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OCTOBER BILLY LOCKETT
+ KARIMA FRANCIS Tuesday 14th
SKILLET
+ WICKED FAITH Wednesday 15th
SIMON MCBRIDE
+ FEDERAL CHARM Monday 27th
ANNIE EVE
+ HARRY EDWARDS + GEORGE CHEETHAM Tuesday 28th
JESS GLYNNE
THE FAIR WEATHER FESTIVAL
Tuesday 28th
ELLA EYRE
+ GALLERY CIRCUS Thursday 30th
Wednesday 15th
+ KIMBERLEY ANNE + JOEL BAKER Thursday 16th
FEED THE RHINO
+ NIGHT VERSES + BABY GODZILLA Thursday 16th
NICK MULVEY
+ SIVU Sunday 19th
THE TREATMENT
+ BUFFALO SUMMER + MASSIVE Sunday 19th
CLEAN BANDIT
LITTLE COMETS DAVE GILES
Thursday 30th
PAMS HOUSE
THE FREAKS COME OUT WITH SEB FONTAINE Friday 31st
NOVEMBER THE BLACKOUT
+ YASHIN + WHEN WE WERE WOLVES Sunday 2nd
NETSKY LIVE
+ YEARS AND YEARS Monday 20th
Monday 3rd
KID INK
Wednesday 5th
+ FEKKY Monday 20th
HEATHER PEACE
Tuesday 21st
ASKING ALEXANDRIA
+ THE GHOST INSIDE + CROWN THE EMPIRE + SECRETS Wednesday 22nd
LETHAL BIZZLE
DENCH PARTY TOUR + C.O.L.L. + DUTTY MENACE + INTENSI-T Wednesday 22nd
KIRK FLETCHER
+ THE KATIE BRADLEY BAND FT. DUDLEY ROSS Wednesday 22nd
KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES
+ SAVE YOUR BREATH Thursday 23rd
JOSH PYKE
+ PYLO Friday 24th
WISHBONE ASH THE DAMNED
+ GRAVEDALE HIGH Friday 7th
NEVER A HERO
+ LITTLE RED KINGS + ENIGMA Friday 7th
THE BON JOVI EXPERIENCE
Saturday 8th
ALABAMA 3
+ DARLING COREYS Sunday 9th
SIKTH
FELL OUT BOY
+ UNDERLINE THE SKY + COUCH + ONE DAY ROCKET Friday 14th
LEVELLERS
GREATEST HITS TOUR 2014 + THE SELECTER + SHE MAKES WAR Saturday 15th
KNOTSLIP
(A SLIPKNOT TRIBUTE) + SWARMED + BACK DOWN OR DIE Saturday 15th
Friday 19th
DECEMBER TEMPLES
Monday 1st
RAGING SPEEDHORN
THE BEAT
3 DAFT MONKEYS + LONGSHOREDRIFT Saturday 20th
2015 HAYSEED DIXIE
+ NOTHING MORE Saturday 15th
Sunday 18th January
UPON A BURNING BODY
PASSENGER
(RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE TRIBUTE) Saturday 24th January
ENRAGED
+ MARTYR DEFILED + THE CHARM, THE FURY Sunday 16th
+ THE ONCE Wednesday 3rd
ELECTRIC MARY
+ BACK DOWN OR DIE + ZIPLOCK + THE DOUGHYS Thursday 4th
Sunday 25th January
COASTS
+ KNUCKLE PUCK + TROPHY EYES + SEAWAY Wednesday 4th February
+ BROKEN CHORDS + STRANGE TAIL Monday 17th
THE SHIRES
+ WARD THOMAS Monday 17th
EXAMPLE
Tuesday 18th
BRIT FLOYD
DISCOVERY WORLD TOUR 2014 Wednesday 19th
GIRLSCHOOL
+ DEATH VALLEY SCREAMERS + BLIND TIGER + TATTOOED LIES Wednesday 19th
VOLBEAT
+ HATEBREED Thursday 20th
GBH
+ RACING GLACIERS Thursday 4th
THE BURNING CROWS
+ NO MERCY + TRUESCAPE Friday 5th
FIRST AID KIT NECK DEEP
KERRANG! TOUR 2015
HELLS BELLS
FT. DON BROCO + WE ARE THE IN CROWD Friday 6th February
PROFESSOR GREEN
+ GRANT LEY Wednesday 11th February
TURBOWOLF
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
(AC/DC TRIBUTE) Saturday 6th Sunday 7th
+ EMPRESS + GOD DAMN Monday 8th
CASH
LEWIS MURPHY
Tuesday 17th February
ENTER SHIKARI
THE KOOKS
(JOHNNY CASH TRIBUTE) Thursday 11th
Wednesday 25th February
AVOSETTA & ALL AT SEA
FISH
Friday 6th March
THE MOVEABLE FEAST TOUR Thursday 11th
Friday 21st
Friday 21st
RUTS DC
JUNGLE
MIKE PETERS
Friday 13th March
+ HEART OF A COWARD + IDIOM Monday 10th
JAMES BAY
+ PORT ISLA Saturday 22nd
Friday 12th
DIAMOND HEAD
UB40
Monday 24th
+ THE MARKSMEN + DOGTOWN REBELS Saturday 13th
CROOKES
+ LAUREL CANYONS + MONTAGUES & CAPULETS Wednesday 26th
POUT AT THE DEVIL
+ WALKWAY + THE INTENT Saturday 13th
Sunday 29th March
WHOLE LOTTA LED
RAVENEYE FT. OLI BROWN
Wednesday 1st April
+ EVIL SCARECROW Wednesday 12th
XCERTS
Wednesday 12th
WICKED FAITH
Saturday 25th
TWO SET SHOW Thursday 27th
MAVERICK SABRE
LA ROUX
Friday 28th
LIT
BATTLE OF BRITAIN TOUR + KORPIKLAANI + TYR Friday 28th
Sunday 26th
BEARDYMAN
Sunday 30th
+ SWORN TO OATH Tuesday 2nd
+ DEAD UNTIL DUSK + BREAKING BELIEF Thursday 13th
HOLLYWOOD ENDING
CHINA DRUM
+ 4FT FINGERS + SPOT + GRAVEDALE HIGH Wednesday 17th
HEAVEN’S BASEMENT
KLAXONS
+ GEORGE THE POET Sunday 26th
TTSF TAKEOVER
FT. BIG ALABAMA + DELAY + LITTLE RED KINGS + TWISTED PIGLET + BLACK SHUK Saturday 29th
+ MEANWHILE Friday 14th A PLACE IN THE SUN TOUR Friday 14th
EMBRACE SABATON
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Monday 15th
RIVAL SONS
+ BLUES PILLS Tuesday 16th
MICHAEL SCHENKER’S TEMPLE OF ROCK
Wednesday 17th
EUROPE & BLACK STAR RIDERS
Thursday 19th March
SLEEPING WITH SIRENS VS PIERCE THE VEIL THE SUBWAYS UFO
Thursday 16th April
TOXIC TWINS
(AEROSMITH TRIBUTE) Saturday 18th April
SIMPLE MINDS
Wednesday 22nd April
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03 concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk
venue
October 14 / #301
Editors Holly J. McDede and Adam White Cover Art Adam White Illustrators Tess Castella and Scarlet Dawson
music 04-07
fashion 08-09
arts 10-11
creative writing 12-13
Editors Myles Earle and Mike Vinti
Editors Gemma Carter and Helena Urquhart
Editor Katie Kemp
Editor Jake Reynolds
Contributors Jak Bowtell, Alex Dalgleish, Freya Gibson, Zoe Jones, Courtney Pochin, Mike Vinti
Contributors Rachel Hayllor, Lindsay Stark, Katie Wadsworth
Contributors Helena Bradbury, Ellie Hicks, Daniel Jeakins, Brett Mottram
Contributors Julian Canlas, Rob Harding, Ellen Morris, Claire Reiderman
gaming + tech 15
television 16-17
film 18-21
competitions 22
Editor Joe Fitzsimmons
Editor Adam Dawson
Editors Neven Devies and Silvia Rose
listings 23
“What have we done to other?”
Contributors George Barker, Alex Melbourne, Alexander Smith
Contributors Adam Dawson, Hannah Ford, Daniel Jeakins, Dan Struthers Gone Girl
Rob Brezsny, the best horoscope writer of our time, tells all Geminis this week: “I hope you will learn more in the next eight months than you have ever before learned in a comparable period... I hope you devise a plan to gather the educational experiences with which you will reinvent yourself ”. Hope? What kind of horoscope writer hopes for things to happen, rather than just tell you what’s coming?
Contributors Isis Billing, Joe Frost, Emma Holbrook, Ruth Ilott, Martha Director David Fincher Julier, Flo Lacey, Rory Horne, Josh
Writer Gillian Flynn Starring Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry Runtime 149 mins Thrillerhe’s trying to tell me to take Whatever. I think
my education seriously. But my dissertation, once fresh from the oven, is now getting sort of cold and should probably be thrown away before it begins to smell. I spend most of my venue editor, right clicking, trying days, as Venue to figure out how to make images smaller, and trying to save things as TIFF with a 300 resolution. But you! The students! Miniature
Editor Daisy Jones Contributors The UEA Gaming Society
futures! Writers! You can be journalists. Go out into the world. Talk to people. Write about them. Read Shakespeare, if you want. But he’s kind of dead so please talk to people who are living. Learn something. Keep it real, kids Holly J. and Adam
music
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concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
Hollywood Reporter
BBC
BBC // BBC 1
How We Are Listening
Alex Dalgleish explores the changing way we are listening to music
Step 1: Replace the radio producer Take a look at the music reviews in venue Venue. Chances are, if any of those albums take your fancy, you won’t buy the CD, you’ll log into Spotify, or check out the videos on YouTube. The rise of the internet has changed the way we get hold of our music, and that’s made a massive difference not only to artists and the industry, but also to the way we listen to and interact with bands. The demise of Radio 1’s long-running Request Show is just one example of this transformation; when you can hear any music ever written at the click of a mouse, calling up Fearne Cotton’s producer once a week to hear your favourite song would be oddly outdated. Previously the home of established presenters like Reggie Yates and Jameela Jamil, last year the show was handed over to YouTube
“If you can listen to whatever you like, as soon as it takes your fancy, why stick to one sound?” sensations Dan and Phil, and shifted its focus to persuading the audience to watch online and respond with homemade music videos. Going even further, their show, which preserved the
feel of its predecessor, now only takes place monthly; the other weeks, guest-presented by a series of YouTube vloggers, abandon the weekly request format altogether. Radio 1, with an average listener age of 32, needs these young broadcasters (over 27 million subscribers between them) to attract a youth audience away from their computers and back to traditional radio. Station controller Ben Cooper recently stressed that, to do so, it’s time for the network to “adapt or die”. Just last week, the breakfast show devoted their Tuesday morning to Nick Grimshaw’s attempt at a record-length twerk. In a traditional radio format, the sound of a DJ dancing for an hour is boring, and it’s by watching online that it becomes worth tuning in for.
Step 2: Mix up your genres More fundamentally, this freedom to pick and choose has changed the way we think about music. To watch Quadrophenia, The Who’s tale of the 1960’s clashes between Mods and Rockers, is to see people respond in a fashion almost unthinkable today. Both of these tribes saw musical taste as fundamental to their identity, and thought themselves to have nothing in common with the other. To be a fan of the Small Faces was to have the suit and maybe the Vespa; a Chuck Berry groupie was more likely to be found fighting them than
swapping records. These days, that adherence to one field has dissolved; from Hip-Hop to Jazz, genre is something to be transcended. Artists feature on one another’s tracks, or incorporate any number of far-flung styles into their sound. In between deconstructing race in
“These days, that adherence to one field has dissolved; from Hip-Hop to Jazz, genre is something to be transcended” American society and releasing one of the most determinedly non-commercial albums of last year, Kanye West was happy to feature on a Katy Perry track about an alien (ET, originally meant for Three 6 Mafia), while 5 Seconds of Summer can claim everybody from McFly to Joy Division as influences. If you can listen to whatever you like, as soon as it takes your fancy, why stick to one sound? Putting your iPod on shuffle gives you a playlist of randomly clashing styles and artists, and it’s hard not to view that as partially responsible for this trend (songs don’t get much more random than the collaboration between Little Mix and Missy Elliott). Intensifying this, with the decline in recorded music sales scaring labels away from risk, new acts are introduced to the public as featured artists for more established names, raising their profile even before they’re expected
Step 3: Have famous friends to carry their own album. This only increases the chance of unexpected combinations. Sam Smith, of course, was first seen on Disclosure’s hit Latch; his soulful crooning feels far from their electro and garage, but the mixture of genres paid off. Perhaps nowhere is the effect of this freedom more obvious than in the rise of the superstar producer. Rather than singing for themselves, as solo stars of the past had to, they choose vocalists whose sound they like, incorporate their favourite genres of music, and build up from their own playlist combinations. Ironik’s Tiny Dancer featured both Chipmunk (then at the height of his popularity) and a prominent sample from Elton John’s single of the same name (released 36 years previously). Of course, this is what producers have done for years, but it’s only recently that they’ve become massive stars off the back of it. From Pharrell to Calvin Harris, they reflect what we’re all doing. They just take it one step further. Shifts in listening habits are usually treated as bad news for the music industry. Perhaps they are (that Pitbull/J-Lo World Cup song certainly points that way), but the possibility for artists to explore a wider range of influences, and for listeners to discover and share music beyond the Radio 1 playlist, is something exciting. Let’s keep on exploring.
music
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concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
Wanderlust at The Waterfront Courtney Pochin reviews Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s set at The Waterfront Men and women of all ages gathered in the Waterfront on the evening of the 25th September to celebrate Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s recent acclaimed hit album, Wanderlust. The 11 track musical work is filled to the brim with magic and mystique and marks a sharp shift in Bextor’s music style, incorporating elements of folk, baroque and orchestral music. Sophie and her skilled team are said to have taken their song writing inspiration from a mixture of fairy tales and folklore, add to this the singer’s naturally pretty voice and the final product is utterly enchanting. After a 20 minute, laid-back opening set from Norwich based trio, River Valley People, who played several songs made for easy listening before dashing off to play in the LCR, Bextor took to the stage for an hour and a half, accompanied by a band which notably included her husband, bassist Richard Jones from The Feeling. The group opened the show with the first
“Sophie Ellis-Bextor is everything you could possibly want from a performer...” song from the album, Birth of an Empire, immediately creating an intense atmosphere within the crowded room; due to the track’s dramatic nature, the atmosphere only deepened as she launched into Until the Stars Collide, a
Brian Ledgard
song that details a troubled, star-crossed love story. This number was followed by a short break, during which the singer shared her thoughts on our beloved Norwich, describing it eagerly as a “beautiful city”. She also admitted that she hadn’t visited Norwich since 2007, but had been keen to return because her husband had enjoyed playing a show at the Waterfront recently. Her set continued on with the majority of songs from the album, and to everyone’s delight also included a heart-felt cover of Pulp’s Do You Remember the First Time? It was a delight to watch as Bextor was seemingly captivated by each and every lyric and got lost within the music much like you would in a daydream,
which was particularly fitting during her melodic performance of Runaway Daydreamer. Another brief interlude saw her declare her love of Heinz ketchup and reveal that the weirdest thing to happen to her so far on the tour was when she had been asked to sign a man’s bum (which she did and apparently it was “gross!”) Later in the evening, a quick costume change revealed that Sophie was ready to move away from the spiritual stuff and bring back disco, so she continued on with some of her classic hits, including Take Me Home, Heartbreak Made me a Dancer and of course the timeless classic Murder on the Dance Floor. Not having previously heard much of her more recent work, I was initially concerned
that the evening wouldn’t be overly enjoyable,
“Another brief interlude saw her declare her love for Heinz Ketchup...” but can now safely say that it was an absolutely brilliant concert. Sophie Ellis-Bextor is everything you could possibly want from a performer: talented, quirky and completely charming. She easily commanded the room with her confident stage presence despite her small, pixie-like appearance and looked like she had a fabulous time doing it. This is an act definitely worth going to see if you ever get the chance.
venue Venue’s Artist of the Month Music Editor Mike Vinti highlights this month’s artist to watch
Thanks to the likes of Soundcloud and Pitchfork there is now a seemingly endless parade of new artists and ‘ones to watch’ for music fans to wrap their ears around. This is by no means a bad thing, however, keeping up with every new artist can prove more than challenging and some of the most talented end up slipping through the cracks. That’s why we here at venue Venue are launching our ‘Artist of the Month.’ It’s pretty simple really, every month we’ll be profiling an artist we think has contributed significantly to their genre or scene but doesn’t get the credit they’re due. They may be new, they may be old, the only thing that’s guaranteed is that they’ll be good. So, without further ado allow us to introduce our very first ‘Artist of the Month’:
Chart Attack
Mykki Blanco. Mykki is the feminine alter ego of Michael Quattlebaum Jr. and is one of the most talented artists in the emerging genre of LGBT or ‘queer’ rap, alongside le1f and Cakes Da Killa. Her debut EP Mykki Blanco and the Cosmic Angels received some muted
“...one of the most talented artists in the emerging genre of LGBT or ‘queer’ rap...” attention from the blogs and put her on the radar of the more open minded Hip-Hop heads. However, its lead single Wavvy off of her second EP Cosmic Angel: Illuminati Prince/ ss that broke her onto the scene. Produced by East coast darling Brenmar, Wavvy is a huge
‘fuck you’ to the homo/trans phobic attitudes of the mainstream rap world, which sees Mykki asking, “What the fuck I gotta prove to a room full of dudes, that ain’t listening to my words ‘cause they staring at my shoes?” Mykki Blanco is important because she carries on the lineage of artists such as GG Allin and Marilyn Manson, subverting aspects of mainstream and perhaps ‘problematic’ culture to empower those denied a voice, in Mykki’s case the LGBT community, which, as the YouTube comments on her songs prove, still face an uphill struggle within HipHop. A prime example of this is Haze.Boogie. Life in which Mykki utilises the tradition of braggadocio to put down those who seek to dismiss her as a rapper merely because of her
gender-fluid status. Aware of the controversy her music causes, Mykki asks, “How she get in here? What’s that bitch doing here? What’s that faggot doing here?” mimicking the abuse thrown at those who are seen as outsiders within certain circles of hip hop fans, before asking the listener to “get [her] a staff so [she] can herd these fucking sheep.” Politicised HipHop is increasingly rare. As the genre has risen to mainstream status the conventions of it have changed; Jay Z doesn’t need to rap about the struggle of life on the streets now he’s making millions. However, the struggle is still real and in an age in which music is celebrated as a form of escapism, it’s refreshing to watch artists such as Blanco reclaim the conventions of Hip-Hop for themselves and their own empowerment.
music
06
concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
Beacon @ Flickr
Tom Martin
The MOBO Awards 2014
Freya Gibson takes a look at the acts up for a 2014 MOBO Award The Music of Black Origin Awards will be gracing Wembley Arena on 22nd October, after five years of absence from the big city, where they will be showcasing some of this year’s biggest artists such as, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell and Rita Ora, as well as a multitude of fresh new faces including, Jess Glynne and FKA Twigs. Up for Best Male Act is Fuse ODG, Ghetts, Krept and Konan, Sam Smith and Tinie Tempah. Probably the most obvious choice of winner for this category after
“As for Best Newcomer... Kwabs must have a strong chance at swiping the title.” storming into the mainstream media this year is Sam Smith. In high demand for his deliciously dreamy soul tones, Smith seems wise beyond his twenty-two years and has a personality so relatable that the nation has no problem with claiming him as their sweetheart. Although, Tinie Tempah has recently featured on Cheryl Cole’s new single Crazy
Stupid Love, the cheeky rapper’s last album release was Demonstration in 2013 that only received a six out of ten from NME, who also
“He pulls off a killer barnet” described it as “lazy” in its production. Tempah may have fallen short this year since the likes of Fuse ODG managed to join with Sean Paul in successfully creating (whether you like it or not) the catchiest hit of the year, Dangerous Love which peaked at number two in the UK charts. Fuse ODG, whose real name is Nana Richard Abiona, was born in London and raised in Ghana, and prior to his most recent hit he was responsible for the equally catchy tune you seem to wake up singing after a night at the LCR - Antenna. Judging by the success of these singles, Fuse ODG has a good chance of winning Best Male Act. Contending for Best Female Act is one of the artists venue Venue have chosen to ‘watch’ this year - FKA Twigs. Her almost ghostly electronic R&B sound makes her a serious threat for her opponents who use a more traditional pop
sound. Her eerie vocals and incredible dance ability make her addictive to watch and give her Beyoncé-esque qualities. The MOBO’s are not the only ones to recognise this; the English singer-songwriter’s first album LP1 is also up for The Mercury Prize for Best Album of the Year. Contrastingly, under the radar opponent Marsha Ambrosius has been out of the mainstream limelight since her days as part of naughties soul group, Floetry. Up until now she has been working behind the scenes writing for the likes of Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx and Michael Jackson. It seems only fair that she should get her time behind the microphone now, and with a voice like hers no one’s complaining. Whilst previous Eurovision auditionee, Rita Ora, has continued to maintain substantial airplay, many critics see her music as juvenile and her album as disjointed. Possibly making an easier fight for her peers like Jessie J who has reaped the support of Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj in her newest single Bang Bang. We would love to see FKA Twigs clinch this one; the nation’s heard enough Jessie J, Rita Ora and Katy B. As for Best Newcomer, of which there is a
multitude of contestants, Kwabs must have a strong chance at swiping the title. The 23-yearold from South London manages to couple luscious deep and round vocals with futuristic base lines that we challenge anyone to fault. Fiery redhead Jess Glynne has an equally strong chance of success following that of her recent
“Her almost ghostly electronic R&B sound makes her a serious threat for her opponents...” hit, Right Here. Her somewhat husky vocals seem welcome in the UK’s contemporary music scene and shows promise that the country’s pop scene doesn’t rely on the bubble gum sounds of Jessie J and One Direction. Another favourite we would love to see smash this category is MNEK (pronounced em-en-ee-kay), not only does this young man pull off a killer barnet, he makes great music in the form of synthy tune Every Little Word, featuring his faultlessly liquid vocals.
music
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concrete.music@uea.ac.uk
The Guardian
Alt-J This Is All Yours Zoe Jones
Alt-J’s new album is an intricate and entrancing work of indie-rock. Following on nicely from their first album, there are clear defining links from one to the next that make the transition
between them smooth and painless. Bloodflood II, the second part of the mesmerising track from the first album, is a prime example of this. Alt-J themselves have come out and said it’s their favourite off the album – and it is wonderful. From someone who works in a perfumery, the best possible, and very banal, way to describe Alt-J is this: Alt-J are like a fine fragrance, both albums have the same base notes that make them distinctly similar, but the heart of each is a bit different. This is especially true for Left Hand Free, which is a different perfume entirely. In fact, it’s not even a perfume, it’s a deep woody aftershave with blasts of rock and hints of Rolling Stones inspired bass notes. And yes, it’s almost certainly about masturbation. One thing that stands out is how This Is All Yours is definitively dark – and much more
openly than their first album, which in itself was pretty creepy but in a much more subtle way. This being said, all you need to do is look into the lyrics of Fitzpleasure to discover the very sinister inspiration behind it. Whatever you do, do not let a stranger catch you singing Every Other Freckle aloud, it would not go down well. Lyrics like “I want to turn you inside out and lick you like a crisp packet”, make this album inherently creepier than the first. Who even licks the inside of a crisp packet anyway? Though, that’s a different issue entirely. As live performers, Alt-J are self-effacing but convincing, standing in a democratic horizontal line so that the drummer soaks up just as much of the crowd glory. One can’t help but think they don’t know exactly how brilliant they are. In the same respect, one can’t believe that this is the group that come up with lyrics
like, “I want to be every lever you pull, and all showers that shower you”. It’s no wonder that Radio 1 cut out the entire first verse of Every Other Freckle. Their other single, Hunger of the Pine, is tamer, reading more like an irregularlyformed poem than a chart hit, broken up with the vocal talents of Miley Cyrus. This band is wonderfully unpredictable. Over thirteen tracks you are pulled into a growing concern and an overwhelming sense of thoughtfulness, becoming so involved in the lyrics you feel like a third year literature student trying to understand Othello. In summary, This Is All Yours is an artistic, weird and slightly twisted album. And my God it’s good.
Nagano and Drake, as well as Hold On with Sampha. Surrounded by mystery, Jerome only performs behind the guise of a mask, which serves to preserve his anonymity. The sense of eeriness created by this is translated into his music, which often makes use of unusual baselines paired with an almost tribal percussive element, creating a dreamy effect. The new album, fittingly entitled Wonder Where We Land, is an eclectic scrapbook of experimentation in electronic music. As in his previous album from 2011, Wonder Where We Land is highly collaborative, giving each track its own individual identity. Producers in this genre often have an instantly recognisable style, such as the unmistakable output of the likes of Jamie XX, Aphex Twin and Bonobo, but SBTRKT’s experimentation here doesn’t create a recognisable whole. This is surprising given the 2011 album’s ability to be both
collaborative with a sense of uniformity. There are short, ambient interludes which further fragment the album such as Day 1 and Day 5, which add very little and the album would be better off without them. Aside from this, some tracks do standout as being particularly well executed and provide an insight into SBTRKT’s adaptability. From the eerie atmosphere created in Spaced Out (with Boogie) to the languid baseline in Maybe the album guides us on a journey through a portfolio of SBTRKTian style. Sampha, SBTRKT’s frequent teammate, makes a significant contribution. His timbre remains similar to that in the 2011 album but is more pronounced and resonant this time; possibly due to his own artistic development. On the downside, his voice shows less subtlety and vulnerability, which adds a unique facet to his previous work. Fellow artist Denai Moore
in the track The Light skillfully manages to combine an authoritative tone with a sense of control and power. The track incorporates well-chosen electronic techniques, which reflect and complement Moore’s voice. The intertwinement of catchy melodies and rhythms come to fruition very successfully and show real artistic flare. Overall, Wonder Where We Land provides a great insight into electronic music, as well as an important platform to help up and coming artists gain wider recognition. If you can get over the randomness of the tracks it’s quite possible that you’ll come to love SBTRKT’s refreshing take on the genre and his undeniable creativity.
SBTRKT Wonder Where We Land Jak Bowtell
SBTRKT (Aaron Jerome) is an artist who has enjoyed considerable success since 2009 but who really took off in 2011 with his eponymous album, which featured hugely popular tracks such as Wildfire with Yukimi
fashion
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concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk
Best Dressed at UEA Recognise anyone? Tweet us at @conc_fashion
Eyebrow Know How
Rachel Hayllor shares her tips on how to master beautiful brows Without a doubt the number one beauty trend of 2014 has been the power brow. In a craze that had its genesis with the rise of Cara Delevingne and continued on with the dawn of expressions such as ‘brow game strong’, and ‘brows on fleek’ (we’re all still confused on that second one) people are paying more attention to brows than ever before – and for good reason. A groomed pair of brows can change your face completely; they can make you look more awake, they can change the shape of your eyes and they add the finishing touch to any makeup look. Gone are the days of the over-plucked, sparse brow, these days only a full, groomed and arched brow will do. The first step in obtaining the nirvana of brows is grooming and maintenance. There are many ways in which you can maintain your brows at home such as plucking or waxing, but to avoid any slip-ups a professional job will have the best results. The Benefit Brow Bar in Debenhams offers a professional tint and wax for £18 (they also do 10% student discount) that will shape and fill your brows to perfection and ensure that the daily struggle with brow pencils and gels is a thing of the past. However for the budget conscious student, wishing to go it alone, here are a few basic tips. The brow should begin and end in line with your eye socket and the arch of your brow, in order to be most flattering, should
Vogue
peak in alignment with your iris. To decrease pain while plucking, do it after a hot shower so the pores are still open and apply some aloe vera lotion or Bonjela to cool and numb the area. Experts recommend that you don’t pluck more than once every three weeks in order to avoid over-tweezing, it’s always better to be a little more prudent when plucking than to go in too aggressively. To enhance your god-given assets, the world of cosmetics has
created a bevy of solutions to all your brow problems. For those of you with thinner, more sparse brows, a powder and gel kit is a sure-fire way to add volume and definition. The gel will shape and smooth your brows, locking them in shape and taming stray hairs, while the powder will intensify the colour and add more body. The Sleek Brow Kit is a fantastic dupe for the Benefit Brow-Zings kits and, at £8.50, is a fraction of the price. However, while the temptation is great to overcompensate for some skimpy brows with a bolder look, make sure that if you are a brunette you always go at least one shade lighter than your hair colour, to avoid the ‘drawn-on’ Sharpie look. If you are a blonde you’ll be better served by going a shade darker to highlight your brows and draw more attention to your eyes. If a full brow kit seems too heavy duty for you then there are many less high-maintenance alternatives. If you are one of the lucky elite to be blessed with naturally bountiful brows then the odds are that they might be in need of a little taming to reach their full potential. Many beauty outlets will have you convinced that you need a special brow gel to hold them in place and create more shape and arch however, a simple clear mascara will do the trick, the Collection Colour Lash Mascara in ‘clear’ is available at Superdrug for the bargain price of £1.99, it will help you conquer brow care and it won’t break the bank.
Crop Tips Katie Wadsworth ensures you’ll be top of the crops this A/W There’s no denying that crop tops have been a hot little number for S/S 2014 but as the thermostat plummets, our hemlines don’t have to. Crop tops are set to stay on trend throughout the winter months. There is no denying however, that due to our inclement climate, our looks might need a little tweaking!
plain cropped t-shirt with a cosy oversized drape cardigan, jeans and a signature wide brimmed fedora for a little Chelsea style in East Anglia. Toned down make up and a dash of lip gloss all add to the look.
Layer It
For relaxed layering, pair a loose crop top with an oversized long sleeved silk shirt, super skinny black jeans and a cropped leather jacket. Wear metallic brogues to give this simple outfit an extra pop and add just the right amount of edge.
The Cropped Jumper
The crop top’s cosier counterpart, the crop jumper, is a great way to work the cropping trend with a little added warmth. Style yours with mom jeans and trainers. This look is great for popping onto campus and the addition of a pair of on-trend brightly coloured trainer’s means you’ll arrive in comfort, as well as style.
Sheer Style
to this simple outfit to make it look effortlessly stylish. Add in buckled ankle boots with metallic detailing for additional flair.
Lace It Up
Leather always oozes sophistication so work this fabulous material in the form of a crop top. Layer over a shirt with cigarette trousers for work and acid rinse jeans for play. Chelsea boots are also a must have accessory to tie in the whole ensemble. Add shades and you’ll exude A-list chic.
For an edgier look, try a sheer long sleeved crop top layered over a basic camisole. Wear with a mid-length knitted tube skirt to mix up textures. To complete the look add in a leather jacket and a pair of creepers. A dash of rouge lipstick and subtle eye make-up will take the look to the next level.
Photography Phoebe Harper
Daisy Street
A baggy crop top with lace detailing works well layered over a plain black jersey maxi dress. The lace detailing adds enough interest
Luxury Leather
Flawless Fedora
À la Millie Mackintosh: accessorise. Team a
Faux Fur for Sure
Faux fur screams winter whether it’s worn on a jacket collar or a cute headband. This bold fabric also translates into the world of the humble crop top. Layer a faux fur crop top over a long-sleeved grey ribbed top and a boho skirt in autumnal tones. All that’s left to complete the look is a pair of heeled boots.
Must-Have Mustard
Take notes from the fashion pack and colour block. Team a mustard crop top with a burgundy high-waisted skirt and mink collarless coat for a truly autumnal look. Heeled boots and a statement necklace put the finishing touches to a winning outfit.
fashion
09
concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk
Photography Luke Keleher Model Timea Suli Stylist Lindsay Stark
Monochrome Madness Lindsay Stark brings us chessboard chic this Autumn Come A/W cute pastels and neon brights begin to disappear and are replaced with a much darker and more muted colour palette – including the classic combination black, white and grey. Monochrome is one of those trends that will never grow old, no matter how many seasons it has been around for – and trust me; it has been around for quite a few! As we all know, black is timeless, perfect for little dresses, skinny jeans, and leather biker jackets. However, white can be much harder to pull off, especially if like me, and you’re more milk bottle than bronzed goddess. When paired together though, black and white look classy, cool and stylish. Monochrome is a great way to introduce more versatility into your winter wardrobe, with bold block colours, houndstooth prints and amazing separates all making an appearance on the high street this
winter. Monochrome colours (we’re going to include grey here too, just to give you a few more options) were all over the A/W 14 catwalks this summer, with designers showing us exactly how to wear the trend. Balenciaga teamed oversized grey knitwear with statement black pieces, such as skirts and trousers, a perfect way to incorporate this trend into your day-to-day campus wardrobe. Jessica Alba recently wowed in a grey fisherman knit jumper, layered over a white vest and teamed it with a killer pair of black leather trousers, an exquisite example of how to add an edge to your look! Celine, Louis Vuitton and DKNY also featured a monochrome palette in their A/W shows; ranging from furry black and white coats, to pleated leather skirts, to beautiful printed dresses. These looks were
more over-the-top than the understated simple sweater-and-skirt combo, however a statement black and white dress paired with some strappy black heels will never fail to impress! Team with a red nail polish and lipstick, and you’re ready to go! Red lipstick and/or nail varnish always works well with monochrome looks, adding a pop of colour without taking any attention away from the outfit itself. Check out SarahJane Crawford, Xtra Factor host and Radio 1 DJ, for inspiration on how to rock a red nail and lipstick combo! Taking inspiration from the catwalk, the high street stores are packed with monochrome looks just waiting to be worn, at very reasonable prices. New Look has nailed the trend effortlessly, with monochrome houndstooth co-ords (as seen above) for under £30, cosy blanket wraps in Aztec prints for £19.99 and
glam shift dresses, perfect for a night out, at only £25! Although many of these items may initially be seen as evening wear, it only takes a small change to completely transform an outfit. Take for instance, the skort and crop top set that our model is wearing; pair it with some thick woolly tights, a cute pair of chunky ankle boots and an oversized boyfriend coat, and you have a stylish yet comfy campus-appropriate outfit! Or, add some platform heels, a black clutch bag and some statement jewellery and you’re ready to hit Prince of Wales Road! A simple white, or black and white striped shirt, paired with a pair of skinny black trousers/ jeans is also an easy way to incorporate the trend into your wardrobe. Gold jewellery, such as the chain necklace from River Island in the photos, will add an extra hint of glamour to your look.
10
arts
Calvin Goldspink
concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk
Breathing Life Into the Sketch Comedy Daniel Jeakins chats with comedy duo Cardinal Burns before their Norwich appearance
Cardinal Burns
Having seen a meteoric rise in popularity since picking up a ‘Best Newcomer’ nomination at 2006’s Edinburgh fringe festival, comedy duo Cardinal Burns head to Norwich’s Epic Studios on October 16th clutching a British Comedy Award for their prime-time Channel 4 sketch show. Daniel Jeakins spoke to one half of Britain’s hottest new double act, Seb Cardinal,
about their remarkable rise to prominence. With the rise of YouTube and online parodies, televised sketch shows have seen a bit of a decline in recent years. “It’s so hard to get a sketch show made now”, admits Seb Cardinal – credited by the Independent as being half of the “comic duo breathing new life into the tired sketch show format”. “People aren’t as drawn
to them as they used to be” he continued, “but we wanted to feel like we had something that felt like a whole show rather than a selection of sketches we could put up online”. The success of their series Cardinal Burns, which saw its second season broadcast on Channel 4 earlier this year, has been credited with reviving the long-standing comedy format. Having built up a cast of unique comedic characters – including notorious street artist Banksy imagined as a dull family man who wears a fake nose – the show has received adoration from both critics and television audiences. “We really enjoyed turning Banksy’s cool on its head”, explained Seb. “It seemed like a good opportunity to invent a character for someone who’s famous and yet totally anonymous. We knew that he liked one of our first online sketches as he posted it on his website, but he’s probably fed up with us now we’ve invented a whole new life for him”. The duo are now taking the acclaimed
characters from their hit TV show and bringing them to life on stage, having already triumphed during a thirteen night residency at London’s Soho Theatre. “There’ll certainly be a lot of the same recurring characters from the TV show like Banksy, Young Dreams and Switch the Poet – all of which fans of the show will recognise. We’re also doing some new stuff as well as a few sketches we used to perform live before Cardinal Burns aired”. After their tour comes to an end in November the duo have vowed to take a break from making their sketch show, but Seb assures me that the pair “will probably go back to Cardinal Burns in the future”. Continuing, he said that “we’re always writing sketches but have decided to focus on a narrative-based sitcom. It’s very early stages so far so there’s not much I can tell you about it at the moment”. Cardinal Burns will be appearing at Norwich’s Epic Studios on October 16th as part of their nationwide tour. Both series of their TV show can be watched on 4oD.
Man Booker Prize 2014: Bring in the Writers (...Americans Included) Helena Bradbury takes a look at this year’s shortlist for the Man Booker Prize This year’s annual Man Booker Prize has been controversial in more ways than one. 2014 saw new precedents introduced with a change in the rules of the award which allowed, for the first time, applications from authors around the globe provided that the novel was written and published in English. The literary prize was launched in 1969 and has previously been open exclusively to authors from the UK, the Republic of Ireland and the Commonwealth; rewarding one author for what the judges deem to be the years’ finest work in literary fiction. The Prize aims to raise awareness of quality fiction but also to attract mass audiences not necessarily to
popular fiction, but to intelligent fiction. It’s safe to say that none of the novels nominated for the prize are quite what you could call ‘easy holiday reads’, but the complexity and range of original and authentic ideas are a reminder that there is great contemporary fiction still being produced. While the judging panel aims to select the nominees from the years’ best fiction, further controversy arose when five of the 13 titles on the longlist had not even been released at the time of being nominated. The global literary community was outraged that novels not yet published could be announced as the best in 2014 fiction. Previous double-shortlisted nominee David Mitchell didn’t see his novel, The Bone Clocks, published until 2nd September, seven days before the shortlist was released. While critics were calling Mitchell (author of Cloud
Atlas) a favourite to win, can it really be surprising that it didn’t make the shortlist with so little momentum behind it? However the shortlist, announced on 9th September, again defied expectation. After fears that America’s size and literary wealth would trounce the procedures, only two US authors made it onto the shortlist of six: Karen Joy Fowler’s hugely successful novel, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, and Joshua Ferris’s To Rise Again at a Decent Hour. While many critics didn’t expect to see Ferris make the shortlist, there are whispers that To Rise Again could follow in the steps of fellow shortlistee and 2010 winner, Howard Jacobson, with a win for the comic novel. There are high hopes for Ali Smith’s sixth novel How To Be Both, as she revolutionises the traditional structure of narrative progression by combining two stories in one. The novel has
been published in both orders, so which story you get first is entirely up to chance when you buy the book. This wonderfully original and convoluted dual-narrative provides a refreshing take on traditional literary expectations. Neel Murherjee’s The Lives of Others and The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Australian Richard Flanagan also made the shortlist. With so much coverage this year and the new rules globalising competition for the prize, it’s no surprise that this continues to be one of the most relevant contemporary literary awards. The winner of the 2014 Man Booker Prize will be announced on Tuesday 14th October.
arts
11
concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk
The Rise of the Comic!
Kevin H @ Blogspot
Ellie Hicks explores the literary value of the comic book hero
The influx of celebrated actors onto the UEA Campus in June earlier this year generated a flurry of rumours that part of the major blockbuster film Avengers: Age of Ultron was being filmed amongst us. Inquisitive students took to social media to spread the news, and it is not surprising that it was met with an enthusiastic response. Over the past few years, comic story based films have taken precedence in the box office. Having captivated the film market, there has been an evolution of the comic book. New technologies have enabled the comic book experience to be transformed into a sensory explosion of action on the big screen. It has successfully infiltrated another realm of Western culture, disassociating the medium from children’s entertainment.
Initial reactions to the comic book may assume that they are merely fantasy stories, bursting with fictional characters endowed with impressive super powers. However, if we disconnect the comic from its fictitious tales, and consider it as a culturally responsive art form, many things come to light. Have you ever considered that the comic stories we know best may have been commenting on major political and social events at the time of their publication? For example, take the heavily mutated characters of the X-Men films. During the Second World War, the Nazis frequently carried out experiments on prisoners, which is echoed in the genetic mutilation of the characters. The atomic nature of the Hulk is also another case, which shows the comic
referencing the nuclear arms race during the Cold War. Sometimes comic characters imply social issues, such as Superman’s transition from awkward oddball into a heroic superhero. This provides something significantly more relatable for its audience. Feminist issues are explored in the super-heroine characters of Wonder Woman and Catwoman, as their heroic actions defy the stereotypical masculine image of the hero. Comic books are not generally distinguished as forms of art or literature. However, maybe this should be reconsidered. Once we have realised that the stories they tell are important commentaries on current issues, the status and influence of comics should be reassessed. Although the invasion of comic book films is very much in the present, are comics becoming a thing of the past? Many young people today would not claim that comics were a major part of their childhood, like it was for their parents. Are the new techsavvy generation removing comic book stories from their original place within the pages of a magazine? Perhaps comic books will be a thing of the past, as writers transfer the stories straight from their imagination into film. If this is the future, we should hope that the underlying themes are not lost amongst the cinematic effects of the blockbuster movies. young people today would not claim that comics were a major part of their childhood, like it was for their parents. Is the new technosavvy generation removing comic book stories from their original place within the pages of a magazine? Perhaps comic books will be a thing of the past, as writers transfer the stories straight from their imagination onto film. If this is the future, we should hope that the underlying themes are not lost amongst the cinematic effects of the blockbuster movies.
Snorting Out Stephen Brett Mottram yearns for the old Stephen in Fry’s new memoir, More Fool Me Stephen Fry’s latest autobiographical volume, entitled More Fool Me, reads like a verbal photo album of the late 80s and early 90s, replete with references to the media, politics, AIDS panic and other events that defined the time. It begins with a brief recap of the previous volumes Moab is My Washpot and The Fry Chronicles before Fry launches us into the story of the next phase of his life. It also, happily, features the references to Wilde, Wodehouse and Waugh that you hope to find
“Taking pleasure in red wellies: life gets no better.” in any of his books. However, what most reviewers have so far focused on is cocaine, or more specifically, Fry’s frequent use of it over the fifteen or so years dealt with in the book. There is indeed a long, two-page list of all the more famous places where he has consumed the ‘Class A’ drug, as well as a contemplation and selfexcoriation of his conduct during this period. Like a long white line, the theme runs between and through the pages, especially the last
section, which is composed entirely of diary entries from August to November 1993. This chapter describes a vertiginous series of parties, meetings, lectures, poker games, club evenings, writing sessions, opening nights and voice-over recording schedules (not to mention Christmases, birthdays, weddings, etc.) which seem to merge into one insane episode of intense activity. In those months, the average day seemed to be composed of at least five of the events from the above list, plus hours of socialising with celebrities, writers, musicians, playwrights, comedians and actors. If you hate name-dropping, this book isn’t for you! The strange blending of work and play can be slightly surreal to read, but for those who know Fry’s other work (in particular the novels The Liar and The Hippopotamus, and the television shows Blackadder and A Bit of Fry and Laurie), there are markers to keep you on course and stop you from losing your balance. This feels rather different to his other writing, all of which is excellent and highly recommended, and will have you crying alternately with laughter and sorrow. The
‘unpredictably jumbled narrative’ here however, will certainly make you utter a mirthful bark, whether at a startling simile or the punchline of an anecdote, More Fool Me has a more tiring feeling throughout, as if the hectic lifestyle takes its toll on the reader. There are moments of bliss: the section where Fry describes how, aged thirteen, he discovered the life and work of Oscar Wilde, is superbly written, and goes straight to the heart. The coke-taking that comes later is jarringly banal by comparison.
“I didn’t take coke because I was unhappy (at least I don’t think so). I took it because I really, really liked it.” But that is fitting, hence the title. And life is always a strange mixture, with figures in the public eye often holding the most surprises. Yet Stephen Fry tries to be honest in this ‘dialogue with [his] former self ’, and this honesty is the highest compliment a writer of memoir can pay to their readers.
A Year in Design
12
13
creative writing
Microfictions
Submit your own to @miniaturestory on Twitter
concrete.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk
“I must say a word about fear. It is life’s only true opponent.”
The Dream of Writing Julian Canlas
The first word came out on a limb, its meaning perforating the paper like a hiss, the letters written in a drunken haze. The first word was not like the first stroke of a painter, who already has a vision of reality in their mind like a biologist buttoning on their coat to begin the hard work of handling a culture within a petri dish, but a quivering ritual in uncertainty that began after midnight with the sip of chamomile from a cup so red it would make those passionate burn with envy; the strained tea string tensed vertically as he pulled it out by the tag and dipped it back in.
- Yann Martel, Life of Pi What are you afraid of? This issue I asked for creative writing submissions on the theme of fear... what is it? Can we fight our fears? Are all fears irrational? As ever, there were many creative and imaginative responses to the theme - enjoy! - Jake Reynolds
The Cemetery Cat Ellen Morris
The grass was cut, the hedge was chopped, The gardener headed home, The sun had stopped, Already clocked off, And the cat was left alone. By Gravestones steep, and tall, profound, The cat watched through the gate, The slippery ground Kissed embossed stone, As fingernails on slate. As a padlock slammed the steel gates firm The bitter clouds withdrew, The cat, so stern, Had hell to burn, And this was nothing new. The gardener gone, the cat was set, With sinful black eyes bright, To decide, to reflect
Which spot to select; Which corpse should rise tonight. The lightning struck the fated tomb, It disintegrated, earthy flesh In darkness loomed, It’s black blood oozed, All undead afresh! The cat was proud, it laughed aloud, Its creation quite complete, With the night its shroud, To the cat the corpse bowed, And trailed forward on its feet. The grass was black, the hedge lay waste, The night air reeked of death, The cat left the corpse Without remorse, While he went home to bed.
Whenever he was drunk, he’d recall his fear of reciting stories in public, as if in a trance: the stage, the bright light, his voice of sonorous somnolence. He sipped, again. Every word had a staccato resonance, humming like a dull knife, louder than the pitying applause that came after.
Scarlet Dawson
The Night
Claire Reiderman
Outside, the sun seeped into the sullying dark and the greenery, creating a history out of yesterdays and a possibility of new tragedies, with its throaty shout, and it is impossible to keep up. He arranged the narratives of his life and squinted at each of them, until his friends, or his lovers, or his places disappeared and were replaced by a helix of words twisted into stuttering on the paper: life, fauna, lake, oration, death, change. He recreates his reality through throughlines, describing the beginning like the end within the confidence of his solitude. It is impossible to constantly recreate life by following the cycle of day and night; it is also impossible to assign permanence and rigidity to the first word; in every narration you or the place becomes a new being. He pauses and reads what he has written, shredding details almost at the pace he forgets dreams after waking up. In his mind, he bellows amidst the evening buzz that hollows out the bones of his identity; the moon shines as mad as a boil on the body, emanating from the sky, which shrivels like a corpse to reveal its clouds. Any writer who is confident is a liar.
The night brings buzzing little insects that burrow into ears and crawl across flesh They surface when it’s quiet and dark They don’t exist until the plague The Moths descend in drones, watch with silent faces from the window Crickets laugh, rubbing legs raw The night’s sticky skin bursts open, and they pour in Flies throw themselves against the wall, bang bang their heads The Mosquitoes gather, wait to claim The night is not mine It belongs to a mind diseased, grooved like the rotting peach stone
Scarlet Dawson
Naked, hungry, they pursue her ‘til feet leave blood prints in the snow. She fills hollow icicles with red slush to sell to their wives.
I skim and skim the thick surface of the night’s soup like a water-boatman to clear the carpet of crawling carcasses only to find the night is mine and the mind is mine d.
The mornings in Norwich do not have the same brutal heat as his home, so, with the cold becoming a fresh layer of skin, he puts on his leather jacket; the smell of creation of his palms smudged with ink and sweat wakes something in him the way a good literary process is supposed to but rarely does. He thinks about his future, but a mosaic of instances that already happened emerges, blooming then rotting in his forgetfulness, his mind wandering; the future invokes the smell of latent academia: old books, leather, then panic. His future has become one with the imagined reality of another life; it pats him on the shoulder, ruffles his hair like a father and puts his pen into his hand again whenever he’d think of giving up. It makes him laugh and dance within the mess of his room: the juxtaposition of themes, a plot that birthed itself, anchored by the first word of creation, whose meaning becomes constantly corrupted and changed.
Tess Castella
Untitled
Rob Harding I’ve always been scared of wasps. It’s a silly little phobia, I know. They’re much more scared of me than I am of them, all I’ll get is a little sting, but they still freak me out. When I was eight I was stung on the hand and had to go to A&E. They said I was allergic, that it would fade with age but to try not to get stung. It’s probably faded by now, but still. I’m worried. Recently, while browsing the internet, I found out about the Hornet Moth. The Hornet Moth is a fascinating creature. They live or can live all over Europe and Asia, mostly in temperate climates, flying from mid-June to early August at the latest. Bug season, in other words. They’ve got a wingspan of 33-48mm, with scaleless wings that reveal the transparent membrane, and a yellow-banded abdomen with a distinctively shaped head and relatively small antennae. They look exactly like a hornet, in other words. Big, pointy, yellow and with a habit of buzzing menacingly through the window when you’ve just got up and forcing you to flee to the bathroom, making tentative forays to retrieve pants and trousers while brandishing a rolled-up newspaper. Anyway. Having found out about Hornet Moths, I decided to see if I could find some. A couple of tentative forays in the woods came up blank, but I eventually found a specialist site online selling them, and decided to liberate a couple from captivity. There’s an old tree in my garden with innumerable hollows and nooks, and I released all four of them onto it for the night. It’s moth season, just about. The middle of July, warm nights and dry days. Perfect moth season. I came out this morning, and looked for them on the tree. There were five.
Fund Our Future JOIN US AT THE
MARCH AND RALLY
SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER 2014 Join the march and bring your friends, to let your voice be heard and make a change. Starting with a march through central London and culminating in a rally in Hyde Park. To make this event effective, we need your help. • Fair pay today, fair pay tomorrow! #ueaemployment • Education for all. It’s a right, not a privilege. #ueafees • No ifs, no buts, we are Students against Cuts. #ueacostofliving, #ueadsa To book a place on one of our coaches, if you’re a student there is a £5 deposit that will be refunded to you (this is to ensure that we can book the appropriate number of coaches for people serious about attending). For staff and non-students, there is a flat £5 fee that is not refunded. Secure your place by booking on ueastudent.com/events and search “TUC”
gaming + tech
15
concrete.gamingtech@uea.ac.uk
Uber Taxi, or Crappy Cabbie? Alexander Smith explains controversial new app Uber Uber, a taxi-style ride sharing service, has been popping up in cities all over the world this year. Unfortunately it’s brought a storm of controversy and protest along with it. Uber allows anyone to quickly book a ride in a car via a smartphone app. Customers can choose exactly where they want to go, when they want to be picked up and can even chose from three types of vehicles, each increasing in luxury. In many ways it’s a more sophisticated way of booking a taxi, with enhancements such as GPS tracking of their hired vehicle and cashless payments all done via the app. However, as Uber classes itself as a ride sharing service, it isn’t subject to the same rules as official taxi services, which are usually heavily regulated in inner-city areas. For example in New York City, taxicab drivers must own expensive and rare medallions to
operate, and so usually rent cars from larger companies that can afford the licences. Uber bypasses these requirements completely, as it is just a network of independent drivers with approved cars who receive a cut of Uber’s earnings through the app. This can harm the livelihoods of taxicab drivers as customers are given more choice when looking for their taxi ride and sometimes find Uber to be a cheaper alternative. The service is so controversial
“The service is so controversial several countires have threatened to ban Uber” that several countries have threatened to ban Uber, unless they conform to the relevant taxi legislation. The Australian government
has begun fining Uber drivers, Belgium has outright banned the service and several US states have done the same. England has not escaped its fair share of Uber problems. In June this year, cab drivers in central London staged a massive traffic slow-down in protest against the service. They argued that, as the Uber app calculates a price based upon distance, driver’s phones act as taxi meters. This contradicts the law that only Hackney Carriage drivers are allowed to operate taxi meters in London. Transport for London have added fuel to the fire, suggesting the app is perfectly legal, while Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is simply unsure. Is Uber doomed to fail under the law, or will it bring upon us a new era of taxi services? For the moment it’s certainly clear that Uber has a long way to go before it settles all of its legal issues.
IGN
Shadow and Flame George Barker reviews Shadow Of Mordor Developer Monolith Productions Mode Single-Player One does not simply walk into Mordor. Unless you happened to be banished from death and share your body with an elf wraith, who sounds like he should be having tea with the Earl of Grantham rather than stabbing orcs in the spleen. Shadow of Mordor has a simple premise: bludgeon, skewer and eviscerate your way through Sauron’s army to get revenge for your murdered family upon your mysterious resurrection. The story is cookie cutter; grizzled badass seeks revenge. The amnesiac elf inhabiting your body adds an interesting twist though, as his memory is slowly recovered while conviniently lending you his wraith powers. The number of supporting characters
is sparse, but those who feature aren’t bad, a standout being Ratbag the Coward. This inept cockney Orc (yes that’s right, a cockney Orc) rides his way to the top of the Orc hierarchy on the coattails of your rampage. The gameplay itself is essentially a clone of the Arkham games utilising the same satisfying attack/counter combat system and exchanging detective mode for ‘elf vision’. You dash about the map slaying orcs,
“Shadow of Mordor ultimately knows what it is good at, and sticks to it” carragors (orc wolves) and graugs (huge trolllike beasts, that still only count as one), while improving your sword, bow and dagger. The standout feature of Shadow of Mordor is the Hierarchy system showing you the Captains and Warchiefs in Sauron’s army,
which reacts to your actions. Each Orc in the hierarchy has randomly generated strengths and weaknesses, making fights with each of them seem slightly different. Even your death affects the hierarchy, as orcs who defeat you are promoted to captains, creating a nemesis for you to hunt down upon your resurrection. Often Orcs will somehow survive the severe case of impaled face that you provide them, to return with the hole in their face/arrow in the throat/third degree burns seeking revenge. You almost grow fond of them as you repeatedly kill each other, each of you growing stronger with every victory. Shadow of Mordor ultimately knows what it is good at, and sticks to it. You’re going to carve your way through more orcs than the Fellowship combined, but still find it fun as your power grows. It would be a mistake to miss out on one of the most fun games of the year.
Beware, Prepare Alex Melbourne on the dangers of pre-ordering Original Halo creators, Bungie, launched their new IP Destiny earlier this season. The game debuted last month to reasonably positive reviews, but has been accused of lacking content. At the time of writing, Bungie are “in talks” to add a matchmaking system to the raids at the end of the game. Really, this feature should have been in the game from the start. It should also be noted that the game has two pieces of planned downloadable content. Destiny retails at between £30 and £90,
“Pre-ordering makes sense only for products that might legitimately not be available around their launch.” depending on your choice of platform and edition. A lot of money to bet on a game being good. Of course it is only a gamble if you put your money down before witnessing anything about the game that isn’t part of the marketing team’s plan. This is the problem of the practice of pre-ordering. Nobody needs reminding about the dissonance between Aliens: Colonial Marines’s marketing material and final product. It is important, however, to point out that it is not the only game to have issues. One doesn’t need to look far to find Ubisoft dragging its heels on the PC market, by having their Uplay servers offline on launch days and not shipping games with license codes. Pre-order incentives are a well known tactic in video game marketing. These are often pieces of menial content such as bonus weapons or skins. These do nothing but confuse consumers about how to get the content they might want, and creates the feeling that they might miss out on the complete experience if they don’t put down early cash. What is most heart-breaking is that this content has either been carved from the actual game, or is sucking up time that could be spent giving extra polish to other assets. When you remember that the industry rushes to declare that prices decrease almost immediately after launch, it begs the question why you would spend more money on something without foresight, when it is possible to wait and see if the game is functional, at a cheaper price. Pre-ordering makes sense only for products that might legitimately not be available around their launch. There is no such risk with modern AAA games, particularly in the ever-increasing move to digital distribution. The smart move, then, is to wait a week or two. You’ll get a much better experience from post- launch patches, and avoid someone else’s failures. If we’re lucky, the hit to their bottom line might shake the larger publishers into action.
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concrete.television@uea.ac.uk
Inside Media Track
Peaky Blinders
Starring Cillian Murphy, Helen McCory, Sam Neil Airs on BBC 2, Thursday, 9pm Adam Dawson Peaky Blinders had a red carpet premiere in Birmingham to celebrate the first episode of the new season. This is literally the only reason you should have even briefly considered going to Birmingham. Could you really put up with those accents for more than an hour at a time? No, you couldn’t, which is why the show is the perfect amount of accent for you. There was a lot left dangling at the end of the last series. Did Major Campbell survive being shot? Did Tommy (played by Cillian Murphy and his beautiful cheekbones) go
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Starring Rhod Gilbert, Noel Fielding, Phil Jupitis Airs on BBC 2, Monday, 10pm Daniel Jeakins Described by Blur bassist Alex James as the result of “comedy and rock and roll having an ill-advised fumble”, Never Mind the Buzzcocks returned to our screens recently for its twenty-eighth series. Once known for the provocation of its B-List celebrity guests and general defiance in the face of controversy, the once-great panel show has been in a state of permanent decline since the departure of longterm host Simon Amstell in 2008. Drifting entirely from its alternative roots, recent series of Buzzcocks have featured the very blandest of mainstream pop stars and
after Grace? This is all wrapped up fairly neatly across the course of the episode, allowing the show to move on to bigger and better things than something as pesky as love. We last saw the Shelby boys two years ago, leaving them after Tommy shot Billy Kimber in the head and took control of the racetracks in the north. Now he wants to expand south,
of the episode. He was barely recognisable after that gang had their wicked way with him. If
“The phrase ‘war veteran gangster family epic’ isn’t used as much as it should”
his sights set when, in the first episode of season two, he and his brothers pay a little visit to London. There’s a sense of danger in this episode that wasn’t there throughout season one. Sure, Billy Kimber might have talked a good game but a bunch of guys from the north with two rifles between them aren’t really the same as the vicious gangs of London. Just look at what Sabini did to Tommy in the closing moments
the show isn’t afraid to do that to the main character, what are they going to do to the minor ones? No one is safe now the Shelbys have moved out of the amateur leagues. Of course, this isn’t really about violece, though the gore might be enough to put some of you off. As with all great TV, this is about family. The stylish violence is always secondary to the relationships between the Shelby family. Even when the boys are in a London nightclub, slashing the faces of gangsters with their cleverly-hidden razor blades, your mind wanders back up north to Polly sitting in the room of a gypsy psychic, trying to find out
careerist comedians who aren’t quite famous enough to get a slot on Mock the Week. It’s a sad state of affairs, and appointing inexplicably angry Welshman Rhod Gilbert as the show’s new permanent host certainly hasn’t helped matters. Rhod Gilbert isn’t a bad comic – in fact most critics would tell you he’s a rather good one – but he isn’t the right fit for Buzzcocks. It might sound like a compliment to say that Gilbert has treated guest panelists with respect so far this series, but when you’re hosting a show that’s driven a Fun Lovin’ Criminal, an Ordinary Boy and even legendary Motorhead frontman Lemmy to the brink of meltdown, nicety doesn’t really cut it. Matty Healy, frontman of annoying, angst-ridden teen-pop band The 1975, would have surely felt the full brunt of Lamarr and Amstell’s testing witticism if he’d appeared on one of their shows. Gilbert, however, gave him something of an easy ride during his appearance on this series’ first episode – a cardinal sin in the eyes of many Buzzcocks fans.
What gave Buzzcocks its edge throughout the nineties and noughties was its sense of hostility. Whether it was the unrelenting arrogance and brashness of Mark Lamarr or the awkward, subtly insulting demeanour of Simon Amstell, you’d watch an episode expecting walk-outs, angry celebrities and, above all else, hilarity. It’s that sense of hostility that gave the long-running panel show its devoted cult following. After all, you’d never see someone storming off the set of QI because Stephen Fry took a joke ‘too far’. It’s difficult to justify being horrid, but for years Buzzcocks found the line between nastiness and good-natured banter. It was a show that wasn’t afraid to provoke reactions, and it featured an array of comedians who were willing to take a joke that one step further. That, ultimately, is what Never Mind the Buzzcocks is now sadly lacking.
“As with all great TV, this is about family”
if her two children are dead. She was always the most interesting character, and now with a storyline of her own she can finally show off without having to lean on the rest of the Shelby clan. Peaky Blinders is full of dramatic people saying dramatic things. Anywhere else it’d be overblown, much too serious, but it seems appropriate given all the characters are standing in the long shadow of World War One. That’s probably why no one smiles either. The phrase ‘war veteran gangster family epic’ isn’t used as much as it should be, but it certainly fits here. Peaky Blinders is one of the only things which can compete with the stuff coming out of of America at the moment. That should be enough to get your interest piqued. Do yourself a favour.
Wales Online
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concrete.television@uea.ac.uk
The Curse of the U.S. Remake Hannah Ford looks at the successes and failures of American remakes
Americans bloody love British shows. Our biggest TV dramas, such as Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, and Sherlock have enjoyed huge success in America, winning a multitude of awards. If our TV shows are so popular in America, why do producers feel the need to remake them rather than just showing the original? It seems producers all over America are deciding “this is great, but do you know what would make it even better? If everyone was American!” Take the American remake of the hugely successful ITV drama Broadchurch, named Gracepoint across the pond. The original Broadchurch was popular when shown last year on BBC America. Yet Fox TV decided that they still had to remake it, and remake it almost shot-for-shot they did. Gracepoint has the same plot, same characters with the same names, same writer, same director, and even the same actor in David Tennant. The only difference? It’s set in California which means Tennant, of course, puts on his best Californian accent.
“Remake it almost shot-forshot they did” This isn’t a lone case; hundreds of our best shows, from dramas such as Broadchurch, Skins and, Life on Mars, to comedies such as The Inbetweeeners and Bad Education, have been remade in America. They all share one thing in common too. Unlike their hugely successful British parents, they all crashed and burned. Skins and Life on Mars were cancelled after
just one season, and Bad Education’s pilot never even aired. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the American Life on Mars - and I certainly envy you that - let’s just say they took the whole ‘Mars’ thing too seriously. Think a nonsensical conclusion involving Sam Tyler and Gene Hunt being astronauts. Yeah. Let’s move swiftly on. The Inbetweeners USA is another show that will go down in TV history - for all the wrong reasons. Another shot-for-shot, word-for-word
“Prove me wrong, Mr. Fincher!” remake, it appeared to have only one major distinction from the original; it wasn’t funny. The original made you cringe at the situations the characters got themselves into whereas the remake made you cringe at the show itself. There are a few exceptions, luckily, to the curse of the American remake. The Office USA, starring Steve Carrell, was widely successful both in America and in Britain. Unlike so many remakes that haven’t made it past the first season (or even episode) it ran for nine seasons, receiving wide critical acclaim. Recently, it was announced that yet another popular British drama, Channel 4’s Utopia, is being remade in a series directed by David Fincher and scripted by Gone Girl author/screenwriter Gillian Flynn. This came days before the news that Channel 4 are cancelling Utopia. Not even Fincher could save it. Let’s just hope that his take on Utopia,
is an exception to the curse. Sadly, if previous experience is anything to go by, I doubt it. Prove me wrong, Mr. Fincher! Just why are so many of our shows being remade? The answer, of course, is simple: money. American broadcasting companies like Fox can gain much more money from selling their own show across the globe than they can from simply buying rights to British shows and then selling ad space. Then they can make money without having to actually come up with an original idea. Brilliant! For them, at least.
David Tennant News
Adam Dawson wants us to be excited about the new series of Twin Peaks
“Strange, funny, dark” Trying to sum up what Twin Peaks was about would fill a book. The central premise involved FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLachlan, who basically confirmed his return too) coming to the town of Twin Peaks to investigate the brutal murder of schoolgirl Laura Palmer. It was also about a mystic lodge, prophetic visions, being wickedly funny and wise, strange women carrying logs, and brutal murders. If you haven’t seen the show before, go watch it. You’ll understand why everyone and their gran has been exploding with excitement over this news. Twin Peaks might not be high on your list of places to visit, but it should be number one on the shows you wish weren’t cancelled. After two glorious seasons, ABC told the show to solve the murder of Laura Palmer, which it did. Then it shifted it to a late night Saturday
Dugpa
spot and watched it slowly die. Think of it like watching your favourite pet being slowly, painfully killed in front of you. Now double the pain. Now you’re a little closer to feeling what not having Twin Peaks continue is like.
“It’s taken TV 25 years to catch up” There are two main reasons you should be jumping for joy at the news of a new season. Point the first: the time is perfect for a new season of Twin Peaks. The golden age of TV
Dan Struthers Picture a fiercely intelligent detective with a head full of black curly locks, who favours a long sombre coat, struggles to interact with other people and whose best friend is an avid blogger publishing their cases. Sherlock? I am of course talking about the fantastic series Jonathan Creek starring Alan Davies, or as you’ll probably know him: “that bloke off QI!” Alan Davies plays the titular Jonathan Creek, a ‘creative consultant’ to a stage magician. In his free time Creek begrudgingly solves mysteries which the police cannot explain. Creek specialises in ‘locked room mysteries’ which are seemingly impossible crimes such as solving the case of a man who is impaled with a samurai sword in his locked study.
“I would go so far as to say Jonathan Creek is better than Sherlock (controversial, I know)”
Twin Peaks Returns
Do you remember that sleepy little town where the Log Lady lived, the one with the diner where you can get a damn fine cup of joe and a slice of cherry pie? Yeah you do, it’s the place where Laura Palmer was murdered 25 years ago. Well, we get to go back there next year.
The Best Thing You’ve Never Seen
we all hear so much about is the kind of environment a show as strange as this needs, and it’s exactly where it’ll find a huge audience willing to go along with the strangeness of the story. When it first aired in 1990, Twin Peaks ripped apart what people thought TV could do – it was strange, funny, serious, dark, and most importantly, it was art. It got cancelled. Skip ahead to now and you’ll see a huge change in what people expect from TV. They want the weird, they demand the art. Twin Peaks was so far ahead of its time that it’s taken TV 25 years to catch up with it. Point the second: David Lynch and Mark Frost are writing and producing all nine episodes. It isn’t them rebooting their best work either, they’re setting the third season in the present. Who else would you want in control of the show other than the two people who made it in the first place? This isn’t some enthusiastic amateur remaking their favourite TV show. It’s two geniuses continuing a story which deserves to be told. In a dream, or a vision, or whatever you want to call it, Laura Palmer told Agent Dale Cooper she’d see him again in 25 years. David Lynch and Mark Frost could have been planning this for 25 years. Get excited.
Whereas Sherlock Holmes favoured 221B Baker Street, Jonathan Creek prefers the comfort of his windmill (yes, really) in Sussex. Whilst Sherlock battled with his serious drug habit, Jonathan’s Achilles’ heel is socialising with others. Holmes had Watson, Creek has several constant companions including his trusty duffle coat, which brings a whole new level of nerdiness to the term ‘anorak’. His friend, journalist and love interest Maddy Magellan is brilliantly played by Caroline Quentin. Whilst the first three series are definitely the strongest, there have been some superb episodes lately thanks to the clever addition of Sheridan Smith (the actress who’s been in everything) as Joey Ross, online paranormal investigator. However, series five is bitterly disappointing, though still watchable. I was too young to watch Jonathan Creek originally so only watched it fairly recently via a Netflix binge watching session. I would go as far as to say that Jonathan Creek is better than Sherlock (controversial, I know). Creek doesn’t take itself too seriously and is consistently intelligent, quirky, absurd, and quintessentially British.
“That bloke off QI!” What other show can get away with such a terrible pun for an episode title: Time Waits for Norman, or a windmill, and Alan Davies horrendous 90’s haircut which resembles an overgrown poodle. Jonathan Creek also boasts a high number of celebrity cameos including the late Rik Mayall, Bill Bailey, Jack Dee, Jonathan Ross and not one, not two, but three Doctor Who’s - Peter Davison, Colin Baker and Paul McGann. So, if you’re looking for a great detective comedy drama crime series (and who isn’t?) look no further than the 1997 classic Jonathan Creek.
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East Bay Express
Gone Girl
Director David Fincher Writer Gillian Flynn Starring Runtime 149 mins Thriller Josh Patterson Going solely by the trailers, you may be forgiven for thinking that Gone Girl would
be your typical thriller film. Nick and Amy Dunne (Affleck and Pike) have been happily married for five years, with Amy herself saying “everyone told us marriage is hard work. Not for me and Nick”. Yet this marriage is suddenly torn apart when Nick returns home one morning to find a table smashed to pieces and his wife missing. Thus ensues a mad police search to find Amy, with the media escalating tensions all the while and suspicions about Nick himself slowly building. Except Gone Girl is anything but your conventional thriller. For one thing, all questions regarding the disappearance of Amy
are essentially answered midway through the film. At this point, everything you thought you knew about the characters is turned completely on its head, and it’s one of the few twists of recent cinema that really has the power to shock and appal, and one that you will truly say you never saw coming. Gone Girl’s atmosphere is its best quality, building a truly unnerving tone through subtle words and looks between characters, accentuated by a suitably eerie soundtrack. Gillian Flynn, the author of the book the film is based upon, handles the script and shows true skill, particularly in her dialogue during the use of voice-over to really delve into each character’s head and portray one story from two very different angles. The script is impressively tight, with remarkably few plotholes for such a complicated and nuanced storyline. Coupled with fantastic direction from David Fincher, results in a film which immerses you so deeply in the central characters’ minds that the thoughts and ideas put forth through them stay with you long after the credits have rolled. Indeed, Fincher encourages performances from his leads, Affleck and Pike, that chill right to the bone, reminiscent of Edward Norton’s morally depraved monologues in Fight Club. But Pike is the true star of Gone Girl, turning in an almost scarily believable performance, while the range she displays from one scene into the next is something to behold. The supporting cast is also well-chosen, with Neil Patrick Harris proving extremely entertaining as the slimy ex-lover, and Tyler Perry adding some refreshing levity in his scenes as Nick’s lawyer. In fact, the whole film
is surprisingly funny, with a sense of jet-black humour creeping into many scenes, another aspect which serves to elevate this film above many of the same genre. Moreover, there is also an effective and rather original critique explored within the film regarding how people try to present themselves through various forms of media and how they put on façades for the camera, but this is woven so intricately through the plot that it never for a moment becomes heavy-handed.
“What have we done to each other?” Some may be put off by the rather lengthy runtime of more than two hours, but the relentlessly fast pace will keep you glued to the screen for that entire duration. Admittedly, it could be said that the plot becomes a little too far-fetched in parts, particularly with regards to how the police handle certain aspects of their investigation, and the film’s ending is quite abrupt and will leaves a lot of unanswered questions, but these are minor problems that hardly detract from the overall experience. If you go into Gone Girl with moderate expectations of another bythe-numbers thriller, you’re instead going to get something much more original, and you’re going to come out a little more shaken, a little more horrified, but a lot more entertained.
Violette
Director Martin Provost Writers Martin Provost, Marc Abdelnour, Rene de Ceccatty Starring Emmanuelle Devos, Sandrine Kimberlain, Olivier Gourmet Runtime 139 mins Drama Saul Sebag-Montefiore Find a dark room, light a cigarette and stick on a PJ Harvey album because the relentlessness of loneliness and poverty is confronted head on in Violette; an emotionally strenuous biopic of writer Violette Leduc. The film undresses the existence of a female artist’s life in parallel to her complex relationship with mentor, celebrated feminist Simone de Beauvoir, in the shadows of a Post-WWII world unwilling to engage with the truth of an isolated voice of raw courage, bared sensuality and stark quality Before her introduction into the company of giants, such as, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean Genet, in the smoky bars of the post-war literary scene, Director Martin Provost thrusts into the desolation of Leduc’s unreciprocated love in her marriage to writer Maurice Sachs that leads to an involvement in the black-market; mule-ing her work orientated husband’s egg-y contraband as a means of survival during the years of rationing.
Ovguide
OV Guide
Shots uncompromisingly display maggots being rinsed off chunks of offal dragged from battered suitcases. Surreptitious knocks and curt house visits between doors where meat and money change hands. Sounds of scrubbing white thighs with a course brush that are left to float in the muddy garden tub. Within the brown hues of their home in Northen France,
“Ugliness in a woman is a mortal sin” Leduc’s husband will not touch her, except through his writing, his true commitment. The unguarded honesty that Provost adopts in style seems to reflect Violette’s character (and consequently writing): it readily gives vulnerabilities that people do not want to see. This unmediated drive to give herself and be received, loved, is the cause and strength of her craft but condemns Violette to
personal isolation. The film, like her character, is textured by rebuttals and abandonments. The responses to these blows result in Violette’s move to Paris where she scrawled her debut novel, Asphyxiation, about her childhood in a notebook. This leads to her finding Beauvoir whose yellow doorframe becomes a receptive window for her artistic voice and she is offered a manuscript to be published by Albert Camus. Leduc is encouraged to pursue her writing that deals with the ‘unmentionable’ subjects of her life: a complex female sexuality and the entrapment of women in marital and family structures. The subjects of her art and her private identity develop so closely, her life provides for her art and her art makes up her life, that it becomes difficult to differentiate. Despite the relevance of her work it fails to be a commercial success and nobody reads it. Beauvoir loves her art but rejects to love her and maintains a role of teasing poise that severs Violette’s writing
from her emotions. Leduc’s ex-lesbian lover refuses her partnership and her dysfunctional mother refuses to acknowledge her work. The life explored grows so isolated in the short journeys between loss of love-bed-desk-andBeauvoir that it is hard to justify either her work or her life, as both exist but are never read. The quality of her written voice, that embodies all of her, causes Beauvoir to state of Leduc’s works, Asphyxiation, Hunger, and Le Batarde, “It is great, it will live. Just keep writing”. Often biopics can be monotonous serializations of life events but the screenplay in Violette deals well with its material and manages to put an audience in touch with a woman’s life that was lived intensely through her art. Keep on writing. Keep on loving.
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Life After Beth
Director and Writer Jeff Baena Starring Dane DeHaan, Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon Runtime 89 mins Comedy/Horror Joe Frost Zombies in film, television and especially videogames have become incredibly tiresome in recent years. So much so, in fact, that stating that it is now becoming tiresome, even pointing that out is starting to grate and pointing out the fact that pointing it out is… you get the idea. Luckily in his directorial debut, Jeff Baena, (writer of I Heart Huckabees), is bringing something original to the table… if we completely ignore last year’s Warm Bodies. In
Maps to the Stars
Director David Cronenberg Writer Bruce Wagner Starring Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Evan Bird Runtime 111 mins Drama Martha Julier Much like its subject, Maps to the Stars is confusingly contradictory. As Cronenberg’s first project to be filmed in the U.S., it is an invasively close-to-home criticism of Hollywood that, while deeply satirical, is disturbingly real. The film’s plot echoes Sunset Boulevard as an ageing actress Havana (Moore) tries to obtain the role of her lifetime, a role that made her now deceased mother famous in the 1960s. Her new personal assistant Agatha (Wasikowska) connects us to our second demonstration of Hollywood vanity in the form of the prototypical L.A family: a life coach father whose wife is their child star son’s manager. And so begins the incestuous web of egotism, dysfunction and deceit. Maps to the Stars mocks the Hollywood lifestyle and the people whom perpetuate it by actualising their egotism into life-threatening drama. The characters are both the creators and sufferers of their own behaviour and therefore there is a sense of soap opera and emotional emptiness in the action that can cause you to question if your lack of sympathy for them is
fairness though, this does not feel like a rip off as such because Baena’s script- though the story is a little flat- is very charming and really shines when it hits. The plot is simple: Beth (Plaza, best known for her fantastically moody performance as April in Parks and Recreation) dies while out alone for a hike, leaving her devoted boyfriend Zach (DeHaan) and loving parents (C. Reilly and Shannon) to mourn. Quickly it becomes apparent that she hasn’t stayed six feet under and the rest of the film concerns itself with how Zach and her parents adjust to life with the confused, risen Beth who becomes progressively more destructive, flesh-hungry and fascinated by smooth jazz. Plaza excels in the eponymous role. From cute and funny, to sullen and irritable, to downright demonic, she shows an impressively wide range in her performance. DeHaan is less thrilling to watch- making it a shame that the action revolves around him- but still does quite well and the scenes of fraternal bickering with his security guard brother, Kyle (Matthew hindering your engagement with the film. Interestingly though, it is the central performances that undeniably carry the film. Moore is phenomenal as the nauseatingly vain and obnoxiously self-pitying, faded actress. Think Norma Desmond with less mad fantasy and more grotesque realism. It is no surprise she walked away from Cannes with its Best Actress award, then again, Moore has always been a guaranteed great performance. Wasikowska’s portrayal of the sinister Agatha is also surprisingly captivating. Dressed in her long, black rubber gloves (she’s a burn victim), grey floaty dresses and no make up walks along the line between childlike innocence and calculating psychopathy. John Cusack’s unfeeling, ambitious life coach is an effectively unlikeable patriarch and delivers his lines in a cold, robotic parody of the phony gurus he is satirizing. His insipid wife (Olivia Williams with a dubious American accent) seems to be one of the most contradictory characters due to her abrupt transition from the icy Mom-ager to an emotional wreck, a change that is as unexplained as it is excessive to the point of ironic. Evan Bird plays the just out of rehab 13-year-old child star, Benjie who appears to be an (even more) jaded Bieber. Finally Robert Pattinson drives a limo around, occasionally dropping in that he is an out of work actor and currently writing a script. His character is an obvious allusion to Cronenberg’s previous film Cosmopolis in which Pattinson played a billionaire conducting business out of the back seat of a limo, a self-mocking irony perhaps.
“I just kinda wish she’d stay dead” Gray Gubler, no doubt a huge stand-out in the smaller roles) are a joy. John C. Reilly gives a fine performance but his presence is largely understated and will likely leave the viewer wanting to watch something where he is given more of a chance to get a bit crazy. Molly Shannon - although, like Reilly, in the backseat - has some brilliant moments and through portraying the desperation of Beth’s incredibly accommodating mother, provides some of the biggest laughs of the film. It is unfortunate then that with so much talent (honorable mentions go to the pitifully wasted Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser and Anna Kendrick) the movie manages to fall rather short of what it could have been. This is largely due to the plot quickly becoming very predictable. The attempt to broaden out the idea in the second act feels poorly thought through; it simply convolutes matters and
leads to a muddled, extremely anti-climatic ending. While there is still some appeal in the way that this happens and leads to a wonderfully absurdist but tender scene in the final minutes, it all just feels like an amusing idea that has been blandly executed. On top of that, the camera is for some reason often incredibly close to the actors leading to quite a claustrophobic viewing experience and making its problems perhaps more unforgivable. There’s nothing particularly to hate here but equally there’s little to repeat to your mates. For Plaza fans it’s definitely worth a watch and the Parks and Rec-initiated should appreciate the bizarre cameo from her co-star, Jim O’Heir. If you’re just looking for a comedy though, best to leave this one till you’re trawling through Netflix in a year or so (where you can currently find Safety Not Guaranteed, a distinctly more enjoyable Aubrey Plaza film).
The insularity of Hollywood life is reflected in the film’s claustrophobic restriction to a few characters and indoor sets. Soulless, modernist mansions are the backdrop to a lot of the drama which itself mostly consists of the characters’ narcissistic conversations. The format initially conjures feelings of modern reality shows, housebound single-camera dramas in which people become famous because they think they already are. However, situated within this realist world are ghosts (both literal and symbolic) that haunt our characters in dreamlike sequences as their externalized psyches. It is safe to say, subtlety is truly abandoned and in its place Cronenberg
“On the stairs of Death I write your name, Liberty.” has implemented darkly comic irony, so dark that it is possible to miss. Maps to the Stars contains some tour-deforce performances and is an enjoyably vulgar depiction of the broken dream factory that is Hollywood. However, it falls short. A sort of melodrama leaving you numb, the film is easier to enjoy in retrospect than during. It lacks the nostalgic emotional force of Sunset Boulevard as well as the gritty intelligence of The Player but instead manages to produce a grueling and uncompromising satire that is definitely worth the watch.
Film Divider
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Under-Represented Women in Cinema Ruth Ilott With the presence and development of strong female characters in contemporary cinema, it is haunting to discover that this is not reflected by the presence of women in the making and production of these motion pictures. A recent report from The Guardian highlights the shocking statistics of women being undermined in the film industry. The report discovered that over the past 20 years where more than three quarters of the crew involved in making 2,000 of the biggest grossing films have been men, only 22% were women. Both in creative areas, with only 13% editors, 10% writers and just 5% directors surveyed from the 2,000 films were women, and technical fields, with visual effects having 17.5% on average of women, music with just 16% and camera and electricals were on average 95% male. Gender splitting appears to be an ongoing problem in the film industry and in light of the progression of women’s roles in culture, society and politics over history this opens up the question to why this issue is continuing in the 21st century and how we can aim to prevent and tackle the crisis. One reason could stem from the sense of tradition that the film industry values in certain ways and the difficulty to reform social ideals within the workplace. Traditionally, women held the majority in the costume
and wardrobe departments as well as casting, which is still being continued to this day and still perceived as a more feminine work type. However, personal decisions come into play according to journalist Jessica Youseffi, who believes that “people hire other people that look and act like themselves”. There are lots of men in the industry so they may be more comfortable with hiring other men. Some say women step out to raise kids and it is this attitude which highlights that it could be that women find it difficult to attain a job in the industry due to the institution's conservative views. Nevertheless, British producer and writer Stephen Follows argues that it’s not the case that the industry is “institutionally sexist” rather that there has never “been a conversation” about the issue. Lack of consciousness seems to be an attribute to the continuity of women as a minority within the film industry; therefore if it was addressed more frequently we may see positive results in women gaining a more prominent role. Moreover, it is astonishing how we hear more about the development of film throughout history built by men and less so by women. From 1916 to 1923 women were very influential in Hollywood, owning independent production companies and individuals such as Alice Guy-Blache making
over 1,000 films using cutting edge techniques such as split screen and double exposure. A more pronounced gender difference developed at the managerial level of film making in the 1930s as Hollywood began edging female directors and writers out of the business. It is only recently that the work of these women are being recognised, therefore forgotten histories and a lack of education could contribute to why women are still being underrepresented. In addition, it is interesting how a filmmaker’s gender will influence gender representation. In a recent study in which 79% of directors, producers and writers were male, work created by a female filmmaker showed a 6.8% increase in the number of female characters. To solve this issue the industry could adopt hiring methods and decisions that could allow more women to be considered for directing jobs and other cinematic pursuits, however this can only be achieved if we have a film culture that reflects “the diversity of audiences that exist'”, according to Catherine Des Forges, director of the Independent Cinema Office. By equalizing gender in the film industry, it presents a more genuine corroboration with the existence of liberal minded and independent male and female characters in film that represents modern society.
Columbia University
Inspirational Women in Cinema Megan Ellison
Since founding the Annapurna Pictures production company in 2011, Megan Ellison (top right) has become one of the biggest producing names in Hollywood. The daughter of a billionaire, she decided to invest in film-making after studying the craft herself. Through Annapurna she aims to support highly respected directors and writers, including the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master), Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and Harmony Korine (Spring Breakers). This year, at just 28, she became the first woman ever to be nominated for two Best Picture Oscars in the same year (for Her and American Hustle) and was placed on TIME’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Rory Horne
Kristen Wiig
As a contemporary female comedian, Kristen Wiig has significance and relevance. Comedy has unarguably been a male dominated form of entertainment, that is until recently. The women from Saturday Night Live (Amy Poehler
and Tina Fey particularly) seem to have single handedly transformed the environment of comedy into a progressive platform for female comedians. With the hugely successful release of Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig has come to symbolize this movement and changed the sadly common misconception that ‘women aren’t funny’. With Bridesmaids, Kristen Wiig created a female heroine that fronted a film that was accessible to a modern day audience of both genders. Her popularity has since paved the way for films such as The Heat and Obvious Child, allowing producers to understand that female-led and centric films have an audience and will perform well in the box office. Martha Julier
Ida Lupino
Beginning work in the cinema industry as an actress in the 1930s, Ida Lupino (middle right) is one of the earliest feminist icons of cinema. She was intent on retaining her morals, and was willing to sacrifice her career in order to keep true to these. Her independent mind lead her to refuse auditions for roles which
she felt undermined women, even if this impacted on her success. Eventually, Lupino fell into directing, and had much success in doing so. She was not afraid to shy away from controversy, directing films such as Outrage (1950), one of the first movies focusing on the subject of rape. Flo Lacey
Amy Heckerling
If you have never seen Clueless, you need to. Both written and directed by Amy Heckerling (bottom right), this punchy 90s comedy could be seen as little more than a chick flick about spoilt, image obsessed teenage girls. If you think this, you are wrong - Cher and her entourage are just oh so sassy, and Heckerling’s undeniable wit and satire shines through her strong female characters. It might be fair to say that Clueless is superficially superficial - a female led comedy that glorifies girlhood whilst mocking the stereotypes in a playful way. Heckerling’s script is sharp and quick, and Cher and her gang could teach us all a lesson on loyalty and morality. Flo Lacey
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Female Sexuality and Censorship in Film Emma Holbrook exposes the suppression of female desire and nudity within cinema The naked female body is one of the most broadcasted and sought-after images in existence: exploited in order to sell everything, from newspapers to hamburgers, and is absurdly more visible than its male counterpart. But it is also one of the world’s most censored images, for rarely – if ever – is this nudity coupled with female desire and agency in media depictions. Women are brought up on the notion that their naked body is simultaneously a source of desire and a token of shame, and nothing has been more of a startling reinforcement of this idea than the recent celebrity nude photo hack. Although it did provoke a comforting level of outrage, certain reactions to the hack and its existence in the first place indicates how the media has raised particular factions of men to believe that the female body is something they are entitled to. That a woman’s own body can be used as a weapon against her. The
oversaturation of essentially faceless female nudity in film, television and advertising has lead to a terrifying level of dissociation amongst these men, who are using this sex crime as a means of punishing women for having agency. Had it been their wives, mothers, sisters or daughters who had been sexually violated in such a way, perhaps they would not have been so quick to celebrate. And yet, they can’t extend the same level of human decency to all women, who have been objectified by the media for decades. Even in the 21st century, the objectification of women in film is staggering. Revolutionary pieces of cinema such as American Pie treat male sexuality with a great deal of importance, whilst the women are seen purely as a means to an end. In contrast, the narrow cinematic idea of female sexuality still manages to objectify the women it claims to focus upon. Even outside
of the heterosexual sphere, cinema is still permeated by the male gaze: for instance, Black Swan’s sex scene between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis thoroughly reinforces the notion of the lesbian spectacle depicted purely for male pleasure. There has certainly never been a lack of women having sex on screen: it is their agency that is under censure. Censorship and the MPAA’s rating system is indicative of Hollywood’s utter terror at the prospect of depicting a woman actively enjoying her own sexuality. For instance, 2010’s Blue Valentine was given an NC-17 rating purely for depicting Ryan Gosling’s character performing oral sex upon his wife. So logically, does this mean that R-rated films such as Pulp Fiction and A Clockwork Orange, which are rife with a disturbing level of gratuitous violence, are less offensive than a scene of consensual sex? Television has always been streets ahead
of its silver screen counterparts. Sex and the City, despite its multitude of issues, was a revolutionary celebration of female sexuality that allowed shows like the Netflix revelation Orange is the New Black to explore the sexuality of women of all sexual orientations. But 2014 may be the year that cinema strives for change. Gone Girl, essentially a film all about one woman’s manipulation of the patriarchy, depicts the same sexual act between Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike that was deemed so offensive in Blue Valentine, but this time, the MPAA gave it a much less restrictive R-rating. The act of reframing female sexuality, not only in cinema but also in the wider world, will not happen overnight, but one thing is clear: the idea of a woman who is allowed to openly explore her sexuality and desire, without condemnation, should not seem as radical as it currently is.
Emma Watson and Feminism in Film From Hogwarts to the United Nations, Isis Billing discusses Emma Watson’s empowering role within the media
“Who is this Harry Potter girl and what is she doing speaking at the UN?” Emma Watson spoke these words when launching the ‘HeforShe’ gender equality campaign during a conference in New York, aware that the question was in the mind of many viewers. Yet Watson’s filmography displays an emerging ability to explore and question what it is to be a woman today. From portraying Hermione which launched her as a cult role model to working as a UN Goodwill Ambassador, Watson has proven she is a force to popularise the male inclusive feminist agenda. Hermione Granger, created by J.K. Rowling for her iconic book series, was Watson’s first role at age 9. This studious young witch gave a generation of girls a figure to mature alongside, suffering the hardships of childhood and heartaches of adolescence. When addressing the UN, Watson described people calling her “bossy” with implications that it was an undesirable trait in girls, but it is a characteristic celebrated within Hermione. Rowling’s female protagonist is driven, smart and equal to her peers at Hogwarts, the perfect
defiance to the fact that women are still undervalued in the workplace. Having established a large following through Harry Potter, Watson rebelled against her pigeonhole of perfect heroines and subsequently took on more complex roles. 2012’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower saw Emma as a member of a gang of high school misfits, battling against oppression in a microcosm dominated by the heterosexual hyper-masculine. Sam, Watson’s character, explored the problems of ‘slut-shaming’ through her alleged ‘reputation’ for dating older men, whilst the effects of repression and sexual abuse on mental health were also championed by the film. Both are themes which coincide with Watson’s plea to include men within feminist discussion, as both sexes are victimised through gender-stereotyping. Emma spoke solemnly about how at the age of 14 she began to be “sexualised by certain elements of the media”, disclosing this as one of the factors behind her passion for gender equality. Nicki Moore, her character within The Bling Ring illustrates how the
bombardment of celebrity culture could lead to over-sexualised, amoral behaviour. The film presents a gang of scantily-clad teens robbing the homes of the rich and famous, stirred by their jealously of the Hollywood lifestyle. Pairing Sofia Coppola’s detached directing and the actors’ portrayal of naïve superficiality, The Bling Ring is a strong warning about how the impressionable can react to highly materialised, misogynistic media images. In her most recent film Noah, Watson portrayed Ila, Noah’s orphaned daughter-inlaw. Despite the prevalence of anti-feminist themes within biblical stories, Ila’s crisis over her infertility offers a look at the issue of women being defined by their ability to be mothers, another pillar of sexism still to fall. Looking ahead to Emma Watson’s new film Regression, we may be able to anticipate another examination of gender with a plot-line centering on sexual abuse. The thriller, starring Ethan Hawke, is due in cinemas next year and shall hopefully allow this talented actress to further extend her invite (to both sexes) to continue the feminist discussion.
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