University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
www.epigram.org.uk
14th March 2016
Issue 299
Features
Francine Long writes about Bristol’s battle against FGM Page 8
Style
Is vintage Epigram: Fares Kammourieh
clothing just about following the trend? Hattie Bottom investigates Page 24
The CLICENDALES wow the audeince with their performace at the O2 this weekend, where they broke last year’s fundraising record.
: INSIDEures ict More p ight on n of the ge 3! pa
We want to stay!
Epigram poll reveals that an overwhelming majority of University of Bristol students intend to vote in favour of ‘staying’ in the upcoming EU referendum Dalia Abu Yassien and Emily Faint Deputy and Online News Editors
In the recently conducted poll, more than two thirds of student respondents voted in favour for the UK to remain in the EU, however 23 per cent plan to vote for its departure. Despite 9 per cent of respondents claiming to be ‘Undecided’, these results reveal a decisive weighting in the views of the student body. Students have already set up online campaigns and Facebook groups on both sides of the issue, the popularity of which reflect the voting balance: ‘University of Bristol Students for Europe’ has nearly 100 more ‘likes’ than the opposing camp’s page. continued on page 3
Why Ella EnnosDann won’t be filling in the NSS this year Page 9
Film and TV A Watershed special for Film and TV, including a review of Hail, Caesar! Page 38
Watershed
Shortly after the University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Hugh Brady, signed an open letter which outlined the value of EU membership to British universities and supported a ‘Stay’ vote, Epigram conducted a survey of over 300 students to investigate opinion regarding Brexit and found that a large majority (68 per cent) of the selfselecting student respondents were also in favour of a ‘Stay’ vote for the UK.
The open letter, published in The Sunday Times and signed by 103 university vice-chancellors, stressed the benefits for students of staying in the EU. The letter emphasised the value of European university collaboration which the EU facilitates, allowing universities to conduct better research and attract talented professors to improve teaching. The group Universities UK argues that there are 125,000 EU students at British universities, generating more than £2.2bn for the economy and creating 19,000 jobs, while 14 per cent of academic staff come from other EU nations.
Comment
Epigram
14.03.2015
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 deputy editor
Inside Epigram
It’s been a busy fortnight, so our Deputy Editor, Adam, has stepped up and written this week’s editorial about an issue that’s been bothering him for a while. Don’t worry though, his rant isn’t as long as Sarah’s supporting EU membership last week...
Comment 11 ‘Period leave’ is utter bull Jordan Kelly-Linden explains why one Stokes Croft-based company’s policy only serves to undermine women
Science and Technology Debate: should we ban ‘extreme’ 12 groups from social media? Alfie Smith and Matt Davis put forward their opposing views on the controversial issue
Living 22 Bristol Top Spot: King Street Adam Becket discusses his favourite place in Bristol, King Street. He mainly likes it because of the pubs, unsurprisingly..
Think of the stereotypical Bristol student, and what springs to mind? Privately educated, probably, taken a gap year, Oxbridge reject, and lived in Stoke Bishop… That’s what both thosewho go to Bristol and those who don’t think of us. Many of the candidates in the Students’ Union elections have spoken about how important widening participation is for the University, and getting more students here from comprehensives and less privileged backgrounds. We need to deal with the reasons behind the stereotypes of Bristol students. I don’t fit the stereotype, and neither do most students here. I went to state primary and secondary schools, before attending a state sixth-form college. Now I’m here. Not bad for someone from a comprehensive in Southampton. Before I came to Bristol, I barely knew anyone who went to private school, let alone public school; it just wasn’t normal. Since at university, however, I’ve been surrounded by those who did. I have nothing against those who are from privately educated backgrounds; many are my closest friends at university. What I have something against, and what makes me genuinely angry, is the low intake from state schools, or perhaps the high intake from fee-paying schools, at this University. Figures obtained by Epigram through a FOI request show that 38.6 per cent of the 2015/16 intake weren’t from state school, a ludicrously high amount which puts Bristol in company with Oxford and Cambridge for worst state school intake. For the year that I started at the university, 2013, 1446 out of 4035 students were from independent schools; a percentage of 35.8 per cent. In the 2014 Commission on Social Mobility and Child Poverty report ‘Elitist Britain?’ it was found that 7 per cent of the UK population went to independent school. So 35.8 per cent of students in my first year were privately educated, compared to just 7 per cent of the whole population nationally.
Something doesn’t add up. Of course it isn’t just the University’s fault that there’s such a high level of privately educated students at Bristol; successive governments have failed to introduce equality of opportunity in this country. The introduction of the £9000 tuition fee by the last government and the scrapping of maintenance grants by this one haven’t helped one iota. Thanks David (and Nick, obviously). Some of the stereotypes found at our university are genuinely true: the Stoke Bishop halls are made up of more students from independent schools, whilst their city centre and Clifton counterparts have a majority of residents from state schools. The hall with the highest population of privately educated residents is Churchill, with 64 per cent. Last year, this stood at a whopping 69 per cent. If you compare this with the 16 per cent figure at Manor, you see the stark contrast. These figures reinforce the view that many have of Stoke Bishop as an exclusive place, a community for the privileged. Not even half of freshers live in Stoke Bishop, and yet it feels like one of the dominant parts of the university. Perhaps it’s because of the prices of the catered halls up there that Wills, Hiatt Baker, Churchill and Badock are inhabited by a majority of the privately educated. Conversely, in Clifton Hill House, my ex hall and another catered accomodation, only 24 per cent residents are from independent schools. I genuinely believe my university experience has been worse off because of all this. My second choice university, Manchester, had such diversity that it gripped me. I chose Bristol and I don’t regret it; I have had a wonderful three years in this heaven of the West. However, I am rarely angrier than I was when I looked at the stats surrounding the state school/independent school intake to our University. It needs to be sorted, to improve this institution, and society.
Adam Becket
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Flickr/Paul Townsend
What’s on 28 Don’t miss the big events of the fortnight; check out our top picks
Sports 47 UBWRFC win their league Women’s Rugby 1sts were rewarded for a strong season when their league last week
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Online
Features Editor Alex Green agreen.epigram@gmail.com Deputy Features Editor Becky Morton bmorton.epigram@gmail.com Features Online Editor Richard Assheton rassheton.epigram@gmail.com Comment Editor Jordan Kelly-Linden jkellylinden.epigram@gmail.com
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News
Epigram 14.03.2015
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@epigramnews Editor: Sorcha Bradley
Deputy Editors: Abbie Scott; Dalia Abu Yassien
Online Editors: Emily Faint; George Clarke
sm.bradley@epigram.org.uk
ascott@epigram.org.uk
efaint@epigram.org.uk; gclarke@epigram.org.uk
Epigram/Fares Kammourieh
Clicendales in pictures: medical students strip off at the O2 Academy to raise money for CLIC Sargent, a charity that supports young people with cancer and their families through emotional, practical, financial and clinical means.
Bristol VC signs letter urging ‘in’ vote for EU referendum continued from front page Epigram spoke directly to students about the reasoning behind their decisions. The main factor influencing students’ choice were the potential negative economic implications associated with leaving. One student explained, ‘I’m pro-Stay mainly for our economic stability. For example, the UK employment sector is heavily reliant on the EU’s single market for things like trade, investment and the price of commodities.’ ‘Our social freedom is also important, because staying in the EU enables us as individuals to move and work where we like.’ There was also fear that the Erasmus scheme would be threatened. One student outlined the benefits of it, showing how her experience abroad in France revealed to her the importance of an integrated European economy: ‘not only do I therefore benefit from freedom to work abroad, I can also see first-hand the importance of trade links between the UK and Europe.’ A fourth-year Politics and Spanish student supported this, saying he ‘would have really struggled without his Erasmus grant.’ Epigram’s poll results are in line with voting predictions for the UK student demographic. A 2015 Guardian survey of 1000 students revealed that 70 per cent of them would vote Stay. University students thus place far above the national average in their support for Britain retaining its membership. According to The Telegraph’s national poll tracker at the end of February 2016, 51 per cent of UK voters want Britain to stay in the EU, with 49 per cent hoping for Britain to leave. ‘We’re the third biggest trading block in the world – we lose that if we leave,’ one student in favour of staying told Epigram.
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Dalia Abu Yassien and Emily Faint Deputy and Online News Editors
A substantial number of students, however, have greater reservations. ‘The EU is totally undemocratic due to its unelected commission and their propensity to override national sovereignty,’ one such student stated. ‘What’s more, there’s no feasible way to implement a sensible immigration system under the EU freedom of movement law, and our membership fee of a staggering £55 million a day is designed to serve the peoples of Europe rather than the UK.
One Erasmus student commented: ‘Not only do I benefit from freedom to work abroad, I can also see first-hand the importance of trade links between the UK and Europe.’ The quoted figure of £55 million, however, fails to take into account the money the UK gets back. The real figure is closer to £23 million a day, according to a source which fact-checks the EU referendum. Almost 10 per cent of student respondents are struggling to decide which stance to take. ‘To be honest, I still haven’t made up my mind about how I’ll vote in the referendum. This time last year I wouldn’t have even considered voting to leave,’ a third year English student commented. ‘But,’ they continued, ‘in light of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and Germany’s fiscal domination of Greece last summer, the EU doesn’t seem the benign social democratic project which many on the left have always made it out to be. Respondents were also asked whether they thought it was right for the university to take a definitive stance on the issue. The Vice Chancellor’s public support of the EU has raised
some controversy given the diversity of opinions that exist within institutions numbering tens of thousands of people. Although the number of those who indicated they were in favour in staying was triple the number who clicked ‘Leave’, students were slightly more divided when asked whether they thought it was right for the university to take a definitive stance on this issue; 60 percent thought the Vice Chancellor’s step was justified, but 31 per cent voted that they didn’t think it was appropriate for the university to take an official stance. ‘The University clearly benefits a lot from being part of the EU, from the Erasmus scheme to its research,’ one student commented. ‘However, it is supposed to represent all students, which it will not if it picks a side in the referendum debate.’ Another stated, ‘The Vice-Chancellor’s decision implies that fair debate over the issue isn’t wanted at the university.’ Professor Hugh Brady, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, said: “It is up to the University’s staff and students to decide, as individuals, how they should vote. Of course, from a personal point of view, I sincerely hope that we choose to stay within the EU. “While we all get frustrated at times with EU bureaucracy, the benefits of EU membership to our University are considerable. “Horizon 2020 and the European Research Council are now major contributors to Bristol’s research income. The EU’s research infrastructure gives our staff access to major technology platforms and networks of highly talented researchers that allow us to compete as never before with the US and emerging Asian powerhouses. I can’t see why we would risk jeopardising all of this and isolating ourselves However, many argue that EU membership unequivocally enriches all students’ university experience, whose interests the university
is meant to represent. A recent Economics graduate from Bristol university commented, ‘I believe that the university should take a definitive stance on the referendum, specifically because I believe it’s in the university’s selfstated interests to advocate for staying in a body that provides links to both students and research.’ The Vice-Chancellors’ unanimous endorsement of the Stay campaign displays their concern that higher education would suffer should Brexit become a reality. The poll results seem to indicate that students are of the same opinion.
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Epigram 14.03.2015
‘Check the Label is a revelation in its truest sense’ critics say Dalia Abu Yassien Deptuty News Editor Third-year English and Drama student, Eno Mfon performed her one-woman spoken word show ‘Check the Label’ at the Old Vic studio over the weekend of 25-27th February. The show explored the part cultural pressures and expectations play in shaping the nuances of black female identity. The
event described it as ‘a powerful laying down of what part culture has to play in how women wear their skin.’ The phenomenon of skin bleaching and its continuing prevalence in cultures globally was the focus of Mfon’s performance. Mfon’s piece included provocative videos which outlined the emotional and physical hardships endured by women attempting to match entrenched ‘white’ beauty standards, highlighting the lengths to
Jack Offard
Eno Mfon after her perforamce of ‘Check the Label’
which some go to counteract the injustice of a perceived implicit cultural rejection of black female physicality. ‘I know what something like skin bleaching means to me and how that has affected me in ways I hadn’t really thought about until I sat down,’ Mfon told Epigram when asked about her motivations. ‘I would remember my auntie getting a bit lighter, I was confused and I had a sense of hurt. I asked a lot of questions why but I think this poetry allowed me to direct that “Why?” to a broader audience.’ Mfon discussed the benefits of the intimate spoken word form in making the private public. ‘In this process I’ve realised how spoken word gives you so much room to talk about issues that aren’t really spoken about like racism [...] it’s such an inviting platform to explore ideas I have never really been able to articulate.’ The performance was met with overwhelmingly positive accolades from critics. ‘The performance was a revelation in its truest sense,’ one Bristol 24/7 review of the event commented. ‘Racism may be at its most apparent and widely felt when black men are stabbed to death by thugs in SE9 or choked to death by policemen on Staten Island, but Mfon demonstrated clearly that its effects can be ubiquitous, quotidian, relentless – and deeply personal too.’ Mfon emphasises the role of her performance in starting and contributing to the emerging conversation about lack of diversity. ‘I’ve had people come up to me from the black and Asian community after my performance who’ve had similar experiences to what I’ve spoken about with skin colour. ‘I wanted to talk about something that young black girls had seen, but not necessarily been able
to articulate or speak about. I think the younger generation aren’t immune to the imagery. But all the hashtags like #BlackGirlsRock are making a big impact.’ She later went on to explain how positive societal change has to be driven by community: ‘I think a lot of things would benefit from more people talking about them, not just the group that is dealing with it.’
‘I want to do more, I want to write more, I want to say more’
The skin bleaching issue is still relevant and still prevalent; Mfon explained that the high demand of skin bleaching products is due to ‘white skin’ being a status symbol in places such as Thailand, where some of the most ‘alarming’ videos she showed came from. According to Mfon, some of the illegal ingredients used in the whitening concoctions can also still be found in London, where the demand for lighter skin is rooted in cultural imagery, and factors such as the lack of diversity in institutions such as Hollywood or the Academy Awards. Speaking to Epigram a week after the performance, Mfon said she was ‘still buzzing to be honest.’ She further explained: ‘Seeing all the reviews come in has been really lovely, encouraging and affirming for me that people learnt from it, and that’s just nice to know. I’m still feeling on a roll: I want to do more, I want to write more, I want to say more.’
‘Makes you think’ - Fourth Bristol’s got brains: Professor receives neuroscience award Annual Law Conference a success
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On March 1st, Professor Graham Collingridge of the University of Bristol was one of three neuroscientists awarded the world’s most valuable prize for brain research. The Brain Prize, equivalent to the Nobel Prize for neuroscientists, was awarded to him for his outstanding work on the mechanisms of memory.
‘I am really excited about now translating discoveries about LTP into new treatments for dementia.’
Emily Faint Deputy News Editor The fourth annual University of Bristol Law Conference on Tuesday 1st March saw hundreds of students across the UK flock to Wills Memorial Building for the chance to hear a panel of prestigious legal speakers, including the Right Hon the Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore PC QC, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Since its debut in 2013, the Conference has attracted an audience of over 600, with students from 20 universities, academics and members of the public. The theme of this year’s conference posed the question - ‘To what extent should the law impose positive social responsibility on individuals, public authorities and corporations?’ - claiming to encourage attendees to consider ‘how far the law should go in encouraging socially responsible behaviour, if it should at all.’ ‘We were delighted to welcome students from several universities and from multiple degree subjects to hear out speakers discuss the theme,’ Dary Rollins, chief organiser of the conference, told Epigram. ‘We heard some fascinating perspectives on the imposition of positive obligations in all sectors and we hope the students in attendance had an enjoyable and interesting day,’ she continued.
‘I’ve got five contacts! I’m happy with that.’ - Second year Law student Bristol University
Alongside Professors Bliss, from the University of College London, and Professor Morris from the University of Edinburgh, Collingridge researched a brain mechanism known as‘Long-Term Potentiation’ (LTP) which underpins the life-long plasticity of the brain. Their findings were key to our understanding of how memories are formed, retained and lost. The Brain Prize, worth one million Euros and awarded annually by the Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research Foundation, recognises scientists who have made particularly noteworthy contributions to neuroscience. The award will be presented to them at a ceremony on July 1 in Copenhagen by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark. Their work demonstrates how the synapses between brain cells in the hippocampus (a structure vital for the formation of new memories) can be strengthened through repeated stimulation. They have revealed some of the basic mechanisms behind the phenomenon and how LTP is the basis for our learning and memory. Collingridge gained his BA in pharmacology at the University of Bristol. After post-doctoral training in Vancouver and Sydney he spent most of his career at the University of Bristol where he was
a member of the Departments of Pharmacology and of Anatomy, the Director of the MRC Centre for Synaptic Plasticity and, currently, the School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience. The Brain Prize will be added to his collection of previous awards. Sir Colin Blakemore, chairman of the selection committee said: ‘Memory is at the heart of human experience. This year’s winners, through their ground-breaking research, have transformed our understanding of memory and learning, and the devastating effects of failing memory.’ ‘I am delighted to share this award,’ Professor Collingridge himself said. ‘Working on the cellular mechanisms of learning and memory has been both richly challenging and intensely rewarding for me. I am really excited about now translating discoveries about LTP into new treatments for dementia.’ New and emerging knowledge of the role of LTP will help guide the way to improving treatments for people with many brain-related conditions. These include autism, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and addiction.
Professor Graham Collingridge was one of three neuroscientists awarded The Brain Prize
The day’s programme included talks on civil, public and human rights law from a range of speakers including the University of Bristol’s own Professor Paddy Ireland, Nicholas Bowen QC, John Watkins, Director of Employability at the University of Law, The Right Hon the Lord
Kerr of Tonaghmore PC QC and the University of Bristol’s Professor Paula Giliker, President of the British Association of Comparative Law. In addition to the range of talks on offer across the six hour event, students were able to attend a networking brunch with firms including Osborne Clarke and interact with legal professionals on an individual basis. A second year Law student praised the value of this networking opportunity: ‘I got five contacts! I’m really happy with that.’ Some attendees expressed their gratitude for the focus on human rights law in the conference. As one Swansea University student commented, ‘these are not aspects of law that have not got a lot of money in them, so it’s not really something that is advertised.’
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Abbie Scott Deputy News Editor
‘the questions are very astute and really make you think’ - Lord Kerr, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
‘A lot of people find criminal law interesting, but there’s no push towards it…You’ll never see a criminal chambers, or maybe a public defender from the government come down to an event. They won’t talk about their work, whereas you see quite a lot of law firms at corporate events,’ said Adhmed Jasem, Treasurer of the Swansea University Law Society. Lord Kerr, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and a keynote speaker at the conference, commented to Epigram: ‘It has certainly given me quite a lot of information about corporate law that I wasn’t expecting to receive, and it’s given students an insight into how difficult the decisions are that we have to confront.’ He went on to say that the day’s talks were a learning opportunity for both speakers and attendees alike. ‘These conferences always are, and sometimes the questions are very astute and really make you think.’
Epigram 14.03.2016
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Medic strip show sells out O2 Academy Jordan Kelly-Linden Comment Editor On the evening of Saturday 5th March, 180 brave medics bared (almost) all in the Bristol Medical school’s annual dance and music show. Performing in front of the sold out Bristol 02 Academy, Bristol’s medical students cast aside their inhibitions and spent their Saturday night flipping, spinning and gyrating across the stage all in the name of CLIC Sargent, a charity which supports young people and their families battling cancer. Last year saw the show raise £16,500 but, with nearly 1,500 people attending this year’s event, 2016’s glitter-coated antics managed to raise
almost £20,000 for CLIC. Speaking to one of the medics whose dance opened the show, Epigram were told exactly why they do it: ‘It’s a great laugh, everyone has so much fun and all proceeds go towards an incredibly important charity.’ The show, which is organised, choreographed and performed by Bristol Medics has proved extremely popular over the 22 years it’s been running. ‘This is the most flesh I’ve seen in months,’ was one comment overheard from the crowd. The soon-to-be doctors stripping down in a bid for donations have gathered a large following from their peers. This year’s theme was ‘Throughout Time’ which saw groups of talented medical students dancing back through ‘key’ periods of British history. A
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medic who had opted out of performing this year told Epigram what his favourite moments from the show were. ‘The one to Greensleeves has got to be top,’ he
2016’s glitter-coated antics managed to raise almost £20,000 for CLIC Sargent. commented. ‘Every good stripe tease in history has definitely been to Greensleeves.’ But other’s weren’t so sure about this particular choice.
One physiology student told Epigram that she couldn’t ‘get over the ridiculousness of the Granny’s dance,’ with her friend adding that their ‘favourite was when the granny in drag threw his yarn boobies into the crowd… That’s what I came for, the yarn.’ Another girl maintained that the medic’s fifth year dance trumped them all on the basis of hilarity, while one engineer got a little hot and bothered over the boy’s finale saying: ‘Even if they didn’t have great bodies, I’d still be in awe! Who knew medics with flashing shoes could rival the likes of Tatum’s Magic Mike dance!’ The students’ enthusiastic reactions explain why Clicendales is revered as one of the best nights in the student calendar. By smashing record after record every year, it’s clear that the Bristol Medics always know how to put on a good show.
Epigram/Fares Kammourieh
The Bristol Medics danced for your donations last weekend and it was a roaring success.
Brendan O’Neill: ‘Go into a safe space and f*** it up’ On Thursday 3rd March, the University of Bristol Journalism Society invited the editor of Spiked online magazine, Brendan O’Neill, to speak on the subject of freedom of speech. Spiked has previously ranked the University of Bristol with a red traffic light on its limits to free speech. The talk comes at a time when the debate over safe spaces is at its height on campus, with last month’s AMM rejecting a motion which proffered a university-wide safe space referendum.
UoB Journalism Society / Facebook Flikrr: Trevor Hurlbut Flickr / Kyla Borg
The audience listens to Brendan O’Neill
affected freedom of speech, allowing for some voices to be heard but not others. He went on to give examples on the far extent to which safe spaces have been enforced. Students from Cardiff University successfully campaigned on cancelling a show due to be given by the ‘misogynistic’ Dapper Laughs. The same students campaigned to bar the ‘transphobic’ Germaine Greer from speaking at the university. The ‘Islamophobic’ Maryam Namazie was also banned from speaking at Warwick University. Preventing these people from voicing ‘their deeply held moral beliefs’ is ‘political, moral and artistic censorship,’ according to O’Neill. O’Neill claimed that the ‘intellectually damaging’ safe spaces are turning students into ‘dumb… ideologues’. He laid emphasis on the need to expose oneself to opposing viewpoints. He claimed that censorship involves another party deciding whether one can hear opposing views to one’s own, preventing people from engaging in debate and thinking for themselves. O’Neill points out that safe spaces are to ‘protect students from being made to feel uncomfortable.’ He commented that ‘paternalistic’ student unions implementing this policy are treating minority groups as second-class citizens who should be looked after. The speaker then likened them to Victorian times, when women were discouraged from going to university as it was ‘too rough for them’. At the close of his speech, O’Neill advised
everyone to ‘go into a safe space and fuck it up.’ The engaging Q&A that followed had O’Neill respond to questions relating to the scope freedom of speech should have. He was set on an all-encompassing freedom, regardless of whether it incited hatred: ‘Why shouldn’t people be able to incite hatred, hatred is an emotion.’ He claimed that if there was no freedom of speech, organisations like ISIS would fester and grow underground; ‘censoring prejudice ideas only make them stronger’. He cited the example of France, where decades after they outlawed holocaust denial, the country has one of the worst problems with anti-Semitism in Europe.
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Sasha Noble News Reporter
O’Neill has been writing on the subject of freedom of speech from the age of 19. He began his career writing for Living Marxism. After it ceased publication, it was replaced by Spiked, which he became editor of in 2007. Other publications he has written for include The Spectator, The Daily Telegraph, and The Guardian, and he has also authored a book entitled, ‘Can I Recycle My Granny?’ The event was well attended and began with him encouraging the audience to ‘violate the safe space policy,’ justifying himself by quoting Thomas Jefferson, ‘if a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obliged to do so.’ ‘Censorship’ is the label the speaker gave to safe space. He explained that it negatively
He was set on an allencompassing freedom regardless of whether it incited hatred
The core of Brendan O’Neill’s talk was to tell the audience that if one is serious about the value of freedom of speech, one has a duty to defend the right to speech of even the most radical and controversial individuals.
Epigram
14.03.2015
Features
@epigramfeatures
Editor: Alex Green
Deputy Editor: Becky Morton
Online Editor: Richard Assheton
features@epigram.org.uk
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Juan Salmoral
Eton College, more often associated with black tie than Billionaire Boys Club
‘Working class appropriation’ is the new cool Georgia Marsh Features Writer One of the most hotly debated social issues at the minute is the term ‘cultural appropriation’. It can be defined as individuals from one culture adopting components of another. Appropriation only embraces elements of a marginalised culture that are deemed desirable, such as dance or fashion, while ignoring elements that are less so, such as the realities of the oppression that many of these cultures face in the West. It’s problematic because the minority group in question are maltreated for exerting their culture, despite this theft by the majority who seek to popularise it. Many people are conscious of cultural appropriation (whether they choose to acknowledge it is a different story) – but is ‘class appropriation’ its social counterpart? In the context of cultural appropriation, class appropriation takes elements of the lower classes and adopts them into upper class culture, disregarding the political and social implications of such theft. However, is this just another term
invented by so-called social ‘justice warriors’ as another means to condemn the middle class for something that’s, actually, not that deep? Or are there more sinister realities attached to this new kind of cultural theft? The label ‘chav’ is almost outgrown now. While it is still exists as a means to poke fun at working classes, it’s been more-or-less dissolved to make way for ‘roadman’: the new-age chav. ‘Roadmen’ can be categorised as street youths who outsiders consider to be threatening due to their way of dress and manner of speech. However this speech, as with the majority of street slang, is not perceived as a creative form of expression, but as a lazy and inferior form of communication. Being humans, we should be interested in evolving language and how slang is one of the vehicles upon which modern language operates. However, this form of language is condemned and thought to be improper because of its working class origins – a damaging perception that stifles imagination and originality. Take ‘wavey garms’ as an example. These are not, as my slang-inept friend believed, ‘clothes that blow in the wind’, but are instead (as a literal translation allows)
‘cool garments’. A favourite of Badock residents and ‘trustafarians’ alike – that’s rich kids who pay extortionate amounts of money to look like they have none – wavey garms are often, but not always, classified under the sports luxe umbrella. Despite being one of the worst slang phrases ever invented, it also comes with problematic connotations. I attended a reasonably rough all-girls school in South London, so I understand firsthand the implications of dress. Our clothing affected the perspective that the public had on us. This, bar our uniform, mainly consisted of athletic gear – bags, trainers, hoodies, and tracksuits –associated with ‘rough kids’. However this aesthetic, which the working classes were scrutinised for up to a few years ago, is now considered ‘edgy’ under sports luxe headings. In other words, wavey garms are fashionable if you’re white and upper middle class, but thuggish and chavvy if you’re anything else. This is a trend that has been cottonedon to by the industry, too. Never mind labels like Yeezy or Alexander Wang who boast their wholly basic sport-inspired designs for enough cash to dry out your student loan, but previously accessible
Rene Passat
Born and bred in south-west London, Stormzy’s background could not be more different from those that mimic him
brands that could be found in JD Sports have introduced ranges such as Adidas Originals which charge upwards of £50 for… a plain black jacket. Of course there’s a market for this, however the reason why sports clothing was originally so popular was because it was so cheap. Now that the upper classes havedeemeditacceptabletowearoutside of the gym or off of a sports pitch, it’s become gentrified through capitalist exploitation, and thus inaccessible to those who originated the trend. Is there not something fundamentally wrong with that? Paradoxically, the style once made fun of for its working class roots is now being flaunted by upper middle class Tory voters through overpriced ‘vintage’ Adidas jackets. With this comes racial profiling and the demonization of lower classes. This attitude is best exemplified with a quote from Skepta’s working class anthem ‘Shutdown’: ‘a bunch of young men all dressed in black, dancing extremely aggressively on stage, it made me feel so intimidated and it’s just not what I expect to see on prime time TV’. It’s not that you shouldn’t wear what you want when you want – you should; it’s more that we should all be aware of the political and social implications that come with different kinds of dress. Furthermore, it’s not that clothing choices should be attacked and critiqued, but rather that we should be conscious that upper middle class kids can wear whatever they want without being subject to negative stereotypes. While Jonathan from Buckinghamshire rakes in appraisal and Instagram likes from his private school pals as he poses with a zoot in his North Face gear, inner city youth are denied opportunity and freedom due to dressing in the exact same manner. Class – like culture and ethnicity – is not a costume; it’s not something you can always turn on and off. Jonathan loves the creativity, status and comedy of the roadman aesthetic, but what is he doing for the working classes by appropriating their individuality and voting for the Conservatives because it benefits him? This is a sentiment that Beth Smith, a First Year English student from London, agrees with: “The problem is the double standard – its middle class
young people who contribute to – and reap the benefits of – a system which actively prevents social mobility, and not seeing the irony; they are taking the style, music, slang, from a group of people who they simultaneously help to prevent from having the same opportunities as themselves.” The difficulties of class appropriation that Beth Smith has touched upon is pervasive in more unlikely places. The UK grime revival, for example, is a highly politicised emergence of popular music. The past few years has seen grime move away from its rich history as an urban underground effort, and sail towards the forefront of mainstream music. Though it’s about time that a spotlight is shining on such a dynamic, vibrant and quintessentially British genre, the message of grime is often being glossed over by this new-wave of fans. It’s not about the garage beats or the quick-witted lyricism, but about recognising the message that’s staring the listener in the face. For example, it’s an impossibility to appreciate Kendrick Lamar and not be aware of and involved in the social commentary of the Black Lives Matter movement in the US. The same sort of problems are prevalent in UK society, and grime is all about this. Grime is about finding a powerful, distinctive voice in the midst of the everyday struggle: it tackles classism problems, with particular emphasis on attitudes towards black youth, which our modern sensibilities should acknowledge as significant social issues. Therefore, Etonians bigging up Stormzy, while a nice gesture, is kind of missing the point. Perhaps class appropriation is an over-cooked issue. Maybe its subject matter is tired, and vocalised only by kill-joys and over reactive bloggers; no wonder that the mention of it is met with eye-rolls and disinterest. Yet, at the same time, the social and political implications of class appropriation are often too large to ignore and only toughen the rigidness of our class system. Appreciate and celebrate by all means – if this is your scene, indulge in it. However, don’t do so without actively being part of solutions. By being ignorant of this, you must be aware that you are part of the problem.
Epigram
14.03.2015
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Tristram Hunt: Lord of the resistance?
Centre for Cities
and pervasive values rather than confusion. Instead of having different policies, which appeal to the many, he argued that the Labour party ought to model itself around slogans such as Blair’s famous line, ‘Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime.’ Although acknowledging that this is ‘not a policy but a statement of intent,’ he suggested that it is these kinds of ‘values,’ which galvanise the general electorate and therefore should be adopted. This does cause us to question what exactly his plan is regarding the future trajectory of the Labour party. One can’t help but assume that he believes that they ought to base their direction on empty sound bites, which does not sound too convincing as a strategy plan. One would presume he argues that this ‘time for values’ is both a cause and a consequence of the rise of what the electorate sees to be a ‘sincere and principled’ Jeremy Corbyn. It is ironic that he seems to have missed the point that Corbyn is perceived to be these things precisely because he doesn’t do empty sound bite politics. On the matter of Corbyn, Hunt brought into question his ability to win an election. He acquiesced that Jeremy had stopped feelings of a ‘hollowing out’ of the Labour Party, but cast doubt on the strength of his supporters. He asked the audience whether his
segment of the talk. When asked how he thought we ought to solve voter apathy, he replied simply by saying, ‘I don’t know – what do you think? We tried Russell Brand - that was our big shot!’ Although obviously said humorously, the naivety of this comment shone through and there seemed to be an element of truth in his mock despair. Another student questioned his vote in favour of bombing Syria, in light of the fact that Bristol was home to several anti-intervention protests. In response, he seemed to deflect responsibility entirely by asking ‘Where was the Bristol stop the war coalition when Russia was bombing MSF?!’ This was not the most helpful of responses. Hunt was tentatively questioned by a member of Bristol Labour students regarding his comments to Cambridge University Labour club that Labour was ‘in the shit’ and that they were the ‘top one per cent’ who needed to show leadership within the party. His reply was a cringe worthy, and patronising retreat from his originally bold statement, offering the platitude that we at Bristol University are also ‘knowledge leaders’ and that ‘with great privilege comes great responsibility.’ The discomfort felt by the audience indicated that the original criticisms levelled at Hunt of being ‘elitist’ and ‘offensive’ perhaps still rang true.
Epigram/Anya Frude
Last week, Tristram Hunt - former education secretary and MP for Stokeon-Trent Central – came to speak for Bristol Politics Society. The title of the talk was ‘Why Labour lost and how we can win again,’ so, unsurprisingly; many came to the event expecting some answers. Much to their chagrin they were to be disappointed. Throughout the talk Hunt attempted to tackle the various factors which may have contributed to the abject failure of Labour at the last general election. He began by citing the lack of policy clarity of Labour under the Miliband leadership as being a key issue, stating, ‘We had policies coming out of our ears. But nobody knew what they were!’ He explained that during Miliband’s leadership there was a tendency to ‘slice and dice’ policies in order to suit a disparate variety of demographics. He also made very clear that he believed that ex-Obama campaign strategist extraordinaire David Axelrod, who was hired by the party for Miliband was ‘massively overpaid’ and did not contribute much towards victory. Hunt proposed his personal analysis by stating that now is a time for clear
fans are ‘just on Twitter or are they going to knock on some doors?’ He also alluded to the fact that winning an internal leadership contest is not necessarily indicative of a future election victory. Surprisingly, he didn’t really acknowledge that it would have been likely that Corbyn’s rivals for the leadership would have failed to win the general election if they were unable to harness even the support of their own party membership. In addition to this, he stated that he was ‘very concerned by the policy direction of the party’ but also that he is ‘a loyal party member.’ Nevertheless, he took no issue with criticising John McDonnell’s recent closing down of the compliance unit of the Labour party, describing how ‘dangerous people’ will be allowed into the party, whilst then proceeding to refer to Anti Semites in the same breath as Trotskyists. Hunt also discussed how during the election campaign there was a ‘disconnect between the priorities of the general electorate, Labour members and the party’ which hindered the unification of efforts. He also referred to Scotland as being ‘terrifyingly left wing,’ and described the challenge of reinvigorating Labour support there as though it were a completely lost cause. Hunt shed little light on the issues raised during the question and answer
Rene Passat
#JC4PM kicks off a ‘new politics’ at Colston Hall Anya Frude Features Writer With ever-growing cuts to culture and arts budgets, seemingly deemed by the political establishment as a dispensable facet of society, creativity continues to be devalued. Jeremy Corbyn’s compassionate, antiestablishment politics has, however, captured the public’s imagination. The current #JC4PM UK tour, organized by Momentum has reassessed the valuation of the arts, and is providing a creative campaign to, in the words of the tour’s organizers, ‘transform the way politics is conducted’. The tour arrived in Bristol on Tuesday 23rd February.
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Acts addressed issues such as trident, global warming, inequality and the indelible pig f*cking scandal via creative means.
An impressive array of the cream of UK culture has provided their time and talent in support of Jeremy’s campaign with comedians, singers, poets, campaigners and politicians included in the line ups of the seven night, seven city tour. Whilst Jeremy himself did not appear in the Bristol sect of the tour, his passion and political ideals were not absent. The tour combines well-known names with local figures including, for Bristol, the mayoral candidate, Marvin Rees, who lost last year to George Ferguson but, undeterred, will be running again this year. Rees focused on, particularly, affordable housing and, in line with the general agenda of the tour, social cohesion through the means of art and culture. He emphasized that the exciting cultural buzz for which Bristol is so often and rightly applauded needed
to stretch to the more deprived areas of the city. He argued persuasively that creative methods could be the successful mechanism for a more inclusive and compassionate wider community. As well as the involvement of the more establishment hallmarked political figures, anti-establishment grassroots organisations were also represented on stage; for Stop the War Coalition, John Rees and Weyman Bennett for Stand Up to Racism. Both brought their rallying cries, more often heard through a megaphone in the rain, to the civilized setting of Colston Hall. Perhaps this felt like the evening’s most apt, successful fusion for hope. Corbyn’s labour leader campaign was, after all, made successful by the many grassroots organisations that campaigned and organized following his novelty nomination. Francesca Martinez, comedian and an organizer of the tour, emphasized the necessity of the continuing involvement of these groups. The range of acts during the evening allowed for a wide range of political issues to be covered, whilst also producing a scrapbook-like variety of moving, inspiring and funny moments. Comedian Arthur Smith compered the evening and introduced many other comedians to the stage including Jeremy Hardy and Will Hodgson who, in turn, addressed issues such as trident, global warming, inequality and the indelible pig fucking scandal via creative means. Whilst tackling tough issues, the comedy often provided entertaining light relief, itself emphasizing the need to, at times, laugh in the face of adversity. For those that attended the night, that face indiscriminately belonged to one of the Tory cabinet. If the older members of the audience were suitably dressed, looking formally ready to inaugurate a new kind of politics at the start, it was not long before the evening’s comedy effectively loosened the formal ties that politics often seems too much attached to. By the awaited headline act, Billy Bragg, dark, light and grey haired alike were shooting their fists up in solidarity for the Unions, providing an energetic
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Adele Fraser and Catherine Cross Features Writers
end to the evening. Perhaps, in some ways, this is what the tour captures that establishment politics just doesn’t seem to; enthusiasm and, most particularly, a real willing sing-along sense of involvement.
Corbyn’s office has not offered any support for the tour; rather ironic given the very aim of the tour.
The cracks in the political establishment have been widening for some time, with a range of candidates offering their own immigrant-based or independence-based cementing solutions. The take home message of the #JC4PM tour, however, emphasizes each and every individual as being an important part of a wider solution, with creativity, hope and even at times humour being at the solutions centre. If laughing, jeering and cheering finds so frequent a home at Prime Minister’s Questions, I would argue that it found a much more politically productive purpose at the JC4PM tour. Surprisingly - or unsurprisingly, depending on your brand of cynicism – Corbyn’s office has not offered any support for the tour; rather ironic given the very aim of the tour. Perhaps they haven’t yet decoded the hashtag. Despite this, Corbyn’s Labour leader campaign gained increasing public support with establishment snubs. As ironic as the actions of the Corbyn office are, perhaps it allows this movement to be continuingly and necessarily claimed by the public rather than the political establishment. Whatever difficulties we know Jeremy Corbyn will face from his own party and office, looking around at a packed Colston Hall, I’m sure nearly everyone left with the sense that a new kind of politics really is possible.
Epigram 14.03.2015
8
Bristol’s battle against FGM Francine Long Features Writer With the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on the February 6, filming for two new music videos-come-educational resources completed and a successful day-long conference held in City Academy, 2016 has got off to a busy start for local charity Integrate Bristol as it continues its work at the forefront of action against FGM.
As I take a seat in the cosy office to hear about the trials, tribulations and triumphs Integrate Bristol have experienced over the years, three teenage students sit happily clicking away at computers. Project Director, Lisa Zimmerman, tells me that this is far from an uncommon sight. The students, who range in age, often take the helm running practical workshops in schools,campaigning and video editing the many powerful films they have created, among countless other activities inherent to the vibrant work of the organisation. At the same time it seems pretty clear they’re gaining a wealth of real world skills. Integrate Bristol began its work back in 2007 and was officially founded in 2009. The charity now has a seasoned strategy, which aims to
of the first Integrate Bristol film went ahead at the Watershed cinema, and endorsing its legality once and for all. From a situation where FGM was such a taboo topic that an educational charity openly discussing it was met with protest, to today, where BanKi Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations and Malala Yousefzai have both celebrated and endorsed Integrate Bristol’s campaign – clearly a lot has changed. One of the most important catalysts for this change in openness and a key tool used in the workshops is humour. When trying to give the FGM discussion a lift off in the school where she works, Zimmerman and the young members organised a training session for teachers, teamed up by department. The aim: make the most anatomically accurate model of a vulva out of playdough. A task that’s about as high-tech as you can get with coloured putty. As Zimmerman enthusiastically described, the chaos and competitiveness that ensued couldn’t have been better for breaking down the awkwardness around the dreaded topic of female genitalia. With regard to how the topic is now treated in the school after these competitive anatomical shenanigans, the rest is history. The capacity for breaking issues down by laughing at them is also evident in the merchandise. Zimmerman smiled as she relayed the story behind the notorious ‘Fanny Defence League’ key rings. Apparently one of the members of Integrate Bristol in earlier years got engaged in a vociferous Twitter argument with the EDL or English Defence League, a far-right
Lisa Zimmerman and Fahma Mohamed, face of the campaign, meeting Ban-Ki Moon
protest movement who many consider Islamophobic. The debate seemed infuriating at the time, until Zimmerman noticed what was happening, took over the keyboard and announced ‘If you’re the EDL, start by correcting your spelling and grammar!’ When asked who she was she replied: ‘We’re the FDL,’ an acronym that instantly stuck. In addition to the acclaimed work Integrate Bristol has contributed to the fight against FGM they also tackle a wider range of issues. Recently a project was set up in a new, all-white school after teachers became concerned about
Integrate Bristol
The Integrate Bristol team promoting the campaign song, ‘Use Your Head’, with Bristol Mayor George Ferguson
comments being made about the Syrian refugee crisis. Integrate Bristol went in to hold a range of workshops on gender and racial equality, and to present some of their own short films. By the end of the day a viewing of one of the music videos demonstrated how much the children had been won over by their peers as they rushed to get pictures taken with the rapper and try and get her autograph. However as ground-breaking as this approach is, the undeniable truth remains that one UK charity can’t fix the whole gargantuan problem. Last year FGM was outlawed officially both in Nigeria, a political and economic powerhouse in Africa, and in Somalia, where according to UNICEF 95 per cent of girls are still victims every year. As Zimmerman puts it, ‘You can’t put a sticky plaster on the problem. It has to be everywhere and what DFID [the Department For International Development] are doing in Africa is amazing – as long as it’s led by African women.’ She later adds, ‘a white woman in Africa telling people how to live is not what I’m going to do.’ Instead, when asked about how to stop the practice in origin countries, she lauds the action taken in Burkina Faso. With £35million invested into ending FGM globally by the UK government in 2013, there has been strong support for the peer education programme in Burkina Faso that has seen a distinct change of attitudes towards the practice. ¾ of the female population have already undergone FGM, but now only nine per cent of the population
Thena Mimmack Integrate Bristol
“ Of a group of twelve, all bar one had disclosed that they had undergone FGM
use Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) to combat the practice of FGM in Bristol. However, the organisation that in 2014 persuaded Michael Gove to contact head teachers throughout the country about the issue of FGM, began small. In 2007 Zimmerman was still working full-time as an English teacher at City Academy when the charity began humbly from ‘four terrified girls writing poetry’. Zimmerman has lived all over the world but doesn’t hail originally from an affected community. The issue was brought home to her in Bristol when planning a postexam celebratory excursion. She wanted to reward a small group of girls for their high grades. She was shocked to be told, however, that of a group of 12, all bar one had disclosed that they had undergone FGM and that the school were concerned about the proposed horse riding day-out she had planned. Since those early days, the organisation has grown tremendously, but not without resistance. Not only were there the conventional challenges of capitalising on a new idea and creating something where before there was nothing, but they also faced some deepset, knee jerk opposition from certain ‘self appointed community elders.’ Incredibly, Zimmerman recalls that at one point vitriolic rumours were even spread by opponents that girls involved with the charity were being forced into porn films and protestors argued that the organisation was not legal. This controversy was put to bed in 2011 when Detective Chief Inspector Dave McCullum cut short his holiday to return to Bristol, ensuring the premiere
want it to continue. Integrate Bristol is now expanding within the UK and hoping to branch out into London soon. Some of the young activists have also expressed a desire to create an education platform against child marriages. With regard to their recent successful conference Zimmerman states, ‘I’ve never said it was annual, because you should do it when there’s something new to say.’
” Since those early days, the organisation has grown tremendously, but not without resistance
Responding to what young people want seems paramount and the amount of headway being made is exceptional compared to so many other areas of the country. On a national level, David Cameron’s decision to block compulsory sex education in classrooms across the country seems to be a step in the wrong direction. If sex education related to FGM could be delivered through the inventive and informative styles pioneered by Integrate Bristol, this could be a real driver for change. But in the end, it is the young people involved who know best of all never to give up fighting and as long as Zimmerman is involved she’s committed to ensuring they never do.
Comment
Epigram 14.03.2015
@epigramcomment Editor: Jordan Kelly-Linden Deputy Editor: Stefan Rollnick Online Editor: Liam Marchant jkellylinden@epigram.org.uk
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Why I won’t be taking the National Student Survey Ella Ennos-Dann explains why she will not be joining the other dissatisfied students taking the NSS Ella Ennos-Dann
BREAKING NEWS: Epislam has recieved a tip-off from an unnamed source that people s till bother to s t and for SU elections
Deputy Travel Editor
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to voice their opinions about their course and their university -- I’m sure with the hope that any negative feedback will be acted upon to make the university better for future students. However, what isn’t made so obvious to people is that giving the university a bad score, allowing Bristol to fall down the league table, will in fact devalue your degree. When I came to the university in 2012, Bristol was the 8th best university for law in the country. In the Guardian league tables for 2016, it is now sitting at a measly 31. I refuse to be part of the process that debases the university - and consequently my degree any further, but it would also feel wrong to lie. I can’t pretend that the university has been faultless throughout my time here and it would be disingenuous to tell future students (who will probably be paying more than the extortionate nine grand a year I do) that they’ll really be getting their money’s worth by choosing to come to University of Bristol. I have been told on more than one occasion by
Epigram National Student Survey
It is no secret to any student at the University of Bristol that our student satisfaction rate sucks. Despite the university’s various attempts to tackle this, it seems they just can’t get it right. Every year, final year students up and down the country are bombarded with reminders in lectures, by email and even by post to take the National Student survey. Students are asked a number of questions including an ‘overall satisfaction mark’. And as the results come in, every year, we then see our university slide further and further down the league tables; behind many non-redbrick, nonRussell Group universities, based almost entirely on the unhappiness of the students here. The idea behind the survey is that students get
On the face of it, it’s a great idea. Less fuss, more accountability, and, most importantly, less chance of fraud
Epislam
Final year students are constantly reminded to lend their voice to this survey
representatives of the Law School that I should be giving the university good marks, regardless of any qualms I may have for the very reason I’ve mentioned. They are all too aware of the effect it has on the university’s reputation. Apparently any issues should be taken up directly with the university. But does the university actually listen
I refuse to be part of the process that debases the university - and consequently my degree - any further, but it would also feel wrong to lie to students? I can only speak on behalf of the Law School but they certainly didn’t seem concerned by students’ worries when the proposals to cut our coursework word counts went through! I have loved my time at uni and will look back
with fond memories; however, the fondness will not be down to the University of Bristol. As a city, Bristol is great. If I were to answer a survey about the city, it would get 10/10 on pretty much all areas (except maybe the weather!). But in my opinion, the university focuses too much of its resources on research at the expense of undergraduate students. Nowadays, when students are paying such high fees, naturally they are going to expect more. Not getting coursework back on time, not getting proper feedback from work you’ve spent weeks doing or lecturers who literally just regurgitate a textbook or read off a PowerPoint is simply not good enough! Yet if I were to voice these complaints by taking the National Student Survey it is unlikely to make any difference other than push the university even further down the league table, taking with it the value of my degree and possibly my job prospects. I can’t bring myself to lie about the university but am also not willing to be part of the process that drags it down. My only option it would seem is to abstain.
This week Bristol’s campus has been shaken by the shocking revelations that some people still actually give a shit about the SU elections. This the first outbreak of interest in student politics for around a decade, but Union officials seem confident that they can keep the enthusiasm under control. Whilst students are still trying to make sense of these allegations, it has been rumoured that some Union officials are thinking of stepping down over the controversy. Some people are saying that the Union is under-equipped to deal with such interest, but whatever happens: the face of our university as we know it will never be the same again. Written by Nafets Nickroll
Caption competition: Let the Brexit battle commence This week Epigram tries to contain its excitement and Bremain calm as it takes a look at some of the big names in the EU debate
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14.03.2016
The best of UoB’s work experience stories Our editor has compiled some of the funniest work experience stories from UoB students. Think you have a better one? Direct message or tweet us your experiences @EpigramComment
Jordan Kelly-Linden Comment Editor
Alex Stirling Exotic animal lover
Somehow at 15, I found myself working for the Press Secretary of the European Labour Party. I had been at a total loss for what to do in my compulsory work experience week and in a typical middle class, pushy parent way, my mother had stepped in with some contact or another. After a day working in the rather small office, I was passed on to the Campaigns Officer - a pretty dashing Irishman. My first morning shadowing him, we chatted for a while about books and university (somehow without it transpiring that I was still at school). At the end of the working day, he asked for my number and whether I wanted to go for a drink in a non-professional way. Embarrassingly I was forced to answer that due to the fact that I was only 15, I was neither able to go out for a drink nor date him. It’s safe to say that the next four days were incredibly awkward.
J.D. The awkward camera man
I was working for a TV documentary series called Swap My Council House. On this particular day we were filming a Manchester based-family swap with people from Plymouth. We arrived at 7am to start production but the Manchester family hadn’t even started to get their stuff ready. The house was a mess, there was about 14 pets running around and the Plymouth family were due to arrive about 12pm. To make matters even more comical, the only guy moving was the Manchester dad, but he had a broken arm… It was just really awkward because our insurance for filming meant that we couldn’t help them so we just had to stand and watch him struggle to pack up all these heavy possessions with one hand.
Flickr / B O D D AN
This story comes from my time working in Moscow for the Moscow Times newspaper. My friend and I were just getting used to the hectic schedule of work when we were sent to our first press conference held by the Russian State Circus. Having made our way to the conference in central Moscow, the next hour and a half consisted of attempts to scribble down the occasional Russian word that I understood. I did, however, manage to catch hold of one sentence. The Russian State Circus was trying to sell some of its animals in order to alleviate their financial burden at a time of crisis. Having returned to the Moscow Times office, my editor thought it would be good investigative experience for me to contact the circus and act as a potential buyer. I successfully got through to a representative and, in shaky Russian, inquired as to which animals were for sale. In truly Russian style, I was told that it was not safe to speak about such delicate matters over the phone and that it would be better to meet in person in ‘downtown Moscow’. The representative said that he would call me the next day to detail the exact location and time of the meeting. Sure enough, I received a call only to be told that, if asked, I had to pretend that I had never contacted the circus nor spoken to any of its employees. I wasn’t even given the chance to protest or say anything. The line went dead and when I tried to call the number back, it had ceased to exist. In terms of first assignments, it was a pretty enthralling one.
M.C. An Irish fancy
Safe to say that some of us have had intertesting experiences on placement....
N.K. The crafty baker
I was working in the kitchens of Laduree with one of my friends (a dream job, given the ‘scrap cupboard’ - a fridge full of the extras from large batch bakes). The work experience placement involved rotating around the kitchens, working on pastry one day, macaroons the next, etc. By the Thursday of the first week we had been trusted with decorating one of the most expensive cakes, sold for over £40. Just as we were putting the finishing touches on the cake, my clumsy friend rammed her elbow into it - just enough to ruin the glossy chocolate ganache and make the cake unsellable (whether this was intentional or not, I still don’t know). Unaware that the mishap was our fault, our supervisors set us to work on a replacement and gave us the ruined cake to take home at the end of the day.
B.L. The fed-up napper
I spent a week doing clerk work at my mum’s hospital after my GCSEs. I didn’t want to do it but my mum / the school with their compulsory work experience week made me. Everyday I had to cart these really heavy medical files from one side of the hospital to another and then file them in the correct medical library closet. I had no idea what I was doing and it was pretty labour intensive. Anyway, it got to the end of the week and I decided I’d had enough. After lunch, I went to find my mum, to tell her how awful the experience was, only she wasn’t in her office. Taking advantage of an empty space, I decided to sit at her desk and wait until she came back. Only I fell sleep. Two hours later mum found me mid-nap. Needless to say, she was not impressed.
Why there should be more female heads in academia
Jemima Hegerty-Ward describes the discouraging barriers aspiring female academics and current professors face Jemima Hegerty-Ward Comment Writer
The fact that there are more male heads of department reinforces gender stereotypes, shaking the intellectual confidence of women and making them feel as though their contributions aren’t as valued as their male peers’. But simply because there are more male professors is not evidence of them being more intelligent. It’s not our ability that is holding us back: 45 per cent of academics are female. It’s the sexist system which creates a
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It’s not our ability that is holding us back: 45 per cent of academics are female
Flickr / topsynette
I don’t have to tell you the statistics, you’re probably already aware of the blatant inequality and implicit gender bias in the ancient practice of academia; women are simply not represented in its senior roles. Cambridge University is one half of a duo regarded as being at the centre of intellectual pioneering and discovery, yet from only 1947 were women allowed to be a part of this excellence. Even now, just 15 per cent of professorships there are held by women. This imbalance takes the perennial fear of a Bristol student - ‘am I clever enough?’ - to an entirely new level. Is my gender not considered able to make an original contribution to knowledge?
Dr McLellan, of the University of Bristol, was just recently made head of the History department
disparity between women academics and women in senior positions that is the problem; women are paid 12.6 per cent less on average than men, a disparity that makes women feel like they don’t belong. Knowledge is without limits, but academic culture is placing restrictions on intellectual free reign through its lack of representation. I don’t want to be educated purely through the lens of a white male, which is what around 80 per cent of professors are. That’s not learning, it’s regurgitating. Having research done by the same demographic is uninspiring, and sometimes futile, for the same life experiences ensue similar perspectives and areas of study. It’s no coincidence that the marginalisation of women in academia has resulted in a lack of study as women as a subject. If we want innovating research, we need diversity. From my own experience, it feels like female
roles at university level are limited to the pastoral and administrative side, which is discouraging. Of course, there are contextual explanations as to why so few women hold senior positions in their profession. Dr McLellan, the first female
I don’t want to be educated purely through the lens of a white male, which is what around 80 per cent of professors are head of history, has recently spoken about how it’s not the most practical role for women who are left with the primary duty of looking after children. But this should not undermine female
academic performance and having more women in positions of academic leadership would help quell this stumbling block of ‘inflexibility’. They would arguably be more tuned in with issues such as part time contracts, providing views that would ultimately change the dynamics of research for good. And, quite simply, more female heads of departments would set the inspiring precedent needed for anyone with academic aspirations. In the words of Dr McLellan, female academics have to “hold their nerve” on the academic career ladder. That means that women need to remain confident in the face of the inadequacy the inequities of the system make us feel. And it will definitely be worth it; more female heads of department will change the culture around us for good, making us feel less self-conscious, having pride in the achievements that prove we belong in academia.
Epigram
14.03.2016
11
‘Period leave’ is utter bull and you know it Jordan explains why one Stokes Croft-based company’s policy only serves to undermine women
Flick / Ben Terrett
Jordan Kelly-Linden Comment Editor
Finding yourself doubled over in pain and dealing with other extremes every month isn’t normal, and that, they’ll point out. But your menstrual cycle is. Periods are an essential, inevitable part of being a healthy, fertile woman, which is why the concept of ‘period leave’ is complete nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, the Stokes Croft-based company, who this week have announced that they’re considering instigating this policy, seem like they’re being really forward-thinking by putting the needs of their staff first. However, when you actually think it through, ‘period leave’ is completely impractical on an economic, social and pragmatic level. For one, how are you supposed to bring this ‘leave’ into force in a fair and ethical way when,
Periods are an essential, inevitable part of being a heathy, fertile woman, which is why the concept of ‘period leave’ is complete nonsense.
for some women, their menses is barely a red blip on the calendar while others are left single handedly maintaining the tampon tax? Are you supposed to install ID chips on sanitary bins so that you can keep tabs on the productivity of your staff in relation to their cycle? I mean that would be a bit far-fetched so maybe, instead, you should tap into women’s medical records or force them to wear a monitor to assess their pain levels so you know whether or not they deserve the leave? Because you know we’ve all pulled a sicky at least once. Also, if and when it comes to it, are you going to tell transgender women that, even though they identify as women, because they don’t have periods, they’re not entitled to menstrual leave? No, obviously not, that would be discriminatory, alienating and not to mention, for a number of reasons, offensive. But, practicalities aside, I don’t believe I’m the only person to find this ill-thought out business model infuriating. Just after the workplace sexism debate has only recently hit national headlines, it’s really frustrating to see people continue to perpetuate gender myths with naive policies such as these. Telling the world that women should get time
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Periods are an essential, inevitable part of being a heathy, fertile woman, which is why the concept of ‘period leave’ is complete nonsense
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Ask any doctor and they’ll tell you that if your periods are so painful that you physically can’t move then you need to sort your life out. Yep. They’ll tell you that in those exact same words. Okay, so maybe I’m being silly, but all jokes aside, as a daughter of a gynaecologist (never thought I’d qualify a sentence with that phrase), I can assure you that there is a sense of truth in that opening line. I mean, if you turned up at your GP with incapacitating cramps they’re not going to turn around and say it’s your fault – to paraphrase Mean Girls – for having ‘a wide set vagina and heavy flow’. Deal with it. Instead, they’re going to do their job and treat you.
off every month to deal with their period essentially confirms misogynistic misconceptions that falsely label women as the weaker sex. The message this concept sends out only fuels antiquated, detrimental attitudes about female psychology and physiology. The kinds of attitudes that hold girls back from participating in sport and leading a normal, healthy life.
The concept of ‘period leave’ really just highlights the severe lack of education women receive when it comes to their own bodies
Not only that, but it completely undermines women. Indicating to employers that they are less valuable than men (because why would you rather have someone on your payroll who can’t work around your business schedule over someone who can) and, like a 1950s good housewife manifesto, it tells half of the population that they’d be more useful at home.
‘Period leave’ might help a few women who suffer from endometriosis or those women who cannot or refuse to medicate (like you would any other ailment), but the policy and the negative connotations the concept brings with it, far outweighs the positives. Ask any grown women, never mind the innocent girls looking up to them as role models and they’ll tell you that at least once in their life they have received a sarcastic jibe about whether or not it’s their ‘time of the month’. Ludicrous business models such as these encourage that type of everyday sexism, while simultaneously ignoring simple logic and the progress of modern medicine. For something such as period pain that is treatable with medication and is natural, you can’t justify giving more than half your workforce leave or flexible hours every month, especially if you also believe in the myth that women’s cycles sync when they spend a lot of time together… The concept of ‘period leave’ really just highlights the severe lack of education women receive when it comes to their own bodies. And when it comes to discussing menses, that is where the real problem actually lies.
Do we still need International Women’s Day? Maya Wheeler-Colwell thinks so and argues that even Bristol students benefit from celebrating this day Maya Wheeler-Colwell Comment Writer
With International Women’s Day taking place in March, as every year previous, the same question arises from the sceptics: do we really need a designated day to promote women’s rights? And, the same as every year, my reply is yes. Yes, of course we do. International Women’s Day is about more than just women, it’s about gender equality. It’s a reminder to the world that we’re not quite there yet. It’s about recognising that, even if some people, such as the privileged female student population
at the University of Bristol, don’t come up against that many gender-specific barriers, it doesn’t mean everyone else has it plain sailing either. Coming from a school that was so ‘radically’ feminist that they would edit out offensive lyrics in songs performed in assemblies, it is easy to grow up confidently believing that we are unaffected
We would rather soften and domesticate trigger words than confront the issues they conceal head-on
to put up with being hooted at whilst walking down the street. However, as all my friends and I have come to realise, that belief is wrong. One of my best friends - a product of the same female dominated bubble - had her drink spiked within the first two months of arriving in Bristol, in Lola Lo’s, of all places, on a social with her coursemates. This experience is a sign that even in somewhere as seemingly innocuous as a Tiki-themed Triangle Club on a student night, there is a need to be on guard at all times. It is telling that one of the most frequent remarks from older members of my family, when they hear that I actually go out, is ‘make sure you always keep your thumb over your drink bottle’. This shouldn’t have to be a concern for women anywhere, but particularly not in a society that sees itself as developed and democratic. Drink spiking occupies the most serious end
of the spectrum, but other things that may seem more minor, such as catcalling in the streets, have a similar effect of making women feel unsafe in public. What worries me even more is that some women enjoy it and see it as something flattering and confidence boosting. To de-stigmatise catcalling is to make the claim of ownership over women’s bodies acceptable, which it never has and never should be. Why should women have to cover their bodies or dress to make them look dowdy, simply in order to walk down the street unhindered? My new philosophy of yelling right back at the offenders
is all very well here in Bristol, where catcalling is just a disrespectful annoyance, but in other places, responding would merely put you at even more risk. The use of ‘drink-spiking’ and ‘cat-calling’ as euphemistic terms for what is effectively drugging and harassment reveals a massive, worrying flaw in our society. It shows us that we would rather soften and domesticate trigger words than confront the issues they conceal head-on. So those who believe that International Women’s Day is redundant, I say, you should really think again.
Flickr / Mark and Andrea Busse
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Why should women have to cover their bodies or dress to make them look dowdy, simply in order to walk down the street unhindered?
by issues such as the fear of going out alone after dark, or the reluctance to aim for top positions of authority, or to even consider that we might have
Seems like we still have a long way to go before we reach gender equality, even in the UK
Epigram 14.03.2016
Science & Tech
@EpigramSciTech Editor: Alfie Smith Deputy Editor: Matt Davis Online Editor: Amy Finch
asmith2@epigram.org.uk mdavis@epigram.org.uk afinch@epigram.org.uk
Should we ban ‘extreme’ groups from social media?
Yes Matt Davis
No
Alfie Smith The simplest case for not limiting the ability of groups like ISIS from using the internet to spread their message is that such a limitation is not possible. It is quick and easy to start a Facebook and twitter account. Removing Britain First’s page would see ten more spring up and those that do will show an increase in subtlety, not reason. The UK government recognises this inability and has opted to try and censor people instead. TPIM notices are issued by the Home Secretary to prevent a person from owning a phone or laptop. These notices are new and there’s little evidence for their effectiveness. Can’t other people just post their content for them, perhaps under a different name? How about proxies and burner phones, are they detectable? These questions raise serious doubts over
videos that incite people to commit a crime. Technology and social media in particular are a direct portal into a young person’s life, you wouldn’t give a twitter account to a group of paedophiles, so why is it more socially acceptable to give one to ISIS or Al Qaeda? People are afraid. They are scared to overstep the line and let history repeat itself: we have seen the horror of censorship and attribute it to World Wars, propaganda and autocratic states like North Korea. Yet isn’t censorship, in some limited
sense, necessary if you are preventing a crime? If you are stopping the brainwashing of people to commit a crime? In fact not doing so would mean that you are at least partially responsible for it happening in the first place. Don’t give Britain First a Facebook page and take down videos of beheadings off of YouTube. The government has a duty to protect the vulnerable in our population that aren’t able to protect themselves. This can be done by preventing the spread
of hatred on social media. Taking down these Facebook pages and closing Twitter accounts will not stop people from having these views, but it may stop them developing them into something violent. The gang mentality that allows weaker people commit horrendous crimes must be destroyed. To me, we must protect the vunerable and not the vile people who seek to harm them. Let’s close down these groups and make it clear that hate speech is just as much of a crime on the internet, as it would be if you shouted it in the street.
whether even this simple attempt at censorship will work in the long term. The wider argument for censorship is reasonable. There are groups aggressively recruiting online for campaigns of terror. On the other side of the negative cycle, EDL and Britain First actively spread their hateful beliefs and attack vulnerable groups online. The attack - on women, on minorities, on refugees, on the mentally ill - push these groups off social media and effectively silence them through fear. By posting videos of despicable acts, such as the execution of journalist James Foley, online these groups glorify their actions to a global audience who may be inspired to do the same. These arguments are, for the most part, correct. But, they still don’t merit censorship. Take the beheading of James Foley. The ability to post this video online, for everyone to see, probably played a role in the choice to ceremonially behead a captured journalist. If everyone’s
going to see it, you’ve got to put on a show. However, taking down the links on Facebook or removing the groups themselves would not have stopped people accessing the video if they wanted too. Facebook and Twitter both aggressively removed any link to it. Millions of people still saw it. The images leaked in 2014 of celebrities were not hosted on any major news site. They could still be found with a simple google search. If people want to see something, then they’ll probably find a way. If the news cycle had just been about James Foley, without showing the video, then people would look up the video anyway to be part of the conversation. In essence, regardless of Facebook and Twitter, ISIS knows it has a global audience and will continue to act as such. Censorship is an extremely serious action that should only be taken in equally extreme cases. While a case can be made for ISIS, far-right groups, specifically those that preach violence against sections of society, should not
be censored on social media. Britain First claims around 1.3 million Facebook likes. The EDL has about 5000 twitter followers. These numbers seem worrying but they don’t actually translate to support in the real world. Last year, in Burton-on-Trent which has a population of 65,000, a Britain First rally saw an estimated 70 people turn up. Assuming they’re all locals, that’s 1.4 per cent. Last week in Tower Hamlets, with a population of 280,000, another rally saw around 30 people turn up. Realistically, the number of people actively engaged with these groups, excluding the dead, bots, former believers etc. is very small in relation to society. We shouldn’t be granting the government licence to censor on social media through the gateway of censoring groups with few real-life activists. The BNP has seen its membership fall to 15 per cent of its 2010 level. This fall in membership didn’t come from censoring their Facebook page; it came with arguments across the
country, from positive campaigns and from general societal shifts. Shutting down the EDL twitter account won’t stop the people following it from holding those opinions we find so vile. They can still tweet them. This goes against the foundations of many of the 20th century liberation movements. We need to move people, like the old progressive social ideals, not shut them off from public debate. It’s often easy to forget how useful these pages are for collecting data. People do hold vile views, like segregation or forced deportation. We need to understand why. We need to look at the underlying socio-economic factors. There’s no better place to look for the grievances that lead people to extreme groups than the comments on Facebook. We need to allow these people to talk openly, not only so we can argue them over to the ideals we hold dear, but, also so we can better understand what’s leading sections of our society,towards extremism of all forms.
Flikr:juliosk
Picture the scene, a heavily tattooed white man with a shaven head climbs on a wall in Covent Garden, London, and starts shouting racist obscenities. He has a vendetta against black people/Jews/ immigrants and tries to convert the crowd to his mentality. Now in my opinion this is exactly the same as somebody using Facebook or Twitter to spread their racist views. Under current law, the man on the street in London would be arrested and prosecuted for hate speech. Whilst apparently, we should allow people to spread their poisonous views on the internet without reproach or punishment because the alternative would damage their right to ‘free speech’. Allowing unrestricted access to the internet has resulted in the exploitation of vulnerable people by extremist groups such as ISIS and Britain First. Approximately 700 people from the UK have travelled to Syria and the Middle East to fight for ISIS. How many of these can directly be attributed to ISIS’ substantial online presence is unknown. However, it is safe to say that ISIS has a targeted and sophisticated presence on social media. There is a viscous circle of hatred
compounded by giving internet platforms to these groups. Some young Muslims experience racism in this country, feeling isolated and alone, they are then malleable to those speaking emphatic calls to arms in the high production videos that terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS post online. They even have a presence on mainstream websites such as Facebook and Twitter allowing them to reach millions extremely quickly. Mal-adjusted and angry young men are the targets of the ISIS recruitment videos. However if these men were well integrated into society they surely wouldn’t be nearly as easy to manipulate. Groups like Britain First and the EDL (English Defence League), incite racial hatred against non-whites and try to parade under the banner of free speech in order to get across their racist ideologies. Letting Britain First have a Facebook presence is almost like an international badge of approval, alienating some Muslims so that they turn to another ‘approved’ site, such as the ISIS twitter page. We must be careful when using the word ‘censorship’, censorship in any form must be avoided in our free speech-centric democratic society. However, some things just deserve to be censored, videos of animal or child pornography are censored, so why can’t we censor
Flickr: EDL
Epigram 14.03.2016
13
Cut the crap about ‘cutting calories’
“ A study found that ‘Palaeo-cuisine’ had health benefits for diabetes sufferers
They have, however, also been quick to suggest that their decisions to change their lifestyles were a result of medical conditions, namely Coeliac’s Disease, rather than a conscious diet choice. Coeliac UK suggests that 1 in 100 people in the UK are affected by Coeliac’s Disease but a recent American study found that of 392 participants who believed they had a gluten sensitivity, 86 per cent were
Even if a sufferer’s functional memory is gone, they still have an emotional memory
able to reintroduce it into their diets without negative health consequences. So where does that leave diets that aim to cut out gluten and other related produce, including the Paleo Diet, for strictly weight loss reasons, rather than to treat an existing diet issue? In some ways, following a Paleo-inspired diet may be more helpful for weight loss than merely going gluten-free. Just because these foods don’t contain gluten doesn’t necessarily mean they are healthier for you. In fact, the replacements can be highly processed with high quantities of sugar and bad fats. On the other hand, Paleo cuisine can be seen to have positive effects caused by the restrictions placed on processed foods. In 2008, for example, 14 healthy medical students went on a Palaeolithic diet for three weeks with positive weight loss results of about 5lbs, alongside waist circumference and blood pressure reductions too.
Just because foods are ‘gluten free’ doesn’t mean they are healthier for you
Flickr: Jasin
Other studies have mirrored these results with suggestions that despite no restrictions being placed on calorie consumption, participants tended to have a reduced calorie intake stemming at least in part from their eating of fewer carbohydrates and more protein. Other scientists such as Marlene Zak, however, argue that the concept of caveman eating is flawed and could be highly dangerous. Zak in particular, emphasises that humanity is still evolving and therefore by taking a step back in time with our
Michael Stern-Flickr
It’s the beginning of March, so for many of us our New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier and exercise more have fallen by the wayside. Looking ahead and starting to plan your summer holidays may have you thinking about cutting out all carbohydrates, or trying one of the other multitude of diets often advertised online to get you ‘summer ready’. But before you do, it’s important to understand how realistic - or not - these diets are for weight loss. One of the most popularly endorsed diets is the Paleo or ‘Stone Age’ diet, where participants are encouraged to turn back the evolutionary clock and eat like our hunter-gatherer ancestors. That means lots of meat, fish, vegetables and fruit but no gluten, dairy or processed foods. A Swedish study conducted in 2007 found that Paleo-cuisine did have some health benefits for men with diabetes. After three months on a diet free of grains and dairy products, the men showed a dramatic drop in blood sugar with their glucose tolerance
improved by 26 per cent in comparison to a 7 per cent improvement for those on the Mediterranean diet which included grains and dairy. Moreover, celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Miley Cyrus have made gluten-free lifestyles in particular more mainstream by writing cookery books and posting about their benefits on social media.
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Becki Murray Deputy Editor
diets we are also taking a step back in relation to our health too. She outlines, for example, the evolution of our capacity to digest milk as a reproductive advantage, emphasising that our diets and exercise patterns have developed overtime, allowing us to live differently from our ancestors. Furthermore, because of the Paleo Diet’s high meat content, there is a risk that individuals may exceed the current UK Department of Health advice stating that people should not eat more than 70g of red meat daily. Higher levels have been linked with an increased chance of developing bowel cancer as well as the health problems related to high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol. Nutritional deficiencies especially in relation to important minerals such as calcium as well as Vitamin D are also possible. For individuals looking for a quick fix to their weight issues, the Paleo Diet consequently contains risks that are less likely to be included next to ‘successful’ dieters before and after photos.
The Paleolithic lifestyle can also be seen as shockingly bad for the environment. Whilst arguments suggest you can be on the diet and not eat a large quantity of red meat, the issues association with factoryfarmed livestock and commercial fishing are already plentiful, without the extra demand for meat from the majority of Paleo dieters. Enormous amounts of fossil fuels and pesticides are needed to sustain livestock and there’s arguably not enough room on the planet to provide enough sustainable animal protein on the tables of the world’s population three times a day. As long as we are still a society obsessed with body image, there will always be new diets popping up claiming to help you cut the most in the shortest amount of time. How successful they are depends solely on your commitment, because at the end of the day, cutting the junk food, booze and taking regular exercise will do more than a celebrity diet could ever hope to achieve.
App of the week: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Matt Davis Deputy Science Editor
you must follow, someone you must talk to or a piece of evidence you must pick up before you can advance in the game. This can sometimes be frustrating and the game could be definitely improved with more than one path through the game, think ‘Mass Effect’ or ‘Far Cry’.
“ Unfortunately you are accused of your mentors murder in the second case... which really takes the training wheels off!
All in all prepare to waste hours of your life in the so-called pursuit of justice - the shocking conclusion will leave you begging for the sequel and wondering if anyone is ever truly 100 per cent ‘not guilty’. 10/10- Fully engaging story, realistic gameplay and fully immersive experience.
Pressimage
I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but I have an irrational hatred of kindles and eBooks in any form. Nothing can replace actual books. But regardless of that little nonsequitur, this week I reviewed an app which is essentially a virtual story and I have to say it was the best app I’ve reviewed this year. This is a game that is halfway between a virtual story and a blockbuster film. It involves you as ‘wet behind the ears’ lawyer Phoenix Wright (all the characters have pretty ridiculous names), as you attempt to defend all of your clients from a guilty verdict. There are two modes to the storyline. One is an investigation where you travel to different locations in order to interview witnesses and pick up evidence that the police seem to have conveniently overlooked. The other mode is in the courtroom where you must use the evidence you have collected in order to contradict the testimony of witnesses. This is not a game per-se, more
of an interactive story, with the options that you make impacting on the outcomes. If you contradict too many times in court, your client will receive a guilty verdict and the game will end, making you start over. There are also more subtle choices that you make that will reveal only certain aspects of the story, such as having to present a grieving widow with evidence that their husband really did love them. The storylines are what you would play the game for and they get more complex as the game goes on. The first case is Phoenix’s debut in the courtroom and acts as a tutorial with your mentor, Mia, guiding you through the controls and the process. Unfortunately, she is murdered in the second case, with you on trial for her murder… which really takes the training wheels off! The game has cartoon yet lifelike animations, a realistic ‘anime’ style, with techno music that plays in the background. There are no cut scenes with actual audio, but instead a short clip may play with subtitles which somehow adds a greater air of suspense to the proceedings. There is almost always a well-defined path
Epigram
14.03.2016
Letters
@EpigramLetters Editor: Sophie Hunter shunter.epigram@gmail.com
An Open Letter on Student Democracy Ben Marshall Letters Writer I was at the Bristol SU Annual Members Meeting and it was one of the most hostile and uncomfortable atmospheres I have ever experienced at a student democracy event. It was always going to be contentious, the list of motions proposed included boycotting companies benefiting from Israeli occupation of the West Bank, calling an all-or-nothing referendum on the Union’s safe space policy, and a total overhaul of the Union’s democratic processes. I don’t want to talk about the merits of the individual motions here, more the attitude of the students who turned up to vote on them. We were a shambles. Not everyone mind you, but enough for the room to take on a militant air. Instead of listening, considering and questioning the pro-vice chancellor on the long term strategy for the university, including the addition of a new campus in the city centre, we were combative and dismissive. While some of us held up voting cards encouraging him to stop speaking, others asked what his pay
was, and whether he deserved to be payed X more times than the lowest paid UoB employee. While this is certainly a discussion to be had, it had no place at the AMM. The next unhappy episode manifested itself in the attempts of the Bristol Reclaim Education group to halt the changes to the union democratic processes, with the aim of increasing student participation in SU decision making without being bogged down in union bureaucracy. This would be done at the expense of elected executive committees, and with fewer formal votes. Again, I don’t want to debate the merits of the change. It is the fact that the people voting it down cited the lack of consultation as a reason. It is the responsibility of individual students to take an active interest in the affairs of their union and hold them to account throughout the year. I dare say that if they had made their feelings known earlier in the process, or deigned to interact with the union more frequently, they would have known about it and been able to contribute to a more successful policy. Instead, they learned about it a few days before the AMM and decided that no change was better than
those proposed. A large propaganda effort was launched, and the motion defeated. They did not want to work with the union, or even compromise. I hope that after shooting down the policy, they work hard to engage the union and reshape the proposals so we can effect some positive change in the union’s democratic processes. I have little confidence in this happening, based on their evident lack of engagement in all past consultations. After that came the motion calling for a referendum on the Bristol SU’s safe space policy. Again, the merits of the motion, or arguments for and against the safe space policy aside, we saw the same unwillingness to compromise or discuss. All sides of the argument shied from discussion, opting instead for reductive solutions to an incredibly complex problem. It was clear that both sides had very different ideas of what a safe space policy is and should be used for. Neither side engaged with the other to find out what theirs was, what common ground existed, or to accept each other’s grievances. As with the democracy review, the union is in the process of consulting students
How to get grads to teach Erin Beesley Letters Writer
“ ‘The value of teaching can never be understated, so we need to overstate it in every way possible.’
Aren’t teachers as critical to human development and welfare as GPs? Yet a student with a degree in medicine will have a higher starting salary. A 2014 report showed that two-thirds of teachers felt undervalued; Sir Michael recognises this and states, ‘We’ve got to start saying that this is one of the most noble jobs in the world.’ Elizabeth Bevan, second year, feels that Bristol University does not encourage teaching as it doesn’t offer a degree in Education, whilst the universities that promote PGCEs tend to be lower down the rankings. Therefore, what we need is a change in attitudes – at the highest levels of university management, in government and in society. Universities like Bristol need to offer teaching courses, promoting PGCEs, demonstrating that the profession is regarded in
great esteem amongst Russell Group Universities. The government needs to launch TV and newspaper campaigns publicising the opportunities, rewards and value of teaching. How many of us have been inspired by a teacher who unlocked our potential? Teachers are role models for the next generation. Why not develop advertisements which show those eureka moments when a pupil finally ‘gets it’? Let’s get teachers writing in national newspapers about their role and what they enjoy about the profession. Let’s have documentaries on teaching: its history, what children think of their teachers. We are fully capable of launching campaigns to advertise politicians, films, food and beauty products; we need to do the same for teaching. The value of teaching can never be understated, so we need to overstate it in every way possible. How do we get graduates to become teachers? Money on one side. On the other, valuing the profession. Placing it as a matter of national importance.
issues that you are attending for? Incidentally this was something picked up on in the democracy review. Students only care about issues that directly affect them, and are happy for people to make decisions for them on the areas they do not care about. How selfish are we? All of this points to how very polarised we are becoming as a student body. We try only to ram through the changes we can and then forget about them, leaving the union to pick up the pieces. No wonder people don’t think the union does anything; they are too busy trying to implement the impossible policy we force upon them! But we didn’t know it was happening, I hear you cry. Did you ever stop and ask the union what they were doing at any point this year? Or did you wait to be told, and then delete the mass email before even reading it? We need to talk, engage and discuss with people, not simply shoot down ideas we don’t agree with and offer nothing as an alternative. I may be guilty of all that I criticise above, and if you feel my letter is unfair, unjust, or plain wrong, then good. Talk to me about it!
Want to respond to any of our writers? Write them a letter! Get in touch via shunter.epigram@gmail.com or join the Facebook group
Flickr / Luftfila
Over the weekend Nicky Morgan, the Secretary of State for Education, along with Sir Michael Wilshaw, the head of Ofsted, expressed concerns over the impending shortage of teachers. With a population boom about to hit secondary schools, the demand for teachers will naturally increase, but there are already shortages in staff with the necessary qualifications. Almost a third of secondary school Physics teachers fail to have a degree in the subject. Not only do we need more teachers, but more teachers with degrees. We need graduates. What is deterring students from becoming teachers? And what can be actively done to encourage teaching as a profession? Last week Epigram published an article promoting ‘Teach First’, an organisation devoted to graduate teacher training. The programme is successful in recruiting young, bright people, and as the writer testifies, ‘it allows you to have your cake and eat it’ because it prepares you for an ambitious career and gives you the ‘feel good factor’ of doing a socially beneficial job. The scheme also has a strong financial incentive. However, the large majority don’t stay in the role beyond a few years. The government urgently needs to develop strategies that encourage people to remain in the profession. Good salaries offer security and are a possible incentive. Sir Michael has stressed the importance of demonstrating that teaching is a profession where you can do well financially; if you work your way up you
can earn around £65,000 pa. It may be that ‘living as a student, anything over 20k seems astronomical’ as second year Matt Townsend said, but for many student and graduates a high salary is of top priority. Patrick Wilson, a third year historian, said his parents would prefer him to earn more money working in the city of London than to be a teacher. Sir Michael’s focus is pragmatic, and could be successful; however, there are only a limited number of teaching positions at £65,000pa, and the lower paid roles are where staff are lacking.
on updating the safe space policy. This time, the proposers of the union knew about the consultation, but for whatever reason, did not engage, and opted instead for an all-or-nothing referendum. Again, the lack of willingness to discuss and compromise was disturbingly apparent. Those arguing for the referendum should have engaged with the consultation, those arguing against should have encouraged those who they knew opposed a safe space to take part and raised awareness of the consultation. Another difficult point in the evening came shortly after arguably the most contentious motion, calling for the University to divest from all companies who benefit from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. It was clear that a large number of people in the room were present for that motion and that motion only, since as soon as it was passed, they left. The sheer disrespect this shows is staggering. To only turn up for a single motion and leave after it in my opinion voids your right to vote on any other motion at the meeting. Why should your opinion count toward other issues if you are only prepared to consider the
Tweets of the fortnight: @LJacko6-
‘So we all know liking your own pic on purpose is a big no no, but what’s the online etiquette about wowing or angrying it’
@sneweyy-
‘PDA in the ASS library is not okay @UoBProblems’
@hanhanprice-
‘So turns out I’m too dumb to find the right bus to UWE first time. No varsity jokes for me tonight’
Epigram
Puzzles
@epigrampuzzles
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ACROSS 1. Friend allowed painter’s board, by the sound of it (6) 6. Enchanted rose head suitable as a gift? (4) 8. Weird solitary Queen fan (8) 9. Six shooter loses both ends to become something different (6) 10. Neither initially docked in Cornwall - Vikings, maybe (6) 12. Fireplace partly made from hydrogen and dirt (6) 14. Warm snack for students, perhaps (6) 16. Starts to have Asian cereal
three times (6) 17. Letter’s footnote about nobleman giving expensive jewellery (6) 18. Extend draw after head’s scandalously tampered raffle (7) 21. People’s shapes without strange user producing fruit (3) 23. Man’s all about returning laboratory subject to spinning (6) 24. Vegetable, according to Americans, grows omelette constituents (8)
24 by 30 orthogonal maze
Riddle me this
DOWN 1. Each left perplexed by measurement? (3,4) 2. Real returns around vertical axis, resembling stratum (5) 3. Wound up expressing gratitude about sorceress (7) 4. Undeniable truth after paintings’ exponential number found in museums (8) 5. Complimentary intercourse defies censorship (4,6) 7. In favour of highly skilled person (3) 11. Desperate over first elusive sweetheart - fancy that! (6) 13. Let after mountain downpour (7) 15. Small gap for getting the lid off (7) 19. Provocatively dressed woman is sharp (4) 20. Weird rock in Irish city (4) 22. Bird left after cry of pain (3)
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Editors: Suzie Brown; Andrea Philippou
Crossword 1
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A man turned off the light and went to bed. Because of this, several people died. Why? Tweet your responses to @epigrampuzzles using #riddlemethis
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Want to see your puzzle in print? We accept submissions from anyone, just email it to sbrown.epigram@gmail.com Copyright © 2016 JGB Service, http://www.mazegenerator.net/
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Backronym
Numerator
This week’s backronym:
FIFA
(Fédération Internationale de Football Association)
Decode the clues to work out what things the numbers fortunate represent. (E.g. 7 D in a W = 7 limestone days in a week)
How many words can you find including the middle letter, with at least four letters per word? 22 Average 22 = Average 28 =Good Good 28 34 = Excellent
Your task: Come up with a different description using the same initals. You must not use any of the words from the real meaning.
108 S to the T ofcrossword CT campervan 16 O in a P -273 D C is A Z fertility 4 S on a B G CAMPERVAN fricative 1000 Y in a M irrigates polyamory socialite popularly wandering CROSSWORD
34 Very good
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Tweet your ideas to @epigrampuzzles using #backronym
Could you be the next Editor? S
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Epigram are recruting for senior positions for 2016-2017 - could you be R H team T the next Editor, Deputy Editor or Online Editor? R A I arthritis To apply, send your cover letter, CV, ideas sheet and three examples A byESunday I of your writing to editor@epigram.org.uk 17th April.
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More information about the roles, what they entail and23the qualities Good M U Z 29 Very at good you need for a successful application can be found online www.trapezium epigram.org.uk. Applications for other positions will open in May.
M M A O P E
University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
www.epigram.org.uk
15th February 2016
Issue 297
Features
• University claims they ‘do not turn a blind eye to drug use’
Page 6
• In a survey, 77 per cent of students at Bristol claimed to have tried drugs • Bristol students have been disciplined for drug use four times less than at other universities Ben Parr Investigations Editor
The Big Debate:
What is the point of studying languages?
Bitches and Breakups:
Aunt and Uncle are back
cost of answering FoI costs to Bristol is over the course of a year. However, the University’s response was that ‘The University does not record estimated costs associated with responding to Freedom of Information requests, therefore no relevant information is held.’ Jem Collins, Chairperson of the Student Publication Associations (SPA) tols Epigram: ‘It’s incredibly concerning that universities are simultaneously saying the costs of FoI are too high, yet appearing to have no idea what these costs are. Regardless of the argument the act is crucial for democracy regardless of cost, it does appear to take wind out of their reasoning if they can’t even provide figures
for these supposed high costs.’ The University do maintain, however, that the costs are significant. ‘Although we do not quantify the specific costs of responding to FoI requests in terms of individual staff time, there is no question they involve considerable resource across the institution both centrally’, a University Spokesperson told Epigram. During 2015 the University received 356 FoI requests. These requests are managed by the University’s Information Rights Officer, a full time role that largely consists of dealing with these requests. continued on page 3
‘Safe Space’ policy referendum rejected
Page 18
Johnson
Page 8
Comment Oluwaseun Matiluko contemplates what it university student Page 11
Living Epigram interviews Bristol Graduate Tom Kelsey, founder of Page 18
Page 23-26
Page 40
Does Leo
an Oscar?
Bristol students conquer The Annual Members Meeting, self-described as ‘The Student Union’s largest democratic event’, was held on February 18th in the Anson Rooms, with over 300 attendees as the meeting opened. A total of 11 motions were proposed, of which only 8 were debated due to time constraints. Of
these, 7 motions passed. However, Bristol SU bylaws state that there must be a minimum of 330 people present to reach quorum and the failure to do so now means that all motions passed must be ratified by another vote at the next Student Council. continued page 3
the Atlantic
Page 46
continued on page 5
Continued on page 3
Monday 19th October 2015
reacts to The Sun’s ‘1 in 5’
•
The University of Bristol confirm they are introducing a scholarship scheme for refugees
survey
•
Campaigners welcome the scheme, but claim the University must go further
•
Bristol STAR demands universities stop charging asylum seekers international fees
Comment
Emily Faint and Ben Parr Online News Editor and Investigations Editor
Scarlett Sherriff argues that students can and need to do more about the refugee crisis
Page 10
Science UOB research is steering the future of roads Page 13
Nissen Press
Epigram gets
backstage access to the Co-Exist fashion show Page 29
Music Epigram Music round up a wonderfully musical year with their favourite albums of 2015 Page 42
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 Sarah Newey Editor 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
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
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
Page 9
Letters
The University of Bristol is introducing five fully funded scholarships for Syrian refugees. However, campaigners are putting pressure on the university to go further in their support for asylum seekers. The new initiative is part of their commitment to working with the city and Bristol SU to welcome refugees into the community. The university has also emphasised its support for academics who are caught up in the conflict by providing space and sanctuary to those who need it. ‘The University of Bristol is committed to working with the city, our Students’ Union and other partners to welcome refugees into our community,’ Dr. Maggie Leggett, Interim Director of Communications and Marketing told
Epigram. ‘Bristol is a City of Sanctuary and we look forward to the University playing its part.’ Further pressure has been put on the universities by campaigner and third year medical student, Anna Lewis, and the charity, Fixers. They are campaigning to change the policy of UK universities, which charges asylum seekers international student fees to enrol in university, unless they have acquired full refugee status. This process can take many years. ‘The problem is asylum seekers are classified as international students, which means they have to pay for international fees,’ Lewis told Epigram. ‘Each university has the discretion to classify individuals as home students or international students. ‘[Some] universities have agreed to...classify all asylum seekers as home students and set up appropriate bursaries and grants,’ she claimed. The campaign was launched on October 7th with an event involving the Migration Research
Issue 291
Features Becky Morton investigates Prevent: what does it mean for us?
Group and two speakers, Mohammad, an Egyptian currently seeking asylum, and Issa, a Syrian who now has refugee status. Bristol Student Action For Refugees (STAR), a refugee charity, have teamed up with Fixers to create a film featuring the stories of several young people who have been forced to flee their homes in countries such as Syria, Sudan and Pakistan, but still harbour aspirations to attend university. The film was screened at the campaign’s launch, which took place at the University of Bristol. With no access to financial support due to their status as asylum seekers, the cost of international student fees far exceeds the means of the incoming majority. According to the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), the fees charged to ‘overseas’ students ‘can range from £3,500 to about £18,000 per year depending on the institution, the level of course and the type of course.’ continued on page 3
Page 7
Arts
An interview with the Australian poet Les Murray, by Becki Murray (no relation) Page 36
Music Caitlin Butler realises her
Fire at 33 Colston Street
fourteen-year old dream by
A love letter to
interviewing
Clifton Village
Scouting for Girls Page 44
Page 16
Style Introducing
Travel
new Style
Which is better, Bristol or Australia? There’s only one way to find out... Page 24
On Monday 12th October a devastating fire broke out at 33 Colston Street, home to over 120 University of Bristol students. The University has been supporting students impacted. For the full story and up to date details, go to our website: www.epigram.org.uk
columnist James Higgins...
@double_denim_addiction
really deserve
last for long. As soon as it was time to leave, the organisers of the event from the student union were keen to get the chants going whilst banners proclaiming ‘FUNdamental rights’ and ‘No means No’ were held aloft. This idea of unity was fundamental to many. Katie, a fourth year student at the University of Bristol, proclaimed: ‘It has been a great turnout and you can feel the positive energy we are giving off.’ It certainly had the desired effect, with onlookers in bars and pubs clapping and supporting the march as it continued up Park Street under the Christmas lights.
www.epigram.org.uk
Asylum seekers are welcome at the University of Bristol
Page 6
Style
University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
Issue 293
Epigram/ Ciara Lally
Don’t miss our Varsity Special
Sport
Jack Francklin News Reporter Many people took to the streets to join ‘Reclaim the Night,’ a march organised by the Bristol Student Union in protest of sexual violence towards women. On a cold night in November, an estimated 300 people were present as supporters gathered with banners in Queen’s Square, before walking up to the student union. A candlelit vigil and a minute silence was held around the statue before the march started, in remembrance of those who have been affected. The silence did not
16th November 2015
Flickr: Ben Houdijk
Page 23
www.epigram.org.uk
Epigram / Sophie Hunter
revels in new lunch stall, AVO
Page 27
Epigram investigated the prevalence and perceptions of sex-related work among students in Bristol in an anonymous survey carried out last week. The survey of 140 self-selecting respondents found a small number of students did engage in this type of work and were primarily financially motivated. Sex-related work included stripping, phone sex, pornography and prostitution. Predictably, the vast majority said that they had not engaged in any. However, the 6.5 per cent of students who said that they did partake in some form of sex work highlights the existence of the issue. The main motivation was overwhelmingly financial; only 29 per cent of students who said they engaged in this type of work cited pleasure as the reason. The survey also found that 4.3 per cent of respondents had been in ‘sugar baby’ relationships - namely, a contractual arrangement with an older man or woman who pays for companionship which may or may not include sex. Most students, however, did not consider non-sexual sugar baby relationships a form of prostitution. An Epigram survey carried out in September found that less than one per cent of respondents said that their maintenance grant covered their living costs and 76 per cent said they had to work to help cover their cost of living. However, part-time work can be hard to find, is poorly paid and can take up long hours. The university recommends working for no more than 15 hours a week in order to leave sufficient time for academic study. Sex-related work can be very lucrative over short periods of time.
University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
Adele Fraser
Robert Priessnitz
Epigram
snapped by our street style team?
Film and TV
1 in 15 respondents have engaged in sex-related work
Students ‘Reclaim the night’ in march
Izzie Fernades
Were you
Dalia Abu-Yassien Deputy News Editor
means to be a black
Food
Style
George Clarke Online News Editor
In March 2015, the Student Sex Work Project found that 4.8 per cent of almost 7000 student respondents had been involved in sex work in some capacity and that about one in five had considered working in the sex industry at some point. Research carried out by the University of Leeds in 2010 elaborated on how ‘sex as a product is now sold alongside mainstream industries’ and found that ‘there is clearly a relationship developing between sex work, student financial survival strategies and debt.’ Mark Ames, the Director of Student Services for University of Bristol, told Epigram: ‘We are not currently aware of any particular issues relating to our students engaging in sex work. However, the University of Bristol has a variety of support services available to all students; those facing financial difficulties or any other issues can access non-judgemental support easily and confidentially. Relevant specialist services include our Student Funding Team, Students’ Health Service and Student Counselling Service. ‘The findings of research, such as the Student Sex Work Project by the University of Swansea earlier this year, are generally used to raise the awareness and understanding of our staff supporting students, and help us clarify the balance between the support we can provide and that which is better provided by external, specialist agencies. ‘The university understands financial management is challenging for students, but there are many opportunities for students to work part-time within the university and we also provide advice about finding part time work elsewhere.’ A motion to support student sex workers was passed in the June 2015 Student Council, which aimed to protect students from stigmatisation and provide more information and resources specifically at students who engage in this type of work.
Issue 295
Features
Epigram/ Marissa Mir
Living Epigram’s resident Agony
The University of Bristol does not record how much money they spend on answering Freedom of Information requests, despite the Russell Group citing the ‘cost burden’ as a major reason when asking the government to exempt them from the legislation. In December 2015, the Russell Group’s director of policy, Dr Tim Bradshaw, wrote a letter to the Government asking them to exempt Russell Group universities - which includes Bristol - from the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act (2000).
The act, currently undergoing a review, requires public bodies to supply information to individuals who ask for it, providing that the institution actually holds the information and that it does not exceed the £450 cost limit, or 18 hour time limit to retrieve. The letter sent to the government on behalf of Russell Group universities, such as Bristol, argues that universities incur a considerable cost in answering FoI requests. Particularly, the letter states that they have estimated the average cost of answering a FoI request as being £155 per request. Using the FoI Act, Epigram asked the University what the estimated
14th December 2015
Epigram/ Becki Murray
Page 11
Ben Parr Investigations Editor
www.epigram.org.uk
Student double lives: debt and sex-related work
Dambuster, George ‘Johnny’
Russell Group want to block Freedom of Information requests due to expense - yet University admit that they don’t record the cost
University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
Epigram interviews Last
Philip Brulard
Epigram/ Sorcha Bradley ‘Because so many people take drugs, a workshop on it seems stupid to them, they see it as a joke and don’t care,’ one student told Epigram in regards to drug and alcohol awareness workshops being run in university residences.
The University of Bristol are taking on a number of new initiatives as a result of an enquiry into drug use, after a student asked about ‘Bristol’s rampant drug problem’ at a Question Time event involving the ViceChancellor last term. At the Question Time event, the University management appeared unaware of Bristol’s ‘druggy’ reputation. Following the event, Epigram found in a survey of nearly 300 students that 77 per cent have tried drugs, the vast majority of which did so whilst at the University of Bristol. A Freedom of Information request has also revealed that during the 2014/15 academic year, only one student was disciplined by the Pro Vice-Chancellor for drug use. The university have since told Epigram that a further 109 students were disciplined by hall wardens during this year. This compares to at least 468 students who were disciplined for drug related offences at the University of Exeter during the same period. The University’s new initiatives are designed as a way to introduce awareness of the ‘risks of drug use, including potential disciplinary action.’ They include drug and alcohol awareness workshops for students in University residences, for which student attendance is ‘expected’. One resident at Badock Hall said she doubted how good the attendance at the awareness sessions would be: ‘Because so many people take drugs, a workshop on it seems stupid to them, they see it is a joke and don’t care’, she said. continued on page 3
Comment
Issue 298
Features
g
dark history?
29th February 2016
Mick Flemin
Uni came to terms with it’s
www.epigram.org.uk
Flickr:
Is it time Bristol
University of Bristol Independent Student Newspaper
Russell Group says: your questions are too costly
18 Average
Epigram/The Sun
Does Bristol University ignore student drug use?
This year’s senior team, celebrating at Epigram’s Christmas meal
Section People
for more content from Bristol 24/7, check out their website: www.bristol247.com
w w w. b r i s to l 2 4 7 . c o m
Breakfast With Bristol24/7:. Lee Haskins.. He’s arguably Bristol’s most successful sportsman or woman today, having climbed to the top of every boxing division he’s fought in and currently holding the bantamweight world titke. But what’s driving boxer Lee Haskins? Louis Emanuel finds out over waffles and crepes. Illustration by Harry Morgan – www.harrymorganillustration.co.uk
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Desserts Coco’s Gelato & ton 276-278 Staple Road, BS5 0NW 0117 9519 090 Flat white x2
crepe White chocolate s with strawberrie te waffle Belgian chocola Total
ÂŁ4.20 ÂŁ4.40 ÂŁ4.90 ÂŁ13.50
Living Travel Style Food What’s On
Adam Becket
Love Bristol
18
Editor Will Soer
Online Editor Maya Colwell
Deputy Editor
living@epigram.org.uk
livingonline@epigram.org.uk
edonnell@epigram.org.uk
@e2living
14.03.2016
Ellie Donnell
Epigram Living Section 2015/16
A Love, Abroad
Moving to a new city has the potential to plunge you into an intense mixing pot of emotions, both good and bad; Vancouver-native studying in Bristol, Nicolas Pecarski, divulges his experiences fitting into a new, exciting world Moving to a new city is a lot like dating. There’s a honeymoon phase and it’s sweet, sweet, sweet. After that, you notice bumps where things first seemed smooth; different characteristics to the ones you initially loved dominate your thoughts and they’re not always pleasant ones. Sometimes this can be dark and scary, but sometimes this tangled portrait becomes more beautiful than what you saw before. Bristol, I think I’m starting to like you. I moved here for a semester of philosophy and wasn’t sure what to expect. Back home in Vancouver, Canada, I have trouble connecting with people. I mean really connecting with them: when you’re vulnerable, open, and honest. This was made harder by the fact that the city I had lived in for so long became more facetious, sick, and corporate. It’s the holy trinity of modernity. But here, it’s different. It’s not as hard to connect. I’ve been reflecting on that a lot recently and I realised what’s changed isn’t actually the city, as much as I’d love to say that environment determines character. It’s me. I’m changed, and am changing still. Why?
My body’s on edge and overloads the chemical threshold of ‘comfortable levels’
BristolGram
Regardless of what you think about the weather, the Students’ Union or the rising price of Sainsbury’s meal deals, as a Bristol student you have to accept that you’re lucky, because our city is gorgeous. It’s easy to forget when trudging towards a 9am with your head weighed down by whatever poison took your fancy last night, but there is beauty all around us. Over the last few months the University of Bristol has worked to highlight this, by sharing and showcasing the best images of Bristol taken by students, on their official instagram page. What follows are a few of our favourite pics from said page here at Epigram Living. If you manage to grab a similarly gorgeous shot, sharing it is easy; just post it to Instagram with the hashtag #wearebristoluni! Instagram user photo credits from left to right; _hanprice, sebhogg, simonjpartridge, porthjess, helenisbell
Epigram / Will Soer
I think it’s because of how the ego works. Whenever I go to a new place or situation, I feel slightly anxious. I don’t mean afraid, I mean anxious. My body’s on edge and overloads the threshold of ‘comfortable levels’ for chemicals that might give me a boost in this new place. What that has to do with ego is that when I’m feeling trapped inside my head, all those chemicals overloading my system are stagnant. Now, that’s not everyone’s ego, and I know that. Some people have a real easy time processing new situations. I think too much. The other night I was at Roll For The Soul, seeing a concert by myself and I felt alive for a split second in a way that I don’t normally do when I’m back home, comfortable in normality. This new experience pushed me from my brain cage and let me experience life freely. Just consciousness and body, no particular self-referential framework authorising my movements, just sensation and reaction. Pure. Real. Then I lost it. I started thinking about it. I spent the rest of my night trying to conjure up that same mindset and the irony is that you can’t be looking for it to get it. Relaxing into yourself, that’s the only way to truly become real like I’m talking about here, where you feel genuine and open, when you’re interested and engaged with your life in a passionate way, refusing to be the back-seat arbiter of your experience. Still, it’s not easy to do. I know that when I was back home, I could barely ever do it without being with a close friend, or
without taking a certain kind of drug, or without seeing the city in a lovely light. It was rare.
I felt alive for a split second, comfortable in normality But here, it’s different. And again, it’s not like the people are all that different, it’s not like it’s impossible to get this experience in certain places. It’s all mindset. I’ve realised that again and again over my life, but something seems to have clicked since I got here. I’m seeing a city I’m falling for, scars and all, but I’m learning openness. It’s killing my ego, and
I’m actually happy about it. This all sounds a little sanctimonious and trivial, since nothing I’ve written is truly profound, but I think that’s the kick. It’s easy to forget. We all know and cherish the values of honesty, love, and freedom on one level or another, but it’s all too simple to slip into the solipsism of ego. I think I’m falling in love. This time, though, it’s not with a place, nor myself, no, it’s with that transcendent moment where you actually feel alive because you stepped into reality and connected with someone else. When you stand at a crosswalk, Queens and Park, looking up, in the shadow of Big Willsie, turn your head, see someone looking back at you, and actually hold their gaze for a moment, sharing something with them, and then walk onwards, revitalised and fresh. It lives. I hope I’ll make it, and see you there.
14.03.2016
19
An Ode to Lizard Lounge...
When we commissioned Jess Baxter to write an article dedicated to everyone’s least/most favourite Bristol club, we had no idea of the poetic passion that would imbue her writing... this is more love letter than tribute Lizard Lounge, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul. Lizard Lounge: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Liz. Ard. Lounge. It was Lounge, plain Lounge, in the ASS library, as a reply to the question asking what I was doing next Tuesday. It was Double L to my housemates. It was ‘that shit club’ on the Triangle in the Humanities Common Room. It was ‘lizardloungebristol.co.uk’ in the URL bar. But in my heart it was always Lizard Lounge.
Tonight I did a terrible thing. Tonight I have been disloyal to you, O reptilian one. Tonight I went to Motion.
Eyes brightening, smile widening, he nodded. And that intoxicating riff of ‘Stacey’s Mom’ by Fountains of Wayne was blasted through the establishment, and all cheered.
You are so accommodating, so full of love. I’m thinking of that room where there’s a multitude of sofas, allowing those not so hopeless romantics to get with each other and canoodle near the toilets. And what toilets they are. The toilet attendants that put up with rambling mouths and potential cubicle fellatio are so affectionate. Even when my friend could not hold that chunder and
Florian Klauer
Tonight I did a terrible thing. Tonight I have been disloyal to you, O reptilian one. Tonight I went to Motion. Oh, the heartfelt lamentations of a student club-goer! Oh, the woes of one in desperate, desperate need of £1 toffee vodka shots! Why did I buy an overpriced can of Red Stripe that doesn’t even taste any different to £1 Fosters? Why did I pay for a £20 ticket for a Black Butter event? Who even is My Nu Leng. I don’t know. Where did the old Leng go. I honestly just clicked ‘attending’ on the Facebook event to fill that empty space in my heart where Lounge should be. Tonight, in the heat of the pounding beats of house music, amid the swarms of youths sporting wavey garms and questionably placed bindis, I stand alone. I stand alone and think of you. Because of this cardinal sin, my sweet, green love, I want to make this up to you. Please, allow me to list all of my favourite qualities about you and savour this moment. First, your delicious, dulcet tones. Let us begin with that time we asked for a Redlight song from the DJ. A move of juvenile satire, if you will, because we expected – nay, we knew – that Lounge is no place for those fat house beats. ‘It’s not that kind of club, mate,’ the DJ replied, frowning. Deciding on another song from an even greater genre, I whispered something into his ear. Eyes brightening, smile widening, he nodded. And that intoxicating riff of ‘Stacey’s Mom’ by Fountains of Wayne was blasted through the establishment, and all cheered. Secondly, how accepting you are. You take me for what I am. Not long ago, I tragically left my purse at home in the rush to get to you. Upon arriving at your door on that cold, dark night, the bouncer asked to see my ID. I confessed to not having it and, in a state of panic, proffered my door key card instead. It was all I had in my pocket at the time. He did not miss a beat: with a firm nod and even firmer ‘that’ll do’, stood aside for me to descend your dark stairs and into onto your hot and sticky dancefloor.
threw up on people shorter than himself, they kept dancing. And why? Because everyone loves you. Every Bristol local, every straggling student when the queue was too long for Bunker, every lost soul finds sanctuary within you. Keep playing those early 2000’s tunes and keep your doors open for me like the tender arms of a lover. There is too numerous a quantity to name. I could go on forever about how charitable you are (like when a £1 bottle of Fosters was thrown at my head), how passionate you are (when I watched that man chip a tooth falling on the bar table). When I wake up, ravished and queasy the morning after, lying on my bed sickened with pain and shame in my heart and hair clinging together from that toffee vodka, I only have fond memories of the night before. You are my love. You are my Lounge.
14.03.2016
20
Bristol Experience: Lockedin Sophia Ikirmawi experiences and reviews the enthralling, albeit stressful, pandemonium of Bristol’s real life escape experience
When the idea was initially proposed, most of us were admittedly hesitant. Paying to be locked in a room with our mates? For an hour? Doing puzzles? It all sounded a bit weird. But we were proved wrong and all found ourselves pleasantly surprised an hour later once we’d triumphantly escaped. Tucked away inconspicuously at the bottom of Park St, near Bent and Basement 45 (and with a similarly claustrophobic vibe), you’d not be the first to miss Locked in a Room whilst passing by. Once ushered inside you are forced to participate in the dramatics and suspend all disbelief as you are told to imagine that you and your friends have been locked in a pre-wartime study with an hour to escape before it explodes. Luckily, you’ve been left elaborate clues, padlocks and keys to aid your escape – that is, if you can crack the codes before time runs out. Epigram /Sophia Ikirmawi
You’re left elaborate clues, padlocks and keys to aid your escape – that is, if you can crack the codes before time runs out Naturally, our team dissolved into screaming at the top of our lungs about everything and anything and turning the room upside down. You’re warned not to dismantle the furniture, but at various points we nearly destroyed a number of objects as we chased what was – in hindsight – a glaring red herring. We also spent a lot of the time (or at least, I did) looking hopefully up at the TV screen with your countdown timer on in
the corner, awaiting a clue from the organisers. The presence of the timer is what makes it so exciting. Even the most sceptical will find themselves enthusiastic, goaded on by the minutes ticking away. I don’t think any of us have ever shouted the sentence ‘I’m so stressed!’ so many times whilst simultaneously smiling manically and there’s no thrill like realising that the number you found 20 minutes ago, which was shut down as irrelevant, is actually helpful.
We had the added exhilaration of playing against a group of our friends (who we could hear screaming from their separate room) and although we escaped the room 30 seconds after them, we still finished triumphantly - there was a low five minutes when we really thought we’d never escape. In summary, LockedIn makes for a truly enjoyable and fascinating experience, well worth venturing beyond the comfort of Lounge and trekking down Park Street to check out!
To Pub or not to Pub? This shouldn’t ever be a question, argues Epigram Deputy Editor and beer-lover Adam Becket
Flirkr/Tom Kelsey
My Top Spot: King Street
When I leave Bristol, I will really miss the pubs. Like nowhere else I’ve ever been or lived, Bristol is bursting at the seams with the most wonderful public houses and inns. The epicentre of my pub life in Bristol is King Street. The cobbled arena of beer is the ideal setting for a night out, with an amazingly eclectic choice of pubs and bars to choose from. Starting from the west end of the street, one has the option of Small Bar, King William Ale House, The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer, The Beer Emporium, Kongs, The Old Duke, Llandoger Trow, finishing with The Apple on the Floating Harbour and the end of the road. Nowhere else in Bristol rivals for the sheer amount of different drinking establishments, which means that on an evening it has a special buzz about it, a wonderful, beery atmosphere. Punters spilling out from pub to pub, bar to bar; people trying to have a quiet pint thrown up against jazz lovers being deafened in The Old Duke.
Nowhere else in Bristol rivals it for the sheer amount of drinking establishments, which lends it a wonderful, beery atmosphere at night
Flickr/Paul Townsend
Even in the rain, when the cobbles provide an assault course, willing every passer-by to slip up, the street is magical. This might be because I’m always slightly inebriated when I walk down it, but I love King Street. When visiting, one has a serious decision to make as to which pub to go to. The King William has the cheapest pints; Small Bar and The Beer Emporium have niche and exciting beers; The Old Duke has great live music; and The Apple, well, The Apple has cider. My favourite has to be The King William and that’s not because I’m stingy. The one thing that I’ve forgot to mention is Bristol Old Vic, which is also on the street and is 250 years old this year. It is the oldest continually-operating theatre in England; what more could you want than alcohol, culture and history? Go and have a pint on King Street, I mean, go and have a few pints on King Street. Then you’ll see why it’s my top spot.
21
Editor Izzie Fernandes
Deputy Editor Tom Horton
Online Editors Issy Montgomery; Becky Scott
14.03.2016
ifernandes@epigram.org.uk
Join us at: Epigram Food Section 2015/16
Follow us at: epigramfood
Meet The Body Coach
How Joe Wickes’s cookbook could have you on your way to becoming Lean in Just 15! We all know the Body Coach. We’ve all been admiring snaps of his impeccably shredded body and listening to him shriek of his love for ‘midget trees!’ (or broccoli) in recipe videos on his Instagram for months. And now, everyone’s favourite fitnessfoodie Joe Wicks has finally released a cookbook, Lean in 15. For those not familiar with The Body Coach’s style, his concept is simple. He aims to provide readers with nutritious meals that keep us lean and healthy and only take 15 minutes to make, which in theory is the perfect combination for students; quick and easy recipes suitable for a student budget (and kitchen), while being healthy enough to make that 4am post-Bunker Domino’s more forgivable. In this sense, the book really doesn’t disappoint. All the recipes are quick and easy to make but never boring, with options ranging from a prawn curry or steak burrito, to a veggie tortilla wrap pizza and even an ‘Italian Stallion’ sausage casserole, which would make the perfect Sunday house meal. Most recipes serve one or two people making it a much more practical cookbook for students who are cooking for themselves and not a family, though the quantities tend to be regular making each dish easily double if housemates want to get involved too.
Plus, the portions are HUGE. I had a crack at the ‘Chilli with Avocado’ which, despite serving one person only, provided a portion the size of my head. Simple and satisfying, it’s a great cookbook for boys especially, keeping you as well-fed as you are by mum at home, and for very cheap. As a fitness fanatic, Joe dedicates the last chapter to exercise, providing both a cardio and weights-based workout for readers to try out at home alongside the food, to achieve a lean physique; a nice addition I feel, especially for busy students with heavy workloads who may not have enough time for the gym. However, Joe does imply himself that the exercise is necessary for the diet to succeed in toning up, meaning we shouldn’t really eat the epic Build Up Bagel loaded with egg, turkey and BBQ sauce without burning it off first (sigh). However, with student life being a fairly active one anyway, I feel this is besides the point. At face value, Joe has produced a book full of delicious and balanced recipes to keep us full, energised and healthy; just what we need for both long days in the library and the longer nights out afterwards. It’s a winner in my view. Julia Pritchard
A Morning Love Affair: Porridge Ellie Donnell extols the virtues of porridge and tell us why she’s not the only one who’s such a fan! My (and apparently everyone else’s) love affair with porridge was once hailed as a bland, inexpensive and unglamorous breakfast affair. The gentle simmering of oats with milk or water to produce a questionably gloopy substance was, to my childhood memory, not overly appealing. In fact, the only reason I would accept my mother’s Saturday morning ritual bowl of porridge lay in the delicious satisfaction of scraping off a thick crust of brown sugar sprinkled on top of the gooey mess. But then again, once I’d demolished the top layer I was not much thrilled by the remaining contents of congealed glue underneath. Nevertheless, my aversion to the dish was only a product of natural childhood suspicion and naivety as I was yet to embark on my enthralling love affair with the hot, steaming breakfast treat. The versatility of the nation’s humble dish, as well as its endorsement by the food world, has admittedly fuelled my hunger for porridge in more ways than one. I am constantly searching for new ways to construct my morning bowl of warmth and my days of just one topping, albeit a decadently sweet layer of soft brown sugar, are far behind me. It brings me no shame to admit that I eat porridge every single day. In keeping with national food trends, my glorification of this meal has included numerous tried and tested flavours and combinations from which I have finally settled on a fool proof and self-gratifying recipe. I don’t use measurements but the ingredients are always the same: a grated apple, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg (or any wintery spices I have to hand), semi-skimmed cow’s milk and a splash of
water to thin it out a little. This wintery combination has stood me in good stead for the past few months and harks back to the classic flavours of our humble British dessert: the apple crumble. All good so far! I am a little more liberal when it comes to toppings and am a firm believer that more is always more. Other than a required base layer of banana atop my bowl of oats, the possibilities are otherwise endless. Personally, I am partial to a sprinkling of toasted nuts – and yes I can be bothered to toast my nuts in the morning – as well as raisins, honey and peanut butter, because I will always have these preliminaries in my store cupboard, but if I am willing to splash the cash for the sake of my morning ritual then there are multiple additions I would opt for. Blueberries, figs, raspberries, desiccated coconut (try toasting this too!), almond butter, dates, apricots, compote, yogurt… For the highly health conscious, the addition of superfoods such as chia seeds, goji berries, baobab, spirulina and maca powder are all virtuous extras that will probably break the bank but, according to Deliciously Ella, will make you feel oh so incredibly amazing! Whilst my fascination with this breakfast dish may once have seemed a little overt, porridge has similarly seduced the nation. A quick scan of London café ‘26 Grains’ Instagram will leave you drooling with hunger and envy at their beautifully adorned bowls of three grain porridge with cacao, crumble (whatever this may be?), blood orange, pistachio and Greek yogurt. Every
self-respecting café offers oats in their comforting form, where the multitude of milks and copious toppings available have transformed the ugly duckling of breakfast cuisine into a lustful, chivalric romance. Where this once one dimensional recipe consisted solely of oats and water, as per the typically Scottish recipe, porridge can no longer be defined by this single grain. Make way for quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and even mung beans (if you are that way inclined) which all work equally well as substitutes for, or alongside, their oaty counterpart. The multitude of milks used to flavour the grain and create its comforting creaminess are similarly endless. Cows, soya, almond, coconut, goats, oat and brown rice are all suitable options, each offering something different in the way of both taste and food intolerances; after all I don’t doubt that the apparently terrifying effects of gluten have spurred the emerging porridge revolution. In a new generation of healthy eaters and conscious spenders, porridge ticks all the boxes. Oats are both cheap and nourishing, they provide essential fibre to keep you feeling full for longer, but most importantly they are extremely versatile. Indeed, oats provide a platform for absolutely anyone to indulge in their own Instagram-induced inventiveness at breakfast time whilst ensuring that a healthy start to the day can be delicious, fun and a feast for both the eyes and mouth. With the help of social media, my, and apparently everyone else’s, relationship with porridge has rendered its not-so-secret appeal, a publicly endorsed love affair.
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14.03.2016
Five Healthy Food Swaps Lydia Guest shares some healthier alternatives to classic ingredients
Eating more healthily is much easier than you think. Why not give it a go? Just a few simple changes to your diet, such an exchanging foods high in calories, fat, sat and sugars for something healthier, including more fruit and vegetables can make a huge difference to health and wellbeing, and pave the way to a happier and healthier life. Here are a few of my favourite swaps:
Cacao instead of cocoa
‘Cacao’ is the purest form of chocolate one can consume. Unlike cocoa powder it is raw (unroasted), unprocessed and contains no sugar or cocoa butter, meaning that it retains much more of its nutrients: Indeed it contains over three hundred important compounds, such as good fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, natural carbohydrates and protein. It is incredibly rich in antioxidants, a great mood booster and improves cardiovascular health. I can see why it has been granted ‘superfood’ status! As well as making a delicious hot chocolate, I particularly like it in my porridge in the morning or in vegan brownies. Date syrup is the dark brown, extremely sweet syrup, which is extracted from dates. It provides an excellent substitute to processed sugar and as it is so sweet, one only needs to use a small amount of it. Dates are incredibly good for you, rich in fiber, magnesium and zinc and iron, and contain more potassium per ounce than bananas! Date syrup has even demonstrated antibacterial activity against a number of disease-causing bacteria. I also have this on my porridge, but it is also great in smoothies and on plain yogurt.
Courgetti is simply thin strands of courgette, which are made using a spiralizer, providing an ideal substitute for spaghetti or noodles. They are an excellent carb-free way of transforming dishes into substantial meals, as well as a cheap way of packing more vegetables into your diet. Courgettes contain very few calories and have a high water content. They are a source of vitamin C and K, as well as containing potassium and dietary fiber. This makes them good for boosting the immune system, aiding digestion and stabilising blood sugar levels. My favourite ways to eat it are either with green pesto, or in a raw salad.
Sweet potatoes instead of potatoes
Sweet potatoes are thinner than potatoes with orange to reddish-purple skin and sweet, orange flesh. With double the fibre, calcium and vitamin C of the regular potato and over one thousand three hundred times the vitamin A content, it is definitely time to make the switch. They are great for many things, including the immune system, maintaining the functioning of the nervous system, the heart and a healthy blood pressure. They are an extremely versatile vegetable and can be cooked in a number of different ways. I make my own healthy sweet potato fries or bake them in the oven!
Whole grains instead of other grains
Epigram/ Matilda Bailey
Date syrup instead of sugar
Courgetti instead of spaghetti
Whole grains, or foods which are made from them, contain all the important parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed in their original proportions. They are unrefined and have not had their bran and germ removed by milling. They are a great source of fiber and other nutrients, such as selenium, potassium and magnesium. Eating whole grains compared to refined grains lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and reduces diabetes, obesity and hypertension. My favourites are quinoa, buckwheat and barley, and I ensure I always buy whole grain bread, rice and pasta. Image credits: fenwench, Stacy Spensley, John Lambert Pearson (Flickr)
My Gluten-Free Easter Heather McGowan discusses adapting to a gluten free diet Having recently discovered allergies to gluten and dairy, I had thought that Easter was going to be particularly depressing time for me, something which coeliacs and the like must face every year. Flour is in literally everything, and anything flour isn’t in, milk is. As a result, my regular diet has had to become incredibly monotonous and I consequently assumed that Easter eggs were out of the question. However, there are options: bigger stores, such as Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury’s, offer a large variety of alternatives both for regular meals and, to my surprise, for Easter eggs too! Such items seem to always be in demand, as I’ve noticed that most of the better options, such as gluten-free, dairy-free pain au chocolates and chocolate muffins tend to be frequently sold out. Nevertheless, most of the major supermarkets are really working to improve their free-from ranges. Just this week, Asda introduced a revamped free-from range, and all of Tesco’s Christmas adverts highlighted their vast variety of gluten-free Christmas alternatives. It is a general stigma that the free-from ranges are more expensive and whilst this is true of Morrisons, the ranges in other major supermarkets aren’t overly pricey. So, Easter is back on for me this year! Not even restricted to dark chocolate, I will be able to enjoy soy milk chocolate eggs. Perhaps attempting an Easter cake is a bit much for me, but if I was ambitious enough it is possible! Maybe next year...
Gluten-free pizza (serves two) Ingredients for base: 200g gluten-free flour 1/2 tbsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil 1tbsp chopped rosemary 1 tsp black pepper 150ml water 210g bruschetta topping 7g sachet yeast
Topping suggestions: 140g thick sliced mozarella 1/2 avacado 70g rocket Handful halved cherry tomatoes 4 slices parma ham Olive oil Balsamic vinegar
Method:
Flickr: Katie Towers
Heat oven to 220C. Food process the flour, olive oil, salt, rosemary, yeast and pepper. Once mixed, add in the water to create a dough. Remove and knead. Halve the dough. Roll out the mixture onto lightly oiled baking sheets. Spread the bruschetta toping almost up to the edges and leave to stand for 15 minutes. Afterwards, bake in a hot oven for 12-15 minutes until the dough becomes crisp. Take out the oven. Serve warm. Assemle pizza toppings before eating.
British Skin Foundation’s ‘Big Birthday Bake’ To celebrate their 20th birthday, the British Skin Foundation looks to use cakes to raise funds. Get involved! The British Skin Foundation is about to turn 20 and, as a celebration as well as to raise funds, they are encouraging people to get involved by organising their own bake sales across the country. If you fancy organising your own bake sale around the university, or anywhere else, then visit www.britishskinfoundation. org.uk/Events/BigBirthdayBake for more details! There are prizes up for grabs, so why not join high profile bakers such as Jo Brand in helping raise money for a good cause this May?
Editor Plum Ayloff
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Deputy Editor Beatrice Murray-Nag
Online Editor Phoebe Jordan
Deputy Online Editor Julia Pritchard
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payloff@epigram.org.uk bmurraynag@epigram.org.uk pjordan@epigram.org.uk jpritchard@epigram.org.uk @e2style
@epigramstyle
The fabulous and funky world of a Bristol student designer Phoebe Jordan talks to budding accessories designer and Bristol student, Imo Massey, about running her design company whilst studying at university with Imo’s cases, yet for her they were the biggest challenge. ‘It took a long time to work out how to make the cases padded enough whilst still being able to sew through the layers of fabric and attach a durable zip.’ Whilst these cases are now a regular feature on the library scene, it is Imo’s latest venture into clothing that’ll really wow - just a hint, it includes furry
I am obsessed with colour and textures
found whilst rummaging in Stokes Croft. For Massey, design has no boundaries. She is always willing to try new things and broaden her horizons, something she learnt whilst working at Vivienne Westwood. As an undeniably arty city, Bristol could be seen as a designer’s paradise. From the quaint elegance of Clifton Village to the grittiness of Stokes Croft, there is room for inspiration wherever you find yourself. This is true for Massey, who has broken the Clifton bubble and loves the buzz of Gloucester Road, including
Facebook/ Imo Massey Designs
Epigram/ Imo Massey
Seated in the ASS library, you look to your right and spot a flamingo print pencil case, to your left you find Frida Khalo incarnate on a pom pom clad laptop cover. These are the works of Imo Massey Designs and they’re taking the University of Bristol’s campus by storm. The second year History of Art student, Imo, started her design journey at the tender age of 15, where shop bought pencil cases were no longer fulfilling: ‘My mum showed me how to do the basics and then I just figured it out as I went along.’ So is it as easy as just wanting a new pencil case? Certainly not. A successful business combines many components, many of which pose difficult to a first time business woman. Imo can readily admit her downfall, ‘I am not very good at promoting myself, I very much rely on the products selling themselves. Luckily I find people come to me, because otherwise I would find it quite awkward!’ Her endearing response summarises this quirky designer, whose fun personal style and spunk feed into her penchant for busy designs. You’ll never see Imo in an all black outfit, she is a refreshing burst of colour and pattern against the backdrop of Bristol drizzle. Her personal style has even become a joke of her family, she notes that ‘My dad always jokes that he can tell what mood I’m in depending on what I’m wearing. Sometimes I just want to slouch in my dungarees, other days I want to wear my silver puffer jacket with leopard print. I have a weird aversion to trousers but this Bristol weather is just not OK in tights.’ Personal style always fuels a designer yet influence can come from here, there and everywhere. Imo has a flare for fashion so sees the bold prints of Mary Katrantzou and Anya Hindmarch’s SS16 collections as her current inspiration, ‘I am obsessed with colour and textures, velvet and pom poms become part of almost everything I make.’ Yet for Massey’s accessories it’s as much what she doesn’t want to achieve as what she does. Her fear of appearing too similar to Cath Kidston makes her wary of floral prints, hence her vast use of unusual fabrics such as 1920s Liberty Prints
that ‘There are a couple of great sewing shops tucked away that are definitely worth to explore.’ Imo’s work evokes a fantastic combination of true artistic flare with her adoration of the fashion industry. Artist Grayson Perry, and notably his current exhibition in Bath, have also inspired Imo, which is clear in her tapestry like accessories, akin to Perry’s own work. Probably the most popular piece, her Frida Kahlo laptop cases, also happen to be her favourites. As mentioned, the ASS is brimming
zebra print and men’s boxer shorts. With only five years of sewing behind her, Massey and her company can only get better. When discussing her ideal customer, Imo is decisive that ‘Helena Bonham-Carter would be great because I would just make her something really quirky.’ For now, Imo Massey Designs is the designer’s outlet, an expression of her passion for creating and a way to fund her way through university. In five years time however, she sees herself working in fashion curation rather than design - still a wonderfully creative career path for this clearly talented individual. But for now, Imo Massey Designs is here to stay and Imo encourages other students to join the business bandwagon. Her advice is invaluable as she lists ‘Depop’ and ‘Etsy’ as great places to start if you are thinking of making and selling, but also says time management is crucial. An inspiration to us all, Imo Massey puts her everything into this brand and it is evident. From the beautifully selected prints, to the masterful craftsmanship, she’s a force to be reckoned with. I urge you all to enjoy it while it lasts.
Instagram/ @imo_massey_designs
Facebook/ Imo Massey Designs
Instagram/ @imo_massey_designs
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Second-hand Clothing: A Cult Aesthetic?
Survey suggests Bristol students think vintage clothing is all about following the trend
Epigram/ HattieBottom
I launched an Epigram survey for one week to discover what motivates Bristol students to wear second-hand and vintage clothing. It revealed that most Bristol students buy their second-hand clothing from charity shops (70 per cent), with fewer buying online (43 per cent) and fewer still buying from vintage retail outlets (38 per cent). This emphasises that most fashion decisions are motivated by budget. Vintage stores have the highest prices of the three, sometimes pricier than high street stores, while charity shops have the lowest. But the decision to buy second-hand isn’t just interesting from a monetary perspective. The survey reports that, second to budget, the most popular reason for buying vintage is to be more unique. It seems important to Bristol students to cultivate an individual look. A few of the survey’s comments help explain why: ‘The university itself now has a self-perpetuating reputation for containing independently minded students’ and ‘Those who do not come to the university for these reasons may be influenced by their new peers who have, or the culture of the city.’ The aspirations of many students are to be perceived as unique and ‘Second-hand clothes allow you to wear something others don’t own’. However, it’s hard to see when an outlet enabling people to feel unique, such as one-off second-hand clothing, becomes a fashion trend. Sceptics in the survey translate the
‘individual’ look as a cult fashion following, ‘the ‘I didn’t try hard’ look’. ‘It’s considered cool in Bristol so people buy vintage brands, essentially to be cool’. Has the pursuit of unique, cheap clothing turned into a mindless trend; the Bristol ‘Edgy’ stereotype? It’s true that the students in the survey do think of second-hand fashion in a particularly unconscientious way, in their lack of regards to the environmental benefits. The significant majority of participants gave a neutral answer to the question whether environmental
to be unique versus an edgy look that trend followers go for. Another influence to consider is that second hand fashion at the University of Bristol might originate from the city’s strong independent culture. 82 per cent of Bristol students in the survey think that second hand clothing is more popular at Bristol than other universities. I think this has to do with the city’s focus on independent shopping, with the opportunity to shop second hand. There are five second hand clothing shops on Park Street alone, not to mention Gloucester Road
interesting stuff.’ Offline too, owner of Rag Trade Boutique, Bristol, claims that the sense of community is key to the second-hand trade; the boutique has 3,000 women invested in the small second-hand fashion outlet. Raz Godelnik for Triplepundit recognises the importance in marrying that shopping high with sustainable second-hand clothing apps: ‘If these platforms… learn how to create a dopamine rush… they could become sustainability’s most effective JiuJitsu manoeuvre in its fight against reckless consumption.’ You still need to recognise the quantity of clothing you’re acquiring secondhand though; buying second-hand to be sustainable is self-defeating in large quantities as it simply perpetuates the fast fashion culture. For those who feel strongly about sustainability and protecting the environment from fast fashion, clothes swapping produces a guilt free, materialism high. As a community ethos filters into the second-hand fashion culture, I think swapping second-hand items, rather than buying them, should become a bigger trend. The University of Bristol run their own clothes swap at the Multi-faith Chaplaincy, but for larger scale swaps in Bristol, it’s better to look out for swish parties. Hamilton House in Stokes Croft, for example, hosted one this year in collaboration with the charity ‘Labour Behind the Label’. I hope the cult aesthetic, made up of secondhand clothing, continues to grow in Bristol. De facto, or intentionally, we’re creating a community of more sustainable, fashionable students.
Hattie Bottom 2015 Style Editor
82 per cent think second hand clothing is more popular at Bristol than at other universities
Epigram/ HattieBottom
and St Nicholas’ Market. Due to the music, arts and independent culture, ‘Bristol attracts a more arty and creative type of person.’ As Depop is a favourite online shop for second hand clothing, second to eBay in the survey, I think it’s worth uncovering a bit more about the app. Only five per cent of Bristol students have gone to a formal clothes swap event, yet many use the mobile app to buy, sell or swap clothes. Depop is yet another app which provides a formalised way into the rapidly growing sharing economy, with Bla Bla Car and Airbnb as common favourites too. Sarah Booth, strategist at a global advertising agency, emphasises the sense of community that the app creates: ‘It’s partly a shared economy thing: it’s nice to buy things from normal girls… It’s a lovely community and filled with the most Epigram/ HattieBottom
Epigram/ HattieBottom
concerns were a strong motivation for shopping second-hand; 11 per cent strongly disagreed that this was a factor in their shopping. As a parallel culture to second-hand fashion, mindful consumerism is growing in popularity. Even though the general consensus of the survey disregarded environmental concerns, some praised the direction of fashion consumerism at Bristol: ‘It’s great that more people are aware of ethical fashion now than before and are willing to buy second-hand to reduce waste and stop supporting exploitative companies. The connotations of charity shops and vintage clothing are a lot more positive and open-minded.’ I originally sought to distinguish three motivations amongst those who love second-hand clothing: budget, aesthetic and ethic. From the results of the survey, there’s complexity with the desire
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The best local Depop finds for your vintage wardrobe (7) (3)
(5)
(1) (2) (4)
(6)
Depop images, from left to right: 1, 4, 6: @zed_vintage 2, 3: @libby_smith 5: @amymariefrancis 7: @habershon
#GreenCarpetChallenge: How to get involved
There’s a
new red carpet trend that combines ethics with aesthetics companies that are entrenched with ethical philosophies. Therefore, in order to promote this ideology Livia has encouraged celebrities and notable figures to wear sustainable creations to high profile occasions in
Victoria Beckham, Anna Wintour and Julianne Moore, to name a few) but various fashion houses have also partnered with Eco-Age to ensure their fashions promote sustainable and ethical philosophies. From Gucci and Erdem to Stella
order to promote ethical and sustainable philosophies throughout the industry, capturing the moment with ‘#GreenCarpetChallenge’. It’s not just celebrities that have championed the cause (Lily Cole, Emily Blunt, Michael Fassbender,
M c C a r t n e y a n d Burberry Prorsum, it seems that major pillars of the industries are supporting Livia’s cause and promoting sustainable philosophies in the future of the industry. So how you can be a part of the movement?
There are more ways than you think to become involved and follow the philosophies promoted by #GreenCarpetChallenge. The essential foundations of the philosophy are to dress responsibly, in ways that will support both the fashion industry and the environment in the future. On a practical level, if you’re armed with a sewing machine, why not reinvent one of your favourite pieces instead of buying new? However, if sewing isn’t your forte, try swapping high street shops for vintage and charity ones. Or for an even cheaper and sustainable alternative, raid your mum’s (or grandmother’s) wardrobe as there can be some real gems hidden away! However, high street can also mean sustainable too. Brands such as H&M, Marks and Spencer, Topshop and Uniqlo have all signed the Bangladesh Safety agreement to ensure that the materials are sustainably resourced, that their workers are suitably paid and that they are given safe environments to work in. So why not try noting if your clothes promote sustainable and ethical philosophies for the future? pinterest.com
Instagram/ @ecoage
At this year’s Vanity Fair Oscar’s party, among the glitzy, dazzling designer dresses, one star stepped out in the same dress she’d worn on her eighteenth birthday. The lady in question was the ever elegant Livia Firth (the beautiful and talented wife of Colin Firth). However, two things should probably be explained before we delve any further into the fashionable world promoted by Mrs. Firth. Firstly, she was obviously an extremely elegant eighteen year-old as her Oscars outfit pays tribute to. Secondly, the dress was altered into a black top with a feathered neckline, which she then paired with a black and pink colour blocking Laura Strambi skirt and Sergio Rossi Butterfly shoes. Her husband also rocked his treasured 30year-old black tailored tuxedo, convincing a lot of women that he will forever be our Mr. Darcy. When she posted the photo of herself gracing the red carpet in this lovely outfit she captioned it with ‘#GreenCarpetChallenge’. Anyone that follows Livia on Instagram or knows anything about her knows that her social media profiles have become synonymous with the caption #GreenCarpetChallenge. So what is this Green Carpet Challenge? And how can you become part of it? Livia Firth is a co-founder and creative director of Eco-Age, a company that aims to encourage designers and fashion houses to source sustainable fabrics and work with
V-neck blouse, £12.99 Skinny jeans, £29.99 Maxi dress, £59.99 All from H&M Conscious collection
Alexandra Keates Style Writer
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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
14.03.2016
Epigram Travel Section 2015/16
Summer adventures in vibrant Vietnam
“
Our next stop was Halong Bay. Made up of a spectacular scatter of limestone islands, it is known for its emerald waters and junk boat tours
Joyce Khoh
”
condensed milk and sugar. Our next stop was Halong Bay. Made up of a spectacular scatter of limestone islands, it is known for its emerald waters and junk boat tours (essentially the cheapest alternative to hiring a private boat). Despite our short stay in Halong, the junk boat tour was one of the highlights of my trip, costing only £10, inclusive of lunch and six hours’ worth of touring the various islands. In those six hours, we visited the Sung Sot cave, a fishing village, a beach and got to kayak for half an hour. Compared to Hanoi, Halong city is quiet and has a slower pace of life and after a day and a half, we boarded an overnight sleeper bus to Sapa. Sapa, a town in the Hoàng Liên Son Mountains of northwest Vietnam, overlooks the terraced rice fields of Muong Hoa Valley and is popular with trekkers. Local day tours to the tribal villages are run daily; the trek is not an easy feat, but a gruelling one up and down 12km of muddy, rocky and uneven paths. On the day of our tour, it was raining rather heavily and the ground was very muddy and slippery, which made trekking extremely difficult and tiring. It was one of the toughest treks I had done in my entire life due to the lack of proper paths and the chilly 12-degree
weather, which I had not expected and was thus completely unprepared for. However, as we were trekking to the village of the Black Hmongs (an ethnic minority group who are identified by their black headscarf and traditional costume) the tribal women followed us the entire trek journey and held our hands, guiding us through steep and uneven ground, preventing us from slipping and falling. As they only spoke simple English, we mostly conversed through smiles, and their heartfelt gesture spoke louder than words. We stopped for a traditional home-cooked lunch at their village, which rested deep in the terraced rice fields and the view was absolutely breathtaking. We then took a stroll around their village, where men are mostly rice farmers and women sell intricate handcrafted souvenirs for a living. Before we left, the women even gave us friendship bands and handmade grass animals. What struck me was that despite their simplicity of life and how few material possessions they had, they were genuinely happy and their hospitality and sincerity truly touched me. Overall, my entire trip around Vietnam (all in) cost less than £200. The low cost of living and the fact that one can bargain for the cheapest deals in everything- food, transport, shopping etc. - makes it ideal for students. Although pickpockets and conmen are rife, the Vietnamese are hospitable, you’ll find cheap deals, beautiful scenery and intriguing culture aplenty… what’s not to love?
Joyce Khoh
Joyce Khoh
(pho, which is basically rice noodles in clear soup, made from beef stock and various spices) for approximately £1.50. Besides that, Vietnam is also known for its Banh Mi (baguette sandwich filled with meat and greens), Bun Cha (rice noodles dipped in a sweet and sour sauce, eaten with barbecued pork patties - a Hanoi speciality) and Vietnamese iced coffee. One of their unique traditional drinks is the egg coffee, which is a mixture of coffee powder, egg yolks,
Joyce Khoh
Who says travelling has to be expensive? Us poor students are constantly finding cheap deals due to allowance constraints that we refuse to limit our love for travel. Last summer, I spent six days in Hanoi, Halong and Sapa, which was exciting, memorable AND easy on the wallet. Vietnam, a Southeast Asian country on the South China Sea, is known for its beaches, its bustling cities and its world-famous dish pho. From my short stay there however, I can describe it with another four words: land of the motorcycles. My first stop was its capital. Hanoi - being a big, bustling city - is generally really easy to navigate and explore, with all of its tourist attractions clustered together in the Old Quarter. The hostel I stayed at was located in the heart of this Old Quarter and, upon arrival, the man at the counter served us enthusiastically, offering us a free room upgrade and many recommendations of good places to visit. During my two-night stay (which cost only £8.80 per person), he never once stopped beaming. The sincere hospitality of the Vietnamese was something that left a deep impression on me throughout my trip. Over the next two days, my friend and I visited many tourist attractions around the Old Quarter: the Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, St. Joseph’s Cathedral and Hoa Lo Prison. We went street shopping at their many day and night markets and even got a massage. Shopping in Asia, especially in countries like Vietnam, is really fun as you get to bargain as much as you like, unlike European countries where the price is usually fixed. However, one thing to note is that at touristy places, prices are usually jacked up, as tourists tend to be more ignorant about the true value of items. What I’ll never forget about Hanoi are the massive amounts of motorcycles that thronged the streets and roads and the fact that their traffic lights and zebra crossings seemed to be for decoration purposes only. There were far more motorcycles than cars. The motorcyclists honked as and when they liked, not when they actually needed to. Initially, every single time I crossed the road I feared that it might be my last time, but after two days, we realised that the trick to crossing the road was to just ignore the motorcycles and walk confidently, as the locals do not stop, but instead swiftly manoeuvre around you as you walk. The streets of the Old Quarter are really narrow as well, with many stalls lining their alleys and at night the whole place truly comes alive. Food-wise, everything in Hanoi is really cheap and delicious, especially at the street stalls. My friend and I shared a seafood fried rice and the national dish of Vietnam
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Floral fantasies: the many colours of Keukenhof
the kind of day out that is gentle enough to soothe away a raging Amsterdam hangover, whilst still being an amazing, memorable experience. If you fancy booking a last-minute weekend away once that final student loan of the year comes pinging into your account and before the exam season gets into full swing, the gardens are open from 24th March - 16th May. Shuttle buses run from Schiphol Airport to Keukenhof every seven minutes. Buy bus and gardens combi-tickets from the bookshop next to the Arrival Hall 4 exit.
Camilla Gash
Camilla Gash
Camilla Gash
Camilla Gash
Perenially popular Amsterdam features on almost every student’s travel bucket list. But few make it out of the Netherlands capital (and who can blame them - it’s gorgeous) to explore the rest of the country. If you’re guilty as charged, or you’ve never been to the Netherlands but hope to get round to it someday - I strongly encourage you to (re-)visit the country during tulip season. The Dutch springtime is a spectacular sight to behold and nowhere is this more evident than in the beautifully designed Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, about a 45-minute journey out to the south-west of Amsterdam. Each year, seven million bulbs are planted, including around 800 varieties of tulip. The many f loral displays this year consist of sensory, romantic, historical, vegetable and beach-themed gardens, as well as rotating f lower shows in the on-site pavilions. Keukenhof is a colour-overload, a Chelsea f lower show on acid (though highly tasteful, natuurlijk). It’s
Camilla Gash
Do you really want to ride that elephant? Charlotte Wass gives us an insight into the truth about animal tourism. - TRAVELGRAM -
There was once a day when elephant rides, cuddling koalas and swimming with dolphins was the highlight of any holiday. The opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world’s most exotic (and cutest) animals was not an opportunity to pass up. However it seems opinions may be starting to change as it has become increasingly evident that the tourist wildlife attractions can have a very damaging effect on the welfare of the animals at the centre of such tourist experiences. A story arose recently above the Scottish tourist killed by an elephant after the animal attacked its mahout (handler). While this was obviously a tragic incident for the man and his family, it also raises serious questions about why the animal would act this way. It has been suggested that the animal was coming into ‘musth’ - a period where bull elephants experience an increase in testosterone and therefore can become aggressive. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the abuse elephants go through in an attempt to tame them to a level where they can be ridden may have sparked the aggressive behaviour. Regardless of the reason, it is difficult to pin the blame of this dreadful event on the elephant and there are clearly some important issues regarding animal welfare that need to be addressed. Another story of a tragic human-animal encounter emerged in the summer of 2015 when a woman was killed by a lion at Gauteng Lion Park. The woman was taking photos of the lion through an open car window before the lion made its attack. This story only serves to emphasise that human interference in the lives of animals can cause great distress amongst the animals and endangers both humans and the animals. The lion that made the attack was
separated from the rest of the pride in a different enclosure while discussions were had over whether or not the animal should be put down. Even attractions that offer tourists the chance to see animals in their natural environment can raise serious concerns over welfare due to the disruption they cause to the animals’ lives. World Animal Protection is an NGO which is campaigning to expose the maltreatment of animals subject to the tourist industry. They have warned that the so called ‘sanctuaries’ homing supposedly rescued animals such as tigers and lions are not the protective refuge that their name suggests. Cubs are taken from their mother at a very young age and are then severely mistreated in an attempt to train them. In some cases the animals are even drugged in order to make them more submissive. Shocking statistics from World Animal Protection reveal that there are now more tigers held in captivity in the US alone than there are living in the wild. The World Animal Protection carried out a global study and found that three out of four wildlife tourist attractions involve some kind of animal abuse or raise conservation concerns. Even the most well-intentioned tourists may not recognise the maltreatment that occurs in such places as the study showed that 80 per cent of tourists was either unaware or ignored poor welfare standards in the places they visited. The number of tourists that visit cruel wildlife attractions each year could be as large as 110 million don’t be a part of that number. Do your research before engaging in any animal related tourist activity. If you truly love animals then you wouldn’t want to take a selfie with them.
Charlotte Wass
Autumn in Albarracín, photo by @assiashahin Tag your travel photos with #epitravel to be featured on our account. Each issue, we’ll print the photo with the most likes.
Editor Ben Duncan-Duggal whatson@epigram.org.uk
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14th March: Rowan Williams: Theology and Meditation What does Rowan Williams have in common with the crusty, dreadlocked portions of Bristol’s student population? Aside from a liking for psychadelics, ex-Bishop of BANTerbury Rowan Williams also shares a fondness for meditation, promoting the intriguing possibility of Christian meditation. And so he’s here in Bristol to ‘open up intellectual and practical questions related to meditation and the study and practice of religion.’ Should be mind expanding. 18:00, Wills Memorial Building, event now full but there is a waiting list. Facebook
Exhange, Tickets available from Ticketmaster for £10
16th March: Peter Andre: Live
Flickr: Steve Slater
There are many questions I cannot answer. One of them is just who is still paying to see Peter Andre, seven years after his last top ten single. Whoever these people are, Peter Andre clearly seems to have faith in them, having booked out the close to 2000 people Colston Hall. I have literally nothing left to say about Peter Andre, apart from the fact he’s married to someone who recently graduated from Bristol. And, to be honest, that is probably the most interesting thing about the man. Colston Hall, tickets available online from £29.50 - £86.00 (!!)
18th March: Kano @ Motion This month has already had Grime stalwarts Giggs and Big Narstie play Motion, and now Kano is showing up. He’s a man who deserves his place in grime history at least as much as the two men mentioned there – he’s been there since the genre defining 2005 Run The Road compilation. That arguably makes him an old-timer (at the age of 30!) but this show won’t be an OAPs’ home. Facebook: Kano CentreForCities
Tickets sold out but available on resale sites.
19th March: Late Night Tales with Tom Findlay of Groove Armada
Armada Facebook: Groove Marc Wathieu
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A small room with a head-level roof, a spring Saturday night, one of Britain’s finest producers of the last 20 years and a record box of pure ambience. The scene is set for this event to be a stunner, a night out with both electronic music and a brain. What’s more, it’s likely to be the kind of event which you’ll enjoy even if you’re the sort of person who prefers to spend time vertical. Small Horse Inn, £4 OTD.
WHAT'S ON FEATURED EVENT Half Moon Run Tuesday 15 March. 7pm, Anson Rooms. We are thrilled to be playing host to Half Moon Run in Anson Rooms this week. Half Moon Run bring elements of indie, rock, pop and folk with rhythmic harmonies, delicate guitar lines and a hint of warm electronica.
APRIL
March
The group is known for their heavy use of percussion, and playing multiple instruments during live performances.
Monday 14. Varsity Rugby. 5.30pm, Memorial Stadium. One of the biggest events in the Varsity series: a double bill of women’s and men’s rugby. Support our #MightyMaroons as the teams go all out to win the Varsity Trophy.
Thursday 31. Bristol SU Open Mic Night. 7.30pm, Balloon Bar. Show off your talents to a live audience!
Tuesday 15. Bristol Pink Week Launch. 7pm, Balloon Bar. Pink Week is a week of events aimed at raising money and awareness for Breast Cancer care.
Friday 18. Charity Battle of the Bands. 8pm, Anson Rooms. Think your band has got that extra something special to stand out from the crowd? Then why not take part in a battle of the bands contest against your fellow Bristol students. In aid of ChildReach International
Monday 11. Best of Bristol Lectures: Reforming Banking Culture with Professor Keith Stanton. 1pm, Wills Memorial Building. To what extent should the banking industry and its members be responsible for the 2008 financial crash? The first lecture of this year's Best of Bristol series
Tuesday 12. Best of Bristol lectures: Who Gets All the Pies? (And Jobs, Houses etc.) with Dr Jonathan Floyd. 1pm, Wills Memorial Building. Who gets all the good stuff in life degrees from Bristol, piles of money, beautiful houses, and exciting internships - and who decides who gets it?
Tuesday 12. Best of Bristol lectures: Earthquakes: A Triggered Debate Between Engineering and Geology. 7pm, Clifton Hill House. Presented by Professor Michael Kendall and Dr Dimitris Karamitros. Where, when and why will the next big earthquake happen? What damage could it cause and how can we mitigate it?
For more information on all upcoming events see bristolsu.org.uk/events
The richmond lectures: upcoming speakers
The Richmond Lectures: Professor Alice Roberts
"The scientific story of how we came to be here is more extraordinary than any creation myth."
On Thursday 17 March, Professor Alice Roberts will be speaking at Bristol SU as part of the Richmond series. A formidable public speaker, with a knack for making the complex feel accessible and entertaining, Alice Roberts has been invited to talk for an hour on a subject of her choosing. We’re expecting to be astounded! Professor Roberts is a clinical anatomist and Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Birmingham. She is also a broadcaster and has presented several landmark BBC science series including The Incredible Human Journey, Origins of Us, Prehistoric Autopsy and Ice Age Giants. She has presented several Horizon programmes, on BBC2, and Wild Swimming, on BBC4. She occasionally presents Inside Science on Radio 4. She writes a regular science column for The Observer, and has authored five popular science books. For more information and to book your (free!) tickets, go to bristolsu.org.uk/events Prof. Alice Roberts, Anatomist & Broadcaster. 17 March.
Missing Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty. 13 April.
YOUR
Marcus Du Sautoy, Mathematical Institute & Author. 9 May.
Deadline 18 April for elections on 5 May
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If you’re not registered, you can’t vote. All you need is a few minutes and your national insurance number gov.uk/register-to-vote #YourXmatters
It’s time to talk mental health In Bristol SU’s ‘Speak Your Mind’ survey (2014), we discovered that 1 in 4 students will suffer from a mental health issue at some point during their time at the University of Bristol. Those figures can’t be ignored, but how can we help? The stats: • 1 in 4 Bristol students will suffer from a mental health issue at some point during their time at the University of Bristol • 10% of the student population receive help from the Counselling Service • Nationally, 78% of students experience mental health issues… • …But 54% of those don't seek help There is a gap between those who are suffering with mental health problems and those who are receiving the help they need. In fact, the national statistics tell us that a large proportion of students aren’t even seeking the help they need. Sarah Redrup, Student Living Officer at Bristol SU said: "There seems to be an assumption that struggling at University is a rite of passage. That if you’re not getting enough sleep, finding that you can’t get into the hobbies that you once enjoyed or that you’re spending more time worrying than feeling positive it’s all just part of the experience. University is tough and if you’re struggling to cope you shouldn’t have to battle through alone." That was Sarah’s motivation behind setting up two ‘Mind Your Head’ support groups. The groups are peer-led, drop-in support groups and are open to all students with
the aim of improving mental wellbeing and eradicating stigma. They are run by fully trained student volunteers. Whatever your issue and whatever you need, the facilitators are there to listen. The idea is to create a
"There seems to be an assumption that struggling at University is a rite of passage"
Mind Your Head Support Group Launch (postgraduate) 19 March, Odlum Room, 2pm – 3pm Sarah and the Mind Your Head team will also be bringing back last year’s Mind Your Head Week. This year the campaign will run across a whole month, throughout April (so will be called mind Your Head Month!). The campaign is a series of events around mental health. These will include events aimed at signposting support services and helping people to recognise and cope with mental health issues as well as a number of social events, such as an outdoor cinema (15 May), to encourage students to take time out to relax amongst all the studying!
welcoming support network that will help everyone to feel more comfortable talking about their mental health, and to start recognising mental health issues. The support groups will be launched in the SU building at the following times: Mind Your Head Support Group Launch (undergraduate) 16 March, Odlum Room, 2pm – 3pm
For a full programme of these events, keep an eye on bristolsu.org.uk/events. More information to come soon!
mind your head MIND YOUR HEAD
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH THE RICHMOND LECTURES
PROFESSOR ALICE ROBERTS
bristolsu.org.uk
MISSING YOUR X?
REGISTER TO VOTE
CULTURE
Epigram/Adam Becket
Epigram
14.03.2016
Arts
Editor: Mattie Brignal
Deputy Editor: Ed Grimble
Online Editor: Amy Stewart
arts@epigram.org.uk
egrimble@epigram.org.uk
astewart@epigram.org.uk
@EpigramArts
Michael Simpson’s minimalist rejection of religious authority Helena Raymond-Hayling pays a visit to Michael Simpson’s elegant, cynical and darkly funny new exhibition.
WHO
Michael Simpson: Flat Surface Painting is on display at Spike Island, Tuesday to Sunday 125pm until the 27th March 2016.
Helena Raymond-Hayling
One of Sweden’s greatest authors, Henning
Mankell
could
Epigram/ Helena Raymond-Hayling
infinite. Often cynical and dark humoured, Simpson’s work explores the challenge of representing three-dimensional images on two dimensional space which he integrates with his fascination for early Flemish and Dutch paintings. He also employs the renaissance motif of framing his subjects with window ledges and frames, providing an interesting perspective and seemingly offering the viewer a chance to step into the realm beyond the painting, and immerse themselves in his enticingly minimalist, indeterminate spaces. The paintings toy with our impressions of the real and the abstract, and deceive the eye by balancing between depth and flatness. In the Bench Painting series (1989-2009), coffinlike objects float seemingly suspended in space in some paintings, but in others shadow and perspective root objects to the ground. This contrast shows a conflict between the
Epigram/ Helena Raymond-Hayling
“
Simpson offers viewers a chance to step into the realm beyond the painting, and immerse themselves in his enticingly minimalist, indeterminate spaces.
real and ethereal and is suggestive of a sort of purgatory. The name of one of Bruno’s works and the date of his death feature in this series and the bench-like forms which appear to defy physical laws aptly echo Bruno’s insistence on the rejection of the religious doctrine. In compliment to the wide, horizontal bench pieces are displayed the tall and vertically orientated Leper Squint series (201216), which repeat the image of viewing holes built into medieval church walls. These were constructed to allow ‘undesirables’ to watch sermons from the outside. They speak for systematic exclusion, prejudice and inequality, issues that transcend the medieval setting. A much smaller work, Squint (2016) shows just the hole, hung out of reach up the gallery wall, involving the viewer directly in the experiences of the medieval outcasts. An element of mystery and deception also comes from this series in knowing how to reach these holes, who cares to listen and what lies beyond. There’s a cynical humour to the solutions that Simpson creates, which include several formations of depth-less steps and ladders propped against the wall, positioned precariously. The show also introduces two new pieces which continue to reflect both his fascination and disdain for oppressive religious institutions. The largest painting in the show, Minbar (Pulpit) (2015) – conjures images of being at the mercy of religious authority. The rooting of this idea within Islam specifically makes it interesting to place these ideas in the current context of Islamic State. It is possible to draw parallels of the suffering of those in IS controlled areas to the atrocities suffered by Simpson’s idol, Giodarno Bruno, noted in the Bench Painting series and the institutionalised exclusion of the Lepers in the Leper Squint series. The exhibition showcases the best work of a politically motivated and left-wing artist whose unique style and clear message flourished in the wave of pop art in the 1960s, and has been unfaltering right up to this exciting new instalment at the ceaselessly trendy and vibrant Spike Island.
Epigram/ Helena Raymond-Hayling
Michael Simpson’s exhibition at Spike Island is his largest to date, containing 25 years worth of his work. Known for using his work to express his antipathy to the medieval Catholic Church, this collection has been described as an exploration of the ‘infamy of religious history.’ These works are of a spectacular scale and are distinctly and strikingly framed in the light and open gallery space. A coincidental and charming feature of the space itself is the faint intermittent choral music from the adjacent gallery showing the video Belt Craft Studies (2014) by Ruaidhri Ryan, which adds a suitably quirky and mystic quality to the exhibition. Simpson expresses his disdain for the agenda of the medieval church and is inspired by philosopher and cosmologist Giordano Bruno, who was imprisoned, tortured and burned at the stake as a heretic in the 16th Century. He was part of a movement of secular thinkers who realised the full implications of the discovery that the earth revolves around the sun and suggested that the universe is
be
described as one of the fathers, and masters, of Nordic noir, which
has gone onto be a powerful cultural force. He is Kurt Wallander, through which he made clear his left-wing social criticism. He won multiple awards,
Henning Mankell Novelist
including the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for Best Crime Novel in 2001 for Sidetracked.
1948-2015
Mankell wrote thirteen books for the Wallander series (of which I have all), starting with Faceless Killers and ending with The Troubled Man. The books follow Kurt Wallander, a police inspector working around Ystad in southern Sweden, as he attempts to solve disturbing murders. Dealing with issues Flickr/ David Shankbone
best known for his mystery-crime novels starring
WHAT
surrounding Sweden, including immigration and corruption, the stories attempt to unravel Swedish society. The novels have been turned into three separate television series, including one in English; starring Rolf Lassgård, Krister Henriksson and Sir Kenneth Branagh as Wallander respectively.
Epigram
14.03.2016
35
Confused, inconsistent… but pertinent: David Shackleton This month the Grant Bradley Gallery stages three exhibitions. Ed Grimble focuses on the paintings of London-based artist David Shackleton, whose works explore the angst that urbanity and modernity cause the individual.
Shackleton’s troubling, Boschian spectacle, ‘Derwentwater’
Grant Bradley Gallery
From March 5th to April 2nd, the Grant Bradley Gallery hosts, alongside two other exhibitions, ‘Addressing the Situation’ and ‘People, Plants and Places’, a solo exhibition by London-based artist, David Shackleton. I found his collection of works, ‘Masks and Mania’, decidedly difficult to unpick. As a visual spectacle, Shackleton’s works are complicated and often disorienting to look at. No single style of painting dominates and instead his canvases are competitive spaces in which elements of post-Impressionism, Surrealism, and Modernism all vie for the viewer’s attention. There is no comforting familiarity when viewing multiple works by Shackleton and the effect of moving from a work like ‘Lyla’ to one such as ‘Derwentwater’ can be jarring. Many of Shackleton’s compositions are of collections of figures; he is evidently concerned with how the individual views themself within not only the urban or natural environment, but also as part of the human collective. Indeed, the paradoxical feeling of being acutely isolated within a crowd of people permeates works like ‘Layla’ and ‘St. Aubins Court’. Figures occupy the same physical space, but their interactions seem to end there, with both paintings depicting human groups who, despite their close spatial proximity, appear deeply fragmented and isolated. The relentlessness of urbanity and of the way our lifestyle choices curtail the extent to which we can enjoy meaningful social interactions with one another, are strong themes in many of Shackleton’s paintings. Indeed, if the artist claims to take quotidian life as his subject
highly animated looking figures in uproar in a small wooden boat being carried on a canvas of tumultuous waves, speak their message clearly and successfully. The former, the paralysis and loneliness of urban life and the latter a reckless abandon and wholehearted embrace of a means of possibly being able to deviate from that drab banality. However, Shackleton’s oeuvre also includes efforts like ‘St. Aubin’s Court’. Odd perspective and a lacklustre flatness in colour and texture, as well as in the figures depicted, add up to a disappointing tableau not so-vivant. The Grant Bradley does sterling work in exhibiting artists that might otherwise not get wall space in some of Bristol’s much larger galleries and its tendency to present frequent, smaller exhibitions (even running, as it is now, multiple artists’ work simultaneously) mean that in terms of the volume of contemporary art it offers the public it is hard to beat. Being south of the river, in Bedminster, leaves it overlooked more often than not - but I do urge you to keep your eyes peeled on their website and make a trip or two down this year. ‘Addressing the Situation’, ‘People, Plants and Places’, and ‘Masks and Mania’ all run until 2nd April, and entrance to the gallery is free.
matter, then Shackleton seems to suggest that there is a darkness and a melancholy in the daily grind. An inconsistency lets down this exhibition, however. Works like ‘Layla’ and ‘Delacroix’s Drifter’, the latter of which consists of ten
Ed Grimble
Seeking salvation at Bristol Cathedral Catherine Choate visits Bristol Cathedral to see Iranian sculptor Saloomeh Asgary’s series of works, ‘The Salvation Sculptures’.
Epigram/ Catherine Choate
Religion undeniably touches the lives of everyone at some point, even those like myself who do not identify as being religious. For me, Christianity largely takes the form of a big roast dinner at Christmas or Easter and I do not generally take much time to think about the reasons behind these traditions. It is surprising then (even to myself) that I leapt at the chance to go and see Saloomeh Asgary’s work at Bristol Cathedral last Saturday. While I knew that the pieces are deeply religious, it was the title ‘The Salvation Sculptures’ and Asgary’s history which really caught my attention. Asgary grew up in Iran and whilst studying art at the University of Tehran she experienced a spiritual awakening that led her to Christianity, the faith she now expresses through her art. Asgary is an extremely talented carpenter and her skill is
Asgary’s ‘Maturing’
WHERE
gorgeously evident in the Salvation pieces. Christianity is a growing, yet persecuted religion in Iran so her work cannot be presented there and as such has made its home in the UK - where Asgary now lives. The beautiful pieces now displayed in Bristol Cathedral pose as her salvations through Christ, through art and through her empowered womanhood. Bristol Cathedral itself is majestic. Sat in all its grandeur on a particularly sunny afternoon it was more inviting than ever. I am not sure what I expected to see when I walked through the doors, but it took me a second to spot the first of Asgary’s sculptures – ‘Motherhood’. The gracefully sculpted figure of Mary protecting her unborn child set the tone for the remaining five sculptures: fluid, almost aqueous in style and aesthetic, precisely posed,
and soothingly familiar. The other sculptures are entitled ‘Jonah in the Fish’, ‘Christ is Born’, ‘Repentance’, ‘Salvation’ and ‘Maturing’, all carved out of pine and ‘conceived during time spent in prayer and worship’, according to Asgary. All of the pieces are poignantly personal and thought-provoking in light of both the artist’s biography and the biblical meaning which underpins each work. ‘Repentance’ is particularly striking; its foetal cringing is unnerving, whilst seeming strangely relatable. My favourite of the collection is ‘Maturing’, an upward reaching figure of Christ (although it could be any human being just looking at it) made of a paler pine, looking as though it has been caught in the final moment before its ascension, spiralling up into the rafters of the cathedral.
While the specific religious meanings of each work were not obvious to me as a non-spiritual person, the feeling of freedom and salvation Asgary experienced in each is profound. Not only are the figures stunning to behold, but they embody an important and interesting history that should be of interest to anyone. Salvation, of any kind, is a human experience that everyone has a right to encounter regardless of religion, gender or ethnicity and this is wonderfully brought to life in Asgary’s art. ‘The Salvation Sculptures’ are exhibited at Bristol Cathedral until 31 March
Catherine Choate
WHY
WHEN
Whether you are a reader fascinated by crime Born in 1948,Henning Mankell passed away at the
fiction, mystery or social problems, Mankell’s
divided his time between there and Africa,
end of last year, aged 67, after a three-year long
novel provides it all. Being both gripping reading
where he lived in Mozambique and Zambia
battle with cancer. He wrote the most famous of
and powerful critiques of Swedish society, the
amongst others. This passion for Africa is
his novels in 1990s and early 2000s, which can be
Wallander novels are a must read. The English
reflected in his writing, where it features
seen in his cutting criticism of Swedish society.
versions are translated beautifully, capturing
in the plot of some of his Wallander novels,
His books were translated into English in the
and his other fiction. His books have sold
early 2000s and the three Wallander television
more than 40 million copies worldwide.
series have separately run from 2000 onwards.
Flickr/ Peter Sejersen
He grew up in Sweden in the 1950s and later
Mankell’s style, passion and anger. If you like Nesbø or Larsson, The Killing or The Bridge, their genesis is in Mankell’s work, so do read it.
Adam Becket
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Create value through diversity. Be yourself, be different.
26/01/2016 08:02
Epigram | 14.03.2016
37
Debate: Is vigilante public art an effective means of protest?
Heather McGowan and Myla Lloyd debate whether, when the artist takes their work directly onto the streets of our cities, they can actually effect meaningful protest. Whether you believe that art is the starting point for protest, or the last hope, it is undeniable that it is the most effective means of public protest. Art transgresses the boundaries of time and is accessible to all. Take, for example, Banksy’s piece depicting the young girl from Les Miserables surrounded by tear gas, which in January was placed in close proximity to the French embassy in London. Its location made it hugely conspicuous - even if one were to somehow not know of Banksy - and was in protest against the use of CS gas in the Calais refugee camp. No accompanying words were needed, no rowdiness or clamour with police close by, simply
accessible art which woke up the general public. It brought events from which we can very easily distance ourselves, to our streets. The same can be said of Bristol-based artist Pegasus’s depiction of Donald Trump as Adolf Hitler. Whilst Americans are protesting in the States and social media is brimming with videos highlighting the ludicrous and contradictory statements Trump makes at his rallies, I believe it was the act of the artist making this visual statement which really showed the world the strong correlation between Trump and the fascist leader. Pegasus’s graffiti was a global reminder that we cannot allow history to repeat itself. Whilst it may be an American election, due to the sheer power of the US the presidential
YES
“
NO
The interest of vigilante art lies in the infamy of the artist rather than in the issues they’re depicting.
Whilst I strongly agree that the art world remains largely dominated by boys such as Banksy, this shameless act of vandalism has garnered more publicity for the ‘artist’ in question than for the cause she purported to represent. Despite what Vaj’s comments would suggest, there are many internationally renowned female street artists, producing unique work that often challenges the sta-tus quo. Perhaps a more effective means of protest would have been to produce a unique artwork, as opposed to defacing a public monument and adding fuel to the graffiti-haters’ fire. The aforementioned Banksy is rightly famed for his vigilante public art, with his most recent work responding to the humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Calais. I shall not contest the power of these images, or the genius of his ability to condense a highly debated topic into a pithy and memorable image (claims, incidentally, based on the quality of his work and nothing to do with his gender). Yet despite Banksy’s best intentions,
Flickr/ gianrossiniph2012
“
whilst bringing injustice to public attention is admirable, it remains completely ineffective as a means of protest if it does not prompt the public into acting to rectify said injustice. As Banksy’s career has progressed and his worldwide fame has solidified, it seems that more and more the interest lies in the infamy of the artist rather than in the issues he is depicting. The recent media furore surrounding his Les Mis inspired piece is symptomatic of the public reaction to the graffiti giant’s work. As opposed to engaging with the content
to be a last resort, showing the world where we are going wrong in a way that people of all backgrounds can relate to. After all, art is meant to move all people and street art does exactly that, which makes it the perfect means of protest. I strongly believe that art, particularly street art, is the perfect way for artists to shock society into noticing its own mistakes and to clearly, yet peacefully, protest against governmental or societal faults.
Heather McGowan
of the work, most debates centre around who could claim, cover or sell the new work the fastest. Whilst a Syrian refugee’s attempt to charge £5 entry to see the Steve Jobs stencil in Calais may be admirable for its ingenuity, it reflects a wider tendency to concentrate on the financial as opposed to symbolic value of Banksy’s work; a scary indictment of our capitalist society and one that the artist himself would, I’m sure, frown upon. Vigilante street artists unquestionably act as society’s gadfly, yet they are not privy to any more information on the world’s injustices than any of us capable of picking up a newspaper. The fact that Banksy’s Les Mis piece contained a QR code that directed viewers to a Youtube clip of police brutality in the Calais camp is, I believe, a critique of the public’s inaction when injustice is brought to their attention.
“
Flickr/ Paul Townsend
What better way to undermine the feminist cause than by defacing a statue of one of Britain’s most powerful females, Queen Victoria. Whilst Vaj, the Bristol-based artist responsible for this act of vandalism, claimed she was making a statement on the ‘male-dominated’ art world, one has to question how effective this statement was. As far as I’m aware,there was no debate over the genitalia of said Queen, most of us don’t need to see a crudely drawn vagina to appreciate that she possessed one. Even Banksy’s Park Street nude has the decency to cover his rude bits.
election outcome will have consequences the world over. Messages like this one are conveyed through public street art. On the other hand, Vaj Graff’s graffiti (shown below) on the Queen Victoria statue on College Green in Bristol in early January 2016 lacked the leading principle in Banksy’s work: a strong political message. The artist claims that her defacement of the statue was a ‘feminist statement’ (asserted on the artist’s Twitter page). This arguably fails to convey any meaningful message of true worth. Therefore, it is useful to utilise Graff’s graffiti to draw attention to the power behind political street art. Particularly in his recent work, Banksy uses his medium to change the way that the public thinks, or to alter public perception of events. In this way it tends
Flickr/ gianrossiniph2012
Art is meant to move people and street art does exactly that, which makes it the perfect means of protest
Vigilante street artists unquestionably act as society’s gadfly, yet they are not privy to any more in-formation on the world’s injustices than any of us.
Of course, the reason much street-art-as-protest garners such attention is that it resonates with a large number of people. Yet I maintain that the aestheticisation of subjects worthy of protest works to normalise injustice and, therefore, prevent further action. Street artist Pegasus’s recent work on North Street, which visually equates Donald Trump with Hitler, is a perfect case in point; a completely ineffective means of protest in a city where not one of us has an active vote in the Presidential election.
Myla Lloyd
Epigram
14.03.2016
Film & TV Hail, Watershed! Return of the Coen Brothers
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Editor: Ella Kemp
Deputy Editor: Kate Wyver
Online Editor: Georgia O’Brien
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Kicking off our Watershed special issue, Caitlin Butler reviews the backstage comedy offering from the Coen Brothers, Hail, Caesar!
The film moves through various genres of the golden age of Hollywood; nostalgic with a knowing wink
The casting of this film is impeccable. The Coen brothers’ have pulled the great and the good together for Hail, Caesar!, and some of the cameos are truly brilliant. Ralph Fiennes in particular is
“
Hail, Caesar!; a glorious, sunny ode to the Hollywood era of days gone by. The Coen brothers’ latest offering pulls together some of the finest names in cinema in a film that is, above all things, light hearted and pleasurable. It is almost definitely their brightest to date. The film centres on the brooding Josh Brolin as Eddie Mannix, head of production of a sprawling post-war film studio. He struggles to cope with any number of eccentrics; actors, directors, journalists and other various individuals. Amongst the chaos, his star actor, a convincingly idiotic George Clooney as Baird Whitlock, is kidnapped in the middle of shooting a big-budget Roman epic. Mannix must deal with the various people who demand his time, while attempting to provide $100,000 for the return of the lost actor.
magnificent as a pedantic and slightly camp film director and Scarlett Johansson’s grumpy actress is also worth a nod. The film incorporates signature Coen deadpan humour, which is, at times, carried well. Subtle and obtrusive jokes alike are cracked with flair and customary impassivity. It must be said, however, that while Josh Brolin is credible in his leading role, some of the more entertaining actors are not given enough due screen time. Both Jonah Hill and Frances McDormand, long time collaborator and wife of Joel, are hardly given a look. It might have been worth the brothers’ while to centre less on Mr. Brolin and more on the other actors, some of whom simply delighted when on screen. Ralph Fiennes is always brilliant and putting him to the fore, a la Wes Anderson, could have taken aspects of the film a little further. The film rapidly jumps between various backstage moments; a little reminiscent of aforementioned Anderson or Woody Allen. It never gets boring and does keep the audience engaged. The film clearly has a high production value and when it does have a message to convey, it’s done crisply and clearly. But alas; Hail, Caesar! lacks the bittersweet sadness of Wes’ films or the selfmocking dryness of Woody. There are also some scenes that seemed almost entirely inexplicable. Channing Tatum guest stars as a tap-dancing sailor; his singing and dancing is given far too much time on-screen. While initially amusing, it soon becomes slightly stale. So too is Johansson’s synchronised swimming sequence. While the word ‘filler’ may be a little harsh, that is near enough what they are. The jolly spectacles may have been more rewarding had the singing been replaced with actual dialogue between characters. Johansson’s actress could have certainly done with a little more
Watershed
Caitlin Butler Deputy Music Editor
development; the approach was sometimes a little slapdash. It’s clear to see that the film just needed a little more depth. Coen movies are generally entertaining and have their funny moments but also shows a dark side, setting them apart from their contemporaries. While Hail, Caesar! is a joy and a pleasure, it nonetheless lacks sufficient punch to make it truly memorable. The most lugubrious the film ever gets is through a brief mention of Mannix’s cigarette addiction. While sunniness is no bad thing, it’s just not quite Coen brothers. If a cinema-goer well versed in their work expects a hard hitter such as Fargo or No Country For Old Men, they can think again.
The Coen Brothers’ latest offering pulls together some of the finest names in cinema in a film that is lighthearted and pleasurable.
That is certainly not to say the film is not worth a watch. There are moments of genuine spark, intelligence and hilarity. The film moves through various genres of the golden age of Hollywood; it’s nostalgic, but has a definite knowing wink. Stereotypes of cinema are employed with an apt tongue in cheek. Hail, Caesar! then, is a film for film lovers; the Coen brothers’ attempt at comedy that may not be perfect, but is a damn good time nonetheless.
Epigram 14.03.2016
39 30
One man against the world in The Survivalist
Film & TV Writer Matty Edwards reviews the gritty gruesome and great debut from Stephen Fingleton, The Survivalist.
Watershed
Thrilling and shocking in equal measure, The Survivalist masterfully depicts mankind’s fight for survival in an unknown point in the future after industrial society has collapsed. The debut film from Northern Irish director Stephen Fingelton opens with a graph of the world population and oil production. As oil production tails off causing the population to crash, the viewer is thrown into a kind of postapocalyptic future where humans have been forced to return to a primitive existence. For seven years, the lone-ranger protagonist has been living this most basic existence, in which he grows a few crops, forages for berries and collects rain water. There is no prospect of progress or growth, just the desperate struggle for survival. The survivalist, played by Martin McCann, has got his survival attire spot on, rocking a
kind of Mohawk-meets-manbun affair. McCann’s intensity and smouldering stare is astonishing, the actor portrays the protagonist in such a guarded manner that his true character remains shrouded in mystery. One day a mother and daughter arrive on his doorstep, asking for some of his crops and offering the daughter as a sexual bargaining tool. He reluctantly takes them in and the film depicts how the three struggle to survive, as some sort of relationship develops between the daughter and their host. They hardly form a united front however, and their survival prospects are constantly under threat. This is daring, no-holds-barred cinema that slaps you in the face and leaves you reeling. The story may be equally hopeless and bleak, but the natural surroundings remain beautiful and Fingleton brilliantly captures the bright green of
the sun drenched woodland. The look and feel of the film is truly immersive as Fingleton achieves a kind of heightened realism. Nudity features throughout but it is fearlessly unglamorous, showing warts and all. The same goes for the sound, as no music features at any point. Instead every creek, rustling of leaves and birdsong rings out as part of a gorgeously lush natural soundtrack. One thing that hasn’t changed in this nihilistic future vision is the rainy weather, with many a downpour adding to the gloom. The stillness and lack of dialogue means that Fingleton relies on visual storytelling and non-verbal communication. What is left unsaid only adds to the mystery surrounding how they found themselves in this nightmarish situation. Out of this stillness spring short spurts of violence that are swift, sudden and explosive.
The Survivalist is often gruesome and gritty and at times terrifying but always powerful. The film is definitely not an optimistic tale of how mankind sticks together in times of adversity, but rather how the worst elements of human nature come to the fore. When it becomes a matter of life and death, all sense of morality seems to drain away. This scenario could reduce humans to primitive roles of masculine aggression and feminine vulnerability and this is partly the case, but the women also prove to be equally manipulative, ruthless and willing to push the boundaries of morality. For a debut film, this is an incredibly daring attempt which largely pays off. The Survivalist is deeply affecting and never shies away from anything in this brutal, nihilistic vision of the future of the human race.
Suspense at Watershed: Bone Tomahawk vs Goodnight Mommy Our writers go back to back to find out which film hits the spot with spine-tingling horror and which one is no more than a trick of the light.
Bone Tomahawk Josh Spencer
When Arthur Dwyer (Patrick Wilson) breaks his leg in a freak accident repairing his roof, it triggers a macabre chain of inter-connected events. His wife is captured by a group of savage natives leading a group of men from the town Bright Hope, including the town Sheriff (Kurt Russell), to venture through the desert to recapture Samantha Dwyer (Lili Simmons) and exact revenge. These natives are barbaric, vicious and are commonly referred to as ‘Troglodytes’ or ‘Cave dwellers’, completely unlike the civilized Indians that do exist in the community. Instead of the stereotypical peaceful nomads, these natives are gruesome and terrifying creatures, reminiscent of orcs in their vile disregard for life. Bone Tomahawk is filled with suspense, moving at a relatively slow pace at times yet bursting into life during moments of extreme violence in which little is left to the imagination. Arthur Dwyer’s accident, which came as a result from his excess of pride, defines the whole film and its plot as the most important device used. It makes a wider point about how proud all of the men in the community are, as pride and its sometimes devastating or heroic consequences determine the film’s outcomes. Kurt Russell delivers a similar performance to his own in The Hateful Eight, playing the Sheriff of the town in a role which no other actor would have been better suited. Patrick
Wilson’s performance as Arthur Dwyer is equally admirable, beginning as helpless to prevent the abduction of his wife while still displaying steely determination reminiscent of Leonardo Di Caprio’s Oscar-winning performance in The Revenant. This is an arid, isolated, desolate land and the sense of sheer heat and scale permeates. As an ex-cinematographer, director S Craig Zahler utilises camera work that is stunning and yet still retains a lingering climate of fear, due to the unpredictable environment surrounding the men. Sound is characterised with sudden shuddering moments that jolt scenes into action followed by sparse and eerie natural sounds, reflective of the experience of the film as a whole. Zahler should have shortened Bone Tomahawk, but in general he delivers a masterclass in suspense accompanied by spinetingling gore; aided by genuinely impressive performances from his leading men and woman. Whilst it sets up and plays out as a brooding western pursuit film full of tension and dread, Bone Tomahawk develops also into a hidebehind-your seat gory horror which truly makes the skin crawl.
****
Goodnight Mommy Mannika Mishra
I read about Goodnight Mommy a few months ago on an obscure film blog and displayed the appropriate level of excitement- a lot. My flatmates and I have been going through a phase of watching scary films and the kind of quiet, truly terrifying films (see It Follows) that we hoped to watch and to be scared silly by rarely came along. So when I heard about a horror film with identical twins – which, since The Shining, is creepy in itself – whose mother returns home with her face bandaged after a facial reconstructive surgery, I was hooked. The premise follows the twins, who are inseparable, slowly becoming convinced that the person under the bandages is not in fact their real mother. This is a meaty and properly frightening concept, as memories of suddenly becoming separated from one’s parents in crowds as a child are among everyone’s Top Ten Most Panic Inducing Moments. The first half of the film establishes a moody and eerie atmosphere, dominated by heavy Caspar David Friedrich-esque imagery which combines raw landscapes with religious symbols. The shots linger and protract unease; the audience never knows who to trust, who to pin as the ‘Baddie’, or who to root for. Given the fact that there are only three characters in the film, it already exists in a cloud of claustrophobia. The mother acts in sudden,
seemingly irrational ways which serve as a window into a child’s perspective of the confusing and often terrifying adult world of shadowy motivations which they cannot understand. It is also worth mentioning the twins’ unsettling habit of collecting beetles. Let that sink in. The film has a distinct aesthetic defined by sharp, straight lines and scandi-chic architecture which works very well and the philosophical ideas of identity and appearance that it explores add to the overall sense of claustrophobia and unease. This occurs until the second half, when the first pangs of anxiety hit and the film begins a slow but steady descent into the kind of horror we really didn’t want to experience. What started off as atmospheric psychological horror ended up a little closer to Saw. If I wanted to cringe as much as I did, I would go examine our kitchen sink with a microscope. Or listen to Jimmy Saville read Fifty Shades of Grey out loud. The last act of the film is a rushed montage featuring glue and blood, which is never a good combination even at the best of times. If you want to be properly scared, leave the theatre after the first hour and preserve your experience of the film, or just go watch The Omen, which has both a creepy child and religious imagery as well.
**
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Epigram 14.03.2016
41
A beautifully chaotic and perfect mess: Little Miss Sunshine
Tackling the depiction of mental health in cinema, Watershed screened cult favourite Little Miss Sunshine. Film & TV Writer Charlie Gearon reviews. The reason that Little Miss Sunshine gives an ‘honest’ depiction of mental health is that, unlike so many other works of film and literature, it doesn’t paint mental health as black and white. Viewers aren’t simply given a clichéd ‘depressed’ character who spends the film crying and talking about sadness. Instead, all of the film’s characters are placed somewhere on the spectrum of mental health. At one extreme, we have Frank (Steve Carell), the suicidal uncle whose unrequited love for a grad-student leads him down a spiral of romantic and professional failures. Frank is perhaps the most intricately developed character in the film. He seems quietly reluctant to talk about his depression and despite his profound sadness the character’s sense of humour shines through, like when he playfully teases Richard for his spiel about how ‘Sarcasm is the refuge of losers.’ He is a perfectly human image of a man with complex mental health issues, not just a character who the audience is told is ‘depressed’.
(Abigail Breslin) 800 miles across country to a beauty pageant in Redondo Beach, California. A poignant combination of dark comedy and classic American road movie, it’s not far-fetched to claim that this is one of the most honest depictions of mental health issues that has ever graced any medium, not just film.
“
Watershed
Shown in February at the Watershed as part of an event centred on mental health in cinema, Little Miss Sunshine was the perfect choice. Husband and wife duo Johnathan Dayton and Valeri Faris’ debut film depicts a dysfunctional family, united in their attempt to drive their eight-year-old daughter Olive
Rather than becoming selfindulgent and dwelling on sadness, Little Miss Sunshine is playfully realistic. But it’s not just through Carell’s character that the directors explore the topic of mental health. We also have Dwayne (Paul Dano), the silent teenager, obsessed with the nihilistic philosophy of Nietzsche; the mother Sheryl (Toni Collette) whose nerves are frayed from trying to keep her family together; the father Richard (Greg Kinnear) who projects his own failures as a motivational speaker onto his
family; and the foul-mouthed, heroin snorting grandfather Edwin (Alan Arkin) who despite his crudeness is deeply fond of Olive. Even the VW minibus they’re driving suffers a breakdown or two. These wonderfully genuine portrayals encourage viewers to see these characters as human beings with complex mental issues, not simply as heavy-handed examples of the mentally unwell. Past the focus on mental health, Little Miss Sunshine is also relentlessly funny. At one point in the film, while staying in a motel for the night, Edwin dies of a heroin overdose. Within five minutes of learning about his death, the films sees the family in his hospital room chucking his body out of the window so they can take it with them on the road. This is one of many perfect examples of the film’s dark sense of humour. Rather than becoming self-indulgent and dwelling on the sadness of its subject matter, Little Miss Sunshine is playfully realistic. Arndt’s screenplay perfectly complements the reality of the characters by creating a story which is as varied and nonsensical as life really is. The absurd and hilarious moments make the difficult, poignant moments all the more moving and believable. This is a beautifully chaotic and perfect mess which begs to be watched and re-watched time and time again. It defies expectations and never ceases to move and captivate. Little Miss Sunshine simply can’t be recommended highly enough.
What did you think of Little Miss Sunshine? Join the discussion @EpigramFilm
What’s On? Films to Faces
Editors’ Picks
The Easter Bunny
Kate Deputy Editor
Georgia Online Editor
Anomalisa
Next to Her
The Survivalist
At Watershed
In cinemas now
In cinemas now
Although Inside Out stole my heart last year, I am still extremely excited to see what this animation has to offer. Anomalisa seems to be on everyone’s mind, including mine. Promising intricate visuals and a heartwarming story, it seems to be right up my street.
Chelli lives with her sister Gabby, who suffers from mental disabilities. As Chelli’s boyfriend moves in with them, the difficulties of slotting into a peculiar routine are revealed. This film is an exploration of love and restraint in a world where everything is fragile.
I’m yet to watch this new dystopian film but as a lover of dark futuristic imaginings- it’s not for the faint hearted, but that’s what makes these films so beautifully raw, never afraid to think about the gnarly details of life in a postapocalyptic world.
House of Cards Season 4
Urban Explorers: Catch Me If You Can
Thirteen
On Netflix
4OD
4oD
Stop what you’re doing and return to Netflixif there was ever a man to put life on pause for it would be Frank Underwood. Anything could happen this season and chances are it’ll be darker than ever. I for one cannot wait.
In 4 minutes this documentary gives a behindthe-scenes look at one of the most thrilling sports, free running. Three teenagers take viewers around a derelict mill, showing the dangers and joys of their adventurous pastime.
Ivy Moxam escapes after being held captive for 13 years and returns to her family. As the police investigate Ivy’s case, some things don’t seem to add up. It’s also filmed and based in Bristol, with the Physics building standing in for the Avon Police HQ.
Wikicommons
Watershed
Flickr/Tyson Cecka
Flickr/MANYBITS
Ella Editor
1. Donnie Darko Whoever thought that I don’t watch films that pack a punch was terribly mistaken. Jake Gyllenhaal will always gets one more egg than you thanks to his performance in this. 2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit Gritty, funny and entertaining, I know I can always count on Roger Rabbit to make me forget an exhausting day’s work. When I can’t decide between humans and rabbits, this is always my weapon of choice. 3. About Time It’s not all about rabbits and chocolate. Richard Curtis knows what it takes to tickle my ears and warm my heart. I believe that love stories can transcend species as well as time.
Epigram
14.03.2016
Music
@epigrammusic Editor: Gunseli Yalcinkaya
Deputy Editors: Alex Schulte; Caitlin Butler
Online Editor: Sam Mason-Jones
gyalcinkaya@epigram.org.uk
aschulte@epigram.org.uk; cbutler@epigram.org.uk
s.masonjones@epigram.org.uk
Introducing Bristol’s newest label... SemiPeppered records ...Whether its jazzed-up disco or 6am house, Charlie McNelly meets Bristol University’s newest trio of talent
The creation of three Bristol students - Will, Joe and Even - Semi-Peppered records is a collective of friends dedicated to the love of music. Run from a walk-in-wardrobe-cumstudio in their student house it is evidence of the growing crop of young, Bristol-based labels contributing to the health of the city’s scene. The ethos of the label is simple. Starting off as a radio show, Semi-Peppered is about giving a platform to those who would otherwise not be heard. At the heart of this are the monthly releases, a chance for a varied group of producers to release material, develop their skills and see reaction. When asked about the sound SemiPeppered is capturing there are a few groans, understandable in an age where influences can be too many to count and come from around the globe. A quick disclaimer of ‘don’t quote me on anything that’ll make me sound like a dick’ and, after some discussion, three main strands appear. Disco, relaxing music ‘for people who enjoy relaxing at 6am’ and jazzy, sample-based house. This interest in sampling in particular is a running influence, as Will, who releases under the name Billy for Semi-Peppered, started off producing jazzy, sampled hip-hop as Yuki Ame. This being said, both Will and Joe are keen to point out that the young label is still finding its sound, along with its producers. ‘The guys we work with are still feeling out their own sound and that reflects into the label, which has been very varied so far, something we really like.’ Looking to the future, Semi-Peppered is hoping to get some tracks pressed to vinyl by the end of the year. One ambition is to get their own record press set up in a shed at the end of the garden, though at the moment this might be while off. In the mean time they are hoping to partner with a new record store and press opening in Cardiff. They are also in the process of curating a compilation of releases from Semi-Peppered, Yuki Ame and other producers met over Soundcloud. The proceeds will be going to The Mental Health Foundation, highlighting an incredibly important issue in music and one that has really come to light since Benga shared his own story of battling schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. After the success of the Semi-Peppered launch party at the Arts House Cafe in midDecember a second instalment is now on the cards. Partnering with Havana Breakfast Club, a group of four DJ/producers from Bath who run a monthly morning four-hour mix live stream,
the Doghouse will play host on March 15th. Building on this, Semi-Peppered and its darker sister label Soul Press are setting up a monthly open decks night at the White Hart. The idea being that beginners can sign up for a slot, bring down some records and play in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Despite being a fledgling label, Semi-Peppered promises much for the future, carrying the torch of Bristol’s grassroots music tradition. Talking to Will and Joe it is clear the passion is there; they want to make songs, not just beats, and create music that will stick with listeners. The only worry is another noise complaint from the council and this passion boiling over, as an anonymous member of the trio said, ‘if they try to take my synth… I’ll get sent to prison.’ Charlie McNelly
Epigram 14.03.2016
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In 2014, she took her long time producer, Dr Luke, to court as she attempted to free herself from a contract with him. She alleges he drugged and raped her in 2011 and although she is not bringing charges of rape to court, she simply wishes to cease working professionally with him. She also claims he has ‘sexually, physically, verbally, and emotionally abused her’ for over a decade while they have worked together. In February this year, however, this lawsuit was thrown fully into the public eye as a New York judge denied Kesha a court injunction that would have allowed her to record new music without Sony and Dr Luke. What does her lost lawsuit mean for the music industry? Sure, her case isn’t over. The ruling judge has acknowledged some vagueness in Kesha’s counterclaims and may give her an opportunity to file an amended version. There has been enormous public outcry, which may well sway the eventual decision. There is a possibility Kesha may win yet. But unfortunately, the ruling isn’t good news. The blatant fact is this: a rape claim has been rendered almost entirely insubstantial. The case is very heavily in the public eye and it appears the law courts are ignoring an artist’s abuse at the hands of her producer. Kesha will be forced to make four more albums with the man she claims is her rapist. What kind of message does this send out to the world at large? Rape claims are notoriously difficult to prove with substantive evidence. There are only two people who will ever truly know whether Kesha was raped by Dr Luke and clearly they will never agree. This sends a very bad message to victims of rape. If a victim, understandably, does not immediately submit to a doctoral examination, Kesha’s case sends the message they do not stand a good chance of winning. It is not just that they are forced to relive a horrific and traumatic experience in court, but they are often interrogated and cross-examined by potentially brutal defence lawyers. Victims could well be further deterred by the sheer fact their case might be rejected. Just 15 per cent of sexual assault victims report the crime to police, and only 5.7 per cent end in convictions. No other crime is as low as this. However, the outcome is not total doom and gloom. Poor Kesha may not have won in the short term, but her case has undeniably brought attention to sexual abuse in the music industry. The media, and hence the public eye, has focused heavily on her plight, and the tides of opinion are almost overwhelmingly to her favour. Pop stars from all walks of the music industry have publicly declared their support for Kesha. Taylor Swift donated $250,000 to cover legal fees. Miley Cyrus and Adele, amongst others, have tweeted their encouragement. It is a clear case of women standing with women and has yielded clearly positive results. At the Oscars, possibly the most high profile media event of the year, Lady Gaga took a stand against sexual assault. She invited survivors of abuse on to the stage with her, singing a song written for The Hunting Ground, a documentary that addresses rape culture at college campuses across America. Whatever one thinks of Lady Gaga, she has made a very public and emotional stand. Moves are being made to reduce the shame culture often associated with rape and hopefully victims of these crimes will feel less afraid to come clean about what has happened to them and therefore criminals will be
The past two years have been far from easy for Kesha... prosecuted. Another result of this very public court case is the scrutiny has fallen on the perpetrator of the abuse, Dr Luke. His influence is enormous, though he has previously been a shadowy figure. He has worked with most of the big names in the pop music industry; Ciara, Jessie J, Flo Rida, Marina and the Diamonds, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Pitbull – the list goes on. He seems a bit of a patriarch of the industry and, according to all claims, not a very nice one at that. Kelly Clarkson has recently taken to Twitter to slam the producer, calling him ‘not a good person.’ Maybe these revelations will induce more women to take on these roles and produce music. Maybe some change can be wrought in the male dominated industry. The battle doesn’t end here. So although Kesha still faces an uphill struggle, we can still hold out hope for the future. One woman may have lost in the short term, but many more stand a chance to win in the long. Caitlin Butler
Epigram 14.03.2016
45
Album reviews LNZDRF
DMA’s
4AD 21.02.16
Mom + Pop Music 26.02.16
Jesu/Sun Kil Moon
Hills End
LNZDRF
Jesu/Sun Kil Moon
Rough Trade 21.01.16
While this may not be an album that you fall in love with instantly, the newest side-project of Beirut’s Ben Lanz and The National’s Devendorf brothers is still an interesting offshoot for curious fans of the understated alternative sounds we are used to. Tempting as it is to draw comparison to the better established work of its creators, the eponymous debut album truly belongs in a different category. Its foundations stem from improvisation, something that can be heard in the abstract, experimental feel of every song. That being said, the highlights of this album are found in the stylistic similarities to their parent-bands – the same kind of layered instrumentation, the generous amount of time allowed for the music to gradually develop and (of course) the unique flavour of Devendorf’s percussion. At best, this album is an intriguing attempt to create something of the cinematic, whilst refraining from forcing itself on the listener too much. At worst, there is too much repetition, it lacks boldness and leaves us feeling a little cold. Vocal performances are at times unconvincing, and the songs occasionally blur into one another in a dizzying mixture of slightly anaemic guitar riffs and soft synth lines. It is possible, however, to draw value from the soothing, unpretentious sounds that flow abundantly out of this record. It is an album which is best suited to the insomniac hours of a quiet evening in: thoughtful, chilled out, but not something you would necessarily write home about.
7/10
Ellen Kemp, Music Writer
DMA’s are a cross between Oasis and no one. Their homage to that particular band, complete with faux-Manch vocals throughout, errs on the side of comedy at times and never strays any significant distance away from reverence to the ubiquitous Mancunians. A debut album, though, is any artist’s statement, like a painter’s painting or a director’s feature film. The band have a chance to use this statement as one of difference. And yet often they do not. It is impossible to listen to the album without the Spectre of Bands Past haunting the experience. A comparison cannot help but be drawn with Britpop’s total clarity of sound and DMA’s occasionally insecure twanging guitar parts (‘Timeless’, ‘Lay Down’, ‘Straight Dimensions’ – think a poor ‘Ride’) and relatively murky passages (‘Too Soon’, ‘Step Up’ ‘The Morphine’). And when these factors aren’t present, it’s sometimes impossible to ignore the nagging sensation that the song you’re listening to is a bad version of another track on the album. Yet despite the failure of the album to distinguish itself from its forefathers, or even satisfactorily mimic them, it still brings a lot to the table. If some of the choruses are murky sounding due to an almost over-assault of sound, they are nonetheless convincing assaults. And there are plenty of occasions where DMA’s do create their own identity. This personality is very real; a kind of youthful totality, a release of emotion with the music to match the vocals. It is identity which does owe much to Britpop, but which is serious enough to feel urgent and (yes!) different, no matter what the reality of the matter is. ‘In The Moment’, ‘Delete’, ‘So We Know’, ‘Melbourne’ and the chorus of ‘Lay Down’ all stand out here. If only they could do it throughout the album.
6/10
Live reviews Rosie Lowe
Louisiana, 26.02.16 flickr: Tramlines Festival
A week after the release of her album Control, Rosie Lowe plays an exceptional set at Bristol’s Louisiana. It is a very intimate affair; she performs in a venue that can only hold around 140 people. The small crowd is packed with excited supporters, including her friends and rather vocal family. Lowe takes to the stage making her
flickr: GD Preston
Fat White Family Bierkeller, 29.02.16
Despite the moral admonitions Fat White Family have always clearly been trying their very best to generate, they’ve always really come across as something more akin to the Carry On films than G.G. Allin. A semi-ironic love of Communism, a fixation with fellatio, song-titles like ‘When Shipman Decides’, the name of their fucking record label, it all seems to add up to a rather ludic package, a vaudevillian shock value that rarely ever seems as dangerous as they’ve clearly painstakingly designed it to.
Jesu/Sun Kil Moon is the self-titled blistering and blustery collaboration between two of the boldest experimental artists from both sides of the Atlantic. The album builds around the tension between folk superstar Sun Kil Moon’s lead vocalist Mark Kozelek’s ambient spoken word vocals and Jesu frontman Justin Broadrick’s eclectic influence. Borderline grunge-metal instrumentals rear their head on dawdling album opener ‘Good Morning My Love’, where each of Broadrick’s riffs are delivered in a potent blow-by-blow manner. Similar muddy guitars litter the alliterative ‘Sally’ and ‘A Song of Shadows’ - the latter seeing Kozelek wailing with painful, sullen lyricism: ‘I’d rather fucking die without you in my life.’ On this album, Kozelek leaves misogynistic controversy aside to deliver a genre-spanning project. Complimentary R&B-infused electronica consumes ‘Father’s Day’ and the long-winded ‘Last Night I Rocked the Room like Elvis and Had Them Laughing like Richard Pryor’, providing a polar opposite to tracks like ‘Fragile’. Being the most self-descriptive addition to the track list, its delicate acoustic pickings are largely what Sun Kil Moon fans would expect to hear from the musician. The entirety of the album feels very natural and self-aware, though sometimes slightly tired and overwhelming. Meandering between the heaviness of Jesu’s effect and Sun Kil Moon’s softer touch, this story of polar opposites is ultimately thoughtful – the intricacies of the art of Jesu/Sun Kil Moon are something to be admired.
8/10
Georgia Marsh, Music Writer
Ben Duncan-Duggal, What’s On Editor
way through the crowd of fans, stopping occasionally to converse with them. Throughout the evening there is a searing contrast between the colloquial feel to the gig and the powerful nature of Lowe’s performance. Although the setting makes for a more relaxed evening, the musical ability of Rosie Lowe creates such an enigmatic and striking live show. With the drama of her incredible, soulful voice and electronic accompaniment, it is not hard to picture this set being performed on a stage 10 times this size. There is a great balance to Lowe’s performance; her set-list features dance-like elements with songs such as ‘Worry Bout Us’ juxtaposed with more tranquil tracks such as ‘Right Thing’. Her ethereal alto voice is the constant in this performance, unifying each song together. ‘Woman’ is a high point of the night with the minimalistic accompaniment leaving Lowe and her words to be the
predominant focus of the song. Performing ‘Nicole’, from her debut album, she explains that this is a song she wrote to her best friend when she was in a toxic relationship. Lyrically, Lowe is so strong; the emotional content of her songs makes for such a personal performance. Everything about her performance other than her music is understated, leaving her talent to be the only focus of the evening. Lowe ends with an encore that feels truly impromptu, before moving off through the crowd eager to meet the fans that have come to watch her. Rosie Lowe delivered an entrancing set, show-casing her expressive voice and new material brilliantly. Her flawless live performance shows the inevitable success that this year will bring for Lowe; her unique sound and gracious attitude makes her a very likeable artist.
While some of their recorded output has suffered from this kind of overstretched Cartman-ism (more so, perhaps, on latest release Songs for our Mothers than on the band’s enormously enjoyable 2013 debut), the Peckham five piece remain a consistently formidable live proposition. Unfettered by the tendency of mass distribution to expose the flimsiness of their message and MO, Fat White Family are at their most successful when they can make small crowds of people go absolutely ape-shit without having to think any more deeply about what they’re hearing. Their squat punk credentials suitably ratified by support band Meatraffle’s slaphead trumpeter-cum-singer’s endorsement of their cocaine snorting skills, Fat Whites take to the stage at Bierkeller and launch straight into new album track ‘Tinfoil Deathstar’. 15 year olds are bouncing, greying punks are pouting approvingly, and, despite a few customary swear-words thrown at the soundman when the sound cuts out, the band seem positively magnanimous – there’s no J&MC-esque riling of the crowd or even, beyond a few on-stage cigarettes, of the venue management. Though recent single ‘Whitest Boy on the Beach’ quickly opens a permanent circle-pit, it’s the first album’s prime cuts that really get the bodily fluids running. ‘Is It Raining in Your Mouth’ remains as perversely anthemic as it first did two years ago and ‘Auto Neutron’ still sounds like a perfectly passable Spacemen 3 demo. However, when beefed up beyond their skeletally recorded frames, the new songs produce a certain fatigue, both sonic and
thematic. Sure, ‘Satisfaction’ pumps out pretty well, but when one sees just how pleased with himself lead singer Lias Saudi looks after comparing Primo Levi’s attempts to survive Auschwitz to his girlfriend sucking him off, it becomes ever more difficult to take the whole thing remotely seriously, and I’m sure I can’t have been the only member of the audience whose eyes rolled precipitously back into his skull at the whole miserable contrivance of it all. Nonetheless, to dismiss it all out of hand for this kind of Sixth Form shock jock stuff would be churlish; it can’t be denied that a Fat White Family show is immense fun. Few bands try as hard to be so louche, and there are points when the almost Byronic squatand-speed shtick becomes fully convincing. Yet it must be said that, as visceral as ‘I Am Mark E. Smith’ sounds when sung back by 700 people, it brings to mind how unremarkable, and how tame, Fat White Family would have appeared back in the era in which their proudly worn influences, not just The Fall, but also The Cramps, The Gun Club and Country Teasers, were in full swing. And that’s the problem. The show ends on a performance of ‘Bomb Disneyland’ as turbulent and discordant as anyone could ever wish, but perhaps its appeal can be distilled to its contemporary exceptionalism; while no-one else is really doing this anymore, that’s doesn’t mean it hasn’t been done before, and better. Even so, if you’re looking for an evening of campy, unabashedly off-colour sturm und drang, Fat White Family have few modern contenders.
Tilda Haymes, Music Writer
Alex Schulte, Deputy Music Editor
formally invites you to A Midsummer Night’s Ball! Location: Bristol Artillery Grounds Date: 5th May- 7.30pm Price: £30 dinner, £10 Ents
Join us for a magical evening with a two course dinner, a champagne reception, half a bottle of wine and dancing, followed by an after-party at a yet to be revealed location! For more information go to: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1647411725523773/
Epigram
14.03.2016
47
UBWRFC - league champions
BUCS Wednesday Men’s Fencing: Bristol 116-125 Swansea Men’s Futsal: Bristol 15-10 UWE Women’s lacrosse: Bristol 5-13 Birmingham Women’s netball: Bristol 42-29 Cardiff Women’s rugby: Bristol 10-22 Birmingham
Women’s tennis: Bristol 0-12 Loughborough Men’s squash: Bristol 3-2 Swansea Women’s squash: Bristol 1-3 Roehampton Women’s volleyball: Bristol 3-0 Cardiff Women’s basketball: Bristol 38-36 Bath UBWRFC
Megan Husband Sports Reporter On Friday evening Bristol University Women’s Rugby 1st team played against Swansea in their final league game. The team, and their supporting
crowd, covered the large pitch at head coach Keith’s home club, Gordano Rugby Football Club. A tough first half proved the competition to be very strong and despite Violette Desarmeaux’s excellent try in the first ten minutes, Swansea were up 15-5 by the second half. Bristol jumped back into the game with some amazing set piece play from backs Izzy
Day, Erin MacDermott, Nina Webb and Emma Owens. This, along with some strong breaks from forwards Louise Baxter, Annabel Malins and Alanna Alevropoulos, led to Jade Wallis scoring her first and second tries for the team. Frankie De Lavis made an excellent comeback from injury as scrum-half and kicked well along with Emma Owens who converted. Izzy Day made
some impressive game-saving tackles in defence and scored two tries, awarding her Back of the Match. After an incredible turn-around second half, Bristol beat Swansea 27-15 and won the league, meaning play-offs after Easter may result in a move up to the premiership. A physical match, an impressive comeback and a great reward for UBWRFC’s strong season.
Men’s badminton: Bristol 6-2 Swansea For more results, head to www.epigram.org.uk
Friday Football Show Every Friday from 4pm5pm, Epigram Sport preview the upcoming weekend of football on Burst Radio! If you want to certain topics to be discussed, tweet us @EpigramSport. Be sure to tune in!
Continued from pg. 48 Undeterred, the ladies in maroon sought to claw their way back into the game and were unfortunate not to pull one back when Annys
Turner struck the woodwork with a sensational effort from distance. They simply could not get the rub of the green in the first half and conceded a further two goals in quick succession. It was going to take
something special to incite a Bristol comeback and fortunately for Bristol, the ball fell to Anabelle Lonsdale, who hammered the ball past the goalkeeper from range, providing her side with a lifeline going into the
second half. After the break, Bristol knew they’d have to start quickly if they were to have any chance of getting back into the game, and they did just that. Shortly after the restart, the ball was played through to Philips, who fired low past the goalkeeper. The crowd sensed a comeback, but by pressing for another goal, they were left susceptible on the break and UWE restored their three goal advantage soon after.
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Fantasy Football
A seven goal thriller in the women’s game and a comprehensive win for the men gave Bristol plenty to shout about, and has left the series wide open.
Will Heason (www.whphoto.co.uk)
Despite this adversity, the Bristol women strived to find a way back into the game and were it not for some unbelievable saves from the UWE goalkeeper, they may have been successful. In the end though, UWE proved to have that little bit too much quality and ran out 5-2 winners. All in all, it was a brilliant opening to Varsity. A seven goal thriller in the women’s game and a comprehensive win for the men gave Bristol plenty to shout about, and has left the series wide open.
Epigram Sport is running its very own Barclays Fantasy Premier League. Feel free to join! Liga de Epigram Code: 1568501-366592 Good Luck!
Epigram
14.03.2016
Sport
@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
UBAFC dismantle UWE to take Varsity opener
Spectators arrived in their masses to witness the highly anticipated opening of the annual Varsity Series between Bristol and UWE. Braving the cold, those supporting the former were treated to a masterclass early on, as the men in maroon dominated in the opening game of the evening. Looking to bounce back from last year’s defeat, UWE were combative from the outset, but failed to make an early impression on the game. Instead, Bristol were in the ascendency during the opening exchanges and proved too pacey for their rivals in the wide areas. At the quarter of an hour mark, they were rewarded for their efforts, as a clever through ball from Alec Fiddes released Murray, whose squared ball to Matt Golby was met with a wellplaced finish. Despite Bristol’s attempts to double their advantage before the break, it was a far more even contest for the remainder of the half. At times UWE looked dangerous on the break, but a combination of resolute defending and indecisiveness in the final third prevented them from equalising. Meanwhile, Bristol were continuing to have the better of possession, but failed to capitalise on a succession of
Ollie Deal
A Sam Murray double helped Bristol to 3-0 win over UWE in the Varsity Series curtainraiser at Stoke Gifford Stadium on Monday night.
Jonathan Harding Sports reporter
“
free kicks in dangerous areas. They went into the changing rooms with a one goal advantage, but were intent on adding to their lead in the second half.
Jonathan Harding Sports reporter
‘You come to university to play Varsity. The degree is a bonus.’
With manager Alan Tyers’ words fresh in their ears, Bristol started quickly after the break and were again rewarded for their endeavour. Following a period of pressure, a sublime piece of individual skill from Murray, who scored a hat-trick against Plymouth two weeks ago, saw the winger flick the ball over a defender’s head and volley home to double his side’s advantage. After the goal, UWE’s frustration began to tell, as they failed to fashion any clear-cut openings and found it increasingly difficult to disturb their opponent’s free flowing football. Bristol continued to threaten and soon put the game to bed. Following a well worked free kick, the ball was lofted in by Golby onto the head of Murray and the captain netted his second to put the game beyond doubt. UWE’s evening was soon made even worse, as the referee brandished a red card for a reckless challenge in the midfield area, reducing them to ten men. Bristol looked to capitalise on this and fashioned a number of chances in the final half hour.
Despite UWE striking the woodwork, Ross Cusdin in the Bristol goal was relatively untroubled, whilst at the other end his side continued to fashion chances. Owing to a number of good saves from the UWE goalkeeper, the game ended 3-0 and man of the match was awarded to Murray, whose two goals and assist proved pivotal in the win. Reflecting on the game, UBAFC
club captain James Motley praised the team’s performance: ‘We worked hard, played them off the park and deserved everything we got.’ His testaments were echoed by MOTM Murray, who emphasised the importance of the Varsity event: ‘You come to university to play Varsity. The degree is a bonus’. The win is another morale boost for the side, who now face three
crunch matches in the league as their title challenge continues. Relive the action as it happened with our live blog at www.epigram.org.uk Line Up: Cusdin, Christieson, Woodhouse, Redmayne, Gowers, Abbott, Cox, Harlington, Fiddes, Murray, Golby Subs: Meldrum, Baynes, Motley, Henery, Kelly, Coy, Evans
UBWFC come up short against UWE UWE women levelled up the early Varsity scores on Monday night, beating Bristol 5-2 after Bristol’s men had triumphed 30 in the first game of the night.
Will Heason (www.whphoto.co.uk)
The women sought to emulate the performance of their male counterparts, seeking victory over a highly rated UWE side. Unfortunately, the match got off to the worst possible start, as UWE took the lead in the opening minutes of the game. Unshaken by the early setback, Bristol began to work their way back into the game, with Philipps beginning to dictate play in midfield. In the end though, UWE proved to have that little bit too much quality and ran out 5-2 winners. However, just as Bristol began to get into their stride, UWE doubled their advantage, as a defensive mix up saw the ball ricochet off Shiner and creep past the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper.
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