrely helped gain them a headline spot on the NME tour, it also brought a false representation of a band that otherwise made a decent debut record. Tear the Signs Down is an attempt to finally exorcise any remaining ghosts from the early days. At times, they needn't have bothered.

Opener Insides grates where really it should soar. Maybe being dropped by their label accounts for some rather poor mastering work, because a little bit of polish wouldn't go amiss . Lead single Interstate also seems to fail with its aims, the attempted catchy chorus falling unfortunately flat. Tear the Signs Down is nowhere near as diverse as the band seem to think it is; a relatively ordinary collection of post-hardcore songs that thankfully hold back from falling into the emo category. There is the odd Jimmy Eat World moment, such as Sweat Heat Noise, Run and Hide and Race to the Heart of the Sun which stand out as key tracks, the latter a swirling, epic be Iter.

The main question is whether there is really any point to The Automatic. They seem destined to fall to the curse that has befell so many bands on the British heavy rock scene.

Hundred Reasons and Hell is for Heroes have already faded into relative obscurity from once heady heights, and sadly The Automatic seem to be following in their wake. lt really wouldn ' t be a surprise to see Tear.. . in the bargain bins in six months time.

Micha el Bl unt

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In an attempt to make their latest album, The Betrayed, like the much heavier and much loved The Fake Sound Of Progress, Lostprophets release one of their most pop-friendly singles to date.

For He's A Jolly Good Felon

follows the trend of every one of the Welsh rockers' songs from the last couple of years (especially Rooftops), with its simple guitar melody, anthemic chorus and, of course, absolutely terrible

lyrics. lan Watkins has never been too strong with his song writing, but "Mikey, oh where'd you get those Nikes?" is probably one of the worst lines heard in a while, and that's including N Dubz.

The song opens with a much lighter, almost indie rock, riff than those which they have used before, which some will think is an attempt to cash in on the dying scene, but as soon as the chorus kicks in it's familiar Lostprophets territory. Whether you are a fan of the band or not, one has to admit that what they do, they do very well.

Like most of their single releases, the song is incredibly catchy and a lot of fun, even if there is that suspicious guilt one feels for enjoying this .

Christopher Mills

J MII:T b~IllY.s III:ARI

Emily's Heart, the fourth single to be released from Kings & Queens, has Jamie T display a delicate placidity, the like of which has. been almost entirely absent from the three previous tracks. Jamie's trademark melodic snarl, stirring lyrics and typical poignancy remain, though they have been dressed up quite differently.

Despite the slight redirection, this could well be the best single to emerge so far from his hugely successful second

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9/ 10 studio album .

Once more alluding to rising levels of street crime, Jamie has managed to provide a touching and realistic reflection on love, friendship and tragedy. The subtle vocals and gentle strings combine to create a sound that is both irresistibly pleasing and hauntingly harmonic. This track was widely considered a 'fan's favourite' even before its official release, and is certainly not a record that can be forgotten in a hurry.

Having bagged the 'Best Solo Artist' accolade at this year's NME awards, it seems Jamie T will find yet more success with the release of this gem. Movingly honest, Emily's Heart demands attention that it shall no doubt receive .

Sean Harris

"Actually, yeah, kind of.

Don't be so f*cking cheeky.

Basically, there's this new band called Low Sea. There's two of them, and they come from Galway. Their new single is called Never Yours, and it's got organs on it. lt starts off quite spooky, but then this Suicide-esque drum loop kicks in and things get a bit sexy. The vocalist, Billie has a haunting, kinda sensual voice we think you'll really dig, and there's all kinds of electronic beeps and fills which really add to the atmosphere. Plus its around seven minutes long, so there's lots of room for the track to breathe. What do you think?"

"Um, yeah, great. Hey, did you see that video with those guys on the treadmills? That was so cool."

Duncan Vicat-Brown

"Hello Ireland. How's your music scene doing? We cant wait to hear the new ~oyzone, or maybe another one like The Script or The Corrs!"

"Hi, English music-buying public. Yeah, sorry about them . Actually, we've got something rather different for you this time, we're really excited about it."

"Oh really? Have you finally traded in the fiddles for something more hi-tech, like, say, an organ?"

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LIVING IN IIARMONY

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I am the same as you. I eat, I sleep, I smile, I cry.

And we both love. We both can feel the crispy silk of the grass underneath and between our toes. We both can taste the tantalisation of sugar melting on our tongues, smell the coffee as it's poured from a filter into our homely mugs. You know the voice of your best friend as well as I know mine. You can visualise the image of your home clearly, as can I. Yet, the home you think of is different to mine. Your home still has a family, a loving collection of generations both big and small.

I've seen you all together, in the park on the unbroken facilities. I've watched in indisputable envy as you push your little sister on the swing behind that pristine fence, her raven hair billowing and milk-tooth smile aglow. it's easy to imagine you all sitting down to the table in your central -heated, plush kitchen. Your loving, benevolent mother will place a plate of hot, home-baked pride before you, and you will eat it, barely noticing the flavours that you have become so accustomed to. They are like the background music of the radiator.

I don't have a family. I did, but we declared ourselves before things got too bad, we thought it was the best option. lt wasn't. I was sixteen summers, deemed experienced enough to live my own life, so I was given independence. I remember being so excited, so happy when they had forced this upon me. My parents had swallowed it hard and I understand why now, because with this independence, I've lost my unity; I'm one of many forced to learn to make our own dinner, when I can manage to gather enough tokens to trade for basic ingredients.

Such banal cooking is a humanitarian luxury, I mostly live off "Wellbeing"; the government gruel granules named so in a cleverly marketed ploy.

"Wellbeing" is cardboard cheap and sufficiently nutritiously balanced, apparently. I love its advertising; the succulent Sunday roasts and lean chicken, fresh fish and healthy salad dishes all arcing like rainbows into the recycled cardboard box; the Irish gold at the end of the rainbow. it's supposed to calm all doubt that it's nothing but healthy. it's ironically telling us that it's our favourite foods in a different format. Its name suggests a trust in its contents to provide us with such fundamental sustenance to keep us living. it's a pity it tastes of bile.

Would you trade it for the love-spread feast so readily lain out for you once you've finished addressing to your little sister's squeaky demands to be pushed "Higher, higher!" and retired home? I've seen your eyes scanning us as we queue at our own till, the self-service one with the wires starting to go threadbare where they connect into the wall. A conveyer-belt system as we file through to trade our tokens

for our restricted choice of supplements. All our selection takes up one aisle, located at the beginning of the supermarket, divided from the rest of the cornucopia of food you can amble through. You got to choose what you fancied from the different brands of the same foodstuff available to you, skipping between different brands to find your favourite. Do you wish you could also choose from the grey porridge boxes and mice-gnawed cheese skins, the best of our produce? When your aisles bulge with colourful, oriental flavours and luxurious treats, do you wish you could try the multigrain mush I had to satisfy my hunger with last night?

I had sat looking out of my bird pooh and insect splattered window, down over the fence upon the lush emerald of grass, and I saw you, absent-mindedly popping Dairy Milk squares into your mouth. You knew you didn't have to worry that it would be the last time you would eat such a delight. I used to love chocolate, but one square is more than my life's worth now. So I looked down at you with self-pity and jealousy as I spooned the granules into my mouth. I was almost crying at my actions as I scraped rashly at the bowl for the last flecks, and pushing the dribble down my chin back into my woeful mouth. Hunger has scorched all my actions to override my archaic ideas of pride and selfrespect in its bitter attempts to attain food.

But still, we needed to do more. So the government got tougher. As people fell to seeking allowance, we were told to work on public projects, including building tower blocks of prison-like cubicles. One bed, a cracked sink, basic kitchen appliances, off to the side was a toilet that would be apt to clog with anything more than two -ply paper. We ignorantly built these space-conserving shelters with no questions, except how ethically "green" they were. At the time, we insisted on generators and solar power, which meant those blocks only

RY II\Z[L co~'viPTON

got enough electricity to keep a low-energy light bulb glowing its coiled worm-like filament for a few hours, and that is on a good day.

Then, those who had declared themselves unemployed were forced to sell their homes, their equity. As we lined up to hand across the legal documents, each person was filed to a different desk by age group, then lead encouragingly through different doors.

My mother and father walked through the same one, hand in hand. They were reassuring one another and I tried to follow them, but one of the authoritative women, her crisp asexual haircut jiggling, called me back. She directed and pushed me to walk through the doorframe next to the one I favoured. Screaming, I called for my mother, and she came back for me.

When I lay my head down on my stoic bed at night, my nightmares are of the way my mother had heard the commotion and come back to tenderly imprint her lips to my cheek and reassuring whisper "go with the flow for a second". I never heard her voice again, never felt her lips kiss me, but I have nightmares that she never felt my father's hand again either. Her voice had made it sound like she knew what was happening as she smiled at me, before walking confidently back through the door assigned to her, without my father, leaving me to step

through the chipped frame of that second door.

I split mother from father and they never were reunited.

I never saw her, my father or my little cherub-faced brother again. He was carried, unknowing, through another scuffmarkstained door. After being told he was going to "go play" since we had sent him to nursery on government funded help for struggling parents for so long, he was used to strangers picking him up and carrying him away from mother's arms into strange environments. Consequently, he made no effort to wriggle free to me; he really did think he was going to go play.

Families were split up, as it was cheaper to

feed children en mass, rearing each individual alone in a cubicle, like battery farm chickens.

Ironic that we have lowered ourselves to become comparative with what we once didn't even want to put into our mouths. Isolation also keeps the peace; no revolts can happen with one man alone if he has no following.

Yes, I still have enough humour to realise that when we were building our towering blocks, we were effectively digging our own graves.

We sold our houses to the first bidders. That was you. You were clever enough to capitalise on our capital's downfall. Illegal immigrants became the nouveau rich as the pound fell against every other currency. You brought our homes that we'd built so lusciously, brought over your expensive flavourings to spice up our country to your tastes and brought us out of pocket.

With fences erected and parameters divided, we became the illegal aliens in our own land, unable to enjoy the lavishness of our countryside for the cost of travelling around.

Whilst you freely pollute our air with cars and aeroplanes to get a different perspective upon the land, we can only walk the paths we are assigned to be on.

Again, the government eased us into this way of living slowly with their healthy eating plans and get fit campaigns. Eve and my mother used to be all for it; taking my brother, her little horrors and me swimming in chlorinesanctified, safe water and walking in the free air every weekend, talking themselves of the way they were going to join yoga classes and pilates, aerobics and dancing.

They never did, but the walks are now a memory I relish for their social and unneeded properties. Now, we have no choice but to slog miles to get what we need to survive. We cannot walk anywhere; you've generously given us our own space , but you constrict us in case we revert back to our past grievances of graffiti.

You don' t want us destroying the landscape we make pristine in our public sector jobs.

I watch you from my window in envy all day, but you don' t care for the rough-edged, flaxen haired stranger that looks out at you over the fence. You would back away in fear if I approached as near as I could and slotted a thin finger through the bars in greeting. The government has eliminated obesity in us, purely because we can't get enough to binge upon with our rationed newspaper-thin tokens, but we watch you getting chubby with a nostalgic bitterness.

There is only one difference between you and me; I was born British, and you bought Britain from me.

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Robertson>LT1>6:30>£6 * Comedy Store>Forum>Spm>£10.50 *The Kabeedies>Arts Centre>8pm>£6

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*Union Election Campaigning begins *Salsa Lesson>Hive>5 :30>£2 *Bar b4 LCR> LCR>8pm>free *The lnvisible>Arts Centre>8:30>£8 *Night at the Movies>LCR>lOpm >£3.50

* Film>Harry Brown>LT1>7 :30>£2.75 * Bar b4 LCR> bar>8pm>free *Tom Wrigglesworth>Piayhouse>8pm >£10 * Emma Pollock & Josh Pyke>Arts Centre>Bpm>£10 * End of Term Bash> LCR>9pm>

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*Happily Ever After (until 13th) >Puppet Theatre>7:30>£6 *Hamlet>Drama Studio>7:30>£4.50 *Stewart Lee> Piayhouse>8pm>£14 *Glamour of the Kiii>Arts Centre >8pm>£6

lbnumou *The Courteeners> LCR>7:30>£17 *Orpheus Down Under (until 12th) >Playhouse>7:30>£12 *Lisa Redford>Arts Centre>8pm>£8 *The UEA Factor Finale>bar>8:30 >free

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*Remix for Read> Hive>7pm>£4.50 *Film>Twilight: New Moon>LT1>7:30 >£2.75 *UEA Symphony Orchestra & Choir >Cathedral>7:30>£4 *Errors>Arts Centre>8pm>£7 *SocNight>bar>8pm>free *Your Guilty Pleasures & Paradise City >WF>lOpm>£3.50

.[V[NT SPOTLIGHT>

In the competitive Norwich comedy circuit, hot on the heels of the ever-popular Laugh Out Loud, new comedy society Headlights was started last September by PhD student Dan Taylor, and has since proved itself an instant success after its first showcase in the Grad Bar this term. With the help of fellow students Paul McNaughter, William Turner and Hannah Schutt, the society launched at the September SocMart, and any hesitations about the society's potential popularity were silenced after its first meeting.

'Fortunately, we realised that our new members were just as enthusiastic about writing and performing comedy as we were', says Dan Taylor. The society continues to meet up weekly, every Friday evening at 7pm in the INTO lecture theatre for sessions which are weighted to accommodate different types of comedy, including improvisation-based comedy games led by graduate Alex Ryden, who has extensive experience and training in the art of improvisa ~ n. Headlights also offer an opportunity for members of the society to bring

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*Steve Howe Trio>Arts Centre>8pm>£13

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*Trivium> LCR>7pm>£16.50 * [Spunge]>WF>7pm>£10 *Quiz>bar>7:30>free *Frightened Rabbit>Arts Centre>8pm >£10

their own material and performing to the rest of the society. This is called "bring your own funny" or BYOF, which has proved to be very successful, with a number of members forming their own double acts, writing partnerships or personal stand-up routines and bringing them along to try them out on a noncritical audience.

These meetings also give members the opportunity to split into small groups and give them half an hour to prepare a sketch to present to the rest of the society on a random topic every week.

With numerous stand-up comedians, musical comedians, sketch writers and performers and improvisation performers, Dan Taylor says, 'Having only started in September, it is incredible that we already have a variety of

*Film>Paranormal Activity>LT1>7:30 >£2.75 *You Me at Six> LCR>7:30>£15 *Stacey Kent>Piayhouse>7:30>£15 *SocNight>bar>8pm *Skip 'Little Axe' McDonald>Arts Centre >8pm>£8 *80s Night & Soul Town>WF>lOpm >£3.50

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*Salsa Lesson> Hive>5 :30>£2 * Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip>WF >7:30>£12.50 *Howlback Hum>Arts Centre>8pm>£3 *Bar b4 LCR>bar>8pm>free *St. Patricks LCR>lCR>lOpm>£3.50

~l'lC!Wmii *Union Election results announced *St. Patrick's Day>bar>ALL DAY *UEA Literary Festivai>Robin

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*The Golden Years> LCR>6:30>£12 *Platform Unplugged>Piayhouse>7:30 >£12 *The Dead Formats> Marquee>7 :30>£5 *Meltdown & Ska'd Up>WF>lOpm>£3.50

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different comedic abilities.' With all members being 'more than capable of switching from genre to genre as and when required', Headlights performance nights promise to provide humour, entertainment and talent.

However, not only is the society putting on their own comedy nights in the UEA graduate bar, they have also set up relations with comedy groups outside of the university. Dan McKee's "Saltbox" comedy group adopts some of Headlights' members to perform on a regular basis, and the society also has intentions to go further afield and perform many other comedy nights as and when it's appropriate.

Having recently hosted a second comedy night on Monday 1st March in the Grad Bar with performers Jack Weaver, Jonathan Badgery, Will Turner, and Scott Mills, Headlights is due to establish itself as one of UEA's premier societies, promising to provide us with laughter far into the future .

For the most up-to-date news, head to the Headlights Facebook group; and the society has also recently set up a new YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ UEAHeadlights, for which they are planning to film the weekly meetings and social events.

UIA cum & sonrm: > WANT YOl R [VI::l rr LL T£D IN I Hr [ voo? [~IAIL CO 11 RI::TLLISTING

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compelilions

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1: Nation al ity of Fernando Torres and Rafa Nadal (7) 5: Humped animal (5) 8: Item used to row a boat (3) 9: North African nation (7) 10: To go into or apply for contest (5) 11: Top colour on traffic lights (3) 12: Worked into a fury (7) 13: Genre of music (5) 16: Edge of pizza or bread (5) 18: Sorcerer or wizard (9) 19: To seize throne, displace another (5) 21: Damp weather (4) 22: Giving a tenth of goods to charity (5) 24: To gain by dishonest means (5) 25: To observe, wrist based clock (5) 26: Edge of a cliff, raised narrow strip (5) 27: Interwoven fabric, space between net (4)

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aired 1999-2001 (6) 2: Annoyance or fury (5) 3: Strange or unusual (9) 4: To stockp ile or keep for oneself (5) 5: Frequently used term for recent economic depression (6, 6) 6: With the sound turned off (5) 7: Biggest, none greater (7) 14: Given a pleasant smell (7) 15: Newcastle rock band, popular in the 1970s and 80s Dire _ _ (7)

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The Concrete Office is on the top floor of Union House and signposted from the top of the stairs. Come and see us to drop off competition entries or to talk to our editors if you want to get involved in any of our sections!

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WIN WILD R[ASTS TICKilS Manchester indie rockers The Courteeners come to the LCR on 11/3/10 and courtesy of the Union we have a pair of tickets to give away!

Having just released their acclaimed second album Falcon last month, The Courteeners are riding a wave of praise, including recogn ition from fellow Mancunian Morrissey.

Hit si ngles like That Kiss, What Took You So Long and You Overdid lt Doll gave the band heavy radio play and press attention, cu lminating in Falcon currently sitting pretty in the top ten of the UK album charts.

The band have become known for their extensive gigging, and this is your chance to see them bring their tour to Norwich, playing new songs and material from th ei r first album, St. Jude.

Courtesy of the Union, we have a pair of tickets for Wild Beasts' gig at the Waterfront on Monday 15/3/10 to give away! The Kendal operatic-indie four-piece have gained great critical acclaim for their second album Two Dancers and singles Hooting and Howling and All the King's Men . After touring Australia in early 2010, the quartet are sto pping off in Norwich on the UK leg of their European tour before returning home for their summer appearance at the Love box Festival Victoria Park on the 17th July.

For a chance of winning bring your completed crossword or su doku to the Concrete Office by 13/3/10.

Nam e:

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets for the gig, just email the answer to the following question and a contact telephone number to concrete.competitions@uea.ac.uk by noon on Thursday 11/3/10: Contact number: •

What is the name of The Courteeners' frontman?