Fuse issue 60 by Forge Press

Lyric Festival Tramlines CS Lewis vs Tolkien EA take over Star Wars

SHORT FUSE

Sparks.

You’ll never beat Modern Warfare, so give up the ghost

ere we go again. A new year brings with it a new Call of Duty franchise release, this year it’s Call of Duty: Ghosts. Every year, without fail, I’ve pre-ordered the new Call of Duty game and for the past three years I’ve looked back and thought that next year I’ll learn from my mistake. I never did, until this year. After amassing an eye-watering 100 days, yes days, of gameplay on the Call of Duty series, I think it’s time to stop wasting my time and handing money over to Activision in November for the game, and throughout the year for the downloadable content. The allure of a new Call of Duty game that promised so much more than its predecessors was always too much, but none of them matched Infinity Ward’s first big launch title on the current generation of games consoles, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Every game after that attempted to capture a larger audience of gamers with more fea-

tures and in doing so, missed the reason why Call of Duty 4 was so much fun: its simplicity and balanced gameplay. The single player storyline, while being incredibly Hollywood and hard to believe, was enjoyable. That is for the four or five hours that it would take you to complete. Activision know they have a cash cow in the Call of Duty franchise and abuse it to the best of their ability. Release the game for around £45 and charge gamers £12 or so every three months for new multiplayer maps. When did we let publishers and developers release a game and then fork out so much money for a handful of maps? The alternative isn’t much better value. EA, the developers of the Battlefield series are just as bad with DLC. But at least Battlefield encourages teamwork, whereas Call of Duty encourages a one man army running and gunning mindset. Mohammad Jamei

attention. Bieber is not simply a celebrity, nor is he simply an icon. He is worshipped by thousands of young fans across the globe. In an age of global secularisation, Bieber presides over the contemporary world’s most widespread and active religion; the religion of celebrity. If we’re to judge Bieber on his musical output and talent alone, there are plenty other Biebers

merican entertainment powerhouse Warner Bros are being sued for copyright infringement by the creators of Nyan Cat and Keyboard Cat in their game Scribblenauts. The first many people will ask are what Nyan Cat and Keyboard Cat actually are, and also what Scribblenauts is. Nyan Cat is, as far as I can make out (even though I will probably be viciously corrected by some 9gag hero) a gif of a cat with a pop tart for a body, riding a rainbow, set to mildly irritating music. Keyboard Cat is a video of a cat playing a keyboard, set to music of a similar calibre. These two cats, which for some incomprehensible reason are supposed to be entertaining, have become

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Friday May 17 2013

Play them off, keyboard cat

a key ingredient for countless memes and gifs on Tumblr, 9gag and beyond. Scribblenauts is a platform game owned by Warner Bros that should really be aimed at children of about 12, but worryingly has young adults flaunting the game in its adverts. The reason the creators of ‘Nyan Cat’ and ‘Keyboard Cat’ are suing Warner Bros, is that they allegedly used these cats in their game without permission. For one, it’s a brave move to go up against such a massive corporation, so fair play to them. Secondly, for the moment it seems to be a legitimate case. Nyan Cat and Keyboard Cat do have copyright protection, and despite the attitude of “it belongs to the internets” held by many pseudo bloggers, the

elcome to our final issue of this academic year! If you’re graduating, we hope you’ve enjoyed Fuse and we wish you the best of luck with your next adventures. If you’re sticking around - lucky you! We’re going to be creating chaos with Adobe all year round. Our new Fuse team have proved their worth already, battling against deadlines and revision to create a bloody awesome issue. We’ve gone a bit festival crazy, with Arts celebrating the spoken and written word at Lyric Festival, and Music telling us all about Sheffield’s famous Tramlines festival. Manuel outdid himself with his Sims-Star Wars crossover artwork on page 5, so don’t miss that! Amelia Heathman Kaz Scattergood

Justin Bieber’s godlike PR power

hen Justin Bieber cut off his youthful golden locks in favour of a more mature, shorter cut a couple of years back, he lost tens of thousands of Twitter followers. When Justin Bieber tweets someone, the recipient of the said tweet is elevated to a new demi-god status in which they receive piles of messages and

Editorial

on the market – creators of undoubtedly catchy, radio-friendly pop music that just also happens to be helplessly unremarkable. However, what sets Bieber apart from his contemporaries is his loopy fanbase. Indeed, his ‘beliebers’ live their lives through Bieber, using various social media platforms to follow his every move and grasp on to any scrap of information they can get hold

creators have argued that these cats have been used by name to promote Scribblenauts without permission. Warner Bros haven’t commented yet so it will be interesting to see what their reply will be. Why anybody would ever want to use these cats to promote anything is beyond most people, but if these allegations are true, it’ll be intriguing to see how it plays out. Jack Crisfield

of. Horrifyingly, his fan base are so dedicated, for want of a better phrase, that some of them even recently engaged in a process of mass self-harm before posting photos online of their actions in an attempt to stop some of Bieber’s more questionable social practices. Indeed, some may say that with great power comes great responsibility, but the stony silence that met these drastic measures from deranged fans was startling. There was no message to tell these ‘beliebers’ that their hijacking of a serious illness for their own celebrity-based gain was dangerous and disturbing. Instead, Bieber refused to acknowledge the trend, staying quiet and saying nothing, maintaining his status among his millions of fans and followers. As such, it would seem that Bieber’s PR machine is effective. Yet, take a second to imagine what would happen if Bieber were to properly go off the rails, smash

We’d like to wish our gorgeous artist Manuel a happy birthday for May 13! We love you, man. a few cars and follow down the already well-trodden route of disgraced former-child stars. The results from his dedicated group of fans, or followers, would be catastrophic. Bieber’s PR machine is effective, but it’s also worryingly dangerous. James Norman-Fyfe

Q&A.

SHORT FUSE

THE HISTORY BOYS

Rhiannon Pickin and Lizzie Hyland interview Tom Rhys Harries (Dakin) and Edward Judge (Timms) from Sheffield Theatres’ production of The History Boys

Why did you get involved with this production of The History Boys?

decision, you just find what makes sense within your take of it.

Tom: It’s a really exciting opportunity to get involved with such a great play with such an exciting young director (Michael Longhurst). I’m also really excited to be performing in the Crucible as it’s such as prestigious theatre.

Edward: It was like homework in that we had to make sure where each quote was coming from. There are also a lot of half-quotes in that some parts of the normal dialogue would have some aspects of a poem in it and then another character would reply with lines from another poem. It shows just how intelligent these characters are.

How did you prepare for your roles, and did you take any influence from the original cast? Tom: I didn’t take much influence from Dominic Cooper, who played Dakin in the original cast, as I find myself going down a different path with the character. It’s not a conscious

Have you faced any challenges in preparation, particularly as the play is set and is being performed in Sheffield? Tom: We’re all new to Sheffield, so its like we’re discov-

ering it together. The accent is something that I want to do well though, as I will be performing in front of a Sheffield audience. Edward: The accent is difficult to get right, as it isn’t a modern Sheffield accent. It’s 30 years old so we can’t go out into town and pick some of it up from locals in coffee shops. We have a dialect coach come in every week. Its also challenging in that there is a lot of energetic choreography involved. Our choreographer Imogen Knight has us running around, throwing tables around. It’s very schoolboy and angsty. How do you feel about performing in the Crucible theatre?

Tom: I’m really excited, as it’s a theatre in the round you have to take two sides into account and it’s also really well suited to the play. Edward: It’s a rather large theatre and it has a capacity of 1000 people. It’s a very different experience as you have a theatre in the round, but you also have to take the pacing of the scenes into account as well. As classroom chatting is very different to normal play dialogue you also have to get the pacing right whilst working within such a big, open space. I’m really looking forward to performing in the Crucible. Do you feel that the recent death of Richard Griffiths will

affect this production in any way? Tom: Richard Griffiths was a brilliant actor and his performance as Hector was equally brilliant. I’m also looking forward to performing with Matthew Kelly, who plays Hector in this performance, as well as his take on the character will be very good. Edward: People have been calling this production ‘a revival’ of the original so perhaps Matthew Kelly’s performance might be a homage to him and the character he played, particularly as he went to school with Griffiths as well.

There are no films on this week,so here are some cats.

GIAG: Cat Unit Eurovision Party

Friday May 17 2013

Paws: Saturday 2.37am

Saturday May 18, 7.30pm, Raynor Lounge, Tickets £4.50 (includes entrance to Eurovision Pop Tarts)

May

18,

illy, the most infamou catshark of the 80s, comes to Cat Unit for the first time. His excellent portrayal as the shark that scared us all out of the water won him a Cat Oscar and millions of female feline fans. This is not one to be missed, because despite the furry exterior, there is a hard shark in every cat.

Star Claws: A Mew Hope: Saturday May 18, 3.24pm

he evil emporer, Pawpatine continues to rule the feline galaxy, while on Cattoine there is a mew hope for the rebels in the form of Luke Treeclimber. Joined by Cat Solo and Chewtoy-bacca, they seek to bring down the evil canine empire and the Dogstar.

Cat to the Future : Sunday May 19, 10.42pm

Fuse.

t’s your favourite time of year again, the Eurovision song contest. The time where all of your favourite artists come together for an entertaining display of sheer talent, excellent dress sense and classy, beautiful music. Bring your Union Jack flags and be ready for an awesome night because we always perform super well in Eurovision, and Bonnie Tyler is definitely going to rock it. And as if your evening couldn’t get any fancier, you get entrance to Pop Tarts too. Just in case you didn’t get enough Bonnie Tyler from the show. I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Or for just Europe.

itty McFly jumps into a meow-tastic adventure in his iconic Delorean. Kitty must repair the damage to history by helping his parents-to-be to fall in love, and with the help of veterinary scientist Dr. Emmett “Dog” Brown, he must find a way to return to 1985 in time for his cat nap.

SCREEN

Feature. TRILO3Y

Middle-earth meets Narnia in a fan-fiction paradise, but it may end up simply being filthy

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Friday May 17 2013

ule #34 of the internet states that if something exists, there is porn of it. Rule #35 states that if said thing exists, but doesn’t have a porn equivalent, make it yourself. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Trilo3y. For thousands of die-hard CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien fans across the globe, a brand new online TV channel is about to be launched. Fantasy film marathons meet original fan fiction in a bid to revive two of the world’s best franchises. Think Babestation in chainmail. Trilo3y TV is a place where Middle-earth meets Narnia, in a nerdy, beardy haven made by fans for fans. Viewers can enjoy marathons of the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia series, as well as artwork and home-made animations, all within a community of like-minded people. Powered by the Middle-earth Network, this Angry Goat produced channel streams unique insights and original content every month, which can be accessed in archives for years to

come. Regardless of how good this idea sounds, it is a sad inevitability that we can expect it to turn filthy very quickly. Nowadays you can’t surf the internet without being bombarded by pop-ups and sidebars offering cheap deals on Russian brides, or links to Family Guy hentai pornography. Trilo3y are just asking for trouble.

“Think Babestation in chainmail” As part of an ever-expanding network powering the likes of My Middle-earth, the Legendarium and MythPress, Trilo3y has access to huge archives of fan-made media and original Lewis and Tolkien content. Upto-date news will be specific to the Insiders’ Club members’ interests, and most of the con-

tent is free to access. Members can upload their own art, music, podcasts and videos. And eventually, home-made, animated Gimli porn. Which no-one wants. Trilo3y TV’s co-creator Jill Jelley describes the show as “like no other TV programming network in the world today.” She said: “We stream over multiple platforms to our Insiders’ Club members free every month. ‘‘Our talk show format will provide viewers with the latest news, information, and updates related to our unique live global events, meet–ups and fan contests, along with interviews and quirky news related to Lord of the Rings and Narnia.” Executive producer Allan Stephan likes to describe it as “the Daily Show with furry feet.” That’s a gentle way of putting it. If the rest of the production team don’t know what this site has the potential to be, then they shouldn’t have started the project in the first place. The internet, after all, is not a nice, innocent place to be. Jill promises that fans will see

interviews with some of the biggest names behind the movies explaining how the film came to life. “We strive to bring original programming and interviews that viewers will not find elsewhere.”

“The internet, after all, is not a nice, innocent place to be” Adding to the new TV channel, Trilo3y are holding a Food, Wine and Film Fest. It’s a worldwide movie experience, where Lewis and Tolkien fans alike can meet up in either Los Angeles, London, Sydney or Wellington, and enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings/Hobbit films in one beautiful sitting. For all the fans who have dreamt of such a marathon, Trilo3y are providing the reality by produc-

ing this film series in “vintage, historic movie theatres.” Hundreds of members across the world are getting involved via Twitter and the website’s blog, where interviews and quirky news help fill in the potentially patchy content archives. If you head over to trilo3y.net and watch the slightly trippy introductory video on the home page, you’ll even be given a discount code for the Insiders’ Club. Kieron, the creepy-looking animated scotsman in the video, is guaranteed to kick off the massive hairy orgy. So you reckon you know your silver chair from your black gate? Think you know who would win in an epic battle between Aslan and a Nazgûl? Are you willing to argue your favourite franchise as part of a 67 millionstrong fanbase? This may be just the thing you need in your poor, fantasy-deprived student life. Will Ross

Feature.

GAMES

STAR WARS TAKEOVER

EA’s aquisition of the rights to develop and publish Star Wars games has caused a great disturbance in the Force

tar Wars fans have had an interesting time recently. In October last year, Disney announced that it had bought the studio behind the films, Lucasfilm, and planned to release another trilogy. Now it has been announced that Disney has decided to team up with prominent videogame publisher Electronic Arts to create a new wave of Star Wars games. As with all big news, there has been a mixed reaction from fans of the series, some claiming that they’re just grateful to be getting new games, while others were quickly claiming the death of the glory days for the franchise. Ask any videogame fan about games from their past and it’s likely that some classic Star Wars games are nostalgically remembered as some of the best out there. Personally, I know I’ve killed many hours playing classics such as Battlefront II, Knights of the Old Republic and Republic Commando. For many years there has been a desire amongst the gaming community to follow these games up with sequels. There is a good reason for this. Star Wars games offer players a chance to play as part of a universe of many childhood heroes. Who wouldn’t want to be the next Obi-Wan Kenobi, and which Star Wars fan hasn’t dreamed of leading an army of clones, rebels, droids or stormtroopers into battle? Yet this link between childhood dreams and the games of the franchise is exactly why some gamers don’t want to see EA go anywhere near it. Accused of buying developers solely for the intellectual property and then ruining classic franchises, it is understandable that there is a feeling of fear towards what the developer has in store for the Star Wars universe.

Both games were made by the same developer and EA has confirmed that they will be continuing to work on the Star Wars franchise – a sign that Knights of the Old Republic 3 may be in the pipeline. Other developers who have been confirmed by EA as working on Stars Wars games are Visceral, the developers behind the already mentioned Dead Space series and Dice, the people behind the Battlefield franchise. The choice of Dice seems to scream out for a new game in the Battlefront series, a move which would be welcomed by many gamers. The title that Visceral will be working on is a much more challenging conundrum as there has never been a Star Wars game similar to Dead Space although some are tipping 1313, a game which was in development by LucasArts until it was put on hold following Disney’s acquisition of the franchise. And those are only the developers which have been confirmed by EA though. Other potential developers could include Crytek, of Crysis fame, or Criterion Games, creators of the Burnout series, Republic Commando 2 or a podracing game, perhaps? One thing is for certain; EA will know that any good Star Wars game will bring in significant revenue for the company, and this offers the most hope for Star Wars fans. EA will have to be on top form, not only to win over the sceptical fans but also to make sure that they maximise their profits on these games. Sadly, this debate will likely rage on with none of the games scheduled to come out until April 2014 at the earliest. Until then, fans and gamers alike will be watching closely, daring to believe that some great games are ahead.

Fuse.

Further still, EA has developed something of a reputation of releasing similar games year in year out, with slightly improved graphics and an updated roster list (especially with regards to its sports franchises) while continuing to charge the highest prices out there. There are also criticisms regarding its tendency for day one downloadable content, charging gamers for content that many think should be part of the release disc. This may make the future for Star Wars videogames bleak, but pause for a moment, and perhaps there is a reason for a new hope. Recent scifi games published by EA include the

“Who wouldn’t want to be the next ObiWan?”

Words: Sam Pierce Art: Manuel Fuentes

Friday May 17 2013

“EA will have to be on top form”

critically acclaimed Mass Effect 3, Dead Space 3, and Crysis 3. In particular, consider Mass Effect 3 and it’s similarities to Bioware’s Knights of the Old Republic series.

ARTS

Feature. LYRIC FESTIVAL 2013 Lizzie Hyland interviews Simon Armitage about this year’s Lyric Festival Reviewed by Kirsty Moyse, Lizzy Jewell and Chris Smith

heffield has recently become a hub of innovative and exciting literary events. With the Sheffield Poetry Festival in June and Off the Shelf in October, the University of Sheffield’s Lyric Festival 2013 has kicked off this year’s celebration of the written and spoken word.

“Celebrating the joy of language in all its forms” This year, Fuse has had the incredible opportunity of talking to one of the organisers of the festival, the professor of poetry himself, Simon Armitage. Using Simon Armitage’s eloquent expression, Lyric Festival is “celebrating the joy of language in all its forms”. For the third year running, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities have organised the Lyric weekend, consisting of four evenings of poetry readings, spoken word performances and music recitals. Every year the festival showcases not only the talent of the faculty’s students and staff, but brings in renowned and established poets to headline the festival, Lyric Festival 2013 welcomed Tony Harrison.

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Friday May 17 2013

“Poetry through and through”

Chosen by Lyric due to his performance at Latitude last summer, Armitage told us how “Tony Harrison makes no concessions to his surroundings, whether it’s a rock concert or a university, when he reads his poems, it’s poetry through and through.” Harrison took the first night of the festival, performing his poetry within Armitage’s intended “theatricality” of St George’s Lecture Theatre. On the night, Kirsty Moyse took note of Harrison’s thought provoking poetry. “Softly spoken, with a gently ironic lilt to the narrative introductions he uses to frame his readings, Harrison’s subtly commanding

presence complimented his vivid yet nostalgic work” reviewed Kirsty. At the other end of the spectrum was a poetry reading from Kate Tempest, who according to Simon Armitage is “more than just up and coming”. Armitage fondly described her as a “phenomena of the spoken word scene”. Performing on the Friday evening, Lizzy Jewell names Tempest as the highlight of the festival, mentioning her “distinctive tone that electrified the audience”. Tempest’s modern approach sustained the Lyric Festival’s alternative vibe, as did her preceding act, a local acoustic guitar player and rapper, Pro-VERB, who Lizzy said was “young, talented and rather sweet”. The 23-year-old brought youth and humour to the festival, with his “dedicatory love poem to a Miss Hermione Granger,” mentioned by Lizzy in her review.

“Dedicatory love poem to a Miss Hermione Granger”

A huge range of exciting contemporary poets performed throughout the weekend. When asked about programming Armitage concluded that the one thing Lyric wasn’t looking for was to be safe. Tishani Doshi and Priscila Uppal bringing “some international flair and cultural f l a vo u r to the festi-

val”, according to Lizzy, which added to the “broad spectrum” highlighted by the professor of poetry. Poetry Business and The Best of Contemporary Poetry were events showcasing a varied collection of Britain’s highly respected poets. With the British

countryside as a common theme, as well as touching biographical references from each poet, as Lizzy puts it, “Lyric 2013 has a unique opportunity to showcase such prolific poets”.

“A unique opportunity to showcase such prolific poets” As well as poetry readings from established poets, such as Paul Farley and Jacob Polley, Lyric Festival celebrates the work of the University of Sheffield’s own creative writing MA students. As a lecturer on the course, Armitage spoke of the variety of poetry styles of his students. “It’s difficult to describe a typical Sheffield MA student. The eldest is in his seventies and then there are some straight from undergraduate degrees” he said. The event proved so popular that it had to be repeated for the prose students the following week. The finale of the festival was a grand event in Firth Hall, as part of the A Boy was Born series, celebrating the collaboration of music and poetry. As well as a commemoration of the work of composer Benjamin Britten and poet W. H. Auden by the Department of Music, some of Sheffield’s music students set Simon Armitage’s poetry to their own compositions.

“Making connections between the University and the city” Armitage, after a sneak preview before the event itself, commented on the pieces. “There is somebody making electronic music, knob twiddling, with feedback and static, somebody else’s was more of a drinking song, a little bit operatic, and then there’s classical”. Looking slightly nervous the poet jokily added, “watch my face”.

Chris Smith reviewed the evening and made particular reference to the “ebullient Hannah Robbins, whose voice breathed life into Cabaret Songs. She made us laugh with her exasperated, comedic performance of ‘Oh Tell Me the Truth about Love’ before silencing us with the dark melodrama of ‘Funeral Blues’”. During the interview, Armitage also highlighted the importance of “making connections between the University and the city”. He described Sheffield as “part of a growing momentum and platform that’s celebrating and indulging in language”. As well as the Lyric weekend itself, this year the festival has been expanded to the Lyric community. Armitage told us that it was always part of the ambition of Lyric to become more than just a festival. Lyric worked with We Are Here, an outreach programme focused on creative writing in Sheffield schools. “In the long term we hope that Lyric weekend can be a hope around which there are more community activities” said Armitage.

“Shakespeare’s agent was playing hard to get” To end the interview we asked the professor of poetry a question he seemed to be expecting. “If you could ask any poet to come and perform at Lyric, who would it be?” After smiling and telling us that Shakespeare’s agent was playing hard to get, Armitage decided the Yorkshire poet that “set the standards for contemporary poetry”, Ted Hughes, would be “number one on the wish list”. This choice seems fitting for the ideal Lyric Festival as it encompasses the essence of Lyric, the celebration of the spoken word, both nationally established and locally charming. Armitage told us “some of the most touching, exhilarating, powerful moments of my life have been just hearing one person speak, speaking something that’s been written or constructed in a memorable way”. For many, Lyric Festival 2013 was undoubtedly one of these spectacular moments.

Images by Andy Brown

ARTS

For the full reviews and interview with Simon Armitage, go to forgetoday.com

Friday May 17 2013

Fuse.

“Sheffield is part of a growing momentum and platform that’s celebrating and indulging in language”

MUSIC

Feature. TRAMLINES Nicky and Rachel chatted to organisers of Tramlines, the Blues and Ale Trail, Buskers’ Bus and the Folk Forest

he price may have gone up but that doesn’t mean the quality of music has gone down. Last years Tramlines was spread across more than 70 venues and four live stages and it’s only going to get bigger. Forge Press interviewed Natalie Johnson, one of many organisers currently working behind the scenes, asking her what led to the decision to start charging. “Put simply, if we didn’t charge then there would be no Tramlines,” Natalie says, “A combination of factors has meant that we have to introduce a ticketing model; the loss of Nokia as sponsor, the reduced council budget, the costs for the major venues of putting on bigger shows, and increasing safety costs relating to an ever growing audience.”

feeling the pressure of cancellation, Natalie is still confident. “We’d always said that we want to rely on the council less as the festival grows. That being said, the funding we receive, together with sponsorship and revenue, was important to help us deliver the festival. Instead we needed to make this money work harder and look at other ways of generating cash. Of course it is a shame when festivals can’t go ahead as planned. Thankfully for Peace in the Park they are simply having a year off and definitely not bowing out.” This new price tag will grant you entrance to bigger and better bands, with performances from the likes of Lianne La Havas, Tall Ships, Fenech-Soler and Veronica Falls.

“Put simply, if we didn’t charge then there would be no Tramlines”

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Friday May 17 2013

However, Natalie and the team aren’t fazed by the small £6 charge a day, or £15 per weekend. “With the enormous diversity of music and activities on offer, and still loads of free areas like Weston Park, Folk Forest, Cathedral and much more, Tramlines 2013 is amazing value for money. Free family entertainment will remain on offer around the city and most of the city’s pubs will be putting on a show that can also be enjoyed for free.”

Tramlines wasn’t the only art project to receive funding cuts from the council; Peace in the Park have had to postpone until 2014. When asked about their reaction to the cuts, and whether they’re

We’ve got some special recommendations for you too. Whatever you do across the weekend, don’t forget to check out Misty’s Big Adventure, an eccentric or just plain weird band from Birmingham, who are playing on the main stage. The eight piece band are famed for their energetic and inventive performances (expect to see kitchen utensils used as percussion and a mascot whose costume is covered in blue felt hands). Alongside Misty’s Big Adventure on the main stage are Sky Larkin, Sheffield favourites Slow Club and the Everly Pregnant Brothers, and London girlband Pins.

The Great Gatsby are bringing yet more hipster excitement to Division street by collaborating with Semi Detached and Destestival to bring you three nights of diverse, obscure music, including Wild Beast-esque Blossomer and the brilliantly named Superfood. This year, Tramlines have also moved the street theatre area from last year to Barkers pool, where it will sit alongside some perfomance art. 2013 also boasts a stronger dance music scene, with performances from Toddla T, Theo Parrish, B Traits and Duke Dumont. “This year is definitely one of change,” says Natalie, “I hope that the fans of Tramlines come out in force like they have in previous years. Our plan is to keep thinking of new ways to add to the experience of the festival goer.” Tramlines also helps endorse smaller independent projects around Sheffield such as Folk Forest, Buskers’ Bus and the Blues and Ale Trail. This year is no exception. “We always wanted Tramlines to be a true reflection of what is already happening within the city, and then we compliment that by bringing in national artists. People should leave Tramlines not only having had a great time at the event but thinking what a great city Sheffield is. The people we have linked with are people who are doing great things for the Sheffield scene year round.

I think Tramlines is about discovering new artists and taking a risk, that’s how I have heard some of the best bands. So jump on the bus, have a wander round and don’t be afraid to try new things.”

on Sheffield council resulting in funding cuts. It is a matter of priorities who gets the little funding there is and art projects are not the priority in this climate.”

The Buskers’ Bus will be returning this year as undoubtedly the best way to see the city and enjoy its music from the relative comfort of a bus seat. Make sure you check the schedule and get down early to catch your favourite acts.

The Blues and Ale Trail Main Stage will be at the Smithfield site, free of charge, where there will be a real ale bar featuring the best locally sourced craft ale, and local artists who will have their art for sale. The Buskers’ Bus also takes you to various real ale pubs, running from Devonshire Green.

“Tramlines is about discovering new artists, so jump on the bus and have a wander round”

Offering a folk route and a general route, last year’s acts ranged from the Crookes to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, set against the stunning backdrop of Kelham Island and Hillsborough. One of many stops on the bus is the Blues and Ale Trail. Bob Swift, the organiser, isn’t concerned about the new Tramlines price tag. “The g o ve r n m e n t has imposed severe financial pressure

Another stop on the bus is the Folk Forest. Organiser Barney Harris calls it a “peaceful musical oasis tucked in amongst the swaying trees in Endcliffe park, catering for folk and acoustic music tastes, both traditional and contemporary”. This year will see songwriter and guitarist John Smith, the eerily harmonious Lost Brothers and fast-rising acoustic band Wooly Mammoth perform. “We’ve been hard at work improving the layout and additional attractions in the area, so expect a beefed up market area, heritage craft demonstrations an some hidden suprises.” See you in the forest.

MUSIC Friday May 17 2013

Fuse.

Words: Nicky Crane & Rachel Smith Picture: Gerard Morgan

GAMES

Reviews. Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Xbox 360/PS3/PC 6/10

n many ways, it would be wrong to consider Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon as a piece of downloadable content (DLC) for the original Far Cry 3. This doesn’t offer a new area to explore in the original game, nor does it have any other connection with the story and setting of its namesake. It shares the same graphics engine and gameplay, but that is all. You don’t even need Far Cry 3 to play it.

“Blood Dragon tries too hard at times”

You take control of Rex ‘Power’ Colt, a Mark IV Cyber Commando who ends up stranded on an island after a mission goes wrong. Much like Far Cry 3, Ubisoft’s DLC has the player complete a series of missions on the island in an attempt to gain vengeance. Along the way, you can free a number of army camps from the occupation of villain Sloan’s Omega Force. The story is ridiculous, even taking you into a parallel dimension at one point. Normally a story this far-fetched would be easily criticisable, but Blood Dragon delib-

Cult Corner. Team Buddies PlayStation 1

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Friday May 17 2013

quirky game made for the PlayStation, Team Buddies starts with a cutscene showing a happy village of Lego-like pill people whose disco is interrupted by a large air carrier dropping boxes. The buddies open them, claiming “I’ve never seen anything like this before, have you?”. Upon opening we see they contain weaponry, and the harmonious village is no more. All hell breaks loose, and cue comedic shot of the whole village going gun crazy. What makes this game so different from others is the buddies themselves. They are a collection of stereotypes, including Scottish and cockney to name a few, meaning you get a lot of cries of “freedom!” and “lovely jubbly”. In battle they use profanities and insults that would never make it into

any games today. Looking back some things they say definitely cross a line and the game could do without them, but you can’t help but laugh at imaginative and ridiculous insults such as “you spineless turd” and “oh, you dozy tart” when they come from multi-coloured tic-tac men with badly voiced accents. We can tell it is not a game we are supposed to take too seriously, yet there are enough missions and levels to make it more than your average Raving Rabbids party game. Levels include main objectives and sub-objectives, and the objectives themselves are bizarre. The main objective of one level is to stop dogs that have been turned into bombs from blowing up your base, another to collect piles of rubbish and turn some bins around. This in itself says something about the originality and humour of the game, showing it can be engaging yet silly at the same time. Somehow a mixture of the peculiar objectives, the ability to create a variety of weapons from different box combinations and the buddies’ outrageous insults makes for an unforgettable yet risqué game. Katherine Hockley

Thomas Was Alone PC/Mac/PS3/PS Vita 10/10

ccording to its creator, Mike Bithell, Thomas Was Alone is “a minimalist game about friendship and jumping”. But it’s so much more than that. It’s a shining example of the brilliant stuff being created in the indie circuits right now, and it’s one of the best-written videogames of recent times, if not all time. The story concerns a group of AIs who suddenly become sentient and try to escape their digital prison, always moving up and to the right. The gameplay is built around an absurdly simple objective; get the characters to the exit portals. Some can jump higher than others, some float on water, some fall upwards, and as the levels become more and more complicated they have to

combine forces in increasingly complicated ways. It’s perhaps in its presentation that the game most fully embraces its mantra of “less is more”. The AIs are nothing but a series of colourful quadrilaterals jumping in a 16-bit world, but it’s utterly beautiful in its simplicity, and the ambient soundtrack makes it an absolute joy to play. But it’s not the gameplay or the graphics that make Thomas Was Alone so captivating. It has a compelling story full of brilliantly rounded characters; especially when you consider that none of those characters can even speak. Instead, comedian Danny Wallace delivers a kind of pithy, stream-of-consciousness monologue about love, jealousy, superheroes and Portal 2 references. It should be cheesy, but it works because it’s totally committed to the characters. Each one has its own unique personality and

erately combines this with 16-bit cutscenes and deliciously over the top voice acting to satirise a generation of games. The satirical nature of Blood Dragon is used to create a game which is funny and enjoyable, while retaining enough of a traditional first person shooter to remain a shooter, not a comedy. The gameplay is slick, as one would expect when it is a carbon copy of Far Cry 3. The upgrades you can gain for your guns allow you to create some real carnage. Blood Dragon tries too hard to be satirical and comedic at times and it is here that the game slows down. The 16-bit cutscenes, while funny at first, tend to drag on, and some of the witty one-liners are repeated one time too many to retain their comedic value. As a piece of satirical humour, Blood Dragon would be up there at the top of any list. It was genuinely funny throughout and it was only towards the end I began to get bored. Yet Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is far from perfect as a game – it has the same flaws as Far Cry 3, after all. But at the cost of 1200 Microsoft points on Xbox, it is a fun piece of DLC for any fan of the Far Cry series. Sam Pierce

character flaws, and they’re always treated like real, living people. Two of them even fall in love, and even though they never say a word, their relationship is as strong as that of Booker and Elizabeth in BioShock Infinite, or Lee and Clementine in The Walking Dead. Thomas Was Alone only takes about four hours to play, but people will be talking about it for years to come. A deceptively simple premise hides some sublime writing and some big ideas, and Mike Bithell’s game can take its place alongside Thatgamecompany’s Journey as one of the high benchmarks of independent gaming. Phil Bayles More reviews online Read more reviews online at Forge Today

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The taming of the shrew Lyceum Theatre 8/10

dward Hall does a commendable job directing the fantastically refreshing and exceptionally contemporary version of Shakespeare’s classic play The Taming of the Shrew at the Lyceum Theatre. Hall ambitiously combines Shakespearian language with a flamboyant array of actors, garish costumes and sporadic musical interludes to reveal a new dimension to such a well-known classic, not to mention the partial nudity. The all male cast, which make up the company known as Propeller, was fantastic and the energy and enthusiasm of the actors was second to none. It was a little unusual to witness a play so evidently about marriage and the role of women played by men, yet it was this which added to the comedic disposition of the play, and had the audience in fits of laughter. Vince Leigh, who played both Sly and Petruchio, was truly the star of the show. He transformed from a drunken peasant in the street at the beginning of the play to the brash and cocky Petruchio at the end; his ability to manipulate his character so drastically was commendable. Dan Wheeler also played a

very convincing, shrewish Katherine, as his facial expressions and body language were highly comical. The scene in which he beats his sister’s potential suitors was extremely witty and well choreographed.

“Music played a big role within the play and was extremely inventive” Hall uses a huge selection of instruments from clarinets to electric guitars and triangles, which added many dimensions to the play itself. At one point a metal spoon being hit against a chair led into another song. Paradoxically, the simplicity of the instruments gave the play it’s unique and multi dimensional genius. Music was also a great way to keep the audience occupied during minor scene changes, and to add to the comical effect. The actors themselves were also exceptionally creative with their voices on stage; they often sang acapella, which formed a stark contrast to the dominant presence of the electric guitar. A particularly interesting aspect of the play was how the audience were entirely im-

Wh auden and benjamin britten Firth Hall 8/10

The relationship between arguably the greatest poet and composer of the twentieth century is both remarkable and fascinating, and throughout the evening we were given an array of insights into both its professional and personal aspects by Dr Kate Kennedy, who possesses an unrivalled knowledge of its biographical context. The musical performances were something of a highlight, especially the ebullient Hannah Robbins, whose voice breathed life into ‘Cabaret Songs’. She made us laugh with

her exasperated, comedic performance of the whimsical ‘Oh Tell Me The Truth About Love’ before silencing us with the dark melodrama of ‘Funeral Blues’; perfectly encapsulating the grief induced misanthropy of Auden’s poetic voice. The evening also

Showroom Workstation 9/10

t the Workstation within the Showroom is the photography exhibition You’re Not Alone. Described as “an exhibition showcasing behind the scenes observations of the Children’s Hospital, Sheffield”, it has opened following fantastic responses from those within the Children’s Hospital to whom it was originally shown. The exhibition, presented to the public by Artfelt which is funded by the Children’s Hospital Charity, displays work by three prominent photographers based in Sheffield who, in autumn 2011, were granted full and unlimited access to all wards and departments within the hospital, “with a view to capturing its essence”. During their time spent within the hospital, each of the photographers devoted their attention to recording one specific feature of everyday life on the wards. Richard Hanson focused on the staff, Shaun Bloodworth dedicated his attention to picturing the parents of the patients and Andy Brown took the task of photographing the children themselves. You’re Not Alone is a deeply

included performances of Britten’s settings of Auden’s poems ‘On An Island’ and ‘Cabaret Songs’ by students from the Music Department, and readings of Auden’s poems by Professor of Poetry Simon Armitage; who provided his own unique insight into Auden’s works as well as reading some of his own Auden-influenced poetry.

“It was as if the spirit of Britten and Auden had composed some of the musical settings to Armitage’s poetry” ‘On An Island’ was similarly effective, displaying the gently contradicting currents of darkness and irony that characterise the pair’s collaborative work. It was enhanced infinitely by the enchanting voice of Deborah Finch, who, along with her contemporaries, showed that if one is to be sure of anything after Sunday night

Dale Callaghan

it was that we were not short of competent musicians. Some such as Becca Byde’s ‘I’ve Started To Think’ remained more within the cabaret style to which we had now grown accustomed, whilst others explored more unconventional musical avenues; particularly Alex Gowan-Webster, whose use of recorded forest soundscapes in ‘Redwoods’ made some members of the audience momentarily forget that wewere not in fact ensconced in an area of Surrey Woodland. Overall, it was a most enjoyable and entertaining evening that provided an extremely positive finale to this year’s Lyric Festival. Bring on 2014. Christopher Smith

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Photo: Andy Brown

Jade Hearsum

you’re not alone

Photo: Richard Hanson moving photographic depiction of the anxieties felt by those that work, visit and are treated within the Children’s Hospital. The exhibition also manages magnificently illustrating the incredible bravery of the patients, and their families, together with the tremendous dedication of the remarkable staff that work so hard to deliver life-changing treatment. Despite the exhibitions small size (a characteristic synonymous with the highly intimate nature of the works themselves), You’re Not Alone displays photographs taken in a vast majority of styles. Alongside quirks such as a time-lapse of 24 hours in A&E, the most notable work is perhaps that of Andy Brown and his stunning portraits of patients taken immediately before and after tooth extraction procedures. Open until June 1, with a visitors comment book teeming with praise for the amazing work of the photographers, You’re Not Alone, is a striking testament to the people of the Children’s Hospital and is definitely worth a visit.

Friday May 17 2013

s part of the ‘A Boy Was Born’ series of events commemorating the centenary of composer Benjamin Britten’s birth, the final night of the English Department’s Lyric Festival was an exploration of the intimate relationship between music and poetry. The focus of the night was on the prolific collaborative relationship between Britten and the poet WH Auden, who worked together intensely throughout the 1930s before irrevocably separating in 1942.

mersed in the action on stage. Before the play started, the actors began milling about on stage, smartly dressed in suits. They then walked into the crowd and began chatting to the audience as if they were guests to the wedding, which was highly unusual. This breaking of the fourth wall worked really well, as it stripped away the distance sometimes present within the confinements of a proscenium arch stage. Slapstick comedy permeates through the play and contributed largely to the comedic value. John Dougall played his character Gremio as a senile, dithering old man, so when Katherine quite literally knocks him out it is highly amusing; the use of 21st century slang and partial nudity also aided the comic conventions. Hall’s ambitious adaption is like no other Shakespeare play; Hall coveys Shakespeare’s wit with language through the action on stage with masterful precision. For the play’s sheer uniqueness alone it deserves serious recognition.

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Reviews. RELEASES various artists

The Great Gatsby OST Released May 13 7/10

F Splashh

Comfort Released June 3 6/10

sychedelic rock four piece Splashh have come through with the release of their debut album, Comfort. Emerging from East London and signing with Luv Luv Luv records, Splashh radiate the alternative vibe that is associated with their local area. This is illustrated in the album, but with subtlety. Within what may seem to be mediocre songs are sparks of creative flair that really show this bands potential. Comfort is very simple. It relies on a saturated use of simplistic minimalism that seems to underpin the sound of the majority of the songs on the album. This is achieved by the use of psychedelic guitar riffs, a steady bass line and drums that follow. While these riffs do on the whole hit the ear well, they can seem a bit empty and uninspiring at times. There is an exception, however. ‘So Young’ uses the same basic minimalistic approach but the main riff is so fresh and catchy

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Friday May 17 2013

ver wondered what an Australian Kim Deal/ Sheryl Crow genius hybrid would sound like? Look no further than Courtney Barnett, a singer-songwriter from Melbourne whose dark, dry storytelling and lazy vocal delivery are irresistible. Try ‘History Eraser’, a raucous ode to The Breeders, or ‘Avant Gardener’, a story about a day of gardening gone horribly wrong. Next up is the new track by Janelle Monae, ‘Q.U.E.E.N’, featuring Erykah Badu. I know, I know, two badass female vocalists on one track? It’s enough to turn you all silly. Listen carefully to the lyrics on this one: rapped lines like “ladies / Will you sleep? / Or will you preach?” really show that Janelle is way more than your average pop star. Next we jet off to Denmark, where Copenhagen duo Quadron, producer and multi-instrumentalist Robin Hannibal and the fabulously named vocalist Coco O have been making

that it stands out from the rest of the album. Luv Luv Luv quite rightly describe Splashh as a psychedelic rock band, but there are also definite influences from grunge and shoegaze bands of the late 80s and early 90s. This concoction has a lot of potential, but despite the great sounding whiney, reverbed vocals, the result is a bit void of the wholeness you might expect, due to the slightly unimaginative guitar riffs. However, ‘All I Wanna Do’ is another exception, showing another stroke of creative flair. The vocals are complemented by solid guitar riffs in the psychedelicgrunge-shoegaze sound that really works. While it’s good, Comfort does not illustrate Splashh’s full potential. The two songs highlighted show how good Splashh can really be, and compared with the rest of the album make them a bit inconsistent. However, this band is worth keeping an eye on. If anything, this album has demonstrated just how promising they are. Jack Crisfield sophisticated scandi-pop for yonks now. If you like singing in the shower then their latest single ‘Hey Love’ has the kind of joyous, belting chorus that you need. Vampire Weekend are back. They’re still as preppy, afrobeat and Paul Simonesque as before, but does that even matter? ‘Ya Hey’ has a chorus to stick in your head for eternity, with all the typical skittishness and ponderingly thoughtful lyrics we’ve come to expect from this indie powerhouse, perfect for the brightening skies of summer. Now, for something completely different, but equally as summery: Classixx with “All You’re Waiting For” ft. Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem and Juan Maclean. Buzzing, zesty synths with a splatter of disco, a piano breakdown and more than a little bit of 80’s fun, and you’ve got yourself a track perfect for those sunlit summer soireés. Nicky Crane & Rachel Smith

eaturing an eclectic range of artists, including Lana Del Ray, Florence and the Machine, Jack White, Beyonce and the XX, the soundtrack for Baz Lurhmann’s remake of The Great Gatsby was never going to be conventional. Luhrmann’s statement that “in our age the energy of jazz is caught in the energy of hip-hop” encapsulates the essence of the soundtrack. This is an album that fuses the vintage with the new. Executive producer Jay-Z takes inspiration from the film’s 1920s context and uses it to influence his contemporary urban style. Jay-Z’s opening track ‘100$’ provides a unique insight into the mind of Gatsby himself, setting

SMall Black

Limits of Desire Released May 14 6/10

ailing from Brooklyn, Small Black’s latest release sees them moving on from the murky, lo-fi aesthetic of previous releases in favour of a glistening, cleanly produced synth-pop sound. The album opener and lead single ‘Free At Dawn’ makes the album’s grand intentions pretty clear. It’s a slowly building track

an upbeat tone for an album that reintroduces the themes of The Great Gatsby to a 21st century audience. The tracks vary in style, from classic hip-hop to the haunting tones of alternative indie pop, but they all convey a poignant sense of the bittersweet nature of love and life. Highlights included Lana Del Ray’s ‘Young and Beautiful’, which was penned exclusively for the film. It depicts the doomed nature of love, along with the unique combination of Florence and the Machine and SBTRKT’s ‘Over the Love (Of You)’. Beyonce and Andre 3000’s cover of ‘Back to Black’, like several other covers that feature on the album, sounds nothing like the original, yet this is what makes it so appealing. Beyonce’s breathy depiction of lost love adds a new dimension of pain to Winehouse’s track, enhanced by

Andre 3000’s input as he takes on the role of the previously unrepresented ex. Yet not all of the tracks lived up to the brilliance of the album of the whole, as Emeli Sande’s cover of ‘Crazy in Love’ failed to replicate the impact of the original song. Gotye’s ‘Heart’s a Mess’ is far too long; over six minutes long, it acts as a moment of dull stasis in the midst of a compilation of dynamic, diverse music. Despite these lacklustre moments, the album is an incredibly creative piece that provides a refreshing interpretation of a classic story. Its unusual style may not please fans expecting classic jazz, but it does translate the essence of the 1920s era across to a modern audience.

that reaches a crescendo of echoing big-room synths and the vocalist repeating the romantic, sentimental line “free at dawn”. This is music that has been designed for stadiums. At its most compelling it is reminiscent of the sparkling synth-pop of the Chromatics (particularly on ‘Canoe’) and in its more homogenized moments it has echoes of the bland drones of the Temper Trap. What the album does best is offer several solid, big sounding pop songs. Tracks like ‘Proper Spirit’ and ‘Breathless’ achieve a

dreamy, luxurious, uplifting quality, made interesting by melancholic overtones. ‘Shook Loves’ is a creeping, beautiful 80s sounding quasi-slow jam whose mix of lightly ominous piano stabs and soaring, warm synths perfectly captures the romance and grandeur that the album obviously aims for. However, tracks like ‘Sophie’ and ‘Limits Of Desire’ chug along pleasantly enough but it’s difficult to find anything actually intriguing. The best way to describe them is as musical tofu. The bland nature of parts of the album may be in part due to the aesthetic shift that the band has made, where their previous work was lent a hazy nostalgic charm by the lo-fi production values. The songs are now left to stand for themselves, and their saccharine, drifting quality can be cloying. That said, the album is more often than not a warm, blissful listen with the band sounding comfortable in their new guise of epic pop-mongers.

Olivia McCrea-Hedley

Sam Gibbons

major lazer

Wednesday May 1 Plug

ajor Lazer is a reggae dancehall project set up by Diplo and Switch (now run solely by Diplo after ‘creative differences’) and fronted by the character Major Lazer. It’s described by Diplo himself as a “Jamaican commando who lost both arms in a secret zombie war”, which is just as mad as it sounds. Major Lazer’s own tracks such as ‘Keep It Going Louder’ and ‘Pon De Floor’ are already massive hits, with ‘Pon De Floor’ sampled in Beyoncé’s ‘Run The World (Girls)’ (and if it’s good enough for Beyoncé...). So it makes sense that they send the crowd crazy as they’re playing. By mixing their own decent material with classic hits

DOG IS DEAD

Thursday May 2 Queens Social Club

f you have never been to the Queen’s Social Club in Sheffield, it’s a funny experience. Instead of showing up to a standard gig venue, you turn the corner and a village hall appeares complete with a Thursday night youth club queue. Considering Dog is Dead have just returned from supporting Two Door Cinema Club on their European tour, it seems a less than fitting location for the increasingly successful Nottingham quintet. Once inside, the heavy curtains, the carpet and the seating gives the impression of a school disco, doing nothing to ease

and remixed chart toppers, the set has variety that keeps everyone dancing from start to finish, and making it long enough to be worth the £16 price tag. Miss Dynamite warms up the crowd before Major Lazer hits the stage, lights, confetti, dancers and all. The high production value adds to the atmosphere, with everyone dancing by the second song. The only low point is the interval between songs in which girls are invited onto the stage to dance. Other than this being kind of sleazy, it seemed like everyone is waiting around for the set to start up again. But this doesn’t affect the atmosphere, with everyone dancing and jumping around all night. It definitely wasn’t one for standing at the side looking cool.

scepticism. To Kill a King, the five-piece support act from London, beckon everyone to the front before, creating a nice, intimately sweaty dance floor. Being similar to Mumford and Sons, but more punchy and definitely within indie-rock territory, the crowd are soon nodding along with the occasional bouncing teenager. The band’s final notes fade away, and the crowd surge forward as Dog is Dead appear. During the opening song ‘Do The Right Thing’, Dog is Dead’s music can only be described as glittery. The guitar is sparkly and shimmery, while the keyboard and drums are cosmic. The addition of a saxophone makes for a jazz twist and is even more exciting when the

While some club nights can lose their appeal if you aren’t drunk enough, this is just unashamed dance music at its best, that doesn’t take itself too seriously. This means the night is fun no matter what, as proved by the amount of people there not wearing the over-18 bands. Despite the amount of sweaty nakedness, in which Major Lazer prompted everyone to take their tops off (something only the men in the audience seemed to oblige with), it was definitely worth the money. Kaia McColl More reviews online Read more reviews online at Forge Today

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Diplos’ enlisted DJ Walshy Fire: Matt Eachus -The Manc Photographer

saxophonist slips in the solo from ‘Baker Street’ by Gerry Rafferty. The band seemed pretty pleased to be in Sheffield, paricularly when the frontman Robert Milton tells the audience “you’re like my nan, but in a really good way”. The crowd were equally pleased, with a huddle of teenage girls squashed at the front, kissing their feet as they strummed through favourites such as ‘Glockenspiel Song’ and ‘River Jordan’. However, their real triumph was their acoustic rendition of ‘Young’. Not content to be confined to the stage, they clambered into the audience with one guitar and everone sings along. It’s enough to melt anyone’s cynical heart. Camilla Helsing

Dog is Dead: EffervescingElephant/Flickr

Drenge

care about anything even slightly careerist other than wanting more opportunities to play live, deliver their set with undeniable drive. While the sound actually achieved is slightly disappointing, little of this is attributable to the band themselves who release their short, sharp tracks with real attitude. Either side of the distortion and feedback that exist between songs, the Loveless brothers tear into their instruments with an irrefutable passion possessed by boys who obviously live to play live. Unfortunately for Drenge, once again the Octagon has shown itself to be a venue little suited to anything other than an intimidating exam hall.

the staves

Thursday May 2 The Leadmill

he atmosphere is very relaxed on this warm summer evening at the Leadmill as the audience gradually saunter in to watch the Staves. The warm up act, Sivu, brought them in quickly as his acoustic indie style perfectly fit the mood. With the synths kept to a minimum, Sivu’s focus on vocals is a powerful display of how a brilliant voice can pull every other element together. ‘Bodies’ is a particular highlight as the other instruments build steadily around his acoustic guitar, and though he did not show his emotion through energetic stage movement, the passion in his face and voice is palpable and connects with the audience. As his set draws to a close, the Leadmill is as full as it’s going to be all evening, showing that this warm-up act may not be just warming up much longer.

The Staves are greeted with a hearty cheer from the crowd, as the three sisters take to the stage. Their entire performance is unassuming, full of grace and simply beautiful to watch. While energy and crazy stage antics are great, the Staves give a lesson in the beauty of simplicity. With just vocals and acoustic guitars, the sisters play song after song, near perfect with impressive harmonies. ‘Facing West’ and ‘Gone Tomorrow’ are particular highlights, as the melodies and vocals create an intoxicating cocktail of soulful music that is perfectly fitting for this sunny day in Sheffield. As the Staves leave the stage the audience clap and cheer, but not in the usual way. It is clear that their music, rather than evoking raucous passion, brings genuine heartfelt emotion and appreciation, and it’s simply spectacular to experience. Lewis Colson

Fuse.

renge, an up-and-coming alternative rock duo consisting of brothers Eion and Rory Loveless, slip discreetly onto the stage at the Octagon, but the pair don’t stay quiet for long. Returning to their honorary hometown as part of their current national tour, Drenge, hailing from the Peak District, play to a small but dedicated crowd of fans that have steadily amassed throughout the earlier support acts. The pair vaguely resemble chart-topping counterparts the Black Keys (in both appearance and musical style), but unfortunately, despite a growing

national fan base and increasingly promising media reviews, Drenge fall prey to the venue in which they played. Despite punchy, energetic guitar riffs and heavy, dynamic drums that would have been perfectly suited to a smaller venue, the sound produced by Drenge fails to fully satisfy. While a lack of bass and the duo’s simple, unsophisticated sound perhaps wouldn’t have been an issue in a room of a much more modest size. The vast, cavernous spaces within the Octagon means that Drenge doesn’t really fill the venue, regardless of the volume at which they played. It must be said however, despite the absence of a full-bodied sound, the set definitely isn’t lacking in vigour and charisma. The unassuming brothers, who have previously claimed not to

The Staves: Villunderlondon/Flickr

Friday May 17 2013

Monday May 6 The Octagon

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Reviews. Dead Man Down Dir: Niels Arden Oplev 3/10

isappointing in nearly all areas, Dead Man Down is a rubbish name for a rubbish film. Or maybe it’s a good name for a rubbish film. Either way, this doesn’t change the fact that it’s a rubbish film. Colin Farrell, who should know better by now, plays Victor, a broken shell of a man who works for a crime lord. But his life starts to change when he finds himself falling for his neighbour Beatrice, played with drippy tedium by Noomi Rapace. In place of a personality, Beatrice has some scars on her face from a car accident. This is Hollywood’s idea of facial disfigurement; a few barely visible pink scratches on the side of a wom-

Small Screen. Banshee

Mondays, 10:15pm Sky Atlantic

e meet Banshee’s antihero, played with gritty understatement by an often shirtless Antony Starr, as he is released from prison after a 15-year stretch. We don’t know his name, only that he’s “the most notorious thief in the country” and it’s less than five minutes before he’s back on the run. The Ukrainian mobster from whom our hero stole some diamonds wants some revenge. We know he’s evil because he plays chess, and we know he’s powerful because he gets his henchmen to move the pieces for him. Named after the Amish country Pennsylvania town in which it’s set, Banshee is partly West-

an’s face. The film insists that this makes her hideous, despite her still looking exactly like Noomi Rapace. Meanwhile, Colin Farrell’s character is meant to be Hungarian, but appears to have no accent at all: “I worked hard to lose it,” he says. Much harder, it seems, than anyone worked on this film. The dialogue is flat, the music is dull and it’s even crap visually. There are a lot of characters, none of them interesting, all of them contributing to an increasingly nonsensical plot which raises a range of unanswered questions – who is that person? Why do they keep talking about tupperware? When will this be over?

ern in its genre. This appears to be a trend in American television at the moment, and one that constantly threatens to grow tiresome; all it would take is for one show to get the whole Western dynamic slightly wrong. But this is not that show. From executive producer Alan Ball, who gave us the phenomenal Six Feet Under and the Oscar-winning screenplay for

American Beauty, Banshee is a gloomy, noirish beast of a show. The dialogue is sharp, the palette is black and the violence is, well, violent. Really violent. We’re not even half way through the first episode before someone gets a glass bottle smashed down their throat. The characters are all intriguingly unpleasant and enigmatic, but some are more interesting

which there are many. With Banshee, Sky Atlantic continues its unbroken run of quality imported shows. As a British television channel it seems unparalleled in its consistency. If you’re a fan of the rest of the channel’s output, and are prepared to ignore some obtrusively crap music, you’ll feel right at home in the dark little town of Banshee. Dan Meier