venue #307
JANUARY PAM’S HOUSE BARMY ARMY 19TH BIRTHDAY Friday 30th
LCR £13.50/£10NUS
FEBRUARY KING CHARLES
CHANTEL MCGREGOR
REEF
STORNWAY
WFS £13
WF £15
WF £14
Thursday 26th
NORWICH BLUES FESTIVAL
FT. FOCUS + AYNSLEY LISTER + LITTLE DEVILS
Saturday 28th WF £19/£24
101% PANTERA
+ GALLERY CIRCUS
Monday 2nd
+ SWARMED + BACK DOWN OR DIE
NECK DEEP
WFS £10
Friday 27th
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? Saturday 28th WFS £11.50
SLEEPING WITH SIRENS VS. PIERCE THE VEIL + ISSUES
Saturday 28th
Sunday 29th
VINTAGE TROUBLE
Wednesday 4th
MARCH HALESTORM
THE KERRANG! TOUR 2015
Monday 1st
WF £12
+ KNUCKLE PUCK + TROPHY EYES + SEAWAY WF £10.50
FT. DON BROCO + WE ARE THE IN CROWD + BURY TOMORROW
+ NOTHING MORE LCR £15
FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND + GRADER + SVALBARD
Friday 6th
Friday 6th
LCR £16.50
LCR £16
AMBER RUN
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS
Friday 6th
Tuesday 10th
WFS £8
WF £18.50
UNDER THE INFLUENCE
ANDY C
+ UGLY LIVE + MUSKETS + CHAPTER OF WOLVES
Friday 13th
Saturday 7th
LCR £15
WFS £6
MIKE PETERS
CROWN THE EMPIRE
Friday 13th
+ SET IT OFF + DANGERKIDS + ALIVE LIKE ME
WFS £15
Wednesday 11th
LEWIS MURPHY WFS £5
WFS £8.50
36 CRAZYFISTS
EUROPE & BLACK STAR RIDERS
+ ALL HAIL THE YETI + CYTOTA
+ THE AMORETTES
Sunday 15th
Thursday 19th
WF £14
LOLA COLT Sunday 15th WFS £6.50
Wednesday 1st WF £13
FELL OUT BOY
+ GO.FLY.WIN + ONE DAY ROCKET + UNDERLINE THE SKY
Saturday 4th WFS £8
THE BURNING CROWS + FALLING RED
Thursday 9th WFS £8
Thursday 16th
TOXIC TWINS (AN AEROSMITH TRIBUTE) + BLIND TIGER + STRANGE TAIL
Saturday 18th
+ THE PICTUREBOOKS + BAD TOUCH
SIMPLE MINDS
WF £15
LCR £39.50
Wednesday 22nd
DUKE SPECIAL
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN
WF £10
WF £14
FOUR YEAR STRONG
Saturday 21st LCR £25
GUNS N ROSES EXPERIENCE + BAD TOUCH
Saturday 21st WFS £10
GRANT NICHOLAS Wednesday 25th
+ HIT THE LIGHTS + FOREVER CAME CALLING + LIGHT YOU UP
Wednesday 25th WF £14
Wednesday 22nd
WHILE SHE SLEEPS & CANCER BATS + HUNDRETH + OATHBREAKER
Friday 25th LCR £15
RIVAL SONS
URBAN VOODOO MACHINE
WF £15
Saturday 25th
Tuesday 26th
+ JUKE AND THE ALL-DRUNK ORCHESTRA WFS £12.50
WF £15
EVERY TUESDAY 10-2
LUCY SPRAGGAN Monday 11th
8:58 (LIVE) Monday 11th LCR £15
SLEAFORD MODS Thursday 14th WF £12
HEAVEN 17 Friday 29th WF £20
ALSO ON SALE FOR 2015 CHAMELEONS VOX POUT AT THE DEVIL FROM THE JAM DIRTY DC THE TOTAL STONE ROSES & OAYSIS
GET YOUR
WF £12
HUNTER & THE BEAR Tuesday 24th
WFS £9
AKALA
Tuesday 17th LCR £20
Friday 8th
WFS £10
Monday 20th
Monday 23rd
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
+ DUNE RATS
LCR £26
THE ANSWER
SKINNY LISTER
THE NEW BAND FROM PAUL HARTNOLL (ORBITAL)
WF £22
Thursday 19th
LCR £14
APRIL THE SUBWAYS
WFS £13
RAG N BONE MAN
Wednesday 11th
Thursday 7th
WF £14.50
WF £17.50
UFO
+ GRANT LEY
MAY DOC BROWN
Sunday 29th
WEDNESDAY 13 Tuesday 17th
WF £12
LCR £20
Wednesday 29th
SPRING SEMESTER PASS
10 EVENTS FOR £18 FEATURING:
BONDI BEACH PARTY THE HOGWARTS SOCIAL 40’S SWING VS 50’S GREASE THE WALKING DEAD WHERE’S WALLY? & MORE
AVAILABLE FROM UEA BOX OFFICE & UEATICKETBOOKINGS.CO.UK FACEBOOK.COM/DAMNGOODLCR THEMED FOR YOUR CLUBBING PLEASURE
THEMED FOR YOUR CLUBBING PLEASURE THE LCR, UEA
FOR OUR FULL LISTINGS & TO BOOK TICKETS ONLINE GO TO UEATICKETBOOKINGS.CO.UK
PRESS AD
012
031
venue
concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk
January 58 / #307
editors Holly J. McDede Adam White
art commissioner Ana Dukakis cover art Sam Harrons illustrators Ana Dukakis
Music 04-07 editors Myles Earle Mike Vinti
This week, Rob Brezsny, my favorite horoscope writer, told me, “I suggest you head off toward the frontier with an innocent gleam in your eye and a cheerful hunger for interesting surprises. How’s your Wildness Quotient? If it’s in a slump, pump it up”. Rob Brezsny is right: my Wildness Quotient is, in fact, in a slump. Dear god, I’m tired. The Music section this week explores the influence of Funk and Disco. The TV section tells me Friends is on Netflix. In the Creative Writing section, an interestingly-named Hermann Kermit Warm sings to me, “This light is only
Fashion 08-09 editors Gemma Carter
Helena Urquhart
going to grow over the coming hours.” There’s a letter to the editor in the Gaming section calling for a balance between techie toilets and toilets for regular folks, demonstrating an unusual amount of excitement about toilets (who wrote that?). Radio 1’s Big Weekend is coming to Norwich. The office is abuzz with Taylor Swift. So, why am I not a human exclamation point?!?!? Why am I not shouting, as our cover suggests, “Good morning!” and then “Good morning again!” and then, “Good morning!” once more in the evening? Maybe all this happiness is just a little exhausting.
Other exhausting things: Venue is currently in the process of planning an art exhibition (zzz...!!!...zzzz!!!...zzzz!) Join our Facebook group ‘Concrete Does Art’ if you want to be a part of it. People probably think I’m joking, but there’s going to be an eating competition (eating competitions = live art). There might also be a sleeping and showering competition. What are the other necessities of living? I can’t remember. Good morning! Keep it real, kids Holly J.
Arts 10-11 editor
Creative Writing 12-13 editor
Katie Kemp
Jake Reynolds
contributors
contributors
contributors
contributors
Luke Brett, Emily Claridge, Myles Earle, Daniel Jeakins
Charlotte Hales, Helena Urquhart, Katie Wadsworth
Katie Kemp, Holly J. McDede, Brett Mottram
Jenny Moroney, Lucy Schofield, Jay Stonestreet, Hermann Kermit Warm
Gaming & Tech 15 editor
Television 16-17 editor
Film 18-21 editors
Fun & Listings 22-23 editor
Joe Fitzsimmons
Adam Dawson
Neven Devies Silvia Rose
Daisy Jones
contributors
contributors
contributors
contributors
Zoe Jones, Roger Parsons, a local toilet supporter
Rose Carpenter, Adam Dawson, Adam White
George Barker, Isis Billing, Emma Holbrook, Joseph Holness, Will Hunter, Amy Lee, Louis Pigeon-Owen
Charlie Methven
music
041
Clockwise from top Nile Rodgers (FLICKR - TASHA GEORGE), James Brown (WIKI), Chaka Khan (FLICKR - SAM BAXTER), Giorgio Moroder (WIKI), The Beegees (WIKI), Diana Ross (WIKI)
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
keep it funky Music editor Mike Vinti introduces this issue’s funktastic music section The late 70s were defined by Disco and the culture that came with it, flares and frills ruled the world. Then came Punk and everything changed, the perceived materialism of disco gave way to raw, political aggression, grime was the new groove. The parallels between the late 70s and today are surprisingly striking; Tories in power, economy on the brink and a musical culture that avoided politics like the plague. Sound familiar? Looking at the state of mainstream music today it’s as if Punk never happened. House, Disco’s younger brother dominates the charts and politics is kept well away from the Radio 1 playlist. With the Funk/Disco revival set to run well into 2015 can we expect a Punkstyle back lash in the coming months? Already we’re seeing a resurgence in ‘live style’ production across the board, be it BADBADNOTGOOD’s third eponymous album or D’Angelo’s Black Messiah, the reign of the synths might be coming to an end. Bands like FIDLAR and Perfect Pussy are demolishing venues with their brand of modern punk, determined
to prove that guitars are still relevant. Last year the music press fell in love with Royal Blood, seemingly for no other reason than the fact the weren’t electronic, and St.Vincent’s dystopian guitar-pop won critical acclaim across the board. The Strokes are headlining Primavera alongside Patti Smith and her band and Thurston Moore’s new group just announced a European tour. The appetite for ‘rock’ in some form or another is clearly there. However, thanks to the internet, music today evolves differently to back in the 70s and this rediscovery of Disco is more likely to give way to gradual changes than the dramatic ‘smash the state’ narrative of Punk. D’Angelo made funk political and the Godfather of dance music, Giorgio Moroder’s new album is set to drop any day now. Whatever lies ahead in the coming months, 2015 is a turning point for music culture, and with House and its precursors set to rule the charts for a while longer, you can count on the underground to rediscover the power of good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll.
music
051
WIKI
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
back to the future Luke Brett explores how funk and disco influence music today Let’s take a look at the charts for this week. renewed exploration of the funk genre is Unsurprisingly for any listeners of radio, found. Therefore, it could be said that this Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars storm to re-development is rooted in the corporate number one with their latest single Uptown world that comes up with these buzzwords, Funk. We’ve all heard it; an instant hit with and as a result could then further be said that a star-studded lead singer, a catchy chorus, nu-funk is pointless and just won’t last. After and a feel-good rhythm all, Uptown Funk was “There’s no way that the that everyone probably written by a veteran needs to get through sound of the 70s doesn’t get record producer and the dark and lonely prolific songwriter you up and grooving... Funk who is no stranger to winter months. is inherently happy” But, while Mark and the charts. What’s to Bruno aren’t listening, say it isn’t a soulless we can admit that Uptown Funk isn’t some conspiracy that’s attempting to capitalise off experimental masterpiece; it’s a jaunty, happy the unsuspecting public? pop song that’s smashing the charts. And, as That’s quite a leap to make, but as the expected, this label of ‘chart music’ makes a popularity of dance and electronic music lot of people avert their gaze and shake their has grown in recent years, more and more heads in disgust. But we shouldn’t be so musicians appear to be shying away from quick to judge; as a piece of music, Uptown ‘traditional’ methods of production and Funk is a perfect window into the world of an moving towards computerised beats and oncoming musical resurgence. samples. Tracks are altered, re-cut, and The funky-disco sound of the 70s is well- cleaned up with technology that James known and well-loved by all. It’s smooth, it’s Brown would never have imagined. The ‘live’ easy-listening, laid-back. Conjures images style of recording is falling out of fashion, of suede shoes and flared jeans. And now, with musicians instead choosing to layer in today’s twenty-first century world, where and experiment with pre-recorded material buzzwords like ‘retro’ and ‘vintage’ rule in methods that just couldn’t have happened the scene, it could be in this niche that a forty years ago.
However, this is not necessarily to say that create the acid house revolution and rave funk is dead. Plenty of modern musicians culture that is so enshrined in modern dance have cited funk as a serious influence on music culture. their work, and funky tunes have continued The question, then, is what makes funk so to pop up in the charts over the years in appealing? Why can’t we stop the funk? various contemporary fashions and forms. Maybe it’s down to the music itself. No One of the most prominent examples of this matter how much you hate flares or smoking was Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, released in 2013, jackets, there’s just no way that the sound which was the band’s first ever number one of the 70s doesn’t get you up and grooving single in the UK. There’s no denying that when you hear it come on. Funk, as a genre, Get Lucky is a funk song at heart; it’s even is inherently happy. It’s danceable. It’s all co-written by Nile Rogers, the lead guitarist about good vibrations.This idealistic attitude and co-founder of arguably one of the most towards life and towards music seems successful bands of the disco period, Chic. eternally popular- catchy, exciting songs Rather than losing steam as technology takes will always get everyone going because they hold, funk seems to create an atmosphere be coming back every “Plenty of modern musicians that plays off the basic two or three years in a human emotion of have cited funk as a serious happiness. new and more modern influence on their work” packet. With that in Similarly, disco has mind, we shouldn’t morphed into house over the course of the be concerned for the future of funk. As eighties and nineties to create the dance-floor we’ve seen, it continues to prove itself as a dominating sound that rules the high streets foundational musical genre. With a bit of today. House is built on the back of disco luck, these new developments will bring samples and the four to floor rhythms it some of the best funk we’ve ever heard. Or, popularised, finding its feet first in Chicago they’ll murder it and we’ll all turn and shake in small ‘house’ clubs were it gets it name our heads in disgust. from and then travelling the Atlantic to Don’t believe me? Just watch.
music
061
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
Myles Earle takes a look at the new faces driving the sound of the 70s forward followers with hour-long mixes, coursing through some of the most experimental and exciting producers who have made their mark on the Nu-Disco genre. With over 300 mixes, tracks and compilations, they are pushing forward into a more publicly consumed style of music. The success of the genre’s digital impact subsequently led to the success of producers and their remixes being compiled on to albums and sold worldwide. To name one, the Discotexas Picnic compilation of electro-funk and Nu-Disco has successfully sold two compilation albums, both online and via CD. The roster of producers who have found themselves on these lists range from Lisbon’s Moullinex to Munich’s Justin Faust. The label, Discotexas, claims itself to be “one of the most active labels in today’s Nu-Disco/Indie Dance scene”, which is exactly what the genre needs. By way of example, and a close community of producers, the interest in the genre has grown exponentially with a flurry of young artists and budding producers following suit. The rise of artists such as Disclosure and AlunaGeorge, with their young perspective on a classic genre has pushed it forward, producing funky fresh pieces of work. Looking back, there is a clear pathway paved for the South London trio, Disciples, who, with their track They Don’t Know being Track of the Day on BBC Radio 1, show promise in this beautifully new, and yet to be fully discovered, world of Nu-Disco.
Fresh cuts from the editors...
FlyLo FM That’s right kids, all your GTAV dreams have come true, Flying Lotus has his own radio show right here in the UK. Make sure to catch his Radio 1 residency on iPlayer for an exclusive interview with Herbie Hancock, new ThunderCat and much much more.
WIKI
WIKI
Let’s face it; we all love a bit of Disco. There is Solange Knowles, who has made a similar impact absolutely no way that you wouldn’t find yourself on the fresh face of Nu-Funk and Disco. Their grooving to a bit of Earth, Wind & Fire. There’s combination of 1980s boogie and light vocals, nothing better than moving to the classic Boogie over the dreamy synths and energy of the electric Wonderland or Let’s Groove, am I right? Well, fast guitar in their track Come Alive gives a youth to forward from the afro picks and flared trousers the genre; pin this with an easy-to-remember to the 21st century, and things have changed a chorus and you’ve pretty much got a track to get fair bit. people on their feet. Another stand out track of Like most genres, Disco and Funk’s evolution theirs, Somethingood, follows a similar pattern have become much with an addictive chorus “The rise of artists such as and a Disco vibe that more noticeable with the insurgence of Disclosure and AlunaGeorge, closely resembles Patrice current producers and Rushen’s Forget Me Nots with their young perspective on ecstasy. This album artists spreading it into new territories. Robin on a classic genre has pushed it certainly brings newness, Thicke and Pharrell’s and a fun that most forward” Blurred Lines brought albums just don’t have. back the vibe of Marvin Gaye’s Got to Give It Up Moving into a more digital space, the obscure to the audience of popular music. And who can Nu-Disco and Nu-Funk dance their way on to forget the likes of the Daft Punk, the funkadelic the playlists via YouTube and SoundCloud. Of Nile Rodgers and Pharrell collab on Lucky? Or course, these types of tracks find their way on to Katy Perry’s Birthday, with its bubblegum pop compilation groups like La Belle Musique and infused Funk that gets you up grooving with the Majestic Casual, which is great exposure for the rest of us. A lot of popular music has found its sound itself. SoundCloud’s reach is calling to bring back the old groove that came as influential, or possibly more, in with Disco and Funk, but it is the producers and the support of the evolution to the artists revamping the styles of music, creating genre. Sweden-based music blog Nu-Disco and Nu-Funk that are the ones who and digital record label, Discobelle, are pushing the boundaries, and the ones to keep provides its million plus a close eye on. 2014 was a very important year for NuDisco and Funk, giving rise to some of the most interesting compositions and albums, like Kindness’ Otherness and Todd Terje’s It’s Album Time, putting an emphasis of the significant change happening to the genre. The year also brought us Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo’s White Women album, peaking at No.1 on the US Dance/Electronic charts. It is no wonder that Chromeo skyrocketed in the genre, collaborating with the likes of Toro Y Moi, Ezra Koenig and
don’t sleep on...
WIKI
nu-disco days
Bjork’s Back... Icelandic wunderkind, singer and pop star extraordinaire Bjork dropped her new album last Tuesday, months before the official release. Cop it on iTunes for some experimental fun featuring last year’s electro hero Arca on production credits alongside fellow icelander Haxan Cloak.
FLICKR (THOMAS HAWK)
WIKI
Four-Points In honor of Plastic People closing its doors for the final time, Four Tet and Floating Points did a mammoth fourhour B2B set. Find it on SoundCloud for some seriously solid vibes featuring everything from afrobeat to experimental house.
music
071
NRK P3
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper Panda Bear Emily Claridge The 12th of January was the much anticipated release date of Animal Collective’s front man,
Uptown Special Mark Ronson Daniel Jeakins British super-producer Mark Ronson hasn’t released an album in five years, and
Noah Lennox’, fifth album. The ominously titled Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper has already incited some Abbey Road/Paul-McCartney-isdead style theories as to whether this could be the end of Panda Bears solo career. Lennox stated the eponymous album “marked a change” rather than a Panda Bear extinction (pun definitely intended). Whether it is the end or a miraculous beginning to a new pathway of funk synth, dark, psychedelic indie music, this is definitely an album to listen to. The opening track Sequential Circuits eases you in with a slight ethereal M83 vibe and layered vocals. A subtle introduction to the album, building lightly rather than hitting you with a big slobbery synthy kiss, this is more like the Facebook friend request of tracks. Such etiquette is completely disregarded in the far grope-ier Mr. Noah. The dark undertones of this album begin to seep in with eerie unidentifiable sounds (All I’m hearing is Moaning Myrtle on acid) combined with distorted tones and Gary Numan vocals you begin to realise Panda Bear is not releasing an album anything like his, in
comparison, chipper earlier albums. There is an amazing hymn like vibe to both Boys Latin and Tropic of Cancer. Boys Latin feels like a combination of some indie Mission Impossible backing music and a spiritual awakening. The combination of a deep constantly ticking backing drum and a smooth layered vocal repeating the lyrics “dark cloud descended again” has such a powerful melodic feel it really is one to hear. This isn’t one for the LCR but an amazingly self-reflective song that is definitely worth risking your ear drums for; trust me, blare it out, try lowering yourself from the ceiling, envision Tom Cruise, you’ll love every second of it. Despite what I believe to be too much like the background music in a transition on Skins, the seventh track Come to Your Senses drops into this smooth pulsing synth beat that has a summery feel, and is a lot lighter than the previous Boys Latin, ending with a Spanish Sahara-esque fade out. Far more appropriate for sunbathing than Mission Impossible re-enacting. This kind of variety though is what makes this such a special
album. One of the best moments on the album is when Shadow of the Colossus, a psychedelic 18 second track, crescendos into the melodic piano of Lonely Wanderer. This subtly sombre song feels the most stripped back of the album. Panda Bear illustrating his skill for combining dark ethereal tones and melodic calming rhythms. A lover of well-ordered albums, I also loved the contrast between Lonely Wanderer and the far more dance funk, Principle Real. Acid Wash is the perfect ending track to a wonderful album, combining all the elements that make Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper great. The soulful synth, deep melodic rhythms and soothing psychedelic vocals combine with the poignant lyrics “You’ve won against the dark”. This is without a doubt an album to recommend. If this is the end of Panda Bear, it’s a wonderful farewell.
it seems the intention when his widely anticipated return is to pick up where Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories left off. That record was amongst the best-selling albums of 2013, and you suspect Uptown Special will enjoy similar commercial success. This latest release is comfortably Ronson’s best album thus far, but despite the London-based producer’s involvement in so many hit singles, that really isn’t saying much. 2003’s Here Comes The Fuzz and 2010’s Record Collection were both underwhelming collections of dancepop, whilst 2007’s Version felt like an ill-advised all-star karaoke compilation. Ronson’s ascent to stardom has been the result of chart singles (the most memorable being Amy Winehouse’s Zutons cover of Valerie) rather than solid LP’s, and thus expectations for Uptown Special are perhaps unfairly high. Unless you’ve been living in a remote cave in the mountains somewhere
you’ll be well aware of the Nile Rogers worshipping single Uptown Funk, and the likes of I Can’t Lose and Heavy and Rolling are similarly indebted to the Motown pioneer. Ronson doesn’t quite embody the seventies funk resurgence with the same nuance or class that Daft Punk did two years ago, but his music does sound fresh and exciting in the same way Random Access Memories did when it arrived. Feel Right is an absolute gem of a track. It merges West-Coast rap with funk and jazz in triumphant fashion, with rapper Mystikal giving his best performance since the nineties in what is a likely contender for the album’s next single. The song’s hook will be permanently ingrained into your head upon first listen and I found myself playing it on repeat after my second run-through of the album. Tame Impala frontman, Kevin Parker, guests on three tracks and takes the record on brief psychedelic voyages in Summer Breaking, Daffodils and Leaving Los Feliz.
Each of these tracks is strong when looked at on their own, but they stick out like a sore thumb in the context of the album. Whilst Ronson’s collaboration with Parker does feel like an inspired choice, the tracks prevent the album from having a sense of continuity. The only real weak moment is Crack in the Pearl, which is a bit too In The Air Tonight for its own good. Otherwise Uptown Special, gripes aside, is a superb pop album that on the most part benefits from its wide range of influences. The success of Uptown Funk has already assured its success, but the album is deserving of its plaudits and you suspect it’ll turn up on many ‘best-of ’ lists come the end of the year. The seventies disco and funk resurgence isn’t going anywhere soon.
fashion
081
concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk
Recognise anyone? Tweet us @conc_fashion
Elliot Gudge Third Year - Literature & CW
copy and pastel Be it candy pink or baby blue, Charlotte Hales shows us what to do Pastels are a recurrent spring style trend and as soon as the lighter shades hit the high street, it’s a sure sign that spring isn’t too far away. One of the best things about pastels being back for SS15 has to be its accessibility: anyone, no matter their style, size or skin tone can make this trend work for them. If you want to start getting your pastel wardrobe additions ready whilst the chilly weather is still around then transitional pieces are a great way to do this. Coats and jeans in pastel colours will keep you warm for the rest of winter whilst still being on trend throughout spring and helping to keep your wardrobe up to date as we go through that tricky style period between two seasons. Pale blue and pink coats were a huge trend last year so if you still have yours then be sure to bring it out again this year. If you didn’t manage to get your hands on one last year then fear not, the high street is still bursting with plenty of pastel coats, perfect whether you pair them with a pair of jeans, flats and a t-shirt for lectures or whether you dress it up with a smart blouse for more formal situations. Denim lovers won’t be hard pressed to find the perfect pastel jeans this season. Whether you go for the classic pale blue
denim or are slightly more daring and go for lilac or lemon they can look amazing either with just a white blouse or a more exciting print. Just remember to try on the jeans before buying, and try out a few different styles to work out the most flattering style for your shape. There is no point in picking up a new pair of jeans to follow the latest trend if the cut doesn’t suit you. Clothes aren’t the only way to introduce pastels into your style this spring. Peach lips and pastel nails are set to make a return this spring allowing you to mix up the pastel shades you use, creating lots of different looks easily. Are you a little more daring? Then why not embrace the latest trend of turquoise liner and give your eyes a little pop? Take a bright blue liner along your top lash line to give your look that subtle something extra. Pastel shades are not just for the girls, as this season there have been plenty of great pieces for men on the catwalk that have made their way down to the high street. If you’re looking for a new blazer for spring or a special occasion
then why not try a lighter pastel shade before reaching for the classic black or navy options? If you want to update a suit you already have for spring then pastel shirts are a great way to go with soft pinks and pastel blues suiting most. Whether they are worn with a suit, jeans or just a pair of casual shorts, you can almost guarantee that you’ll get a lot of wear out of a lighter shirt over the next few months. If you’re just starting to incorporate pastels then start off with simple accessories and pick out some bigger pieces when you start to feel more confident. This trend is all about inserting the little pops of colour, having fun and getting us all excited for the warmer weather which will hopefully be here in no time at all!
FLICKR (SEE-MING LEE)
Best Dressed at UEA
hair today, gone tomorrow Katie Wadsworth shares her secrets on how to achieve luscious locks
Din Masters - Business Admin Photography Elley Tourtoulon
conditioned daily as it requires moisture to keep it soft and smooth. It is also important to be especially gentle with coloured hair as colouring weakens hair and makes it more prone to breaking. Only use covered hair bobbles to tie your hair up as the metal clasps snag on hair and brush hair with a natural
FLICKR (MARTIN.HAIRLOVER)
Sophie Jackson Second Year - Lit & History
There are so many conflicting reports as to how to wash your hair, from washing it every day to once a week... and then what do you wash it with? Traditional shampoo and conditioner combo? Just water? Beer even? Or egg? Yes, egg has been professed to work… well, I’m going to pass on the scrambled egg hair. But all the different hints, tips and ‘how-to’ videos leave me in such a tizz, it’s no wonder my hair’s gone frizzy! So here’s my short and sweet guide to healthy hair, an essential read for these bracing the winter months. Okay, so the thing that most salons can agree on for general hair care are to, one: get a haircut every 6 weeks to two months. This is not to boost their profits, but because leaving it too long can lead to uneven layers and split ends which leaves hair looking dull and unhealthy. Secondly, whilst some of you might love a nice hot shower, it’s no good for your scalp! A happy medium is what we want, as really hot water is drying and can leave your scalp feeling tight. The third rule of thumb is don’t skip the conditioner! No matter what length your hair is, be it a cute pixie cut or Rapunzel-esque locks, when you shampoo your hair is stripped of its natural oils so not conditioning can leave hair feeling dry and lifeless. Whatever colour of the rainbow you opt to dye your hair, coloured hair needs to be
bristle brush when it’s dry. Wet hair is more delicate than dry hair so don’t vigorously towel dry it after washing, squeeze out water and then gently brush it through to remove excess water. Finally, that sunshine might be great for your tan, but UV rays react with colour and may cause it to fade or alter so always cover your hair with a scarf or hat if you want to keep your colour vibrant for longer.
If you’re forever on the search for added volume, when blow drying hair, flip your head upside down and use your fingers to create texture and volume. It might sound basic, but the difference it makes really pays off. Next, you need to avoid really heavy conditioners and conditioning styling products, lightweight products will help create and keep lift. Though, as we’ve already learned, even when you want to achieve volume, this doesn’t mean you should boycott the conditioner altogether as nobody wants split ends. If you’re worried about it weighing your hair down don’t apply it to the roots, condition from mid length to the tips for luscious locks. For those of us with curly hair, according to the experts you should avoid scrunching hair as apparently this doesn’t make you hair curl more, but actually makes curls frizzy and promotes dryness. So, definitely something to avoid. To avoid the dreaded knots, a wide tooth comb should be deployed as this will get rid of knots as well as avoiding the dreaded frizz! And finally, you shouldn’t shampoo your hair too often as curly hair is naturally drier, so shampooing too often strips away oils. Leaving your hair, you guessed it, frizzy! Instead shampoo hair one to two times a week at most! So with these killer tips, we should all be rocking fabulous hair for 2015… cue Instagram photos!
fashion
091
concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk
fitness fashion
Helena Urquhart runs us through her top tips for tackling sport style Photographer Hugo Douglas-Deane sportswear and their range at the moment features seamless sports bras in a range of colours. “A brighter bra draws attention to the top half of your body in a subtle, flirty way”, says Tracey Anderson, whose clients include Gwyneth Paltrow. Leggings, full length or cropped are ideal for keeping warm on winter runs, numerous brands have these at varying prices. There are loads of plain leggings on the market, dark leggings are the way to go if you’re after a sleek and slimming look. However, if you’re after something a bit different, brightly printed leggings have become a favourite amongst celebrities and gym goers, they are the perfect solution to mixing up stale gym outfits. H&M have some great brightly printed leggings in store right now at an affordable price of £14.99.
Model Alicia Berman
Pair these with a plain top, in black, white or a colour which also features in the leggings, to finish off the look. If you’re looking to invest Nike and Sweaty Betty both have some amazing statement leggings for S/S15, although be prepared to pay a little more. Top wise, fitness fashion has come in to its own. There are a number of cute chic tops that won’t break the bank. Be fashion savvy when pairing these with your leggings or shorts, go for a brighter top with darker leggings or vice versa. Again, H&M have some great options and Sweaty Betty have magically invented the tank top that will just never roll up or go awry no matter how many squats or lunges that you do. For summer, if you’re feeling brave, a short and crop top combo H&M
It’s a new year, and a new year means a new you. At a time when many people try their hand at that little old place called ‘the gym’, it’s safe to say fitness fashion is officially a thing. The daily Instagram selfies of the likes of Miranda Kerr in cropped running leggings, Bar Rafaeli sweating it out in a cropped top and short combo, and Gisele looking fabulous in yoga pants are enough to produce severe envy among even the most serene of us. We can’t promise you Gisele’s abs but we can certainly promise to give you the lowdown on everything you need to know to be gym ready this January. Here are Venue’s top tips for exercising in style… First things first. The basics. A good sports bra is essential, don’t skim over this as you’ll definitely regret it. Sports bras come in all shapes, sizes and colours under the sun, Nike have some great ones as well as Marks and Spencer’s. H&M are my go to brand for cheap
Stylist Helena Urquhart
is one way to look great whilst exercising and showing off that summer tan. Crop tops are also huge among celebrities, including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Vanessa Hudgens and the Kardashian clan. They’re the easiest way to look super sporty yet stylish and show that all your hard work is paying off. Statement trainers are also on trend this coming S/S15. They add a burst of colour and interest to any outfit and make you stand out from the crowd. Nike have some great ones, which are wonderfully comfy at pretty affordable prices. They also act as a bridge to your everyday wardrobe; trainers are still super on trend this year, chuck some statement trainers on with some jeans and you’re good to go for a day at the library or pottering round town. Gym chic is the secret to getting yourself to the gym this January, so embrace the lycra and get going.
arts
101
concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk
from SHhhh to “Sami”
SAM HARRONS
Holly J. McDede in conversation with SHhhh Collective frontman The artist appears to be forever dazed, always picturing a faraway, imaginary, painted world. The business person wears a suit, and employs a handshake that would rip off an artist’s poor, gentle hand even without even meaning to. Whoops! But actually, the artist and the business person are often the same person. The artist has customers. Professional artists must sell themselves constantly. And it’s an art that Sam Harrons, founder of the SHhhh collective, has mastered, whether he means to or not. The SHhhh Collective is a creative agency, fashion brand, and a group of people who just love art, from illustrations to graffiti to music. Graffiti and tagging is not so dissimilar to marketing, and Barron launched his art career through putting “SHhhh” stickers everywhere he went. Soon others got involved, and he stopped making art for a while to concentrate on working with emerging artists on t-shirt designs. But now, he’s back, and by the way,
please call him ‘Sami’. Originally, he just tagged his artwork with “SHhhh” but SHhhh isn’t just about him anymore. He wants to focus on Sami. “Recently I found my flow again and am back in the studio itching to turn the iPhone draft idea notes into a real thing,” said Harron. His more recent artwork is on display at the Playhouse until February. The colours are bright, and carry a hot, sun-drenched desert vibe of somewhere that is definitely not England. But they are from England, and actually, Harron used the the redsplashed walls of the Playhouse as his model. He used the word “play” as an instruction. “I like to try and illustrate energy”, Harrons said. “I really enjoy the spontaneity of this kind of work. Not really knowing what I’d draw, just going at it.” He likes to keep it moving. Recently, he branched out into DJing, and now coruns the club night ‘Tropico’ with a few of his friends. He hosts a party once a month
at Bam Bam. “It’s a good laugh and a great opportunity to let loose with friendly, like-minded souls”, Harron said. “If world music, disco, and rare grooves are your cup of tea you will find me playing in Room 2”. He plans on launching Artel, a flagship store on Bridewell Alley, this summer. Alongside a collection of artisan goods, Artel will also include speciality coffee, cold pressed juices, smoothies, goji berry teas, and what Barron describes as “other medical goodness”. He’s not done yet. “With my artwork, my main focus is to simply keep making and experimenting,” Harrons said. “For me right now, it’s about having fun, letting loose, and hanging out with my friends in the studio”. Home owners of UEA, take note: he’s open to painting homes, inside or out. “That would be fun”, he said. To check out Barron’s work and brand, check out http://shhhhh.co.uk or find him @shhhhcollective.
blood-stained revisionism From the moment I saw Mark Rylance in Tudor garb on the cover of Hilary Mantel’s novel Wolf Hall in WHSmith’s, I knew that something exciting was coming. Add to that a Google search, and a TV trailer, and I’m now looking forward, with a mixture of confidence and ardent hope, to the BBC’s adaptations of Mantel’s novels. Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies are to be produced in six episodes, with Damian Lewis playing Henry VIII alongside Rylance’s Thomas Cromwell. Although it’s too early to fully comment on the show’s adaptation, I can, however, discourse a little on Wolf Hall as a book. ‘“Lock Cromwell in a deep dungeon in the morning,” says Thomas More, “and when you come back that night he’ll be sitting on a plush cushion eating larks’ tongues, and all the gaolers will owe him money”. This quote is a fine and teasing glimpse into Mantel’s novel, the protagonist of which is Thomas Cromwell. The action takes place between 1500 and 1535, and fictionalises Cromwell’s humble beginnings as a blacksmith’s son from Putney, through his travels around Europe, to the fall of his master Cardinal Wolsey and his subsequent rise to national influence at the side of Henry VIII. The most striking feature is the sheer immediacy of style: Mantel narrates in the present tense, right from the violent opening scene from Cromwell’s boyhood, and she
WIKI
Brett Mottram explores Wolf Hall, Hilary Mantel’s re-imagination of Tudor England in anticipation of the BBC’s latest adaptation
continues to do Aragon so that he is so throughout, able to marry Anne creating suspense and Boleyn. To convey all a sense of uncertainty. this with its due vitality This period in English is a fine achievement. history is often taken as A no less fine one, however, familiar and taken for granted. But is Mantel’s historical revisionism. Mantel has reinvented --in novelistic formThomas More, for centuries regarded as - our perception of Tudor England and its a saint for his fanatical devotion to the politics, intrigue and everyday life. Church and intolerance of dissent from its All the known facts are employed to principles, is portrayed as the sadist he really create a world of shade seems to have been. “Mantel has reinvented and brutality which is Thomas Cromwell, giving way to a new for too long hated and in novelistic form our nation. Tyndale is in exile, portrayed as evil, gets a perception of Tudor but illicit copies of his more sympathetic but England and its politics” overall truly novelistic new English translation of the Bible occasionally treatment, as Mantel get into the country through the ports of East tries to get into his head and understand his Anglia; Thomas More is arresting, torturing motives and the forces which have acted on and burning ‘heretics’ who help facilitate his life. this spread of understanding; King Henry There are memorable and hauntingly is trying to get a divorce from Catherine of precise phrases, grim humour, and cutting
ripostes in dialogue which often had me barking with joy, or breathless at the unexpectedly outrageous similes, but Mantel also expresses solemn sentiments. The world portrayed here is almost saturated with ambitious motivation and danger, which makes celebration and small kindnesses and joys seem brighter. The attention to detail, not only in the descriptions of music, courtly songs and dances, but also the prices, textures and hues of fabrics, is instrumental in constructing this world. The way that flames lash around a burning human being on a windy day, prolonging the agony; Anne Boleyn’s protruding black eyes, ‘shiny, like the beads on an abacus’; the foreign phrases and the newsflashes of affairs playing out elsewhere in Europe; all add a grittiness to the prose. Wolf Hall takes its title from the name of the Seymour residence in Wiltshire, where the king, on Cromwell’s suggestion, is headed at the end of the novel; but the phrase is a striking metaphor of life in the Tudor court, with its vast cast of players. The anticipation of a plot set amid shadows whose offstage edges are stained with blood was what drew me to take up the book, but the constant movements which created this setting were the most prominent things in my mind after I put it down. Let’s hope they manage to capture some of that on the small screen!
arts
111
concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk
Katie Kemp is pumped about the stage play of The Woman in Black
before it arrives at Norwich Theatre Royal this February
NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
“Imagine if you would this stage is an island. Use your imagination”. These are words uttered early in Act One of the ubiquitous stage adaptation of The Woman in Black. Imagination is most certainly key if one is to truly access the deep psychological provocations of this play. Obviously there is a certain necessity for the actors to carry the story, but essentially terror comes from within. It is often the images we create for ourselves
in the absence of any obvious and immediate The impact was extraordinary, and with the threat. It is, rather, through the threat that production now running for its 26th year, it is perceived, which can generate levels of fear is obvious that the tale struck a chord with its which go beyond the explanations of rational audience. Peter Wilson is now Chief Executive consciousness. It is those stage productions at the Norwich Theatre Royal and was a key which force their audience into these participator in facilitating the play’s transition heightened mental states that seem to have the to the West End, where it has been running for most powerful effect. The production of The over 25 years now. Wilson had directed a play by Woman in Black is no exception. Mallatratt at Southampton between 1985 and The story of The Woman in Black’s creation 1986. In the summer of 1988, Mallatratt sent as a stage play is one of fortunate miscalculation. him the script for The Women in Black, which Back in 1987, Director had been performed Robin Hertford was in Scarborough in the “I love the theatricality put in charge of winter of 1987 -88. of it; Stephen has taken a running The Stephen “What I love about it Joseph Theatre in brilliant story and turned it is the way it knows that Scarborough when he into a play that is justified there is an audience,” realised there was still Wilson said. “I love the in its own terms” some of the annual theatricality of it and the grant left over, despite way Stephen has taken the approach to the season’s end. In a rush Susan’s astounding, brilliant story and turned to put the money to use, Hertford decided it into a play that is absolutely justified in its he would have resident playwright Stephen own terms. It’s appealing and it’s dramatic and Mallatratt put together a ghost story which exciting, and it feels very real”. could be staged quickly and cheaply. “The reason it works so well is Stephen’s The budget was tight, but Mallatratt did framing device - the way the older man hires something marvellous with what little he had a young actor to help him act out the scenes to work with. He took on Susan Hill’s then in order for him to purge his troubled soul,” newly published novel The Woman in Black and Wilson continued. transformed it in the most unexpected of ways. A play within a play, the production uncoils He renovated a book consisting of a multitude the inner depths of the mind through the reof characters, and narrowed it down to a script imagination of events which have passed. intended for two central actors, who would re- Wilson says, “The point about Susan’s book enact the entirety of the tale. is its being a very literate examination of a
NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
the haunting of the psyche kind of spiritual infection which gets passed on through the generations. The brilliance of Stephen’s play is it takes Susan’s very literate, careful examination of this phenomenon and turns it into something which is completely dramatic but has a vein of literacy that runs through. For those who like language, it has other attractions than just fright”. The Woman in Black runs from Monday 9th February to Saturday 15th. For more information, see below...
‘The Woman in Black’ Theatre Dates at NTR Mon Feb 9, 2015 - 7.30PM Tue Feb 10, 2015 - 7.30PM Wed Feb 11, 2015 - 2.30PM Wed Feb 11, 2015 - 7.30PM Thu Feb 12, 2015 - 7.30PM Fri Feb 13, 2015 - 7.30PM Sat Feb 14, 2015 - 2.30PM Sat Feb 14, 2015 - 7.30PM
creative
121
concrete.creative
“Daily dawns another day; / I must up, to make my way”.
Plasti
- Dorothy Parker, Inscription for the Ceiling of a Bedroom
Jenny M Good morning! That’s the creative writing theme for the latest issue of Venue. I was anxious about putting this content call out, because I’ve been to enough student open mic nights to know that the words ‘creative writing student’ are often synonymous with odes to misery and tales of desolation. Why? That doesn’t have to be the case. I wanted people to celebrate the morning and all that comes with it. Let’s wake up, look outside and have some hope. Come on, creative writers of UEA! Wake up and ignore the empty bottles and regrets of the night before and write about the birds and the sun and the frost! Ditch the darkness for just one day! Go on. - Jake Reynolds
It’s five am and empty in the car pa hold plastic bags behind them like and light fill the bags and they are
Their feet pound on the concrete a Swooping round the car spots, the and she falls to the floor. She spen of grey grit from the gash then sits It’s nearly light.
G
Hermann Ke
evanscent deviant art
How are you feelin stuck to your foreh has made the letter is un-creasing over and it’s good to kn knows nothing at t conscious at a mom the moment before decides it wants wa
How did you sleep I laid on my back a of the plaster on yo icing swirls in an en of overlap, until th but open the curta challenge it, punch the day to make yo than you have ever
Da Microfictions
Submit your own to @miniaturestory on Twitter ‘*crackle* ...and that’s pretty much it, in terms of how I achieved immortality and eternal happiness. That thing was on, right?’
Jay Ston
Launch and breeze y warm throug between the
Fair and far sea sweeping and your hai gracious dow
writing
131
ewriting@uea.ac.uk
Moroney
ark except for two children. They wings and run in the wind. Air illuminated.
and they laugh so much it hurts. girl’s ankle buckles underneath her nds a while picking out the little bits hugging her legs. She looks up.
G
Lucy Schofield
In winter we sit side by side at 4am, waiting for the sunrise; we will be here for hours watching the window, counting stars which could be suns and planes which could be stars which watch us back, and then finally she stretches and rises, painting our silent morning yellow until we cringe against the light and you smile at me with your hand in mine and eyes half-closed but not blinking too often, because every second of this morning is illuminated – and you and I within it.
ermit Warm
ng? The baby hair head with sweat r G. The first light the city, now that the city this hour, ment of innocence, e your face arm water.
p? The night before last and made maps our ceiling, ndless trap here’s little left to do ain and face it, h the glass and dare ou feel better r felt before.
awn
nestreet
yourself gh the gap fence posts.
g ir is wn for dawn.
surian soosay deviantart
ic Bags
January
quickfire questions... with Lucy Schofield
Are you a morning person?
How are this semester’s modules going?
For the most part I would rather not see a January morning, but sometimes they are bearable.
They’re really something.
What’s your breakfast of choice?
One pillow or two? Or three?! Three! Why not.
“You literally can’t beat marmite on toast.” – Delia Smith, probably.
How many hours do you usually sleep for?
What has been great about 2015 so far?
Six feels about right, although occasionally my body gives up and I get 12 hours at a time.
There’s something very comfortable about the year being a multiple of five.
What hasn’t been so great about 2015 so far? I kind of prefer it when the year is an even number.
What course are you studying? English lit.
At what time of day do you usually write? I like writing late at night, or on sunny afternoons.
What time counts as ‘too early’? When the birds are still singing in that smarmy way they have when you’re not ready to be awake yet.
LIST RELEASE AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW
HOUSING SOCIALS IN THE HIVE 17.15-18.30
03 FEB
05 MAR
24 MAR
gaming + tech
151
concrete.gamingtech@uea.ac.uk
lecture lifeline
Zoe Jones reviews the Phillips Voice Tracer a number of formats - MP3, PCM and WAV - and it is also usable on numerous operating systems: Windows, Mac OS or even Linux. Therefore the flexibility of the Voice Tracer is a notable benefit. Though it is marketed specifically for use in lectures and interviews, its use can be extended for amateur film making very easily. Plug an external microphone into the device, attached to a boom pole if necessary, monitor the sound with the provided headphones, and you get a very crisp and highquality sound that works perfectly for film shoots. The one obvious downside is the price. The Philips Voice Tracer is significantly more expensive than other voice recorders on the market. Though the quality might be better, for a device that’s marketed purpose is for use in lectures and interviews, one can’t help but feel you could buy a much cheaper recording device that would do that job just as well, especially on a student budget. EASTERN DAILY PRESS
Let’s face it. Sometimes you just can’t make it through that one lecture. Whether you missed your morning coffee, you went a bit too hard at the Loft last night, or the professor is in a particular speedy mood. Sometimes it just seems impossible to get your notes up to standard. In cases like this, voice recording equipment can be an absolute lifesaver. The Philips Voice tracer is a compact, efficient and easy to use device. The interface is straightforward, and though you might be tempted to reach for the instructions occasionally, you’ll work it out before you’ve even opened them. The 4GB inbuilt memory is a beneficial element that sets it apart from other popular recording devices. It’s noticeably weightier than other recording devices on the market, but the large buttons make it much easier to operate than a device that has an interface that a borrower would struggle to use. You can record in
to the editor: I am writing you to discuss the technology of Harleston toilets. Toilets are more intelligent and advanced than any of us realise. In the case of Harelston’s new, self-flushing toilets, technologically advanced toilets have also become a symbol of the divide between those who can pay to use toilets and those who cannot. Or, at least, it’s become a symbol of those who did not think to bring 20p with them when they decided to “drop some friends off at the lake”, as my mother likes to say. The toilets themselves are price tagged somewhere between £80,000 and £100,000, subject to final payment, for this great city of Harleston. They are better than the old toilets because they can flush themselves, and send councillor’s text messages when toilet roll is running on empty. These are the first self-flushing toilets in all of South Norfolk, and will surely bring many visitors and tourists to my beloved Harleston, which I love and adore. Shout out to Maggie at the Harleston Post Office! But, in spite of their technological advances, these toilets have also become less public. They might be more functional, but is it really more functional if less people can use them due to the hefty fee of 20p? Now, Gaming editor, is this the kind of world we want to live in? I remember arriving in London for the first time from Ecuador, and having to use the restroom. Now, on this occasion, I thought, “Great! I’ve just arrived in an airport, and they have toilets in airports! Right?” Then I realized that it would cost money to use the toilets at
just the outline... Roger Parsons explores Outline’s new app There is no arguing that UEA’s events are among the best in the country. With the LCR hosting world class acts from Ed Sheeran to Deadmau5 right on campus, and the Waterfront hosting consistently and frequently high calibre acts and club nights, students are not short of choice for a night out. Not limited to music, UEA’s world famous International Literary Festival has hosted talks from renowned authors such as Margarett Atwood, Jeffery Eugenedies, and Salman Rushdie. For arts, The Sainsbury’s Centre (don’t lie, we all took a hangover visit in first year) is almost unrivalled in the east of England. However, sometimes it feels good to break out of the student bubble and see some of the culture and events that Norwich has to offer.
As a student, new to the city though, it can be difficult to tap into ‘the scene’. Luckily technology, as ever, comes to solve all of your problems and make you a full and complete human being. Released in partnership with City College Norwich, Outline magazine have released a supplement app, and it is guaranteed to become the baseline for your social calendar for the rest of the semester. Collecting city events from a multitude of sources, the Outline app gives up to date news of everything from local gigs and comedy nights, to theatre shows and pub quiz nights. The app is a mine of useful information. Featuring event information, websites, map directions, and phone numbers, as well as a share function, the app puts in one app
the ability to completely coordinate your social life in Norwich. Discovering events is incredibly easy and the app is user friendly and intuitive. Starting from the home screen, users are able to see events collected by date, category or venue, and even given the ability to search by keywords. With the ability to add events to a collection of favourites, users are not likely to become disorientated or have important events lost, despite the avalanche of content the app offers. The Outline App is available on the App Store and Google Play for free. Your chance to unlock what Norwich has to offer, it is an essential download to all students.
Heathrow Airport, and so I decided to wait until I arrived in Norwich. Norwich and London are not next-door-neighbors, much to my dismay. Dare I say I need not describe how this story ended! This is not to say I am against all technologically advanced toilets. I like toilets that turn human waste into fuel, such as developed by researchers at Caltech. The Delft University of Technology has made a proof-of-concept system that turned dried feces into hydrogen gas. I think this is very nice! There is a new toilet app called Airpnp, where toilet owners advertise their toilets to those who might need a toilet. Those who use the app can browse for bathrooms when they need them. Yet, those who use the app will discover that there are few public bathrooms actually available for us. Again technology fails to solve the problem of making toilets public. And so, Gaming Editor, I ask: How can we in Harleston blend technologically advanced toilets with the public’s basic desire to pee? Signed,
A local toilet user
television
161
concrete.television@uea.ac.uk
so no-one told you
New (on Netflix) comedy Friends has Adam White intrigued three of them. Uptight siblings Monica and Ross (played by Ace Ventura: Pet Detective’s Courteney Cox and theatre actor David Schwimmer) are buried in romantic entanglements, Monica falling for the sleazy pick-up moves of a serial dater, Ross permanently pained following his divorce from a freshly-‘out’ lesbian (subversive!) Into this enters Rachel (beguiling newcomer Jennifer Aniston), Monica’s old high school friend and Ross’ long-lasting crush, who arrives in memorable style having fled her wedding to a Mr. Potato-Head lookalike, wedding dress still clinging to her frame. The three seem
to have stepped straight out of the recent era-defining Winona Ryder starrer Reality Bites, with Monica the show’s de facto lead, the blossoming love story between Ross and Rachel signposted as the show’s emotional backbone. Orbiting around them are individuals more defined by line delivery and eccentricities at this point. Matthew Perry’s Chandler is a sexually ambiguous enigma (“New dream: I’m in Las Vegas, I’m Liza Minelli…”) and early cast highlight, most in sync with the script’s sharp, ironic rhythm but in need of greater screentime. Lisa Kudrow’s Phoebe is the group’s token ‘weird one’, whose auracleansing oddity is treated with collective bemusement at best, uncomfortable disdain at worst. Struggling actor Joey (Matt LeBlanc) is essentially a walking pleather vest – a man of few lines, let alone character dimensions. But somehow, miraculously, the Friends gang wind up more than the sum of their parts. Despite enabling
the typical pilot episode tendency of grinding its protagonists into easily digestible chunks of character ‘type’, there is a mischievous, enjoyable camaraderie amongst the series’ stars, all relics of short-lived sitcoms yet here jumping off the screen like fresh and exciting new talent. The chemistry is strong, potentially enough to sustain at least a couple of seasons’ worth of comedy if audiences respond nicely to the show’s unusual, admirably different worldview. This is a pilot in which a female character scandalously sleeps with a man on the first date, while one noteworthy gag involves discussion of a dream involving a naked Chandler, his penis replaced by a ringing telephone delivering an urgent call from his mum. Friends is not your grandmother’s favourite sitcom. But is the show’s racy humour simply too much for 1994 audiences? Particularly as the dialogue comes out of the faces of the most conventionally beautiful cast in primetime as opposed to, say, the potty-mouthed, trailer-trash family at the centre of ABC’s comedy juggernaut Roseanne. Its Top 40-primed theme song may promise that the Friends cast will “be there for you”, but the more important question lingers: will audiences be there for them?
SHE KNOWS
It is September 1994, and attractive twentysomethings like to drink coffee. They sit on orange couches and share edgy non-sequiters about sex and dating. White, upper middleclass Manhattan is an infinite backdrop of Woody Allen neurosis and shiny haircuts. This is the vibe of Friends, NBC’s hot new Thursday night sitcom, one that substitutes the beer-drenched earthiness of Cheers for a trendy coffee shop and snarky New York wit, translating Seinfeld’s finickity observational humour through the mouths of sexy Gen-X singletons. Despite the promotional artwork depicting the sixstrong ensemble lounging around a fountain in denim jackets and plaid skirts, Friends, in its first episode at least, works more as a showcase for just
girls, girls, girls Girls is back. Which means Adam Dawson has to talk about it. as Marnie’s singing career. But still, they’re (mostly) actively pursuing them and actively getting hurt over them. Take Marnie, for example. Her singing ‘career’ takes her and Desi to a family restaurant where they try and sing over screaming children at a jazz brunch. They’re hurt by the lack of respect they’re given, which plays into the Millenial princess-ness of Girls whilst showing that Marnie is an actual person with actual feelings. Clever, right? Hannah has taken actual steps towards her dream. She’s moving literally to Iowa, where she’ll begin her career as a brilliant writer before moving back to Brooklyn and doing hipster things with her cool ac-tor boyfriend. All of the characters are striving for a dream, but are no longer so confident in their ability to achieve it. Most of the characters, especially Marnie and
Adam, have realised that the world does not, in fact, owe them anything. There are hundreds upon hundreds of talented people, they’re just another drop in the ocean of privileged people wanting something for nothing. Except now they know it. Sort of.
HYPABLE
What’s left to say about Girls? All those superlatives (zeitgeist, refreshing, original, authentic) people used to describe it have been abandoned. That was three seasons ago. All that nonsense is so old. Lena Dunham is getting less and less press, now we’re all used to a woman being naked on TV. Unless they’re talking about her obscenely large book advance (allegedly $3.7 million), they’re probably not talking about her or Girls. But I’m not giving up on it yet, and neither should you. Here’s why; Girls has grown up. There’s a shift in tone which may displease people who are only in it for the irony so acidic it could burn through prison bars. Instead of moments of sincerity piercing through the irony that characterised and problematised the first three seasons, it’s the other way round. The irony sticks out through the sincerity this time. We’re reminded that these girls have actual dreams, even if they are as ridiculous
television
171
concrete.television@uea.ac.uk
BRITAIN IS BROKE AND SO AM I
“The super-rich are taking over”.
The Super-Rich and Us
Rose Carpenter
These were the concerning opening lines of Jacques Peretti’s fascinating BBC documentary The Super-Rich and Us. The corruption, greed and inequality that this programme exposed was enough to make your blood boil with anger, and Peretti’s subtle yet clever presenting style made this an incredibly engaging, if infinitely maddening watch. It should be aired instead of every Geordie Shore episode from now on. Britain’s viewers are usually fed a diet of programmes where they are encouraged to either envy the super-rich and their ridiculously indulgent lifestyles, (Made in Chelsea) or to scapegoat the poor and vulnerable (Benefits Street). Peretti’s documentary shows us that it is the super-rich who we should be blaming for the vast inequality that we see today. Peretti explains that England is now the most attractive location on the planet for the superrich and is considered to be a luxury tax haven. This means that thousands of millionaires, businessman and celebrities alike are allowed to live in this country and use all of our resources without paying their fair share of tax. We aren’t just talking about a few hundred quid here - we are talking about billions of pounds of tax that is simply left unpaid, despite public services which are desperate for money. And they get away with it. The government turns a blind eye; tax officials are even rewarded for coming up with loopholes. Yet if you or I even attempted to try to commit fraud we would be arrested, would probably have our photos plastered all over the front page of the Daily Mail and would definitely be labelled as criminals. Does this seem at all fair? It is extreme injustice. Yet many people live in ignorance of this injustice. We are told by the media every day that Britain is only just coming out of a financial crisis, and that the cuts the government are being forced to make to vital public services are absolutely necessary. Our education system, our health care system and our general standard of living is in steep decline as a direct result. But there is money, make no mistake. It’s just being kept out of our reach by those at the very top of society. Peretti
tells us that as the rest of Britain struggles, with those living below the poverty line reaching record numbers, the super-rich have never had it so good. In fact, since the 2008 crash, there’s been 80 billion pounds of austerity cuts; that’s the same as bankers would have been given in bonuses. What about our nurses, our teachers, our social workers? They continue to be poorly paid, overworked and generally forgotten. Peretti grips our attention with lots of eye opening statistics such as this throughout the hour long programme, along with fragments of archive material and interviews with a variety of different individuals, including expert economists in London, Paris and America, the super-rich themselves, and single mothers in Newham who have been threatened with eviction because they can no longer afford to live in London. The super-rich have taken over the city, buying and investing in property that only the wealthy can afford to live in. As a result, ordinary people are beginning to find that having a decent standard of living is near impossible. We watch as Peretti wanders around car shows, coming across a Lamborghini that costs as much as the average house in Britain, and fashion shows, where a watch costs as much as £215,00. Peretti brings all this to the unfortunate conclusion; the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Peretti’s calm, stylish presenting style works extremely well with the subject matter of his documentary, and his cool, understated manner means there is no flowery distraction from the facts. So next time Made in Chelsea comes on the TV, switch it off and watch one of Peretti’s documentaries. Educate yourself about these matters, don’t just live in denial. Most importantly, spread the word. Raising awareness of the sickeningly unequal society that we live in today is the only way that we can hope to make sure that our country becomes an affordable, healthy, safe place to live in the future.
film
181
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk “Legend” Kyle, the most lethal marksman in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. One suspects that Eastwood has presented a Director Clint Eastwood more sanitised version of Kyle’s story; Bradley Writer Jason Hall Cooper’s real life counterpart was far more Starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna angry and conflicted than the film suggests, a Miller, Kyle Gallner man who freely admitted that he found killing “fun” and viewed the Iraqis as “savages”. Yet Runtime 132 mins Eastwood fudges this issue. By presenting his Biography/Action subject as a quintessentially all-American hero Will Hunter endowed with essentially noble intentions at a The opening shot of American Sniper, the young age, not only does Kyle a disservice, but new film by Clint Eastwood, is mesmerising. also sacrifices the director’s chance to offer a Bradley Cooper’s eponymous sniper is in more intelligent and interesting artistic vision position on a rooftop in Iraq covering ground as a result. This is disappointing coming from troops below. Through his scope, an Iraqi a director who has previously given nuanced woman hands her small son an explosive and thorough examinations of both the device. The sniper hesitates. Killing enemy consequences of violence (Unforgiven) and the combatants is one thing, killing children is a artificial construct of heroism (Flags of Our different kettle of fish. Fathers). This is pure cinema, conjuring up memories That is not to say Cooper isn’t appropriately of iconic war movies such as Platoon, where conflicted as Kyle. Significantly bulked-up and the moral line of combat is thinly drawn and with a pitch perfect Texan accent, he gives an the choice must be made appropriately understated and between preserving the lives “If you think this war powerful performance as a man of comrades or innocent isn’t changing you, who cannot fully articulate his civilians. need to continue returning to you’re wrong” It is therefore regrettable war, to the place where things that the film fails to build upon this morally make sense. His Kyle is engaged and active in opaque and interesting prelude, and too combat, listless and withdrawn when dealing often retreats into chest beating and flag with his wife (Sienna Miller) and children. waving, which even allowing for Eastwood’s One poignant scene illustrates this perfectly, Republican leanings feels like a backwards when Kyle returns to stateside but chooses to step. The film is based upon the best-selling spend time in a bar rather than with his family. memoir by former US Navy Seal, Chris The battle scenes exude Eastwood’s customary
Director James Kent Writer Juliette Towhidi Starring Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Dominic West Runtime 129 mins Biography/Drama Isis Billing Testament of Youth is a stunning yet devastatingly sorrowful biographic drama from director James Kent about the experiences of Vera Brittain, a young woman whose aspirations for an Oxford education are halted by the outbreak of the First World War. Serving as a voluntary nurse in London, Malta and France, the gruesome horrors of mass human loss transform her into one of the prominent pacifists of the twentieth century. Swimming in lakes in the idyllic English countryside, Vera, played by the glorious Alicia Vikander, is caught in a beautiful but entirely stifling bourgeois lifestyle, with her parents more willing to purchase a grand piano than fund a year’s tuition at Oxford. Edward (Taron Egerton), her brother and champion, begs their father (Dominic West) to allow her to sit the entrance exam, appealing to his stiff-lipped sexism with the fact that women don’t achieve full degrees. Whilst preparing for the exam, Vera finds herself the object of affection from Roland (Kit Harington) and Victor (Colin Morgan) two of Edward’s dashing and genteel friends. With notes of poetry slipped under
tautness and tension, notably an excellent sequence in a sandstorm accurately conveying the chaos, terror and disorientation of combat. There exists, however, a certain lack of direction beyond paying a conventional salute to the service of an incredible warrior and the price he pays for it, resulting in occasional stilted patches. Miller, despite her best efforts, is reduced to pleading tearfully over the phone for her husband to come home, and isn’t given a great deal to do (an occupational hazard for military wives in war movies). More disappointingly, the Iraqi people, arguably the real victims of the conflict, remain frustratingly faceless. Much like their counterparts in Vietnam pictures, they are swallowed by Eastwood’s efforts to crank up the American heroism, despite an underdeveloped subplot to give Kyle a nemesis in the form of an Iraqi
sniper. And for all the skill of Cooper’s central performance, in the end his character arc (as a decent family man to troubled veteran and through to the solace he finds in counselling disturbed survivors) is both underdeveloped and engineered too cheaply. Tapping into the darker and more dangerous parts of Kyle’s psyche would have made for a more reckless and morally complex film. Despite the efforts of Cooper and Eastwood and regardless of the film’s six Oscar nominations, the fact remains that the war movie genre has outgrown this particularly flag-waving brand of patriotism.
doors late at night, and soft glances which contain searing desire, Vera begins to soften towards the handsome Roland. Vera’s opportunity to go to Oxford however is seemingly dashed as she fumbles with her lack of Latin, all under the critical gaze of a strict Sommerville mistress. Played wonderfully by Miranda Richardson, Mrs Lorimer, with her detached tone of distaste and constantly haughty face, is a stern enemy, but Vera’s headstrong desire for knowledge piques her interest. Receiving an acceptance letter, she starts her studies and her tentative romance with Roland blossoms through poetry laced love letters and days spent escaping their chaperone. War meanwhile has been declared and Roland is quick to enlist, blinded by a sense of The Guardian duty and testosterone-fuelled pride, he is sent to the Western front. Struck by the privilege one of Vera’s closest companions, Roland, of her education in the face of so much death, Victor or Edward, will not be coming home. Vera volunteers as a nurse in London. Having Scandinavian actress Alice Vikander triumphs heard she came from Oxford, she is flung into as Vera, in a performance which is passionately the goriest of jobs by the other nurses, which expressed in an accent almost flawlessly she accepts like a silent delivered. Kent has martyr. The film’s true “Our generation will never created a beautifully sorrow begins when haunting atmosphere Roland returns from the be new. Our youth has been that colours Vera’s trenches, clinging to his recollection of the stolen from us” boyhood dreams of the men in her life and her heroism of war whilst so emotionally scarred harrowing experience of loss, which Vikander he can barely face Vera. The two decide to be portrays dazzlingly. There is also a strong married the next time he is home on leave. suggestion of disillusionment at the end of Director James Kent seems to lure us the war. Harington is the ideal counterpart into a cruel sense of safety then holds us in to Vera’s fierce independence, with his boyish fretful anticipation, as we know that at least charm and slightly effeminate face, but the
supporting cast all deliver equally impressive performances as they are each stricken by death and heartache. As the cinematography makes the film shimmer with sadness, the costumes ground it firmly in the time period, and Vera’s sorrow in her sweet white wedding dress seems to truly compound her suffering. Although Testament of Youth can occasionally seem like a cycle of heartwrenching anguish, it does capture the perspective of the women who were left behind and delivers on its auto biographer’s pacifist, feminist message.
THE GUARDIAN FILM DIVIDER
Testament of Youth
THISISINFAMOUS DORKSHELF
American Sniper
film
191
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
Wild Director Jean-Marc Valee Writer Nick Hornby Starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffman Runtime 115 mins Biography/Drama Emma Holbrook
AUGMENTEDREALITY
“What the fuck have I done?” So begins Wild, and the start of a grueling and cathartic thousand-mile hike down the Pacific Crest Trail for a woman
desperate to rediscover the right path. The acclaimed memoir of Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) follows her escape from a grief-driven spiral into drugs, sex and divorce after the sudden death of her mother (Laura Dern). Faithfully adapted by Nick Hornby, and brought to the screen by Dallas Buyers Club’s Jean-Marc Vallée, Wild’s journey of self-discovery is an enjoyable and authentic take on a clichéd genre. Maudlin comparisons to Eat Pray Love vanish the very second Witherspoon is forced to agonisingly remove an infected toenail in the film’s opening frames. It is cringe-inducing in a good way, pain without the Hollywood gloss and a film that lives up to its title from start
to finish. likability that is more earned than desired. The intimidating two-hour running time Cheryl is purely here to “walk herself back is boldly permeated by Cheryl’s solitude: she to the woman her mother thought she was.” curses at the sky but, of course, there is no Despite her comparatively minor screenone around to hear, while her weary, self- time, it is Cheryl’s relationship with her deprecating internal monologue depicts a late mother that drives the piece, and Laura realistic form of motivation that is constantly Dern (who, at 47, presumably gave birth to at risk. Yet the film elegantly switches between Witherspoon aged 9) gives a wonderfully flashbacks and the present day warm performance as the to safely avoid the potential “How wild it was, endlessly optimistic Bobbi. monotony of a thousand mile With its two female leads to let it be.” hike, and its episodic format rightfully receiving Oscar allow a comprehensive insight into Cheryl’s nods, Wild is fundamentally a woman’s story character and a measured, patient form of in the traditionally masculine frontier, and drama. this gendered sphere is subverted to create This raw and frequently tragic story also a rare female narrative of self-discovery. has a light yet constant stream of humour. Cheryl not only finds herself navigating the It becomes increasingly apparent that Cheryl relentless natural wilderness, she also faces is not remotely prepared for the scale of her the very real threat of sexual assault and wild journey, as she drops a hiking boot down the masculinity; but through the words of great side of a mountain and attempts to assemble a women who have come before her, such as tent with all the skill of an inebriated camper Emily Dickinson and Joni Mitchell, and a at Glastonbury. Thus, Reese Witherspoon’s collection of traveller’s classics that includes knack for comedy is perfectly utilised and Simon & Garfunkel and Bruce Springsteen a scene that is dedicated solely to Cheryl’s (but unfortunately misses The Proclaimers), struggle to simply lift her backpack will Cheryl’s journey becomes a masochistic yet undoubtedly provoke Duke of Edinburgh efficacious venture. related nostalgia in many. Fantastically human performances, As an actress often dismissed for her roles breath-taking cinematography and an in light comedies such as Legally Blonde, emotional resonance that Witherspoon’s acting chops are often grossly never feels contrived all underrated, but her uncompromisingly unite to make Wild a raw and compelling performance here is surprisingly enjoyable surely a return to Oscar-winning Walk the and worthwhile watch. Line prestige. Physically dwarfed by the The film far outstrips astounding American landscape and even its clichés, providing by her own backpack, Witherspoon expertly genuine meaning to manages a physically demanding role and both the protagonist and commands the movie with a vulnerable the audience themselves.
delivering an overlong and somewhat pretentious affair that doesn’t test its viewers intellectually or emotionally as much as it tests Director Bennett Miller Writers E Max Frye, Dan Futterman their patience. Based on a true story, Foxcatcher tells the Starring Steve Carell, Channing tale of Olympic gold medal winning wrestlers Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller and brothers Mark and David Schultz, played by Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo Runtime 129 mins respectively. One day, millionaire John Biography/Drama DuPont (Steve Carell) invites Mark to live with him in his Pennsylvania estate wherein Joseph Holness he intends to both fund and coach the U.S. For the 87th Academy Awards Foxcatcher Olympic wrestling team. Naturally, DuPont has been nominated for an impressive five proves to be a poor excuse for a coach and the Oscars: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, relationship between the brothers and their Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and boss is tested to tragic consequences. Best Makeup. Interestingly, despite these The acting on display in the film proves major nominations (and its expansion from to be its strongest aspect, with Carell offering five to ten potential nominees) Foxcatcher the most ostentatious performance of the three still failed to receive a nomination for Best leads. The recognition he is receiving is rightly Picture. The reason why it did deserved, his character both not receive this nomination “You can’t buy Dave” slimy and pathetic in equal in spite of the other ones measure, with lines like “Most is simple: Foxcatcher is a prime example of of my friends call me Eagle or Golden Eagle” a whole that does not equal the value of its triggering memories of his role as Michael Scott constituent parts. The acting from everyone in The Office. He is almost unrecognisable in involved is phenomenal; the cinematography his character, fitted with a giant hooked nose. is stark and moody; the music is unintrusive One might suggest if edited differently the film yet evocative. Isolating each element of this could almost pass for a comedy. Somewhat film we see masters of their craft working at unexpectedly, it is Tatum who delivers the best the peak of their abilities. Somehow though, performance of the film. As Mark Schultz he the confluence of these craftsmen is a sagging, lumbers through the movie like a neanderthal
VIRGINIAFILMFESTIVAL
Foxcatcher
desperately seeking approval from his brother and his new boss, providing the emotional heart of the film. It is the tone of Foxcatcher that really proves to be its weakest element, simply for the fact that it has only one: dreary. The film is relentless in its dour severity. From the first to the last frame we are subjected to a constant wave of people being unhappy and a director that seems to love spending five minutes too long shooting it. The final runtime, which clocks in at at just over two hours, is also obnoxious; a good thirty minutes could have been shaved off without any detriment to the overall film and would have been welcomed by my bum. Foxcatcher isn’t a write off in any sense.
There are much worse films that someone can subject themselves to over the weekend. The poorer qualities of the film are manifested in the disappointment that it engenders. On paper it looks strong; the trailer promised something great and the awards it has been both nominated for and won indicate a modern classic. Yet it is disposable, portentous mediocrity that serves more as a showcase for its talented crewmembers than a comprehensible, engaging story. It isn’t by any stretch unwatchable, but relative to expectations and outside validation, it’s a turkey.
film
201
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
subtextual healing Louis Pigeon-Owen investigates the important role of ideology within cinema banned due to controversial imagery, subject matter, or for sparking worldwide debates. Blue Is the Warmest Colour and Brokeback Mountain were both examples of high-profile films centred around gay relationships, by proxy normalising mainstream depiction of homosexuality despite opposition in ultraconservative circles. Films such as Fight Club,
American Psycho and A Clockwork Orange also raised an eyebrow or two through depictions of sexual abuse, ultra-violence and anarchy, consequently encouraging people to question oppressive power structures and the repression of desire. In the Loop is a brilliant example of political ideology flipped on its head to parallel and satirise the
ANA DUKAKIS
There is an argument that cinema should exist purely for the sake of entertainment, and that if a film involves enough predictable toilet-related slapstick, high-octane car chases, bikini-clad women and at least one cameo from a topless Arnold Schwarzenegger (that means you Hollywood). It’s mission is accomplished, good night and thank you very much for coming. In the real world, however, most people require something more. Not to say that all films should leave the audience in an existential slump, as after all, film is just as much about escapism as it is education. It’s hard to find the moral in Die Hard, other than that working for the New York City Police is dangerous and John McClane should have definitely considered a career as a chartered accountant after the first film, and that Bruce Willis probably should have gone into ballet, because who wouldn’t want to see that? I digress, the point remains that the purpose of cinema should be twofold: to entertain and to challenge. From a serious point of view, with the emergence of Netflix, which has become both the bane and the blessing of the university student, people now do as much watching as they do reading, and surely, if even trashy books uphold some kind of moral standpoint, why shouldn’t film and TV? More importance should be attributed to offering unusual viewpoints, or depicting uncomfortable issues in cinema to challenge perceptions and preconceptions. Indeed, many truly iconic films were at one point
corruption and limitations of government, getting a whole generation to look much more critically at British politics. Ideology is also key to some of the biggest ever film franchises. Take for example the Harry Potter movies – they deal with Christian ideology, racism (as in the marginalisation of elves and Mudbloods), political corruption, press censorship, the misuse of power and most importantly, not to “follow the spiders”. There is always a danger in treading the line between portraying an ideology and open indoctrination, a line which Leni Riefenstahl not only crossed with her Nazi propaganda films in the 1930s, but erased and destroyed the ground upon which it had been painted. There is a point, however, when some viewers are just sick of being force fed predictable morals and end up desiring something more relatable and realistic, films that show the everyday struggles of everyday people. Notable examples being Steven Knight’s Locke, Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake, Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt and Michael Haneke’s Amour. Above all cinema is about fun, but it’s a kind of fun which should nevertheless take itself seriously and should make us laugh, cry, cringe, gasp, sigh, moan about why Schwarzenegger is still in movies when he looks like someone squeezed a cauliflower into a condom, and above all to always surprise and astound us. Curtain. Applause.
rub-a-dub-snub
Amy Lee heads down to the Oscars and gives us the low-down on this year’s nominations
This year’s Oscar nominations have been met with an overwhelming amount of criticism for multiple snubs and a lack of diversity within the nominees. Potential big winners this year include Richard Linklater’s Boyhood and Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, both having been given nine nominations. However, top performances by Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler) and Jennifer Aniston (Cake) have all been snubbed by the Academy, despite being shortlisted by numerous other award associations. The films themselves are also up for Academy Awards in other fields. The well-received Lego Movie has received no nomination for Best Animated Feature. However, it was nominated for Best Original Song for the Tegan and Sara performed, Everything is Awesome. Interstellar and Gone Girl were also left out of major categories, aside from Rosamund
Pike’s welcome Best Actress nod. It is a shame that Matthew McConaughey who has recently emerged from a period of McConaissance following his Academy Award-winning role in Dallas Buyers Club at the 2014 Oscars has not been recognized by any major Awards ceremonies for his performance in Interstellar. Similarly to Christopher Nolan’s latest film, there are no major nominations for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Both films display such incredible achievements in direction and in terms of their sheer scale and skilled craftsmanship. It is disappointing neither has been at least nominated for Best Director. All hope is not lost however, as Interstellar has been nominated for both Best Visual Effects and Best Original Score (for Hans Zimmer) and continues to be a strong contender in those categories. A number of other notable performances seem to have gone unnoticed this awards season. Scarlett Johansson’s performance
in Under the Skin and Jack O’Connell in Unbroken are just a few examples of fanastic performance work that have been rebuffed by the Academy. On another note, the predominantly white male attention has also been cause for criticism among the movie-going public. All twenty nominees in acting categories are white, and there are no female nominees for achievements in directing, cinematography or screenplay. There has been an intense reaction to the lack of diversity on social media sites, the hashtag #oscarssowhite being splashed all across the Twittersphere. Which leads us to the Martin Luther King biopic Selma, which has also been snubbed by the Academy. Though the film itself has been nominated for Best Picture, individual achievement such as the performance of actor David Oyelowo and work of director Ava DuVernay have been completely ignored. On an equally worrying note, a Los Angeles
Times study found that the Academy rates are even less diverse than the movie-watching public with 94% being Caucasian and 71% male. Strong contenders for awards include Eddie Redmayne for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. Redmayne previously won the Golden Globe Award earlier this year for one of the best performances by a young actor since Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook. Boyhood also has promise, nominated for Best Film, Best Director for Richard Linklater and Supporting nods for Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette. The film itself has been declared a landmark by many critics and praised for the brave and unique style of filmmaking that follows the life of one family, shot over the period of 12 years. The Academy has certainly made the white decision this year. The right one however, remains debatable.
film
211
concrete.film@uea.ac.uk
eat my short Amy Lee shits her pants reviewing upcoming short film Fear overexposure is unusual for a horror film yet it still manages to create an atmosphere of unease. The plot itself isn’t anything new, as it follows a generic narrative. However, the set-ups and healthy doses of classic horror iconography (blood, candle-lit rooms, white noise and lightning), all play their part in creating a genuine and unexpected thrill. Despite the film being short, Kahn’s ability to generate tension through set-ups and careful pacing allows the viewer to lose themselves in the story. There is a steady build up to the climax of the film that stylistically captures the loss of control over the imagination. Fear takes the audience on a short but intense journey from unsettling silence to fullblown psychological thrill. The trepidation that escalates to complete terror successfully personifies the feeling of fear itself. After just one viewing - all levels of your emotional Richter Scale will be hit.
EXTREMEHORRORCINEMA
Steve Kahn describes his new psychological horror short film Fear as “art house horror a la Hitchcock”. The creative placement of the camera makes for a visually impressive and engaging 15 minutes of thrill, and the Janet Leighesque female protagonist and blood-downthe-drain shot pay homage to Hitchcock’s Psycho. A young woman is home alone, taking a bath, when unusual noises and movement constitute her ever-growing fear. Kahn explores how little things can be exaggerated by the mind, and plays on conventional devices of the horror genre to unveil the inherent paranoia of the human psyche. Jesse Rabideau, playing the female lead, does a great job of bringing the physical and emotional qualities of fear to the screen and holds the audience’s attention effortlessly. Kahn’s imaginative use of lighting demonstrates how darkness doesn’t always create fear. The use of bright lights and
a flock of mockery
WIKI METRO
DRAFTHOUSEFILMSFLICKR (TOM FRANCIS)
TRESPASSMAG
NEWCITYFILMS
FLICKR (STEVE HOFFMAN)
Don’t shoot! It’s only George Barker and his list of favourite movie satires
Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
In the Loop
Four Lions
Monty Python’s Life of Brian
“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! This is the war room”.
“You know they’re all kids in Washington? It’s like Bugsy Malone but with real guns”.
“If you try to set up the Islamic State of Tinsley again...”
“He’s not the messiah. He’s a very naughty boy! Now piss off!”
Dr Strangelove is masterpiece of satire, revolving around the President and his Chiefs of Staff as they respond to a nuclear crisis. The characters are an eccentric bunch, to say the least: from an ex-Nazi scientist to a General certain the Russians are fluoridating the water (“Have you ever seen a commie drink a glass of water?”). The film perfectly highlights the fears of the period and conveys the insanity of the early Cold War doctrine of brinkmanship: a must watch.
Based on the excellent The Thick of It, In the Loop takes proceedings over the pond, as the Minister for International Development becomes entangled in the issue of a military intervention. With everyone’s favourite foulmouthed Scotsman Malcolm Tucker churning out one-liners, your arsenal of insults will grow exponentially. With its brilliant writing, In the Loop is relentlessly funny, making it one of the most entertaining political satires to date.
Can terrorism be funny? Yes. Four Lions is a darkly comic look at terrorism, lampooning everyone from the police fighting it to the terrorists themselves. The premise almost sounds like an Inbetweeners film that took a turn for the worse: four lads from Sheffield deciding to become ‘martyrs’. It beautifully mocks the moral lunacy of terrorism while even managing to highlight problematic perceptions of Islam within the Western world.
This Python classic puts religion in its sights as it lampoons the pomp, charlatans and ridiculousness associated with organised religion. Sparking outrage among Christians, this film is evidence that sometimes you’re not doing satire right unless you’re offending someone. With its hilarious ‘wrong time, wrong place’ storyline, Monty Python’s Life of Brian is yet another showcase for the Monty Python crew’s wit and madcap brilliance.
the page of fun
221
concrete.competitions@uea.ac.uk
a smart giveaway
sudoku
ICON BOO K
S
Concrete Features editor Courtney Pochin’s got her hands on a copy of John Farndon’s Do You Still Think You’re Clever?
Interesting, confusing and downright bizarre, Do You Still Think You’re Clever? is Farndon’s second book of answers to the toughest questions ever asked in entrants’ interviews to Cambridge and Oxford universities. If you think you’re clever (or you know someone else who does), there’s no better way of testing just how smart you are! If you fancy getting your hands on a free copy (well, Valentine’s Day is coming up) then all you need to do is tweet us, “I think I’m clever” to @concrete_uea. You don’t need to be clever to do that!
1 What was the name of the estate in Jamaica owned 7 Bangui is the capital of which African country? by James Bond author Ian Fleming? 2 Which accounting-related term is the longest 8 Norwich hero Alan Partridge made his film debut English word containing three consecutive pairs of in which film of 2013? double letters?
answer me this
Think you’re smart? The UEA Quiz Society’s Charlie Methven’s general knowledge quiz will test that!
3 Which South American city is featured in the 9 The word “cordate” refers to what shape? NATO phonetic alphabet? 4 Who was the first American President to resign 10 In which decade was tech giant Microsoft founded? from office? 5 What were described by James Joyce as “perverted 11 Which League One football team are nicknamed commas”? “The O’s”? 6 Taylor Swift, who is due to headline the Radio 1 12 Along with Norwich Cathedral, which is the Big Weekender in Norwich, is the great-great-great- other cathedral in Norwich? great-great-great granddaughter of 18th-century satirist Jonathan Swift. True or false?
Flip and Reveal 1. Goldeneye 2. Bookkeeping 3. Lima 4. Richard Nixon 5. Quotation marks 6. False 7. Central African Answer Me This
Republic 8. Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa 9. Heart 10. 1970s 11. Leyton Orient 12. St. John the Baptist’s
listings
231
concrete.listings@uea.ac.uk
The Waterfront King Charles + Gallery Circus
The Nick Rayn’s LCR
Neck Deep - The Intercontinental Championships Tour
Damn Good presents... Bondi Beach Party
Amber Run + Pixel Fix
Pam’s House - Barmy Army 30th Party
Mon 2 Feb (£12)
Wed 4 Feb (£10.50) Fri 6 Feb (£8)
Epic Studios Geno Washington + The Ram Jam Band
Tue 27 Jan (£3.50)
Fri 30 Jan (£10-13)
The A List
Sat 31 Jan (£4.50)
Norfolk Live: An Evening in Aid of Project Trust
The Kerrang! Tour 2015 feat. Don Broco, We Are The In Crowd, Bury Tomorrow
Blackalicious
Damn Good presents... The Hogwarts Social
Sat 31 Jan (£18-20) Thu 5 Feb (£6)
Fri 6 Feb (£15)
A Winged Victory for the Sullen Sat 7 Feb (£13-15)
The Bicycle Shop Abdoulaye Samb + Minnijiaraby Tue 27 Jan (£6)
Louis Baker
Wed 28 Jan (£5)
Bity Booker + Anto Morra Tue 3 Feb (£5)
Patch & The Giant + Nick Edward Harris Wed 4 Feb (£5)
Fri 6 Feb (£16.50) Tue 3 Feb (£3.50)
Open The Norwich Soul Train Sat 7 Feb (£7)
The Playhouse Count Arthur Strong: Somebody Up There Licks Me Thu 5 - Fri 6 Feb (£15.50-17.50)
The Only Way is Downton Sat 7 Feb (£13-15)
The Owl Sanctuary
UEA Drama Studio
The Burning Crows + support
The Head That Bears
Tue 27 Jan (£5)
Thu 29 through Sat 31 Jan (£5-7)
find more listings at concrete-online.co.uk/events