Fuse.
Caitlin Rose / Lucy Prebble / Fallout: a history
Short Fuse. The only way is Essex. Or is it?
I’m going to the shop... LOL!!! Facebook, text messaging, forums - it’s everywhere. You’ve probably had to explain it to your slightly less techno savvy parents, then maybe had the cringe inducing moment of them attempting to use it to look ‘trendy’ (‘Ok, almost forgot to pick you up LOL love mum xxx’) but really, what does it actually mean? The simple answer is, with a roll of the eyes, ‘It means laugh out loud, obviously’. Okay, but does it? It seems to me that the poor ‘lol’ has entered the English vernacular, struggled, floundered, and been left redundant, littered across the Internet like beer cans at a music festival; empty, carelessly strewn, and frankly just a little rageinducing. It’s happened to us all. You text a friend, asking them to meet you a bit later in town. There comes the reply ‘Ok lol see you there’. Standard reply, maybe, but the point is are they actually laughing? Did they, at that
The Only Way is Essex is a new soap pretending to be a documentary which ITV2 have launched for reasons known only to themselves. I watched it because I am from Essex, and wanted to know how closely they would be sticking with the Essex stereotype. Pretty closely, it seems. It proclaims that “people from London wish they was from Essex.” I’ve never heard anyone from London say this. Despite my low expectations of the
programme, within the first ten minutes I was left confused by a mixture of emotions, ultimately rendering me completely speechless and slightly guilty that I hadn’t already switched it off. First came amused. Every single girl in this programme appears to be modelled on Katie Price. At one point a character gets something called a ‘vajazzle,’ which should not exist but apparently does. Then anger took over. Particular highlights include
the mentioning of several phrases, which people who are not from Essex think that people who are from Essex say. These are: A reference to something called a ‘Brentwood swoon’, as if it were a widely recognised hairstyle. What is that? Nothing. It doesn’t exist. I’ve also never heard any man refer to another man as geezer, or announce they’d like a drink by suggesting everyone goes ‘boozin’.’ If I had never been to Essex, and based the
moment of communication, stand howling with laughter into the screen of their phone, and struggle to type as their hands shook with the delicious comedy of the idea of seeing you later? No. Unless they’re wildly deranged - in which case, I suggest bailing... now - or you’re some kind of hilarious clown, they didn’t. In actual fact, they probably didn’t even smirk, because nothing was actually funny. So, the poor, overused ‘lol’ is abused once more, its purpose for existence ever ignored. The next time, then, that you are trapped in a boring conversation, struggling for something to say, or simply telling your flatmate that you’re going to pick up the bread, and your fingers itch for that little three letter word – stop. For, when it comes down to it, if you aren’t laughing out loud, you just aren’t ‘lol’-ing either. Sophie Allen
entirety of my opinion on the filth and lies this programme promotes, I would believe it to be a county inhabited solely by wealthy, good looking, yet overly preened 20-25-year-olds with vomitinducing accents who spurt nonsense from the moment they wake to the moment they fall into bed with tonights’ stranger. Thankfully, I can confirm that this is not the case. Is this really a “real-life soap,” ITV? I don’t believe you. Picture: Aldo Berrios
Alexandra Coleman
POEM: CRINGE OF LEON
Fuse.
Friday November 5 2010
Kings of Leon started out so good, A top notch first record; Youth and Young Manhood.
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The song ‘Molly’s Chamber’ was a highlight; This little band from Texas were starting to take flight. NME concluded “one of the best albums of the last ten years”; What bigger boost would they need for their careers? Aha Shake Heartbreak offered more of the same, Their southern infused twang put their rivals to shame. Their third album started in a similar vain; When the release of the mesmerising ‘On Call’ came. This album did commercially great, But some felt they’d lost their originality of late. Then there was the clincher that horrified their die hard fans, Only by the Night attracting all the girls with fake tans. ‘Sex is on fire’ was catchy no doubt, But what had happened to their initial seventies clout? They also had several problems on stage, Leaving Reading Festival smashing guitars, and in a rage. They were annoyed that the crowd weren’t singing to their older hits, Well maybe you shouldn’t have sold out then you twits. Come Around Sundown has recently raced to number one, But in all fairness the Kings of Leon don’t seem to be having as much fun. They even cancelled a recent gig because Jared got pooped on by a bird, Some of their old, betrayed fans whispered karma; so I’ve heard. Tommy Handley
Picture: Jade Warren-Street
Short Fuse.
Q&A: The Perfect Crime S
mall towns on the sleepy outskirts of Cambridgeshire are not ordinarily thought of as the home of new progressive rock. However, seeking an antidote to the peace and quiet of the home counties, Adam Morarto, Chris Roberts and Scott Campbell began to experiment with their own brand of guitarled noise, coming together to form The Perfect Crime, who have so far in their burgeoning career received critical acclaim from both Metal Hammer and the holy grail of the genre, Kerrang magazine. Veering towards the more melodic end of the post hardcore scale, and inviting comparisons with Thrice, Thursday and Deftones, the band are currently touring off the back of the successful release of their debut album, Everything Else Can Wait. How would you describe your sound? In a few carefully selected words: Epic, honest, dynamic, powerful. British! What other artists and bands inspire you, past or present? What are you currently listening to? We all listen to so many genres in the band, it’s a real variety. There’s hardcore pop punk influences, ranging right the way to death metal so it’s always so hard to name a few. Some that might stand out to the readers would be Deftones, Thrice, Oceansize, Biffy Clyro, Brand New... How did you meet, and when did you start playing together as a band?
FUSE. Musings
Fuse advises to... never attempt putting in your PIN number when you are drunk. Unprecedented amounts of alcohol lead to memory loss and lack of proper vision - hardly a perfect concoction for trying to function a cash machine. We understand you may need money, but by
inputting your PIN number wrongly numerous times you then lock your account. Rectifying this mistake takes up to a week, so now you’re without money for an even longer period of time. We won’t name the editorial team member in question but we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to recognise his weathered, shameful face begging outside the Union.
random passing spirits. But after six-hours of aimlessly asking if anyone was in the room, nothing was noticed - except the odd smells coming from their pants. One unnamed Fuse editor almost convulsed with fear.
Fuse discovered... that despite all the investment in ghost seeking technology, contact with the spirit world is impossible. Two members of the Fuse team went away for an all night tour of the dingy London Tombs. After learning various ghost hunting techniques they were let off on their own to find dead relatives and
Fuse cannot wait... for Bonfire night. There’s simply
Definitely. It makes you work even harder to get out of the town and show the people around you it can be done with enough hard work. We’re from St Neots, near Cambridge so there’s not a great deal going on. It’s so difficult for new bands and artists anyway, with the industry as it is at the moment, to ‘break through’ and reach a status where you can be well respected at your game. We just hope that with all the time, money, effort and determination we have put in so far this will eventually be something we can relate to in the future. Things seem to be going pretty well at the moment. What is progressive about your style, and how do you aim to stand out from the crowd? I think we’ve learnt over the last year or so that in this day and ages it really is hard to ‘stand out.’ But what we would like to think is that the people that hear us on record or at shows, take us for being a genuine band with no gimmicks and are trying to keep the British sound going strong. We like to think that we have a fresh outlook on the whole genre, and are really starting to define our sound as our own. What can people expect from your live show? Well it’s been a great opportunity to tour with InMe - we would definitely advise you to come down and see us, and decide for yourself! Lizzie Palmer The Perfect Crime are playing at Corporation with InMe on November 18; 7:30pm; £10adv. no other time of the year like it. Not only are there fireworks, the huge bonfires and groups of inebriated friends to hang out with but there is no other night in Sheffield where the fog is thicker. And, of course, there are sparklers. Who can forget them? Because of the fact that Sheffield lies across seven peaks the smoke from the hundreds of bonfires swirls and gathers in the valley. This then floats up to the hilly areas, cloaking the entire city in a shroud of ash. Remember the Icelandic ash cloud? That was merely a starter. Nothing will obscure your vision or make you smell more than a cold night out on the town during the bonfire season.
Fuse.
Fuse found out this week... about a hilarious game called ‘Dave from work.’ The rules are relatively simple. Take your mobile number, change a few digits at the end and then send a
text to that number asking the unsuspecting victim how they are. If you’re lucky the person on the other end replies and hopefully asks who you are. This is where the fun starts as you simply reply: “It’s Dave from work.” See how long you can keep the conversation going. Fuse managed eight replies before awkwardly confessing their real identity.
Did growing up in a small town influence your music?
Friday November 5 2010
We started taking things seriously in the beginning of 2008 when Scott (Campbell, drums) joined the band. We all live within about 10 miles of each other so through friends of friends, eventually we managed to sort out the the line up as it
currently stands.
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Feature.Fallout. With Fallout: New Vegas having just been released, it’s a better time than ever to revisit one of the most important games of all time.
Words: James Wragg
Welcome to the Wasteland Fallout begins in 2161, nearly a century since nuclear war purged the surface of the Earth. The player-character has lived their whole life inside an
Retrofuturism The world of Fallout deviates from ours in that the transistor – the fundamental element which allowed computers to be miniaturised – was not invented until late into the 21st century. As a result, computers remained oversized, using reel-to-reel tape, whilst nuclear power was refined allowing for nuclear fission reactors in cars, robots and suits of armour. This absolute reliance on nuclear technology meant that America never emerged from its 1950s coldwar culture. Fallout’s
future vision is a sick parody of the ‘World of Tomorrow’ envisioned in the comic books and pulp fiction of that age – a wealthy and scientifically progressive society driving itself towards the brink of oblivion with its nuclear fetish. But what is truly gripping about Fallout’s retro-futurism is its complete obliteration. Relics of the past lie rusting, obsolete, wherever you travel; a visual demonstration of the fallibility of even the most utopic human fantasies.
Fuse.
Friday November 5 2010
Consequence
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All of the settlements or locations in Fallout are petering between prosperity and obliteration – life in the Wasteland forbids it from being any other way. This means the player’s actions can make or break a town. Once the game has been beaten, the narrator summarises the future of the Wasteland and the consequences the players’ actions had on its inhabitants. Some places are more alterable than others, and unlike most RPGs it’s incredibly rare to achieve the best outcomes for everyone.
underground Vault, but is forced to leave to find a water chip, essential to the Vault’s survival. Known for its open-ended gameplay and unforgiving
nature, Fallout is one of the most revered PC games. Below, we explore some of the game’s themes.
Moral ambiguity
Dark humour
A sense of moral ambiguity permeates every element of Fallout’s design. Whilst the majority of roleplaying games present a clear choice between good and evil, Fallout understands that in reality nothing is never so clear cut – and as the Fallout 2 manual states, “doing a good thing sometimes means being a very bad person”. In Adytum, for instance, mayor Jon Zimmerman asks the player to assassinate a leader of a local survivalist group – the
Despite the bleakness of the wasteland, Fallout is a game filled with humorous dialogue and references. The most profound use of humour is also the game’s most obvious – the grinning Vault Boy. Illustrating every stat and perk in the game he guides the player with a bitter irony, as he embodies the warmongering nature of humanity in a jovial, patronising facade. Vault Boy is the perfect mascot for a form of entertainment as bloody and brutal as Fallout. But the game’s
Blades – who killed his son. Performing the deed will net the player a great deal of money, but choosing to instead investigate the matter will reveal that it was Zimmerman’s own security force who killed his son in order to antagonise the Blades. Siding with Zimmerman results in the death of numerous Blades members; siding with the Blades causes Zimmerman’s death at the hands of his own security force. Neither scenario is preferable, but sometimes that’s just the way things are.
A Bloody Mess Fallout has long been known for its gruesome combat both the player and their enemies can be subject to critical strikes which can maim, dismember or worse. This brutality not only reflects the all-or-nothing
Minigun. Fires 5mm bullets at a spine-splitting 60,000 RPM. Rocket Launcher. Explosive rockets are not good for the skin. Plasma Rifle. A lucky shot could render a target into jelly.
harshness of postapocalyptic life, but relishes the exaggerated violence that video games came to represent in the ‘90s. Here are some of the most brutal ways to kill in Fallout:
humour is evident in every facet of Fallout’s gameplay, from the gruesome way that an enemy can literally explode from the waist up due to a shotgun blast, to the naming of a sadistic doctor who butchers his patients as ‘Doc Morbid’. Characters with high ‘luck’ attributes can even stumble upon rare pop-culture references. A crashed UFO can be found, containing a painting of Elvis; whilst a mysterious blue police box can be glimpsed fading into nothingness.
Interview.Lucy Prebble
The secret diary of a playwright Playwright, screenwriter and University of Sheffield graduate Lucy Prebble reveals all in an interview Words: Alexandra Rucki
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heffield alumna Lucy Prebble has gone on to accomplish the desire of umpteen arts graduates - pursuing a career as a writer after finishing her English Literature degree eight years ago. Whilst juggling her studies and penning plays that were performed at the University’s drama studio, Lucy was already winning awards for her earlier works including a most promising playwright award for debut play Liquid.
inspiration in real events, but then might work something fictional out of that. “Reality is often stranger than what I could come up with. It’s always a solid and intriguing basis from which to jump off.” Enron received critical acclaim from audiences in the U.K, but flopped when it was staged in Broadway. Lucy is honest as to why she believes things did not pan out as expected on Broadway. “It’s a play really rather than a musical and I suspect that was one of the issues, but also I think Broadway perceived it as an attack on American capitalism by a Brit and that was never really going to be welcome,” she explains. Not limiting herself to writing just for the stage, Lucy wrote the screenplay for three series of Secret Diary of a Call Girl starring Billie Piper shown on ITV and Showtime in the U.S.A. “I met dominatrices, street workers, courtesans, punters, BBW escorts, sex party organisers and attendees, flat girls, escort couples and straight down the line prostitutes,” reveals Lucy. “We spent many a day in underground, private, airless offices meeting women who rarely talk to anyone about what they do about the most specific details of their working lives. It is as wideranging and unclassifiable a world as one can imagine.”
“Not being a dick gets you work”
Ironically, it was revealed last year that the previously anonymous author of Secret Diary of a Call Girl was also a Sheffield graduate – PhD student Dr Brooke Magnanti who first took to the sex trade whilst studying at the University. Lucy and Dr Magnanti were both studying in Sheffield at the same time, how did she react on discovering she was so closely connected to the basis of her screenplay? “I wondered if I was
actually Belle de Jour and had been fabricating the whole thing in a sort of ‘the detective’s really the killer!’ sort of a way,” she says. “Then I dismissed that and just thought; well, I never.” There has been a surge of media interest in Lucy recently, with newspapers like The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph trying to establish an emerging trend for young female playwrights, collating her in a group with writers such as Polly Stenham and Alia
Bano. Lucy is dismissive of this theory, “The media have enjoyed speculating on it and it makes perfect sense that the daughters of the generation born post-war would be making in-roads in this way now. “Feminism is a shockingly recent concept. But I think a trend is really just about the papers deciding to point it out. “There are few articles about the trend for white male writers, even though it’s been raging for a number
of years now.” Lucy acknowledges that the life lessons she learnt at university were more vital to her career than her actual degree. “I would never dissuade anyone from going to university. I think it’s an invaluable time for discovering friends and working out who you are. “But I think looking back I would rather have done something other than English. “Your first instinct towards a piece of writing becomes
Picture: Robert Fuller academic, and that’s quite unpleasant and joyless.” Keen to influence the next generation of writers, Lucy offers her experience to those who also want to fulfil the dream and get into writing. “Be kind to people. Because the quiet student who hides at the back of your drama seminar may turn out to run British theatre in twenty years time.” “Remember the quality of your writing gets you attention, but not being a dick gets you work.”
Fuse.
“I wondered if I was actually Belle de Jour”
Friday November 5 2010
She muses on her time in Sheffield, remembering fondly The West End pub and friends that encouraged her to give writing for the stage a go. “It was without a doubt the group of friends I made on my course who inspired me to have a go at writing. “We used to drink all day in a pub called The West End, my friend Emma gave me the best advice I ever got from anyone in the toilets there. “She said, you need to write more and you need to write deeper. She’s still right.” It was during a drinking session in the pub where Lucy first envisaged the idea for Enron, which went on to be a hit and is currently on tour in the U.K. The musical explores the collapse of the American energy giant and the scandal that ensued, although Lucy insists she did not anticipate the event to foreshadow things to come for the economy. “I had no expectation of the financial crises, but I was surprised by how little had changed post-Enron, so there was always the possibility of it happening on a larger scale. It is not often real life events and big businesses are used as the basis for theatre, but the writer tries to tread the road-not-taken in her work. “I often find initial
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Interview. David Cooke
Highly Classified Information This man has featured in more films over the past five years than any other person and he’s not even an actor. But who is the man behind the signature? Words: Ashley Scrace
Fuse.
Friday November 5 2010
I
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t’s an unforgiving Monday in October. The rain rattles against the windows and the wind howls like some otherworldly wolf. Rushing to make time, I finally get to a telephone. Up comes the receiver, a sticky plastic symbol of communication. Desperately dialling the number I’m conscious the allotted time is ticking away. The phone rings. A man answers in a relaxed, low tone. Frantically apologising for my lateness, the man simply comforts me: “Don’t worry at all. Good morning. It’s nice to speak with you.” Sitting on the other end of the line – in what I imagine to be a spacious, minimalist office peppered with piles of scattered papers and pot plants – is David Cooke, Director of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). Everyone recognises the black placard at the start of a film, the one which merely states the title of the movie, the rating it has received and the signatures of those who classified it. Cooke is one of them, below President Sir Quentin Thomas. Appointed in September 2004, Cooke and his small team have been responsible for overseeing the ratings of nearly 72,000 films in the last six-years. Around 12,000 titles a year pass their developed square eyes, each title needing the utmost scrutiny and analysis so that they receive proper classification.
“Of course I don’t watch every film,” says Cooke. “That fact is no secret as it would be impossible. My name goes on every film but there are many I have never seen.
“There are public guidelines we must stick to and these rules have been
determined by public opinion at that time. So we are rating films based
“We reject three or four titles a year.When you set that against 12,000 it’s a very small proportion”
“I’m a big fan of European arthouse films but also of silly films” Despite the long hours, tough decisions and regular media pressure, Cooke says there really is “no better job in the world.” It turns out his harshest critics are actually a little closer to home. “I don’t have any children so sometimes it’s hard to get into a child’s frame of mind when viewing children’s films. But sometimes I use my nieces as surrogates for viewing kid’s films. They’re always ready to give their opinion.”
Fuse.
on what the public think is acceptable to encourage an open film system. “This inevitably causes some issues but it’s very rare that everyone gets offended by the same film and, if they did, then we may have to reconsider.” There is a certain amount of pressure on the shoulders of the BBFC as it is their decisions which determine the audiences to all films in the UK. With no two films carrying the same content there’s often a lot of thought involved in the classification process. “Some of the decisions when we’re classifying a film are very simple but some are very difficult. There may be legal issues or issues of extreme material, like sexual violence,” Cooke says. You only have to look at the recent debate over the popular The Killer Inside Me. “It did contain some really harrowing scenes of sexual
Friday November 5 2010
“Luckily I do have a trusted team of examiners who reliably help with the work and they do forward films which I should see personally.” Now 54-years-old, Cooke first became interested in film during university. While film was not his immediate career, he has been involved with sectors touching on broadcast regulation for some time. It was only when there was an advert in a newspaper for a “senior BBFC position” that he decided it was time for a change. “I just saw the ad in the paper and thought ‘Well why not?’ So I applied and it was a long interview process spanning over three or four sessions. Only after that did I get the job.” Since then Cooke and his team have been responsible for classifying some of the most controversial films ever made from slasher horrors like the Saw series to extremely detailed pornographic titles, such as Michael Winterbottom’s infamous Nine Songs. “It is a very satisfying job in many ways but it does have its less desirable aspects, like being caught in the crossfire over various issues. There have been some films which created huge public debate”, he says.
violence and it generated a huge debate. But we think we made the right decision giving that film the 18 certificate as the scenes were in context. “We have a presumption that people watching films at the highest certificate can differentiate between reality and fantasy and I think it was obviously fantasy in that particular film.” What about films which blur this line? Well despite media debates of dumbingdown and desensitisation there are very few films which are deemed harmful. “On the whole we reject maybe three or four titles a year. When you set that against 12,000 it’s a very small portion. Even then they’re usually rejected because of legal issues not because they cause any harm. “In terms of the slasher films you have a pretty good idea what you’re going to see and they are quite intricate pieces of fiction. Viewers know the world is not like the film.” As a central figure in the UK film industry, impartiality is key. But David, like everyone else, has his preferences – even if they weren’t quite what I’d assume them to be. “I’m a very big fan of European arthouse films but also of silly films. I’m a big fan of the Big Lebowski as I can watch it times over and it still amuses me. “Blazing Saddles has the same effect. There are just some films you can watch over and over again but it’s hard to find a film like that.” Yet despite seeing many titles from the comfort of his office Cooke thinks cinema still has a place in his life, especially when it involves spending time with his wife, Kate. “I think it’s good that my wife and I and still go to the cinema and enjoy a film. It’s never awkward and we don’t argue over my ratings on films on anything like that. “The only problem is trying to work out the films I have seen and the films she has seen and coming to a decision on what to watch.”
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Interview.Caitlin Rose.
Songs of the south Nashville-born Caitlin Rose discusses peacocks, whiskey and the beauty of country music
Fuse.
Friday November 5 2010
Words and Art: Lizzie Palmer
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to sing that song. And thankfully they do, and I really, really like that.” Her own drink is, fittingly, “a Jameson’s on the rocks, with water.”
record than anything, which is kind of admitting my own rip-offs. I don’t know what I’d call myself. I mean, coming from Nashville, you’re automatically pegged as a country artist.” Rose is returning to the UK this month for a handful of shows. “I really love it there, I love London - it’s a great city. In fact, I was so miserable here for the first week I was back that I wanted to move there.” Rose is part of the new wave of young American artists returning to a traditional, folk-inspired style of music making. Her songs are honest and autobiographical, and she strums her acoustic guitar like a folk veteran. Once home to the legend that is Elvis Presley, the state of Tennesse’s reputation as an exporter of musical greatness shows no signs of diminishing.
“I don’t think country is my final frontier” The future for Rose is shining, and she is keen not to let her music stagnate as she grows as an artist, looking beyond debut album Own Side Now. “I don’t think country is my final frontier. I really enjoy it, and it’s a huge source of inspiration, but it’s definitely not my only thing. I think what’s so strange is that I do feel like I’m heavily influenced by country music, but I don’t see the music that I make as being all that country.” “I think this record was more like a seventies pop
C
aitlin Rose represents the new sound of traditional America. After seeing her perform at this year’s End of the Road Festival, surrounded by fairy lights in the midst of the September chill, it was clear to see that she possessed something quite exquisite.
“I love anyone who’s ever written a good song”
“Drinking songs have always had a place in America, ‘cause everybody’s sad and drunk” Something particularly close to Rose’s heart is the idea of the drinking song. Her own ode to alcohol, ‘Answer in One of These Bottles’ has stirred many an audience with its rousing chorus, ending in the line “So I’m gonna drink until I forget the question.” It is certainly well known that drinking songs are one of the cornerstones of British, and particularly Irish folk music - and they cross the transatlantic divide perfectly.
“I really like the idea of the Irish pub culture,” says Rose. “I don’t know how big drinking songs are over here, but in mainstream country they’re pretty big, and they do get pretty awful. They’ve always sort of been around. I think drinking songs have always had a place in America, ‘cause everybody’s sad and drunk.” “One of my favourite things about doing UK shows, is that it’s the only time anybody makes any noise – when I get them
Fuse.
Hailing from Nashville, home to a number of successful country musicians, she follows in the footsteps of Johnny Cash. But with Rose, there is a certain bourbon-soaked edginess, which sets her apart. At 23, she is both original and timeless, as, drink in hand, she casts her charming spell from behind a heavy fringe. Certainly at home among the picturesque Dorset gardens which form the backdrop to End of the Road, one can’t help but notice that there is more to her than the typical southern belle. “That was a great festival,” Rose says of the Dorset bash. “I liked the peacocks. I actually saw one get into a fight with itself. It was standing in front of this mirror for like two hours, just looking at itself.” “And all of a sudden it started making these threatening noises - it was sort of growling at itself in
country music collection? “It’s a very polarising style. I guess all of this kind of music is influenced by everything that’s come before it. I don’t really see myself solely as country; I don’t really see myself as anything. I do enjoy it and I’m influenced by all of it, it’s a great form of music. In particular I love Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn… I love anyone who’s ever written a good song.” Rose keeps her musical inspiration close to home. “I definitely write a lot of songs about Nashville, just because I love to write songs about myself. Well, myself and people I’ve never met. I like story songs, too.” Did she have an idyllic, Little House on the Prairieesque childhood? “I don’t know what idyllic means for most people. I definitely had a good childhood. I enjoyed it, but I don’t really remember much of it. I’m not totally screwed up, so I’m assuming it was ok.”
Friday November 5 2010
the mirror, ‘cause it thought it was another peacock. It kept staring for a while and then just attacked itself in the mirror.” “We were all laughing because we thought it was hysterical, but then we saw some blood. I hope it’s ok.” The British music scene is embracing a traditional, all-American sound. Shadily-lit Blues venues across the country are packed to the rafters on Friday and Saturday nights, providing a place for those who enjoy a Kentucky dram to soak in the atmosphere of its home environment. Another End of the Road act which fit this bill, The Felice Brothers, are a country rock band from the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York, who have among their repertoire a song entitled ‘Whiskey in My Whiskey.’ O f t e n ambiguously categorised as ‘Americana,’ this style typifies pure, traditional, starred and striped brilliance coming from new, banjow i e l d i n g A m e r i c a n bands. “They have a serious attitude, The Felice Brothers. Those guys are cool,” says Rose. “They made me nervous, they were so cool. The one on the accordion - doesn’t he rap sometimes? That was one of my favourite shows at the festival. Well, Deer Tick was my favourite show, and then The Felice Brothers were a close second. Moving on from the subject of peacock festivals, where does Rose turn for musical nourishment? And what are the stalwarts of her
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Reviews.Music releases. the wanted The Wanted Polydor
4/10 When people complain about what’s wrong with the music industry today, they often point at the vapid, bland and easily forgettable ditties littering the charts. And yes, The Wanted, we’re looking at you. It was bad enough when ‘All Time Low’ topped the charts, but now ‘Heart Vacancy’ has also joined the fray, with its tedious beats and inane chorus, which seems to be made up almost completely from the line “In your heart,” repeated over and over. There are redeeming moments, but they are few and far between in this 13-track monster. ‘Lose My Mind’ has an intro and guitar riffs reminiscent of Kings of Leon, but the trashy lyrics are truly awful: “If heartache
THE THERMALS Personal Life Kill Rock Stars
7/10 The fifth full length offering from The Thermals offers an unmistakably well crafted brand of post-punk. Three piece outfits often over complicate instrumental parts in an effort to compensate for that missing member, to the detriment of the listener. Not so here. It’s all about the pictures being painted by the band as a unit, rather than any individual instances of egomania. Despite being slightly stuck at a single, repetitive pace, potentially a turnoff for anyone who is not
Fuse.
Friday November 5 2010
Singles.
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A few well known, and dare I say well loved bands are set to bring their latest singles to the table in November. My Chemical Romance are treating us to a magnificent comeback, with, to give it its full title ‘Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na).’ That’s right, thirteen repetitions of the lazy lyricist’s favourite letter combination. However, to give credit where credit is due, Gerard Way and company are back to doing what they know best. Not pure, unadulterated emo (they abandoned that village several years ago) but camp pop/rock for the 13 to 16-year-old demographic to jump up and down to. Epileptics are advised to steer well clear of the video. New track from Florence and the Machine is slightly darker than her usual fare, featuring the lyrics “He took me to the river / Where he slowly let me drown.” Her soulful voice is powerful as ever, but this latest single lacks the hook,
already a fan of slightly angsty minimalist post punk, Personal Life is, nevertheless, pretty tonally diverse. ‘I’m Gonna Change Your Life’ opens proceedings with the confident, nay even arrogant implication that an opening track can get away with being lyrically clichéd. And you know what? It nearly does just this courtesy of Hutch Harris’ confident vocal delivery and grungy strumming. ‘I Don’t Believe You’ is one of the album’s several sub-three minute nods to the first wave punk movement. Closing one’s eyes at this point could see you transported back to a 1977 Buzzcocks gig. The last thing to expect after hearing a couple of songs is a sly trick or two. and immediate appeal of those which have brought her huge chart success in the past. Having said that, it is featured on the latest Twilight soundtrack. Now on to a new band, who ironically sound like they are from the Kraftwerk era. ‘Cecile’, the debut single from London-based DIY band Live Like Lions, is nothing more than standard, beat-heavy electro pop. Recorded in their own home studio, it is not an immediate floor-filler, but a proud first offering. Lizzie Palmer
Read more singles reviews online www.forgetoday.com
The much longer ‘Only For You’ departs from any notion of Lydon-esque vitriol into a more melodic and melancholic expression of destructive love. On reaching the eighth track, ‘Your Love Is So Strong,’ a fear of ruining the album with another thumping cliché is matched only by relief at its turning out to be Personal Life’s standout moment. A sharply bitter, sarcastic song, it is embodied by the lyric, “Your love is the seed / It’s the progress I need to be deceived.” Change your life it probably won’t, but you can tell The Thermals bloody well mean every note. And there’s something to be said for that. Alex Burgess
WE ARE ANIMAL Idolise Art Union
7/10 We Are Animal take a nononsense, DIY approach to recording. You might expect that shying away from the studio (because they can’t afford to use one) and instead recording on their own Boss Digital 8 Track, in whatever space they can find, would result in a seriously under-produced, amateur sounding album. Well, you’d be wrong. Hailing from the foothills of Mount Snowdon, the Welsh alternative rockers’ debut album, Idolise, is a dark and brooding first release. The LP opens with the brutal lead single ‘1268’ - initially it’s all driving guitars and cowbells, but they soon give way to creative drum breaks and digital synths. This album compellingly plays around with the boundaries of popular
Elton john & leon russell The Union Mercury
8/10
It is a fair bet that of the two names attached to The Union, you’ll know the first, Elton John, but not the second, Leon Russell. This, perhaps, is exactly music yet it rarely feels like it’s too experimental to be accessible. The synth, on occasion, will take an unexpected lead or solo, on some tracks the guitars or drums will become interestingly disjointed, and on ‘Unfold/Fold’ a single vocal line becomes rhythmically integral. Idolise has been creatively produced. As well as experimenting musically, the band also play with the limited technology, at times to great effect. ‘Black Magic’ especially, makes clever use of double tracking the vocals, to create an ultimately sinister sound. ‘Feeding off the Energy’ is a high point. Verses gain momentum, layering distorted guitars, potent beats and intermittent lead riffs which culminate in the energetic, crowd friendly choruses. ‘Clean Up and Run’ also stands high. A fuller, warmer sound than other tracks on the album, it provides a much needed rest from the stripped back music heard earlier, which after a while does get slightly tiresome. We Are Animal’s music
was a physical pain / I could face it / But you’re hurting me / From inside of my head / I can’t take it.” Ouch. ‘Hi & Low’ is similarly painful to listen to. A church chorus could have done more with this forgettable ballad, and they wouldn’t have included the abhorrent, Americanised lyrics, “I’m gonna see some friends / From outta state.” Really? There was me thinking The Wanted were from London. ‘Golden’ is slightly more ambitious, with better lyrics, but the falsely high vocals in the chorus are laughable,
and another forgettable track it turns out to be. About those redeeming moments – ‘Let’s Get Ugly’ is a genuinely good song, and it’s a shame it wasn’t picked for the band’s second single. Its sample of music from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is clever, and it has a slick overall sound. A further unexpected highlight is closer ‘A Good Day For Love To Die’ – if you can get past the emo title. It’s just a shame about the rest of the album.
why John proposed the collaboration - to bring his idol back into the spotlight. In the album’s linear notes, John writes very fondly of Russell’s influence on his early music, particularly his second and third LPs. The spirit of these early albums is clearly present on the new record, thanks to Russell’s presence, and the result is arguably the most consistent and cohesive record that John has released since his 1970s heyday. The album begins with a song by Russell alone, ‘If It Wasn’t for Bad,’ perfectly setting the mood for what is to follow. Russell’s piano is prominent here, as he and John share vocals. From here, the album progresses smoothly through up-tempo rockers like ‘Hey Ahab’, to slower, more heartfelt ballads such
as the exceptional ‘Gone to Shiloh’ (featuring Neil Young) and the moving ‘You’re Never Too Old’. Indeed, John and Russell prove over the course of these sixteen songs that you really never are too old. At age 63, John’s voice has deepened significantly from the days of ‘Crocodile Rock’, but his rougher, more soulful tone fits perfectly the ‘roots rock’ sound that he and Russell aim for here. The result is a rougharound-the-edges gospel celebration, featuring two great veteran musicians. In short, The Union is a cohesive, soulful new record, marking both Elton John’s return tothe gospelinfluenced music of his earliest years, and Leon Russell’s triumphant return to prominence. Colby Smith
sits comfortably outside any easy classification allowing them to experiment. Despite not having access to a recording studio, it is safe to
say that the band’s first full length record is an inspired offering.
Coral Williamson
Sam Bolton
Reviews.Live music. HEXA
The Harley Thursday October 28 As the New Yorkers take to the stage, it is clear that HEXA instantly possess what many bands these days seem to omit, a bit of cheer. It’s also clear, however, that this band have toppled happily from the top of the indie tree and hit every ensuing branch on the way down. Of course, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the respectably sized audience in attendance instantly lap up their hosts’ shamelessly indie swagger and likeable demeanour. With an on-stage energy that could only have been gained through lines of sherbet, the two female vocalists could well be mistaken for a pair of slightly more sugary Stevie Nicks’. Which obviously takes us to their uncanny resemblance to Fleetwood Mac. The inspiration is self evident with the mixed gender lead vocals, and emphasis on guitars. Sadly there is no ‘The Chain’ in the set list, but you’d have forgiven HEXA for trying. Libertines comparisons also become apparent at this point, which is peculiar for a group from the east coast of America, but of course given tonight’s audience, that is perhaps the biggest compliment you could give them. A number of the songs in the band’s set list are surprisingly brief, to the point where you feel disappointed that the band are selling their songs short. However, this isn’t to say that their songs are by any means a let down. Just about all of the songs, despite brevity,
are infectiously upbeat and catchy. It definitely is refreshing to see a band who aren’t scared or ashamed of indie-popping themselves into oblivion. You will rarely see a band enjoying themselves on stage so much, and of course this only rubs off on the enthused audience. HEXA are refreshing, in just about every sense of the word. And whilst their unadulterated brand of indie may avert some listeners, those who fancy a dance and shuffle will most certainly feel at home. Tom Fletcher
THE HOSTS + SILENT FILM PROJECT
SOYO Monday October 25 There is a fairly relaxed mood in SOYO as the crowd start to arrive. Some of the bands are still sound checking; the 30 second bursts of song luring passers-by off the street, there are flight cases and instruments spread through the intimate venue and an artist is working quietly near the entrance. The Sheffield showcase opens with Fallen Trees whose intense, strippedback rock kick-starts the night. In keeping with the laidback feel, Silent Film Project then take to the stage a little later than billed, not that anyone noticed. It wasn’t long before their tightly honed indie pop had engrossed the audience; even the few tables of disinterested people having cocktails at the back of the room turned their heads for
the energetic quintet. Thanks to successfully combining simple vocal harmonies and interesting melodies with skinny jeans and boat shoes, Silent Film Project’s upbeat set was met by deserved applause, as they made room on stage for the headliners. A huge shift in the atmosphere marked the (aptly named) Hosts’ entrance on to the stage. They musically juxtaposed the optimistic pop that had preceded them, with sombre and dramatic rock. A few lines into an early track they stopped. Something about their performance, to them, ‘felt’ wrong, even though we couldn’t hear it. They collected themselves and after a brief pause fiddling with equipment, restarted. Moments like this showed just how seriously these guys take their music. Largely, The Hosts music was reserved and pensive, but they had the diehard fans singing along when they performed the anthemic ‘Wake Up’. Although there was a slight sense of an ‘open-mic’ night at SOYO, particularly early on, the calibre of the bands, most notably our headliners, proved that this was no amateur night. Sam Bolton Kye Sones and his band entertain the Live Wire crowd. Picture: Marek Allen
DIAGRAM OF THE HEART
Foundry Thursday October 28 Despite their slightly pretentious name, London’s Diagram of the Heart are anything but. They have confidence as they belt out a familiar, yet seemingly fresh sound,
with a double-tiered synth providing the centrepiece. As they launch into their latest single, ‘Did I’, the swirling synth is layered beneath haunting, lyrical tones that work up to the climactic chorus: “Did I push you away / Just because I needed space / Did I Did I.” Echoes of ’80s pop bring
to mind the likes of Duran Duran and Tears for Fears. Lead singer Kye Sones’ vocal style is incredibly reminiscent of the legendary Howard Jones, yet he looks remarkably similar to the Steps band member known as ‘H.’ Is there something he’s not telling us? After this enjoyable gig,
BEARSUIT + BLOOD ORANGES
Friday October 29
to be an adult babygro. With the crowd, tightly crammed into the dark, atmospheric live room of the pub, Bearsuit were in their element. Highlights included ‘Foxy Boxer’, keyboardist Lisa Horton’s powerful, shouted vocals piercing the air: “Don’t underestimate the power of a punch from a foxy boxer.” Pressed for time, the band powered through new songs ‘Trainwreck’ and ‘Princess You’re a Test.’ There was not much of an opportunity to chat between songs, as determined as they were to showcase as much of their music as possible. Current single, ‘Please Don’t Take Him Back’ began to wrap up the show with its catchy chorus, along with more delighted shouting from all vocalists. “This is our encore! Quickly!” announced Horton, as the band pounded through another couple. Despite shouts for more, they had already exceeded their time limit by ten minutes. What is clear from this raucous show, is that Bearsuit certainly know how to show fans a good time. Lizzie Palmer
Fuse.
Pre-Hallowe’en fun with Bearsuit at The Red House. Picture: Lizzie Palmer
Since their entrance on to the music scene in 2001, Norwich-based Bearsuit have always fallen slightly below the radar. However, this underrated band put on a live performance that is as energetic and surprising, as it is slick and professional. What is particularly refreshing about the band, is that they all seem like completely normal people. There is no indie pretentiousness and no tiresome, try-hard attitude. They are in their business to have a good time, not to be interviewed in Vice. Blood Oranges provide a solid, enjoyable support set. In-keeping with the Hallowe’en theme of the evening, the Leeds fourpiece made an admirable costume effort. Thrown into the mix were a skeleton, a pirate, and bassist Sarah Bell wearing what seemed
Will Brotherton
Friday November 5 2010
The Red House
it is clear that Diagram of the Heart are talented indie pop purveyors, if nothing particularly new. However, they seem to be attempting to squeeze into a gap in the musical market that is already somewhat full.
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Reviews.Screen.
MARY AND MAX
Dir: Adam Elliot
9/10 Animated films tend to be noted for their lighthearted subject matter, vivid colouring and uplifting storylines. Breaking these idealistic trends, Adam Elliot’s darkly comic stop-motion drama spans generations, genders
and even the Pacific, in order to tackle troubling and often adult material through the eyes of two charmingly innocent characters. The result is a moving, thoughtprovoking journey that signals an innovative use of animation. Mary and Max has everything that makes for absorbing viewing: characters we can invest emotion in, evocative yet plausible plot, and meticulous attention to detail. The laborious lengths to which the film’s
animators go is as inspiring as its subject content. Through grotesque caricature, Elliot highlights injustices in social convention, and compels his audience to connect emotionally with clay figures on an inconceivably profound level. Timid eight-year old Mary Dinkle is presented in the suburbs of Melbourne, subsisting in the estranging environment of her dysfunctional family. Haunted by her birth mark (described as “the
colour of poo”) she views her surroundings in sepia, only finding solace in her favourite television programme, The Knoblets, whose characters all seem to have ‘oodles of friends’. Max Horowitz is an overweight Jewish-cumatheist New Yorker who lives with his imaginary friend Mr. Ravioli, and pet goldfish Henry. Like Mary, he absorbs himself in the world of The Knoblets. Unlike her, he does so for its ‘delineated and articulated social
structure with constant adherent conformity’. His three aims in life are: a friend (not imaginary), Noblets, and chocolate. Living with Asperger’s Syndrome, Max sees his world in black and white, unable to understand why people violate the clearcut boundaries between right and wrong and how being honest can ever be ‘improper’. In an unlikely series of events, the pair strike up a correspondence. Through their communication Max struggles to make sense of the chaos surrounding him, resulting in a moving depiction of the challenges he must suffer whenever he leaves the safety of his orderly apartment. The letters from his pen
a town called panic Dir: Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar
Fuse.
Friday November 5 2010
8/10
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There seems to have been something of a renaissance in alternative animation recently - Belleville rendezvous, Mary and Max and Robot Chicken just to name a few examples. A Town Called Panic is probably best compared to the ever-brilliant Wallace and Gromit series. However whilst Wallace and Gromit is the film equivalent of a quiet cup of tea at your nan’s house, this is more like the last shot of Corp vodka consumed before sticking your head down the toilet for a few hours - and I mean that in the very best way possible. This loony picture comes from puppetoon
directors Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar who are responsible for the “milk matters” Cravendale adverts, and A Town Called Panic is presented in the same madcap, scuttling
style. The film follows the adventures of a horse, cowboy and an Indian (appropriately enough called Horse, Cowboy and Indian) as they attempt to
Round up: Celluloid screams horror festival The Showroom
Boasting a brand new selection of horror films and shorts, Sheffield’s Showroom Cinema’s second annual Celluloid Screams horrorfest wrapped up an interesting October film season. The evening started with student-made Israeli
get their walls back. If that sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is. But trying to explain the plot is mostly pointless partly because it makes little to no sense (a giant penguin
robot firing snowballs at random animals? No, me neither) but also because the plot is not what matters here. In fact it is almost entirely sacrificed in favour of
short film When it Will Be Silent. The eerie, postapocalyptic scenes, filmed in the demilitarised zone in Jordan, reflect similarities to last year’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road in its desolation and the subdued colour palette. Mexican film We Are What We Are, although very different in tone, continued this theme of moody cinematography, dark and dusky hues, and general sense of unease. In the opening scene, a man collapses and dies at a shopping mall. For the rest of the film we follow how the family he left behind cope in his absence.
But the plot is not quite that straightforward. These people are cannibals now forced to fend for themselves in going out to claim their prey. The balance of wellplayed comedy, unsettling characterisation and imagery made it a captivating watch. The next session kicked off with Argentinean short Deus Irae (or God of Wrath). It takes the well-loved horror staple of an exorcism but turns it into something rather less conventional, throwing at it plenty of blood, violence and B-movie kitsch. Very promising. Last up was the world
friend trigger anxieties that skew his world into asymmetry, but also offer him the hope of friendship with a real person. Slowly, and as their correspondence continues, Mary’s influence injects splashes of vivid red into Max’s previously monochromatic surroundings. But will these spots of colour prove too inconsistent with his structured life? A concoction of humour, human suffering and bizarrely extravagant characters all come together to invest this creation with commendable richness. Elliot skilfully imbues witty observation with poignancy, creating the bittersweet aftertaste that characterises his presentation of Max’s Asperger’s Syndrome Mary and Max is a moving illustration of a search for friendship, in the pessimistic setting of societies where hegemony ostracises social misfits. It is the unadulterated selflessness of both characters that eventually overrides this cynicism, inducing a sense of hope that is inspirational, and forming a conclusion that is profoundly touching. Emily Shackley
moments of pure comedythat is, not complex, satirical, or crass comedy, but just pure silliness. And this is why the film works so well. It offers a refreshing break from the majority of animated comedies which often seem to try way too hard to be edgy and adult (Family Guy and South Park being the best examples) or can be overly serious and dependent on having some sort of “message” (as in most Pixar films at points). However it is not without its faults. A Town Called Panic can feel a little cold at times owing to the lack of character development, but the film’s brief running time of 75 minutes does not allow for this to ever really become much of an issue. Overall it is a highly original and innovative work, as well as being hilarious and of course, completely bat-shit mental. James Bollington premiere of Christos Petropoulos’ Subconscious, a ‘reality’/‘found footage’ film in the vein of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. The protagonist, Fanis (Fanis Katrivesis) has the same strange dream night after night. He is in a forest and always ends up at a makeshift religious shrine. He decides to film his quest for answers. Sadly, for this semiimprovised film, the microbudget of €5000 shows. But overall the whole selection provided a welcome insight into some scares of the future. Kiri Little
Reviews.Games. Fallout: New VEgas PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
PC
9/10
9/10 only obtained every other level now. Turning on the new ‘hardcore mode’ further bumps up the difficulty, as not only does the player require food and drink to stay in peak condition but ammunition now has weight – meaning you can no longer cart around 4,000 energy cells, 50 missiles and eight mini-nukes unhindered. Such tweaks force you to streamline your character with a small number of key skills and weapons rather than slowly building a jackof-all-trades superhuman. Considering Obsidian’s experience with the series and the competent dialogue in Alpha Protocol (their last game), much was expected of the writing in Fallout: New Vegas. Unfortunately, no improvement over the drab script of Fallout 3 is immediately noticeable, with the inhabitants of the Wasteland still speaking in well-enunciated American accents and colloquialisms despite over 200 years of near-anarchy. Where the writing really comes into its own, however, is when the broader picture is considered. The settlements in New Vegas are not
contained within their own bubbles but irrevocably linked with the wider community, with the tug of war between the NCR, the Legion and the Vegas strip being a constant concern wherever you go. What’s more, the player truly has the ability to mould the outcomes of these conflicts, adding an extra sense of weight and reward to the quests you undertake. The main drawbacks with New Vegas are technical. For a start, the game still uses the ageing Gamebryo engine which was heavily criticised even when Oblivion was released in 2006. Expect to see your fair share of glitches, crashes and the ever-present feeling of uncanny-valley whenever talking to anyone. But Fallout: New Vegas remains a breathtaking creative achievement. In addition to being a simply more balanced and rewarding game, it portrays a bleaker wasteland, punctuated with the series’ dark humour. The Mojave is a tangibly malleable place torn between factions who are both interesting and engrossing. Make no mistake, New Vegas will grip you to the end.
In Amnesia: The Dark Descent, a first-person horror-adventurer from the indie developers Frictional Games, you find yourself trapped in the grandest of Prussian castles as Daniel - a man in the dark both literally and metaphorically. Suffering from amnesia, you have no idea what evils have gone on inside these walls, but thankfully your forward-thinking former self leaves a note for you with your ultimate objective: to journey deep into the Castle and murder your host, the mysterious and elusive Alexander of Brennenburg. As you play through Amnesia you slowly piece together the intriguing story of how you came to inhabit Brennenburg, and uncover the horrors prior to and during your stay via diary entries scattered around the castle and chilling flashbacks. The castle itself is a hostile setting in every sense; collapsing around you, it is slowly being overgrown by hideous fleshy tumours and more often than not is shrouded in darkness. Not to mention that you share this residence with Pan’s Labyrinth-esque monsters that stalks the halls. Your character is never provided with a weapon to deal with these monsters, meaning that upon every encounter with one the agenda is always run, hide, and hope to god that he doesn’t investigate this darkened corner or open this cupboard door. This suggests that like in the Thief series, darkness is your best friend – not so, since spending too much time in the dark (along with experiencing shocking events and seeing monsters) rapidly decreases your sanity level, greatly distorting your vision and making it harder to progress. So the player is forced to strike a balance between his sanity and maintaining shade as he chooses to use his ammunition of tinderboxes on the castle’s torches and candles.
Xbox Live Arcade, Playstation Network
9/10 Super Meat Boy is a return to the classic platformer and even though the gameplay is just running and jumping, it’s fun, addictive and painfully hard. You play as Super Meat Boy himself and you spend the entire game trying to rescue your lover - Bandage Girl - from
a foetus. Yes that’s right, the games boss is an evil premature baby. While you can only perform two moves the game constantly puts obstacles in your path, the amount of times I have been at the end
of the stage, only to fall onto a chainsaw and have my blood splattered everywhere is just ridiculous. With no checkpoints and a meter that counts the amount of times you have died this is one of the hardest games
out there at the moment. It’s a funny scenario, a game that makes you break down in anger and then pick up and play again is really something special. For a game like this to run smoothly its controls need
Besides your nerve, there are many barriers to your progress towards the inner sanctum, rubble that needs clearing, lifts that need fixing - thankfully each completed puzzle rewards you with more sanity. These puzzles are well executed on the most part, though a couple are on the nonsensical side. To summarise, Amnesia is a genuinely scary and disconcerting game. It’ll send shivers up your spine regularly and is extremely immersive - in fact you may curse it for that. Fortunately the story is so absorbing that you’ll be drawn back to it’s horror until completion. Daniel Mears
to be spotless and the game excels here. Moving feels natural and the game tailors well to beginners, whilst still providing the experienced with one hell of a challenge. Super Meat Boy is not just a one trick pony though, a second run through will reveal some of the games secrets which pay tribute to classic platformers out there like D o n k e y Kong. A lack of multiplayer is annoying but it’s easy to swap
Meanwhile, on the PC both Minecraft and Team Fortress 2 have received completely free Halloween facelifts. TF2’s new map features a haunted mansion, complete with its own pumpkin-headed NPC who hunts both the red and blue teams alike. Minecraft has gone one step further by including its own version of hell - accessible by building a portal gateway out of obsidian. Finally, the second and third parts of Jeremy Peel’s indie games blog are live on the ForgeToday.com website. Find them on the games blog, here: http://bit.ly/bjSLvn James Wragg James Garrett games@forgetoday.com
controllers around and watch your friends suffer, whilst you sit and bask in your glory that you were finally able to save bandage girl . For a game made by just two people, Super Meat Boy is an outstanding achievement. It will make you laugh, cry, and get so angry you smash a window and throw yourself out of it, all in one run through. James Garrett
Fuse.
Super meat boy
So! That’s another Hallowe’en over with, then. Now that we’ve got all that troublesome drinking, dressing up and (yeuch) socialising out of the way, we can get on with what Hallowe’en is all about – spooky game updates. Red Dead Redemption’s ‘Undead Nightmare’ DLC was first out of the grave, and it introduces a brand new singleplayer campaign – picking up where the main story left off – in which the frontier has been overrun with a horde of zombies. Whilst it sounds gimmicky, reviews have been praising the painstaking attention to detail that has gone into creating a genuinely macabre atmosphere. Not bad for £8.
Friday November 5 2010
Fallout: New Vegas returns the series to the east of America, to New Vegas; a surviving relic of the old world nestled within the Mojave Desert. The area is hotly contested, with the barbaric Caesar’s Legion clashing with the democratic New California Republic for control of the region’s resources and populace. . Whilst the Capital Wasteland of Bethesda’s Fallout 3 was aesthetically wonderful, there was a sense of contrivance in the abundance of its unpillaged ruins, arranged equidistantly around settlements of articulate American wastelanders. It could feel, at times, like a Disneyland parody of nuclear holocaust – a far cry from the barren, lonely atmosphere of the original Fallout. But since Obsidian has taken the reins with New Vegas, Fallout is back in the hands of some of its original developers and the effect is immediately noticeable. The Mojave Desert is a desolate place, skewed more towards the realistic side of postapocalypse. You won’t find the likes of Megaton’s ramshackle architecture or Little Lamplight’s child society here - there’s a bleak simplicity to the game’s settlements. Combat has been tweaked for the better. Most weapons can now be aimed down their ironsights, which makes shooting without the VATS auto-target system a whole lot easier. Numerous new weapons have been introduced; the M16 ‘Service Rifle, M4 ‘Assault Carbine’, 9mm pistol and ‘anti-material’ bolt-action sniper rifle are all new additions, adding an edge of modernism to the retrofuturistic vision of Fallout. The game is also more balanced than its predecessor. Stats and perks have been altered so that it’s harder for a player to ‘max-out’ all of their abilities, whilst perks are
Editorial.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
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Reviews.Arts. ENRON Lyceum
9/10 After touring the country to an overwhelmingly positive reception, Lucy Prebble’s award-winning Enron came to Sheffield. Premiering at Chichester Festival Theatre early 2009, it has consistently sold out venues and received exclusive high ratings from all the major papers. Prebble’s second fulllength play mixes dark satire with genuine tragedy. It’s a story of corporate greed and corruption gone wrong. Enron Corporation was a Texas-based energy company. In just 15 years it grew from nowhere to be America’s seventh largest corporation. At the height of its success Enron had a reported worth of $70 billion. Enron was seen as a model of the future.
the history boys Drama Studio
Fuse.
Friday November 5 2010
9/10
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The History Boys seems like the ideal play for SuTCo. It is set in Sheffield, written by legendary Yorkshire playwright Alan Bennett and deals with the lives of a group of adolescent boys as they prepare for their Oxbridge entrance exams. The relationships between themselves, the members of staff, and the subject of history itself and how it is taught is also explored. Therefore it is with little wonder that the performance seems to come so naturally and the parts executed so flawlessly, especially the roles of the boys, all of which the cast seem to be entirely in touch with. This may be due to the fact that the characters are so brilliantly realised by Bennett, and contain traits we can all relate to- insecurity, sexual anxiety, fear and confusion. However, this doesn’t seem to give the cast the respect they deserve, as the boys are played with such conviction and sincerity.
Looking For mrs dextrose Nick Griffiths
7/10 Looking For Mrs Dextrose is puerile, at times revolting, and utterly unmissable. There is a Post-it note on the back cover warning that: “In the interests of keeping costs down, pages 123-128 may be missing.” This is interesting enough for you to pay attention to the numbers at the bottom of the page, but in all likelihood you’ll be 100
And it is not only the boys who give a stellar performance. The part of Hector, the elderly English master played by Todd Edwards even managed to convince my friend sat at the back that he was actually an elderly man, so credit to the wardrobe and make-up departments. However, the characters of the head teacher (Mark Chapman) and Lintott (Liz Johnson) are played somewhat less convincinglyunsurprisingly, as a young actor will find it hard to
pages past the mark before you remember it again. Nick Griffiths’ language is enrapturing, ranging from lurid to strangely chaste; sometimes at the same time. For example: “It was a chance slimmer than a lady’s personal cavity”. It even carries the same boyish humour reminiscent of The Mighty Boosh. Almost everything is original and captivating, from the geographical features of Mlwlw (wonder how you’d say that on an audiobook) and ‘Call-ThatA-Hill?’ to the descriptions of “all’s-well-with-the-worldDelftware-blue” skies. You can’t say the hyphen isn’t having a grand time in this
relate to these characters, unlike those of the boys. The technical aspects of the play are also handled well- it is kept very simple and is stripped down to the bare essentials, all the action takes place either in a classroom or staff room (not including monologues, flash-forwards etc.) so that none of the set feels tacky or over ambitious. Scene changes are handled smoothly and are accompanied by a great ’80s soundtrack, contributing further to the
book, that’s for sure. Our intrepid explorer Pilsbury Dextrose navigates his way past the most hilariously unsavoury characters – including, of course, his own father, renowned explorer Harrison Dextrose. Though the undeniable overuse of the word “Mink” does get grating, it’s nice to see each and every character in possession of some interesting quirks, whether it’s tuning bagpipes, or communicating solely through the medium of a ventriloquist’s dummy, also known as your ‘son’. Every single page of this book has something to offer, and a special mention
mise-en-scène. However focusing on the fact it is set in the ’80s seems to be missing the point. The History Boys is not simply a tale of coming of age in that decade, unlike similar works such as The Breakfast Club or Starter for Ten, it is a story applicable to everyone’s youth, and tonight’s performance just goes to show how powerful and yet familiar a story it is. James Bollington
should be given to the ‘artwork’ which crops up every now and again. Fear not, for now that you know what a “gobble-beaked flatpig” looks like, you might not be so afraid of the creature, with “the head of a turkey, the body of a flatfish and the tail of a pig.” However it was not necessary to plaster The Times’ review of “Read This!” in an obtrusively large font on the front cover, or announcing it as “The World’s First Student-Only Edition.” Overall the book’s spectacular energy speaks for itself and your life won’t feel complete without it. Coral Williamson
But behind the glitz and glamour of their Texas highrise facade, Enron was crumbling. The continual failure of high-risk projects had left the company hopelessly in debt. CEO Jeffrey Skilling (Corey Johnson) hired Andy Fastow (Paul Chahidi) to conceal the debt using shadow companies. In total, Enron amassed $38 billion in debt. On December 2, 2001 the company was forced to file for bankruptcy. Fastow was jailed on 78 counts of fraud. Prebble’s extensive research into the collapse means the script is written with great insight and understanding. Director Rupert Goold works well with Prebble, mixing engaging dialogue with enticing visuals. Bold physical metaphor and symbolism is used particularly effectively - the directors of the company are portrayed as blind mice while Fastow covers up the debt by feeding dollar bills to raptors.
Artrovert
Bank Street Arts
6.5/10 Artrovert is a collective of three Danish artists who collaborate to discuss ideas and produce artwork, and as you may have guessed, they like to make books. They are handmade and the content is a mixture of collage, photographs, found objects, and drawings. Each one uses these images alongside words to illustrate a particular theme, such as the human life cycle or the seaside. Alongside ‘Bag Ladies’, their winning entry to last year’s competition, visitors can see their latest concept, the ‘Book-in-asuitcase,’ where the artists have transformed small old-fashioned luggage into charming books. One of these books is based around the theme of flying, so it features various drawings and found images of flying devices, from aeroplanes to hot air balloons. The books also use lots of clever wordplay; one amusing example being a book entitled ‘Blind Date’ which is made from paper
Projections of row upon row of financial figures stream across the back wall, only occasionally broken by clips from real-life interviews charting the downfall of the company. Visually, Enron felt like a glimpse into the future of theatre. The cast perform fantastically with Johnson excelling in his role as Skilling. He creates a moving portrayal of a man destroyed by his own misplaced arrogance and self-belief. Chahidi also performs strongly as Chief Financial Officer Andy Fastow. Somehow, he manages to be devious and scheming, yet we can’t help but feel sorry for him as he is steadily consumed by greed. But Enron isn’t just about what happened in Texas ten years ago. It’s a lesson in modern morality, a reflection of the times we live in, as if Prebble is suggesting the lessons of this vast collapse have still to be learned. Rowan Ramsden with Braille writing pressed into it. Unusually for an art exhibition, you are encouraged to touch and examine the exhibits, so it is ideal for anyone who is repelled by the formal atmosphere that can exist in traditional galleries. Handling the books gives you the opportunity to see all the little details that have gone into them; one book appears to only contain one or two words on each page, but on closer inspection you discover that there is a photograph hidden inside each fold of paper. If you like to create your own art this exhibition is definitely worth visiting, as all the pieces seem to be made using readily available materials and fairly simple techniques, so you can draw inspiration from them and envisage yourself creating something similar. Artrovert’s exhibition proves that books are not just dull library fodder, and they don’t have to be made from paper. By taking books away from their usual setting and creating some interesting and unique content for them, the artists show that books have much more potential. Jane O’Donoghue
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 Orange Tuesday
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 Not Far From Wrong 4.30 - 6pm Something Really Awesome
5 - 6.30pm EVE
5 - 6.30pm The Power Hour
6.30 - 8pm The New Music Show
6.30 - 8pm Sports Desk
8 - 9.30pm Amplify
8 - 9.30pm The Jazz Show
9.30 - 11pm Sam Moir
8 - 9.30pm Chris McKay: The PreROAR Show
9.30 - 11pm K-lean Beats
11pm - 1am Public Strain
11pm - 1am Crusty Dub Meets...
6.30 - 8pm Something For the Week
12 - 1.30pm Jack & Harriet 1.30 - 3pm The Guide
12 - 1.30pm The Edge on Forge 1.30 - 3pm James Ashford 3 - 4.30pm Dale
3 - 4.30pm Unseen
4.30 - 5pm STOP! Sabbytime!
4.30 - 5pm News Desk 5 - 6.30pm 2 Lads and a Couple of Mics
5 - 6.30pm Straight Outta Crookesmoor
Sun
9 - 10.30am The Broomhill Brunch
12 - 1.30pm The Listening Club
10:30 - 12.00am Coolbeans!
1.30 - 3pm Gutter Music
12 - 1.30pm Good Vibrations
3 - 5pm SRA Chart Show
1.30 - 3pm A Whole Lotta Rock
5 - 6.30pm Film Unit Roundtable
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
6.30 - 8pm FUSE
6.30 - 8pm The Ben Kizzle Forge Mash-up
8 - 9.30pm Brewing Up Trouble
8 - 9.30pm Funk & Soul Show
9.30 - 11pm Bethan & Max
9.30 - 11pm Songs About Girls
9.30 - 11pm Chris & Matt’s Indietastic Evening
9.30 - 11pm The Weekend Warmup
11pm - 1am Beat Route
11pm - 1am Ready Steady Crunk
11pm - 1am B-Side
11pm - 1am Reverb
Get involved.
8 - 9.30pm Small Ideas
9.30 - 11pm Loud Noises! 11pm - 12.30am The Wind Up!
Want to write for Music, Games, Art or Screen? Are you a photographer or artist? Come along to our meetings to get involved in Fuse. Anyone is welcome to join the team during the year. Next meetings: Weeks 7 & 9: Monday 5pm, Hicks LT2
Fuse.
6 - 6.30pm Backchat
10.30am - 12pm Down the Line
10.30am - 12pm That Friday Show
Sat
Friday November 5 2010
Mon
15
Fuse.previews Friday November 5 - Thursday November 18 2010
Competition: WIN tickets to Tuesday Club and Live Wire
email: listings@forgetoday.com
Film Unit fortnight Friday November 5: Precious A superb Oscar-winning tale of an illiterate teen who tries to change her life.
To celebrate Tuesday Club’s birthday party on November 16 we’ve got a pair of tickets to give to one lucky reader. It promises to be a great night with sets from three of the best dubstep and dance acts around today: Sub Focus, Bassnectar and Cyantific. But it does not end there as we’ve also got tickets to giveaway for Live Wire on November 18 starring NME favourites Wolf Gang.
Saturday November 6: Four Lions A hilarious Sheffield based comedy about a group of hapless suicide bombers. Wednesday November 10: Letters to Juliet An American on a trip to Italy finds a ‘letter to Juliet’ and embarks on a quest to find the loves contained within it.
To enter just answer this simple question: What birthday is Tuesday Club celebrating? Send your name and answers to: fuse@forgetoday.com Closing date is November 11.
The selection of films being shown at Film Unit over the next fortnight are:
Friday November 12: The Girl Who Played with Fire The second installment of the popular Swedish crime-thriller series.
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tues 9
After Dark Bonfire night @ Don Valley Bowl; 5:30pm; £8 Hop on the tram and experience one of the country’s top firework displays in one of Sheffield’s best stadiums.
Music Beats Cancer charity concert @ O2 Academy; 6pm; £6 It’s your chance to see some of Sheffield’s biggest unsigned bands and give money to a good cause at the same time. Acts include The Elephant Keys, Driftrun, The Ratells and The Tivoli.
Last Laugh Comedy Club @ Raynor Lounge; 7:45pm; £5-6 With top name comedy acts delivering some of their best material there is no better way to spend a Sunday night than laughing until it hurts.
Give it a Go: Computer Program Design course @ Hicks G25; 5pm; £30 adv This practical course teaches you how to get to grips with writing a whole range of computer jargon. The classes will run for ten weeks. Tickets must be bought in advance.
The Nutcracker @ Lyceum; 7:45pm; £1632 The opening night of this ballet classic follows Clara and her adventures with the Nutcracker Prince in a winter wonderland.
Faderhead @ Corporation; 7pm; £10 From stompy techno to synthpop to dirty grooveladen electro, Faderhead mashes it all up like no one else on a Saturday night. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work and Q&A @ Showroom; 7pm; £15 adv America’s top female comic showcases a year in her life and explains why she’s still pushing herself hard at 75.
Give it a Go: Power Kiting @ Union; 1pm; £1 Come and fly a powerkite up to 12 metres long with the Uni Kitesoc. Daring kiters can even use the kites to ride on a board. Meet at the Union.
Fri 12
Sat 13 Off the Shelf: Antrovert An exhibition of artists’ books @ Bank Street Arts; Free Your last chance to see this exhibition which showcases some of the best artistic books and award winning pictures.
Imogen Heap @ O2 Academy; 6:30pm; £17.50 The Grammy awardwinning singer-songwriter brings her unique blend of electronic pop-rock to Sheffield to promote latest her latest album, Ellipse. Give it a Go: Ice Skating and Curling @ Ice Sheffield; 2:00pm; £3 Fancy something different? Jump on the tram to Ice Sheffield and take part in specialist skating classes. Buy tickets at Ice Sheffield.
Beautiful Burnout @ Lyceum; 7:30pm; £22 The closing night of this physical boxing drama focuses on the sport throughout history and follows wannabe Cameron on his quest to fame.
All Films £2.20
Doc/Fest @ Showroom; 9.45am onwards; £5-8 Catch films from some of the best local filmmakers and international figures at the closing day of Doc/Fest. A special time for film lays ahead as all the award winning films are revealed.
Rush-Hour Concert: Sheffield University Jazz Orchestra @ Firth Hall; 5:30pm; £2 These informal concerts provide great affordable music for all people who cannot make the usual evening and lunchtime concerts. All tickets are purchased. Steel City Ghost tour @ Town Hall; 7:30pm; £5 Accompany Mr P Dreadful as he takes you on a tour of Sheffield’s haunted hotspots.
Continental Market @ Fargate, Sheffield city centre; 9.30am-5.30pm; Free A large market which sells a huge range of products, gifts and food from around Europe often at reasonable prices.
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tues 16
Sunday cinema: The Proposal @ Interval; 5pm; Free Go down to Interval, grab a set of headphones and watch this ‘amusing’ Sandra Bullock rom-com on the big screen.
Others @ Studio Theatre; 7:45pm; £12 Multi award-winning female collective The Paper Birds return fresh from The Edinburgh Fringe with their visual, political exploration of women as ‘others’.
Music in the Round: Exploring Chopin and Schumann @ Studio Theatre; 2:30pm; £3-14 An afternoon of romantic relaxing classical music lay ahead as Chopin and Schumann’s best works are explored to celebrate their births. The Blood Arm @ Bungalows and Bears; 9pm; Free This Los Angeles fourpiece rock band combine intense performances and catchy energetic songs to put on a popular live show full of humour and fun.
Annihilator @ Corporation; 7pm; £11 Honest, raw and powerful, the excellent technical skill and stage show means this bunch are one of the best thrash metal acts in the business today.
Saturday November 13: The Big Lebowski The Coen brothers’ comedy journey follows a man who meets a millionaire of the same name only to have dire consequences. Sunday November 14: Prince of Persia A young fugitive prince and princess must stop a villain who unknowingly threatens to destroy the world with a special dagger. Wednesday November 17: Greenburg Ben Stiller’s comedy about a man who moves from New York to Los Angeles is clever, witty and enjoyable. 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.
Wed 10 The Trial @ Drama Studio; 7:30pm; £4-6 The fourth show of suTCo’s successful season combines dark comedy, physical theatre, mime and absurdism in an attempt to alienate the audience in a manner typical of Berkoff’s plays. White Wizzard @ Corporation; 7:00pm; £8 With a screaming demon on vocals, two shredding guitars and thunderous bass and drums, this metal act takes sounds of the past and turns them to the future. The Magnets @ Studio Theatre; 7:45pm; £15 The Magnets are the UK’s top professional a cappella group. Their music fuses glorious vocal harmonies with jaw dropping beat boxing.
Paramore @ Motorpoint Arena; 6.30pm; £22.50 adv Fresh from the success of their 2009 world tour and number one album Brand New Eyes the American rockers will be stopping off in Sheffield for one night only. And with B.O.B in support it’s bound to be a top night. Christmas Crackers @ Millennium Gallery; 10am; Free A selection of original craft gifts unavailable on the high street.
Wed 17
Thurs 18
Give it a Go: Brewery Tour @ Kelham Island; meet at University tram stop; 7pm; £7.50 The Kelham Island Brewery was the first independent brewery in Sheffield and aims to produce beers of the finest quality.
Skunk Anasie @ O2 Academy; 7pm; £20 With five million album sales, one of the most forthright female lead singers in modern musical history are back.
Beauty and the Beast @ Lyceum; 7:15pm; £10-19 Adapted from Disney’s Oscar winning animated film, this musical tells the tale of Belle and her unconventional love for the Beast. Tuesday Club 12th Birthday @ Students’ Union; 11pm; £10 Celebrating its 12th year Tuesday Club brings the biggest drum and bass acts including Sub Focus, Bassnectar and Cyantific.
Thurs 11
Disney on Ice @ Motorpoint Arena; 7pm; £12.50-34.50 Celebrating ‘100 Years of Magic’ Mickey Mouse and friends take to the ice for this grand celebration of all things Disney.
Give it a Go: Trampolining @ Goodwin Sports Centre; 8pm; £4 Experience flying through the air with one of these trampoline taster sessions, which are ideal for absolute beginners and for those who have bounced before. Kate Pickering @ Bloc; 12-6pm; Free With work from the marginal position of being an artist who is also religious, Kate uses this counter-culture position to address the beliefs she encounters in her art and focuses on how religion has a place in society.