FUSE Issue 26

Fuse.

Stewart Francis / Eurogamer Expo / The perfect film

Short Fuse.

Fuse.

Friday October 8 2010

Fuse preview: Grin Up North, Doc-Fest & Off the Shelf

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It seems that autumn is Sheffield’s unofficial nonmusic festival season with three arts festivals running over the course of October and November.

Grin Up North, Doc Fest and Off the Shelf are all descending on our fine city, celebrating comedy, documentary film and reading and writing.

Grin Up North, the most widely advertised of the three, started on October 1 with Last Laugh at City Hall. Claiming to bring some of ‘the world’s best live comedy’ to the North, festival events are held at some of Sheffield’s largest venues including City Hall.

Performing this year: Al Murray, Jimmy Carr and Dara O’Briain, but let’s be honest its unlikely you’ll get tickets for them this late in the day, so Short Fuse recommends sampling some lesser known talent at venues like the Lescar before the festival ends on October 30.

Off the Shelf starts on October 9 and runs until the end of the month.

Claiming to be one of the North’s ‘most prestigious, innovative, exciting and popular literary festivals,’ it celebrates reading and writing via a diverse range of events including author readings, debates, poetry,

workshops, walks, talks and exhibitions.

We think that ‘Feminism: 40 Years on” at the Quaker meeting house on October 18 sounds like the best author reading and ‘Circus of Poets’ at HUBS on 19th sounds like the best performance.

The Abbeydale Writer’s Launch at Red Deer on October 19 also appears to be very interesting and useful as the group launch their 20th anthology of short stories with an advice session for budding writers.

Actually, a trip to any of this festival’s events would be an unusual and exciting addition to your month’s plans.

Finally, Doc Fest runs from November 3-7, attracting some leading names of British documentary makers and executives in British television to the Steel City to see new British documentary-making talent show their work and pitch fresh ideas.

There will also be a huge number of films available for public viewing, including the amazingly titled ‘Is it cos’ I’m fat?’

Tickets are already available from The Showroom so keen doc-fans can get in there early.

Kate Lloyd

print is dead; forge press evil I bet someone at the HarperCollins publishing firm is feeling pretty stupid right now. Not because the wrong draft of Jonathan Franzen’s latest book – Freedom – was printed by mistake, leading to over 80,000 copies having to be recalled, but because they missed a brilliant and earnest opportunity to yell “stop the press” at the height of their lungs. I mean, surely everyone has a secret desire to do that?

But in all seriousness, this spectacular error serves to highlight the drawback in the archaic process that is print. I realise by suggesting such a thing I am insulting the very paper and ink upon which my words will be printed, and by association the reader who devotes his or her time to indulging themselves in this particular incarnation of text (sorry about that), but it’s the truth.

Online distribution is the future. When a computer game contains an error, a ‘patch’ is quickly made available online which can be downloaded to update your version of the game.

You’ll never see a Halo or Metal Gear Solid title recalled from the shelves due to an error.

Similarly, when I posted an article on the Forge website yesterday, it only took me a matter of minutes to correct the fact that it was presented entirely in Times New Roman and included a giant picture of Bill Bailey running naked through London covered in Vaseline.

That would have been devastating if anyone had seen – Times New Roman is a horrible font (don’t tell the rest of the paper I said that).

Furthermore, just think of all the paper we’re wasting with newspapers and books. The other week even The Guardian was running

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Weeks 3, 5, 7 & 9 - Mon 5pm, Hicks LT2

Picture: James Wragg a front page story about Lady Gaga’s meat dresswhen I opened that paper I swear I could almost hear the stunted sob of a felled tree. For god’s sake people, think of the saplings. It’s obviously a much better idea to all carry around iPads and Kindles that have been made by desperate

workers in China for 20p.

But the universe will have its comeuppance. Jonathan Franzen’s punishment came in the form of his glasses being stolen from his Hyde Park launch party and held to ransom – that’ll teach him for killing trees. I imagine you – the reader – will

have an equally appropriate inconvenience imposed upon you for picking up this issue of Forge Press. It was probably an oak tree, you bastard. I hope you enjoy your stubbed toe.

James Wragg

Poem: Hessian The balaclava itches All has gone black.

The pixellated pictures My eyes scratch.

The News is tight around my throat Burns, rubs, chokes.

Foreign cries of “cut/erase” “This does not happen, not these days.”

Not for eyes forged and made Loans, phones, Diet Cokes.

Editors press remote.

The screen goes black My neck Snap.

By Samuel Newton

Short Fuse.

Picture: Sam Brentnall

Q&A: Wonky Ninja

What can we expect from one of your live sets? What

FUSE. Musings

Oprah Winfrey that she “could definitely” write several new books about the characters that are still in her head. “I’m not going to say I won’t”.

It makes sense really, as that sappy and completely unnecessary epilogue to the ‘final’ book pretty much paved the way for more to be written. And she must be running short of money now too...

Fuse thinks... that Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, out today, is a game that could be the sign of things to come as ‘Real Famous Author Who Wrote Good Books And Stuff’ Alex Garland has penned the game’s script.

Games are becoming a

throw good party tracks but nothing too cheesy.

You were a University of Sheffield student, what made you want to stop that and first take up DJing?

Yeah, well whilst I was at uni, I was still DJing in bars around Sheffield, like the Green Room. When I dropped out I wanted to go onto more of a music course, so through clearing got a place in Manchester.

I really got caught up in the whole DJing and production business in the last year though, and as a result let my work for uni slip and failed a couple of modules.

I decided that the course

wasn’t right for me anyway, so I decided to drop out and get a job while I keep focusing on and pushing my DJ career.

You’ve DJed with a lot of big names in your short career so far; the likes of Annie Max, Zane Lowe and Kissy Sell Out, what have you learned from these?

Well, I’d seen them all before, I’m a massive fan.

Well Kissy Sell Out is a ridiculously good DJ. He uses four decks, using all the effects at the same time, and playing three songs at the same time, without it clashing. At the moment I’m using three decks, I just can’t seem to get around to That said, Fuse was sneaking a peek in last month’s Edge magazine which had an interview with the aforementioned Garland, writer of The Beach and 28 Days Later, and apparently he found it quite a struggle to find work in the gaming industry despite being a gamer himself.

seriously big thing, so it’s no surprise that writers are looking for work in the industry.

Fuse even heard that Guillermo Del Toro, director of Pan’s Labyrinth, slated the ‘intelligentsia’ who “complain about videogames” yet “have never fucking played them.”

four.

With Annie Mac, it’s more her personality and her friendliness that she puts across on her radio shows that I try to take.

What is your best live experience so far?

Probably my first big club gig, around this time last year. I won a competition to DJ with Kissy Sell Out, on Radio 1. It was at Sankeys in Manchester. It was 1am, so peak time and I got an incredible reaction.

I played in Newcastle as well on Friday, which was amazing. Apparently it was the busiest the venue had ever been. I played a two hour set and got to play With more and more creative types seeing games as a valuable cultural commodity, Fuse thinks that the people who need to change if the games industry is going to be taken seriously are the game designers themselves. Right now the industry is a bit of an elitist club for male programmers obsessed with muscular space commandos.

Fuse saw... The Apprentice return, with Lord Sugar searching for his next protégée from a selection of narcissists waxing lyrical about their incredible entrepreneurial skills, and how they are not afraid to “get their hands dirty”.

The most bemusing thing

everything I wanted.

Who is putting on the best nights in Sheffield at the moment?

Bigger than Barry definitely, they kill it a lot. They always get really good guests.

Club Pony too, get some really good guests, they’ve got Fake Blood and Boy 8-Bit coming up soon.

There’s a new night too, a sister night to Bigger than Barry called Moschino Hoe Versace Hottie, at The Harley. The next one is on October 13. I’ll be playing at a few of those, a more hiphop based set.

Jordan Tandy

about it all though has got to be the appalling, clichéd team names they choose year after year. This years two teams are ‘Synergy’ and ‘Apollo’, (Sigh).

Past names have included ‘Impact, ‘Ignite’ and personal favourite ‘First Forte’. You what?

Fuse.

Fuse is... not surprised to hear that J.K. Rowling has hinted at further releases in the Harry Potter series.

Rowling admitted to

always goes down well?

Absolutely everything really. It’s mainly bouncy and jumpy stuff, fidget and house. There’s a bit of dubstep and some hip-hop too, everything really.

I also like to throw in something completely unexpected, like some Dr. Dre, or some old skool garage, like a bit of Craig David. ‘Move Your Feet’ by Junior Senior got a great reaction as well the other night.

As for what always goes down well; ‘Forgot About Dre’ definitely, or towards the end of the night, when things are getting a bit slower, maybe, ‘Gotta Get Thru This’ by Daniel Bedingfield. I like to

Friday October 8 2010

What’s the inspiration behind your name?

It’s not as interesting as you might think really. When I first started DJing, I was listening to more chilled out stuff like Lemon Jelly and Mr. Scruff and I used the name ‘Tween’.

Then when I started playing more dancey and upbeat stuff, I cut out the vowels and became TWN, like Aphex Twin and AFX. I wanted it to stand for something though, so TWN came to stand for The Wonky Ninja. Then I got rid of the ‘The’, and became Wonky Ninja.

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Feature.Eurogamer Expo.

Deep in the heart of London, the annual Eurogamer Expo was a forgeful of molten gaming. We’ve got the lowdown on the liquid-hot upcoming titles from the show.

Words: James Wragg Fallout: Vegas

New

Fuse.

Friday October 8 2010

The most exciting thing about this upcoming sequel to Fallout 3 is not its new setting or the various improvements it intends to make on the Fallout formula, but the people behind it.

Obsidian Entertainment is comprised of a number of former Fallout developers, meaning the postapocalyptic franchise is back in the hands of those who created it.

Unfortunately, Obsidian doesn’t have a perfect track record. Their most recent title, Alpha Protocol, received heavy criticism for being buggy and unfinished; so one of the key things I was looking out for in New Vegas was whether it displayed an adequate level of polish.

Sure enough, in the 40odd minutes I was playing

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the title I did encounter a range of graphical glitches, as well as observing some badly textured buildings that could have done with some more attention to detail. With the game already having gone gold, whether such inadequacies will (or have already been) ironed out of the full release is uncertain.

Despite this, the core Fallout experience has unquestionably been refined. The New Vegas arsenal includes a variation of near-modern weapons such as the M16 carbine (in keeping with the original two Fallout titles), and these guns feel satisfying and powerful to fire - putting to shame the somewhat weak shooting mechanics in Fallout 3. Add to this the ability to aim down iron sights and you have a shooting system that can stand its own against any modern FPS.

The other major improvement lies in the game’s writing. The characters in this Obsidianvision of Fallout seem more genuine, whilst the societies they inhabit convey a much more tangible idea of a ragtag civilisation.

It’s also a grittier world.

Only ten minutes into the game I was already picking up references to prostitution and crime bosses, and I’d

already purchased and consumed my first batch of hard drugs.

Overall it seems that New Vegas is much more than just a new setting for the Fallout franchise; it’s a resurrection of the old ideals that made the first two Fallout games such gaming masterpieces. Keep an eye out for its release this month.

Brink

Gears of War 3

By far the most popular game of the expo, the queue to play Brink lasted up to two hours for some people. Whilst I didn’t have the time or courage to brave the vast line myself, watching from the sidelines revealed an intelligent and competently put-together shooter.

Coming from the team that created Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, it’s no surprise that Brink’s multiplayer is heavily focused on teamwork, and even less of a surprise that it’s executed brilliantly. After fashioning their avatars with the impressively detailed character creator, players quickly developed tactical play styles. I saw some people cautiously laying sentry guns and mines, some backing up allies with healing and others continuously running and gunning.

The brilliant thing was that due to the game’s in-built objective system which dynamically generates achievable objectives within your team (e.g. revive an ally, fix a sentry gun), all the players were able to coordinate as a team despite most of them being complete strangers and entirely new to the game. It’s a system that should make playing a team game on a public server much less of a soulcrushing experience.

With Gears of War 3 not due for release until the fourth quarter of 2011, there wasn’t anything resembling a finished version available to play at the expo – rather, players got to try out the new Beast co-op mode.

Players could switch between various types of monstrous Locust characters, earning more advanced playable creatures as they racked

up COG kills within the time limit.

Other than the standard Locust drone the mode featured a wide variety of creatures, from the tiny kamikaze ‘Ticker’ to the giant, hulking Berserker.

The ones I got to play handled well and all offered a unique twist on combat, allowing for heavily strategic approaches. It seemed like it would be a blast to play with friends, and it’s sure to be a well-played asset to Gears of War 3.

The highlight of the day was id software’s developer conference where id, the creators of Doom and Quake, showed off their latest game: Rage.

Rage’s Creative Director – Tim Willits – presented the conference with a calm, assured confidence.

After preliminary jokes he dived into describing id’s latest game engine - id Tech 5 - and how its innovative elements such as the megatexture (which prevents the repeating of textures, an ugly necessity in modern games) are made use of in Rage.

Rage’s visuals were strikingly detailed. Displayed on a huge projection so that every element could be scrutinised, the game looked stunning running on a 360 and the megatexture technology really did make the environments look unique. What’s more, the levels were incredibly large considering the amount of detail being displayed at any one time, and loading times were as brief as you could wish for considering. id seem to have learned from past mistakes, too.

Doom 3 was criticised for being highly repetitive, so the enemies in Rage will vary throughout the game along with the types of weapons and vehicles available to you. One band of enemies shown was highly acrobatic, twisting and kicking towards the player, whilst an English band of ruffians took a far more ferocious, direct attitude to combat.

Another impressive technical feat was how they all reacted to gunfire dynamically – shooting a man in the leg resulted in him clutching at it and stumbling, whilst a direct shotgun blast sent someone clean off their feet, flailing.

But perhaps the most interesting aspect of all was the game’s setting.

Post apocalyptic futures are all the rage now (rage!

Geddit?), but Rage’s asteroid-ravaged wasteland seemed aesthetically beautiful in the way it subtly blended western and eastern culture in its cities, or depicted collapsed skysrapers in a vast and haunting manner.

Killzone 3 Killzone 3 seems to be sticking close to the formula of Killzone 2, with its basic shooting, its Nazi-esque enemies and its polished visuals remaining largely the same. The only real change has been its colour palette – bleak, oppressive urban greys have been replaced with a bleak, oppressive snowy white.

But what was really interesting about the Killzone 3 demo was that it was in full 3D, displayed

on Sony’s new 3DTVs. This turned out to be a mixed experience. On the one hand, the necessary 3D glasses made the screen seem a lot darker than usual, which coupled with the seemingly lower resolution the game was running on, actually made

it quite hard to identify enemies at first.

But this was counterbalanced by the fact that the 3D effect added a genuine sense of depth and immersion. When I first dived into the game, the feeling that I could reach out and touch the gun

floating in front of me was incredible, and other non3D displays looked flat and featureless by comparison.

The real question is whether such an experience would be worth the £1000 necessary to purchase a 3DTV.

Feature.Constellations Festival.

Star Wars: the music strikes back Heavens above! A new music and arts festival is taking place against the backdrop of one of the UK’s most creative cities.

Words: Jordan Tandy

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phenomenal live spectacle.

Joining Four Tet, are musical nomads Liars, with frontman Angus Andrew writhing around the stage; harking back to days of Nick Cave in his pomp.

Remixer extraordinaire and electronic producer Gold Panda will be further refining his distinctive hunched live performance style; Glaswegian glitchhop artist Dam Mantle and experimental electronic troupe Superhumanoids will also be performing.

Completing the bill are independent rock godfathers Les Savy Fav; who have cut-it-up and started again, in regards to the independent music scene, having full creative control over their music output and the way it is released, through the label Frenchkiss records (Started by the band’s bassist sYd Butler).

Leeds based record label Dance to the Radio, which will also be hosting a stage featuring some of the labels favourite local artists and those from further afield such as Cloud Nothings and Spectrals.

If the prospect of of all this and more suitably whets your appetite and gets your juices flowing, there is even more on offer.

Taking place on the evening before, is the Constellations pre-party.

Entertaining the eager at the Brudenell Social Club will be Beak> the new

project of Greg Barrow, founding member of triphop emissaries Portishead.

He is joined by fellow Bristolian musicians Billy Fuller and Matt Williams and together they make dense Krautrock and dub-inspired atmospherics.

Joining Beak> are Los Angeles‘ Tropicalia - noise rock cum post-punk revivalists Abe Vigoda, Dundonian producer Loops Haunt and Leeds’ own feedback-heavy, fuzzy punk rock outfit Eagulls.

As well as a stellar line up of musical acts, from locally and further afield on display over the two days, a range of visual entertainment and artistic installations will be on show.

London and Leeds based collective, Nous Vous (That’s We/You en français), working as designers, illustrators and artists.

Previous clients of Nous Vous include Leeds based band Sky Larkin, annual multi-artform festival Leeds Light Night, and Canadian band Tokyo Police Club.

Royal College of Art graduate and winner of the prestigious RCA Deutsche Bank Award in Art 2010, Chris Paul Daniels will be showing a selection of his works.

Adding further visual niceties will be Bradford born but now South Coast based multi-disciplinary designer xiixii.

He’s spent time recently directing and animating music videos for bands such as worriedaboutsatan and animating stereoscopic films for German telecommunication companies.

His work experiments with computer vision, interaction and

generative techniques.

Completing the bill of artistic installations is a formidable line-up of U.K. Poster artists, assembled by husband and wife duo Poster Roast in co-ordination with Cameron Steward, better known as twoducksdisco.

Poster Roast was established as a means of promoting independent poster artists within the UK and providing affordable artwork for people.

During the festival, there will be a curated exhibition of Poster artists, live screen printing revealing the process behind crafting each poster, and the option of taking your very own poster home with you.

C o l l a b o r a t o r s for the festival are DrownedinSound, celebrating their tenth anniversary this year, and the Brudenell Social Club, which takes the reigns for the Constellations preparty, Dance to the Radio, who will also be hosting their stage; and Wichita Records, which is also celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and who are represented at the festival by artists such as Les Savy Fav and Los Campesinos!.

Finally, Room 237, an independent leftfield music events company based around Leeds and London, and are responsible for hosting the pre-party at the Brudenell.

A vast array of entertainments are on offer, with an eclectic range of musical artists and bands to a large variety of visual art. It is undoubtedly a

bold endeavour, conceived as an inclusive music and arts event with each stage featuring a unique theme and concept.

Constellations Festival offers something for those of the most discerning and broad tastes in art, film and music.

For those of you who are worried about making it back to Sheffield after the festival is over, the running times conclude by 11pm,

so that should give you 10 minutes to rush back for the last train, (23.09 for the last train from Leeds to Sheffield is just ridiculous, by the way) or if not stay the night; it will be worth it.

With so many genredefining, boundary pushing and powerful musicians on offer and a whole host of incredibly creative talent in the fields of art and film, who cares if you miss that 9am lecture on the Monday?

Liars

Fuse.

Broken Social Scene

Los Campesinos!

Friday October 8 2010

ith a music scene that stands up amongst the best in the UK, and a long history of creative talents bursting from the seams of the city Leeds is home to a festival showcasing the talents of the musical and visual artists from the city and from afar.

No I don’t mean the Leeds Festival, this one doesn’t require your tent and wellies, but the Constellations Festival - an independent extravaganza of visionary talents in music, arts and film, spread across four stages within the Students’ Union and at nearby Brudenell Social Club.

Headlining the festival will be Canadian indie rock mammoths Broken Social Scene, returning the UK after critically acclaimed fourth album, Forgiveness Rock Record released in May, and a successful Summer tour.

Joining them are Cardiff seven-piece Los Campesinos! - ever maturing their confident sound and witty repartees; brooding Brighton trio Esben & the Witch and Californians Local Natives.

Also taking the stage is pioneering electronic producer Keiran Hebden, better known under the alias of Four Tet. A master of his craft, and forever opening and pushing the boundaries of music, Four Tet blends together elements of free jazz, electronics and hip-hop to create warm and emotional records. His latest release There Is Love In You, saw a transition to a more upbeat sound and translates to a

Four Tet

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Feature.Screen.

IN a Perfect world Films like Star Wars or The Godfather are often lauded as cinema greats. But is there such a thing as the perfect movie?

Pictures: Alex Sherwood

Fuse.

Transforming Opinions

Full of Character

With a rating of 7.5 on IMDb and a whopping 94% from Rotten Tomatoes, you don’t need me to tell you that An Education is a great film, deserving a pedestal made out of scrap Oscar metal.

Great films need great writers, directors, actors the whole shebang. This film has all of that. Carrey Mulligan’s Oscar-nominated performance sustains a tale of adolescence, romance, deceit and rebellion set against the swinging sixties. It’s a film with real soul, which speaks directly to the feminist inside me. Not to give too much away, it boils down to a young girl’s choice between the University of Oxford and the University of Life.

An Education is based on the memoir of The Sunday Times journalist Lynn Barber’s early life and her first boyfriend. Adapted by Nick Hornby (About a Boy), produced by his wife and directed by Lone Scherfig, it racked up Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay as well.

Even if you’re not carried away by this profound, intelligent input, there’s always the fantastic soundtrack, costumes and the fact that most of the cast is completely crush-worthy to satisfy you.

Beth Main

What makes a perfect film is a very finickity thing.

First off, it’s all subjective; just look at how guys and girls respond to The Notebook. People want to see different things from their movies: battles, kisses, awkward conversations, melodramatic deaths, talking CGI animals; we all have these preferences locked away.

What all these story elements stem from, however, is the characters. And because of that, I think a great movie is determined by its characters.

Would Lord of the Rings be so loved without Gimli’s wit, Gandalf’s charm, or Gollum’s conflicted soul?

It would’ve just been another epic action film, albeit a very long one.

The concept of character is so important to me; my favourite movie is probably Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. It’s a bit of an older film, and at some points you can really tell, but for its time - it came out in 1954 - it couldn’t have been made any better than it was.

Seven Samurai is a character study of the seven titular warriors; each of them interesting and charming, with both subtle strengths and weaknesses. They are well-rounded, world-weary characters, and their development is so fascinating and enjoyable that I’d say it’s my example of a perfect movie.

David Clifford

Characters and Cast Everyone has their favourite, from Citizen Kane to The Shawshank Redemption to Anchorman. But what elements make these films stand out?

A strong storyline is the best place to start.

This can be anything from the epic, life-long adventure of Forrest Gump, to the events of a single day, which Kidulthood does so well.

Regardless of the time-span, a good film needs an engaging story that the audience can get lost in for a couple of hours.

Loveable and popular characters are essential too. Sheffield’s own Full Monty is great for many reasons, but the actors and their relationships with one another are what make it a stand-out film.

Another reason for the film’s success was the performances, especially those of Robert Carlyle as Gaz, and Tom Wilkinson, who plays Gerald.

A good performance can bring a script to life and transport the audience into the character’s world. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is an actor who does this brilliantly in films like Capote and Doubt.

A good film will have all this and more - but then again, one man’s Godfather is another man’s Hot Tub Time Machine.

Alex Francis

There’s no such thing as a single perfect film, but there many elements which need to be included to get somewhere close.

A good action sequence is a must, like those from Braveheart or Lord of the Rings. Another element is the acting, which must be believable to help viewers interact with the film.

As far as the storyline is concerned, anything goes. Films like Independence Day have a direct plot, whereas Fight Club remains less obvious, yet both keep you engaged.

The last bit of the puzzle has to be the music. Personally, Hans Zimmer is one of the best film composers around.

A collection of these elements can be found in many films but not all the boxes are ticked. Bad Boys nearly makes it, as does Gladiator.

Tragically, the paradox is that if the best bits from the best films were actually cut and mixed together the creation would probably be the worst film ever made.

Chris McKay

Sci-Fi High-Flyer Twist and Shout A box office sell-out must be original and innovative.

There’s nothing more boring than sitting through the set menu of a story that has been retold over and over again, and rom-coms are the usual victims of this pitfall – cool guy meets geeky girl, rich hunk falls for gorgeous unprivileged girl etc...

The classic teen girl movies like Dirty Dancing, Pretty Woman and Grease were great first time around, but the endless stream of Jennifer Lopez rom-coms is getting old now.

The best films are the ones that keep you guessing, or where the twist is so unexpected that even the most cynical of us have to admit we didn’t see it coming. The 2010 film Remember Me, starring Robert Pattinson not as a vampire, achieves just this; as does Shutter Island, with a sinister twist ending which left cinema audiences quiet and uncomfortable.

However, the key ingredient to the perfect film of any genre has to be its ability to ignite emotion within its audience. With this in mind, my perfect movie by far has to be Bandits, directed by Barry Levinson. It cheers me up on my worst days and keeps me giggling for hours after.

Charlie Paul

So, what is the perfect movie? You see, for me, that proves to be a pretty tricky question as I could ramble on about hundreds of films and still not decide which one was really ‘up there’, simply due to the fact that I love too many. But perfection - that’s different.

A perfect movie is one which has you so completely immersed and involved in it that you forget you’re in the cinema, forget you’re really anywhere. You sit wide-eyed and widemouthed, gawping at the screen, letting popcorn fall left, right, and centre. Even that couple sitting behind you who really need to just get a room can’t distract you. A film that really makes you wonder.

The Matrix did exactly this. At the time, the idea that what we perceived to be real wasn’t at all was so out of this world and bizarre that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Its originality stuck in my head; ‘what if?’ questions started popping up. And the special effects well, they were something else! The concept, the CGI, Keanu Reeves in black leather... how could this not be the perfect film?

Annabel Barton

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Win Win Before I begin, I’d like to state that I believe there is no such a thing as ‘the perfect film’. A film cannot be perfect, in the same way that a book or a painting or a piece of music can’t be - if such a film did exist, everyone else might as well stop producing films right now as there’ would be no point in making them anymore. Everyone has different tastes; no matter how clever the script, nuanced the performances, complex the direction or beautiful the backdrop, no film has or ever will achieve the goal of perfection.

That being said, there are many that come pretty close. One that instantly comes to mind is the little-seen and criminally underrated Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a black comedy that parodies the noir genre with sass and style. Starring Robert Downey Jr before he became a box office hit, Michelle Monaghan before she become Tom Cruise’s girl in Mission: Impossible III and Val Kilmer before, well, whatever it is he’s doing now.

The chemistry between the lead trio crackles, even as they effortlessly bring to life the intelligent, highly-quotable script. The film rewards repeat viewing but doesn’t demand it, so whether you fancy an entertaining night in with your friends or a long-term addition to your DVD collection, the odds are that you will not be disappointed.

Ellen Jurczak

I’m not sure that perfect film exists, given that everybody’s tastes vary so massively. Whilst I might vomit at the very sight of Zac Efron confessing his love for a girl on a basketball court - at the same time as promoting a more rational relationship between both dancers and sportspeople - somebody else might disdain the light-hearted banter between C3PO and R2D2, and in doing so, would crush my heart.

Nevertheless, there are certainly some that come close to stealing the coveted title of perfect film; Pulp Fiction? Fight Club? Some Like It Hot? Personally, as a fantasy enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate the ridiculous but sublime action in the recent Transformers movies.

Toy Story 3 was released June this year, and the nostalgia conjured from the humour and trickery helped it garner due praise from critics and audiences alike. The Shawshank Redemption will forever stick in my mind as a film as poignant as any, as it does with so many others. All said and done, until Morgan Freeman narrates Woody’s turmoil in prison at the hands of Megatron’s scheming, I’m not sure I’ll ever be truly ready to choose my favourite film of all time.

Max Ridley

The Director’s Vision When analysing film, the most crucial aspect of the piece to consider is the director’s vision. It’s all too easy to point out the technical and artistic merits that Roman Polanski’s Chinatown has over a big-budget action picture like The A-Team. It is, however, important to keep in mind that the two directors of the films have entirely different motives in mind.

Joe Carnahan’s vision for a film adaptation of a classic 1980s television series involves grand, choreographed action scenes and CGI stunts for no other purpose than entertaining a summer audience. Polanski, on the other hand, sought to create an epic of film-noir based on craft and storytelling.

The point here is that films are not all made for the same purpose. The perfect film is one in which the director sufficiently fulfils his vision, whether that vision is to create a truly original action film, as Christopher Nolan did with Inception; to make a political statement, as Robert Redford did in Lions for Lambs; or anything in between. When a director makes a clear and coherent film out of passion for his original vision, he has made the perfect film.

Colby Smith

Fuse.

6

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I only saw A Beautiful Mind for the first time this summer; films which have resulted in the lead actor being awarded an Oscar should be on everyone’s cinematic bucket list. I now view it as a perfect piece of filmmaking.

Like many well-loved films, A Beautiful Mind it is based on a true story, telling the tale of a mathematical genius plagued by mental health issues, including schizophrenia and paranoia.

Russell Crowe plays the role of the tortured Princeton academic John Nash perfectly, elevating the film to new heights in ensuring a sensitive and touching portrayal.

Through the course of Nash’s adult life he is acquainted with a number of interesting characters, like, for example, his college roommate Charles.

Viewers are genuinely surprised to discover that Charles isn’t all he appears.

A compelling addition to any film is the unexpected, and the fact that A Beautiful Mind is unpredictable contributes to a flawless finish.

Despite Nash’s difficulties, he enjoys immense personal success, and with the help of a delicate soundtrack, an otherwise intense film is transformed to become uplifting.

For me, this is the epitome of a perfect film. By fully capturing the workings of an amazing yet troubled thinker, the film earns its title in a very unassuming way.

Victoria Browne

An Education in Acting and Storytelling

Action, Style and Soundtrack

“S’wonderful. S’marvellous”. Alright, so maybe Stanley Donen’s Funny Face isn’t comparable to the greatest romances of our time; When Harry Met Sally, Cold Mountain or Romeo and Juliet, but maybe that’s a good thing? Funny Face gives a fresh and simple take on the classic love story whilst intertwining great music and impeccable dancing.

Leading man, Fred Astaire, uses his passion and natural flair for dancing to get audiences moving in their seats, something which has transcended to my own living-room sofa, while adding his undeniable charm to the acting role.

The star of the film, Audrey Hepburn, is what makes the film shine for me; she is the main reason why Funny Face is my perfect film. After all, for me, it had to be a film with Audrey in it.

From Hepburn’s first appearance in a quirky New York City library, the film starts to quickly combine fashion, Paris, music, dance and love - all of my favourite things - to depict the transformation of the ‘ugly’ duckling, Hepburn, into a stunning catwalk model who falls in love with her photographer, Astaire.

Despite its light-heartedness and lack of critical acclaim, Funny Face is a film which I’m proud to call perfect.

It makes me laugh, cry, sing, jive and feel perfectly content when it arrives at ‘The End’.

Leigh Allen

Friday October 8 2010

Friday October 8 2010

A Beautiful Movie

The Oldies are the Best

7

Fuse.

The deadpan man: Stewart Francis Words: Ashley Scrace

S

tewart Francis, or ‘Stewie’ as fellow Family Guy fans refer to him, has been a success over the Atlantic for many years.

Yet it has taken some time for him to come into the limelight in the UK, a wait which has been definitely worthwhile Born in Toronto, Canada, to British parents, Francis’ road to this debut UK standup tour has been lengthy.

With his sights firmly on comedy from childhood, the paths he has taken have led to writing for Jay Leno, guest starring on American chatshows, and even taking an acting role in awardwinning Canadian sitcom An American in Canada.

“My wife thinks I’m funnier off stage and that’s a massive compliment. I’m a silly, very happy guy who lives day-to-day.

“With one-liners you get more bang for your buck. I think it’s satisfying to go up on stage, make someone laugh and laugh and laugh, and then ‘goodnight’.

“If I were in the audience I’d like to find myself funny and it is great that people do.”

Also boasting a career as an accomplished actor, Francis admits he revels in TV performances.

For a year he starred in sitcom An American in Canada and has made appearances in UK productions Not Going Out and The Omid Djalili Show.

Yet his stint supporting Ricky Gervais on tour and starring on the BBC’s Mock the Week kickstarted his popularity in the UK. The comedian acknowledges his popularity soared with thanks to Mock the Week – especially during the time in which regular panellist, Frankie Boyle, left the show.

Audiences were so impressed by his hilarious performances that people campaigned to make him Boyle’s replacement.

“My first appearance on the show was the one where

“I always liked the one-liner deadpan guys” Now entering the final leg, his Tour de Francis comes to Sheffield as part of the popular Grin Up North comedy festival.

Proclaiming he was once happily convinced he would only ever do “comedy clubs on the circuit”, the tour still comes as a pleasant surprise.

“There was a time I knew I would make something of myself and twenty-one years of material have gone into this.

From childhood I always liked the one-liner deadpan guys,” he says.

“Back in the day a lot of inspiration came from Steve Martin – before he started making horrible movies.

“A lot of people said it’s hard to become a comedian, but I think it’s too easy. But it is hard to be funny. So I had to be brutally honest with myself.

“The first night I did stand-up I punched the air afterwards with jubilation.

I love it and now it has snowballed and taken on its own identity. I’m very thankful for that.”

What you get with Francis is simple - a set full of witty one-liners, delivered at a rhythmic pace until the audience cannot laugh any longer. Tim Vine or Jimmy Carr would be his nearest UK equivalents.

Not every one-liner fits to a story, but they flow at a side-splitting pace.

And then there is his deadpan style: Francis barely flinching as he adopts an almost sorrowful, honest demeanour.

“The thing is I’m not always like that,” he says.

“Frankie Boyle laughed at all of my jokes” Frankie laughed at all of my jokes so it was nice to have the validation of Frankie and the fans,” says Francis.

“I put in good work and it is very gratifying to have people say good things.

And, quite honestly, had it not been for Mock the Week I wouldn’t have been able to do this tour. ” But it’s not all fame and fortune. The difficulties of touring are often not realised. While Francis enjoys his occupation, he concedes that parts of it defeat him: “There’s a lot of time away from family and travelling is tiring. That’s where I earn any money I might make.

But when you see the fans it is all worth it. Yet it is frustrating going to towns I’ve never been to then having to leave that night.

“But I have been to Sheffield numerous times.

My parents are British so I have a great affection for this country.

“As a child I’d read all the

sports news and I was drawn to Sheffield Wednesday because of the odd name.

So that’s the team I support.

I’ve been to Hillsborough ten times.”

Feeling somehow dishonest, I had to confess

“I’m proud of everyone in Canada apart from Celine Dion” my support for Sheffield United rather than the Owls.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Let’s not let that divide us,” retorted Francis in his trademark dry tone.

Despite British allegiances, Francis still keeps in mind where he comes from.

He remains a supporter of the Toronto Maple Leafs ice-hockey team and still admires some icons back at home.

“I’ve recently revisited Gordon Lightfoot who wrote some beautiful songs.

Also, I was a little late in discovering him, but I got into Neil Young through my wife,” he says.

“Really I’m very proud to be Canadian and of everyone in Canada – except Celine Dion. That woman really grates me.”

Honest and humble as always, Francis thanks me for my time and makes sure to praise the fans for their support once more.

But there was still one thing unanswered, who would Stewart Francis be without comedy?

“Well if I had a creative outlet elsewhere it would have been cartoons. Not that I’m complaining about comedy, because I love it, but I enjoy the anonymity of cartoons and creating something funny from nothing.

“Otherwise, had I not been either, I would be installing mirrors. It’s something I could really see myself doing.”

COMPETITION Stewart Francis plays the Octagon on Saturday October 16 as part of his Tour de Francis UK tour.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to see Stewart Francis live please email your name, address and a contact telephone number to: arts@forgetoday.com

by October 14.

Fuse.

8

Stewart Francis is famed for his razor edge wit and deadpan style.

The Canadian comedian tells us about his rise to fame.

Friday October 8 2010

Friday October 8 2010

Feature. Stewart Francis

9

Reviews.Music releases.

SHRAG

Life! Death! Prizes!

Where It’s At Is Where You Are

8/10 On Brighton band Shrag’s latest offering, Life! Death!

Prizes!, they wear their heart, and their musical influences, on their collective sleeve.

The most obvious comparison, right from the get-go with album opener ‘A Certain Violence’, is the B-52s. And this is also true of other tracks, such as ‘Faux-Coda’ and ‘More Than Mornings’.

Once the vocals kick in, however, it reminds us more of ’90s Brit pop band Lush, with some X-ray Spex-influenced shoutiness thrown in for good measure.

They have clearly genned up on their ’70s and ’80s punk and new wave, but there are also nods here to acts evolving out of the Riot Grrl movement, such as Le Tigre, and the more recent twee indie-pop of Glasgow’s The Just Joans.

The bratty hollering of Helen King’s lead vocals is very appealing, but can sometimes feel a little relentless, certainly for the

Singles.

Fuse.

Friday October 8 2010

The new track from Detroit Social Club begins promisingly, with dramatic strings, and a growing sense of excitement about what is to come is initiated.

Regrettably, the climax is never actually reached, but ‘Northern Man’ is nevertheless an enjoyable ride. Epic choral overtones and crashing cymbals are an interesting addition to the band’s trademark layers of sound.

Towards the weirder end of the scale, self-proclaimed ‘dark rock’ band Ulterior’s bafflingly named ‘Sex War Sex Cars Sex’ is an aural experience that can never be erased from one’s memory.

10

first half of the album.

After this, a maturation in comparison to their eponymous first release (actually a collection of singles, rather than an album proper) becomes apparent.

Stand-out track ‘The Habit Creep’ offers some respite, and a chance for Shrag’s thoughtfully crafted lyrics to come to the fore.

And, on repeat listening, it is increasingly evident that this album as a whole has been very smartly judged.

The lyrics are intelligent, but not overwrought or contrived. Shrag’s social commentary never crosses

the line into overly selfaware.

They seem acutely conscious of image, lambasting appearance over substance and pressure to comply with norms, but somehow this never feels affected. Kate Nash could learn a lot from these guys and their unpretentious attitude.

When I asked Shrag to describe their album in five words, they quipped back with: “Please give us four stars.” And if just for their hubris, I will.

Kiri Little

It sounds something like an early Horrors demo with additional confusing sound effects, which need not be an entirely bad thing.

There is surprisingly nothing complimentary to say about ‘Higher’, the latest track from identikit girl group The Saturdays.

Headache-inducing electronic noise, and a gaping hole where the melody should be suggests that Frankie and friends are somewhat phoning it in these days.

For some quality, 80s-tinged dancefloor beats try ‘Please Don’t Take Him Back’, the latest release from British five-piece, Bearsuit.

The Human League and La Roux are fiercely channelled in this modern disco

classic, which features cool, imagery-laden lyrics such as “Your body is a mirror ball, a prism / Filled with a million shards of light”, alongside a plethora of synth-based fun.

Lizzie Palmer

TINIE TEMPAH

Read more singles reviews online www.forgetoday.com

JIMMY EAT WORLD

7/10 Tinie Tempah has had an impressive year. Not only has he hit number one in the UK chart twice, even going gold with ‘Pass Out’, but he’s performed alongside Snoop Dogg at Glastonbury, joined Gorillaz for a one off performance of ‘Clint Eastwood’ and collaborated with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Ellie Goulding and Kelly Rowland.

And now, almost seven months after the release of his debut single, follows his first LP. Disc-Overy is more musically diverse than you might anticipate. This is largely due to the wealth of

THE PIERCES Love You More Polydor

Invented Interscope

8/10

5/10 The latest release from Jimmy Eat World doesn’t feature a ‘Lucky Denver Mint’, a ‘Sweetness’ or a ‘Big Casino’.

Unlike previous efforts bearing such immediate anthems, Invented is one to be consigned to the ‘slow burner’ category. It’s by no means a bad album, and the pop hooks and driving riffs are still present this time around. Lead single ‘My Best Theory’ in particular is anchored by a catchy chorus and a truly uplifting bridge section.

However, there is something that (perhaps a

Disc-Overy Parlophone

slighty overproduced sound) seems to hold them back from fully soaring as they have done in the past.

For much of the record the band are content to remain in dreamier, downbeat territory, which at worst leads to decidedly bland cuts such as ‘Stop’, but at best serves to highlight Jim Adkins’ ability to proudly express his deepest emotions.

Few could deliver the lines “Can you see it in my eyes? / You’re always in my head” with such sincerity and conviction, without sounding like a total sap.

Even this late in their career, Adkins can still seem earnest in his sentiments as he conveys the bewilderment and excitement of youthful relationships.

Kyle Rice

The judgmental red guy on your shoulder would suggest that a pair of sisters raised by hippies in Alabama ought to be avoided.

However, with an open mind comes a very pleasant shock, as The Pierces’ new EP Love You More crushes preconceptions with daring melodies and Southern charm.

Alongside the formidable production tag-team of Coldplay’s Guy Berryman, the sisters’ EP assumes a much more overtly British character than previous efforts.

The EP kicks off with title track ‘Love You More’, and Coldplay’s ethereal spirit

collaborations that feature on the album. Following the intense ‘Intro’ and ‘Simply Unstoppable’, which mirror the energy of the rapper’s former hit, ‘Frisky’, the pace slows and Tempah begins to showcase the other styles of music he has to offer.

‘Just a Little’, featuring Range, is the first time the artist edges out of his comfort-zone and begins to cultivate a more r’n’b sound, reminiscent of Ne-Yo or Usher.

Stepping away from his grime roots once again, ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ is a particular highlight, and thanks to Swedish House Mafia, a guaranteed dance floor filler.

Tempah is noticeably less comfortable when the pace slows, and this is when the album is at its weakest. ‘Snap’, has the same unusual, non-sensical lyrics which are in many

ways compelling on tracks like ‘Pass Out’ but come across as garish on songs which are clearly meant to be more relaxed.

‘Wonderman’, the unexpectedly impressive partnership between him and Ellie Goulding, and dark track ‘Let Go’ conclude what has wholly been an strong debut in a befitting and excellent manner.

With so many major hits taken from its catalogue already, Disc-Overy is likey to see a lot of commercial success. Tinie Tempah should be commended, even if not everything he produces fits perfectly with his personality.

On what comes across as something of a trial and error exercise, the grime apprentice has done his fair share of experimentation.

Sam Bolton

instantly moulds a yearning lullaby into a dark, swirling epiphany that would nestle nicely into Viva La Vida’s grandiose track listing.

With witty lyrics and unique harmonies, this is a seriously potent statement.

The grungy darkness then subsides, allowing the gently swaying ‘We Are Stars’ to pay vocal tributes to ABBA, whilst the sisters’ knack for a melody isn’t overshadowed by a wall of noise.

Allison and Catherine Pierce cleverly juxtapose dark subject matter with melodic effervescence for the third track ‘To The Grave’.

Menacing lyrics don’t exactly conjure up the most playful of images, yet it’s nonetheless a fascinating exploration of mortality, accompanied by a bounce.

Closing track, ‘We Can Make It’, marks the EP’s only shortcoming. Given the

adventurous creativity that preceded this melancholic moment, the finale seems far too safe, and a little too reminiscent bog-standard Alabama folk.

However, The Pierces have certainly proven they are far more than a pair of pretty faces. They have grit, melodic majesty, and as proven by this EP, they have balls.

Tom Fletcher

Reviews.Live music.

ISLET + THE DEATH RAYS OF ARDILLA The Forum Monday September 27

The Holloways lack spark on stage at Live Wire.

Picture: Marek Allen

THE HOLLOWAYS + THE CHEEK

Foundry Thursday September 30

martin carthy + dave swarbrick Wednesday September 29

Having regularly performed together for over forty years, Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick are the cream of the crop when it comes to British folk.

Whilst Carthy undoubtedly remains a fan of experimentation and musical fusion, his low-key, acoustic guitar and fiddle show with Swarbrick stuck religiously to the traditional sound for which he is most

well known.

A relaxed, refreshingly older audience of folk enthusiasts were greeted by a whole wealth of folk songs, from England as well as further afield.

Themes of longing and loss prevailed, although Swarbrick did see fit to hammer out some faster fiddle tunes towards the end of the night, to a reel-hungry crowd.

What arguably remains so compelling about this style is the individual stories behind each tune, and the ongoing commitment to the aural tradition.

Music is collected and learned by ear, originating from a seemingly endless number of people and places. “I picked this one up from an airport customs

officer,” noted Swarbrick. “It was a fair swap.”

The duo’s catalogue, after so many years on the scene is certainly impressive.

They had even managed to pick up the extreme rarity that is a British prison song (‘Treadmill Song’.)

The two musicians began to round off the evening with ‘Byker Hill’, a North-Eastern English song which has recently been re-interpreted by another of Carthy’s projects – Anglo-Indian folk fusion group The Imagined Village.

However, in this more traditional rendition, Carthy decided that it was more appropriate to put on a distinctly Geordie accent.

Plug Saturday October 2

As Crystal Fighters take to the stage there is a spectacle of bright lights and heavy bass, signalling what is to come next.

Frontman Sebastian Pringle is energetic and enthralling on stage, and he permanently shakes his tambourine throughout duration of the set, captivating the audiences attention.

Crystal Fighters have a sound which is comparable to the likes of Passion Pit and Animal Collective, and the female lead vocals in songs such as ‘I Love London’ add another, softer dimension to the band’s output.

The venue itself begins to quickly fill up in the buildup to Filthy Dukes, who eventually arrive on stage over forty minutes later than scheduled.

There is something about them; a sense of comfortable, enjoyable familiarity, as if you’ve heard the songs millions of times before without even realising it.

Although their sound is rather pedestrian and there is nothing out of the ordinary about their electronic anthems, they do put on an exhilarating and engaging performance.

Lianne Williams

The autumn semester is upon us and already we are being bombarded with a veritable smörgåsbord of musical delights up and down the city.

We’re being treated so heartily, that as we approach the dessert table there are just too many options available; do we take that fudge cake? Or how about the fruit salad?

It has pomegranate in it! Or how about the more leftfield choice of bananas flambé?

I am, of course, talking about this coming Friday’s battle royale of events occurring throughout Sheffield.

Club Pony is hosting their fourth birthday celebrations at DQ with the mighty Boy 8-Bit plus their residents Run Hide Survive and Up and Atom.

DrownedinSound, also celebrating a birthday, their tenth, host Rollerpalooza II at Skate Central, with Los Angeles’ noise rock beatniks No Age headlining.

Furthermore, Bungalows & Bears has (For FREE, I might add!) the postdubstep minimal electronic duo, Mount Kimbie.

Or you could find a spot as equidistant as possible to all three and sit and sob as to why they chose to put all three on the very same night.

If you want to get involved on the music side of things, you can contact us by e-mail: music@forgetoday.com with any ideas you might have or pop to our fortnightly meetings - join the mailing list if you want to keep up to date with all the details.

Jordan Tandy

Josh Lander

Lizzie Palmer

Folk stalwarts Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick entertain the Boardwalk.

Picture: Jess Haigh

Fuse.

The Boardwalk

malaise which greets the band’s new songs.

Indeed, with unrefined lyrics such as “but I drink alcohol, ‘cause I’m bored of being rational”, in their song whimsically entitled ‘Alcohol’, it is not difficult to see why The Holloways’ new songs will not resonate in this more austere age.

Catchy they may be, but the impression that the audience are here for GCSEyears nostalgia is apparent.

While the audience react deliriously to their predictably rowdy finale this particular reviewer was left feeling rather blasé towards a band who are unlikely to spearhead a revival of its tired sound anytime soon.

FILTHY DUKES + CRYSTAL FIGHTERS

Editorial.

Friday October 8 2010

It is now more than four years since The Holloways came to prominence, riding that post-Libertines indie rock crest and peaking in the top 30 with their catchy single ‘Generator’.

Endorsed back in the day by pop ‘luminaries’ such as Radio 1’s Fearne Cotton, this north London four piece’s set is brazen and unashamed feel good fare.

Lead singer Alfie Jackson, complete with trademark

vest and hat, interacts gregariously with the boisterous crowd which half fills the Foundry on only the second ever Live Wire event.

Earlier in the evening, indie five piece The Cheek had entertained the admittedly small crowd with their harmonious melodies, which owe more than a passing nod to the later Britpop era.

That The Holloways’ 2006 singles ‘Two Left Feet’ and ‘Generator’ draw the best reception from the audience is no surprise, yet is perhaps an indictment on where this band stand in the postArcadian dream of 2010.

The hour long set suffers from a chronic paucity of musical innovation, underlined by the mid-set

Sheffield duo The Death Rays of Ardilla look somewhat out of place in The Forum.

With Thomas TietzschTyler’s distinctive appearance and gruff, jerky vocals combined with storytelling lyrics and atmospheric southernrock influenced sound, you cannot help but feel they would be more at home playing at a dark, smoky Wild West saloon.

A sluggish start makes way for a set that goes from strength to strength, and once in the swing of things the Tietzsch-Tyler brothers capture the crowd’s full attention with a short salvo of dark cowboy rock bullets.

Islet are a band whose live performances conjure up countless metaphors or similes with which to try and describe them.

The Cardiff quartet could be feral forest children, a pack of musically-inclined wild animals, or crazed woodland sprites, Islet’s live show is as much of a visual experience as a set.

Great rhythms and tribal drum beats underpin their performance, including thick, heavy guitars, fuzzy keyboard and vocals featuring howls, screams, chants, whistles, wails and battle-cries just as often as singing.

The stage is both a playground and an extra instrument for them - not that they stay on it for a lot of the time, frequently jumping off to dance, twist and weave; writhe and jerk their way through a half-bemused but thrilled audience.

Considering the chaotic nature of their performance, you would be forgiven for thinking that is all there is to it, but they are fully capable

of great instrumentation, occasionally bursting into bouts of funky, heavy and sometimes danceable brilliance throughout the night.

Islet are a must-see regardless of your taste in music. Four friends jumping around, swapping instruments and smiles and having fun on stage never gets old.

Alex Murr

11

Reviews.Screen.

Editorial.

THE LOVED ONEs

Dir: Sean Byrne

4/10

Fuse.

Friday October 8 2010

THE x factor? try the x-craptor:

12

Some people claim The X Factor is a masterpiece - a programme spawned by Simon Cowell out of the goodness of his heart in order to fill our Saturday nights with jollity by letting us laugh at strangers who cannot sing, or being overly critical of those who can.

The premise is this: Of the millions of hopefuls, some will make it to the live shows where, they are led to believe, fame awaits.

But have the people auditioning ever actually seen The X Factor? Don’t they know that of the countless series that inflicted upon the British public few success stories can be counted?

Did anyone watch Joe McElderry win last year?

Have they not wondered what became of him? Do they think he’s rolling around in a bath of champagne while his butler spreads money on toast?

Because he’s not. He doesn’t have a butler. He probably doesn’t even have a toaster.

Anyone remember Steve Brookstein or Leon Jackson?

Thought not.

What Simon Cowell should be saying to the over-excited congregation is this: “Dear wannabes, before you all start crying, thinking your very lives depend on winning this sham of a competition, it’s about time I let you in on a secret.

“You probably will not win the X Factor. If you do you are still highly unlikely to become a star. Following an initial triumph/crap Christmas number one, months will pass and you will be forgotten.

“Forgive me for misleading you. Much love, Simon.”

Alexandra Coleman

THE story of fuck Dir: James Abadi

4/10 A silly, surrealistic satire of the music industry, The Story of Fuck is the first film by the Adabi brothers, and their inexperience shows.

The premise for the film is basic: A disgruntled music producer, Lewis Sipricoch (Finlay Robertson), tricks his greedy colleague, Gilford Bell (Lee Boardman), into hiring a talentless band called Fuck.

Apparently this is a horror comedy. Apparently this is Pretty in Pink meets Wolf Creek. Apparently this is supposed to be fun.

After viewing The Loved Ones though, it is clear to see director, Sean Byrne, has taken the mixture of glitter balls and power drills not just one step too far, but drags it kicking and screaming past any and every expectation you will have of this film.

To his credit, The Loved Ones has a refreshingly original storyline.

High school student Brent Mitchell (Xavier Samuel, Twilight: Eclipse) is already spoken for, and turns down the shy, squeaky clean Lola (Robin McLeavy) when she asks him to be her prom date.

Little Lola, however, cannot take no for an answer so takes the logical step of forcing her dad to kidnap him.

Brent must now attend an alternative prom: A macabre

creation from the demented minds of Lola and her father, filled with pink satin, balloons, and extras like hammers and syringes.

And that is as far as the plot goes. But you can forgive Byrne for keeping it simple, as no-one could predict this film about a tedious high school prom date refusal would ever escalate into torture, murder, cannibalism and incest.

With all this going on though, it does render the

comedy very dark. Apart from the odd slapstick moments, some scenes are so disturbing you almost have to remind yourself to laugh.

Because Saw has nothing on this, and though it may not be as sadistic as the recent epic Anti-Christ, it often comes very close to that line where you need to stop watching - especially where there is talk of nailing a certain part of the male anatomy into a chair.

The most remarkable aspect of the film though is Robin’s performance as Lola, who takes the high school girl role and transforms it into one of the most memorable psychopaths of recent years.

Lola’s enduring craziness makes you long for her death, and Brent’s meekness makes you long for his survival.

The cinematography with its high contrast tint, picking up on the bright colours to

in the land of the free Dir:Vadim Jean

8/10 Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, In The Land Of The Free is a gripping documentary detailing the plight of three men, known as the ‘Angola three’, who between them have served over a century in solitary confinement.

The documentary fearlessly and confrontationally challenges the idealistic view of America as a free land and exposes the legal corruption during its racially intolerant past.

Background: Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace were incarcerated in Angola Prison, Louisiana, for their involvement in demonstrations as part of ‘The Black Panthers’ - a racial activist party.

They were sentenced

to life imprisonment, to be served in solitary confinement, after being accused of the murder of prison guard Brent Miller in 1972.

Robert King, an inmate transferred to Angola, was also accused of involvement despite not being present at the time of the murder.

The key piece of evidence in the case was a testimony from inmate Hezekiah Brown, who was serving a life sentence for multiple rape convictions. Brown initially told investigators he knew nothing of the murder but testified after being promised preferential treatment.

This seems sound enough, but the pacing is occasionally shoddy. The entire film takes place over about three days and runs a mere 83 minutes, and yet filler subplots eat up large chunks of the story, leaving more vital characters and plot points underwritten.

The movie often incorporates surreal and fantastic elements, such as alien abduction. But although they may provide funny moments, they do not add much to the story.

With the deliberately dated costumes and the overuse of bright colours, it seems like the film is

trying too hard to corner the ‘quirky indie’ market.

The lacklustre script, however, is made more palatable by a talented cast.

Robertson in particular manages a good balance of beleaguered straight man and deadpan humor.

Barton Hamborski (Danny Webb), the grossly corrupt executive, and Jack (Andrew Thomas Jones), the womanizing, drug-abusing band member, are amusing too, if not ground-breaking.

But the rest of the film is filled with similar stock characters, falling on familiar tropes and punchlines.

The movie is not without laughs: many of the observations it makes about the way the music industry works are spot-on, and the film’s quick visual gags and pop culture references go a long way. It is when the film goes too low-brow, with unironic scatological humour, or too experimental, that it falls flat.

Overall The Story of Fuck is funny enough but it is just not as clever as it thinks.

The storyline has potential but the film is at once too out-there, but not original enough.

Olivia Belton

The documentary utilises a variety of historiography including activist footage, photography, recordings and interviews in order to deliver an emotive insight into the lives of the prisoners.

Shockingly, during these interviews, Miller’s widow directly reveals that she does not hold the Angola

an almost sickly degree, also aids in making this family appear as a twisted Brady Bunch.

Byrne’s feature film debut has the crisp cut of a commercial film but is persistently sensationalistic.

He pushes boundaries with his hardcore horror, but not everyone may want to witness the demented little world he has created.

Mel Gillespie

three responsible for the murder of her husband.

In 2001, Robert King’s conviction was overturned after he reluctantly pled guilty to a lesser charge of conspiracy to commit murder. The haunted look in King’s eyes as he paces the space of a replica cell is perhaps the most harrowing image in the film.

Despite the factual approach, In The Land Of The Free consistently supports the innocence of the group and at times feels pedantic and tiresome. It would be interesting to see what evidence those who maintain their guilt use to support their view.

However the inhumane treatment and injustice the men have been subjected to is undeniably important.

Careful illustration of their cases effectively examines the facts and the plight of the men, making In The Land Of The Free a compelling watch.

Bryony Dent

Reviews.Games.

King’s Bounty: Crossworlds PC

7/10 If there is something that cannot be denied about Kings Bounty: Crossworlds Game of the Year Edition, it is that it provides you with a good number of hours for your pennies. It contains both its recent predecessor Kings Bounty: Armored Princess and a heap of new content in the shape of two new independent campaigns and extra stuff added onto Armored Princess’ original campaign.

However upon starting up the game I wasn’t sure that quantity was what I actually wanted from Crossworlds.

I found myself bombarded with some tatty fantasy back-story which pales all too obviously in comparison to the role-playing greats such as Dragon Age, not to mention that this was delivered by what sounded like a programmer who had spent his day chainsmoking in order to achieve that cinematic voice. To

add to the staple fantasy blues it is worth pointing out that our ‘armoured princess’ is actually more of a ‘somewhat-armoured’ princess whose breasts are practically falling out, apparently slashing at the stomach isn’t regarded as acceptable by sword-fighting etiquette. On a lighter note though, this game does feature a hero called Bill Gilbert.

Armored Princess does seem to expect a lot of the player in it’s opening hours; because it skimps on providing proper tutorials, battles are initially tiresome as you try to figure the game out on your own. Basically part of the game is spent trotting around on your horse, pursuing quests, amassing armies and avoiding those enemy armies which the game kindly informs you are ‘invincible’.

But should you want to do battle with a more realistic foe, you are transported to the ‘battle arena’; here you are presented with a hex grid upon which your units, anything from werewolves to pirates, fight it out in turnbased glory.

On top of this you can change the course of a battle by utilising

the princess’ spells and the abilities of her pet dragon. But this isn’t some hulking beast; instead he is probably the cutest baby dragon you will ever see. He seems to live a life similar to that of student; he learns new abilities, sleeps a lot, occasionally does stuff, eats apples... OK that’s where the analogy ends.

But the point is that there is something that makes up for second rate writing and a slow burning start, and it’s charm. The world in which your adventure is played out is a vibrant one, though not dissimilar from games like Torchlight and World of Warcraft. The music also deserves a mention as it contributes greatly to the alluring yet epic feel of the game.

Once in its stride, the game’s battles become increasingly strategic, resulting in a much more rewarding experience.

Dangerously rewarding in fact since it is, like other turn-based games, quite the time-sink.

How does the extra content of Crossworlds build on this base? Well in quite a predictable manner to be honest, by providing more units and items, more

Fifa 11

Xbox 360/PS3

9/10

games. In previous iterations, you could get away with repeatedly hammering pass and moving the ball easily from one end of the pitch to the other. Now, each pass must be carefully weighted and directly, which leads to more patient and thoughtful build up play.

Keeping possession and setting up attacks also depends on the qualities of the player on the ball and that is where Personality plus comes in. Playing as Manchester United, Paul

Scholes is far more likely to pull off a Hollywood 50 yard pass than Darren Fletcher, but the latter is far better at winning the ball and tracking back. While this change feels subtle in practice, it ensures that Titus Bramble won’t be putting away chances like Didier Drogba.

Be a Goalkeeper is the ‘flashy’ new addition, and technically it works well.

A green circle shows you where to position yourself and the trajectory of the opposition’s shots is marked

tactical combinations are created. As well as this, the independent campaigns clearly aim to mix things up a little. Nothing is massively game changing, but every addition is welcome.

All in all, Kings Bounty: Crossworlds is a hard sell of turn-based strategy, the game design is

solid and the presentation cute. It’s a shame that the story is so staid and furthermore that it doesn’t try to be more accessible, when it so clearly has the potential to be enjoyed by people outside of its target audience.

Daniel Mears

by a red trail so you know which way to fling yourself.

While the basic controls are intuitive and easy to get to grips with, the timing is difficult to master and playing as the keeper can be dull and repetitive when your team is on top and you have very little to do.

The revamped Career mode incorporates the old Manager and Be a Pro modes and offers you the choice of taking control of everything as manager, assuming the role of an individual player or combination of both.

There are various small improvements, such as score updates mid match, emails regarding players’ form and increased interaction with the board, which actually make you feel like part of a football club.

Aesthetically, FIFA 11 is very pleasing on the eye, with photo-like stadiums, pitches which show wear and tear and generally excellent player likenesses, especially with the bigger clubs.

Furthermore, hundreds of new animations mean that controlling an airborne ball, jostling for space and performing tricks and fancy flicks looks fluid and effortless in contrast the mechanical nature of FIFA’s competitor Pro Evolution Soccer.

The audio within the game is also fantastic. The commentary from Martin Tyler and Andy Gray is almost always spot-on, and The ability to assign chants to any team in the game only heightens the atmosphere.

On the whole, FIFA 11 is a more organic and free flowing experience than any other football game, yet it can feel frustrating, with more passes going astray and moves breaking down in the final third.

However, this only pulls you deeper into the game, making every hard fought goal feel that much sweeter and worth celebrating like crazy in front of the TV.

PC

Retro game If you’re looking for ultimate value from a gaming experience, look no further.

For a few paltry pounds be prepared to be drawn into the pure escapism of Nathan Zachary’s world, becoming a pirate of the air, smooth talking ladies man and daredevil extraordinaire.

The action takes place in an alternate version of the 1930s, where the USA has

split into several competing nations, leading to roving bands of pirates and mercenaries clashing over treasure laden airships.

The action is straight out of

a comic, aided by ingenious level design; flying between the struts of a railway bridge at 300mph and looking back as your pursuers ineptly smash themselves

to pieces can’t help but bring a grin to your face. The game embraces this light on realism, heavy on fun style; who cares that some of the planes couldn’t actually fly

in real life when they look so awesome?

This isn’t just straight up arcade action though, as which of the dozen available planes you chose to fly a mission with will determine certain aspects of your performance, requiring you to balance the need for speed, armour, firepower and manoeuvrability.

Possibly the one downside of this game is that you will need a joystick to get the most out if it, but again these are cheap nowadays, and you can think of them as an investment towards other games.

All in all, Crimson Skies is a remedy to the po-faced

We want to know what you think of the issue- was Medal of Hono(u)r cutting a bit to close to the current affairs bone, or should games have the freedom to depict sensitive events?

Drop a comment on our related blog post: http:// bit.ly/9mSTYO Meanwhile, on ForgeToday. com we’ve just added a splendid review of Monday Night Combat by Brendan Allit. Released this summer, the game is a futuristic vision of a hyper-violent gameshow-cum-deathsport.

Find the full review here: http://bit.ly/dr4Ty5 James Wragg James Garrett games@forgetoday.com

seriousness of modern games; there are several tempting obstacles to do some stunt flying with that in no way affect the rest of the game, but are just there for the sake of enjoyment. So strap on your flying goggles, swash your buckles, and prepare to loop the loop through the Hollywood sign...

Josh Wilson

Fuse.

Crimson Skies

Kieran Guilbert

Computer gaming has attracted controversy ever since American housewives realised there was very little left to complain about in regards to trashy comic books and lyrically-dirty rap music.

The latest game to have the media in a frenzy has been Medal of Hono(u)r (A.K.A. let’s completely rip off Call of Duty: Modern Warfare), as it lets you play as the Taliban in its multiplayer component.

Or at least, it did. After everyone from Fox News to the British defence secretary started claiming that the concept of playing as the Real Enemy was offensive to Real Soldiers, the game’s publisher – EA – buckled and renamed the ‘Taliban’ to the ‘Opposing Force’.

Friday October 8 2010

If FIFA 11 were a footballer, it would be Lionel Messi; full of flair, imagination and not afraid to take risks. Like the Argentinean midfield maestro, this year’s instalment of the world’s best selling football game is a joy to behold.

EA would have been forgiven for resting on their laurels after the success of FIFA 10 last year, but they have improved their winning formula on so many levels.

The introduction of Pro Passing and Personality plus makes every game more tactical and realistic, the career mode is impressively immersing and the sharper graphics bring the players to life.

The most significant development in FIFA 11 is how Pro Passing affects the balance and flow of the

Editorial.

13

Reviews.Arts.

It’s not every day you can enjoy an iconic Shakespearian tragedy in a venue as intimate as the Crucible. And it’s certainly not a regularity to watch John Simm make his Shakespeare debut in such close proximity. So it’s no surprise to see all eyes transfixed on every movement and entrance made by the cast.

Simm successfully shows Hamlet as character whose grief has propelled him into unforeseen madness. His stages of bereavement are skilfully shown; one minute he mutters to himself as he rolls on the floor and the next he jumps into factitious witticism which makes the journey so captivating.

His soliloquies are

enunciated well, but his projection fails to represent a prince who is consoling in private menacing thoughts.

He adds vibrancy to the enduring performance when he smashes the photograph of his uncle and antagonises his mother over her disloyalty.

Played by Barbara Flynn, Gertrude shamelessly shows little remorse but plays the characteristics of a queen well with grand arm gestures and courteous facial expressions.

While the three-hour play requires intense concentration, the austere set makes it the perfect environment to do so. John Nettles effortlessly shows his talent of getting into character by playing both the genuinely frightful ghost of Hamlet’s father and Claudius, who holds the key to Hamlet’s frustrations.

This is shown brilliantly when Hamlet burns holes into Claudius’s soul by

staring at him intently as he tries to prove that he killed his father. As the ghost, Nettles moves nonchalantly around the stage with his mouth open in a chilling manner.

Michelle Dockery as Ophelia competently plays down her downfall into insanity by unveiling a lost and forlorn girl confused by Hamlet’s actions, but shows true signs of hysteria as she sings in an eerily quaint tone.

Naturally the worldlyrecognised quote, ‘I think the lady doth protest too much’ results in a few endearing chuckles but the gravedigger, played by Hugh Ross, encouraged the most laughter.

At times the story was a little hard to follow but the engaging acting and language ensured the interest levels were high.

From those who didn’t nod off towards the end at least.

Kristi Genovese

it accompanies.

It also touches on controversial issues such as the forced arrival of Africans, beginning in the 16th century.

Despite the intriguing history of Cuban dance, the show appeared to be lacking a consistent storyline. Even the passionate love story between two of the dancers doesn’t fill this void and it appears almost feeble.

It often emerged that there is an absence of continuity; the Malecón ricochets to

the Afro-Flamenco with no apparent incentive to the storyline. Perhaps a little less dancing at certain points would have made the transition smoother.

However, act two returned with a powerful burst of energy that reminds the audience that this is a celebration of Cuba’s musical talent and culture.

During the second part the show embraces the 20th century and the lively atmosphere is further

enhanced.

All of the outfits are extravagant and vivid and skilfully represent the Cuban culture. But, these changes result in it being problematic to follow each character and their story.

Geidy Chapman stole the show with her breath-taking lead vocals and live band Turquino brought the Havana to Sheffield through their impeccable performance.

HAMLET Crucible

7/10

Gasping

University Drama Studio

Fuse.

Friday October 8 2010

6/10

14

SuTCo’s season of theatrical treats for the autumn semester began with Ben Elton’s satirical comedy Gasping.

Bringing together satire, big business and corporate greed, the play centres around Lockheart Industries and the company’s entrepreneurial recruit Philip, who has just stumbled across an idea which could make millions – designer air through the invention of their Suck and Blow machine.

Soon enough greed pushes the price of air sky-high whilst the oxygen industry becomes privatised.

People who can’t afford to pay lie in the street literally gasping for air whilst the third world is ransacked to meet supply, reflecting the cut throat nature of capitalisation and the morality of those at the heart of it.

Making his directing debut, Richard Horwitz successfully translates Elton’s subtle sarcastic references onto the stage.

The humour makes use of a clever script laced with sexual innuendo and sarcasm, allowing the audience to laugh along continuously.

The satire is on a par with comedies such as Airplane!, making use of word puns and a manipulation of timing to create humour.

Running alongside the story of the fight to earn big bucks is a love triangle between the characters of Philip, Sandy and Kirsten.

Matthew Stevens, who was cast as Philip, manages to convey the opposing aspects of his character who at one minute is a remorseless go-getter and the next a gibbering wreck who needs to “unload his cherry.”

Rachel Roberts played Kirsten, the sassy businesswoman with sex appeal who everybody loves to hate.

Roberts raised laughs by drawing on the stereotypes of female high-fliers in a variety of clingy outfits.

The transitions between sets were accompanied with music, and a few fake adverts had been created such as a hilarious take on the M&S food adverts, replacing chocolate soufflé with a pot noodle.

However, there could have been more of focus placed on the people affected by the cost of the air, rather than just poking fun at the employees of Lockheart Industries.

Gasping could still have been relevant today in light of the economic crisis, and what might have been boring subject material was fresh and entertaining.

HAVANA RATAKAN Lyceum

6/10 Scantily clad, beautiful and talented dancers; the Havana Rakatan would make any Cuban proud of their roots.

Director/choreographer, Nilda Guerra and her dance troupe Ballet Rakatan inject such a compelling atmosphere into their second UK tour that you feel like you are in Havana.

By the end of the dramatic production the whole audience was on their feet dancing along.

The men especially were so smooth that it appeared as though they were born to Rumba the night away.

But while they were still obviously talented, the female dancers had slightly less confidence than their male counterparts.

The performance follows the ever-evolving journey of Cuban dance and the lively culture which

THE LAST LAUGH The Hubs

5/10

Alexandra Rucki The evening was compered by a middle-aged former cruise ship comedian whose attempt at alternative comedy was slightly embarrassing to say the least, though not without humour.

While his lowest-commondenominator material was partially cloaked by amusing spectacles, contemporary irony and a down-with-thekids tendency to swear and feign disproportionate anger, his use of the word “retard” seemed to lean dangerously in the direction of prejudice and an attitude

not wholly in tune with the times.

Before the interval Donny Biggs provides a commentary studded with innuendo and says that paedophiles “get cheap car insurance because they drive slowly around builtup areas and look out for children.” Apparently he was on television in the eighties.

Donny Biggs was followed by a white-haired (dyed), middle-aged Irish comic who appeared nervous and took rather a while to provoke audible laughter.

His nervousness increased over the course of his act, before diminishing after some unmerited cackling - unmerited since the approved skit regarding English footballers in Iraq was decidedly lame: ‘Robert Green, why, he’d drop the grenade!’ Or ‘Emile Heskey, why, he can’t shoot!’

This was followed by a bald, middle-aged southern English performer who cracked jokes about following-through in the bath and pushing the elderly in hedges.

Refreshingly in the age of Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle and Dead Baby Jokes, his comments on homosexuality were desperate in their desire not to insult - ‘gays, I love them, you know, they always seem to be having a

Sinead Graham better time than me.’

Well, my cynicism was replenished as he reached the subject of Chinese people and delivered the most cringe-inducing lines I’ve been exposed to.

In a nutshell, he suggested that firstly, residents of East Asia had ‘the worst teeth he’d ever seen,’ and secondly, that this was a result of their propensity for eating with ‘stupid’ utensils.

The one quote I can transcribe verbatim is “they could eat an apple with a tennis racket” and I still don’t understand it.

Many people were visibly more amused than me, probably because alcohol was flowing freely throughout the room; I suspect the late start was a ploy for custom at the bar.

Chris Ashby

Sheffield Originals.

Forge Radio schedule

Listen online at www.forgeradio.com, in the Union or at The Edge

Tue

Wed

Thurs

Fri

9 - 10.30am No Comment

9 - 10.30am Grumpy Old 4th Years

9 - 10.30am The Unreleased Hour

9 - 10.30am Anna, Lizzie & Ginny

10.30am - 12pm The James Kenny Show

10.30am - 12pm Freshers!

10.30am - 12pm Pop! Goes the Weasel

9 - 10.30am The Adventures of Jess

12 - 1.30pm Holden & Trigg

12 - 1.30pm Liv & Phil

1.30 - 3pm The Tim Rodber Show

1.30 - 3pm Liana Live

3 - 4.30pm Come on Trev!

3 - 4.30pm Giulia & the Journos

4.30 - 5pm News Desk

4.30 - 5pm The Petrified Buffalo/ Writer’s Block

12 - 1.30pm Harry & Lauren 1.30 - 3pm A Little Bit of What You Fancy 3 - 4.30pm Film Unit Roundtable 4.30 - 6pm Eleanor 6 - 6.30pm Backchat 6.30 - 8pm Sports Desk 8 - 9.30pm The Jazz Show 9.30 - 11pm K-lean Beats

6.30 - 8pm The New Music Show 8 - 9.30pm Amplify

5 - 6.30pm The Power Hour 6.30 - 8pm Something For the Week

12 - 1.30pm Jack & Harriet

12 - 1.30pm The Edge on Forge

1.30 - 3pm The Guide

1.30 - 3pm 2 Lads & a Couple of Mics

3 - 4.30pm Unseen

3 - 4.30pm Dale

4.30 - 5pm News Desk

4.30 - 5pm STOP! Sabbytime!

5 - 6.30pm The Chris Conway Show

5 - 6.30pm Straight Outta Crookesmoor

6.30 - 8pm FUSE

6.30 - 8pm The Ben Kizzle Forge Mash-up

9.30 - 11pm Sam Moir

8 - 9.30pm Chris McKay: The PreROAR Show

8 - 9.30pm Brewing Up Trouble

11pm - 1am Public Strain

9.30 - 11pm Songs About Girls

9.30 - 11pm Chris & Matt’s Indietastic Evening

11pm - 1am Ready Steady Crunk

11pm - 1am Becky & Zara’s Music Reminder

Get involved.

8 - 9.30pm Funk & Soul Show 9.30 - 11pm The Weekend Warmup

Sun

9 - 10.30am The Broomhill Brunch

12 - 1.30pm The Listening Club

10:30 - 12.00am Coolbeans!

1.30 - 3pm Toby

12 - 1.30pm Good Vibrations

3 - 5pm SRA Chart Show

1.30 - 3pm Whole Lotta Rock

5 - 6.30pm Film Unit

3 - 4.30pm The Amy & Polly Show

6.30 - 8pm Weekend Kickback

4.30pm-5pm Gig Update

8 - 9.30pm Soon I Will Be Invincible

5 - 6.30pm No Rhyme Nor Reason 6.30 - 8pm The Lockdown 8 - 9.30pm Small Ideas

9.30 - 11pm Loud Noises!

11pm - 1am The Wind Up!

9.30 - 11pm Bethan & Max 11pm - 1am Beat Route

11pm - 1am Reverb

Be a part of Forge TV! We’re currently recruiting presenters, camera operators, sound operators, editors, floor managers, reporters & anchors.

Email: forgetv@forgetoday.com

Fuse.

11pm - 1am Crusty Dub Meets

5 - 6.30pm EVE

10.30am - 12pm Down the Line

10.30am - 12pm That Friday Show

Sat

Friday October 8 2010

Mon

15

Fuse.previews Friday October 8 - Thursday October 21 2010

Fuse preview: Rollerpalooza Happening tonight (which is the future for us, but the present for you – temporal mindfuck!) is Rollerpalooza II, a rock-and-rollerskate event involving ice, skates of both the wheel and blade variety and live music, taking place as part of organisers DrownedinSound’s tenth birthday.

If somehow you are not already sold on the idea, it is worth considering that the bands on show, including Los Angeles’ No Age, Leeds’ Pulled Apart by Horses and London’s Male Bonding (who made their debut in an off-the-rails house party two years ago, as good bands should) are really good.

And for those of you who were unlucky enough to pick up this paper after the event, and had no idea it even happened, just hold on to the hope that DrownedinSound, might decide to make Rollerpalooza a trilogy.

email: listings@forgetoday.com

Film Unit fortnight

All Films £2.20

Friday October 8: The Disappearance of Alice Creed Taut British kidnap thriller featuring former Bond-girl Gemma Arterton.

The selection of films being shown at Film Unit over the next fortnight are:

and Tina Fey. A romantic evening turns into a night spent on the run from the mob.

Saturday October 9: Kick Ass Flamboyant super-hero comedy was one of this Summer’s biggest blockbusters.

Saturday October 16: How to Train Your Dragon Animated adventure featuring the voice talents of Jay Baruchel and Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera.

Sunday October 10: Sex & The City 2 The foursome take an all-expenses paid vacation in Abu Dhabi in the sequel to the hit 2008 film.

Sunday October 17: Green Zone Matt Damon is charged with finding the infamous “weapons of Mass Destruction” following the Iraq invasion in this action thriller.

Wednesday October 13 I Am Love Italian film starring Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton, telling the tale of a middle class family struggling to cope with the modern world.

Wednesday October 20: Baaria Giuseppe Tornatore’s film recounts Sicilian life through the eyes of lovers Peppino and Mannina.

Friday October 15: Date Night Madcap comedy with Steve Carrell

All films are shown in the Union Auditorium at 19:30. Tickets cost £2.20 and can be bought from the Union Box Office or Union Shop.

Fri 8

Sat 9

Sun 10

Mon 11

Tues 12

Wed 13

Thurs 14

Behind the Scene of Cinema; 6pm; The Auditorium Cinema; £2 Film Unit are offering you a special interactive opportunity to experience what it takes to run a cinema- starting from publicising the film, housing the film all the way to the technical sideprojecting the film.

Classic Peak District Walk @ Sheffield Train Station; 9:45am; £3 (plus train fare) This walk will take in the spectacular Rushup Edge and then move on to Mam Tor for panoramic views of the Peaks before heading down to Edale for a well earned drink. About 7 miles in length.

Now Then and Word Life Presents: Off The Shelf Opening Party @ The Forum; 7:00pm; free entry Now Then opens the Off the Shelf literature festival with Mean Poppa Lean, John Fairhurst and poet Kate Fox.

Scars Exhibition @ The Showroom Workstation; 8:45am-7pm; free entry This exhibition celebrates our scars.

It features interviews and photographs by young and elderly people from around Sheffield, facilitated by photographer Richard Hanson. Ends 29th Oct.

Give it a Go: Guerilla Gardening @ secret location; free entry Undercover gardeners have spotted some land that’s in need of some top secret clearing and planting. Book your place at the Activities & Sports Zone and email Helen.

Ellerington@sheffield. ac.uk for the location.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream @ Sheffield City Hall; 10:30am & 1:30pm; £16 S4K’s version of this Shakespeare classic.

John Barrowman @ Sheffield City Hall; 7:30pm; from £19.50 John Barrowman is an Entertainer with a capital E - a unique talent in the British entertainment industry.

Deadstring Brothers @ The Boardwalk; 7:30pm; £10 adv Deadstring Brothers deliver a menacing sound that draws equally on the melancholy of country ballads and the abandon of rock and blues.

Doctor Who Live @ Sheffield Arena; 7:00pm; from £25

Junip @ Plug; 7pm; £9 Following the release of their Fields LP, Junip (featuring solo sensation José González) are hitting up Plug.

Rollerpalooza II @ Skate Central; 8pm; £12.50 What do you get if you cross a roller disco, several bars and a lot of excellent bands?

Rollerpalooza, obviously.

Bands No Age, Pulled Apart By Horses and Male Bonding will all be present.

Professor Green @ Leadmill; 7:30pm; £10 Professor Green’s ascent from underground hero to mainstream star is set to continue on his latest tour.

Yuck @ The Harley; 8:00pm; £5 Yuck hail from New Jersey, Hiroshima and London and make dreamy scuzz-pop. formerly Cajun Dance Party, they came back with a new, lo-fi sound bringing to mind bands like Times New Viking, Wavves and Lovvers.

In his new show, Russell explores self, family, and the consequences of his Dad buying his own council house.

Fozzy @ Corporation; 7:00pm; £12 adv Fozzy is the band featuring WWE Superstar Chris Jericho and Stuck Mojo mastermind Rich ‘The Duke’ Ward.

Nigel Planer will be leading the forray into this visual extravaganza.

Simon Armitage is ‘the most imaginative and prolific poet now writing’ Poetry Review. Simon will read from the acclaimed new collection Shooting Stars. Introduced by Adam Piette of The University of Sheffield.

Sat 16

Sun 17

Mon 18

Tues 19

Wed 20

Thurs 21

Stewart Francis @ The Octagon; 7:00pm; £15 Headlining shows all over the world, Stewart Francis has appeared on Michael Mcintyre’s Comedy Road Show, 8 out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, The Comedy Store, Not Going Out and more besides.

The Gutter Brothers @ The Boardwalk; 7:30pm; £8 adv

Steve Mason @ The Harley; 8:00pm; £9 The brilliant Steve Mason is a Scottish musician, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of The Beta Band.

Chess @ Lyceum; 7:45pm; from £22 Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood directs an amazing company of actors and musicians in an extraordinary new staging of the classic musical Chess.

Egyptian Hip Hop @ The Harley; 7:30pm; £5 Quirky, original, outlandish. Egyptian Hip Hop are one of the most exciting bands of the year, despite only having recently released their debut single.

Bowling for Soup @ Corporation; 7:00pm; £18.50 adv Bowling for Soup is an American pop-punk band best known for its singles ‘Girl All the Bad Guys Want,’ ‘Almost,’ ‘High School Never Ends,’ and ‘1985.’

Gallows (DJ set) @ Bungalows & Bears; 8pm Gallows have become one of the most formidable bands on the punk thrash circuit. No doubt they’ll smash out a great set of music.

Fri 15 The Social Network @ Showroom; 12:40pm; £4.60 Jessie Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake star in this tale based on the story of Facebook.

Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry @ Plug; 7:30pm; £13.50 Regarded with awe throughout the music world, Lee “Scratch” Perry holds status as one of the most enduring and original reggae producers and artists of all time.

Russell Kane @ City Hall; 8:00pm; £12

Simon Armitage @ Showroom Workstation; 7:00pm; £7

Sabaton @ Corporation; 7:00pm; £12 adv The Gutter Brothers were a highly popular street band in the late 80’s/ early 90’s, and widely accoladed as the loudest skiffle band on the planet.

Sabaton = War Metal!

Supporters Alestorm = Pirate Metal! Yarrrrrrrrrr!

Cry havock and raise a cup o’mead!

Eliza Carthy @ Sheffield City Hall; 8:00pm; £15 Eliza is the new star of British folk, and breathes new life into England’s traditional folk music with her witty and energetic repertoire.

Feminism 40 Years On: What is The Truth About Women and Men Today? @ Quaker Meeting House; 7:15pm Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first UK Women’s Liberation conference with Sheffield Fems women’s group, who are the hosts.

Moroccan Melodies with Master Musician Hassan Erraji @ Firth Hall; 7:30pm; £8 Expect to see a danceable contemporary global sound re-igniting the ancient and magical fire of stately bass.

Ardal O’Hanlon @ Sheffield City Hall; 8:00pm; £18 In his new stand-up show, Ardal O’Hanlon laughs in the face of mounting adversity recession, inclement weather, an aging body, and impending doom.

I Blame Coco @ Fusion and Foundry; 8:30pm; £5 Coco, who is the daughter of Sting, is coinciding this Live Wire gig with the release of her new album, The Constant.

Three Blind Wolves @ Red House; £4 Glaswegian blues and roots ensemble who make music because they want to “make the kids feel like dancing with their shoes off in a deep summer forest” according to their Facebook page.

Tricky @ Leadmill; 7:30pm; £15 With his successful debut Maxinquaye, Tricky has constantly moved and evolved into something unique.