University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
www.epigram.org.uk
16th November 2015
Issue 293
Philip Brulard
Tuition fees set to rise under new government proposals
Features
Bea Gentilli investigates the rise in burglaries of student houses
Government green paper outlines plans to allow ‘best’ universities to increase fees in a controversial shake up of higher education in England
On 6th November, the government released a green paper outlining proposals for controversial changes to higher education in the UK. Although the focus on teaching quality and improving the student experience has been welcomed, the suggestions have provoked strong criticism, especially for increasing marketisation of higher education in the UK. The new plans would introduce a stronger correlation between teaching standards and tuition fees, with the highest ranking universities in England able to increase fees in line with inflation from 2017/18. Universities would be ranked according to the quality of teaching, student experience, graduate job prospects and drop-out rates under a
and former Bristol SU Postgraduate Officer commented that the plans put ‘a particular kind of student at the heart of the system: those who can afford higher fees and study fulltime.’ The green paper, which was released the same week as a mass student demonstration in London against rising costs of higher education, also outlined proposals to replace current university agencies with an Office for Students (OfS), which would oversee the ranking process. A spokesman from the University of Bristol told Epigram that higher education funding was a ‘national issue’, as increases in fees did not increase the amount of money universities received, but instead passed part of the ‘burden’ of funding from the government to students. ‘Universities must be sufficiently funded to ensure we can deliver
the high quality education students need and expect, and the value of the tuition fee has been eroded by inflation. ‘We do however recognise the effects that any rise in fees would have on all our students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We are making progress in attracting students from widening participation backgrounds: in 2014-15 we saw increases in the percentage of applications and intake in several widening participation categories. We realise however there is more to be done.’ The plans also included the prospect of exempting universities from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests ‘to level the playing field’ with private education providers, who are not subject to the legislation. continued on page 4
Letters A love letter to Epigram / Sophie Hunter
Sarah Newey Editor
new Teaching Excellence Framework. Institutions which performed best in these areas would subsequently be able to increase fees above the current limit of £9,000. ‘It seems ridiculous that different universities would be allowed to charge different prices,’ one student told Epigram, questioning whether this would lead to a more ‘elitist’ educational system. Tom Phipps, Union Affairs Officer at Bristol SU, told Epigram that ‘measures used to determine teaching excellence seem flawed. It is unclear how graduate employment earnings are a good way of measuring teaching quality.’ Similarly, Gordon Marsden, Labour Shadow Higher Education Minister, called the proposals a ‘Trojan Horse for increased tuition fees and a twotier system,’ while Sorana Vieru, NUS Vice-President for higher education
Page 9
Clifton Village Page 16
Travel
Which is better, Bristol or Australia? There’s only one way to find out... Page 24
Epigram
16.11.2015
News Editorial
2 Editor: Sarah Newey
Deputy Editor: Adam Becket
Deputy Editor: Becki Murray
editor@epigram.org.uk
abecket@epigram.org.uk
becki.murray@epigram.org.uk
A note from the editor
Inside Epigram Comment 11 Tampons: What a Bloody Luxury Catherine Blom-Smith reminisces about making a little ‘womb’ for the finer things
Emily MC
Living 20 Bristol Street Level Sights
The front page story this week is about the new green paper the government has issued, outlining proposals for widespread changes to higher education. Naturally, the suggestion to increase tuition fees for the highest ranking universities in England has gained the most attention; it sets a worrying precedent for fee increases which has the potential to create an elitist, two-tier university system. However, after researching more about the implications of the green paper, I was surprised that the policy could also have significant ramifications for student journalists. Epigram, like student newspapers across the country, fulfils an important role in scrutinising both the Union and University. The government’s proposal to exempt universities from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, therefore, seriously limits our ability to do so. Over the last year, Epigram has broken several stories as a result of FOI requests. In fact, one particularly explosive front page article has recently won a Student Publication Association award for the best student story resulting from an FOI request. The story revealed that the University spent over £20,000 in January 2015 on flights, hotels and airport transfers for the former Vice-Chancellor and his wife as part of a two week tour around Asia and Australia, and struck a cord with students at Bristol who often wonder how our tuition fees are spent. Another Epigram article, this time about University of Bristol research into nuclear deterrents, was also shortlisted for the award. This is a huge honour, and demonstrates the strength of our journalism and ability to hold the University to account. Exempting universities from FOI requests, to place them on a ‘level playing field’ with private eduction providers, would undermine our ability and reduce our opportunities to hold the University to account. As such, it would be detrimental to Epigram, other student newspapers and also the national press. Although the University have told Epigram that they ‘aim to work in a spirit of openness’, and that only confidential information,
which cannot be obtained from FOI requests anyway, would ever be withheld from students, I’m not completely convinced. Maybe I’m cynical, but if the University didn’t have to provide potentially damaging information to us and other media outlets, why would they? We will have to wait and see, and hope for the best. But Epigram is, as I’ve mentioned before, about more than just holding the University to account. Indeed, we are a student newspaper, and as such aim to report on every aspect of the student experience in Bristol.
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Maybe I’m cynical, but if the University didn’t have to provide potentially damaging information to us and other media outlets, why would they? This week, Features have drawn attention to the issue of student burglaries, which are occurring with worrying frequency. This is a prime example of a potential threat facing students which is all too easy to forget about. As was discovered with the fire at 33 Colston Street, our lives at university revolve around our student rooms, where we keep everything from laptops to teddy bears. Unsurprisingly, a burglary, or a fire, has a hugely disruptive impact. Yet the issue is not regularly discussed - despite advice from the police and University - and students often overlook burglaries as a potential problem until they have been targeted. I know this is an issue I don’t think about enough, and I expect there are lots of you who don’t either. Clearly we all need to be more vigilant to potential problems we can face - beyond work stress and that rapidly depleting student loan.
Sarah Newey
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Sport
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46 Is Lewis Hamilton an F1 great Michael Holroyd writes on the dangers of drug use in the music industry Flickr: Dave Wilson
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News
Epigram
16.11.2015
@epigramnews Editor: Sorcha Bradley news@epigram.org.uk
Deputy Editors: Abbie Scott; Dalia Abu-Yassien ascott@epigram.org.uk ; dabuyassien@epigram.org.uk
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Online Editor: Emily Faint; George Clarke efaint@epigram.org.uk; gclarke@epigram.
‘Suffering in silence’ stress culture Many University of Bristol students are not receiving the support they need for stress management during their studies, Epigram has learned. Stress is an inevitable part of university life, a juggling act between academic studies, social lives and extra-curricular activities. However, with the well-documented increase in mental health difficulties among university students across the UK, evidence suggests that stress and the ramifications of it remaining unaddressed is something universities must direct more attention towards. Ruth Caleb, Chair of Universities UK’s mental well-being working group, told the BBC in September 2015 that student counselling services are facing an annual rise in demand of approximately 10 per cent. This irrefutably points to the fact that more students than ever are finding themselves in situations where, as the University of Bristol’s ‘Work Related Stress Policy’ states, ‘work demands of various types and combinations exceed the person’s capacity and capability to cope.’ Despite stress being a common experience for both students with and without mental health difficulties, the impact of high stress levels on those already battling issues such as depression, anxiety and OCD can be far more destructive. This raises the question of how the university is able to make the correct distinction between general stress and the unhealthy, inhibiting type of stress that can rapidly become a huge impediment in a student’s daily life. “The Law school do take it seriously if you have a note from the doctor,” one final year Law student told Epigram. “If you do, they will allow you to shift your tutorial groups or timetable and grant you as many extensions or extenuating circumstances as you need.”
‘I have five other friends on my course... that suspended their studies, dropped out or deferred their exams due to mental health reasons. We all found that it is really hard to get any help until you need drastic measures like we ended up taking.” Indeed, many students have commended the quality of service provided by the University’s Student Health facility, but criticised the lack of availability. ‘The welfare support is out there for us, we just need time to take it,’ commented one computer science student, who claimed that they felt obligated to work until the early hours of the morning to meet deadlines. ‘The department offers some welfare advice, and extenuating circumstances exceptions are easy enough to get, but computer scientists don’t go to services such as counselling to actually tackle the problem because it takes up so much study time,’ they told Epigram. ‘It also doesn’t help that within the Computer Science student body, you’re not supposed to complain if you’re struggling; it’s a sign of stupidity and people do judge you for it.’ They suggested that the introduction of a reading week would be hugely beneficial to high-pressure courses such as Computer Science, enabling students to have one short period free of deadlines. Dr Andrew Calway, Head of the School of Computer Science, told Epigram: ‘We are monitoring the amount of work that students in Computer Science are doing and actively help with time management by providing guidance on how we expect them to spend their time... We have also reduced the amount of summative assessment in the first year and in later years. We are also actively looking at the possibility of introducing a reading week.’ Feedback has suggested that many students are still, despite the university’s best efforts, unaware or confused by the resources available to them with regards to coping with stressrelated mental health issues. ‘I think across… the whole university no-one
tells you what services are available to you to manage stress,’ one third year student said of the issue. ‘I had to find out from other students that I was even allowed to go to the doctor with anxiety, let alone that I could get an extension and it would be taken seriously as a medical problem.’ Second and third year History students were informed in their introductory lectures that the department would no longer accept stress as a reason for applying for extensions to deadlines. Although the reasons behind this regulation are evident, some students have raised concerns over the ambiguity of what the department considers as ‘stress.’
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Emily Faint Online News Editor
‘The welfare support is out there for us, we just need time to take it,’ commented one computer science student Sarah Serning, a senior tutor in Humanities, responded: ‘The way we distinguish between ‘manageable stress’ of the type indicated above, and something more serious and difficult to deal with, is generally via medical evidence.’ She went on to recommend that students struggling with stress-related issues should make use of the ‘clinical expertise’ offered by the Student Health Service. ‘I can fully understand where they are coming from,’ one second hear historian said. “The [department] does provide sources of help for stress, but a blanket ban may not be wise. ‘Clarification is sorely needed. If I hadn’t gone to the [lecture] - and many didn’t - then I would have had no idea,” they explained, with regards to distinguishing what constitutes ‘stress.’ ‘I think it is unfair as it does not take into account the fact that sometimes students do get stressed to the extent that it is genuinely impossible for them to complete an essay,’ Rebecca Butler, a final year History student
commented. ‘However, I can see why the department have done it. ‘There is a big difference between being so stressed you are having a breakdown and being a little bit stressed mainly because you haven’t organised your time properly to do your work. It’s very hard for them to differentiate in different cases.’ Many may argue that severe stress is simply an unavoidable aspect of the university experience, but with approximately 50 per cent of visits to the University of Bristol’s Student Health Service reportedly being due to mental health reasons, it is clear that the pressures on today’s students are not of healthy levels. ‘I think the main problem is there are too many students,’ one law student told Epigram. ‘They just can’t give everyone individual attention, which means that no one will notice if you are starting to fall behind. It shouldn’t need to get to the point where you go to the doctor and need therapy and medication, but it does.’ In the recent University Question Time event, hosted by Epigram Editor, Sarah Newey, Vice Chancellor Brady’s response to the subject of mental health and the problems of access to support was disappointingly noncommittal. ‘We will have to make difficult cut,’ he said. ‘Those choices will be difficult.’ At a time where demand for mental health support is only growing, and universities across the UK are being forced to make cuts to health services, students are turning to alternative methods of support. The University of Bristol’s Peace of Mind Society is a student-led organisation that provides the opportunity for students to discuss their struggles, anonymously or otherwise, in a safe online forum with other members. Membership is free and with almost 700 members on its Facebook group, it seems that peer-led support could be the most viable option for dealing with the exponential growth of mental health-related problems within the student body.
Fire Service gives advice after recent student fires Scarlett Sherriff News Reporter
Epigram/ Emily Faint
Kai Staats
University’s Student Health Service
Following the recent fire on Monday 12th October in the Colston Street Halls of Residence, an attempt has been made to encourage fire safety. Press releases have been made by Avon Fire and Rescue Service, which outline how the fire occurred and how students might take precautions to avoid a similar occurrence in the future. The fire was described as serious and required more than 40 fire fighters to put out. The cause is said to have been a pan of oil catching fire in a kitchen after being left unattended. The event, which Station Manager Steven Quinton described as ‘undoubtedly a dramatic and extremely traumatic incident,’ has served to highlight the need for greater care and on a more positive note, how fire alarms and effective evacuation procedures can save lives. Indeed, everyone was quickly brought to safety and no one was hurt. In the meantime, spreading awareness of fire safety is paramount. On the 22nd of October, Avon Fire and Rescue Team carried out an exercise in the Orchard Heights
Halls of Residence. At 9am, students heard the fire alarm and, once they were cleared of the building, they were given information about practical fire safety measures which the whole student body can take heed of. The advice given included keeping fire doors shut, not leaving food on the hob or grill unattended and not cooking when drunk. Statistically, kitchen fires account for greater than 50 per cent of accidental house fires, demonstrating just how much care needs to be taken, especially by students in self-catered residences. Importantly, Avon Fire Service has outlined the need to test smoke alarms regularly. When deep fat frying, food should be dry before it is put in hot oil, otherwise it could splash and pose a fire risk. If oil smokes, students were reminded that water should never been thrown over a pan on fire. Instead, the heat should be turned off and 999 should be called immediately. All in all, the event has demonstrated that no one is immune from the chance of a fire. As Unite Students Area Manager Richard Brenner put it, ‘the fire served as a very unfortunate reminder of the need for constant vigilance.’ More information about fire safety advice can be found at www.avonfire.gov.uk.
Epigram 16.11.2015
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Police response times up by 46 per cent in five years • Bristol Police emergency response times slow as further budget cuts are planned and most crime reports result in ‘no further action’ being taken • 454 reports of violent and sexual offences in student areas logged in just over one year Ben Parr Investigations Reporter
more civilian police staff to the Communications department in order to free up police officers to attend to emergency calls. However, Avon and Somerset police are reportedly receiving a further £15m in budget cuts this year; something which Sue Mountstevens, the police and crime commissioner said will result in ‘fewer officers.’ ‘It seems ridiculous that further budget cuts are planned when police response times are getting slower,’ one student told Epigram. In September 2015 alone, there were four reports of violent or sexual offences on the Clifton Triangle close to Mbargos and the bus stop. A further two reports were made next to Holly Bush Lane, the road directly next to the entrance to Wills and Churchill halls. There was even one report of this sort of offence at the Victoria Rooms, the University’s music department. ‘Bristol SU has already taken steps to start tackling these problems through our Good Night Out initiative where we deliver training to societies and sports clubs. We have also delivered this training to staff in several student
Flickr / Silvia Vinuales
Avon and Somerset police average response times to emergency calls have increased by 46 per cent since 2010, Epigram has found. Police data also shows that there have already been numerous reports of violence and sexual offences in student areas this academic year. An analysis of police data in student areas- including halls of residences, the university, and parts of Clifton and Redland - between October 2014 and September 2015 found that there were 454 reports of violent and sexual offences. Around 10 per cent of these incidents were reported to have happened inside, or directly outside of nightclubs in Bristol. “Although shocking, these numbers are unfortunately not at all surprising. The NUS has consistently found that sexual violence and harassment is exceptionally high at universities nationally when compared with the
rest of the population,” Bristol SU’s Student Living Officer, Sarah Redrup, commented. ‘In 2010 the NUS reported one in seven women experiencing a serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student. Then in 2015, they reported that 37 per cent of female students and 12 per cent of men saying that they had faced unwelcome sexual advances while at university.’ Despite the large number of reports of this kind, 60 per cent of them resulted in ‘no further action’ being taken by the police. The most common reason given for this was that the suspect could not be identified, so the investigation was closed. An Epigram Freedom of Information request has also revealed that Avon and Somerset police average response times to ‘grade 1’ calls have increased year on year since 2010. Calls classified as ‘grade 1’ require an immediate response. However, the constabulary has on average been taking 46 per cent longer to attend to them than they were five years ago. To counter this rise, the constabulary told Epigram that they are recruiting
nightclubs across the city,’ Sarah Redrup commented. Despite the Durdham Downs having a reputation for crime, there were barely any reports of violent or sexual offences around this area, especially
when compared with busier areas of the city such as the Clifton Triangle. ‘I find it concerning that places you think are safe, the urban well-lit areas, don’t actually seem to be safe,’ a third year law student told Epigram.
Students set up new Peer Mentor scheme
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These mentors would be allocated to students who feel they have been through similar situations until they can see a counsellor ‘It’s a less severe concept, meeting with a student mentor rather than a professional counsellor,” Abi told Epigram. “We have already had a lot of interest with students who feel they have come out of an unhappy period and think their advice would benefit someone else.’ This scheme could also help prevent further cases of metal health problems by tackling stress before it becomes overwhelming. A computer science student told us, ‘There’s a mentality that stress is just part of the course and something we should put up with…Any time I socialise, I feel guilty for leaving my desk, yet when I spoke to students doing other subjects about this, nobody else seemed to understand it.’ A student mentor from the same course could offer advice and support that would prevent these stress levels from becoming unbearable and a risk to the student. Any students who are interested in being a student mentor or who feel they would benefit from this scheme are encouraged to contact Abi.
Sarah Newey
Students who are unhappy with the mental health support offered at the University of Bristol are taking matters into their own hands by setting up a peer mentoring scheme. Abi Frankfort, a second year Biology student, is in the process of setting up a mentoring scheme to support students who struggle with mental health and aren’t receiving the support they need. Abi set up a survey on Facebook to see how many students feel they have suffered from mental health issues and would benefit from having a mentor, and will be using this information in an upcoming meeting with Student Health. Sarah Serning, the Senior Tutor from Humanities, told Epigram, ‘We always encourage students experiencing difficulties to talk to someone within the University so that we can advise them. The University also offers excellent expert Support Services for students.’ However students at the moment are having to wait up to six weeks before counselling appointments, and this inspired Abi to set up an alternative option for students who feel unable to wait. Her plan involves providing training for student volunteers who are interested in counselling or acting as a mentor. These mentors would be allocated to students who feel they have been through similar situations, for example if a student is struggling with anxiety they would be given a mentor who can relate to this, until they can see a counsellor. In this way older students can encourage new students who often feel lonely and uncomfortable
in a new environment but don’t want to commit to proper counselling. Abi hopes not only that this will provide instant support but also to diffuse the stigma of talking about mental health problems such as depression, which many students suffer with but feel unable to communicate to others.
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Abbie Scott Deputy News Editor
Green paper to ‘further increase marketisation’ of higher education Sarah Newey Editor Continued from front page ‘FOI is a fundamental pillar in the pursuit of holding universities to account,’ said Jem Collins, chair of the Student Publication Association, which represents student publications across the country. ‘We strongly condemn any attempt to undermine students’ or journalists’ abilities to probe the decisions being made behind closed doors.’ In response, the University of Bristol said: ‘We aim to work in a spirit of openness with our students, and would encourage all students to ask for information rather than use FoI requests. We aim to answer all requests for information from students except
where there are reasons why this is impossible. We would therefore expect that if universities were exempt from FoI that this would have no effect on the way we respond to requests for information from our students.’
Marketisation ‘has been at the root of a lot of the problems that students face on the ground here at Bristol’
More broadly, the proposals also suggest that Government control over student unions would increase in line with current trade union reforms to ‘improve union practices and increase transparency around how funds are
spent. However the National Campaign against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) have suggested that this is a ‘vague threat.’ Tom Phipps said that Bristol SU ‘are worried that this could further weaken the influence of students’ unions; a weakening which began under the Major government in the 1990s. Being packaged alongside the trade union bill could limit the work of students’ unions through imposed legislative quoracy thresholds and referendums.’ Phipps added: ‘Announcements in the Green Paper look to further increase marketisation within the higher education sector. This has been at the root of a lot of the problems that students face on the ground here at Bristol, whether that is accommodation shortages or slow feedback on assessments.’
Epigram 16..11.2015
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Bristol SU at 10,000 strong student cuts protest James Foster News Reporter
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Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP...described the Conservative legislation as ‘a betrayal’
Certainly the aftermath of 18 violent arrests and hours of being held in a kettle under Section 35 is hard to justify. It will be interesting to see where the NCAFC goes from here. The march was almost immediately followed the government’s announcement of its Higher Education Green Paper, which threatens further tinkering with tuition fees and student unions. Deborah Hermanns of the NCAFC offered a strong riposte to their opposition, stating that “this week, 10,000 students marched through central London against the marketisation of education and cuts to maintenance grants. Students across the country have shown a willingness to oppose and defeat the government through a campaign of direct action - and this campaign will now escalate.” Future plans for the movement include a conference this December and a National Week of Action in February of 2016. It seems, then, that the struggle over university tuition stretches on into the horizon.
Epigram / Imogen Thomas
Wednesday 4th November saw an estimated 10,000 students take to the streets of London in an explosive protest against university tuition fees. The demonstration was organised by the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts as a response to government threats to maintenance grants, as well as the possibility of tuition fee increases in line with inflation and cuts to the Disabled Students Allowance. Concern over the ‘marketisation’ of education has spiked in recent months. This demonstration is the latest in a series of public displays of opposition to the direction in which education is being pulled by the Conservative government. As the march was supported by the National Union of Students, Bristol’s student union sent representation spearheaded by figures including Tom Phipps, the incumbent Union Affairs Officer. In the lead-up to the event, Phipps discussed ‘putting education as a public good back on the agenda’ and the need for direct, peaceful action. On the day, though, proceedings were not as smooth as hoped, as protestors and police clashed throughout the march. The protest, after being sent off with a rousing speech from Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP who described the Conservative government’s legislation as ‘a betrayal,’ wound its way through London, past Downing Street and Parliament, before being confronted with a heavy riot police presence outside the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Although events are unclear and accounts must be taken with a pinch of salt, most narratives portray the police as the aggressors. “Police by far outnumbered the students, who did not seem to be at all disruptive,” said Imogen Thomas, a Bristol student taking part in the protest. “We were outside the kettle, which included other Bristol students. When some of us started to leave, the police came up behind us
and prevented us, forcing us into the kettle.” While statements from the Metropolitan Police point to public order offences and aerial assault from smoke bombs and eggs, this is not the image of the protest that comes across in coverage, where it has been described as ‘vibrant’ and ‘peaceful’.
National Student Demonstration in London 2015
The forgotten victims of Colston Street Fire
The fire at Colston Street student accommodation has had devastating consequences, but not just for the student residents who lost their belongings. The area’s independent traders have been hit hard because shoppers are unaware that they are open and are struggling to find their way to the businesses. “The area has seen a dramatic decline in footfall which for some of our shops will be devastating,” said Veronica Lyell, chair of the Christmas Steps Art Quarter, in a press release entitled ‘Independent businesses are the forgotten victims of the Colston Street student fire.’ Sally Quigg, owner of the Christmas Steps Costume Shop described the owners of businesses in the area as ‘secondary victims.’ At first “we were
just thankful that no one was hurt and hugely impressed by how Avon Fire and Rescue dealt with the fire and bystanders,” she explained. However, “we didn’t realise how badly we’d be affected by the fire.” Mrs Quigg was keen to express that she “understands that obviously students come first” but stressed that her shop could “literally go out of business unless foot-fall picked up before Halloween.” The costume shop has been particularly affected as it is “reliant on brisk trade over Halloween, its peak season.” “Sales were more than 50 per cent down on this time last year,” added Mrs Quigg. Mrs Quigg also said that although a helpful dialogue had now been opened up between the university and the business owners, at first the university had been unresponsive and rude. University of Bristol’s response had been to ‘talk to your insurance company’ however Mrs
Quigg told Epigram that by the time the insurance company had got back to her with compensation it would have been too late to save the shop. The university had promised to provide the business owners with banner proofs however these were never received by Mrs Quigg. At first, the road had been shut around the costume shop, making it appear to bypasses that the shop was not open for business. However, after help from the council, Mrs Quigg was able to move the road closures so her shop could be reached by customers. There was also no signs redirecting pedestrians or cars to the alternative access routes via steps up from Hope Street and buggy/wheelchair access via Trenchard Street. Mrs Quigg has now put up these signs herself. “The scale of the fire was unprecedented in recent years for our university,” said Patrick Finch, Bursar and Director of Estates at the University of Bristol. “The road has had to be closed in order
Epigram / George Clarke
Flickr / Shrinkin’violet
George Clarke Online News Editor
Fire ravages Colston student halls
to make the building safe and do necessary works. The road remains open directly in front of the shops and there are clear signs to point customers in their direction.” “We are sorry that some businesses are reporting a dip in trade due to the road closure. We have been in touch with the residents and traders association for the area and separately with Mrs Quigg to see what we can do to help, and as a result we have highlighted to our students that the businesses in the area are open.” Access up Colston Street is still completely blocked to cars and pedestrians. The road is expected to be closed until some time in the week commencing 2nd November 2015. Mrs Quigg also showed her support for the students in the area. “We all support our student neighbours with discounts and donations.” Student’s are entitled to a 10 per cent discount on purchases over £10 at the Christmas Steps Costume Shop.
Epigram
16.11.2015
Features
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Broken locks: Bristol’s student burglary epidemic Bea Gentilli Features Writer
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They had also thrown a rock through a resident’s (Tessa’s) car window and taken out £100 worth of technology from inside
On their return home,the housemates discovered that the burglars had been waiting until the last two of them had gone to the pub. In a time-frame of just 45 minutes the house was looted of valuables. The robbers had cut the locks on the backdoor and had raided all eight bedrooms, even managing to rummage through each girl’s underwear drawer walking away with almost £8,000 worth of goods.
burglars can literally slip in and out in complete silence and the damage can only be discovered when someone returns to the house.
Everyone is responsible for locking up and, thus, for everyone else’s possessions
From speaking to people on the university campus over reading week, it seemed everyone knew of one or two robberies that had already occurred this year. Whilst third year students seemed somewhat more accepting of burglary
Metro Centre
The total cost of stolen goods from one student house was over £8,000
Burglary rates in Bristol are among the highest in the UK as a reality in student areas, through personal previous experience or knowledge of others who had been targeted last year, the second year students I asked seemed far more shocked. A second year, Lara, explained why she believed this was the case. ‘In halls you only have the responsibility of your own room to lock up and the rest is made secure by the university. However, when you’re living in a house, everyone is responsible for locking up and, thus, for everyone else’s possessions. If someone is careless then everyone else is at risk.’ Bristol, on the whole, has a relatively high robbery rate. In a nationwide survey carried out by The Mirror, Bristol was ranked 261 of 348 in terms of the number of robberies, with almost one in 100 residents being robbed between January and December in 2013. According to The Bristol Post and the results from their recent survey, these statistics have only worsened in the years following this investigation: last year, The Bristol Post stated in an article on Bristol burglaries that ‘households in central Bristol are at the greatest risk of burglary attacks according to statistics released by the police. ‘The central area, where house prices average £220,000, attracts a mixture of students and young professionals – a target for thieves who are attracted to multiple occupancy residences which can contain upwards of four laptops, several TVs and other high-end items.’ Therefore, it is obvious that as students we will always be at risk of burglary and whilst most robberies do not involve any physical abuse, the emotional and psychological abuse of having sentimental and personal items stolen from your home, a place you see as a safe haven, is likely to have a damaging emotional affect. The next evening at home, there was suddenly a knock at my own door. I answered the door and two burly policemen were standing outside inquiring into a robbery that has just
Tim Samoff
There are a variety of undesirable phone calls one can receive on a night out, but a phone call from the emergency services is one of the less ideal. After generously purchasing a round of drinks in the comfort and knowledge that your student loan is still in existence, a phone call from a housemate informing you of a burglary does not quite inspire that ‘Friday feeling’ … After an explosion of frantic behaviour, I came to learn that my friends’ eight-person house had been just broken into. This was the fifth house in our extended friendship group to be burgled and it was only the fourth week of term. The burglars had broken in at around 11:45pm and in the space of 40 minutes had stolen eight laptops amongst an abundance of other precious items - with less than half covered by insurance.
They had also thrown a rock through a resident’s (Tessa’s) car window and taken out £100 worth of technology from inside. Zoe, who returned first, heard unrecognisable male voices upstairs and in a moment of panic ran into her room and got into bed, pretending to be asleep. It was only once she heard the men exit through the basement kitchen that she phoned the police and some of her other housemates. The robbers had used a back passage that connects Hampton Road and Waverly Road to get into the gardens of their house. This passage was known by friends as a security risk, as another house had been robbed through this passage on the second night back this year. It was only weeks before that when another friend’s house was burgled on Waverley Road whilst the residents of the house were having it large at Bunker - as you do. In this case the same thing happened; they were broken into through the back door and all seven laptops were stolen, as well as a TV, a pair of DJ decks, a set of speakers and two cars. Lara, one of the residents of the house which had a car stolen said, ‘It was the most disconcerting and upsetting experience. ‘It was our second day back in our new house and within the space of hours everything of material value was taken from us’. She said, ‘The car was a 21st birthday present from my parents, and it wasn’t covered on insurance yet.’ In the Hampton Road house, Zoe also had her passport stolen causing her hours of stress in reorganising parts of her trip back to Hong Kong to see her parents. It is common knowledge that student houses are an absolute goldmine for robbers as all the valuables are easily stolen and easily sold on. Moreover, the fact that no student houses have alarm systems means that
occurred in the flat below. Exactly the same situation had transpired - all laptops were stolen, two phones, a TV and some jewellery. This was the sixth break-in that I had heard of in five weeks. After explaining the situation of all the burglaries to them, they gave some advice about keeping the houses safe which I thought quite apt. ‘The most important thing that students can do is to be vigilant in always double locking their front and back doors, especially when leaving to go on nights out’ he said, ‘and to try and keep valuables like jewellery, passports and money hidden in the most unexpected places - not underwear drawers’.
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Lara, one of the residents of the house who had their car stolen told, ‘It was the most disconcerting and upsetting experience.’
The Constable also hastened to add that the approximately three-quarters of robberies that occur in the area happen whilst students are out in the evening, so it’s a good idea to always leave one light on at the top of the property to give the impression that someone is at home. As the term gets more serious and our accumulation of typed notes builds and builds it is imperative to keep one’s laptops and technological devices as safe as possible. So try and remember to hide your valuables, double lock your front doors and don’t let a ten pound night turn into a ten thousand pound night. If you have had the misfortune to have been burgled, or experienced a robbery, please do contact us to tell us your story - @EpigramFeatures.
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16.11.2015
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‘Safe space’ policy contests freedom of speech Sasha Noble Features Writer A frenzy has erupted among Bristol students over Milo Yiannopoulos’ imminent appearance at the University. After his invitation by the Journalism Society, social media was aflame over whether or not Yiannopoulos should be allowed to attend. Opponents accuse him of promoting hate speech and intolerant rhetoric, a violation of the Students’ Union’s ‘safe space’ policy. The resulting controversy has reignited the debate over free speech, with the ‘Safe Space’ policy at the centre of the furore.
The Bristol Students’ Union ‘safe space’ policy reads, ‘Each and every member should feel welcome to participate in empowering, nonjudgmental and non-threatening discussions, activities, services, and events. Members should be free from fear of threats, intimidation, harassment and the deliberate, or negligent, creation of unsafe or unwelcoming conditions.’ Since obviously illegal actions such as ‘harassment’ and ‘threat’ are already illegal under UK law, and ‘unwelcoming conditions,’ are subjective and therefore arbitrary, the utility of this policy is questionable at best. The policy was introduced and passed
The talk featuring Yiannopolous is to go ahead and Benjamin Flatters jailed for posting ‘anti-Muslim’ material, did not receive the same moderate treatment. The University of Manchester banned Julie Bindel and Milo Yiannopolous from speaking, providing the justification that they could have ‘incited hatred’. Moreover, ‘the same student union could not come to a decision about whether or not to sanction the terrorist group ISIS’ and ‘invited a Muslim preacher who called for gay people to be killed’ according to Allum Bokhari from Breitbart, as he drew attention to the alleged inconsistencies of their application of the Safe Space policy. Proponents of free speech have
taken to the Facebook event page for Milo Yiannopolous’ talk on ‘gender politics’. The consensus amongst them is that the safe space policy violates Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It states that ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.’ Honest scholarship requires rigorous and comprehensive inquiry of the whole subject, and stifling discussion and debate harms the integrity of
Leweb Photos
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Honest scholarship requires rigorous and comprehensive inquiry of the whole subject, and stifling discussion and debate harms the integrity of the university
by the Students’ Union in 2009 - the minutes for the relevant meeting have been requested but were unavailable at the time of writing. It was modified in 2014 to include the ‘use of language,’ ‘running events,’ ‘moderating social media,’ and ‘reacting to challenges surrounding ‘Safe Space’ policy. At the 2014 meeting, the motion (one out of 17 that night) was passed unanimously with only 38 voting members present. The attendance for this vote was low in contrast to the latest meeting in October 2015, which had 145 voting members. The Students’ Union is responsible for enforcing the policy. Potential consequences vary depending on the gravity of the incident; from mediation between parties, to the removal of UBU membership rights and university disciplinary action. According to the SU, the policy has not been used to ban any speakers at Bristol, nor has it silenced any students. Other universities have not been as lenient in their application. The University of East Anglia Students’ Union enforced their safe space policy in order to ‘no platform’ Steve Emmens, UKIP’s parliamentary candidate for Norwich. Christopher Beckett, a Masters student at the University of Liverpool, even claimed on the website, Spiked, that during his undergraduate course, seminars and lectures on ‘controversial’ issues such as rape went from being compulsory to optional. Selective repression of free speech is a growing problem in the UK. On 3rd November, charges were dropped against Bahar Mustafa, welfare and diversity officer for Goldsmiths University, for her #KillAllWhiteMen tweet. Others like Garron Helm, imprisoned for ‘anti-Semitic’ tweets,
the university. Although the vote to implement the safe space policy was unanimous, student opinion is not. Evidence from social media shows students asking ‘What intelligent and curious person would want safety and security in the arena of ideas?’ In literal terms, the policy is unrealistic. Everyone has the right to hold their own opinion, and it is impossible to alienate them from their own mind. Even if this were possible, it would be immoral and unethical. To quote George R. R. Martin by way of Tyrion Lannister: ‘When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say’.
The rise and rise of Bristol’s fossil free movement
Richard Assheton Online Features Editor Last week student and staff campaigners asked the University to commit to winding down their investments in the fossil fuel industry within five years. They handed a petition to new Vice-Chancellor Professor Hugh Brady on Monday the 9th. They are not alone. All around the world people are campaigning for institutions to retract their investments from the fossil fuel industry — to
Bristol Fossil Free
Bristol Fossil Free protesters gather to march
‘divest’. The worldwide Fossil Free campaign aims to morally, more than financially, bankrupt fossil fuel companies. Campaigners hope that stigmatising the use of fossil fuels will create reputational damage to those involved, and slow the industry down. The Rockefeller Brothers foundation has divested; the Church of England has divested in part; the cities of San Francisco, Oslo and Seattle have divested; eight UK universities including the University of Glasgow and SOAS in part or in full, have divested; Stanford University has divested from coal.
More than 220 institutions are committed to divesting in some form. Oxford University has called the campaign the fastest-growing divestment campaign in history. The United Nations has backed it. All four Bristol West election candidates have backed it. Through Sarasin and Partners, an investment manager, Bristol invests £56 million pounds in a wide range of sectors, including finance (e.g. Barclays), services (e.g. Amazon), pharmaceuticals (e.g. GlaxoSmithKline), media (e.g. Daily Mail), and technology (e.g. BT). It does not invest in the arms trade. The University has committed to a net carbon neutral campus by 2030, and, in the Cabot Institute, Bristol has a world-leading climate change research centre, yet it also invests in fossil fuel companies, including Shell and BP. The campaigners see a contradiction, and think Bristol’s position as European Green Capital 2015 gives the University ‘an excellent platform to show leadership to institutions around the world’. They also say they have corresponded with Sarasin and Partners, who have told them a fossil free investment portfolio is perfectly possible. At the time of writing, their petition, which also calls on the University to become a public advocate of divestment, has exactly 2,000 signatures. The environmental argument is
familiar: the world’s governments have agreed to stay under the ‘carbon budget’ — the quantity of carbon dioxide which will warm the Earth by no more than two degrees and may prevent global catastrophe. But the campaigners also cite a growing financial argument. Coal and oil prices have gone down. A Morgan Stanley Capital International report even said that, over the past five years, investment portfolios that did not include coal, oil and gas companies performed better than those that did. On top of this, the Bank of England is now investigating the ‘carbon bubble’, a potentially devastating economic crash that might result from the overvaluation of fossil fuel resources. Banks such as HSBC and groups like the International Energy Agency have said that as much as two-thirds of the planet’s fossil fuel reserves will have to remain in the ground if we are to stay beneath the carbon budget — that means trillions of dollars worth of resources may be unusable. HSBC has warned that 40-60 per cent of the market value of oil and gas companies is at risk from the carbon bubble. They say that the top 200 fossil fuel companies have a value of $4tn, and that a quick downturn would be disastrous. Yet companies are still searching for resources, hoping that they will continue
to profit. Shell refute the concept of a carbon bubble, and predict that fossil fuels will still provide 40-50 per cent of our energy supply long after 2050. There are plenty of arguments in favour of fossil fuels – or at least against the Fossil Free campaign – and plenty have refused to divest. Whilst supporters of the campaign have made it clear that they want to morally, not financially, take the legs from beneath fossil fuel companies, some have called this gesture politics, saying that other companies will simply pick up divested shares. Boris Johnson will not divest City Hall’s pension fund. Divestment, he says, is a ‘cliff edge’. Some have used moral grounds to condemn the campaign, saying that developing economies rely on fossil fuels and that divestment from fossil fuels is prioritising the possibility of harm to our great-great-grandchildren over definite harm to the poor today. And universities? The University of Edinburgh will not divest, and is one of a number of institutions who believe engagement with these companies is better than disengagement. The president of Harvard University has called its endowment ‘an economic resource, not an instrument to impel social or political change’. The campaigners will be hoping Professor Brady disagrees.
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16.11.2015
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Dutty vs. Dutti: The Bristol independent takes on a multi-national corporation Becky Morton Deputy Features Editor Independent Bristol brand and clothing retailer Dutty was born fourteen years ago as the club night, Dutty Girl, and a platform for women in hip-hop. The brand then expanded into a stall at St Nicholas’ Market before moving to its own shop in Stokes Croft in 2008, selling vintage and original Dutty clothing alongside other independent designers.
Shop Dutty co-owners, Joh and Louisa, have fought a two year legal battle against Massimo Dutti
‘It’s exciting and we can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been up to at the big launch event.’ The launch night, planned for the 5th December, will feature guest DJs and reveal the new name and collection.
Tickets are available either instore or via the crowdfunder link below. A tough challenge lies ahead for the brand, but with a loyal following of customers in a city committed to supporting independent brands, the
Shop Dutty
As the brand grew, owners, Joh and Louisa, decided to register for a trademark in May 2013. Little did they know that two years later the move would leave them forced to completely re-brand, with legal costs in excess of £15,000. To the owners’ disbelief, Dutty’s application was contested by Spanish company Massimo
was forced to completely rebrand. This is particularly devastating given that much of Dutty’s unique appeal lies in its original branded clothing. Co-owner Louisa admitted the experience was gutting. ‘Of course we had prepared ourselves as much as you can for the worse case scenario. However, I am usually an optimist in life and was still hoping for the best. These kind of cases are so drawn out as well. It took about two years in the end, and it feels like we have been on a roller coaster ride, not knowing whether we are coming or going and how to proceed in business.’ For the owners, the legal battle was a severe barrier to the progress of the business. ‘So many of our plans and big decisions were having to be put on the back burner until we knew the outcome. Even though we have lost the case there is now a sense of relief because at least now we are moving forward,’ explained Joh. For now all that remains is to throw all their energies behind the re-brand. ‘We are definitely up against it time-wise to get everything done, but we love the rush of a deadline,’ said Joh. The two remain admirably positive, despite the setback.
Thena Mimmack
“ Massimo Dutti is owned by the largest fashion group in the world, Inditex, which has an annual revenue of 1.4 billion euros
Dutti, which has over 700 stores in 66 countries. The company apparently felt threatened by the similarly named brand and even claimed Dutty had attempted to use their reputation to build their brand. Massimo Dutti is a multinational company, owned by the largest fashion group in the world, Inditex, which has an annual revenue of 1.4 billion euros. Inditex also owns brands such as Zara, Pull and Bear and Bershka. Whereas Dutty is a small but muchloved independent Bristol institution, with just one shop. The battle was always going to be a tough one. Yet the owners were cautiously optimistic. ‘It just seemed ridiculous to us that the names and brands could be so different yet they could still win,’ co-owner Joh told Epigram. ‘It could be argued that the predominate part of their name is Massimo and then Dutti, of course, is spelt and pronounced differently to our name. We honestly felt that after so many years of putting our hearts and souls into our brand and shop, it was worth at least trying to hold on to the name that we had already invested so much into.’ But after a two-year legal battle, Dutty lost its case and
owners seem right to remain optimistic. To buy a ticket for the launch night or support Dutty’s rebrand, visit: http://www.crowdfunder. co.uk/the-big-dutty-re-brand.
Brexit from EU threatens UK universities Francine Long Features Writer With David Cameron recently announcing that if British demands for EU reform are not met the country will have to rethink its membership, the debate over the EU is as contentious as ever. Yet what
rarely makes the headlines is the effect a British exit would have on UK universities. Being an active member of the EU benefits British academia not only by facilitating interactions with other European institutions and funding access, but also by providing cultural and linguistic opportunities for exchanges which also allow
us to trade more effectively on the continent. 14,572 UK students studied abroad under the Erasmus Scheme, funded by the European Commission, in 2012-13. Grants of up to €370 per month are provided to all these students, taken out of the project’s budget of €3.1 billion for the 2007-13 period. According to the President of the University of Bristol’s
Richard Assheton Rock Cohen
14, 572 UK students studied abroad under the EU funded Erasmus Scheme in 2012-13
Erasmus Student Network, the scheme seen as ‘the best year of a student’s life’ and one that results in highly employable candidates for jobs. It also allows participants to ‘understand a country’s micro-culture’, which is deemed necessary for doing business effectively across diverse cultures. Without language skills, she argues, ‘you’ll never understand deeper than the surface level’ of the culture you’re operating in. The fact that 18.7 per cent of Russell Group academic staff were EU nationals during 2011-12 is also a result of the student and staff mobility programme. It seems that UK universities do considerably well out of direct EU funding. A 2014 open letter from the president and board members of Universities UK (an organisation that receives no EU funding) emphasised that the UK benefits directly from €1.2 billion in European research funds each year. More specifically, a 2014 UK government report noted that from the European research framework ‘FP7’, the UK received 15.4 per cent of the funds allocated, ‘second only to Germany which has received 16.1 per cent.’
The University of Bristol itself was ranked 6th in the UK for number of European Research Council (ERC) grants secured in FP7. The total value of the 55 ERC grants Bristol has received since 2007 stands at a grand sum of €89,598,807, a number which only looks set to increase. Europeans themselves do currently benefit enormously through being charged the same capped fees of £9,000 per year as home students, compared to much higher international fees. However, UK taxpayers also reap certain rewards in this system; only home students can apply for maintenance grants therefore a higher intake of EU students means a smaller grant ‘money pot’ is required. Contrasting this point, Jonathon Arnott, MEP for the UK Independence Party has also spoken about the possible downside of the system. Arnott has brought attention to the point that for students returning to start careers in areas where salaries are much lower (Eastern Europe in particular), achieving the loan repayment salary threshold is likely a slower and more
” uncertain process. Statistics from 2014 may support this, with 19 per cent of EU
The total value of the 55 ERC grants Bristol has received since 2007 stands at a grand sum of €89,598,807
borrowers who now reside overseas identified as below the repayment threshold. Obviously there is a much wider landscape of factors informing whether or not leaving the EU would be in the UK national interest than just those affecting higher education. Whichever way you look at it, however, it’s hard to disagree with the comment of a specialist from University of Bristol’s RED European research funding team who noted that in trying to plug funding gaps created in a Brexit from the EU, one ‘can’t see the UK government squaring that circle.’
Epigram 16.11.2015
Comment What a bloody luxury
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Twitter reacts
Catherine reminisces about when she decided to make a little ‘womb’ for the finer things in life
Catherine Blom-Smith Comment Writer When I was younger, I felt my life was lacking glamour – so I decided to start my period. It’s good to pamper yourself every now and then, and it’s such a pleasure to wake up with a throbbing headache and think, ‘here we go again.’ The irritability and mood swings, too, are such a fun ride and I know my friends and family always enjoy being around me during that time. Cramps are another indulgence of mine. I guess it would be fine for me to just lock myself away from society for three to five days wearing an incontinence pad and my thickest trackies, but I like to spoil myself by going outside and trying to carry on with my life as normal. Obviously it’s completely reasonable that I should be taxed for this lavish lifestyle. Every month I choose to menstruate, just so I can remind
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myself what a treat it is to be given the chance to spend all that extra money on tampons, pads, and paracetamol. I suppose it is a privilege to be reminded that you’re not pregnant, right? The point I’m trying to make is that nobody chooses to have a period. This is the default setting for a healthy woman – and god forbid women be encouraged to allow their bodies to function as normal. Some people don’t even like to mention it and instead use reassuring euphemisms like ‘time of the month,’ ‘Aunt Flo’s visiting’ and, my personal favourite, ‘closed for maintenance.’ This squeamishness translates into the denial that sanitary products are an essential part of millions of women’s lives – confronted with a pack of Always Ultra, some will be baffled by this enigmatic, pink and blue, pearl-encrusted mystery. ‘Ah, women’s things!’ they’ll sigh in defeat. ‘Slap a tax on it, it’s
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Emily MC
There should be no tax on anyone based purely on the lottery of gender
“Sanitary products do make me feel like a princess... #BloodyRidiculous” probably for dyeing their eyelashes or something.’ Classing sanitary products as a luxury is basically a tax on being a woman. Stella Creasy MP, who recently gave such an impassioned speech on the matter, views the tax as being part of the ‘set up of an unequal society.’ Laughably, some men have been trying to argue that there are male-only taxes too (e.g. trousers) – besides being inaccurate, they are missing the point that there should be no tax on anyone based purely on the lottery of gender. Their hashtag (oh how I despise snarky hashtags) is #firstworldproblems. Yes, of course there is a huge problem in LEDCs (Less EconomicallyDeveloped Countries) with getting women access to healthy sanitary care, but that does not mean that this is a luxury – it is a basic human right. By this argument, clean water is an extravagance. This is not just a matter for women. Men must and can support this cause as well. The list of MPs
who voted against an abolition of this tax has been published, among them, Bristol North West MP, Charlotte Leslie. If your local MP voted
Being a woman is taxing enough - give us a bleeding break
against this tax cut, please write expressing your disappointment – though signing it in blood is perhaps a step too far. Being a woman is taxing enough - give us a bleeding break.
Epigram Comment’s luxury caption competition Here at Epigram, we work really, really hard. So to wind down, we thought we’d treat ourselves to some luxurious tampon related humour
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Think you can do better? You probably can. Send your best captions to @EpigramComment and make sure you follow us to take part in next issue’s competition!
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16.11.2015
The Women’s Equality Party and why it’s not actually as equal as you might think Martha Taylor discusses why the Women’s Equality Party is predicted to fail and argues that you might want to reconsider your vote
Martha Taylor Comment Writer
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If the party is not offering equality to all women, then in what world can we expect it to be a success?
as a ‘directly relevant issue’ to women only serves to highlight their white middle-class privilege. They are financially able to dismiss austerity as a feminist issue; the people they are meant to be representing cannot. Equally, the privilege at the core of the party further tramples on important intersectional issues, such as the status of trans women. In
Flickr / Melissa Brewer
When Sandi Toskvig, Catherine Mayer and Sophie Walker set up the Women’s Equality Party, it looked like feminism might actually be given the crucial political voice that it needs to achieve meaningful progress. As is often the case with what is now known as ‘white feminism,’ this was not to be. In premise, the Women’s Equality Party sounded exactly like what feminists wanted: equality, and equality for all women, whilst remaining ‘apolitical.’ But herein lies problems number one and two: The Women’s Equality Party falls spectacularly at the first hurdle by failing to consider the importance of intersectional feminism. The party promises to take a party line on ‘directly relevant issues’, but these exclude austerity, and changes to legislation affecting the minimum wage. These two huge issues have an inexplicably damaging affect on many women, and yet the very fact that the founders do not see austerity
While Beyonce gets it, the Women’s Equality Party have been criticised for not even treating self-identifying women equally
the party’s 35-page policy booklet, there is no meaningful statement that promises to commit to ensuring the safety of trans women in Britain. By ignoring trans women, the Party falls under the scope of Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism, denying transgender women a much-needed voice in today’s politics, making the name of the party somewhat redundant if it fails to include the trans community under the umbrella term of ‘women.’ And if the party is not offering equality to all women, then in what world can we expect it to be a success. As well as failing to offer equality to all women, the party’s commitment to remaining ‘apolitical’ is also questionable. Britain’s society and many of its key institutions are undeniably political. Not only this, but also the patriarchal nature of said society and its relevant institutions is one of the primary causes for women’s subordination. For this reason, if the party is truly committed to smashing the glass ceiling and achieving actual equality, it
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must recognise that feminism and feminist issues are undeniably tied up with the political. Women cannot achieve truly meaningful equality in the face of right-wing ideology and politics that continually subvert women’s issues. Therefore, if the party are genuinely committed to women’s issues, they must come down on one side, or they cannot and will not
The party’s blatant dismissal of this multitude of evidence therefore only highlights the prejudiced beliefs of those at the helm succeed in the political sphere. Perhaps what is most troubling about the Women’s Equality Party is its approach to violence against women. The privilege afforded to its leaders
again silences the voices of women who not only need to be heard, but also have the actual authority to speak out on certain subjects. The WEP’s definition of violence against women includes sex work as a form of violence, showing a distinct lack of understanding of the profession. The party’s endorsement of the Nordic Model, which criminalises the buying of sex, has been continually proven not to keep women safe by a number of authoritative groups, including sex workers themselves. The party’s blatant dismissal of this multitude of evidence therefore only highlights the prejudiced beliefs of those at the helm. If you’re thinking of voting for or joining the WEP, first evaluate the issues that you think are truly important, not just to yourself, but to women as a whole. Women’s issues are so much more than just what is relevant to you, and if the WEP cannot see that, I cannot see how they will succeed.
Robin Hood turns to the darkside: the UK’s constitutional crisis Lewis Graham discusses the House of Lords, the working tax credits and reactionary legislation Lewis Graham Comment Writer
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I find it dubious that national lint-gatherer Andrew Lloyd Webber should have a say on the living standards of Britain’s poorest.
them with slightly malevolent yet hopelessly vague ‘retribution.’ He also warned that ‘if you play with fire you will get badly burned’ which apart from being a semantic nightmare is as tired and toothless an adage as could possibly be offered. mouth about ‘lefties’ in the Telegraph (28 October), Probing further, Tory MP Gavin Williamson where, following a bizarre non-sequitur about said reform was needed and David Cameron, busy welfare and the European Union, he accused the cropping a photo of a poppy on Microsoft Paint Lords of outraging democracy. But O’Neill’s vapid (probably), opted for the notably more watery word inner monologue got the better of him before he review. Luckily, papier-mâché man George Osborne could throw a solution together and he went back finally offered something palpable, and said his to complaining about feminists tweeting. Lord clear view was that an elected House of Lords was Strathclyde could barely advance on that, calling the needed, although it is worth noting that this clear Lords ‘rabble-rousers’ (in unrelated news, Strathclyde view did not manifest itself in any Parliamentary was recently spotted hurling insults ‘son-of-a-gun,’ debate or recorded statement prior to the crisis. ‘smart-alec’ and ‘wise-guy’ at the moon), threatening The Telegraph’s own view (27 October), was that
Flickr / Darren Johnson
The Conservative party’s controversial Working Tax Credit cuts were this week blocked by the House of Lords, which has apparently violated the longstanding convention that they ought not to block money bills (the cuts were housed in a statutory instrument). The move has been railed as a supposed affront to democratic legitimacy (an accusation made largely by members of the ruling party voted for by 23 per cent of the population) and has reinvigorated debates over a century in the making about the nature of the chamber. The buzzword surrounding the affair was ‘constitutional crisis,’ although it wasn’t clear if a constitutional crisis had actually occurred. True, it was termed a ‘constitutional crisis’ by the Daily Express and the Daily Mail, perhaps taking their lead from the ‘clear constitutional issues’ which arose according to George Osborne. However, John Bercow said this was ‘not a constitutional crisis,’ with Lord Strathclyde less absolute: ‘this is not a constitutional crisis yet.’ The Huffington Post cautiously went with an ‘apparent constitutional crisis,’ but separately decried it a ‘fake constitutional crisis,’ echoing Chris Bryant’s
label of ‘pretend constitutional crisis.’ Whilst the hubbub of the crisis (the reader is free to add their own inverted commas if they choose) provides ample salon drawl for Daily Politics panellists, how should it actually be resolved? Well, while the House of Lords ‘problem’ has been brought to prominence once again, it seems that now, as was the case at every other point in the last century, nobody really knows what to do about it. Naturally, it drew the mock outrage of broadsheet conservatives; Brendan O’Neill was foaming at the
the Conservatives flood the Lords with more unelected Tory peers, lest it ‘undermine[s] British democracy’, a suggestion that loathesome bungler-in-chief Chris Grayling has refused to rule out. It seems, then, that the Tories want to make the Lords less democratic, or perhaps more democratic, but one thing is clear: the current amount of democracy is absolutely unacceptable. There’s certainly something in the critique. I find it dubious that national lint-gatherer Andrew Lloyd Webber should have a say on the living standards of Britain’s poorest. But the furore over the ‘constitutional crisis’ is empty; legislative reform should be reasoned, not reactionary. Once its raison d’être is squeezed into the law books somehow (I’m eyeing up the revised Autumn Statement), watch it slip back into obscurity – suddenly, crisis averted.
Epigram
16.11.2015
11
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Elsa’s taking over: fetishizing children’s franchises Comment writer Francesca Newton thinks about what our obsession with the Frozen franchise reveals about our comsumerist culture
Francesca Newton Comment Writer Type the word ‘Frozen’ into Amazon. I dare you. The brand has wormed into every department of online shopping –Luggage, Grocery, even DIY & Tools, for god’s sake. I’m not sure what the most far-fetched Frozen product I’ve seen so far is. There were the Frozen pizzas in Morrison’s; trawling now through the blue and purple Tartarus of online merchandise, I discover the especially practical Frozen seatbelt cover; in the camping section, there’s a Frozen polar buff. I have no idea what a polar buff is.
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massive demand made products unavailable. Movies are made with the intention of generating money. But after an hour spent sifting through millions of dollars’ worth of standard household objects that have been painted blue and then sold for a price a decent proportion higher than they’re worth, it’s hard not to feel that something originally charming and meaningful has become a manufactured epidemic. All those moaning ‘little darlings’ are turning into miniature consumerist monsters. We’re all guilty of brand fetishizing. I paid more for my handbag because it’s from Cambridge Satchel. Some people will cough up £70 for a hoodie because it has ‘OBEY’ printed across the front. Disney just appear to have amped it up to a whole new level. And by producing merchandise for children, they’re appealing to that special market that isn’t
even aware it’s being swindled. When a brand is rubbed in your face as much as Frozen is for the majority of under-10s, how can they be expected to
Parents rage; children cry; and Bob Iger sails through the sea of Elsa dollies on his ship made of cash
react otherwise? Plus they can cry to get what they want. Sneaky. The effect that being brought up on consumerism is going to have on future generations ain’t going
to be pretty: such early exposure, to an idea stating that the most important thing in life is having the latest product, can’t be healthy. I don’t remember my parents ever getting angry if they couldn’t get me a specific present for Christmas - I was just given something else. Maybe they love me less. This year, it’s Frozen. In a few years’ time, Disney will bring out another blockbuster and the fully Elsa-adorned bedrooms will have to be replaced with a new princess. The run-up to Christmas is the time when the dangerous attitude we all harbour to consumerism in our society is most tangible, and it’s frightening: for our own sanity, for the environment, for the workers in poor conditions overseas producing our merchandise. This is the curse. Parents rage; children cry; and Bob Iger sails through the sea of Elsa dollies on his ship made of cash, grinning.
We’re all guilty of brand fetishizing... Disney just appear to have amped it up to a whole new level
Flickr / BBC Radio 4 Flickr / e.mcclay
Now, before I anger someone, I’ll defend myself. This article is not going to be an anti-Frozen rant - I love Frozen. It’s a gorgeous movie with a fabulous message. There’s no question about it hitting the 5th spot on the list of all-time highest-grossing films. I’m listening to the soundtrack right now; it’s making it harder to concentrate, but the singing feels too good to stop. I take issue with the way the brand is abused. Yes, we live in a capitalist world, darling, and I understand that when a brand sells, it’s going to sell. But I don’t recall ever seeing a franchise quite so severely milked as Anna and Elsa’s faces have been. It’s a craze - in January last year, a 5,000 limited series of dolls sold out in 45 minutes online; limited-edition merchandise hit prices of over $1,000 on eBay; parents became angry and vented online when the
Everyone’s buying into the Frozen franchise these days - no wonder kids are obsessed when grown adults are joining in too
Speaker’s Corner: atheism’s place on campus Faith, fact or downright frivolous? Stefan Rollnick tells us how engaging people in a debate about atheism could enhance your worldview
Stefan Rollnick Deputy Comment Editor
Flickr / G. Burkhardt
We’ve all been in the presence of selfproclaimed Dawkins prodigies, sitting in the corner of a house party, gathering, or any situation where they’re within arm’s length of a religious apologist to berate with thought experiments for as long as their cursed lungs will let them. I know, because I’ve been one. Whilst acknowledging how infuriating these people are for the rest of the human race, I want a chance to write an ode to the angry atheist, for without them, our campus would be awash with tranquil, smiley people, who keep all their thoughts and ideas about how the world came to be very much to themselves. Now where’s the fun in that? It’s also worth acknowledging that the ‘debates’ that one might be lucky enough to have with any mini-Christopher-Hitchensextraordinaire can often seem just as one-way, and just as evangelical, as a conversation with those two men who linger around the Hawthorns with giant wooden crosses like some sort of holy
fart. But there are plenty of ways to deal with this, whether you’re Christian, Muslim, or you simply don’t feel like raining hate down on people just for their beliefs. Simply grab them an extra beer, tell them that atheism is a faith just like Christianity, sit back and watch them go wild, like a fruit-machine that always hits the jackpot. Abrasive people who believe that their opinions are right and that your deeply held beliefs are wrong, always have the potential for being unpleasant company, but the right to be able to talk openly about any belief that we have is not to be undervalued. You can agree to disagree, you can even decide not to be friends any more, but it’s worth remembering that it’s hardly a life or death situation. What we have is a luxury compared to other countries. To say that Raif Bawadi, the atheist and Saudi Arabian blogger, was ‘ostracised’ for his beliefs is a euphemism in the purest and dirtiest sense of the word. This man was imprisoned and tortured just for his belief, or more accurately, his lack of belief. So if you feel like someone is ostracising you for your faith, then, put simply: don’t be friends with them. Your friends should be able to agree to disagree with you. But if you feel like you’ve got the energy, then I’d urge you to put a coin in the atheist fruit machine and engage these people in debate. People wrestle with each other for fun and for those of us (like myself) who weren’t exactly built to wrestle, these sorts of debates can be engaging, exciting, and potentially life-changing.
A debate is all about taking the right approach so maybe, just maybe, don’t start with this line...
Epigram
16.11.2015
Science & Tech
@EpigramSciTech Editor: Alfie Smith Deputy Editor: Matt Davis Online Editor: Amy Finch
asmith2@epigram.org.uk mdavis@epigram.org.uk
Climate change heating up conflicts Tom Sheils Science Writer At the 2015 Milan Expo, the US Secretary of State John Kerry told his audience “it is not a coincidence that immediately prior to the civil war in Syria, the country experienced the worst drought on record.” “As many as 1.5 million people migrated from Syria’s farms into Syria’s cities, and that intensified the political unrest that was beginning to brew,” he continued. Trying to measure his initial statement somewhat, Kerry emphasized that “[the uprising] was caused by a brutal dictator who barrel-
now identify climate change as a key factor in causing the Syrian conflict. Syria is the first example of a climate change conflict. This view has a strong basis. The Pacific Institute, which is dedicated to freshwater supply issues, published a paper stating that ‘in 2006 and lasting through to 2011, Syria suffered the worst long-term drought and most severe set of crop failures in recorded history.’ The same paper indicates that climate change was the cause of this drought’s severity: ‘there is evidence that climate changes are already beginning to influence droughts in the area by reducing winter rainfall
bombed, starved, tortured, and gassed his own people,” but concluded that “the devastating drought clearly made a bad situation a lot worse.” This revelation comes two months after Kerry painted a markedly apocalyptic vision for the Middle East. At a conference, in Alaska, Kerry stated asked “You think migration is a challenge in Europe today because of extremism? Wait until you see what happens when there’s an absence of water, an absence of food, or one tribe fighting against another for mere survival.” Kerry’s observations prompted a wave of mirrored insights across Western media platforms, which
and increasing evaporation.’ This problem, compounded by water mismanagement from a failing regime, led to a decline in agricultural productivity. More than a million rural Syrians migrated to urban centres contributing to urban unemployment and food insecurity. Looking at the media though, it is clear to see that the effect these droughts had on social unrest has been vastly understated. We are in a long-term warming trend attributed to increased levels of greenhouse gases. The Fertile Crescent may well disappear by the end of the Century, with the annual discharge of the famous Euphrates river decreasing
by up to 71 per cent. The strip of land that was once so abundant that it supported the first great civilisations will soon be one, vast, desert. The introduction of efficient irrigation practices in the region could combat this crisis, but it is hard to see how this could take place in Iraq or Syria, where vast swathes of country are held by rebel groups. For these large projects to be put in place, in a stable country is difficult enough. More droughts mean more migrations and more conflicts. It seems safe to assume that Europe will face a continuing exodus for many years to come.
Flickr: Rayeddal
Our small cost for global savings Alice Chamberlain Science Writer
unwrapped foods, medicines and seeds. Retailers are only encouraged to give the proceeds to charity. Many countries have implemented some sort of plastic bag reduction strategy within the last few years seeing dramatic declines in bags used and money raised. Wales, in 2011 began charging 5p per bag, and consequently has seen a reduction
“ Scotland’s bag charge has seen a 80% fall in plastic bag use whilst donating almost seven million pounds to charity and saving 4,000 tons of plastic.
of 71 per cent since 2014, raising between £17-22 million for good causes. Northern Ireland brought in the charge from 2011 and saw a drop of nearly 72 per cent within a year. Scotland’s bag charge in October 2014, and have subsequently seen a 80 per cent fall in plastic bag use whilst donating £6.7 million to charity and saving 4,000 tons of plastic. It is clear the progress within the UK so far looks promising and judging by the success of other countries, the outcome is likely to be positive. However, potential problems are now arising as a result of the five pence bag charge. Scientists are warning us about
the spread of superbugs as a result of using the same bag for different products. The public need to be aware that bacteria can contaminate food by surviving on bags for a long time causing potential health problems. MRSA is just one example which can survive long enough on a plastic bag to cause death. Another problem that has now become apparent is that many shops are increasing the quality of their bags, which you now have to pay for, making them thicker into a more ‘reusable’ bag, or having an alternative paper bag. In some cases these bags are deemed worse for the environment, some reusable bags need to be used over 100 times more before they’re better for the environment than single-use plastic bags according to a study by the UK Environment Agency. Alternatively, paper bags are biodegradable however this also causes problems in terms of cutting down more trees. Charging for single-use bags is a positive forward step to help tackle environmental, economic and social issues in England and around the world. But its success is dependent on us as consumers, we need to partake efficiently to conserve the world’s natural resources and reuse the bags we already own. Wiki creative commons
Flickr-Abocon
birds, fish and other wildlife. Marine wildlife are particularly vulnerable. Turtle populations are frequently cited as a group at high risk as a result of plastic bag pollution. Turtles commonly mistake plastic bags for food and end up dying through suffocation. This is easily avoidable, and now the government has helped make this even easier. A recent study found that 75 per cent of fish in the River Thames have been found to have plastic fibres in their gut, an alarming statistic showing the large impact of plastic pollution on wildlife in the UK and around the world. The costs aren’t solely paid by wildlife, although that is enough in itself to warrant change. The waste caused by plastic bags before the charge was implemented is estimated to have cost the taxpayer ten million pounds a year in clean-up costs, money which could be used to help conserve and enhance the British Wildlife. The law was changed two years ago. The government is only implementing it now because it wanted to give shops the opportunity to put other systems in place. One interesting aspect of the law is that it requires shops to replace bags they class as ‘long-lasting’ if they should become worn. This should come in handy to those of us with a thrifty nature. Free bags will be issued with certain items deemed as safety concerns,
Flickr-www.vaping.com
Last month, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs introduced a five pence charge for plastic bags. Their target is to reduce plastic bag use in supermarkets by 80 per cent and the high streets by 50 per cent before 2020. Plastic is an iconic symbol of waste. In 2014, almost eight billion plastic bags
were handed out by supermarkets in England. This was a rise of 200 million from the previous year. Most plastic bags are not biodegradable and the accumulation of bags in an area causes huge problems in terms of waste and ecological harm. These little sacks of hydrocarbons are responsible for some of the damage that has been caused to our wildlife over the past twenty years. Plastic bags both poison and choke
Epigram 16.11.2015
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Sausage rolls are just as bad for you as Plutonium Aoife Hannon Science Writer The WHO (World Health Organisation) have now classified processed meats such as burgers, cured meats, sausages and bacon as group one carcinogens. There has been huge amounts of coverage on this, especially as this group also contains tobacco, asbestos and plutonium – two of these being very common and very serious causes of cancer. How did the humble sausage get dragged into all of this? First it should be noted that although they may be in the same group as the group one carcinogens, eating the odd slice of ham is nowhere near as harmful as perhaps a few sneaky cigarettes on a night out and there are classifications as to the greatest ability and risk of each of these carcinogens to cause cancer.
Eating the odd slice of ham is nowhere near as harmful as a few sneaky cigarettes on a night out
However, this doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to fill yourself full of sausages and hope for the best. The WHO published this statement for good reason, a staggering 800 studies exploring the effects of ingesting processed meats in different races, different diets and in several different countries, were thoroughly scrutinised. The WHO came to the conclusion that ingestion of even 50 grams of processed meat a day increases your chance of developing bowel cancer by 18 per cent, with this risk increasing further with higher amounts
of processed meat in your diet, and as of yet no defined safe level has been published. This also comes with the most recent estimates of cancer deaths by the Global Burden of Disease Project, with about 34,000 cancer deaths per year worldwide attributable to diets high in processed meat, although this still pales in comparison to the one million deaths due to smoking worldwide. We still cannot say for certain that processed meats or tobacco caused these deaths, only that they were a significant factor. Does this information mean that cooking the processed meat differently or buying better quality meat, mean that suddenly this risk will disappear altogether? Unfortunately no, the compounds in the meat associated with the encouragement of cancerous or precancerous cells are intrinsic, so no matter how hard you grill, boil or
bake, this risk will always be present. In fact cooking at high temperatures or with the food in direct contact with a flame or a hot surface, (i.e. barbecuing or pan-frying), produces more of certain types of carcinogenic chemicals. This also doesn’t suggest that you should eat your meat raw, as this could result in you and your toilet intimately getting to know each other. This information also doesn’t mean that you should now stay off all meat forever, the WHO recognizes that meat (preferably not processed)
“ No matter how hard you grill, boil or bake, this risk will always be present.
in moderate amounts in your diet, contributes to a healthy lifestyle. It’s not all doom and gloom for the seasoned sausage eater, Dr Kurt Straif (Head of the IARC – International Agency for Research on Cancer) has said that, ‘For an individual, the risk of developing colorectal cancer because of their consumption of processed meat remains small...’ but he stressed that ‘In view of the large number of people who consume processed meat, the global impact on cancer incidence is of public health importance.’ WHO recommends now that people should now moderate their intake of processed meats in order to minimise the risk of cancer – so I guess a small bacon sarnie every now and again isn’t going to immediately doom me.
Flickr: Swedish Plutonium removal
Flickr: Jo
App of the week: Yousician Alfie Smith
Science and Technology Editor Yousician have a great marketing team. All their ads are slick, relaxed, if a little preppy. I come across them on most guitar tutorials videos and, having been worn down, I thought that I would give them a try. Initially, I was really impressed. The design takes a lot of inspiration from rhythm games, with riffs and perfect notes triggering over the top positive feedback. Unlike guitar hero though, it’s real! The interface is hierarchal with a clear progression. It didn’t seem like you could skip anything but attempting to go for perfect scores gave even the basics a sense of achievement. Mr. Preppy, I would picture as a trilby sporting Jason type, always chips in with motivation between songs. One strong point, compared to similar apps, is that every type of action is clearly distinguished, so I never found myself going over the same part several times trying to
figure out what to do. However, there is a lot to hate about Yousician… and I mean hate. I found that my phone’s microphone often failed to fully register the correct sounds. I borrowed another phone and it seemed to have a similar frequency of bum notes. A stand-alone microphone might help this situation but I won’t ever assume kit for an app that claims to be anytime, anywhere. There’s also Mr. Preppy pausing the fun every fifteen minutes to remind you that purchasing premium would be really nice. This isn’t skippable and often it’s the same message. It won’t interrupt a song-part, but, failing a song because the app stopped registering my playing and then to be stuck listening to the same ad for a minute before being given the chance to correct my score, burned! The paywall also becomes very limiting. You purchase Yousician by the month and I was willing to do it, if I felt that it had at least a months’ worth of playing to offer. I’m always looking for new ways to practice. I’m Yousician’s
target audience. I wasn’t willing to pay to set up a subscription to an unknown and that’s what it felt like. I was stuck on the basics, unable to progress due to the half-hour/forty five minutes a day time limit, often repeating stuff because of the app’s errors, hoping to see if any of the later content could
help my playing. Contrary to all your advertising Yousician, I never felt like you would improve my ability. I could never get to the point where it wasn’t just goofing off trying to get perfect scores on simple riffs. The only person that stopped me from trying a new way to practice was you.
6/10, fun to try a different way to practice guitar, but only for a short amount of time before limitations caused by the free version of the app ruin the experience
Flickr- Alan Levine
14.12.2013
Letters
@EpigramLetters Editor: Sophie Hunter shunter.epigram@gmail.com
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Epigram
Men’s mental health - time to speak up
Ben Marshall pens an open letter on young men’s mental health and the culture surrounding masculinity in response to the controversial UoB Journalism Society Yiannopolous/Reid debate. Ben Marshall Letters Writer
Milo Yiannopolous, who recently spoke at a University of Bristol Journalism Society debate, has done well to identify disaffection amongst young men around how society labels them and the struggles of being unable to voice concerns about their mental health. I can understand how some men can end up feeling bad for simply being themselves. I can also understand how the media (especially social media) spins an inaccurate picture that polarises opinions and helps no one. The same can be said of ‘debates’ between parties with no hope of reaching consensus. Yiannopolous fails hopelessly in his assertions about the cause of this disaffection and the solution. I read his comments at the recent Journalism Society debate and was horrified at what he was advocating. The problem of young men’s mental health not being discussed is not a problem caused by feminists, or the notorious battle of the sexes. Nor is the solution to vilify feminists (which many incorrectly think is a synonym for women) and to embrace a society that is, at its core, totally unequal in how it expects different people to feel and function. It scares me more that a lot of people who have not been exposed to mainstream feminism might find Yiannopolous’s narrative an attractive
one, especially because it provides a scapegoat. Hence, I am writing this letter. I don’t want to live in a world where different genders look on each other with suspicion and misunderstanding. Where women feel unable to walk home late at night and men are scared of asking for help lest they be told their problems aren’t important enough. There is a catastrophic confusion between ‘The problems men face’, or ‘The problems women face’, and ‘The problems a man has’ or, ‘The problems a woman has.’
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Our failure to do so is precisely what has created a situation in which some men are scared to cry about their problems. Men, in general, have less to fear in our society than women. This has absolutely no bearing on the problems an individual man or an individual woman might face, nor can there be any comparison drawn between them. All people, regardless of gender, have problems unique to them. Certain genders also have problems that people who identify as such are more likely to suffer from. All of these problems are going to be solved by compassion, not competition. We must recognise that the structural
problems faced by a segment of our society cannot be compared to the problems of an individual. Our failure to do so is precisely what has created a situation in which some men are scared to cry about their problems. We cannot have ‘Generation Reddit’ conned into thinking they cannot speak up about their suffering because they don’t identify as (or share the problems of) one gender or another. Similarly, we must all realise that it is our actions as individuals that create the perceived behaviour of the whole. Charity begins at home (so the saying goes) and so does a fairer, more inclusive, more empathetic society. It is a lie that men are somehow all sexual predators and latent misogynists, even if the majority of both are in fact men. It is an even bigger lie (propagated by people like Yiannopolous) that feminists are hateful of men. If you believe feminists truly think this, I would encourage you to talk to one, in real life, away from the lies and twisted agendas of the internet. We need to reclaim masculinity as a concept, it is not about bravado, posturing, brute force or lad culture. Like all other people, men should stand for respect, equality and compassion, and not let a small number of hateful people speak and act for us while we are cowed into tacit acceptance of the status quo. A common misconception in society is that more women suffer from mental illnesses like depression, anxiety and
eating disorders. This is wrong. We can only say that more women seek help for such things than men. Why is this? I put it down to one thing: the way society conditions us to think about masculinity. It is toxic and needs to stop.
We cannot afford to let a generation of young men live under the false perception that their individual problems are not worth solving This is feeding a second, increasingly dangerous fear: that they will not be taken seriously, because they are a man and men have it easy in our society, or are expected to be tough enough to get over it. This goes back to my point about the difference between the personal problems of an individual and the structural or societal problems of a gender. Worse still, this fear is unfounded. It is simply a damaging perception encouraged by people who (for whatever reason) try to attack feminists as being a threat to men, rather than recognising it is the patriarchal bounds placed on both masculinity and femininity by our society that are the threat. We cannot afford to let a generation of young men live under the false perception that their individual problems are not worth solving. I am
scared that Yiannopolous and others like him are using this as political ammunition and I am worried that young men are being duped into fighting against the very thing that would help them: the equal treatment of all people. This is an appeal to everyone who feels that their problems are being invalidated because someone else is worse off. There is always someone who has it worse off; no one should use that to lessen the tragedy of your own situation. We should all be fighting for gender equality and we should never tell an individual their problems aren’t worth talking about because of their gender. I am a straight, white, mentally ill man trying to be a feminist. I only chose one of those attributes and woe betide the fool who makes me feel bad for being any of them.
If you are affected by any of the issues discussed in this article you can reach out to Peace of Mind, Bristol University’s Mental Health Society on Facebook, Twitter or via Bristol SU
‘You’ve got this girl’- wise words to my Student Self... Molly Simpson Alumni and Letters Writer
Finally, don’t compare your own university experience to others. Everyone gets something different from uni, whether it’s a non-stop social life, academic achievement, or pursuing other passions alongside their studies like sport or drama. Some prefer to have a bit of all three, like us. You’re there for you, your degree is your degree, and (sadly) your debt is your debt. So if you don’t want to go out one night, don’t go out. If you want to write for the uni newspaper, then take a leap of faith and do it. Because the memories you’re going to be making are made exclusively for you, by you. You’ve got this girl. I only wish I could be doing it all over again with you! Love, Future Molly
Flickr / Caleb Roenigk
Dear Molly, It’s so unsettling being the last to leave for university, with almost two weeks of seeing your school friends adding hundreds of new people on Facebook with photos going up of Fresher’s events, all whilst you struggle to pack your IKEA plates and glasses into a box that’s too small. I know it’s horrible seeing everyone starting their new life before you, but it’ll all be worth the wait. There may be people on your accommodation Facebook groups who sound like they’re nothing but excited about such a big change, but don’t worry, inside they’re bricking it too. After three weeks you may still be wondering where this incredible friendship group you were promised is going to spring up from and whether any of the people you’re talking to at the moment really are going to be your lifelong friends. They may not be, but even if Fresher’s Week hasn’t formed the thousand friendships you thought it would, you’re going to spend the next three years meeting some wonderful people, so don’t panic because you haven’t met them yet. (In fact, you’re not going to meet a lot of them until third year so just sit tight). One of the most wonderful things about university is that you never stop meeting people really and if you do and you settle for the friends you have
rather than taking any opportunity to make new ones then you’re doing it wrong. You’ve always put your all into your education but university isn’t for everybody and there’s a reason for that: it’s hard work. But you are up to the challenge and there’s no shame in putting the long hours in because the rewards are going to be so worth it. It really does feel great to graduate with a First and I’m not ashamed to say it. Also, make sure you separate your living space and your study space. It might sound insignificant but when it comes to exams and you’re revising in your bedroom for 12 hours before crawling across the floor to your bed you will go stir crazy. Discover the library a little earlier, you will thank me for it! Having said this, first year really doesn’t count for anything so maybe cut yourself a bit of slack just for those first 9 months… Then it’s go time. Nothing can really prepare you for a long distance relationship. Not only are you moving to a different city, you’re not going to be seeing your boyfriend for two or three weeks at a time, let alone everyday. Your paths are going to diverge a little bit from now on and that takes some getting used to. It’s going to be tough, but looking back I am so glad to say that Elliot and I had our own university experiences because it made us more interesting people, making our relationship more interesting too. They do say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and having done it I’m tempted to agree.
Words of wisdom from graduate, Molly
Tweets of the fortnight: @Beth_Teo -
‘One of our lecturers uses comic sans for every powerpoint and no one can take him seriously’
@ ScheifferBates -
‘Every time the train pulls up in Bristol the fellas who get on are always talking about some kind of ‘gap yah’ activity. #banter’
@ theizzygreen -
‘actually feel sorry for Milo Yiannopoulos because of his shit hairdresser and his tragic 2002-style highlights’
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Editors: Suzie Brown; Andrea Philippou
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How many words can you find including the middle letter, with at least four letters per word? There is at least one nine-letter word. Bonus points for Christmas-themed words! 18 = Average 24 = Good 30 = Excellent
In this Christmassy sudoku, the numbers are represented by pictures, but you solve the puzzle in the usual way. May test your drawing skills as much as your logical reasoning...
7
9
ACROSS 6. Vessel capable of transporting Santa around the world in 24 hours (6) 7. Country with parts in Europe and Asia (6) 8. Kids sticking candles in oranges (11) 10. Frightened some shepherds by suddenly appearing to them (5) 12. Popular boys name in Latin America (5) 13. This season is coming (6) Decoration for your front door (6) 1614.Average 17. French for “to eat” (6) 2018.Good Rudolph is the most famous one of all (8) 20. Peak time for purchasing of gym 24 Very good memberships (3,4) 22. Germanic festival which became Christmas (4) 24. An excuse to eat chocolate every morning (6,8) 25. Stand under it if you like kissing (9) 9 strangers Average
sbrown.epigram@gmail.com
Sudoku 6
14.12.2015
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impromptu Christmas fancy dress (6) 2. Put it in your living room and watch it drop needles as it dies (9,4) 3. Makes getting drunk taste like Christmas (6,4) 184. Birthplace Averageof Jesus (9) 5. They bring Christmas cheer door-to-door 24 (5,7) Good 308. Wallace Very good and Gromit almost forgot them when they went to the moon (8) 9. Watch all your efforts melt away as the weather warms up (7) 11. Buying these is the primary cause of preChristmas stress (5) 15. Your childhood is over when you find out 12 he’s Average just Dad in a silly hat (5) 1616.Good What’s white and red and looks better it tastes? (5,4) 20 than Very good 19. One of Santa’s little helpers (3) 21. The first name of comedian Mr Fielding (4) 23. Full of fruit and covered with marzipan - not what you want after a big dinner (4)
CEA R I S T L E T O E E B R 12 Average 16 Good Y N Network R 20 Very good Event UoB Hosts Inaugural Young Generation K
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With EDF Energy, Hitachi-GE and
graduates to connect and gain a further
technologies for the plants of the future.
Details of the next event will be
NuGen all vying to make imminent
understanding of the industry.Talks from
It is taking a leading role in preparing
released in the New Year. Anyone
investment
energy
a variety of perspectives were given
the next generation of nuclear scientists
considering a career in the nuclear
market, nuclear power looks set for
highlighting that the nuclear industry
and engineers by setting up the nuclear
industry regardless of discipline is
reinvigoration in the UK and particularly
is not just for scientists and engineers.
MSc course and is in the middle of
welcome to attend.For more information,
in the South West. The UK has a long
Michael Bray from Burges Salmon gave
constructing a brand new facility, the
please see our Facebook page: www.
history of nuclear power generation
an overview of the NI and the YGN and
Nuclear Hub, due to be ready this April.
facebook.com/BristolYGN.
which currently produces 19% of our
shared some experiences of his work in
This is the only university based branch
power. But with the last of the original
nuclear law. Gareth Davies from Davies
of the YGN and is in prime location with
Magnox plants set to close by the end of
Nuclear Associates discussed the past,
a plethora of projects and companies
this year, we are left with an impending
present and future of nuclear power in
nearby.
energy deficit. Compounded with the
the UK and how foreign investment is
announcement from the government
playing a key role in securing the UK’s
that all coal power plants will be phased
energy future. Tom Scott from Bristol’s
out within the next decade, a suitable
Interface
replacement must be found. Nuclear
proceedings with an overview of the
power offers a stable alternative that
contribution the University has given
enables the UK to meet emissions
to the industry thus far and the bright
targets and add diversification to the
future to come.
into
the
UK
Analysis
Centre
finished
Bristol plays a significant role in nuclear
UK’s energy portfolio. Generation
research and has been ranked top in the
Network (YGN) event was hosted in
UK.The university works with companies
the Physics Department on the 17th
such as EDF Energy, Sellafield, Magnox
of November. The YGN, a subsidiary
and the National Nuclear Laboratory to
of the Nuclear Institute, is a platform
help optimise current operation of sites,
for young professionals, students and
decommissioning of old ones and new
An
inaugural
Young
This article is an advertorial
Epigram 16.11.2015
16
A new curriculum for Bristol? Join the discussion Graham Read, Student Hubs
As you know, we are in the midst of a developing a new University vision and strategy. Thanks to all of you who have given us your views already in response to our #change1thing campaign; if you have not yet had a chance, please do feed in your ideas via the mechanisms described below. One of the questions that we are seeking your views on is: what are the key skills and experiences that we should offer you as part of your degree programme, and how would we provide them? Having taken initial soundings from students, colleagues, employers and partners, Professor Judith Squires, Pro ViceChancellor for Education, has proposed a curriculum on which we would like your views.
Join the discussion: Yammer University colleagues have been discussing the Bristol Futures initiative on Yammer. Some of the debate is over the labels for the pathways – are they the right ones? Or over ‘core skills’, both those within sub-disciplines and across disciplines, and whether the phrase (in the Bristol Futures initiative) is misleading. Perhaps it could be better understood as ‘themes’ or ‘strands’, or even ‘competencies’ instead of ‘skills’. One post suggests ‘international mindedness’ as an alternative to global citizenship; another emphasises the importance of the themes ‘as living themes so that students feel they have an ongoing impact on them – for example they are not just learning how Bristol students become outstanding global citizens but also defining what attributes that Bristol citizen has’. Several agree that students should be ‘more involved in curriculum design and development’ and ‘co-creators of knowledge’ so that learning is more meaningful and has real world application. What do you think? You can join the conversation on Yammer (yammer.com/bristol.ac.uk) and offer a very welcome student perspective on these points, or raise some of your own.
We take it as a given that we need to offer a world-class education in your chosen subject informed by the very latest research, including: • •
•
•
•
Global Citizenship: generating knowledge and skills to address the needs and concerns of the world in the 21st century – finding answers to today’s global challenges; educating tomorrow’s leaders. Innovation and Enterprise: creating the change-makers and leaders of the 21st century by bringing together the arts, sciences, engineering, humanities and enterprise to deliver innovative products, services and ways of living. Sustainable Futures: inspiring and educating the next generation of decision-makers, business leaders and citizens, to equip you with the skills and knowledge to deal with the challenges of climate change and sustainable living.
Why these three?
A third University Research Institute is to be established to conduct research into the self, society and what it is to be human, which could bring a research-informed perspective to the Global Citizenship pathway. Embedding core skills that are informed by the University’s key research strengths would ensure that we deliver a connected curriculum.
1. 2.
3.
The city of Bristol has always been a city of exploration, innovation and non-conformity. It was a base for the very first voyages of exploration to the New World, and it continues to be a global outward-looking city. Bristol is also a city of innovation and entrepreneurship, with a thriving economy that depends on creative media, electronics and aerospace industries. More recently, Bristol was named England’s first European Green Capital, and is committed to becoming a sustainable future city. The pathways also reflect the University’s research strengths. Two University Research Institutes deliver cross-disciplinary research of an international quality, with a third in the pipeline. The Cabot Institute conducts world-leading research on the challenges arising from how we live with, depend on and affect our planet, ensuring that the Sustainable Futures pathway benefits from cutting edge research. The Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research brings together leading researchers from disparate fields to collaborate on solutions to the most pressing health problems of the 21st century, which, together with our existing strengths in enterprise education and planned Innovation degree programme, could enrich the Innovation and Enterprise pathway.
4.
5.
What do you think?
Have we identified the right core skills or are there other skills that you would like to see introduced? Do you think the three pathways (global citizenship, innovation and enterprise, sustainable futures) should be reflected within your programme of study, in core units, or offered as extra-curricular opportunities? If extra-curricular, do you think the pathways should be credit-bearing for an award separate from your degree, eg, a certificate or diploma in the course? Would you welcome a broadening of the existing open units to allow you to, eg, take a MOOC (massive open online course) in global citizenship or one of the other themes? Would you like to work more with students from outside your subject?
We look forward to hearing your views and welcome feedback via: • email, uob-visionandstrategy-consultation@bristol. ac.uk. • your course reps or SU officers, find them at: bristolsu. org.uk/democracy/representatives. • Yammer, where you can read more about the initiative and join a lively discussion about it (yammer.com/bristol. ac.uk). Or the consultation Facebook group (facebook. com/groups/uobstrategy). • focus groups with students which we will be holding in the New Year to refine these ideas. If you would like to take part, please contact uob-visionandstrategyconsultation@bristol.ac.uk.
Delivery by academics who are recognised as leading international experts in their fields; A curriculum infused by up-to-date research and technological advancements; Opportunities to learn how to research within your course; and Opportunities for a deeper dive into research through intercalated BSc and integrated bachelors/masters programmes.
Graham Read, Student Hubs
•
•
In addition, we are considering developing some extra elements that should help prepare you for your future career. Co-developed with academics, students, Bristol’s city, regional and international partners, these pathways should reflect and celebrate both the distinctive features of the city of Bristol and the University’s particular research strengths, and speak to the needs of students and their future employers. For these reasons, the following three core skills pathways have been suggested:
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Look Again
20
Editor Rashina Gajjar
Deputy Editor Maya Colwell
Online Editor Will Soer
rgajjar@epigram.org.uk
mcolwell@epigram.org.uk
wilso@epigram.org.uk
@e2living
16.11.2015
Epigram Living Section 2015/16
Bristol: Street Level Sights With his new photo-feature, Wil Soer aims to throw focus on the underappreciated beauty of Bristol
My current landlord is very old-fashioned and is based in Bedminster. This is a potentially enormous pain, as it means that each month one of my housemates has to make the trek down to his office with cheque in hand. As the sole Philosopher amongst Lawyers and Chemists, this duty is naturally put onto me, despite my lacking a bike. Though, in all fairness, the pondering-time can be pretty helpful. The first time I made the journey down there, I found myself enjoying it far more than I expected, because every area that I walked through was completely gorgeous in its own way, each with its own bizarre, intriguing sights, varying from Stokes Croft’s graffiti to Harbourside’s pastel houses. I was particularly struck by just how many sights I had never seen before, despite the glut of ‘Bristol is gorgeous’ stock photos I’ve had to roam through when looking for photos to go with my articles. The next time I had to make the walk, I borrowed a good quality camera and took a long meandering path through various areas, snapping any sights that struck me as interesting. The point of this feature is to highlight that even when looked at from the pavement on a gloomy, misty morning, Bristol has an overabundance of idiosyncratic beauty; to try and share some of the views which - despite not turning up on a Google Images search - are emblematic of the city’s aesthetic identity and worth fixating on. Check out our full ‘Street Level Sights’ gallery on Epigram’s Facebook page; all of the images are high quality and well-suited to being a desktop background, the individuality of which will doubtlessly leave any onlookers in the ASS swooning at your edginess. And bare in mind that this is just a tiny, one-day snapshot of Bristol’s street level views; next time you’ve got to take a train from Temple Meads, visit an irksome landlord or just generally need a break, I highly recommend that you throw your headphones on and get ever so slightly lost; Bristol will reward you. All photo credits - Epigram/Will Soer
16.11.2015
21
Getting your life together...
University life can often be full of excitement, but what do you do when it all gets too much? Rashina Gajjar says you should look a little further than the problems themselves; get to their roots and then try the following steps: 1. Synthesise
There’s a decent chance that the reason you’re feeling so bewildered and lost is because you don’t feel in control. When you’re juggling a number of projects, each with their own objectives, tasks and plans, it can be so easy to feel like you’re just not on top of things and don’t know where to start. The best way to overcome this is to synthesise all of your work; it’s a lot easier to feel like you’re on top of things if you have everything in the same place; try keeping a To-Do list with sub-sections for each project, or even an excel spreadsheet (sounds hardcore, can be a complete lifesaver). Try making it as beautiful and organised as possible, as you’re probably going to be spending some time on it when you’re charting your progress.
2. Do the things you don’t want to do
This is actually essential. I have quite a bit of experience in the art of getting people to do things for me (e.g. while I lived in university halls I used to ask a specific flatmate to open my tins for me. Every. Single. Time). However, I have learned, over time (with the emotional support of a very large quantity of chocolate and an even larger quantity of running), that putting things off is no winning strategy. Instead, try to make these things fun for yourself, get them done and then treat yourself.
3. Plan ahead
4. Have a digital cleanse
5. Have a change of scene
I found that doing this was one of the best decisions I’ve made all year. Go through all (and I mean all) of your folders and documents and start categorising them into different sections and subsections. Being the sentimental person that I am, I rarely like to get rid of things, but if this is the case for you too you can always create an ‘old’ folder in your computer for things that are no longer relevant but you are somehow inexplicably still hanging onto. Digitally cleansing your computer and anything else you can get your hands on and then start again. Keep sorting anything you download and take joy in categorising everything! Folders are a man/woman/anyone’s best friend.
Have you got a unique perspective on life in Bristol? Whether it’s because of your experiences since joining the university, your background, or your tastes, we would love to hear about it; just because you don’t think of yourself as a writer doesn’t mean you can’t write a great Living article!
I often find that when living in an environment designed for sitting around and watching movies whilst stuffing your face with pizza, your mind can slip out of ‘killer productivity’ mode. Changing scene, be it to a different room of the house, the great outdoors, or a library/coffee shop, is a great way to clear your head.
6. Don’t stop until you’re proud
There are so many ways in which we can improve our lives, right now, but don’t. I think a lot of the time, this is because we’re afraid of having to keep it up, we’re afraid of starting something we can’t finish and letting ourselves down. But remember this: you only get one shot at life, so you might as well make it a cracking one! Get going and don’t stop until you’re proud. In fact, even when you’re proud, keep going. The world is your oyster.
Crush ofCrush the week: of the week: Jason of Donnervan
Dirk Vorderstraße
If you have any ideas for articles then please come and say hello on Facebook (join the ‘Epigram Living 2015-2016’ group) or email your thoughts to rgajjar@epigram.org.uk.
Olu Eletu
This is something extremely important and often overlooked. It isn’t fun to book that bus ticket or to have to trek to a place where responsible adults own a printer to print it off, but it is somewhat necessary in order to uphold the day to day running of your existence. Flights don’t book themselves, trains don’t book themselves and people definitely won’t anticipate your need of their time unless you reach out and tell them you want to go get a coffee/cupcake/samosa. Planning is the underlying success factor in everything. If you don’t plan a trip, you’ll end up muddled, stranded and probably spending a lot more money than you expected or planned (or didn’t plan?) to. If you don’t plan a route to get into work you will most probably miss that train. Planning is your secret best friend. So even if it’s painful, start getting comfortable with planning and making yourself do it. If necessary, dedicate an hour or so each week towards planning the things you want to do. And then you’ll finally be able to look forward to getting out there and doing them!
Going to Bunker just to see his face smiling down at me at 3am? Guilty as charged! When times are hard and words fail me due to the extraordinary amounts of alcohol flowing through my veins, there’s only one place for me to turn and that is into the arms of Jason. Be it cheesy chips ‘n gravy, a veggie burger, or a full-on kebab for those times when greed trumps vegetarianism, you know he’ll hit that special spot. On top of all these attributes, Jason is reliable - you can always find him in the same spot for a little bit of after-dark revelry. Mmmmh… Now I’m definitely craving chips. Maya Colwell
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04/06/2015 12:13
23
Editor Camilla Gash
Deputy Editor Ella Ennos-Dann
Online Editor Annabel Lindsay
cgash@epigram.org.uk
eennosdann@epigram.org.uk
alindsay@epigram.org.uk
@e2travel
@epigram_travel
16.11.2015
Epigram Travel Section 2015/16
A year abroad special Introducing our new year abroad columnists...
Amelia McWhirter in Padua
One week here in Geneva and I’ve managed to sprain my finger, lose my keys, cut both my knees from attempting to run, and bruise my legs to the point that they resembled blackened bananas after enthusiastically jumping on to the back of a bicycle for a midnight ride through the city. It would be fair to say it has been an eventful (albeit physically painful) five weeks here so far. Unwittingly, I’ve kindly been making all the mistakes so you don’t have to, and as a result, here is what I’ve learnt and experienced so far.
Mairead Finlay
suitcase in which I’d prioritised cereal bars, candles and some china from M&S amongst my limited baggage allowance. It’s monotonously repeated in year abroad presentations, but truly take note - planning ahead is key. Otherwise, prepare yourself for something that may come to resemble this: two weeks of dormitory living with no kitchen and strict curfews, alongside a long, tedious flat searching process, which might also include leaving a viewing with some free flamenco lessons from an old man, but this can’t be guaranteed. If you fail to organise yourself prior to starting university abroad, you might end up sharing bunk beds for the year. Like me. For added comical effect that clearly the university housing department picked up on, I share the bunk bed with the only other girl I’ve met in my life with the same name as me. Language I’ve had my fair share of embarrassing linguistic moments here – the most stupid one by far was definitely during the first week. Exhausted from searching flats all day, I went to reception to ask some questions, and failed to understand a single word that was said. Crippled with fear, I felt completely incompetent. What is this dialect? I heard the Swiss spoke slower French, but I couldn’t even understand what was probably something very basic being said here. Oh god, why was I studying languages? It soon transpired that the man at reception had found out my name was Irish, and thought it would be hysterical to speak quite aggressive Gaelic to me. The hilarity. However, I think embarrassing language mishaps are part and parcel of the year abroad experience. Take the story of one of my friends here - the only Erasmus student present in her History of Art seminar. Surrounded by native French speakers, but keen to somehow participate, she decided to ask the lecturer about a word that kept coming up again and again. What was that word? Unfortunately for her, it was actually the French word for comma. Socialising There isn’t a shortage of opportunities to socialise here, but days and nights here do often err on the side of
bizarre and you would be wise to just embrace this fact without really questioning it. This week, I’ve witnessed my housemate take a whole tiramisu from a bar and eat it, I’ve rolled about in leaves on top of a Porsche in one of the most expensive quarters of Switzerland and made lasagne at two in the morning at a party in a desolate village in France.
Mairead and her bunkmate, Mairead
Mairead Finlay
Accommodation Optimism alone in one of the most expensive cities in the world (with a current housing shortage crisis) will not get you accommodation quickly. I can attest to this, though it was probably always bound to be a haphazard flat search, having arrived here homeless with just one large
Finding out that my Italian flatmates had both friends and social skills was only going to be a plus! Culture shock was also an issue that I had to face when I first arrived. Nothing irritated me more than making the effort to go in to the city to buy anything from duvets to facewash, only to find that the shops shut from 12-4 every day. I’m still getting my head round this particular way of life; give me another month and maybe I won’t be so bitter. However, getting past the initial difficulties, there are also some positives to this new life. The city is unbelievably beautiful (with countless squares and cobbled streets) and, like Bristol, has a very large student population (it is home to the second oldest university in Italy). To begin with I was unable to appreciate its quaint, Mediterranean feel, this is fortunately no longer the case. I’ve visited several churches, including the famous Basilica di Sant’Antonio and have spent many days soaking up the sun in Prato della Valle, Italy’s largest square. On a similarly positive note, the food over here is to die for: pizzas have never tasted so good and a glass of wine can cost just over one euro. It goes without saying that it tastes infinitely better than anything you’d find in Clifton Down Sainsbury’s.
In terms of my job, I work at a specialist interpreter university just outside the centre of Padua where my official role is a Teaching Assistant. As the name suggests, this involves assisting teachers during their English lessons as well as acting as a tutor for weaker students. The tutor aspect is set to start at the beginning of November so I’ll keep you posted on how that goes. Thankfully, the students all seem to be kind and outgoing and I have already met up with them a few times during the evenings. However, it’s not all rainbows and smiles. I miss silly things like Cadbury’s dairy milk chocolate and the classic Victoria Sandwich, as well as a reliable stash of English Breakfast Tea. I’m already starting to worry that my (previously large) supply of tea from home is starting to run low and am slowly preparing myself for rationing. Anyone that knows me will understand that this is a serious issue. While I’ll have days where I feel completely settled and on top of the world, there are also the odd low points, which tend to include a wobbly Skype home. It seems the seeds of ‘the best year of my life’ are only just being sowed.
Amelia McWhirter
Amelia McWhirter
Mairead Finlay in Geneva
Amelia McWhirter
Having moved to Padua just over a month ago as part of my year abroad, I thought I’d share a few thoughts on my experience so far. I’m not going to lie, I wouldn’t say the beginning was a breeze. Having already been an au pair for two months in Pisa the summer before, I knew goodbyes were not going to be easy. I remember feeling very apprehensive walking through security after a teary goodbye to my mum at London Gatwick. Arriving that night in a B&B on the outskirts of the city wasn’t exactly a high point either. Nevertheless, I struggled through and prepared myself to meet my new Italian flatmates - which went a lot better than expected. Although - if I’m honest - I had prepared myself for the worst.
24
16.11.2015
Bristol vs Australia : the Showdown
Year abroad students Luke and Ashleigh compare life in their new cities to life in Bristol. Luke
Ashleigh Just under 4 months ago I left my hometown of Bristol and made the 10,645 mile journey across the world to start a new life in Sydney. Having spent most of my childhood living abroad, I was excited at the prospect of experiencing a new city and different way of life. However, being in a highly Westernised, English-speaking country, I wasn’t expecting much of a culture shock. Boy was I wrong. Here’s my lowdown on how my two favourite cities weigh up against each other in some fundamental aspects of student life:
1. Accommodation
2. Coffee
As a student, the next most important thing after ensuring I had a roof over my head was of course establishing my local café to replace my daily free Waitrose coffee. However, this was the problem – there was no ‘local’ café – because there are cafés EVERYWHERE. And not just the standard Costa. I’m talking insanely good cafés with insanely nice coffee. So of course I’ve been doing my public service by testing them all out and I discover a new, amazing place almost every day. One place even drew a cat on my latte. Sorry Bristol, but Sydney has one-upped you on the caffeine front. Current Score: Bristol 1 – 1 Sydney
3. Nightlife
HOWEVER, whilst the gay clubbing may be better, Sydney nightlife has let itself down in most other respects. With the standard unit of measure being a ‘schooner’ (essentially 3/4s of a pint costing nearly double the price – no thank you), the ‘lock out’ laws (no entry into clubs after 1:30 am), and the insanely strict bouncers, Sydney has disappointed on this front. No longer can I buy a 99p pint in OMG, enter Dojos at 5 am, or keep partying after the bouncer has held my friend’s hair back in the toilets. Whilst this may be good for the general
wellbeing of students here – I do not approve. For that, Bristol, you also get a point. Current Score: Bristol 2 – 2 Sydney
4. Slang
Now every city has its own peculiar slang, and of course Bristol is no different. You’ll be greeted at the ‘Asdal’ checkouts with the farmer-esque ‘alright me luvver?’ and hear the elegant farewell ‘cheers drive’ echo around the bus. And everyone’s pet peeve: ‘ermahgawd that skirt is gurt lush’. But Sydney, and in fact the whole of Australia, takes slang to a whole new level. People start conversations with ‘how you going?’ (I still don’t know if my panicked response of ‘good thanks’ actually answers this question) and almost every word in the Australian dictionary is cut in half with an ‘O’ added on the end. ‘I’m gonna ‘ave an avo this arvo’ is a legitimate sentence. I honestly can’t tell if I love it or hate it. No points granted to either side. Current Score: Bristol 2 – 2 Sydney
Melbourne
5. The Landmarks
A discussion of any city would not be complete without mentioning its landmarks, the sight of which make any citizen feel a warm fuzzy sense of patriotism. In Bristol we have Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge, over which many a student has watched the sunrise after a night on the Triangle. We also have the good old Wills Memorial Building (or not so good, depending on how many hours you’ve spent crying over books in its library), the SS Great Britain (has anyone actually ever visited it?), and the beautiful Bristol Harbour. But quite honestly, nothing compares to the infamous landmarks of Sydney. Usually, these sorts of touristy spots are overrated and underwhelming. But this does not apply to Sydney Harbour. I remember the first time I saw it: I’d walked an hour from my hostel by myself, just to avoid falling asleep from jet lag, and saw both the bridge and the Opera House come into view at the same time. As corny as it sounds, it actually took my breath away. And I fell a little bit in love with the city at the same time. Don’t get me wrong – I miss you Brizzle, I really do. You will always be my home and I can’t wait for the day we reunite. But at least for now… Sydney has my heart. Final Score: Bristol 2 – 3 Sydney Ashleigh Guest
Luke Cox
And of course, as most students are nocturnal, next up on the list is nightlife. With Bristol offering a huge range of different venues – from the edgiest of underground raves in infamous venues such as Motion and Lakota to clubbing on a boat full of hipsters in Thekla; from being overwhelmed by testosterone at Bunker Sports Night to enduring the odd desperate night in Lounge – my hometown seems to have it all. But with a population of over 4 million, Sydney of course offers a similar range. And as an avid member of the LGBT community, I think my favourite aspect of Sydney nightlife has been the gay clubbing. With regular lesbian nights in Newtown and massive super-clubs along Oxford Street, Sydney definitely knows how to let the homosexuals party. As much as I love and miss OMG – Sydney takes the biscuit here. Current Score: Bristol 1 – 2 Sydney
Sydney
Ashleigh Guest
As accommodation was one of the first things that I needed to organise once I had arrived, it was also one of the first differences I noticed about student life in Sydney. As we know, in the UK, almost all students are desperate to spread their wings and fly as far away from their parents’ nest as is geographically possible. However, in Australia, the majority of students continue to live at home and commute to their nearest university, even if that means travelling a solid 2 hours each way (the equivalent of a Bristol uni student commuting from London each day). Because of this, Australian uni accommodation isn’t a given and is extortionately priced. One nil to Bristol. Current Score: Bristol 1 – 0 Sydney
In July of 2015 I arrived in Melbourne, as fresh faced and perky as one would expect after 36 hours in transit -- in other words not exactly excited to explore a brand new city. A little over three months later I have fortunately realised that I don’t have to because Melbourne and Bristol are essentially the same place (plus 12,742km). The major difference between Melbourne and any British city is the size. Unlike in Britain, land is not at a premium in Australia and it shows. Melbourne has a population just over 4 million, about 9 times that of Bristol, but a land area 90 times larger. To put this into context the land area of Melbourne (9,990km2) is approximately half the size of Wales! Look across the Bristol Channel to that small nation, now imagine half of those rolling hills are endless suburban sprawl. Despite this there are many similarities. Some are purely superficial, such as the large, cable based bridge, prolific street art, the presence of a ‘Clifton Hill’ (admittedly a suburb and not a house) and a semi-central university which has long since exceeded the patch of land it is located on and resorted to filling in the gaps by buying up all the local houses. These are not the similarities of primary concern though. Bristol has been rated the most liveable city in Britain, whilst Melbourne has been rated as the most liveable in the world. So what makes Melbourne better than Bristol? Is it the low cost public transport, which allowed me to travel over 50 kilometres for only three dollars and seventy-five cents (one pound seventy eight)? The presence of a literal ‘Batman Park’? The fact that they sell hummus by the kilogram? The answer to all these questions is no. What makes Melbourne great is exactly what makes Bristol great but on a larger scale; they have no concept of the phrase ‘too pretentious’. Within a mere five minutes of my house I can obtain (without exaggeration) hot chocolate served by pouring it over a glass of literal wood smoke, a fish and chip shop with ten varieties of salt and at least three brunch cafés. All this in North Melbourne, which is not even considered an exceptional suburb. The real heart of the city’s life is the Central Business District (or CBD, as it’s known). This is what would be equivalent to the city centre in an English city.
Here, however, the term ‘city centre’ is wildly inaccurate as the geographical centre of Melbourne is ten kilometres south east of the CBD. (ten kilometres south east of Bristol’s city centre is a field!) It would be a waste of time for me to tell you what is available in the CBD because, quite literally, everything is! Choose what you want, insert it into Google and add the word ‘Melbourne’ to the end and you’ll almost certainly find it. The spectrum is vast; within a five minute walk one can go from a rooftop bar to the heart of Chinatown and then into a German Bräuhaus. (Disclaimer: this walk may take longer than five minutes if you actually want to try the things these places serve.) So if you like Bristol and wish there was more of it (and maybe less rain) then Melbourne has everything you could hope for: the culture, music, bars, restaurants and the sheer peculiarity. The only real downside is they also scale the drink prices. Luke Cox
Ashleigh Guest
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16.11.2015
7 things I love about Copenhagen After a relatively small amount of deliberation, I decided to spend a year studying in the Danish capital, Copenhagen. After Denmark was named the ‘happiest nation in the world’ by the World Happiness Report, why would I choose anywhere else? Here are a few things I have learnt so far on my quest to become as sophisticated, stylish and content as the inhabitants of Copenhagen:
6. Paper Island – (Or Papirøen if we want to pretend we know some Danish) is the city’s best street food market. Here you can enjoy anything from Vietnamese noodles to New York Cheesecake, while sipping a coffee or a cocktail. I somehow find myself there every weekend – to the detriment of my bank balance. 7. The Danes – The Danes themselves are perhaps the biggest enigma I have encountered. Blonde and inexplicably tanned (where are they getting their Vitamin D?!), they appear private and closedoff at first. However, if you are brave enough to nervously enquire if they speak English (which of course they all do, flawlessly), you discover they are very friendly and happy to help any confused international student.
1. Cycle, everywhere. Don’t even bother trying to get
anywhere without a bike. Although the public transport system is perfectly adequate, there is nothing quite like taking advantage of the flat terrain on 2 wheels, something I was never prepared to do in hilly Bristol.
3. Christiania - hippy haven or criminal underworld? I am unsure what to make of the neighbourhood of Christiania, which was established in 1971. Although it lies geographically inside Copenhagen, it is a ‘consensus democratic’ commune that selfgoverns and has its own flag and currency. The inhabitants of Christiania refer to it as a ‘utopia in progress’. All decisions are made through group discussion and, supposedly, all 800 inhabitants have equal say in said decision-making. However, Christiania also has a dark history of violence, gang-related crime and drugs. Therefore, this society that exists separately from the rest of Copenhagen remains a mystery to me. 4. All black everything – Some say the Danes are a very conforming society, not straying far from the norm. I have seen little to contest this point when it comes to clothing. Everyone: Young,
Iona Eckstein
2. Hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga. I know, the pronunciation remains a mystery to me as well) - The Danes pride themselves on this phrase - which although doesn’t directly translate in to any other language - means ‘feeling cosy’. Sitting by a fire with friends, sipping hot chocolate and having a candle-lit dinner would all be considered Hygge activities. As the weather gets colder and darker, I am on constant mission to achieve Hygge.
Although the expense and cold weather of Copenhagen occasionally bring it down in my estimation, I am thoroughly enjoying the Danish way of life so far. Iona Eckstein
old, male or female seems to base their style around one shade black. As long as you own black jeans, black trainers, a black coat and a black scarf, you can blend in with the natives.
5. Tust - The Danes have statistically high levels of trust among one-another compared to other nations. This is best exemplified when walking through neighbourhoods such as Nørrebro or Frederiksberg. Prams cradling sleeping babies are left outside shops and cafes while parents enjoy a bit of piece and quiet. Although this seems bizarre bordering on idiotic to most foreigners, it perfectly demonstrates the trusting nature of the Danes.
It’s not easy to pick favourites in a city with so many great and inexpensive options for a night out, but here are some of the places that really made their mark during my six months in Hamburg. These bars are all within walking distance of each other, as well as all the city’s best clubs.
Georgie Wootton
Bambi Bar - Bambi is a fantastic little dive bar on the ever popular Hamburger Berg and the only place that isn’t packed out on weekends, meaning you can usually grab a seat and chill out at any time of night. Despite the location, it’s really laid-back: I’ve never had any unwanted attention here and the bar staff are super friendly. Order a Hamburger Liebe – Helbing (local caraway schnapps) mixed with honey ginger ale. Möwe Sturzflug - Möwe is a cocktail bar on a quiet road a few minutes’ walk from the famous Reeperbahn and you’re unlikely to find any tourists in there. They have a unique menu and use plenty of fresh ingredients – I’m a fan of the Helbing tonic, which mixes Helbing, tonic water and fresh basil.
Georgie Wootton
Sofabar - Unfortunately, my first visit to Sofabar was in my final week in the city – had I visited sooner, I’d have become a regular. The bar is packed with extravagant but ratty sofas arranged around low wooden tables, as though the owners raided a forgotten French palace and is perfect for larger groups.
John Lemon - Like Möwe, you probably won’t see any tourists in this little bar on a residential street in Eimsbüttel, about 10 minutes’ walk from Sternschanze station. The sign above the bar says it all: “No WiFi, talk to your drink” – this is the place to sit and have a quiet drink, with friends or by yourself. What makes John Lemon unique, however, is the bowling alley under the bar.
Good Old Days - Probably the only bar on this list that isn’t considered cool. The music is pretty varied, with regular hip-hop nights (a mixture of American and German) and they have a varied menu, with cucumber water on the bar and two euro beer some nights during the week. On a particularly hot day last summer, the staff came round at one in the morning with ice pops – a win in my book. Honourable mentions go to Haus 73, Goldfischglas, and Central Park beach bar: always great, but you have to get in pretty early to guarantee a space. Georgie Wootton
Iona Eckstein
Hamburg’s best boozers
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Editor Hattie Bottom
Deputy Editor Plum Ayloff
Online Editor Phoebe Jordan
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@e2style
16.11.2015
@epigramstyle
Does Kanye have a chance in the fashion world?
A musician’s perspective vs. a fashion critique of Kanye’s Yeezy collection world of late as well. And just as the energy behind ‘All Falls Down’ was fuelled by frustration at the racism and repression that his community was experiencing, his recent aesthetic decisions come from a much deeper desire than looking ‘fly’. During Kanye’s occasionally hilarious, occasionally fascinating Zane Lowe interviews, he discussed how his recent left turn away from four-figure valued clothing was influenced by Swiss architectural pioneer Le Corbusier, who chose to pour his artistic vision into products made out of cheap materials such as cement, placed in public for general appreciation. ‘It wasn’t until I started taking the sensibilities of proportion, colour and finishing and applying them to fleece, and jersey and French terry, which is a cement in comparison to the type of materials that Louis Vuitton might use, that I found a reason to create.’ West’s new work has a clear impetus of tackling exclusivity and prejudice through empowerment, as demonstrated by his excitement at having ‘the star of the show as a 5 foot 3 girl, when there’s never been a 5 foot 3 girl the star of any fashion show… it was about these kids having a moment to be themselves, to be a stronger version.’ Does it succeed? I don’t know. I like it but, as I said earlier, my knowledge of fashion is pretty limited. My knowledge of Kanye West, on the other hand, is not and if there’s one thing to be learned from his career thus far, one that boasts millions of album sales and more critical acclaim than any other popular music artist in the 21st century except maybe Radiohead, is that when he puts his mind to something, it’s impossible to predict how far he can go. Laugh at his desire to be a designer all you wish, but there was a time when he was denied a recording contract by Roc Nation due to being ‘not right’ for the career of a rapper, and look how that turned out…
‘A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.’ Someone originally said this about Russia, but as time goes by I think it might equally apply to Kanye West. Few figures in popular culture have captured the public interest like he has, yet he has equally refused to allow that to dictate his course of action. This is the man who dropped the simultaneously revolutionary and regressive 808s & Heartbreak which, widely criticised at the time, is perhaps only now receiving a fair level of understanding. To listen to Yeezus and compare it to the College Dropout era work is enough in itself to demonstrate that West isn’t happy to ‘go with the flow.’ So maybe it was unsurprising that as far back as 2005 he announced, upon the successful release of Late Registration, that he would be releasing a clothing line. However, this first attempt was not to be and was ultimately cancelled in 2009. Numerous small ventures into fashion, mostly in the form of shoe collaborations with the likes of A Bathing Ape (a traditional Kanye favourite) followed, but no significant releases came until 2011. This roundly criticised effort was much improved upon with a second release in 2012 but, ultimately, these first attempts never got off the ground. So what changed? Well in late 2014 he released a successful and widely praised collaboration with A.P.C., coupled with the announcement of his upcoming Adidas footwear collaboration. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, but the release of the Adidas Yeezy Boost line hit critical mass like none of his previous fashion work ever had and, not a moment too soon, Kanye was surrounded by the same hype that had engulfed his music career. We’re pretty familiar with the rest. More (and more successful) footwear followed and then his big moment. The announcement of Yeezy Season 1. Yeezy S1 has undeniably been incredibly successful in one particular field: that of inspiring media coverage (this piece included). Media coverage proclaiming Ye’s work as, in the words of my Year 6 English teacher, ‘All three extremes; good, bad and average.’ And this isn’t a surprise. Yeezy
has blown a hole in the living room wall of fashion and marched straight in on the tea party. With a NYFW show that was like nothing we’d seen before, he really did challenge the orthodoxy. He did what designers had been saying they would do for years in assembling an actually diverse set of models, diverse not just in race but also in body size and shape. Yet he confounded expectations by abandoning what was seemingly the raison d’être of his work; to put high fashion in the hands of those who had been denied it by its exclusivity and high price tag. A noble cause, but one which seems to have only been important right up to the point at which he started to scribble numbers on price tags. Sad, really, because it was all looking so promising. Although the clothing may seem ‘out there’ to many, there is an earthen, workwear inspired quality to it all. He uses an incredibly muted colour palette and eschews fancy printwork and expensive fabrics in favour of beige cotton and grey jersey. But maybe this is Kanye all over. Lulling us into a false sense of security, allowing us to think that we know what’s going on and then sidestepping us at the last minute. Whether he’s doing it with autotune and a TR808 Drum Machine or a ripped sweater and duckboots (sorry, Yeezy 950s), it appears there’s no escaping the madness. This is, at heart, a very good collection of clothing, but Josh Prior unfortunately seems destined to be consigned to the financial Style Writer top-shelf, out of the reach of those at whom it was aimed.
Adidas.co.uk
So here I am, writing for the Epigram Style section. If you know me personally then you will probably find this a bit odd, maybe even funny; I’m definitely not known for my relationship with fashion. Though I’m not quite I’m at a Jeremy Corbyn level of style ignorance, it’s unlikely that you’ll see fashion gurus dropping their paninis and gawking at my new outfit any time soon. Not unlike Kanye West. Outside of the areas of hip hop fandom and musical criticism, he is mainly known for being a loud man who says funny things that don’t generally make sense and being married to the world’s most famous reality star. He has made comments about how he is disregarded by the fashion industry, due to his fame, his race and his sexuality, sidelining the fact that some of his previous collections were rather dire. The most significant difference between myself and Will Soer Kanye West, however, is that he is a fucking genius. Online Living Editor He has repeatedly revolutionised and reenergised hip hop over the last decade or so, with each of his albums marking a distinct, impressive new sound that would go on to spawn countless ripoffs and reinterpretations. This didn’t come without a teething phase though; Kanye stated that it was not until the recording of ‘All Falls Down’ (a lyrical masterclass, by the way) that he discovered his own sound. It would seem that he has finally reached this stage of prowess in the fashion
Kanye West x Adedas Originas 2015, Vogue Adidas.co.uk
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16.11.2015
Balmain x H&M, welcome to the fashion jungle
H&M x Balmain Collection, hm.com ebay.co.uk
Balmain AW’15, vogue.co.uk
camping from up to 24 hours before the opening and queues were more reminiscent of riots than orderly lines. I was not exempt from this, I indeed queued online from 8:30 am to get my hands on these exclusive pieces and was left waiting for hours as the website crashed across the globe. The idea of such a collection, with the young and extremely current image of Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain available to the masses, was a fantastic one. Yet since its release on November 5th, and on the November 5th alone, when the collection had sold out completely by 12 pm in most countries, the two companies have received much backlash. H&M have lost loyal customers as a result of a customer service melt down and Balmain has been turned into a publicity hungry monster
Instagram, @balmainparis
H&M x Balmain Collection, hm.com
H&M is no stranger when it comes to designer collaborations, so taking on a collection with French fashion house, Balmain, came as no surprise. For over ten years the Swedish high street store has been collaborating with the most sought after designers. We all went mad for Alexander Wang x H&M sports bras in 2014 and crazy Versace prints in 2012. What did come as a surprise was the spectacular outcome of this month’s release. The collection itself was divine in every single way, it was a fashionista’s dream, real Balmain looks on a budget, but the reception was anything but. The release of the Balmain x H&M collection revealed an unfortunate side to the fashion industry, an immense greed to get hold of ‘It’ items. In every country flagship stores had people
rather than the glossy couturier it was before. The clothes are undeniably beautiful, the quality much higher than average H&M and the prices very reasonable, the most expensive piece from the collection was the £399.99 Beaded Dress. Although the collection still remains on the H&M website, it is clear to see it is all sold out. Yet the most savvy of shoppers were not buying for themselves; eBay is now the biggest selling platform for the Balmain x H&M collection, items being at least two times their original prices. The highly popular Beaded Jacket worn by Kendall Jenner at the Billboard Music Awards in May, which retailed at £299.99, sold out within minutes and now sells on eBay for just short of £800. The collection has been transformed from a beacon of glittering fashion history into a consummative mess, a rather sad outcome for such a hopeful collection. Since the announcement of the collection in May this year, the internet has truly exploded, every social media network was filled with #HMBALMAINNATION #BalmainArmy and #BalmainxHM, not to mention the hordes of celebrity followers who have been wearing the pieces for months whilst the general public waited and lusted, planning their purchases long before the release date. Only a slight percentage of these people now own the very limited collection, yet bloggers and celebrities have been wearing the stock long before November 5th, which poses the question, was this collection exclusive or just selective?
Phoebe Jordan Online Style Editor
A breakdown of the best mens outerwear this season Men, embrace it. There is a new, positive atmosphere in fashion that has been reflected in this season’s sartorial offerings. Since London Collections Men began in 2012, our capital has again become the catwalk for the most innovative menswear in the world. With the Seventies revival, the Autumn / Winter season is going strong with shearling and never-ending collaborations to whet people’s
Sherman’s subtle mod tipping on the cuffs and waistband. For the runners and ravers, the Mission I’mPOSSIBLE Nike Windbreaker Jacket is the perfect addition to your wardrobe. With its contrasting colours, this jacket certainly breaks the mould of dull coloured winter clothing!
appetites. There just is no better time to be a man than right now. Make the streets of Bristol your catwalk with this selection of overcoats and watch as people around you slip up on the leaves beneath their feet. Just make sure you don’t fall over yourself. Ben Sherman collaborated with Alpha Industries to produce the Alpha MA-1 Flight Jacket. This bomber jacket is made of the flight nylon Alpha is known for and includes Ben
Coats from left to right: Scotch and Soda £329, Canada Goose £610, Ben Sherman £160, ASOS Marketplace £35, Nike I’mPOSSIBLE $46, Tommy Hilfinger £400, Next £35 Parkas have always been popular on campus, but one in particular stands out. The Chateau parka by Canada Goose is a timeless classic and although created for the
extreme conditions in the Arctic, most people in Bristol take advantage of this to tread around campus in the winter. Stay warm as a weasel this winter with this furry offering from Scotch & Soda, giving your wardrobe a surprising dash of colour. It can be clearly seen from the catwalk that the Seventies is back in a big way, so this vintage shearling coat from
ASOS is a perfect addition to your wardrobe this year. Antonio Banderas joined Central Saint Martins this September on a short course, hoping to hone his fashion skills and resurrect the cape. Granted, he played Zorro on two occasions but it doesn’t mean that you can’t make a dramatic entrance with this offering from Next. For date night, go smart and preppy with this double breasted Ivo Videnov wool coat from Tommy Hilfiger. Style Writer
Editor Izzie Fernades
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Deputy Editor Tom Horton
Online Editors Issy Montgomery; Becky Scott
16.11.2015
getinvolved@epigram.org.uk
Join us at: Epigram Food Section 2015/16
Follow us at: epigramfood
Top 5 University Lunch Spots
Julia Pritchard explores the best places to get lunch in and around university Some days, whether you’re nursing a headache from the night before, feeling overwhelmed by your increasing workload, or the Bristol rain is just pouring down miserably on top of you, that leftover curry you’ve been stretching out all week just doesn’t cut it as a satisfying lunch. That’s why we here at Epigram have come up with a definitive ranking of the top 5 places to buy lunch on campus on a student friendly budget. Whether you’re rushing between lectures and need something to get you through the afternoon, or you’re after a hearty, carby comfort meal on a gloomy day, these are the places for you.
4. QED
5. The Refectory
Slightly on the pricier side in comparison to the other contenders on the list, but quite frankly, their hot panini and deli sandwich selection is second to none. Go for the tuna pesto cheese melt or the spanish chorizo flat bread for a lunch you’ll want to Instagram.
Not the best quality food you can find around uni, but its centrally located, cheap, and quick. Their hugely popular all-day full English breakfast does what it says on the tin and although some choices are reminiscent of those school dinners you were forced to chow down in times gone by, a few hot dishes, such as the Chilli, do a job in providing a filling, satisfactory and cheap lunch. A hit with male students in particular, thanks to enormous portion sizes.
A great choice for hot, wholesome food, with their homemade soups and hearty jacket potatoes being the perfect cure for when you’re feeling a little bit homesick. Notably better for sitting in however, with the takeaway sandwiches often being a bit soggy and underwhelming, so perhaps a better choice for a lunch date with friends after lectures.
3. Caffe Gusto
2. Parsons Parsons Bakery on St Michael’s Hill, selling delicious English classics such as hot pasties and breakfast sandwiches, is
definitely one for the budget-savvy student. A bacon and sausage doorstop sarnie on homemade bread is a cracking choice for those difficult hangover days, all takeaway coffees are £1 and a lunchtime meal deal including a large sandwich, freshly baked cake and drink sets you back just £3.50. Believe us, it’s far more satisfying than those supermarket brands down the road.
1. The Red Tent Known by all Bristol students and residents, the famed Red Tent is undoubtedly the number one lunch location. Host to a frankly huge variety of sandwiches, considering it’s merely a pitched up tent outside the Royal Fort Gardens, you can nab a massive ciabatta full of premium filling, such as falafel and hummus or pulled pork with BBQ sauce for just £2.60 and delicious brownies and flapjacks for just £1. Although the queue can build up quite heavily at peak times, the service is fast and the food is always so worth it. Friendly staff serving cheap and tasty grub: it’s a winner.
Burger Joint lives up to the hype
For any freshers who are yet to discover this Bristol institution, it is definitely worth a visit. The restaurant certainly stakes a claim to serve up the best burgers in Bristol. Time Out gave it five stars and TripAdvisor ranked it the second best burger restaurant in the UK. Last week Epigram paid a visit to see what all the fuss was about. And boy did Burger Joint live up to the hype. Staff were friendly and helpful, talking us through the menu and deals on offer. One of the best things about Burger Joint is the huge range of choice. The format is ‘build your own burger’, choosing from a range of meat or vegetable patties, adding toppings (at 80p each or 3 for £1.95), two free sauces and a free side. Choices range from the traditional, such as pulled pork and peri chicken, to venison, chilli con carne and even kangaroo, for the more adventurous. If you’re on a diet, there are even speciality salads on offer that provide the same range of choice, through the build your own format. If you’re struggling there is a list of suggested combinations and the ‘Burger of the Month’, for £9.95, to fall back on. After much deliberation, we opted for an unusual combination of beef burger with BBQ pulled pork, pineapple and halloumi, and the ‘Burger of the Month’, a pork, sage and apple burger with smoked Applewood cheddar, chorizo, apple sauce and mayo. Service was remarkably quick given that each burger is
individually created and we were tucking into our meals in no time. The classic combination of pork and apple sauce was delicious and moist, whilst the Applewood cheddar added a smoky kick. The beef burger, cooked medium, remained succulent and the BBQ pulled pork topping was extremely tasty. We both chose sweet potato chips for our free side and these were perfectly crisp
yet still soft inside. The portions were enormous and would satisfy even the hungriest student. We washed down our burgers with a delicious Oreo milkshake and a lager from the restaurant’s impressive range, which included local craft beers from Bristol Beer Factory. If by some miracle you have space for desserts (we didn’t) then the standard offerings include chocolate brownie and banoffee pie. Admittedly the dessert choice is far more limited, with only four options, however this is nothing to complain about given that the average visitor would be more than satisfied by the generous main course portions. A standard burger, with three toppings and a side, comes in at just over £10, which is far from extortionate. However, the range of deals available, including 10% off for students Monday – Thursday and any burger, topping and side for £5.95 from 3-5pm Monday – Friday, makes this a highly affordable option for students. Best of all, Burger Joint even offers a home delivery option, so there’s no excuse not to try one of the best burgers in Bristol! Although Burger Joint provided a free meal for this review, this did not in any influence the article, and the restaurant did not see the review before it was published. http://www.theburgerjoint.co.uk Becky Morton
The Canteen: an ideal lunch spot The Canteen is a diverse place. Originally set up to cater for the surrounding offices, the business has morphed into a real hybrid; part cafe, part restaurant, part bar and part music venue, The Canteen has a lot to offer. Whilst many students may have primarily been for their popular live music events, the food is also well worth sampling. No two visits to The Canteen will be the same. The menu is constantly changing, so much so that they don’t even print paper copies of their menus. Instead, the reasonably small choice of options is written on a large blackboard on an almost daily basis, giving the place the feel of a real canteen. There is always a focus on local and fairtrade produce, with good vegetarian and vegan options always on offer. When I visited, I had a smoked haddock risotto. The fish was beautifully cooked and the tender pieces easily fell apart when given even a light forking, and the rice was rich, creamy and flavoursome. My friend had a goat’s cheese tart with salad which was equally delicious. Whilst not cheap, The Canteen does offer value for money. You will get a couple of quid change from your tenner (which can easily be spent at the bar) and all orders come with a ‘free’ starter
of whatever hearty soup they’ve cooked up that morning. As well as serving up quality food, The Canteen also has a good atmosphere. Inside, the tasteful music and vibrant atmosphere make for a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Outside, the combination of its high street location and the light foliage slightly obscuring the view makes for excellent people watching. All in all, The Canteen is an ideal lunch spot. Tom Horton
16.11.2015
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Never underestimate the power of It’s November and it is cold and it is wet and it is starting to get really, really hard to find the motivation to get out of bed the in morning. All you want to do is curl up under a warm duvet with Netflix and forget all about uni. Fortunately for your grades, but maybe not for your snuggle time, I have the best form of motivation for you: bacon. Forget what the newspapers say, bacon is still okay to eat, (please don’t quote me on that), and this butternut squash soup recipe goes perfectly with it. Also, don’t forget, it’s Winter which means all your root veg is super cheap so this recipe should leave you with a couple of quid spare to splash out on that massive cold/rain-inducing self-pitying bar of chocolate. You’ll need: 1 Butternut squash 4 Carrots. 2 Red onions. 2 Cloves of Garlic. 1 Pack of bacon. 1 Can of coconut milk. 2 Cans (use the can as a measurement) of vegetable stock. 2 Tablespoons of garam masala. Oil for cooking and roasting.
What to do: -Preheat oven to 250c. -Peel and chop carrots, squash and 1 clove of garlic. -Toss the mix in a bowl with a splash of oil and season with salt and pepper. -Transfer to a baking tray and shove in the oven for 30 mins (or until tender). -While veg is in the oven, peel and finely chop onion and 2nd clove of garlic. Set aside. -After roasting, remove the veg from oven and set aside. -Now cut bacon into little pieces and fry in a sauce pan. -Once cooked remove and set aside. -Now add more oil and fry onions and garlic in the same pan. -Add roasted veg, coconut milk and stock. -Bring to the boil and stir frequently for 10 minutes. -Remove from heat and blend with hand-held blitzer. -Once smooth, add 3/4 of the bacon and stir. -Serve and garnish with left over bacon. Jordan Kelly-Linden
Tinned Tomatoes
Nick Neave extols the virtues of your store cupboard’s most versatile contendor ‘All professional chefs have an essential list of ‘store cupboard’ items to keep well stocked, planning for any culinary eventuality. Tinned tomatoes feature highly on most of these lists, firstly due to their versatility, and secondly due to the little preparation time needed with them. If in a tight spot, there is nothing easier than employing one of these charming tins (for no more than 40p each!) in a range of cheap, healthy and delicious ways that will guarantee a surprised nod of approval from any attendant housemates. Here are 3 of my top suggestions:
3.Ratatoille Again, a similar endeavor as the pasta sauce, except slightly reversed. Take a large pan and add olive oil, chopped onions and garlic. Cook until lightly browned. Add roughly chopped aubergine and thyme to the pan and stir until the aubergine becomes slightly soft. Then add diced squash and diced red and green peppers until all the vegetables are nearly fully cooked. At this point, add the tinned tomatoes and reduce for 5 minutes or so to remove some of the acidity. There you have it, a delicious veggie meal without even thinking about it!
1. Pasta Sauce In a deep-ish pan, fry onions and garlic in plenty of olive oil until browned. Add the tin of tomatoes, mashing them until sufficiently sauce-like. Add seasonings like chilli, basil or bay leaves, so that more flavors can be brought into the sauce. Seasoning is really important when cooking with stock ingredients, and also provides a great opportunity to experiment with those mysterious spice jars loitering at the back of the cupboard. Over a medium-high heat, let the sauce reduce, i.e. let some of the water evaporate out of the pan. While the high acidic content of the tomato fruit makes it ideal for the canning process, it is not ideal for the kitchen! The heating process reduces the acidity of the tomato and also gives it a more solid consistency. Towards the end of the process, you may also wish to add some meat, fish or vegetables, normally in small bite size pieces. Another staple of the store cupboard, tinned tuna, is a perfect addition. If not pre-cooked, it is advisable to cook your final additions in another pan. Serve over your favourite shape pasta (or ravioli if you’re feeling adventurous).
2.Tomato Soup Probably the easiest of the three. Fry some thinly sliced garlic and onions in a pan until golden. Add the tinned tomatoes and mash until as liquidized as possible. The same reduction and seasoning process as with the pasta sauce applies so cook until acceptable sweetness is achieved. If the process takes too long and the tomato has solidified slightly, add milk to loosen it up, and this in turn also adds a creamy flavor. Serve with one of the many available and exciting variants of bread. (Dipping in a grilled cheese toastie is much recommended).
House Meals: A Blessing or a Curse? Within the first few weeks of university life the same conversation will take place within almost every single group of students that find themselves living together: ‘Let’s all cook together and have house meals!’ The idea of all getting together, mucking in and whipping up a delicious dinner has everyone giddy with excitement, what good fun that would be! Cooking together is not only a great way to save pennies on your food shop but it’s also a fun way to bond with your fellow housemates… in theory. Unfortunately, in my experience at least, this is not always the way it happens. The first few house meals go swimmingly; fajitas, pasta bake, and a curry perhaps. After this, it becomes increasingly difficult to identify a meal that everyone likes. Perhaps my flatmates were all just particularly fussy, but thinking of something tasty and original for consecutive weeks proved somewhat of a problem. Having a vegetarian and a coeliac in the equation made things no easier. As the weeks progressed, cooking together became more of a chore as you came to realise the annoying habits that each of you have in the kitchen. Everyone has a certain
way of doing things. When it comes to cooking, I know for a fact that the way I do things is the right way, but unfortunately my flatmates think the same about their methods. Disagreements can arise over the most minor things and with the repeatedly frustrated exclamation, ‘my Mum has done it ever since I can remember,’ argument become heated. Disagreements don’t even stop once the food reaches the table, my flatmates once brought out a ruler in order to make sure that everyone had an equal portion of pasta bake. And what about the fact that boys usually eat more than girls? Should the girls pay for less of the ingredients? The size of each person’s plate also throws confusion and anxiety into the mix as everybody around the table frantically tries to gauge the size of the portion given the depth, width and circumference of each bowl. God forbid there be leftovers, who is rightfully entitled to those? And then comes everyone’s favourite part of the night: washing up. Cooking meals together somehow seems to generate a staggering amount of cleaning up. There’s usually only one sink which means that unless you take it in turns then one person is stuck washing up until their poor hands have
deteriorated into shrivelled prunes. Having said this, if you’ve got the right mix of people then cooking house meals can work out really well. If you’re not much of a cook yourself it’s a good way to ensure you have a tasty meal every once in a while and if you’re cooking for a group you’re more likely to try out more interesting dishes than what you’d make if you were cooking just for yourself. Despite the tension it can cause, if you do it right and all try and be a bit flexible with regards to what’s being cooked and how it’s being cooked then it’s a great way to get your housemates together for a bit of fun. If, like me, you can’t tolerate your flatmates’ cooking habits for the large part of the year, cooking Christmas dinner together each year is still a must. The festive period is about friends and family after all and it’s difficult to get annoyed at one another when the smell of pigs in blankets and roast potatoes is wafting through the house and you’ve got the Christmas playlist on full blast. Charlotte Wass
Editor Ben Duncan-Duggal whatson@epigram.org.uk
30
16.11.2015
Flikr/:nirudh Koul Flickr: LEWEB Photos
Bristol’s palate over the next month is more diverse than something else which is pretty diverse. With massive club nights complemented with thought-provoking discussions, there’s something for everyone. Brithop: Regional Rap in Post-Colonial Britain (Lecture by Justin Williams)
Garage Sessions Bristol w/Ms Dynamite – Lakota, 26 November
16 November
Rise Records, 8pm. Free tickets have gone but you can be added to the waitlist via Eventbrite.
The return of Cirque Du Soul to Bristol promises the return of great dance music for the casual listener. Musically positioned exactly where your AUX cable would be at a house party, memories of the success of this approach last time around will have punters streaming back for more. Look out for jugglers, flame throwers and pupils larger than the sun.
Credit: Who-is-me
Start The Bus. Free Entry.
Tickets available via Resident Advisor.
Have we reached an age of gender equalityMilo Yiannopolous & Rebecca Reid Journalists Milo Yiannopolous and Rebecca Reid will be debating the issue of gender equality, followed by a Q&A. As Epigram have previously reported, there has been huge controversy surrounding the invitation to allow Yiannopolous, who has been criticised for sexist and transphobic comments, to speak, but at this stage the event is going ahead, and will probably be one of the most talked about events in Bristol this year. 18:30. Chemistry LT1 Free tickets will be available online.
Credit: Designatic
OUR BEST EVENT - Bad Sounds gig 25 November Historically, Bristol has not been great at producing decent guitar bands, with only The Pop Group springing to mind. It’s not an exaggeration to say that this genuinely could change with Bad Sounds; their light, poppy yet groovalicious sound will appeal to those who wonder what Tame Impala would sound like without LSD.
If Ms Dynamite wasn’t a big enough draw (and indication of how good the garage will be here) the organisers are also promising ‘free whistles and horns on arrival.’ What more could you need?
27 November
Credit: Joe Mabel
Cirque Du Soul @ Motion, featuring DJ Neat 25 November
Credit: Bryjner Vik
Mr Williams will examine how influences from both traditional Caribbean culture and traditional British culture have been merged by innovators to create something which would otherwise never exist. And with slavery, mass immigration in the 60s and trip-hop, that couldn’t be more relevant to Bristol.
Got suggestions? Email whatson@epigram.org.uk with your ideas or to be featured in the paper
Reclaim the Night, a march against gender violence and for equality, takes place on November 27th. Chloe Maughan explains why it’s important. In a recent seminar a tutor asked the following question: “Do you fear crime?”. A large number of the group answered no. But notably those of us who answered in the affirmative shared commonalities: every one of us a woman, and each of us when probed listed rape and assault among our fears. But the fear is not a general one. Certainly for me, it is not one I take into my home or that walks with me each morning. It is a fear that catches me in a very specific circumstance: when I make my way home alone after dark. This fear was imbued in me long before I experienced anything to make sense of it, instilled by years of being reminded that women should not walk home at night. For some time I feared the night in the same way I find many women are nervous around white vans – you may not have ever experienced anything that has specifically generated mistrust around them, and yet sometimes you find yourself crossing the road to avoid them.
Women should not be forced to plan their lives around fears of violence and harassment Over the last few years, however, my fears have become realities. I can no longer count the amount of times I have been harassed or assaulted in the street. A few incidents in particular have had a huge impact on shaping my behaviours: a gang of men who grabbed me and groped me in a quiet street; a man who followed me home. Indeed, as a result of these incidents, it is not unusual that I’ll turn down evening plans due to anxieties over getting home. Sadly, neither this feeling nor these experiences are unique to me. Indeed, a 2014 survey that asked about women’s’ experiences on Clifton Triangle found that only half felt safe getting home at night. Additionally, More found that 73% of women fear rape, and almost half avoid going out at night due to fears over their safety.
Many women are however met with few alternatives than to walk the streets at night, whether they’re commuting or meeting friends. And yet consistently we’re told not to. And worse, when an incident occurs we are reminded not to walk the streets. We are told to police ourselves: don’t drink, don’t wear short skirts, don’t tie your hair back. Instead of making these spaces safe for women, we remove them from them, and in doing so we make women responsible for the harms committed against them. But I reject that. Women should not be forced to plan their lives around fears of violence and harassment. They should be able to walk the streets freely. So on November 27th we take back the streets. We Reclaim the Night to challenge that culture that often tells us we must hide ourselves away.
Photo credit: Alex Sheppard
Find out more about reclaim the night at: tinyurl.com/reclaimbristol
reclaim the night 2014 Images by Alex Sheppard
Our Varsity charity will be 1625ip for the second year running: #EmbraceTheRivalry This February will see the return of the varsity series: a sporting contest between UoB and UWE that spans two weeks and involves thousands of students. In 2015 the Mighty Maroon reigned victorious and saw an impressive £6,520 donated to headline charity 1625 Independent People (1625ip). We are pleased to announce that for Varsity 2016 we’ve chosen 1626ip as our headline charity for the second year running. 1625ip support young people with housing, life skills, homeless prevention, counselling, advice, confidence building, budgeting, health, training and finding work. Chief Executive of 1625ip, Dom Wood said: "We are very honoured to have been chosen as Varsity headline charity for a second year and are looking forward to building on the amazing support already shown by students at both universities. With current pressures on public funding, this kind of community support is ever more valuable for ensuring we can continue to provide the breadth of specialist services that we do.” Bristol Students’ Union Sport and Student Development Officer, Stephanie Harris said: "Bristol SU is delighted that the Varsity series was able to support 1625ip this year and even more delighted that it will continue to do so for another year. They are a fantastic Bristol-based charity who support people of a similar age to those competing in the Varsity series and make a real, positive impact to those people’s lives."
WHAT'S ON FEATURED EVENT Idlewild @ Anson Rooms Saturday 12 December Scottish alternative rock band Idlewild return to the Anson Rooms in support of latest album Everything Ever Written. Produced by the band’s guitarist Rod Jones and mixed by John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.) whom they collaborated with on their 2002 release The Remote Part and augmented by new members Luciano Rossi (piano, organ & vocals) and Andrew Mitchell (bass, guitar & vocals), Everything Ever Written is Idlewild’s most eclectic output to date.
november
Tuesday 17. Bristol Improv take over the Balloon Bar. 8.30pm Come and try improvised comedy in a friendly environment!
Tuesday 24. University Vintage Fairs Bristol SU, 11am RAMMED with the coolest garms from across the land, bringing you affordable, trend led, re-worked, retro and modern clothing and accessories from the 70s/80s/90s and present day!
Wednesday 18. Balloon Bikes – ride in the dark. Meet at Bristol SU, 5pm This group bike ride will be led by the Balloon Bikes Community Student Team to help new and returner cyclists get more confident cycling in the dark.
Friday 20. Trans Day of Remembrance Anson Rooms, 6pm A Ceremony of Remembrance in honour of all of those killed in the past year simply for being trans.
Sunday 22. Hill-arity Bristol Brewhouse, Cotham Hill, 8pm Expect stand-up from three amazing local performers along with a fantastic performance from Bristol Improv!
Tuesday 24. Engineers Without Borders take over the Balloon Bar. 7pm Activities include talks, workshops and a quiz!
Wednesday 25 - 27. Three evenings of a capella. The Winston Theatre, 7.30pm The University of Bristol A Cappella Society present a three night showcase of the best that a cappella has to offer.
For more information on all upcoming events see bristolsu.org.uk/events
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Epigram
16.11.2015
Arts
Editor: Mattie Brignal
Deputy Editor: Ed Grimble
Online Editor: Amy Stewart
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Confronting mortality at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery Julia O’Driscoll reviews ‘death: the human experience,’ an exhibition hoping to provoke oftavoided conversations about the inevitability of the end of life It certainly seems true that our society upholds an arbitrary taboo around the subject of death. Typically we find that open discussions are avoided, children are shielded from it and public mourning rarely occurs. By not speaking openly, we risk fearing death. Bristol Museum & Art Gallery is attempting to transcend this taboo in ‘death: the human experience’, an exhibition which effectively mixes factual information about death with cross-cultural practices, alongside personal experiences. In doing so it is successfully informative, moving, and appropriately presented. However, my first impression was not wholly free of suspicion and apprehension. In a slightly eerie manner, calming music, draped velvet, and warm lighting welcomes visitors into the exhibition, which then begins with historically symbolic representations of death in the form of paintings, objects and artefacts. At this point it’s fair to say I was unsure about what would follow. This strange start becomes much more interactive and engaging as the viewer is presented with information about the medical practices and procedures following death. This provides an interesting insight into the otherwise largely unknown post-mortem world of preparing bodies for either coroners’ investigations or burials. In keeping with the rest of the exhibition, this is laid out imaginatively with medical equipment and mortuary refrigerator-style doors opening to reveal facts and various related displays - suitable even
“
Flickr/ Duncan C
Being buried with a mobile phone has replaced the Victorian tradition of a bell, to ring if the deceased unexpectedly awakens
This transitions into a more personal display of various items which were donated to the museum, showing what people have chosen to be buried alongside. These comprise sentimental keepsakes, as well as more obscure objects; who knew that being buried with a mobile phone has replaced the Victorian tradition of a bell, to ring if the deceased unexpectedly awakens.
‘La Calavera Catrina’ is an etching by the famous Mexican illustrator José Guadalupe Posada
Epigram/ Ed Grimble
The cultural comparisons are one of the most intriguing parts about the exhibition. Seeing stark black suits displayed next to colourful, traditional Nigerian funeral clothes made me question our own society’s expectations about mourning and burials. In Madagascar, the Malagasy people’s ritual of the ‘Turning of the Bones’ involves redressing bones and dancing with them every five to seven years, and in Mexico, ‘La Calavera Catrina’ is recognised by children as a symbol of the celebratory nature of death. It makes one wonder why our culture avoids discussions around death, and why we view it as the final, grim ending, rather than as an opportunity for the celebration of a life lived. Other interesting elements of the exhibition include an electronic book where people have said what they wish to be reincarnated as – definitely worth a read! Some of the
information about freedom of choice in death was hardhitting, but there is a specially designed area for ref lection at the end, which provides an appropriate space to consider what is on display. Another telling reminder that the contemporary mind is not always accustomed to dealing directly and comfortably with these issues of mortality. ‘death: the human experience’ is open until March 2016, and is charged at pay-as-you-feel rate. It is definitely worth a visit, even if only to see the fantastic collection of visual exhibits. But I think it also opens a necessary discussion about death, which can surely only be a good thing. Ultimately, why should we not be talking freely about something that will happen to us all? Julia O’Driscoll
WHAT WHO
Artist & writer Born 1929
Flickr/ Garry Knight
Yayoi Kusama was born in 1929. She is a Japanse non-conventionalist. As an outsider, her work takes elements from Surrealism, Minimalism, Pop art, Eccentric Abstraction and Feminism.
Yayoi Kusama
Kusama applies her seemingly infinite creativity in a variety of ways. She has worked in a range of media include painting, drawing, sculpture, film, performance, immersive installations, fashion and more recently, poetry and fiction. Her work prevails with recurring themes, concepts and patterns; this, some argue, is a consequence of obsessive compulsive disorder. For example, her groundbreaking ‘Infinity Nets’ are an intricate network of scallops. Her work is extremely immersive and enveloping, with repeated spots a predominant feature. These recur from her frequent hallucinations and allow her to selfobliterate from her traumatic childhood.
Epigram
A city finds its voice: Sanctum
16.11.2015
37
This fortnight Epigram visits Sanctum, the first UK public project of Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates, which is running at Temple Church until November 21st Fewer people are familiar with the works of Chicago based artist Theatre Gates (pronounced ‘The-aster’, if the name is new to you) than should be. Born in 1973, Gates is given regularly the labels of musician, artist, and urban planner. He was worked tirelessly in Chicago to redevelop and enrich urban spaces that had previously fallen foul of material degradation. The Dorchester Projects encompasses several buildings on the city’s South Side, which Gates has transformed into a library and artistic space- a cultural epicentre for the area. It is proof of the latent transformative effects that art can have on a community, but also shows that
Flickr/ Paul Chapman
Temple Church on Victoria Street was destroyed during the Bristol Blitz of 1940
bringing pragmatic aims to aesthetically pleasing architectural projects can yield highly successful results. Sanctum is Gates’s first project in the UK. Nestled in the blitzed remnants of Temple Church (head towards Temple Meads station; the church is just off Victoria Street, near Ye Shakespeare pub), a temporary performance space has been erected. Wood from a Georgian sugar merchant’s house combined with bricks from a bulldozed Salvation Army citadel mean this platform is itself physically Bristolian. It is an apt rostrum from which the voices of the city can cry, sing and hymn. Also, from October 29th until November 21st, Bristol is doing just this. Indeed, the University’s own Danny Pandolfi, performing as Craft-D, has appeared on the ‘Sanctum’ stage. Performances run continuously, and entry to each is free of charge. Maximal participation and engagement, by both performers and audiences, is the order of the day (or, more appropriately, month). Gates believes tremendously in the power of the voice, and in particular the creative and artistic voice, to enact this kind of change. ‘When used for good, truly great things can happen’ because of speech and because of our voices, he said in a recent talk in Bristol’s St. George’s Hall. It is this faith which underpins his desire to create opportunities for temporary public spaces to emerge, where voices that so often remain unheard can be given a platform from which to be so. Kate Wyver, a second year Theatre and Performance student, here gives her thoughts on the time she spent at Sanctum. It is just a tiny glimpse into the world that Gates has allowed to grow...
‘We shuffle along in silence and weave our way to some free arts. It’s 10pm but the music creates that feeling of 2am when you’ve settled into a conversation about the future with someone you haven’t spoken to properly in months. A quartet called Jilk play in a style that is a cross between Nils Frahm and muted house music. It has a strange mixture between electricity and absolute calm. I would happily stay and listen to them for hours but their set is up. There’s a bit of a kerfuffle with the changeover and it takes much longer than we have the patience for, but we’re now cramped at the front, sitting on the floor instead of chairs, as the new group, ‘Future Dub Orchestra’, set up. After maybe twenty minutes of moving cables and testing microphones, the lead singer apologises for the wait and suggests we get some acapella going instead. The curator of Sanctum, Theaster Gates, is standing behind us and the two of them make up a beautiful little song about the wonders of music in Bristol. The singer’s voice is soulful and gives me goosebumps, but when the group eventually get started, her voice is wasted as it is drowned out by the electric strings. We make our escape after a few songs, gently pushing our way out of the tiny space and into the ruins of the church. With so many artists over such a long period of time, there are bound to be some misses in with the hits. But with the crumbling brick walls and fairy lights around us, the music slightly muted now, Sanctum feels like a very special thing to have happening in our city.’
Ed Grimble & Kate Wyver
The ongoing artistic habits of Alan Bennett Helena Napier explores the life of Alan Bennett, a man who, by being a leading figure of the stage and screen for the last half-century, has come to be personally and professionally treasured by the nation
Flickr/ The Lowry
‘I didn’t know her well, but I knew what she was like,’ said Alan Bennett of the woman who lived in a van outside his house for fifteen years. As the adaptation of Bennett’s play The Lady in the Van comes to cinemas on November 13th, his unprecedentedly creative CV gains yet more acclaim. Comparable to British dramatist Noel Coward, Bennett’s prolific output includes television plays and dramas, innumerable stage works, films, occasional journalistic pieces, short stories, and his diaries in which Mary Shepherd and her iconic van were first chronicled. These later appeared in a novel, on stage, and now in a motion picture. Alan Bennett is an English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and author. Born in Leeds, he went on to attend Exeter College, Oxford, earning a first-class degree in history. Despite spending several years teaching at the institution and planning to become a medieval historian, his fondness for the stage culminated in his collaboration with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, a comedic duo also known as Pete and Dud. Due to its political pointedness, their 1960
WHEN
WHERE
Flickr/ Gerrard Stolk
Kusama was from an upper-middle class, patriarchal conservative family. Her mother banned her from painting. To rebel against these familial constraints, but also because of her immense creative energy and drive, she left to study art in Kyoto, before moving to New York. Kusama’s work has been exhibited the world over. In 2012 Tate Modern held a retrospective. Since 1977, Kusama has lived in a Japanese psychiatric hospital.
stage revue Beyond the Fringe is regarded as seminal to the rise of satirical comedy and key to the production of it’s modern equivalents such as The Thick of It or Have I Got News For You. After his success with Beyond the Fringe, Bennett collaborated several times with the BBC, contributing to several television shows and even playing the Dormouse in Jonathan Miller’s 1966 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. British director Stephen Frears directed the majority of Bennett’s television work during the seventies. A Day Out and Sunset Across the Bay were the first instances where Bennett drew directly on his Yorkshire roots. Now his plaintive Yorkshire tones and tweed jacket seem to be both his uniform and his identity. Bennett’s Talking Heads, aired by the BBC from 1988-89, consisted of dramatic monologues performed by Bennett himself, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, Patricia Routledge, and several others. The series addressed themes such as love, guilt, illness and isolation and is now both a key part of British school syllabuses as well as an oft-performed West End theatre production.
In the 1960s, Kusama was affiliated with the likes of Andy Warhol, Joseph Cornell and Class Oldenburg. She also led anti-war Vietnam protests; the activists immersed themselves with Kusama’s spots. In 2012 Kusama’s international fame was revived by the Louis Vuitton collaboration. Remarkably, at the age of 86, she still determinedly works from 9.00 until 18.00 every day.
The Lady in the Van sees Dame Maggie Smith reclaim the role of driveway resident Miss Mary Shepherd; she played the same character on stage sixteen years ago, which is curiously almost the same length of time as Shepherd spent in Bennett’s front yard. The screen adaptation strives to be genuine; director Nicholas Hytner insisted filming took place on Bennett’s road and even inside his former family home. Due to a troubled period of cancer treatment, Bennett’s output subsided towards the late nineties until the publication of his 2005 collection of confessional essays entitled Untold Stories, written under the impression that they would appear posthumously. The essays, similar in style to his early diaries, tackle his homosexuality, dissect his family history of mental illness and report his motives for declining a knighthood. Still enormously prolific, he remains at the forefront of British theatre and close to the nation’s heart. Helena Napier
WHY Kusama’s work is fascinating and unique; her 33-foot paintings are considered just as innovative today as they were in the 1950s. This is because her art is the product of her fears, anxieties and her obsessive compulsive disorder, and as she changes, so does the work. Kusama does not utilise perspective, making her work particularly alluring and embracing. It allows the viewer to feel part of the wild hallucinations that are the foundation of Kusama’s work. Beth Gaffney
Epigram | 16.11.2015
38
Is Banksy’s work worthy of artistic merit? Tilda Haymes and Beth Gaffney debate the merits of the notorious Bristol based graffiti artist Banksy, a major and often divisive figure on the international contemporary art scene Artistic merit is a subjective concept; it is both personal and universal, decided both by you as an individual and by the criticism or praise of contemporary society. Banksy is praised by many for his artwork, but is this justified? Is his artwork a creative and thought-provoking reflection of the world, or instead glorified street-art that sparks interest due our fixation with his anonymity rather than his talent? Banksy’s artwork is inextricably linked with his political activism. I personally enjoy these connotations of his work, seeking out artistic pieces that challenge what is familiar to me rather than enjoying something predominantly based on its aesthetic. As he is primarily a street artist, his work is, naturally, very accessible to
the public, meaning they reach an incredibly wide audience every single day. Banksy’s creations are wholly satirical, depicting the problems within our world in order to reflect back its flaws. His work cleverly criticises and questions mainstream culture but, due to the sheer prevalence of it in our society, these works have almost become a part of it themselves. It is somewhat paradoxical that this Bristol-born graffiti artist who represented an intrinsic part of counterculture has now become so famous. He is recognised institutionally around the world, being named one of the top 100 most influential people by TIME Magazine in 2010. How others value him is somewhat ironic when one considers his work. The popularity of his work
YES
Flickr/ Christian Labarca
In ‘Happy Choppers’, the military came under fire from the artist’s satire
Flickr/ duncan c
Banksy’s ‘Monopoly’ sculpture at St. Paul’s for Occupy London
Banksy is idealised by auction houses, celebrities and the populace alike. The 21st century icon is an international satirical street artist who comments on the social and political with a distinctive stencilling technique. Indeed, the artist recently compared graffiti to a form of underclass revenge, and a way for the individual to wage a guerrilla war on those in positions of power. His work can sell for hundreds of thousands of pounds; just last September his distinctive ‘Detroit’ and ‘Bethlehem’ murals sold for £638,000. Fortunately, though, Bristol’s freshers can still obligingly adorn their bedroom walls with massproduced imitations. Conveniently, even the Woodland Road poster stall sells ‘Banksy’ prints.
Last year, The Broad Plain Boys’ Club made over £400,000 from selling Banksy’s ‘Mobile Lovers’, which appeared on their building’s door. Banksy gifted the monochrome painting to the club when Bristol City Council took ownership and moved the painting to the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. The seizure of the painting ‘broke the Youth Club manager’s heart’. He was distraught by the potential monetary loss, which was invaluable to the then-struggling club. Fortunately, the new philanthropist owner gave the painting to the Art Gallery. The gallery, nicely, tweeted that the painting would be on show once they had ‘cleaned the spiders, wasp nest and dirt off’. Of course, it is a necessity that Banksy’s art be shiny and pristine before being seen in the public eye. Banksy has, therefore, become a brand. He creates commodities; the monetary value of his work has grown to be its most important feature. Banksy’s art no longer belongs to the site. In fact, the artist himself assists this commercialisation. He repeatedly uses predictable imagery rooted in familiar liberal values- an essential requirement for people’s approval. The messages conveyed are so easily accessible to the general public that they are no longer innovative, and everyone can feel nonchalantly smart. Everyone likes Banksy. Banksy’s Central Park ‘pop-up stall’ demonstrates the Banksy brand. The artist made the conscious decision not to advertise
does not necessarily undermine his values. The predominant themes of Banksy’s artwork are left wing politics, social inequality and the culture of consumerism and these are still prominent despite his international success. We still valorise his work the same - it is still worthy of praise. If we eliminate the political and social connotations of his work, it is still deserving of the artistic merit that we give it. Banksy’s skill as a draftsman is evident. His style is iconic and clearly recognisable. He has a true talent of creating aesthetically commanding pieces based around a simplistic idea. His work is powerful and demands attention. The recent art exhibition ‘Dismaland’ exemplifies further still the talent of Banksy. Curating this ‘bemusement park’, he created an extensive discussion surrounding the inequalities within our society. I found it a truly stimulating experience, enjoying the amalgamation of different artistic media and
the traditional aspects of a fairground in order to expose global issues. One piece I thought that was particularly interesting depicted Cinderella in a carriage crash after being chased by reporters. A dark but relevant specimen that epitomised the flaws and dangers of our rampant celebrity culture, it was not difficult to draw the allusion to Princess Diana’s death in 1997. His work is so interesting because it is part of a changing world of art. It is no longer commonplace to primarily view art in galleries; it is all around us in many changing forms. Banksy is at the apex of street art achievement, becoming its global figurehead. The artwork of Banksy is worthy of its merit because it provokes thought, debate and opinion. By being displayed around our cities, it provokes this imminently and ceaselessly.
Tilda Haymes
NO
Flickr/ Lord Manley
Flickr/ Sean Jackson
Figures of authority are common targets for subversive art
Even Banksy’s not exempt from the sharp wit of the public at large
his work or himself – as a result, people just simply walked by and little attention was paid. The original and signed works only sold for a collective £480,000. However, when one man authenticated his two 60$ Central Park prints,
their value multiplied and, according to the Bonham’s Art Sale, they were worth £120,000. Can we actually love commodities? I thought commodities were average,quotidian,and boring.
Beth Gaffney
Epigram 16.11.2015
Film & TV
@epigramfilm Editor: Ella Kemp
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Third time lucky: Why Steve Jobs is more than just the biopic that got it right Film & TV Editors Ella Kemp and Georgia O’Brien review Steve Jobs and discuss why this homage might just be the film to beat this year.
BFI/LFFPRESS
The maestro at work - equal praise for the man, and the actor.
The closing day of the London Film Festival was one tinged with sadness; the thrill was to be very soon over for another year, and it was time to leave the land of free press screenings and red carpets and return to the looming essay deadlines. But what a closing day it was, with the screening of the highly anticipated and somewhat controversial Steve Jobs. Genius. That’s what it’s called when a film about a man in a roll neck jumper reduces you to tears in its final scene. As the film reaches its culminating point, the 122 minutes all make sense and give way to a final euphoric scene and produces such an effect on viewers that proves its point. This may very well be one of the most ground breaking films of the year – of our generation even. I think it’s fair to say we were all starting to get a bit sick of biopics. It’s becoming more and more rare to see a film that isn’t based on one true story or another, telling the tale of an outstanding mind or recounting the tragic events of a historical foundation. This doesn’t mean they aren’t good films – take The Imitation Game and The Social Network to name but a few. But it
does imply the presence of a kind of safety net. If the story is good enough to tell, then surely the film has a head start – providing at least interesting content based on real life facts, if bringing nothing else to the table. So what makes Steve Jobs stand out – as not the first biopic on the late CEO of Apple, but the third of its kind? The fact is, Steve Jobs isn’t just another biopic. The film marks a turning point, the birth of a work of art representative of a generation. It not only depicts one of the most influential men of our society, but the film itself teaches a lesson in storytelling and filmmaking, inspiring viewers of all backgrounds everywhere. The controversy arising from the film stems from the family’s objections, in part to the making of the film at all, but also to the way in which Jobs’ character was presented in the early stages of his Apple career. Michael Fassbender takes on the hefty role of Jobs himself and, whether or not his portrayal is an accurate one, it gives the film a weight so heavy you can feel it coming off the screen in waves. We see in the film classic traits from an Aaron Sorkin script, who also gave us the 120
minutes of The Social Network. The dialogue sears through the film’s full length with never a lull, Sorkin’s writing crafts a story tense and funny which is simply captivating. Some films tend to lose the viewer when the emphasis is on the dialogue, but here one scene portraying no more than a heated debate between two middle-aged men somehow managed to get hearts racing - the pivotal argument between Fassbender and Daniels feels like a dance of intellect. The leading cast move through the genius scripting as a knife through butter. Added to Sorkin’s storytelling and the thing that separates Steve Jobs from The Social Network is the direction. What could have become a quintessentially dark and heavy David Fincher number is in fact a Danny Boyle child through and through. There is tangible electricity running through the film, making for a heterogeneous kinetic package bringing together all forms of storytelling. The decision to set the majority of the film in the minutes before product launches lends itself to an undertone of nervous anticipation, as we experience the stirrings of stage fright.
It’s a controlled chaos that Fassbender always seems to be manipulating to his own tune. Fassbender’s portrayal of Jobs’ cold professionalism is made two-dimensional through the complex relationship we see between Jobs and his daughter, Lisa. Poignantly, Lisa was the only one of his direct family members portrayed in the film and the only one who didn’t object to its making. The evolution of their character dynamics reaches its touching climax in the closing scenes of the film, with Jobs promising Lisa that one day she can replace her talismanic Walkman with a device to hold thousands of songs – thus the iPod was born. Every element interacts in the film creating a cohesive and hypnotising self-contained world, which balances between a fictitious universe and a reflection on this man’s life and on the actual foundations of our society. What we are given is a visually stunning and incredibly skilfully scripted film that can be enjoyed as a stand-alone piece of art. Each actor plays their part as a single instrument in the orchestra of the film – much like the orchestra that Jobs conducts in his creative vision.
Bond is back: Daniel Craig’s alleged last dance in Spectre
Film & TV Writer Anna Wyn Davies discusses the film on everyone’s mind, the most anticipated Bond to date. Is it worth the hype?
Flickr/ Glyn Lowe
Has Daniel Craig’s Bond had his last run?
Spectre is the camp and classy romp the rebooted James Bond franchise never knew it needed. It has embraced the glamour and bravado of the Bond franchise, with goons, globe-trotting, gadgets and girls – oh my. The film does not shy away from the antiquated James Bond tropes and pays homage to the old Bond films without any uncomfortable expository dialogue and grating fan-service. The self-awareness of Spectre and the innate sense of irony in all the cheesy clichés shows that the age of Daniel Craig has finally embraced its ridiculous roots. Mendes’ introduction to the Bond franchise gave us Skyfall - a gritty British crime thriller, more Spooks than The Spy Who Loved Me. Sam Mendes, director of American Beauty and Jarhead, has simply outdone himself in the direction of some of the most
breathtaking action sequences in Bond history. The opening scene in Mexico City is one of sheer visual intensity, with one single tracking shot then followed by a series of expertly choreographed sparring in the middle of a Day of the Dead parade. Despite its campness, Mendes has proved himself to be fantastic at not only directing actors but directing action sequences. It’s deliriously good fun, but I definitely needed a cup of tea to compose myself afterwards. Car chases, malfunctioning helicopters and punches thrown every which way – things you’ve probably seen before, but which in the hands of Mendes make you want to stand up and punch the air. Though in all the chaos, some of the most interesting observations of Spectre seem to lose their weight. The notion of surveillance and the rights of the free individual pose as the topical backbone of the film, much like the importance
of espionage and the 00 program in Skyfall. But this film is completely different from Skyfall. What the latter had as opposed to Spectre though was that you could de-contextualize it. You could take out all of the Bond DNA and it would still be a fantastic film grappling with the moralities of modern spy-fare. But it almost felt like Mendes tried to remove Bond from its camp lineage in Skyfall, which was definitely not to its detriment but totally different to what Spectre wanted to be. It’s also the first Bond that films like an ensemble picture.
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Spectre has canonized itself as one of Bond’s best by embracing the past whilst acknowledging the present After the successful introduction of Moneypenny and the new M and Q, they have been utilized perfectly this time around. They feel integral to the plot, and it’s a joy to see Wishaw’s wit and Fiennes’ tenacity in full force sparring with Andrew Scott’s suspicious and aptly titled ‘C’. Cue jokes on what that stands for. I would argue that some of the most compelling and interesting scenes in Spectre were the ones set in London with Bond’s secondaries. Though most of the film attempts to grapple with more of Bond’s backstory and his relationship with Lea Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann, it didn’t have the same emotional resonance as Skyfall.
The death of Judi Dench’s M as well as the usurpation of London in Silva’s hands seemed to be ignored, but I suppose Bond probably has a lot more to worry about. Christoph Waltz, as Spectre’s own Franz Obenhauser, is the old school Bond villain you never knew you wanted or needed. Quippy and creepy with tons and tons of charisma. At the helm of this secret crime organization he sits silently in the shadows, and he waits for Bond with a vengeance. The scene where he is first introduced in the hallowed boardroom of Spectre’s headquarters is one of sheer aesthetic beauty, a testament to Mendes’ creative capabilities. The threat of Spectre feels real, integrating itself into everyday life as we sit unaware but also playing an essential part in Bond’s past. This is also the first time we’ve had a Bond Girl as engaging and with such emotional worth as Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann. It may help that her role is meatier than previous Bond Girls, but she felt like his equal rather than a totemic character. But then Monica Bellucci seems to be the classic stock Bond Woman which is a shame, in a frankly prehistorically sexist encounter between the two. Spectre has canonized itself as one of Bond’s best by embracing the past whilst acknowledging the present. It’s not an equal to its predecessor, but it is not trying to be Skyfall. It’s got the word ‘Bond’ etched across it’s DNA, and one must embrace the frivolity the minute Bond drives around Rome in an Aston Martin with flames coming out of the exhaust. Absolutely brilliant.
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Why Ruin a Perfectly Good Film? The danger of the duplicate
Film & TV Writer Francesca Newton ponders the dangers of the terrifying world of remakes - if it’s not broken, why fix it? new filmmakers’ ability to entirely miss the mark is genuinely spectacular. This phenomenon seems to be especially common with quasi-horrors being recreated in an attempt to actually make them scary. Poltergeist is one: the only thing ‘scary’ about this remake is the possibility of Tobe Hooper attacking the new director in the night with an axe. Although the original has nasty moments - it is the skin-pulling-off in the mirror that does it for me - it’s traits really betray it as a black-as-the-plague comedy. But the classic slipped, through the hands of Gil Kenan, onto that great cliché horror film production line, where it was seemingly bashed at by bored robots until made digestible for the adoring modern public, whose capacity for crappy frights never ceases to amaze me.
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For any generation, the real test comes when the movies we grew up with fall into the hands of new directors
Flickr/Fred LuckyThirteen
The original Poltergeist from 1982 is brilliant. The 2015 remake is, well, a bit rubbish. If you don’t believe me, believe IMDB: 7.2 for the first, and a shameful 5.0 for its follow-up. In the same vein, when I was prepping to review the new Under Milk Wood this week, the majority of articles on it I read began with an ominous warning about Richard Burton’s ghost looming over Llareggub. And it made me wonder: why bother with remakes? Is it arrogance? Was Baz Luhrmann flicking through the telly channels one evening, finally settling on the 1974 The Great Gatsby, when he thought to himself, ‘I could do this better?’ Well, yes, he had better special effects at his disposal. But when sitting down to watch any film from more than five years ago, you should probably be aware that it’s not going to be Gravity-level CGI. Heck, people still watch Jaws, despite the fact that the clearlycardboard shark has lost some of its fear-factor. And there’s an issue with lack of imagination. Like watching a film after reading the book, visual representation seems to make it impossible to imagine the characters looking or speaking the way you originally did. Cinematic visionaries aren’t exempt from the same curse: it must be borderline impossible to completely reimagine a story or idea to the extent that a remake is worthwhile. Of course, there are wonderful exceptions. After lifting himself off the sofa, Luhrmann recruited Di Caprio as a delectable Gatz and made an explosive movie that, despite its 1920’s setting, gives a sparklingly modern twist to the story without undermining the original: they are simply different works of art. But success stories don’t make the insults less objectionable. And sometimes, the
Why would you toy with something as accomplished as this?
Let The Right One In, the breathtakingly beautiful Swedish vampire film, suffered the same terrible fate. Remakes mirror our own laziness - take The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The only difference between the Swedish original, and the American remake, is the language the actors speak. They are ridiculously similar - exactly the same score on IMDB, for goodness sake. This isn’t an example of a bad remake, just a pointless one. Blaring similarity can’t help but beg the question, was this remade because we’re too lazy to read subtitles?
Is this some kind of bizarre imperialist relic? Let me weigh in on the Brexit debate: if leaving will stop the transatlantic butchery of brilliant continental cinema, let’s go. And then there are pictures that should never be touched. 1985’s perfect-in-every-way A Room with a View was reshot in 2007 as a TV movie. There is a particular circle of the inferno reserved for the names which appeared in those credits – and I haven’t even seen it. But anyone believing they can even attempt to remake such a classic lacks a frontal lobe. The only explanation conceivable for this sin is that the rights to the original were too expensive… but then, they shot a whole ‘nother movie?! Lord above knows. And he will punish them.
Remakes are a minefield. There’s that extra level of criticism when the newcomer hits the screens, not to mention the diehard fans of the original pelting you with digital rotten eggs. But for any generation, the real test comes when the movies we grew up with fall into the hands of new directors. Can you imagine the news footage of middle-aged office workers running screaming through the streets of London when someone tries to remake Harry Potter in 20 years’ time? The special effects will be better; the script (hopefully) will be better; they might even get better actors. But the test of a good movie is to earn a place in its audience’s heart: and that’s something that only very rare, special remakes can do.
What’s On?
What can I do in Bristol this week? Festival of the Future City runs from November 16th-20th at Watershed and debates about the future of cities with a wide range of events including talks and screenings from a range of speakers and faces - not an event to be missed!
Films to Faces
Editors’ Picks
Kate Deputy Editor
Georgia Online Editor
Mockingjay Part 2
Carol
The Good Dinosaur
In cinemas November 19th
In cinemas November 27th
In cinemas November 25th
As one of the last few sagas that really get my heart racing, I cannot wait for the final instalment of the Hunger Games series. Having read the books I’m aware of what’s in store - and after watching the trailers far too many times, I am so ready for this.
Set in 1950s New York in a snow sprinkled winter, this romance focuses on the love affair between a young shop assistant and an older woman. This film has been called a masterpiece and I cannot wait to see it. This is definitely not your typical Christmas movie.
What would life have been like if the dinosaurs were never wiped out? This film looks set to be a wonderful animation from Pixar that will warm our hearts in the cold November weather as it follows the friendship of one dinosaur and his young human.
Peep Show Season 9
The Great Pottery Throw Down
Aired on November 11th on Channel 4
Professor Green: Suicide and Me
Tuesdays on BBC2
On BBC iPlayer
I’m filled with excitement and also a bit of sadness as the final season of Peep Show returns this month - fingers crossed that Mark and Jez go out on a high and honour the nation. Promising more squirm-inducing humour than ever before from our favourite duo, I can’t wait.
To fill a cake-shaped hole in my heart, I’m turning to pottery. BBC2’s The Great Pottery Throw Down is surprisingly enchanting and bewilderingly intense. We all know the formula of these types of shows by now, yet we’re still fascinated by them. Catch up on the first episode on BBC iPlayer.
Suicide is the largest cause of death in young men because they feel they can’t reach out to others - a product of the toxic masculinity they are forced into. Professor Green looks into society’s extreme pressure on men to be masculine, whilst coming to terms with his own father’s suicide.
Epigram/Ella Kemp
BFI/LFFPRESS Flickr/Id-iom
BFI/LFFPRESS
Flickr/Bernhard Hanakam
Ella Editor
Marcus Wells The Red Tent
1. The Deer Hunter I’ve always been in love with Meryl Streep. I remember watching it when I was 15, and to watch an 18 while you were 15 was kind of a big deal so I think that might be my favourite. 2. Chariots Of Fire I’m a Christian so I really loved the Christian element to it and the whole theme running through it, as well as the sporty side to it. 3. Life is Beautiful It was always our favourite film when our children were younger, we’d all sit together and watch it again and again. Who would you like to see interviewed next for Films to Faces? Tweet us @EpigramFilm with your suggestions!
Epigram
16.11.2015
Music
@epigrammusic Editor: Gunseli Yalcinkaya gyalcinkaya@epigram.org.uk
Deputy Editors: Alex Schulte; Caitlin Butler aschulte@epigram.org.uk; cbutler@epigram.org.uk
Online Editor: Sam Mason-Jones s.masonjones@epigram.org.uk
Interview with... Gengahr Sam Mason-Jones sits down with the beguiling dream-pop quartet
The Pokédex defines Gengar as ‘a ghost which steals heat from its surroundings. If you feel a sudden chill, it is certain that a Gengar appeared.’ And apparently Gengahr, the dream-pop four piece from Dalston (note the extra ‘h’), share more with their eponymous Pokémon than just a name. “We are always looking to create an endothermic atmosphere,” laughs bass guitarist Hugh Schulte in the alley behind the Exchange, a few hours prior to their show that evening. “But the name was nothing serious, it just sounded like a cool word,” he smoothes in a grown-up voice, before adding with a nostalgic grin, “and it is the coolest Pokémon.”
Epigram/Sam Mason-Jones
“We’d have looked a bit silly if we’d called ourselves ‘Clefairy’” pipes up drummer Danny Ward, who with this quipped comparison unwittingly plunges into the nerdier depths of the Pokémon universe: a popular conspiracy theory goes that Gengar only exists as the ghastly shadow of the more effeminate Clefairy. Funnily enough, the dichotomy between light and dark created in the juxtaposition of these two Pokémon is crucial also to the output of Gengahr (the band). “We love to mix the light with the dark,” says Danny, indulging the awkward segway. “It’s fun when the music is joyous and happy, so we can give it a darker spin lyrically- and vice versa. It’s a good formula.” It’s a well-trodden formula too, the blending of happy backing with darker lyrical undertones; think ‘Girlfriend In A Coma’ by The Smiths or Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks.’ Gengahr’s song-craft, however, is coloured by a more remarkable eeriness which has attracted critical attention. “We try to incorporate lots of contrasts and try not to be too obvious,” Hugh elaborates. “Felix [Bushe, singer] writes all the lyrics. They’re all narratives, he doesn’t like to write directly about his own life, they all emit a weird, fantastical kind of vibe.” It’s reassuring, given the grisliness of his subject matter, to hear that Bushe’s lyrics don’t draw from personal experience. Nestled fabulously behind warm, sunny melodies, the standout tracks from Gengahr’s debut long-player ‘A Dream Outside’ share ethereal topics: ‘Fill My Gums With Blood’ is a tender love song to a vampire, and ‘She’s A Witch’ and ‘Dizzy Ghosts’ are dedicated to similarly spooky muses. Due in no small part to this formula, ‘A Dream Outside’ received nearunanimous praise from critics and fans alike, kudos which the band shrug off with consummate modesty: “You never really know how things are going to be received,” says Hugh. “We were confident with it, we liked it, but it was a really nice feeling to think that people liked it too.” The effects of this wonderful critical response have trickled into the band’s live shows. Hugh posits that “at gigs people know the material more thoroughly, so it’s much more fun for us because we’re not just trying to showcase things any more, we’re just trying to bring people what they already know and like.” With great success, though, comes great responsibility, and the strong reception of the band’s debut has brought a degree of pressure to their performances. “People expect the shows to be perfect realisations of the album,” posits Danny. “That can be hard to live up to.” A few technical difficulties inform this disparity between the record and its live realisation in the early stages of their show at the Exchange later that evening. The mis-managed levels render Bushe’s fragile falsetto too delicate for John Victor’s warm guitar lines, and opening tracks ‘Loki’ and ‘Dizzy Ghosts’ suffer accordingly. On the ensuing track ‘Heroine,’ the band begin to find their groove and to exhibit the acumen which has seen Gengahr draw justified comparisons and support slots to leading guitar names Wolf Alice and The Maccabees - the latter of which, Danny dubs ‘the nicest band in rock’n’roll.’ It is due to bands like these and others that Gengahr remain enthusiastic about the state of the scene which they perpetuate: “I think speaking about the medium-term, there has been reason to be slightly despondent about British guitar music. But more recently there has been some really good stuff coming out of the UK. We’re playing catch up with places like Australia, so it’s by no means the best scene in the world but it’s getting there.” Gengahr are getting there too. They improve continually as they canter towards the clamorous climax of their set, flicking through ‘Lonely As A Shark’ and ‘Bathed In Light’ on the way to the encore of ‘She’s A Witch’ - which, incidentally is pretty close to perfect. And as they strut from the stage, the soggy brows and sweaty walls of the Exchange attest to an atmosphere which has been, contrary to their intentions, positively exothermic.
Epigram 16.11.2015
4325 Epigram/Sam Mason-Jones
Epigram reviews Halloween...
Just Jack @ Motion, 31/10 Upon one’s very first entrance to Motion, veteran promoters’ Just Jack’s commitment to pandemonium is palpable. After escaping the queue, itinerant musicians ‘The Hunna’ offer some Bristolian punk-pop in full gypsy regalia in front of posters plastered about the walls proclaiming that ‘JUST JACK WILL EAT YOUR HEAD.’ The warehouse is transformed into a ghoul’s fairground, circus bunting crisscrossing above the throng of ragbag ravers. An enormous ghoul’s face looms over the main stage, cobbling together disparate elements into a uniquely disturbing light display. Teeth flash white to black like a fruit machine while two great orbs hang above its luminous green nose, bearing scrambled, shifting pupils. Just Jack co-founders Dan Wild and Tom Rio showcase their 4x4 abilities in The Marble Factory, serving up beautifully deep house throughout the night. Over in the Warehouse, Kyle Hall offers an alternative selection of incessant grooves, his Detroit vinyl paving the way for a grittier take on the classic house sound from Chicago’s Amir Alexander.
The Tunnel is familiarly sweaty and cramped, Jane Fitz doing a typically excellent job of keeping the crowd stomping in unison, amply warmed up by the efforts of Bristol’s very own Sam Hall, a veritable encyclopedia of music. Back in the main room, Sonja Moonear takes hold of the horde from 1am until 3am with her stripped back big room sound, sliced-and-chopped drums coupling with an unshakeable house rhythm to prepare us for a night with the magician, the one and only Ricardo Villalobos at the decks. And his set is certainly magical. A full four hours of sorcery does nothing to stem his grace as he slips across the setup, hands dancing about the knobs and dials in his own hypnotic fashion, his fluidity paradoxically aligning with the pure weight of the sound produced. From 3am until 7am his brand of haunting techno denies escape, demonstrating that his place at the helm of the global minimal sound has certainly not come unearned. Louis Harnett O’Meara, Music Writer
AMALGAMS @ John Wesley Chapel, 31/10 The music throughout the event was superb, making intriguing and effective use of the resonant space of the darkened chapel. However, the films didn’t seem to add much to the proceedings, especially the choice of ‘Dripping Water,’ a long and frankly incongruous image of a tap dripping into a pan. While in other settings it might have worked, a celebration of the mundane seemed out of place in an evening dedicated to teasing the mystical out of the ordinary. Having said that, the film that rounded off the evening was one of the strongest events on the programme. Through the vertiginous layering of dancing grains and lines in ‘In Your Star,’ Makino Takashi wove a rich, carefully constructed visual experience, confidently phasing between the referential and the abstract. The droning, pulsing soundtrack was probably just as effective, from what could actually be heard of it, but the decision to have the live instrumentalists from earlier improvise over it constantly undermined it and kept distracting the audience from the beguilingly hypnotic effect of the film. A few missteps from the curators aside, you couldn’t have done much better on a foggy Halloween night than be immersed in such an amazing reverberant, meditative wombspace, conjured from such a humble setting.
Harris Ferguson, Music Mriter
Onomato.co.uk
This Halloween, the new Bristol arts and music collective Onomato descended upon the John Wesley Chapel for a hypnotic night of music, film and installation, courtesy of six artists from very different artistic places. The result of three months of collaboration and creativity, each piece was supposed to engage with the unique space of one of the oldest chapels in Bristol in some way. The programme opened with four a cappella singers solemnly pacing in the dark courtyard outside the chapel, performing polyphonic chants from the American South, derived, appropriately enough, from the musical tradition of ‘hymnody’ developed by Wesley’s followers hundreds of years ago. Leading the audience into the chapel, the singers’ total absorption in their chant felt like an invitation to forget the outside world and discover some other, more ethereal space. Inside, the audience was met with installations that varied from Rod Machlachlan’s Paint Can, consisting of a large canister ingeniously lit to project an oddly spellbinding image cycling through what appeared to be lunar phases, to a selection of films including Leanne Jiotta’s Eclipse and Malena Szlam’s Lunar Almanac, both made by directly marking and shaping the celluloid. Accompanying all of this was a soothing, otherworldly soundscape improvised by singers and musicians hidden away in the nooks of the chapel, to the accompaniment of live electronics, which led gently into what was billed as ‘Clock Interlude’, where the electronic artist Liam McConaghy built a minimalist, uplifting improvisation out of the chapel’s giant clock ticking sonorously through the night.
Epigram 16.11.2015
44
Joanna Newsom Divers
Beach House Thank Your Lucky Stars
Julia Kent Asperities
Drag City 23.10.15
Sub Pop 18.10.15
The Leaf Label 30.10.15
Joanna Newsom’s first album in four years is a work unto itself. It is startling, dazzling, unique and totally her own. Divers is an artistic force to be reckoned with. The ingenuity of Newsom’s work lies in her ability to make use of not only her lyrics and spectacular voice, but also an array of orchestral instruments, including her now distinctive harp. Her Kate Bush-esque vocals are eccentric, sure and sometimes don’t always move the way you expect them to. However, Newsom is intelligent and works this to her favour. The standout track is the one for which the album is named, ‘Divers’. For want of a better word, it is totally ethereal. The video, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is as hypnotic and mesmerising as the song. Joanna Newsom’s music isn’t always instantly accessible. However, ‘Divers’ is perhaps her most comprehensible work to date. It is, as always, intellectual, but nonetheless, this should not detract from an album that is, in its entirety, a lovely piece of music.
‘Majorette,’ the first track on Thank Your Lucky Stars, begins with a slowly soaring stream of dust shimmering through a thousand lights. Beach House have always been good at making music heavy with atmosphere, crafting songs laden with light and air. Thank Your Lucky Stars allows happiness to gleam through the distorted lens that Legrand and Scally have created, meeting a wonderful darkness. Legrand’s voice sounds clearer and younger in places before lapsing into a familiar haziness. The songs dance in a smoke filled club, light-headed and happy but alone. The near-nostalgic yearning that the group have mined over six albums seems much more stark and pronounced here - particularly in ‘One Thing.’ But this is a painfully joyful yearning, which makes it even more effective. Joy for the past and joy for the future, a longing for the people we want to be and the things we want to do. Coming so soon after Depression Cherry - its endlessly twisting vine of a predecessor - this album had me feeling apprehensive. There was no need. This is absolute dreamy, distorted goodness.
‘Asperities’ are harsh qualities or conditions; Julia Kent’s new album of the same name both embraces discord and completely rejects it. At times, it is indeed frenetic and feverish, with rough, unbalanced chords and a fast pace. It is difficult to keep up. Yet at points, the melodic and sedate solo cello completely sucks the listener in; her playing is undeniably beautiful. Harmonies slide effortlessly over one another, always in a haunting minor key. Above all, Kent’s fourth solo album is utterly atmospheric. Her cello prowess is undeniable. It is the kind of album that would make a suitable accompaniment to a psychological horror; the music is gripping and tense. Julia Kent herself describes the album as a description of turmoil, both internal and external. We are in ‘a particularly dark time in the world right now,’ and the album certainly reflects that, slightly existential, feeling of melancholy and worry. But there is no doubt about it; the album is seductive, beguiling, and well worth a listen.
8/10
Caitlin Butler, Deputy Music Editor
8/10
Mannika Mishra, Music Writer
9/10
Caitlin Butler, Deputy Music Editor
Mogwai Central Belters Rock Action, 23.10.15 When listening to Mogwai’s new monster compilation Central Belters, you can’t help but feel an inkling of self-indulgence. The album, consisting of 34 tracks, three discs and over three hours of music, is only a small dent into the Scottish post-rockers giant repertoire of soundtracks, EPs and albums they have released in the past 20 years. It is a revel into the group’s steady evolution from 1995’s ‘Come on Die Young’ to last year’s ‘Rave Tapes’ and it is as forbearing as their 2000s inertia-bearing belters. On closer inspection, it is not a compilation, but a celebration. From the grey-scale lament ‘I Know You Are But What Am I?’, whose beauty lies in the repetition of a single note, to the intense flush of guitar and noise from the last track ‘My Father My King’, the band show an undeniable knack in both steady-climax minimalism and outright maximalism. And though their songs remain mostly wordless – with the exception of a notable few, including ‘Take Me Somewhere Nice’ where Stuart Braithwaite’s voice repeats, ‘what was that for?’ to a backdrop of orchestral motifs – Mogwai’s songs sit heavy in the ears with a contemplation that is nothing short of beautiful.
9/10
Gunseli Yalcinkaya, Music Editor
Deafhaven New Bermuda
ANTI-, 2.10.15
Deafhaven’s latest album release New Bermuda is an unusual concoction of all things dark, cathartic and reflective. The album artwork reflects the complex and shamelessly doom and gloom atmosphere of the record, which is full to the brim of ambient sounds and a certainly angered voice. The lengthly tracks on the album comprise of guitar anthems, screaming vocals and atmospheric, post-rock inspired instrumentals. Each five songs seamlessly flow into one another, whilst different in their own right. Sinister lyrics, such as ‘the remainder of my humanity is drifting spit through the cold,’ use metaphors to capture the frantic state of mind that permeates throughout. Where their previously acclaimed album Sunbather paved a new direction for black metal, New Bermuda has wholeheartedly taken the same route and moved everything up a gear. It changes the face of black metal; it may come to some as a treacherous diversion, others a welcomed change. But genres must evolve to evoke longevity, and Deafhaven are pioneering a new, innovative and creative sound.
7/10
Annie Slinn, Music Writer
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Epigram
16.11.2015
46
Is Lewis Hamilton an F1 Great? Although the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel has been hot on his heels at many points throughout the season, no driver has looked to match the might of Lewis when he goes ‘Hammertime’. Tim Bustin Sports Reporter
“
Over the years, Hamilton has shown more gratitude to his team in success and more graciousness in defeat, with his mantra being ‘We Win and Lose Together’. Yes, his perhaps questionable fashion taste and media profile are often misinterpreted for arrogance or foolishness (honestly, we’ll never understand why he tried going blonde), but Hamilton is one of the few drivers that exists outside F1. Certainly, someone who can attend high-profile events during weekdays and then go and win the majority of races at weekends, is one in complete control of their life. Hamilton’s profile also does wonders for promoting F1 by proving drivers do in fact have personalities. Fellow driver Fernando Alonso also believes Hamilton to be a great for a different reason – ‘The good thing about Lewis is that when he didn’t have the best car he still won some races… That’s something that maybe not everyone did.’
So, where can Hamilton go from here? Since boyhood, his dream and target has been to match the records of his hero, Senna. Now that he has, in almost exactly the same timeframe, Hamilton says ‘I will be picking the baton up for him and carrying it for the both of us… I want to see how far I can take it.’ Mercedes aren’t suddenly going to produce a terrible car for the 2016 campaign and his own teammate is so far failing to be a huge threat – so who could prevent him from taking that baton even further next year? Both Hamilton and Vettel have stated they would love a battle between each other next year, reminiscing of the Senna/ Nigel Mansell battles of the ‘90s. If Ferrari make another big step then it’s possible they’ll win more than 3 races next year for sure. As for the others, Williams didn’t improve on last year’s success, but who knows what they’ll do over the winter. Meanwhile, the future of the once all-conquering Red Bull team is still uncertain, but if they can get a decent engine then don’t discount Daniel Ricciardo, the star of 2014 who outshone his then teammate and 4-time champion Sebastian Vettel. McLaren-Honda are still an unknown, but if they can sort out their engine troubles, perhaps the mighty Alonso can finally score his third world title, which he’s deserved for even longer than Hamilton. Most likely, after Alonso retires in 2 years, Hamilton and Vettel will be left to keep at it for years to come – Michael Schumacher’s record of 7 championships and 91 race wins looks distant, but it’s not unassailable to any driver and it comes down to the drive, the insatiable hunger, the focus and the determination to win, win and win again. And it’s Hamilton who says, even after defending the world title, setting records, and flying so high: ‘Still I Rise’.
Flickr: Dave Wilson
10 wins. 11 poles. Records set and smashed. And 2015 champion with three races left to go. Though his championship winning race in Austin may have been a chaotic one - filled with crashes, reversals of fortune, last lap drama and even a full blown hurricane - since the start the 2015, drivers crown has looked to be firmly Hamilton’s. Mercedes gave Hamilton a car seemingly even more superb than last year’s record breaking machine and although the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel has been hot on his heels at many points throughout the season, no driver has looked to match the might of Lewis when he goes ‘Hammertime’. 2008, 2014, and now 2015. Only 10 drivers in history have won three or more world titles and only 4 drivers have won more. Championships aren’t everything (just ask poor Fernando Alonso, possibly the world’s greatest driver right now, currently in the 9th slowest car), but to win thrice requires more than just good fortune. Ayrton Senna, Hamilton’s hero since boyhood and often considered the best driver ever, was also a triple champion – and strangely, Hamilton has equalled this feat in nearly exactly the same number of races. In terms of race wins, Hamilton sits 3rd on the all-time list. As of last race, with 43 – he’s also 3rd on the all-time pole positions rankings, all making him now the most successful British F1 driver in history. So, 8 years after exploding into the F1 scene, in what was a record breaking rookie year, is it finally time to consider Hamilton one of the ‘greats’ of the sport? Not just great, like Jenson Button or James Hunt, but one of the greats – a Senna, or a Niki Lauda, or a Michael
Schumacher? Sir Jackie Stewart, Britain’s only other triple champion, certainly thinks so. He says Hamilton is finally gaining maturity from his experience. Just a few years ago, in a McLaren unable to compete against what was a mighty Vettel/ Red Bull combo, Hamilton would be often withdrawn or almost convey a childish unfairness in interviews after losing – once even tweeting secret team data just to prove a point. But over the years, Hamilton has shown more gratitude to his team in success and more graciousness in defeat, with his mantra being ‘We Win and Lose Together’.
Flickr: Jake Archibald
Epigram
16.11.2015
47 Epigram Versus
Each week, one member of the Epigram Sport editorial team and a guest both aim to correctly predict the Premier League scores.
Flickr: Dave Wilson
“
he is actually an F1 great, or simply the latest incumbent of Formula One’s throne room.’
Lewis Hamilton is Formula 1’s new king. Of that there can be no doubt. He has dominated the 2015 season, leading it from start to finish, winning ten of the seventeen races so far and securing his third World Championship in the sixteenth race. But this is precisely the problem facing Formula One at the moment. Hamilton is the undisputed king of the sport, with his Mercedes his throne. He has been virtually unchallenged all year. Red Bull’s engine has been terrible, ruling out Ricciardo. McLaren’s has been even worse; byebye Alonso – and Button if he ever stood a chance. And yes, while Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel have showed some signs of competitiveness, they have never really looked like troubling Hamilton’s Mercedes.
So yes, Hamilton has technically been the quickest driver of the twenty-or-so competing this year. In reality though, only one person could have challenged him for the title this year. And that man is Nico Rosberg, someone who for all his career has had undoubted promise but never really delivered in terms of either raw pace or wheel-to-wheel racing. And I should know - Rosberg follows me on
prejudice over who controls it, simply a contest. In F1 it is completely the opposite. Mercedes have access to a much faster, more aerodynamic car than Marussia. There is simply no contest over who is going to win. Mercedes every single time.
Mercedes have access to a much faster, more aerodynamic car than Marussia. There is simply no contest over who is going to win. So is Lewis Hamilton an F1 great? Statistically, undeniably so. He is a three-time World Champion. Only Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher have won more. But what does that actually mean? Well, in 2014 and 2015 it means he was a quicker driver than his team-mate. His victory in 2008 is more indicative of his underlying pace, but is one season, very early on in Hamilton’s career, really enough to really tell? Probably not. Only time will tell to be truthfully honest. Hamilton is undeniably a quick driver, but how quick is he really? He has been faster than Rosberg in 2014 and 2015 and faster than Massa in 2008, but neither Massa nor Rosberg are particularly outstanding. Massa had one good season in 2008 and faded fast thereafter, while Rosberg has consistently failed to capitalise on the undoubted superiority of the Mercedes. The best cases for Hamilton’s claim came in years when he didn’t actually win the title, beating reigning double world Champion Fernando
Alonso to second place in his rookie year of 2007, and beating one-time World Champion Jenson Button in three of their four seasons together at McLaren. Again, though, Hamilton didn’t win the championship in any of those years and Alonso was very unhappy at McLaren in 2007 which is likely to have harmed his performance. Another asterisk, therefore. It is against the likes of Vettel that Hamilton’s claim to greatness should be judged, perhaps the likes of Ricciardo too after his domination of Vettel at Red Bull in 2014. Alonso is probably too old now to conceivably challenge for the title again and certainly doesn’t look like doing so in a McLaren. But until the playing field is levelled, or until we are lucky and get another season like 2008, 2010 or 2012 where the teams are genuinely competitive, it will be very hard to judge. Hamilton is undoubtedly quick, but one can only hope we get the chance to assess whether he is actually an F1 great, or simply the latest incumbent of Formula One’s throne room.
flickr: Dave Wilson
“
The problem facing Formula One is simple. It is virulently anticompetitive.
Twitter (for some entirely unknown reason, I must add). But who was really the quickest driver this year? Who shaved the most time off the car’s core race pace, who added the most to the car’s performance? To put it simply, I haven’t a clue. Nobody does. All anyone can really take from this season is that Mercedes had by far the quickest car, that nobody else really had a chance of beating them over twenty races and that Hamilton is a faster driver than Rosberg. Does that make Hamilton a true great? Only with an asterisk and a rather long explanation. The problem facing Formula One is simple. It is virulently anticompetitive. It is like an autocratic state, ruled by dynasties. Ming, Qing. Bourbon, Romanov. Stuart, Hapsburg, Hohenzollern. Likewise, Ferrari 20002004, Renault 2005-2006, Red Bull 2010-2013 and Mercedes, 2014 and beyond. Realistically, in all these seasons, only two, perhaps three drivers could conceivably have won the championship. The comparison is perhaps a bit unfair, but it is rooted in truth. In other sports, commercial realities might dictate the quality of the team, but there is still room for an upset. Arsenal and Chelsea were recently knocked out of the League Cup by Sheffield Wednesday and Stoke City respectively. Yes, weaker teams might have been fielded, but there was still room for an upset. Could a Marussia win an F1 race? Not in my lifetime. The problem is the difference in the sporting toolkit. In football, for all the talent money can buy, both teams get access to the same ball. There is no
The score currently stands at Epigram Sport 7-4 Guests Check out this week’s results... www.epigram.co.uk/sport
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‘Hamilton is undoubtedly quick, but one can only hope we get the chance to assess whether
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Epigram
16.11.2015
Sport Bristol 3s record famous 2-1 victory over UWE 1s @epigramsport
Editor: Marcus Price
Deputy Editor: James O’Hara Online Editor: Malik Ouzia
sport@epigram.org.uk @marcusprice106
deputysport@epigram.org.uk @JamesOHara14
sportonline@epigram.org.uk @MalikOuzia
Epigram/UBAFC
Malik Ouzia Online Sport Editor
“
“We knew this was the biggest game of our university careers and we played like it was”
responded with a period of sustained pressure as their technical ability began to show and before half time they were back on terms, scoring a goal which was almost identical to Bristol’s opener. Riccardo CodacciPisanelli came close to restoring the Bristol lead but his front post flick was brilliantly clawed away by UWE’s makeshift keeper. Right on half-time Bristol looked to have blown it as Rattigan charged out to close down a one on one, caught the UWE striker and the referee blew for a penalty. It seemed that Rattigan would be heading to join his opposite number in the dressing room.
However, the referee consulted his linesman, whose flag was raised, and after some discussion overturned his initial decision and awarded Bristol a free-kick for offside. It was a let off for Bristol and Rattigan and one which would prove decisive. After the break UWE, now kicking down the hill, dominated. For the opening twenty minutes a tiring Bristol struggled against wave after wave of attack but a combination of wastefulness on UWE’s part and sheer determination on Bristol’s kept the scores level. And then it happened. The goal that will go down in UBAFC history as the one that saw the 3s beat UWE 1s. In a rare foray into the UWE area Bristol saw a succession of shots blocked before the ball broke to Dave Wren on the right. For the second time in the game his delivery was inch perfect as he drilled a cross to the far post. Arriving at the back post was Ette, who a year ago was playing intramural football for Hiatt Baker on the Downs, to volley his second and put Bristol on the verge of the unthinkable. Wave after wave of UWE attack came and went, seemingly in vain, and substitute Will Diamond offered Bristol a constant outlet on the break with his searing pace. Yet just as the impossible seemed certain to be achieved UWE’s winger went down over the outstretched leg of Omar Vega and this time the referee’s decision to award a penalty stood. Bristol’s keepers have made a happy habit of saving penalties
of late, but none in a game of this magnitude. Cometh the hour, cometh the man, Rattigan sprang to his left to produce a wonderful, fullstretch save. The touchline, which by now was filled with the club’s injured absentees and members of the 2s team whose game had already finished, erupted. And those scenes were replicated when after what seemed like an age of stoppage time, the final whistle blew. Afterwards captain Joel Bell tried to put the result in context: ‘It’s one for the record books. We knew this was the biggest game of many of our university careers and we played like it. We left everything on the pitch and we were worthy winners’. News travels fast, as they say. 40 miles away across the Severn, the 1s
were in the dressing room having just beaten USW’s 3s 5-1. ‘There was pandemonium as the results trickled through,’ said midfielder Joe Kelly. For it was not just the 1s and 3s who had advanced in the cup. The 2s had beaten USW 5s 7-0, the 4s had gone to their Southampton counterparts and won 2-1 and the 5s had overcome the Royal Agricultural University 3-0. For UBAFC it was, quite simply, the perfect day. Line up: S. Rattigan, O. Vega. C. Murgatroyd, H. Frost, M. Barnett, M. Ouzia, R. Codacci-Pisanelli, J. Bell (J. Parry), D. Wren, J. May (W. Diamond), A. Ette Unused substitutes: L. Henderson, T. Prais.
Epigram : Malik Ouzia
There are many clichés in football. People talk of the ‘magic of the cup’. Of the ‘form book going out of the window in a local derby’. Of it being ‘90 minutes where anything can happen’. Most are overused. But at Coombe Dingle on Wednesday afternoon one could’ve delved deep into John Motson’s catalogue of phrases and still found little to do justice to what happened on ‘Slopey’, Dingle’s infamously slanted third pitch. UWE’s first XI are, at the time of writing, top of BUCS Western 2B, the second highest division of regional football and the same tier in which Bristol 1s currently ply their trade. Bristol 3s have enjoyed a strong start to a season in which promotion is very much the target, but are still two tiers below in Western 4A and so were clearly underdogs. A derby clash so early in the year is a rare thing, with Varsity not until the spring, and one could’ve been forgiven for wondering whether the Freshers in the Bristol ranks had fully grasped the rivalry yet. They needn’t have worried. From the off Bristol went toe-to-toe with their Frenchay opponents and ten minutes in the game’s first real key moment went in their favour. A long Sam Rattigan kick looked set to carry with the slope through to UWE’s keeper but, under pressure from Alex Ette, he rushed to meet
it and handled outside the box. The referee adjudged that his infringement had denied Ette a clear goal-scoring opportunity and, to the dismay of the away side, brandished the red card. Belief surged through the Bristol side and although nothing came of the resulting free-kick they held their own in the early exchanges. However, it was still against the run of play when Dave Wren’s whipped free kick was headed in by Ette to give Bristol a shock lead. Unsurprisingly, UWE