ROAR!
146 DAYS SINCE STUDENT COUNCIL PASSED THE MOTION FOR THE REMOVAL OF LORD CAREY FROM THE STRAND CAMPUS WINDOWS
KCL to host Future Film Shorts, pg 10
MENDING
Monday 18th March - Monday 22nd April 2013
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THE UNION?
STUDENTS CHOOSE ALL-MALE TEAM IN KCLSU ELECTIONS IN A RESULT that was incongruous with Women’s History Month, students at King’s have voted in an all-male team of student officers in the 2013 KCLSU elections. However, you voted in KCLSU’s first Muslim VP and international president!
for Representation and Communications Anthony Shaw triumphed over postgraduate Law student Madeleine Timmermans. Meanwhile Liam Jackson beat the RON vote in decisive fashion for Vice President for Student Activities and Facilities.
The current Vice President for Student Activities and Facilities, Kirsten ‘Kiki’ Johnson, was edged out in the race for KCLSU President by Sebastiaan Debrouwere. Areeb Ullah took the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs ahead of Becci Dyson, Zoe Hollingworth and Martina Wade. And incoming Vice President
Some commentators are already decrying such a macho-centric result, claiming that there will be a lack of representation of King’s College’s female student population. However many are arguing that it is merely due democratic process, and pointing to the fact that three out of four of last year’s student officers were female. The
year before that, Roar! ran with the controversial headline ‘Bird is the word’ when an all-female team was elected. This year’s elections saw a victory for Roar!, as three out of the four winners are on the editorial board of this newspaper, and the incoming President is a keen supporter. Roar! wishes Sebastiaan, Areeb, Liam and Anthony the very best of luck for the coming year. The full summaries of your new student officers are inside. FULL STORY on page 4
Nightclub Clearouts
BUST OF DESMOND TUTU
Seller information TutusnightclubKCL (5) 0% Positive Feedback Save this seller
18th March - 22nd April 2013
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#FATHERPUBLICATION ROAR! www.roarnews.co.uk BEN JACKSON EDITOR editor@roarnews.co.uk BEN WILSON NEWS EDITOR news@roarnews.co.uk NIDA ALI LONDON NEWS EDITOR LIAM JACKSON SPORTS EDITOR sports@roarnews.co.uk
facebook.com/roarnews @Jackson12th
MAX EDWARDS DEPUTY/ARTS EDITOR arts@roarnews.co.uk SAMUEL SPENCER ARTS EDITOR KATIE SINCLAIR FILM EDITOR film@roarnews.co.uk WILL DAVENPORT & JOE BROOKES MUSIC EDITORS music@roarnews.co.uk EVA CHAIDEFTOS FASHION & LIFESTYLE EDITOR fashion@roarnews.co.uk
HENRY CROSS COMMENT EDITOR comment@roarnews.co.uk
MATT LEVER & AREEB ULLAH ONLINE EDITORS
ANTHONY SHAW FEATURES EDITOR features@roarnews.co.uk
CHARLOTTE RICHARDSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF vpsme@kclsu.org
WHAT’S HOT My mum. Jean-Paul Sartre. A successful, fair election at KCLSU. Chicken tikki masala. The Heidi Chronicles. Ben Judge. Thomas Clayton after a few drinks. Staying in the Maughan till 1am just for the hell of it. The Falkland Islands being British. Roar! now has its very own iMac! Women’s History Month. Blink 182.
WHAT’S NOT Tutu’s closing. What would Desmond do?! “Speaking as a musician...” BUCS. Protest outside their HQ on the 19th, everyone! KCLSU AGM - 19th March. Vote on a Health Schools officer! The phrase “Fair.” Getting in trouble for ‘sneaking booze into Guy’s Bar’ - oops. “The fucking WiFi.” Russia. Bella of Made in King’s. Plums. Having your novel stolen off your memory stick. I TRUSTED YOU, SAM.
If you have a complaint about the editorial content in this newspaper which directly affects you, then email the editor-in-chief with your complaint: vpsme@kclsu.org
ROAR! IN PEACE...
SHOCK, HORROR: THE DEATH OF TUTU’S Ben Jackson
ON 11th March it was announced that the beloved KCLSU nightclub Tutu’s is set to close at the end of the academic year. The venue has been struggling to make ends meet in recent years – making a loss of £114,000 last financial year – prompting union chiefs to make the tough decision. In a recent survey of 1,385 students, only half said they had ever been to Tutu’s. Students will soon have the opportunity to have their say about what to do with the space in a consultation period. Former Vice President for Student Media and Engagement Fran Allfrey summed up the views of disgruntled students in a tweet, saying: “wait, wait.. when did we get the chance to express views? And why wasn’t this saved for vote at AGM #studentled #yeahright”
KCLSU President Thomas Clayton said in a statement on KCLSU’s website: “After careful consideration and having listened to the views and opinions expressed by many of you, I can now announce that Tutu’s Nightclub in the Macadam Building on Strand Campus will close at the end of this academic year. Despite our best efforts the popularity of Tutu’s Nightclub has declined and with that has come some financial losses, prompting the need for review.
I want to reassure you that the closure of Tutu’s is in no way a sign that KCLSU are withdrawing investment in your student experience. Whilst we may be saying goodbye to Tutu’s we’ll be saying hello to London, with exciting plans to work with venues around the Capital to bring you the student nightlife you’ve told us you prefer.
We’ll be saying a fond farewell to Tutu’s Nightclub with a series of events before the closure, celebrating the clubs’ history and giving you the chance to make some final memories.” Clayton addressed the fact that his manifesto promised to tackle the financial losses at Tutu’s, saying that he feels reinvesting the money saved from closing the club into other student activities is a wise move: “When I was elected last year I pledged as part of my manifesto to look into tackling the financial losses being seen at Tutu’s Nightclub, reviewing where investments should be made to ensure that KCLSU is bringing you the best value experience. I hope that you feel as I do that the decision to close Tutu’s and reinvest in other areas for a more versatile student experience is the right one.”
Our new programme will have much more variety, not just nightclub events, offering a greater choice.
The consultation period will begin next semester.
no one should be at a disadvantage due to their gender, or the way they perform it.
ing winners are analysed on page 4. Congratulations to the victors, and to KCLSU for putting on such a successful election.
Editor’s note It’s a very exciting time to be a King’s student right now. It’s Women’s History Month (following a successful LGBT History Month) and KCLSU, with KCL Feminist Society, are putting on a selection of events to celebrate feminism and the achievements of women in history. I’m a feminist - as much as a cisgendered male can be! Caitlin Moran said that feminism can be as exciting as rock’n’roll. And I’m continually enthused by the work that the Feminist Society is doing to give a voice and recognition to those who are oppressed in our society. I consider feminism to be a misnomer because it’s really about all genders. I identify as a feminist because I think
There are many more chapters left in the fight for gender equality. This is why societies like FemSoc and themed months like WHM are so vital. They forge the inequalities that still exist around us into the public consciousness.
I should probably start working on my degree once this paper comes out. If you see me in the Maughan, say hi! Ben Jackson
I encourage you all to go to the Feminist Awards Show and Comedy Night on 18th March to celebrate the achievements of people who are fighting against an unjust world. In other news, I am delighted to report that the KCLSU elections played out without any issues and the deserv-
TWEET US @ROAR_NEWS!
Too lazy to check your Twitter account? Here are some of our favourite tweets from the last few weeks.
Interesting idea Fran - or maybe some erstwhile ex-VPSMEs take offence where none given?
@georgeclews @roar_news From latest issue ‘prejudice-fighting newspaper’, forgotten page 3-gate already?
@Francheskyia @OneChapterMore haha whaaaaat? I didn’t say was anything wrong with such tactics! #someoneisdefensive
@Jackson12th @georgeclews in an article written by Fran Allfrey - it’s her opinion, not the newspaper’s. .. @Francheskyia
@OneChapterMore @Francheskyia or pissed off with stupid childish comments? #offenceistakennotgiven
@Francheskyia @Jackson12th @georgeclews thinking maybe @roar_news being deliberately provocative 2ensure ppl want 2write ‘response’ articles &fill pages! @OneChapterMore @Francheskyia
@Francheskyia @OneChapterMore @jackson12th Ben, is Max upset about something :s take him for a beer... @samspencer1993 @Francheskyia @OneChapterMore Can you two just hump and get it over with? It’s just
getting painful now...
@OneChapterMore @Francheskyia @jackson12th #misandryinaction? @ChrisRogers92 @roar_news Anthony Shaw? I’ve heard about that guy! I don’t think Katherine Gray likes him. @sdebrouwere Shout out to @KCLRadio, @kingsTVlondon and @roar_news for their amazing coverage of the elections, debates and victory night! @tomwilliamsisme @roar_news I noticed just in time! Great coverage! Can you tweet the vote counts?
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
NEWS Ben Wilson News Editor news@roarnews.co.uk
facebook.com/groups/roarnewsroom
MEET YOUR NEW KCLSU STUDENT OFFICERS
Sebastiaan Debrouwere
Sebastiaan Debrouwere is set to become KCLSU’s first international president next year, having won the election with 846 votes. The student officer and trustee results were announced to a packed Guy’s Bar on Friday 8th March, after a week of intense campaigning.
He also ensures students that he will address what he terms the ‘bread and butter issues’ at the College, such as housing, employability and grants. Two days after results night, Debrouwere was back on a plane to the US with his newly broken toes, and Roar! wishes him a quick recovery.
Anthony Shaw
The Belgian fought a hard campaign to beat current Vice President for Student Activities and Facilities Kirsten ‘Kiki’ Johnson and KCL Economics Society President Robbie Hirst.
Anthony Shaw, having run what many perceived as a joke campaign, secured the new post of Vice President for Representation and Communications with 622 votes.
Debrouwere co-founded KCL Politics Society and is currently President of KCL Think Tank Society – his CV has just improved tenfold with this election win.
His wacky campaign posters, one of which featured Shaw in a dress, captured the imagination of an electorate. The Darwener triumphed over Law postgraduate student Madeleine Timmermans in a closely contested race, with a mere 200 votes between the two.
The international flew over from Georgetown (where he is completing a semester abroad) especially for the election period. Luckily for him, the long flights and jet lag paid off. He promises to ‘cut red tape’ for KCLSU societies, activity groups and student media, proposing to introduce an online ticket system for requests.
Shaw contributes to the Student Media Forum and currently sits on Student Council as Environment and Ethics representative, introducing College-wide policies such as double-sided printing for a reduced cost. He also edits the Features section of this newspaper.
The proud northerner vows in his manifesto to ‘continue the great work started by the current VPSME Charlotte Richardson on the student media suite project,’ a long-term aim of the media societies at King’s. He also promises to support RAG and continue working on his vision for Strand and Waterloo RAGs to match GKT.
Shaw celebrated his win in modest style the following night, with a curry on New Cross Road – chicken tikka masala, for those who were wondering.
Areeb Ullah A seasoned veteran of KCLSU student politics, having served on the Student Council for the past two years, Areeb ‘Areeb-Spring’ Ullah’s experience was perhaps one of the crucial deciding factors in the elections for Vice President of Academic Affairs. The most hotly contested position in this year’s election, with 5 candidates standing, was taken by Ullah after a hard fought yet amiable campaign from all nominees. Areeb’s manifesto ran on a plat-
SMILE FOR THE CA
form of pushing for the removal of exam re-sit fees, making recording of all lectures mandatory, making access to modules in other departments and even at other University of London institutions easier, and fighting hidden course costs and cutbacks in postgraduate funding.
He was, however, forced to concede during the March 6th Hustings that mandatory recording of lectures would be problematic, if not impossible, since lectures are the intellectual property of the lecturer and there can subsequently be no obligation for this material to be recorded. But it turned out to be little more than a stumbling block, as 669 votes were enough to secure a firm victory. Tweeting on the night of the election results, Areeb said “Thank you to everyone that supported me and helped me through one of the most stressful times of my life”.
Liam Jackson The position of Vice President for Student Activities and Facilities was taken this year by Roar!’s very own Sports Editor, Liam ‘Re-Action’ Jackson.
Liam also comes from a position of experience with regards to student politics, having spent the last year serving in the role of Student Council NUS delegate. Despite standing unopposed for the position he displayed great commitment and work ethic by mounting an extensive campaign to promote his policies, and was even spotted by this reporter canvassing for votes in the rain on Waterloo Bridge.
A healthy return of 1164 votes came as the result of tireless electioneering and a manifesto that pledged to further develop RAG on all campuses, to challenge the power of British Universities and Colleges Sport (particularly their desire to bring about a merger between KCL and GKT sports teams), to ensure Varsity for all sports and to find alternatives to the privatisation of halls of residences. News of his election victory was greeted on Jackson’s Facebook page with the statement “The next VicePresident of Student Activities and Facilities - I owe 1164 people a drink!” – a pledge that will be certain to bring him a lot of popularity with his new voting base, if he is able to deliver!
MERA, BOYS!
Above: pictured from left to right: Areeb Ullah, Sebastiaan Debrouwere, Anthony Shaw, Liam Jackson
18th March - 22nd April 2013
NEWS
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@BenWilsonROAR
KING’S COMES 2ND IN SEXUAL HEALTH
Ben Wilson
sities, and to act as a focal point for improvement of services.”
THE REPUTATION of King’s College London has received a boost recently, as King’s has come 2nd in a survey ranking sexual health facilities.
Mr Porter also commented on KCL’s provision of full sexual health services on campus as a benchmark for some other universities to aim towards, whilst making note of student led groups like KCL Sexpression and SHAG (Sexual Health And Guidance) Week as “interesting innovations”.
Based on the USA’s Trojan Sexual Health Report Card, which has been running since 2006, the DrEd Sexual Health Report Card has ranked all Russell Group Universities on such criteria as contraceptive access, information available on campus and sexual assault service. KCL, in 2nd place behind Nottingham University, is one of only three institutions to receive a ‘First Class Honours’ for the high level of excellence of the services it provides.
Another area of mention was that “both the top 2 universities in the table were NHS administered health centres, which would perhaps suggest that a top down approach to sexual health provision works best as excellence at the top level filters down to the rest of the university.”
Information for the study was gathered through data provided by university representatives (usually the student union welfare officer with responsibility for sexual health) in an online questionnaire, secondary research and analysis of the sexual health services provided, and ‘mystery shopping’ of all university health centres to ascertain service levels, responses and recommendations for treatment.
However, as a consequence of government cuts to the NHS the quality of many services could come under threat. Put together by Brook and Family Planning Association (leading sexual health charities within the UK), the ‘Unprotected Nation’ report predicts an increase of 91,620 STIs per year by the year 2020, as a result of “increased restrictions, fragmentation of services and reductions in the effectiveness of education and awareness raising programmes” resulting from decreased spending.
Speaking to Roar!, Community Manager for DrEd James Porter stated that “we thought that this in-depth analysis, coupled with friendly competition in the form of a report card was an excellent way to draw attention to sexual health services in UK univer-
The report goes on to claim that of these additional diagnoses, 76,840 cases are expected to be chlamydia. According to Dr Jasper Mordhorst, Clinical Consultant at DrEd, these figures are especially troubling since at present “roughly 10% of under 25’s
still carry chlamydia, and chlamydia remains the number one reason women can’t conceive in later life.”
He also added that “young people tend to change partners much more than other age groups, so transmission rates of STI’s are much higher”, making these education and treatment services crucial at university level. Already many students nationwide are being told they are unable to access university facilities depending on their postcode, instead being told they will have to find their nearest GUM (genito-urinary medicine) clinic. While in the eyes of Dr Mordhorst “the UK is blessed with phenomenally good sexual health services generally” and that “the whole concept of freely available anonymous sexual health clinics is eyed jealously from countries such as France and Germany”, these services must not be taken for granted or allowed to fall by the wayside since “in the under 25 age group, sexual health issues remain critical”. You can read the full DrEd report here: https://www.dred.com/uk/ sexual-health-report.html#.UTjKRBlH_wg You can also read the Unprotected Nation report here: http://www.fpa. org.uk/pressarea/pressreleases/2013/ january/unprotected-nation-cutsto-sexual-health-services-costuk-136-billion
Above: KCL students are clearly using a lot of these...
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH Ben Wilson
HERE at Roar!, we’ve got more strings to our bow than just defending Page 3 when it comes to the complex and often controversial world of feminism. That’s why we’re excited that March at King’s is a celebration of all things feminine. From March 11th, KCLSU and KCL FemSoc will be bringing you a series of events as part of Women’s History Month, intended to “raise awareness and empower women by discovering, documenting and celebrating women’s lives and achievements. According to Connie Cramp, publicity director for KCL FemSoc, there will be “a whole host of events to celebrate outstanding women, and everyone who supports equal rights, all of which will be free to attend!” The first of these, a talk on ‘Feminism and Fairytales’ by independent academic Sophia Morgan-Swinhoe on March 11th, will be focussed on “talking about the relationship between feminism and the genre of the fairy tale, before exploring the possibilities of a feminist fairy tale” as well as providing discussion and a Q&A
session with Sophia.
Shortly after, on March 14th between 15:00 and 17:00, will be a walking tour “visiting sites associated with women who have defined Whitechapel and Spitalfields.” Usually costing £9, the walk has instead been subsidised for Women’s History Month so make sure you book yourself a place and learn about such eminent feminist figures as Annie Besant, Mary Hughes, Miriam Moses, Eva Luckes and Edith Cavell. Next on the agenda is the ‘Feminist Comedy and Awards Night’, taking place in Tutu’s on the 18th of March. Appearances will include comediennes Kate Smurthwaite, Annabel O’Connell, Katie Lane and ‘Turn Your Back On Page 3’ campaigner Francine Hoenderkamp. Hoenderkamp will be presenting awards that include ‘Student Feminist of the Year (King’s)’, ‘Journalist of the Year’ and ‘Misogynist of the Year’. Voting is still open, and you can head over to http://kclsu.org/survey_page.asp?section=1446&section Title=Feminist+Awards to make your voice heard. March 25th sees Strand Campus’
Anatomy Lecture Theatre (K6.29) play host to a discussion on “women’s rights in sport, the ‘halo’ effect of the Olympics and future visions for women’s sport.” Head of King’s Sports and Active Lifestyle Andy Allford will be joined by Kelly Smith, Alex Scott, Charlotte Edwards and Shelly Alexander for the discussion, followed by a Q&A and drinks reception. And wrapping up Women’s History Month on March 28th will be a film screening of ‘The Help’ in S3.30, Strand Campus. Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett and starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, the Oscar Award Winning ‘The Help’ is the account of one author’s decision to write a book from the perspective of African-American maids during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
For more information on any of these events head over to kclsu.org/womenshistory. You can also have your voice heard by tweeting @KCLSU with the hash-tag #KickAssWomen. To book your place on any of the events e-mail bindz.patel@kclsu.org, and be sure to check out KCL FemSoc on Facebook and Twitter, it’s open to all with an interest in feminism.
WANT TO HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE ISSUES OF THE DAY? EDITOR@ROARNEWS.CO.UK!
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
COMMENT Henry Cross Comment Editor comment@roarnews.co.uk
facebook.com/roarnews
YOU SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND, BABY
James Leeman
IF ANYONE was still under the impression that British politics was a battle of high ideals and complex ideologies, then the aftermath of the Eastleigh by-election, and the scramble to spin the result in different directions, is a wake-up call to reality. Over the last few weeks the small Hampshire town of Eastleigh was caught in the middle of a political storm. It’s MP, Chris Huhne, was caught up in a legal case involving parking tickets and perverting the course of justice, and was forced to resign. This kicked off the British electoral process of a by-election, where a seat is contested during a parliament due to the MP leaving the seat. All very simple stuff, however this was no ordinary by-election. Eastleigh is a relatively safe Liberal Democrat seat, with Chris Huhne gaining a comfortable 3,864 majority in 2010. But with the party languishing so low in the national opinion polls and the recent scandals rocking the party, this was cast as a midterm verdict on the Lib Dem’s coalition record and their party’s leadership. In view of this, many believed that this could be a chance for their coalition partners, the Conservatives, to reassert their presence and take a mid-
season victory to reaffirm their economic and social policies. However, the Conservatives have their own problems, with many traditional tory voters increasingly switching the Eurosceptic UKIP protest party. David Cameron’s right wing back benchers continue to put pressure on him to enforce more traditionally ‘conservative policies’ and Eastleigh was seen as a key trial of his leadership.
On the other side of the coin, Ed Miliband’s ‘One Nation Labour’ policy of trying to appeal to Southern, Middle Class Britain, was due to be tested. So, all in all this was an election of high stakes taking place in the rural town that once produced the comic legend Benny Hill. It would give us a clear indication on the coalition’s record, and give us a key indication as to who will govern the Brits after 2015. Surely this would be an election of winners and losers, where ideals and ideas would be assessed and judged? Certainly the media frenzy of the preceding would have led you to think so. However, as we woke up on Thursday 1st March it seemed an amazing thing had happened in the Eastleigh by-election… Everyone had won! Or at least, no one had lost? Certainly the Liberal Democrats had won the seat, albeit on a reduced majority. Their glorious leader Nick
Clegg was straight out on the press rounds to hail an ‘amazing’ Lib Dem victory that showed they ‘can be in government and still win’. But at the same time UKIP had bounced from fourth place in 2010 to 2nd in 2013, increasing their share of the vote by 24%. And leader Nigel Farage (pictured to the right) was quick to let us all know that this was UKIP’s day, telling us that the vote showed UK voters’ ‘revulsion’ at the main parties, whilst also getting in a cheeky jibe at ‘conman Cameron’.
tion strategy was meant to see protest votes at the coalition some flooding Labour’s way Despite the hype, however, Labour only received 0.2% of the votes. According to Milliband, though, it was a seat they were going to win and he defended his policies.
There you have it: the first election in history with no losers! This is a great reminder that a lot of modern politics is all in the spin. Never concede you might be wrong, perform a U-turn if need be.
leigh was a victory for protest. Just like George Galloway’s Bradford West by-election victory last year, this shows voters aren’t happy with the big three. The Lib Dems and Conservatives have always fought for this seat, and together they lost 20,000 votes. These votes didn’t go to Labur, but to UKIP. If Eastleigh shows us anything, it shows us British voters are disgruntled with the policies of the same big 3 parties. The question is would they actually vote this way in a general election?
Well okay, if the Lib Dems and UKIP had won I guess this must be terrible news for the apparent conman that is Cameron right? Well not quite. Although conceding a tough result, Cameron was quick to point out that; ‘this is a by-election, it’s mid-term, it’s a protest. That’s what happens in by-elections’. So don’t worry, this is no defeat for the Tories either!
This is the nature of modern British politics, but the truth is that East-
This is just my opinion, but perhaps I’m spinning the fact?
They may have lost over 11,000 voters in 3 years and been beaten into third place in a constituency most thought they should win, but that’s okay, because, it’s only a by-election! Phew. So no losers as of yet, but surely if those other sly dogs aren’t losing, then Labour must be? Ed Miliband has rebranded his party as the party of ‘one nation Britain’. This elec-
INTERNATIONAL EQUALITY DAY?
Lucy Price
THE BBC reported recently that in the UK, female athletes are underappreciated, and do not receive enough support. Interestingly, this piece coincided almost perfectly with International Women’s Day, and a few days later, Mother’s Day. There seems to me to be an almost constant conflict of opinion in the UK about the way women are viewed, and their roles in general. Women have fought for decades to enjoy the same privileges as their male counter-parts,
but we have to ask, when will it stop? Will women ever be satisfied that they are in fact equal?
Statistically, there is some truth in the BBC’s claims. Just 22% of board members across British sports organisations are female, and for the past 7 Olympic Games, female British athletes have produced less medals than men, suggesting that less time and money is spent on developing our women (however, it should also be noted at this point that there have been
more medals on offer for male athletes at every modern Olympic Games). I clearly remember last year’s Games being recognised as important ones for feminism, as it was the first time every sport that had previously been male-only was also open to women, so why, 7 months down the line, are people now saying that it wasn’t enough? Falling on the 8th of March, International Women’s Day was first celebrated in 1911, but it took until 1977 for it to become widely
recognised in the western world as a legitimate celebration. In contrast, International Men’s Day, which falls on the 19th of November, was not officially observed until 1999. It is hard to tell what this says about the difference between men and women in our society, particularly when regarded from a feminist point of view, because while on the surface it seems as though women are gaining the recognition that any feminist would argue they deserve, feminism is ultimately about gender equality, which there is a distinct lack of in this case. Similarly, while IWD seems like a nice idea, it can provoke a lot of questions and remarks about the legitimacy of such a celebration, and it seemed to me that the question that was on everyone’s lips this year was “what about men?”
For some, IWD has lost some of the original meaning (to celebrate women’s economic, political and social achievements), and has become more like a combination of Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, which sit either side of it. But after giving it some thought, Mother’s Day is not such a feminist affair after all, to me at least. It suggests that the only women that should be celebrated on this day are those who have had children, and that the women who chose to climb the corporate ladder instead do not deserve flowers, chocolates, or breakfast in bed. Thinking of Mother’s Day in this way suddenly reduces it to a fairly worn-out concept of women,
as the bearers of children and nothing else, that get patted on the back once a year, and appreciated for this day only. No kudos is given for their hard-graft and independent intelligence, only for their natural duty. They are naturally allied to the house hold and their special treatment on this one day is simply a condescending thumbs-up to a job well done. Taking into consideration these three aspects of the discussion, it feels natural to conclude that no, we’re not there yet with the equality. But when you remember that 100 years ago, the British media wouldn’t think to discuss the representation of female athletes, and there was no such thing as International Women’s Day, you see just how far we’ve come already.
18th March - 22nd April 2013
NEWS COMMENT
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THE DIRECTION OF FACEBOOK’S RULE
Henry Cross
ALL OF THIS stuff about the Harlem Shake has got me thinking about social media.
Perhaps people have grown weary with the site and have deleted their accounts to combat its growing domination, amongst other things.
How far can all of this go? People of our generation are the first to have this ability to access their pasts at the press of a button. It’s not an unfair assumption to make that the next generation are going to go straight into this new phenomenon, and that for them it will bear even greater significance than for us, charting their existence from the very moment they can set up a Facebook account, which I would be inclined to assume is pretty young.
Something that stands out to me when considering Facebook is its relatively new ‘Timeline format’. When Facebook introduced this, I resisted for months, but in the end gave up the struggle and subscribed.
Our children and their children are going to do the same. The kids of the future will be able to look at their parent’s profiles and see how they used to be when they were their age. How strange would this be?
I don’t think I’m alone when occasionally I feel like I should be more proactive in keeping a diary. My youth is passing me by and I want something that when grappling with a mid-life crisis I can look back on and think “Well, at least I had my youth”. It’s natural to feel a desire to record the events in your life, if for nothing else than to feel the sense of relief that pouring your emotions out on paper can bring.
Where will this leave us? Surely with an extensive database of billions of people’s individual memories all collected together in this vast fabric of Facebook. A colossal collage of lives and experiences stretched out before anyone with the ability to access the internet.
How seemingly effortless it is to spread a meme throughout the world in a few days with the use of Youtube, Facebook and other related things? It’s scary. But something that also caught my attention was that over the festive period, Facebook lost 600,000 users.
A HARLEM SHAKE TOO FAR Jacob Åsbjörn Mardell
on cars while naked and screaming.
KING’S College recorded their Harlem Shake a solid two weeks too late. This is according to commentators who point to the broadcast of The Today Show’s version of the meme as signalling its official death. Others look to the embarrassing exploitation of the meme by dozens of advertising agencies or to the general transgression of the meme’s original formula.
These sort of phenomena have an incredibly short half life and my bandwagon belongs to someone who thinks that when a phenomenon is so frequently reinterpreted as to have 40,000 versions within 2 weeks of the original event, its embarrassing to participate. I agree that this might not be true of memes that are more versatile, those like ‘Good Guy Greg’ that are simply (or less simply) formats for non-descript jokes. It is the case for the Harlem Shake because the joke can only be told once. After that you are just having a go at telling the joke, and jokes are rarely funny the forty thousandth time.
For me, watching the KCL Harlem Shake, nothing could be clearer than the meme’s banishment to the realm of awkward and forced attempts at being current. While users upload their take on the Shake to Youtube, the meme lives, but it lives a pitiful existence as a reference to internet popularity and serves to propose a homogeny of populist, antiquated jokes. Part of me is calling myself out as a partypooper but this is an opinion piece and I refuse to qualify my disregard for anyone who records a Harlem Shake in early March, or in our case, as late as February 27th. One hardly knows on which bandwagon to jump with any fad, but this is particularly true with internet memes whose evolution is so rapid that one finds it difficult to distinguish which opinion is the least populist or the most enlightened. I remember a similar thing happening with the Kony 2012 business, until Jason Russel was arrested for being naked… and screaming… and jumping
I do admit that one might think of new versions of the Shake that haven’t been attempted, ones that may even be conduits for smart political commentary (simply don relevant political figure masks). But to continue the Good Guy Greg comparison, the Shake differs in that it’s nature is not as a template for jokes, it does not have Good Guy Greg’s function of a ‘knock, knock’ formula. The Shake’s humor is a single defiance of expectations, in an energetic, absurdist twist. To use it as a vehicle for another purpose is to misunderstand the original joke and is therefore vehemently ‘uncool,’ (thus the cringe factor of the professional productions that use the shake as an advertising ploy). Once we have reached the stage of meta-shakes, we are tired.
The London Uni rivalry concerning the shake is nauseating. It is a gross misappropriation of the joke for tribalism. Largest Harlem Shake in Europe UCL? Fantastic, but we made ours just as blurry and out of focus. Nevermind. I’m not saying that people who partake in the shakes are stupid, but what they must realise is that are simply throwing themselves into a homogenised block of social conformity, one of the worst products of our modern age. I’m not saying that I am too cool to participate, though that may well be the case, but I am highlighting the fact that the Harlem Shake meme is not cool and never was, other than the brief few seconds when the original video made us all chuckle.
construct for themselves their own social memory which they can track and trace, perhaps to look back upon to find out exactly where they went wrong.
But, at first I was perplexed as to why anyone would want their previous years of Facebook use to be displayed on their profiles under convenient yearly headings. All of the minor indiscretions, bad fashion choices and nights you’d probably rather forget laid bare for everyone to see. At the same time, I saw what they were aiming at. Having a timeline allows you access the memories of yourself, friends and family in a way that nobody has ever been able to do before. People can add what they consider to be momentous occasions in their lives, whether it be climbing a mountain or going to university, and can scroll through the past photos that bring memories to light. They can
I don’t know whether this troubles me more than others because of my studying history and its constant preoccupation with memories and how they are presented (anybody lucky enough to have studied the second history course will know what I’m talking about). But trouble me it does and I cannot help but think every time I log onto Facebook in a fit of procrastination whether this is a good or bad thing. Is it symptomatic of society’s general descent into a thoughtless technology obsessed shell? Is it good that we can access our pasts with such ease? Is there anything that can be said for the old art of jotting one’s thoughts down in a ragged old note pad? For me, it is only time which can answer this, but perhaps the recent dwindling of Facebook subscribers can hint to us the way opinion is moving.
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
FEATURES Anthony Shaw Features Editor features@roarnews.co.uk
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SHOULD WE INTERVENE IN THE SYRIAN CRISIS? Wiktoria Schulz
IT’S BEEN almost two years since the Syrian Uprising began, and little has been done to prevent further onslaught and worsening humanitarian crisis. More than 70,000 people have been killed since last March according to the United Nations, and with refugee numbers expected to spike to over a million in the coming months, it begs the question why nothing is being done to help. Unfortunately, the reasons put forth by Western governments and the UN are poor at best. In 2005, the United Nations adopted the Responsibility to Protect doctrine, also known as R2P, which theoretically provides a legitimate basis for humanitarian intervention. In essence, it maintains that a state must protect its citizens from mass atrocities, and if it fails to do so, whether because it is unable or unwilling, the international community has the responsibility to intervene through coercive measures, such as economic sanctions. Military intervention should be considered as a last resort.
across as a poor attempt to justify the lack of action to do something to elevate the situation in Syria. Clearly, the Syrian government is guilty of crimes against humanity mass atrocities, and war crimes. Yet, in spite of the fact that for the past two years the Syrian Opposition has been calling for help from the international community it has been to little avail. Little has been done in fear that if weapons are supplied to the opposition it may fall into the hands of the extremist groups. Frankly, doing nothing is worse. The level of destruction has seen health care plummet to state that Doctors are considered to be no better than terrorists: providing healthcare has become
to be seen as act of resistance. Hospitals are now military targets, and few civilians venture anywhere near in fear of being tortured as doctors are now labelled as ‘enemies of the regime’. Refugees in neighbouring Jordan have turned to prostitution to get by. Many women who have fled the country are at risk at being exploited by traffickers, at even at times, at the hands of their own family in order to have some sort of income. These women risk deportation back to Syria and up to three years jail time as prostitution is illegal in Jordan. Yet, with influx of refugees and the lack of resources to help them, the alternative may be to starve. Although the UK
may have recently stepped up its efforts to help end the humanitarian crisis in Syria, supplying the Syrian Opposition with armoured vehicles and body armour is nowhere near enough. Not only does more have to be done to help the Syrian Opposition, support should also be given to neighbouring countries offering refuge in shape of supplies and resources.
It is almost important that Western governments take it upon themselves to commit in helping the Syrian people; it is not simply a mere ‘get in, get out’ type of situation. Governments have to be in it for the long haul in order to actually get to the root of the problem and help solve the crisis in
Syria. The crisis in Syria is already of catastrophic proportions, the longer we wait, the harder it will be to prevent Syria from self-destructing. In two years, over 700,000 people have died. The amount of refugees fleeing the war zone is past a million. How many more lives need to be lost before it is enough to justify the use of force? It is too easy for us in the West to sit idly, entirely removed from the conflict, spouting empty promises and providing false hope. It is time something is done because as we twiddle our thumbs and take part in abstract debates, the crisis in Syria only keeps getting worse.
Yet, despite this, the situation in Syria continues to spiral down as the UN and politicians twiddle their thumbs, doing little to nothing. In fact, the UN has released a report stating that both the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition are committing war crimes, and hence the lack of forthcoming humanitarian support that is desperately needed. Although, it cannot be denied that there are atrocities being committed by both sides, to equate the Assad’s government with the Syrian Opposition fails to take into account that there are several factions within the opposition. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) operates in vastly different ways in comparison to the extremist groups within the Syrian Opposition, Jabhat Al Nusra and Islamic Jihad. The FSA’s origin can be traced back to defectors from the Syrian army who refused to fire upon unarmed protesters. Arguably, the UN report comes
‘SHIRKERS’,’STRIVERS’ AND THE LABOUR PARTY Michael Di Benedetto
SOME OF YOU may have read an article in last month’s Roar! entitled ‘Labour need to embrace Osborne ‘shirker v striver’ debate’. Although the suggestions in the article are not without merit, its title has prompted me to consider that debate and to write the following article. Whilst I wish to spare the reader an overtly Marxist analysis of the debate that is incompatible with my general political views, there can be little doubt over the intentions of the Coalition in forming the ‘shirkerstriver’ distinction. Like all Governments facing similar crises, the Coalition seeks to find a group on which to blame the disappointing economic performance, and who better to target than the our very own 21st century underclass? Consistent with this line
of attack, the Coalition invites us to consider the ‘shirker’, someone who leads a life of state-sponsored ‘luxury’ whilst refusing to work. This, we are led to believe, is contrasted with the ‘strivers’ who in working hard result in having to financially support the ‘skivers’. Clearly, in a time of austerity, job losses and falling wages, it is easy to understand why a ‘skiver’ should be chastised. They are the perfect targets, seemingly the selfish architects of our collective downfall. This distinction is unsurprising contentious, and I ask the reader to consider the fundamental difference between a ‘shirker’ and a ‘striver’. Are they not both subject to the same economic Darwinism? Yes, individual outlooks and work ethics may vary, but is unemployment not inseparable from our economic system? A system that rewards the wealth creators and
entrepreneurs who in turn condemn others to poverty through lowering wages and exploiting loopholes in employment laws. Social mobility exists, of course, but can we really all grow rich together? And what of those who do not prosper, is it fair to brand them feckless and work-shy or, even more offensively, as the ‘undeserving poor’?
Of course ideologically differences will lead to varying conclusions to these questions, and I must stress that the purpose of this article is not to provide my own but to offer an understanding on how this debate applies to the Labour Party. I put it to the reader that the Labour Party has a duty, and a historical and ideological commitment, to refute the insidious distinction between a ‘shirker’ and a ‘striver’. After all, it seems extraordinary to suggest that the party of the
Atlee, Wilson and the NHS should be on its hands and knees with the Coalition in blaming the most vulnerable for our economic situation. The Labour Party should be proud of its social democratic values, so as the Coalition persists with its austerity program, where is Labour Keynesian alternative?
The problem, in my opinion, is not the incompetence of individuals in the party, but its apparent weakness in designing and tackling political narratives. Be it on public debt, austerity or, to a lesser extent, taxation, the Labour Party continues to accept the Coalition’s right-wing discourse, with little enthusiasm for offering an alternative. If Labour is to win in 2015, it must seize on the Coalition latest attempt at dismantling the welfare state. Public opinion is firmly against the continuation of unrelent-
ing austerity, and Labour should reflect this. It must stand for fairness, social justice and job creation. It must challenge the Coalition’s plans to target the most vulnerable and, in doing so, it must refuse to embrace the ‘shirker-striver’ debate.
18th March - 22nd April 2013
FEATURES
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A MORBID TOUR OF LONDON Eleanor Magson
LONDON is a world destination for art, culture and history, but it also sits at the forefront of scientific and medical study and breakthrough. As a biomed student, I was keen to tread the line between these two sides of London, and did so with surprising ease. I paid a visit to three institutions in London to see what was on offer. Billed as a ‘destination for the incurably curious’, the Wellcome Collection’s eclectic array of exhibits means it certainly lives up to this description. Housed in the Euston Road home are two permanent exhibitions, Medicine Man and Medicine Now. The former includes a fascinating, sometimes bizarre melee of objects ranging from a Chinese torture chair to Napoleon Bonaparte’s toothbrush. Medicine Now confronts some of the major issues facing the modern medical and scientific community and interpretations through art. Death: A Self Portrait is the Collection’s most recent offering - a free exhibition encompassing aspects of our historical and current attitudes towards death, the 300-odd items span artworks, scientific specimens of human remains and historical artefacts. Pay a visit,
and you will make your way through five rooms exploring our obsession with the macabre and morbid nature of life. A giant chandelier constructed of (plaster) bones hangs between the entrance and exit, a reminder of death looming over us at all times. A discovery in 2006 of a forgotten cemetery in central London was the inspiration for the current exhibition at the Museum of London. The remains uncovered by archaeologists showed signs of dissection, autopsy and amputation, giving new insight into the shadowy 19th century trade in dead bodies in the medical community.
Even our venerable institution crops up twice in the story of the grisly grave-robbing turned murder in the city. Death, Dissection and Resurrection Men is certainly more factual and historically based than much of the artistic view of demise in Death: A Self Portrait but both prompt the reminder that the way we learn to prolong life stems from our scientific study of, and cultural curiosity towards, death. My final destination was the Science Museum, which offered a much less morbid visit – Who Am I? attempts to question and explain the facets of what makes each of us, from our bod-
ies being rebuilt ‘bionically’ to what defines our gender, how we inherit traits from our family to the unknown world of memories and the mind. Pain Less is a new exhibition that
accounts how current research into pain might create a painless future, and whether that’s a desirable future or not. Hear how an Xbox Kinect is used to cure pain in an amputated ‘phantom’ limb, whether anaesthetic stops us from feeling pain during surgery, or just prevents us from remembering it, and what it’s like to live a
life without the ability to feel pain. You don’t have to be studying at Guy’s campus to have your curiosity captured by these ‘sciencey’ attractions, each examine part of the scientific world within their complex cultural context and would prove just as stimulating to a philosophy or history student as to a medic or physio.
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
LONDON NEWS
Nida Ali London News Editor news@roarnews.co.uk
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SOUTHBANK CENTRE TO RECEIVE £118 MILLION TRANSFORMATION Nida Ali
THE Southbank centre, situated between the Hungerford and Waterloo Bridges is a familiar site for KCL students used to trekking between the Strand and Waterloo campuses. This March plans have been announced for a £118 million transformation of the cultural centre, due to start in autumn 2014, for completion in 2017. The aim of the project is to bring the 1960s buildings into the 21st century and create a world-class cultural centre more capable of welcoming the 25 million who pour into the South Bank each year. Plans for the 21-acre site include new roof gardens, under-croft
venues for concerts as well as a building closer to Waterloo Bridge to house a new national literature centre, a poetry library and a few restaurants.
renovation, will also be made.
Easily the most flamboyant part of this regeneration, are plans to join the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Hayward Gallery with a “floating” glazed foyer on the roof, illustrated in the image below, this glass pavilion is the focal point of the site’s modernisation. Once renovated the QEH, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery are to be re-named as the Festival Wing.
Jude Kelly, the Southbank Centre’s artistic director, has set the focus on transforming the “tired and under-nourished” Festival Wing from a neglected “Cinderella space” into a third pavilion between the National Theatre and the Royal Festival Hall. The renovation proposals have generally been commended for honouring the original concept of the Hayward and Queen Elizabeth Hall, created 50 years ago by young architects working for the London County Council.
Practical improvements such as back-of-house facilities and disabled access, which constitute the main driving force behind the
The complex was designed as a large public arena, not to be seen as a fixed architectural object but something future users could enhance and adapt.
In fact, Dennis Crompton, one of the original LCC architects, has voiced his satisfaction with the overall scheme.
However, there are some downsides to the plan, most notably the reallocation of the riverside skateboarders and graffiti artists from the under-croft, a distinctive zone of mushroom-shaped concrete columns, familiar to many KCL students. The space will be cleared to allow the opening of more shops and restaurants. Although it has been claimed, there may be a place for urban arts such skateboarding, BMX biking and graffiti art in the new development, this appears unlikely considering the project’s severe time and money constraints.
A detailed planning application needs to be submitted by May, leaving little opportunity to develop the architectural intelligence of the project. There is also some doubt as to whether the funds will add up – the Arts Council has so far offered only £20 million against an estimated cost of £118m, which leaves an awful lot more to find. A second-stage application will be made to theArts Council by September. In the mean time Kelly remains optimistic: “We’re going to raise the money because to just refurbish would leave another generation of people having to pick up the baton for the changes that need to be made.” Adding “London deserves for the site not to carry on being neglected.”
THE £913 MILLION PLAN TO GET LONDONERS CYCLING Nida Ali MAYOR of London, Boris Johnson has pledged another £913 million as part of a 10 year plan to get more Londoners biking, by making the capital safer for cyclists and cycling a more integral part of the London transport system. Johnson, says he wants to “de-Lycrafy” cycling and make it something everyone can do without thinking. He also promised to tackle the most dangerous aspects of cycling, in recognition of the fact that most fatalities occur at junctions, and tend to involve HGVs. The plan revealed this month includes a number of developments. A major initiative involves removing one lane of vehicle traffic from the six-lane stretches of the busy Westway road, for a 15-mile ‘Cycle Crossrail’ from west London to Barking in the east. Mayor Johnson said: “The Westway, the ultimate symbol of how the urban motorway tore up our cities, will become the ultimate symbol of how we are claiming central London for the bike.”
Another plan is to replace some of the current blue routes with a new set of superhighways featuring some Dutch-styled segregated lanes. It is envisaged that this will form a more efficient network, with a “superhub” that will be based at Waterloo, to encourage rail commuters to switch en masse to cycling. Construction of the highways should be completed by 2016, with the first “quietways” – unbroken cycle routes on quiet streets, mimicking lines on the tube network – appearing as early as next year. These back-road routes are in consideration of less confident and less rushed riders. Moreover, in an attempt to encourage mass cycling habits in suburban London, the mayor’s team has planned what they call “mini-Hollands”, where up to three outer London borough councils will be able to secure funding for transformative schemes. These will see very high, concentrated spending to encourage bikes, as far as possible, to replace cars for short trips. The ambition is to gain cycling the status of an integral element of Lon-
Above: An artist’s impression of how the Southbank centre post-redevelopment. Photograph:FCBS Although, TFLC commissioner Peter Hendy has admitted there are numerous significant engineering challenges that would first need to be overcome. Mayor Johnson’s plans for cycling have generally been received well. Especially considering more cyclists will be good for everyone: less road congestion, less smog, more seats on the tube and being the health option.
However, the plan which is ing the has been
there remain fears that may be over-ambitious, a huge risk consideramount of money that pledged to the scheme.
same time that they built their roads. Thus, bicycles there have always been treated as part of the system,. While trying to ingest that perspective here, at this late stage is likely to be futile.
This view argues that while motorists are getting used to cyclists in the capital, London will never properly compare with Amsterdam, because the Dutch built their cycle lanes at the
However, Boris’ approach has been commended, in the view that making cycling fun and user-friendly is the best way to mobilise Londoners, and encourage them to give biking a try.
INCREASING LIVING COSTS MEANS TROUBLE FOR STUDENTS Radiya Khatun
LONDON, ‘the city of prosperity’ appears to be turning into a short move for families and students alike. The soar of utility bills, petrol and food costs since the UK’s economy took a downturn in 2008 are still domineering living standards, forcing lower income earners out of the city. Cheaper areas around London are being scouted by London’s inhabitants as the city becomes increasingly unaffordable, forcing a trade-off between living standards and a life in the capital. However, now costs and availability of housing is an increasing threat to London’s economy, noted to be one of the main trials faced by employers in the city. With travel and
living costs combined, workers in the area on lower incomes are tending to live off subsistent budgets. Moreover, while several thousand students study in the city, young adults are contemplating thei chances of remaining in London after their education. The Unite Group, a company that specialises in student accommodation, estimate that the average rent and living costs for students in London is £350 per week in areas such as Bloomsbury. Together with the hike in university fees, the appeal of the city’s great universities is certainly declining in the eyes of some. Getting a mortgage has proved especially difficult for first time buyers. Graduates are already shadowed with tuition fee debts, making banks and building societies even more cautious regarding the financial stability of graduates.
The downturn in buying property and turning to rent instead is fuelled by the economic uncertainty many Londoners face. Furthermore, austerity measures enforced by the government have already cut welfare benefits, adding to budget strains Londoners with low incomes already face. Surveys show that the majority of adults living in London believe that there are not enough reasonably priced areas in the city. The standard of living in the city should not have to be sacrificed in order to maintain the populous, however, unless the government considers redirecting some funds towards national housing benefits, the private property sector in London is on a sure decline. To stimulate more property buys,
economic commentators believe the Cabinet need to look into rethinking the national housing benefit cap. Instead of cutting spending on building houses, welfare reformists suggest that government investment in housing would help stimulate property ownership and lower costs. If the government were to give housing further attention, it would certainly aid future first-time home owners.
With the 2013 Budget review looming in, welfare reformists are hoping to see housing issues addressed. Not only would it provide incentive to stay in London, but it would also comfort those struggling to see hope in what is meant to be a prosperous city where social mobility is not a commercial dream. Opinion polls are already suggesting that the current coalition govern-
ment are not satisfying the electorate. Although it is not easy to lead a nation out of an economic crisis, the faith in the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats is dwindling. Especially since the Liberal Democrats’ stunt regarding tuition fees who stayed in the Coalition despite has made trusting any party challenging. The Mayor of London, Boris Jonson, is championing for City Hall to be able to retain stamp duty fees when property is sold. The revenue from the tax would, according to the Mayor, provide for the building of new homes to service London’s population. Whether the Chancellor will take heed of the Mayor’s idea is yet to be seen. Though one thing is certain,, unless living costs decline, the future of young home owners and social mobility for lower income earners remains threatened.
ROAR!MORE! The Roar! Culture Section
INSIDE LONDON FASHION WEEK
By Sophie Hutchings, Sneha Choudhury, Eva Chaideftos
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
ARTS Max Edwards Arts Editor arts@roarnews.co.uk
EDITORS’ PICKS
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NIGHTS AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE In This House, just as much as in his earlier plays, Graham shows that his interest is not in policy or big ideas but in politicking. This House is all about how the whips got their MPs to vote the right way, rather than exploring what it was they were voting for.
*****
Ice Age Art @ British Museum. Until May 26th, tickets from £8. The use of modern paintings is questionable, but this is still a deeply fascinating look into art’s very beginnings full of stunning objects.
There’s nothing wrong with this; it just means this is a play focused on the minutiae of political manoeuvring that obsesses members of the Westminster Village and infuriates the general public. This is no more clearly in evidence than when every character is introduced by the Speaker of the House of Commons by their constituency.
*****
And While London Burns. Available to download for free. Immersive, thought-provoking, confounding... the most fantastic theatre you can take part in. Do it. Do it now. I need more people to discuss it with!
****
Light Show @ Hayward Gallery. Until March 30th, tickets from £9. Reviewed here last month, proving that all that glitters can be gold (and that ‘art highlight/spotlight’ puns are too easy to make...)
****
People @ National Theatre (Lyttleton). Until May 15th, tickets from £5 . True, it’s hardly revolutionary, but it is Bennett at his witty , whimsical best, and is the most fun I’ve had in a theatre for a while.
***
This House @ National Theatre (Olivier). Until May 15th, tickets from £5. It has its flaws, but is nonetheless a engrossing look at what was perhaps one of the trickiest and grimmest times to be in politics. Seen any amazing art recently? Tweet us @onechaptermore or @ roar_news to let us know.
THIS HOUSE James Sharpe
SET BETWEEN 1974 and 1979, the play covers the fractious political climate of the Harold Wilson and James Callaghan governments from the perspective of the government and opposition whips, those MPs charged with getting every other MP to vote along party lines on important legislation. Starting out with a minority government in 1974, and increasing this to the slimmest of majorities in the sec
ond election of that year, the Labour whips had to fight for every single vote to pass legislation and win over as many of the ‘odds and sods’ – those MPs from minority parties – as possible. Eventually, every MP is required to be present for every division to avoid losing a vote of no confidence. James Graham has already made a name for himself as a writer of political drama, most prominent in Tory Boyz from 2008 in which he deals with the homosexuality in the Conservative Party, based on the rumours that Edward Heath (Prime Minister 1970-4) was secretly gay.
The drawback is, unless you have a detailed understanding of MPs from the 1970s, most people will only recognise the Honourable Member for Finchley. It works as a commentary on politicians only talking to themselves, but a writer excludes his audience at his peril. The play can also drag at times because, as wonderful as it is to see the Labour whips balancing the various political groupings from whom they need support (or, at the very least, non-opposition) to get their legislative programme through, it gets repetitive when done more than two or three times in quick succession. The play has been transferred to the Olivier stage, but was much better in the Cottesloe, which is
CAPTAIN OF KÖPENICK YOU SHALL THE James Sharpe ENTRY PASS... Can’t wait to see This
we're not the intended audience.
House or The Captain of Köpenick? With Entry Pass, students can get £5 tickets for all National Theatre productions . So get yours now and see these shows , and all their other excellent shows, including: People Starring Frances De La Tour and (pleasingly) Archie from Balamory, Alan Bennett takes on the National Trust in a witty, charming new play. Othello Rory Kinnear and Adrian Lester battle it out from April 16th in this eagerly anticipated classic. Expect much ‘tupping of white ewes’... Table The hotly-tipped play showing at the ‘National-goneedgy’ The Shed this summer, it recounts a family history over nearly 120 years with 9 actors playing 30 parts. War Horse If you’re one of the literally ones of people who haven’t seen this yet, with tickets at a fiver there’s literally no excuse (and the same goes for One Man, Two Guvnors).
CARL Zuckmayer's play takes us on a satirical tour of a Germany ready and waiting for World War I. He took a real event from 1906 as his inspiration, which has become the stuff of folklore about the small man standing up to military might in pre-War Germany. Wilhelm Voigt, just released from prison, is in a bita of a pickle. He has spent so long inside that he doesn't have the passport he needs to get the residence permit he needs to get work. He manages to make it to his sister's where she offers him shelter and he shows himself to be a thoroughly decent chap really and comforts the dying maid. On the run from the authorities after inadvertently starting a riot, Voigt puts on a captain's uniform and finds himself in charge of a band of soldiers, after which he leads them to the town hall and swipes all the money exhorted by the corrupt mayor. Despite the great source material, this production is a strangely lifeless affair. The problem, I think, is the play itself. Zuckmayer gives a lot of backstory which ridicules the bureaucracy of imperial Germany, but isn't funny enough. It would have had allegorical meaning in 1931 when the play was written, but it has none for us because
The director, Adrian Noble, knows this too, which is why he's stuffed the first half of the production with slapstick – cringingly done, I might add – and exploited every technical feat the Olivier Theatre stage can manage. Whole sets pop out of the ground or are revealed hiding behind a hill. It's all rather good, actually, but to very little effect once the scene plays out. It is an indictment of the whole production when you say that the stage is the star. Things start looking up once Voigt is finally transformed into the Captain of Köpenick in the second half.
intimate and can have a claustophobic atmosphere which reflects the world the whips live in well. Because the staging is in the round, it was also possible to have some of the seating transformed into the green benches of Commons. This has been clumsily recreated in the Olivier with green benches put on the stage that have to be moved regularly from a horizontal to a vertical position depending on what is happening. The play should have been restaged for the different space. For all its faults, Graham has created a rich cast of characters, some of whom pop up for only a couple of minutes but still make an impact – the flamboyant Norman St John-Stevas is particularly fun. At the heart is Reece Dinsdale as Walter Harrison, the formidable Labour Deputy Chief Whip, and Charles Edwards as his Conservative counterpart and future Speaker of the House of Commons Jack Weatherill. The chemistry between these two characters is perfect: political combatants, maybe, but honourable enemies nonetheless (in contrast to some of their colleagues). Given the success of This House it is clear that, whatever the deficiencies of the play itself, the public just can’t get enough of peering into the myopic world of Westminster.
Finally we get a bit of comedy. Even better, Antony Sher, playing Voigt, drops his irritating nasal groan for something more patrician and easier on the ear in order to effect his adoption of the captaincy. Despite the general tawdriness of this production, a couple of performances stand out for comment: Paul Bentall provides the best comedy of the first-half as a bluff old colonel; and Anthony O'Dennoll has just the right hairstyle and rotundity to express authority based purely on birth rather than ability. It is a disappointing play which could have been saved by some inspired direction; and I fear I have to stress the word 'could'.
18th March - 22nd April 2013
NEWS ARTS Samuel Spencer Arts Editor arts@roarnews.co.uk
@samspencer1993 @onechaptermore
WALK ON
Samuel Spencer AN OPERATIC VOICE booms out of my left headphone as I stand outside a Starbucks by Bank Station. What the singer is singing is what has to be one of the oddest statements in all of artistic practice: “They’ve stolen my nipples!” This is my first step into a production that features (amongst other things) a character who is heavily implied to be a mermaid, a 311-step climb and an extended period lost on and around Fenchurch Street. This production, artistic/pressure group Platform’s And While London Burns, acted as my gateway into the fasicnating, baffling world of the dramtic audio walk. What is a dramatic audio walk, you ask? Simply, they are amazing. A combination of radio drama and guided walk, and a relatively new medium being explored by a small selection of artists, they direct you through the settings of the narratives they dictate, often mapping three or four interwoven stories onto the city as you experience it, changing the view you view familiar landmarks (with AWLB set around Bank and the Gherkin), and introducing you to unknown corners of the city you never knew existed. And now, there’s no easy way to say this, but my name’s Sam and I’m a dramatic audio walk-aholic. The words ‘artistic spatial intervention ‘ make me weak at the knees. At even the whisper of a new one, my headphones are in , my fellow fans are notified and I’m out of the door, ready again to be flung into a murder, a political statement or an institutional critique. What is most exciting about them is that , as I have previously said, they allow you knew ways of exploring the city. This, I feel, is becoming increasingly crucial in London. Living in the capital it’s very easy to get blasé about even the most exciting of landmarks and events. Shakespeare himself drank here, you say?! Big deal. The biggest build
ing in all of Europe?! Give a shit?... The city bombards you with some much information and intrigue that it all turns into an information soup of monarchs and 1666 and ‘MIND THE GAP’. Hence, the sideways look a dramatic audio walk allows you works as a sort of pallate cleanser, making the soup (that’s my metaphor and I’m sticking with it...) worth taking again. But by all means don’t just take my word on it, try one for yourself. Here are some good places to start...
The Missing Voice (Case Study B)
One of the first of these walks , it takes you from the Whitechapel Gallery to Liverpool Street Station, following the instructions of a woman who feels intimately connected to a murder victim (or may be the victim herself). Admittedly, this is flawed compared to later walks, but is a great place to start; for unlike say AWLB itis relatively straightforward to follow (as well as finishing within walking distance of Brick Lane’s many wonderful bagel shops - becuase nothing stirs the appetite quite like artistic interventions...)
Tate a Tate
Trying to take down BP one sound piece at a time, this is a trio of pieces from Platform (for the Tate Modern, Britain and Boat ) attacking the oil giant’s sponsorship. It can feel at times like being hit by a heavily polemical pamphlet, but uses the permanent collection in often ingenius ways and includes some audience participation fun (as the Roar! chief editor found out when I forced him to come on it with me - as shown in the above image)
And While London Burns
The big one. The geography has changed a lot since it was made, so be prepared for that, but I beg you to give this walk a try. Any explanation of what makes it so great by me gets so excitable it can only be heard by dogs, and could ruin its dense plot, so just take my word for it and do it. Right now. Put this down and go. YOU’RE WELCOME.
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ICE ICE (AGE ART) BABY
Maria Blundell
First and foremost, this is a mother.
THIS SPRING’S major exhibition at the British Museum presents what it terms the ‘first figurative art in human history’. Ice Age Art: Arrival of the Modern Mind introduces us to sculptures, drawings and paintings from across Europe, all incredibly dating between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago.
Given her unique proportions it comes as little of a surprise then that Picasso was fascinated by her, keeping two replicas of the sculpture in his cupboard. Perhaps more so here than at any other stage of the exhibit do we feel the curator’s decision to join modern art with prehistoric artifact to be wholly justified.
Well, not quite all. By staging these extraordinary items alongside select pieces of modern art by the likes of Matisse, Henry Moore and George Brassaï, the curator of this exhibition, Jill Cook, has evidently worked hard to provide Ice Age Art with a present-day relevance. The idea behind this unlikely pairing ostensibly lies in many of these incredible items’s representation of the imaginative, rather than the factual -- the interpreted, not the observed. Moving away from mere depiction these artists have used illusion and abstraction to transform and recreate the world around them from an entirely new, subjective point of view. This is the modern brain at work (or so we are told). Whilst the majority of dynamic animal depictions try to stay true to their real-life counterparts, those of human beings generally tend to be abstract. Many of us will have seen the sculpture of the rather buxom, faceless female protruding from multiple billboards at various tube stations throughout London these last weeks. It is this item which opens the exhibit. Barely taller than a pack of cards, she is surprisingly small not at all as expected - an encounter not unlike that of first-time viewers of the Mona Lisa. 23,000 thousand years old and sculpted from mammoth ivory, this magnificent figurine was first discovered at Lespugue Cave, Haute-Garonne in France. Sporting mammoth breasts, ample calves, a disturbingly small head, heavy hips and extremely large buttocks, her distorted dimensions appear to strongly emphasize the female’s maternal function.
If anything, it comes as a surprise that this delicate figurine from France is not herself a product of early 20s cubism. It is clear why they have chosen to open Ice Age Art with this piece despite it neither being the youngest nor the oldest of the displayed objects. It is easily her strongest argument for a marriage of theses two subjects and the remaining exhibition, whilst extraordinary nonetheless, fails to warrant the link quite as well. A wall in between two cabinets filled with minute sculptures of cave lions, mammoths, bisons, waterbirds and even a flute -- objects that look as though they belong inside a nursery -- is adorned by Henri Matisse’s drawing of a semi-reclining nude, arms folded behind her head. Whilst my Google image search of the same drawing eventually made the connection with the Venus of Willendorf, it was largely lost on me. Not so with Henry Moore’s 1932 smooth ‘Composition’ whose dark flowing curves connect and compare well with the rounded body of the initial female figure found in Lespugue Cave. A tour of the exhibition is quite fittingly accompanied by the eerie sound of a slow drip echoing in a cave somewhere. As you near the end of the exhibition the source of the noise reveals itself in the form of a filmic installation which takes place in a small dark space, recreating the virtual underground world of the artist, filled with the fleeting visions and shadows of numerous animals and symbols. Using images from the caves of Lascaux, Chauvet, Niaux and Pech Merle, the installation deconstructs
the original paintings and reassembles the artist’s every stroke separately as it lands on the stone. The installation works well in that it provides its viewers with a welcome alternative medium though which to view Ice Age art, one that stimulates hearing as well as sight. However, by allowing images to randomly glide in and out of one another it fails to provide an actual explanation of what’s being viewed, whilst the dimmed light and strange sound effects unfortunately create a slightly nightmarish atmosphere. Further down, we encounter a fascinating sculpture of an upright standing man with a lion’s head which is helpfully entitled The Lion Man. A sculpture again made from mammoth ivory, this time found in a cave in Germany, it is approximately 30 cm tall and 40,000 years old, thus both older and bigger than the lead star of this exhibition. Despite the artist’s remarkable imaginative capacity clearly being demonstrated in this innovative fusion of animal and man, what is perhaps even more striking is the sheer amount of time that its creation must have initially demanded. In an attempt to determine how many man hours were claimed during its production, the British Museum conducted a recreation of The Lion Man using only original tools and found that it would have taken the artist an astounding 400 hours to make. It is not so much the artists’s extraordinary ‘modern brains’ or their surprisingly developed artistry then which makes these objects so fascinating, but rather their evident manual skill, commitment and exact precision. Whilst Ice Age Art’s referral to modern art isn’t requisite to the success of this exhibition and only seldom illuminates the objects at hand, this interesting, albeit at times unconvincing, comparison nevertheless does enable this magnificent display to stand apart from typical museum rows of faded, dusty archeological findings.
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
FILM Katie Sinclair Film Editor film@roarnews.co.uk
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KCL HOSTS FUTURE FILM SHORTS
KCL FILM Soc are set to host the next Future Shorts Pop-Up Festival once again, this time with live music. From the people who bring you Secret Cinema, Future Shorts is the world’s largest short film network, and every season they showcase some of the best award-winning short films from around the world. As well as a bigger film programme with a mixture of fiction (including the winner of the Grand Jury Prize at 2012 Sundance Film Festival), documentary, animation and music video, there will also be a bar, with alcohol for sale as well as sofas and picnic rugs.
Joining us this time is The Flamenco Thief, bringing his own mashed up contemporary take on the flamenco guitar, whacking and tapping away on it with the added use of loop pedals! Furthermore, the lovely folks from Indie Soc who present the Tutu’s club night Des Was A Bowie Fan will be providing the sonicsoundscapes to compliment your boozing through-out the night. Tickets
are
£5
from
KCLSU
THE SOLUTION FOR ELDERLY CARE? Robot and Frank is a short and sweet look at the future J.E. Stupple
ROBOT & FRANK is a small film. Locations are few, there are no substantial special effects, the plot is simple and even the performances are quiet. But it is in this smallness that Robot & Frank finds it unique and intimate charm. Frank (Frank Langella) is an elderly former cat burglar who lives alone in the countryside. He often feels acutely alienated from both his children and the ‘near future’ world in which the film is set. His son, Hunter (James Marsden), visits him bearing a gift of a robotic care assistant only ever referred to as ‘Robot’ (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard). At first Frank is frustrated by Robot’s daily schedules and continued presence in his house, but soon grows attached to the machine once the two begin to bond over Frank’s regained enthusiasm for burglary in which Robot assists. Langella’s performance is excellent, his comic timing is perfect and his constant presence makes up for the weaker, more phoned-in performances of the supporting cast. The science fiction elements of the story are mostly peripheral, Robot is the only futuristic piece of technology that gets very much attention. This allows the film to focus on the
characters and their relationships instead of falling into the emotionally sterile trap of sci-fi world building. The soundtrack of the film was also particular highlight; subtle synthpop tracks intermingled with the occasional classical piece that perfectly reflects the film’s fascination with the past’s place in the future. The film is funny but mostly offers light titters as opposed to belly laughs; the bulk of the humour is derived from Frank’s routine as the charming but grouchy old man who slowly comes around to the new technology that is thrust upon him. The film may be about this alienating pace of technology but it also spends appropriate time with humble focus upon the concept of aging. Frank’s advancing years and his lapses in memory are portrayed honestly, but it does occasionally feel as if the filmmakers are pulling their punches in this regard. The final twist seems unnecessary and in an emotionally weaker film it could have derailed the whole story, but thankfully the film’s final ten minutes also turn out to be its best. If you’ve been made sick to death of the Hollywood’s commercial shallowness then Robot & Frank might well be the perfect antidote. It is small, sweet, and quirky with the definite capability to lightly tug at the heartstrings.
18th March - 22nd April 2013
NEWS FILM
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Aoife Dowling Film Sub-Editor film@roarnews.co.uk
@roar_news
TO THE WONDER Chandni Lakhani
IN HIS 2011 film, The Tree of Life, Terrance Malick (Badlands) looked at the meaning of human existence. In To the Wonder, he unpeels the emotional complexity of love. Some might find To The Wonder the more appealing of the two – despite not having the immensity of its predecessor. Stylistically, both films are quite similar. Classical music, no dialogue but a series of poetic voiceover monologues. Continuous shots of landscapes, couples walking, glancing and touching. It’s not for everyone - whether you see it as art or a glorified perfume advert depends on individual taste. I’d advise watching the trailer if you’re not sure.
Peter Flynn-Williams
up and makes advances on the family that feel just a little, well, off.
DIRECTED BY Park Chan-Wook, produced by Tony and Ridley Scott, and written by that guy from Prison Break and a bit of that one Resident Evil film (yeah I know my Wentworth Miller), Stoker is all you’d expect from such a bizarre amalgamation.
With knowledge of Park’s other work, the tension is heightened just by wondering when things will start to get messed up. Be patient, kids. Things get messed up. Goode stands out as Charlie with a performance of perfect pristine evil.
I was sceptical of whether Park’s wonderful aesthetic would survive the leap across the Pacific. His films display immaculate images flushed with morbid beauty, applying a twinge of grace and humour to scenes of horrific amorality. Labelled ‘BritishAmerican’, I had to wonder if Stoker would tip over into an apathetic black comedy that just makes you uncomfortable. I knew, however, that where there is discomfort, Park proves his sense for entrancing presentation.
His courteous malice rivals that of Hannibal Lecter, but his polished good looks give him an edge that is far from endearing. He’s like Satan distilled into a Ken doll. Mia Wasikowska does a good job toeing the line as a character with almost supernatural perception, giving a level of detail we come to regret, but never becoming a self-indulgent protagonist due to her... less than savoury world view.
The film sees India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska looking like a porcelain doll whose maker suffered night terrors), living with her mother (played breathily as always by Nicole Kidman) following her father’s death. After a grieving process that gives boiling the kettle a run for brevity, her enigmatic uncle Charlie (played by Matthew Goode whose kids won’t see this any time soon) shows
Of course, it’s the visuals and composition that steal the show. There are mise-en-scène by the bucket (I have only some shame in using that phrase). Colours pop from a muted grey, shots move like photographs that refuse to stay still, and every frame is so meticulous, I feel a comparison with Kubrick is warranted. From strands of hair becoming a grassy field, to a pencil point dripping with blood, to a mirror cheating our entire understanding of a scene; there are more engaging, dynamic shots
here than in this year’s Oscar season combined. Each one is laden not with meaning, but with effectiveness. Park isn’t afraid to speak a purely cinematic language. Miller’s script could have been wasted as any old thriller, but the imagery veers it away from the risk of an archetypal plot, and as close to a moving painting as possible. There are certainly elements in the story that fall short. The film goes at whatever pace it pleases, and character motivations are so vague that you’ll find several moments where calling the police would solve a lot - and keep us from more gut wrenching, nihilistic, sexually charged, psychologically skewed and downright gaudy torment, so I’ll shut up. There isn’t quite the poetry of Oldboy or the wit of Thirst, but it’s just so gosh darn beautiful I’ll forgive anything.
The film begins with a couple in France, Neil (Ben Affleck) and Marina (Olga Kurylenko). Neil invites Marina and her daughter to live with him in America (and he speaks French, which is a bit weird), and they naively accept. Of course, things do not go to plan and Marina quickly becomes bored with life in the suburbs, especially when Neil refuses to commit to her. When her visa runs out, Marina returns to France for a while and Neil begins an affair with Jane (Rachel McAdams), a woman from his past
who is unfortunate enough to become tangled in someone else’s love story. As the film progresses, Neil and Marina try to breathe life back into their relationship - which, like all relationships, is somewhat less wondrous than it was at the start. Javier Bardem plays a lone Catholic priest wondering through a seemingly desolate town where all faith seems to have been lost. If you drop the expectation of any plot when you first walk in, you’ll get a lot more out of To The Wonder than just a ‘beginning, middle and end’ story. Instead of seeing events you see moments, emotions and a deep human interiority - which can be much more powerful if you let it. It’s an acquired taste, which in my opinion needed more of the stint of grandeur seen in The Tree of Life. The love triangle was not powerful enough because Neil’s passivity means you don’t really know which lover he should choose, or whether both beautiful women should go and be with someone who actually cares enough to commit (but might not be as pretty). My main criticism of this film would be that it did not retain the audience’s curiosity and empathy as much as its predecessor did, but it is undoubtedly still worth seeing.
Honestly, if you suffer a murderous psychotic episode, have Park Chan-Wook shoot it and screen it at the court appearance. The jury will totally get you.
Stoker won’t be for everyone, but
if you fancy a delirious script made gorgeous to look at, go and see it. If cinema must become polished and sterile, let Park Chan-Wook do the cleaning, and reveal how hard it is to get the dirtiness out.
SAFE HAVEN: BEHIND THE SCENES Aoife Dowling
NICHOLAS SPARKS has done it again. The undisputed king of romance novels and films (A Walk to Remember, The Notebook and The Last Song- to name but a few) has just produced the film adaptation of his bestselling novel Safe Haven. The story of Safe Haven is a touch different to Sparks’ usually offering. The author describes it as “a love and danger story about second chances, with a thriller element.”
Heroine Katie (Julianne Hough) is escaping her violent husband when she meets charismatic shopkeeper Alex (Josh DuHamel). She’s mysterious and reticent, unwilling to reveal her past. Sparks says that this aspect made it difficult to create a convincing romance: “It was undoubtedly the most challenging relationship I ever had to write. Katie doesn’t want to talk about her past. But Alex falls in love with her - despite not knowing. I had to make them connect at the deepest level, without personal questions.”
When it came to filming, there was one question on everybody’s lips: who would play Katie? It was widely publicised that Keira Knightley was in early talks to play the role. In the end, the role was handed to newcomer Julianne Hough. Hough felt a strong connection to the character of Katie: “Every fighter is a little bit broken inside. I can relate to that.” Josh Duhamel was hand-picked for the role of Alex. Sparks admits that the male leads of his films are often
less interesting as characters – thus more difficult to play. “Alex is like Noah in The Notebook. Both Alex and Noah are not very interesting in the script, so it’s up to the actor to make the character interesting. He’s in love at the beginning of the story; he’s in love at the end. Back in 2003, tens of actors turned down the role of Noah – including Tom Cruise.” Duhamel agrees: “I really wanted to play the scary, violent husband, he’s much more interesting!”
Safe Haven is in Cinemas now.
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
MUSIC Will Davenport Music Editor music@roarnews.co.uk
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A MUSICIAN’S MUSICIAN expect then, this album is a document of a musician in flux, between creative periods that were sadly curtailed, but it isn’t messy or subpar. Instead, it shows Hendrix at the height of his versatility as a player.
It opens with a really fun and driven trio version of Earth Blues, featuring Hendrix with Cox and Miles, with slightly different lyrics to other versions.
Matthew Blaiden JIMI Hendrix needs no introduction to most, even to those who don’t know his music - they know the name. Something of a god-figure in music in general, not just in the rock world he is perhaps most associated with, his was a tragically short and turbulent career, dying in 1970 at the age of 27.
It’s a bit simpler than versions found on First Rays of the New Rising Sun and a live recording from Fillmore East, and faster; slightly less time is given over cadences, symptomatic of a generally more metrical approach. Far from being a drawback, though, this gives the track a refreshingly
un- melodramatic and joyous energy. There follow eleven more tracks with no real weak links. Special highlights for me include Hear My Train A Comin’ from the 1969 sessions with Cox and Miles, which is here much faster than other known film and album versions. A track that is elsewhere played so sentimentally and sadly is given a ferocious reading, with a guitar solo full of attack and abandon, after which it is briefly alone and hovering, before an apoplectic re-entry from the drums and bass, providing a stunning ending. I love the respite of Easy Blues in the middle of the album, featuring the Woodstock band in a reasonably
light jazzy arrangement. Hendrix’s solo begins intensely, soaring right to the top of the guitar’s range and, whilst staying there for an impressive while, transforms the urgent rhythms into a relaxed, typically blues-y swing whose feel informs the positively wry final moments. Inside Out is a great track, with Hendrix on guitar (he also plays an additional guitar over- dub and bass part added later) and Mitch Mitchell on drums; the interplay between the various parts Hendrix played and dubbed onto each other is really impressive. The feel of Hey Gypsy Boy is really laid back, almost lackadaisical, but in a way that belies interior intensity; it isn’t particularly in-your-face, but utterly engaging.
Despite this, his playing is featured on a huge array of recordings - singles, audio and video recordings of live performing, studio albums - but most of the studio recordings have been posthumous releases, and now we have another. Released earlier in March 2013, People, Hell and Angels was mostly recorded in the late 1960’s when the Jimi Hendrix Experience was coming to an end and he was re-exploring music and playing again with musicians from earlier in his life like Billy Cox and Buddy Miles, both of whom feature on this album. As we might
For me, the only thing on the album that doesn’t quite work is the version of Let Me Love You, which starts with sax lines that are a bit too rash and
THE EDITOR’S WEEK IN RECORDS SINGLES
ALBUMS/EPs
Will Davenport SHLOHMO Laid Out Friends of Friends WHEN Henry Laufer gifted a quiet corner of the internet his first miniLP, Shlohmoshun, the Los Angeles young-blood was playing things instinctively. “I was 18 and 19… I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing.” The aesthetic was raw, characterized by a stony glaze of found-sounds and crackled samples. Since then, he’s sharpened his tools. Through debut long-player, Bad Vibes, and his critically received Vacation EP, Shlohmo has massaged listeners with an increasingly accomplished brand of genre-bending electronic music.
In his new EP, Laid Out, Laufer has dredged his tendency for overlayering. Here the sound is notably crisper, distilled with the guiding exactitude of a producer who’s found his way through countless late-nights inside a laptop screen. He’s also dialled up new friends. Opener, Don’t Say No, welcomes to the feast everybody’s favourite wet falsetto, How to Dress Well. Rubbing alongside James Blake at top of the pyramid of teary white men reimagining R&B in 2013, Tom Krell moans like few others. The track evolves into a tenderly wrought ballad, underpinned by a wincing chorus of sampled falsettos. As Laufer ramps up the intensity of his synth machines, the track builds into a bona-fide R&B goldplate with a dark twist. Still moody in its tone, the track comes as a better example of the brooding afterparty aesthetic championed last year by the likes of Jeremih and the Weeknd. Still, HTDW’s desperate croons aren’t for everyone, but if Shlohmo is masterly at anything it is his emotive manipulation of human voices. His capacity for transforming vocal samples into malleable instrumental elements in their own right allows him to retain the catchy quality of a sung hook while still blending it into a warm collage of accompanying musical gestures. The wailing figures buried under the layers of Later, for instance, sing a charged refrain so densely modulated that its words
are indecipherable. These obscured vocal exclamations have become a staple element for electronic producers this side of Mount Kimbie and Burial but few artists command and manipulate the potential richness of the human voice quite like Laufer.
His instinctive feel for a beat remains as keen as ever too. Building on the percussive logic of Vacation, nearly all the tracks on the record depart from the heavy slouch of a D’Angelo inspired beat and rattle towards a deftly restrained trap template. Crucially though, Shlohmo is sensitive to avoid the crass predictability that is fast rendering trap as dirty a genre as wobble dubstep. Never stooping to a formula that structures itself around the all-begging drop, he instead imaginatively reworks trap’s skittering hi-hats within a doleful landscape of thick synthesisers and finely toned snippets of instrumentation. The endproduct is a record that plays by its own rules, marrying instrumental hip-hop, melodic downtempo and sultry R&B in stunning tristesse. Is this Laufer’s best to date? Maybe. Although its an undeniably compelling listen, the record tails off with an idea that Henry might be leaning on old tricks. Considering the gulf of ambition that separates Shlomohshun and a record like Vacation, one can’t help but wonder if he’s reached terminal velocity.
LAPALUX Without You (Feat. Kerry Leatham) Brainfeeder
BRANDT BRAUER FRICK Plastic Like Your Mother (Feat. Om’Mas Keith) !K7
zany - featuring Lonnie Youngblood, who had recorded with Hendrix before he formed the Experience - and the whole track seems a bit hollow. Sure, it hits you, you might even enjoy it, but its excesses don’t blow me away like some moments in other tracks. Excitement isn’t absent, but it’s tempered relative to the rest of the album, despite the pounding upbeat rhythms. Overall, then, what I really enjoy about this album is that, although he is (in)famous for playing that could be highly experimental in terms of playing techniques for example, it is here almost always subordinate to hugely varied and expressive musicality; Hendrix plays like a musician’s musician, producing tracks any other musician could listen to and enjoy, regardless of their specific generic tastes as listeners and players. Therefore, this album is a must for every fan, from novice to expert. THROUGH colourful masterclasses like Many Faces Out of Focus and When You’re Gone, Lapalux has proven himself to be one of the most proficient musical technicians on LA’s Brainfeeder imprint. Without You is the first offering from Lapalux’s keenly anticipated debut album, Nostalchic. Where the majority of his previous output has a tendency to career towards the mindscramblingly dense, Lapa’s opening single is serenely stripped back and told with the gorgeous vocals of Kerry Leatham. I didn’t want to leave you is her anguished refrain, hauntingly repitched against the tinker of Tibetan cymbals and the warmest synthglows to come out this year. This is the stuff of inner-city nightbuses. FOR their repudiation of computers or synthesisers, the Brandt Brauer Frick ensemble are peculiar novelties in the digisted ether of the techno universe. Their fidelity to classical instrumentation sets them apart as an outfit devoted to the hand-made. Plastic Like Your Mother is the lead single from their new LP, Miami, released last week on their longtime label !K7. It is a dark-hearted deathtrain that chugs through a salvo of aggressive hi-hats and low-note rumbles from their signature grand piano. A grumbling bass strides the mix forward through a volley of percussive choas. Growling through the swamp are guest vocals from the croaky Om’Mas Keith, the Grammy-nominanted producer of Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange. Rousing material.
18th March - 22nd April 2013
NEWS MUSIC
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Joe Brookes Music Editor music@roarnews.co.uk
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JUST DON’T CALL IT A SUPERGROUP and the shift from the mechanical to the human proves very interesting indeed, particularly in the way it gave an organic looseness to everything.
AMOK is the first long-play release by the band as a whole and apparently the result of three days locked in a room, jamming out more ideas from Yorke’s computer. You definitely get
the sense that these beats are heavily influenced by electronic music. Case in point is leading single, Default, which opens with an ascending synth line and dribbles out sexily as if your iTunes is lulling you into bed. There are clear influences from afrobeat, such as on the energetic Reverse Running, which jitters with the rapid-
ity of a stop-motion film. From this aspect you can clearly see the effect that Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco (who usually plays with David Byrne) has had in the group. Whenever I hear the word ‘afrobeat’ I immediately think of Foals’ debut Antidotes, another album heavily influenced by dance music. Unlike the pop sensibilities that underpin Foals’ re-
cord, AMOK exhibits no desire to play with build ups and drops but rather flows gracefully along, perhaps like a byte floating through cyber space.
Where The Eraser was full of anxiety about climate change, AMOK is much more care free, and you can clearly see the influence of Yorke’s many nights spent DJing in L.A. and Berlin. The album manages to bridge the gap between live and digitised sound, and thus human and machine. Consequentially, not only is it able to escape the claustrophobia which is often a result of beat-sequencing, but also stands as a relevant piece of art, symbolising an ideal relationship between organs and technology.
Joe Brookes ATOMS FOR PEACE AMOK XL Recordings
Much akin to the work of producers like Burial and Four Tet, both of whom Yorke has collaborated with, this is electronic music which pulsates like a heartbeat. Because of this, it is a constantly morphing listening experience, just as its many interweaving elements are constantly changing shape. This is a record that will completely absorb you. Alas, the computer does have a heart!
RADIOHEAD frontman Thom Yorke is the man at the helm of Atoms for Peace, the band formed in 2009 when he invited some of his musical friends - including bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to see if they could play songs from his 2006 Mercury winning album, The Eraser, live. It was an album largely created on Yorke’s computer
UNIVERSITY MUSIC LEAGUE QUARTER FINALS: REVIEW I HAVE copious amounts of respect for anybody who is involved in a band while at university. Everybody knows how hard it is to balance studying and socialising, and although being in a band might sound like it falls under the latter category, it certainly demands a lot more dedication than may be assumed. The tremdenous
quality of the bands playing in the league proves that some people just seem to have that ability to lead student lives while being independently creative as well. Thankfully, there is the Uni Music League: an initiative set up by friends to provide a chance for musicians to pursue their ambitions without letting it stifle their university careers. It offers prizes including session time and even a festival slot, while providing joyous events for the rest of us spectators. What’s more, as the Borderline Club in Soho quickly fills up, there is a real sense that tonight people aren’t coming to see these bands out of mere respect. They’re here to have a truly entertaining night as well.
Last year KCL’s very own Miss Terry Blue won the competition but tonight I’m supporting Perplexed Tulips, the one KCL band left in the competition and the first to take the stage. They prove that the new venue is much better suited to these kinds of acts than ULU (which was last year’s venue). With its smaller stage the place provides the bands a much more intimate setting to reach their audience. Perplexed Tulips play a set that is filled with the excitement of three musicians undergoing mind-boggling interactions, playing a blend of psych-jazz with blues and rock. Opening the night is always difficult but the three gents provide an explosive set, and ending with a literal explosion as bassist Abdul
ICEAGE LIVE @ ELECTROWERKZ Joe Brookes ARRIVING at the Electrowerkz in Islington, the club instantly strikes me as the perfect setting for a performance from a band with such a gritty punk sound: it is a black-coated warehouse with its aesthetic based on Hadley’s Hope from sci-fi flick, Aliens. Listening to Iceage is perhaps like being attacked by a facehugger, but I’ve heard nothing quite as grim and haunting as their fellow scandinavian, Puce Mary, a one-girl solo act who hangs over a mass of pedals with two blades of bleach white hair draping down from either side of her face. Her gothic look is all rather befitting to the wall of sound which she creates, with humming bass-synths and
a distressing sample of what is either someone violently vomiting and/or dying. As the wall of noise collapses into silence, she snaps her gaze from the audience and walks off, leaving a stunned ringing in our ears: the perfect warm up for tonight’s headliners.
The changeover is swift, so there is little chance to catch a breath before a sea of feedback fills the room, hailing the entry of four very young looking boys. Iceage, a band who is both sonically and aesthetically influenced by Joy Division, mounts the stage. Their lead singer, Elias Bender Rønnenfelt, stares moodily at the crowd, but his soft complexion reminds me that these guys are all in their early twenties; if the essence of punk is youthful aggression, then here is the essence of punk. He commands us
into a frenzy, bellowing Ecstasy out over the PA, the name of the set’s opener. This becomes a trend for the rest of the performance, and the songs are so chaotic that in a way it feels as if we do need to be warned which one of their fireballs is coming next. “We are not going to play any songs off our first album,” he moans, much to the dismay of those who clearly haven’t encountered the genius of their latest release, You’re Nothing, yet. As an alternative to their insistent demand to play early hit White Rune, the band perform the melodic You’re Blessed to keep them happy. There are no complaints tonight though, as everyone seems to be joining in the sweaty fun. The room heaves to Coalition, becoming a pulsating mass of teenage zombies, and
Ahmed sets off a smoke bomb attached to his headstock, drowning the audience in a distinctly psychedelic purple haze. The organisers apologise as fire fighters are forced to pop their heads round the club doors, but everyone secretly enjoyed it. After this the night continues to excite and the energy of the audience continues to peak. The organisers clearly put a lot of thought into the order of Rønnenfelt is on punk form tonight as he stumbles around the stage in some kind of drugged trance, falling into the crowd at points and even screwing up his set-list like no professional musician would ever do. As soon as it starts though, the mad rush is over, but there’s a sense in
the acts: each act steps it up a notch, finishing with the grandest performance of all from the fantastic James and the Rabbit Hole. As the last set of guitars are packed away, the generous drinks offers fuel ecstatic dancing into the early hours of the morning. The next set of quarterfinals will proceed on March 24th so make sure to get along and witness more great talent from universities all over the country. the smoking area that everyone got their fill tonight. As I leave I notice my face is bleeding, and with the slow trickle of blood comes the realisation that this band aren’t just skin deep: this is as real as punk can get.
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18th March - 22nd April 2013
FASHION Eva Chaideftos Fashion & Lifestyle Editor fashion@roarnews.co.uk
facebook.com/roarnews
BEHIND THE SCENES AT LFW Jessica Cooper
DAY 2 - ISS
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Zoë MorrisonGriffiths
DAY 3
Peter Pilotto A/W13
A W 13 T R E N D S
House of Holland A/W13
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Topshop Unique A/W13
PQ DAY 1 - P
Rihanna for River Island A/W13
ROAR! LOVES LONDON FASHION WEEK
90’S NOSTALGIA
GRUNGE and oversize style made a comeback on the catwalk, with throwbacks to the nineties present throughout the week. Khaki hues at Topshop Unique and neon Oasis-style parkas at House of Holland were reminiscent of the Britpop era, whilst Rihanna for River Island focused on sports luxe and strappy necklines with a retro feel. Bare midriffs formed part of the 90s trend and cropped tops featured heavily in the high street collections. Accessories like strappy highheeled sandals are a simple way to pay homage to the decade, with examples already appearing at e.g. River Island.
DO THE SPLITS
A CONTINUING trend spotted throughout the skirt split, as featured predominantly in skirts and dresses. Floor-skimming hemlin for River Island were slashed thigh-high, ad movement to relatively simple silhouettes. skirt splits were on show at Christopher Kan Unique, offering an easy way to embrace the l without feeling too try-hard. For something Peter Pilotto showcased a number of central p that drew attention to the legs without bein
- OZ
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Battle of the Giants? Rosie enjoys a show at LFW while Ms Wintour covers her latest botox mishap at NYFW (*ed note: speculation only)
Lauren Clark
LFW vs NYFW
GLOBAL fashion weeks may share models, magazine interest and front row fashion darlings, but each one is a distinctly different shade of Chanel Rouge. Elbowing aside the traditionally dominant style dictatorships of Paris and Milan, fashion week siblings, London and New York, now draw the majority of attention for the absence of stuffy couture and wearable products.
© Jessica Cooper
For all its apparent air of cool, New York Fashion Week could credibly be renamed Anna Wintour’s FashionWeek. As the editor of the hugely influential American Vogue, she decides what ultimately makes the
cut. With the sense of being primarily a mecca of profit at the expense of pushing the boundaries of aesthetic, NYFW can feel like a place of fashion safety and conservatism for all its expenditure and Victoria Beckham’s presence in the schedules. London in contrast can seem like the rebellious little sister who has the guts to be daring, but a tendency to transcend into the tasteless. One thing that the city provides in droves is originality and accessibility. Budding designers can be the highlight of LFW at the Central St. Martin Graduate show, whilst every savvy youth knows that next season catwalk looks will be available for next to nothing on the high street in a matter of weeks.
Once ignored almost entirely by the international fashion world, London is getting itself back on the style map. British designers like Julien MacDonald are starting to crawl back, while Burberry, Mulberry, Moss and Middleton are helping to raise the city’s profile. While NYFW’s status is based on a trendy yesteryear, London tries its hardest to cast off its rich history, always creating what is controversial and fresh. Street style provides a major inspiration, as do politics and anything vaguely vulgar and shocking. If the fashion weeks were not so diverse, they would all merge rather mundanely into one. I wouldn’t refuse an invite to either though...
18th March - 22nd April 2013
LIFESTYLE
19
Sneha Choudhury Fashion & Lifestyle Sub-Editor fashion@roarnews.co.uk
@roar_news
SHEER STYLE
THE popularity of translucent panels and cutouts looks set to continue with sheer fabrics dominating at David Koma and Rihanna for River Island. The designs predominantly provided glimpses of shoulders and décolletage, but long, sheer sleeves at Felder Felder and Julien MacDonald offered a more casual way to wear the trend. For a more daring approach, see Simone Rocha’s all-over sheer shift dresses, which left little to the imagination. stand out in sheer through colour- David Koma paired transparency with bold bursts of sky blue and bright red, invoking a cool, futuristic feel.
Sister By Sibling A/W13
Tom Ford A/W13
WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT
BRIGHT whites had a strong presence on the runway, with dramatic shapes and bold tailoring at Melissa Diamantidi and Preen proving that a clean-cut, all-white look can still make an impact. Although not the most practical trend of AW13, crisp, white designs seem set to hit the high streetboth Topshop Unique and River Island showcased chic and polished ways to wear the colour, with a selection of white dresses, blazers and jackets on display. The neutral tones and strong silhouettes of the trend provide a blank canvas that is easily dressed up or down, whatever the occasion.
Burberry Prorsum A/W13
Topshop Unique A/W13
David Koma A/W13
t the week was n longer, floatier nes at Rihanna dding drama and . More demure ne and Topshop leg-baring trend g more unusual, pencil skirt splits ng over the top.
Melissa Diamanti A/W13
Preen A/W13
Felder Felder A/W13
David Koma A/W13
Rihanna for River Island A/W13
Christopher Kane A/W13
K - AUTUMN/WINTER 2013 ROUNDUP
PRETTY IN PRINTS
PLAYFUL animal prints were a central theme at Burberry Prorsum, with the collection including textures inspired by pony-skin, snakeskin and even cow print. However, leopard proved to be the most popular print throughout the week, appearing at a number of different shows in various intensities and colours. Tom Ford offered an elegant way to wear the trend in a form-fitting pencil skirt as well as more eccentric pieces, including quilted coats and jackets. Sister by Sibling provided a daring alternative to traditional animal print, scattering leopard spots across bright, colourful backgrounds.
A lolita spotted at Somerset House
Ana-Diamond AA
Rachel Hummel
FASHION surely has always been a competitive industry for those who want to be known either for their classical chicness or diverse style, but the competition has expanded from runways to the streets. So if you did visit Somerset House during the Fashion week, you would have totally sensed the whole “This Is Spartaaa!” atmosphere (if looks could kill…).
FASHION week is no doubt focused on the catwalk shows, but as a student, gaining entrance can be tricky. To satiate your sartorial craving therefore, focus on the street style aspect of London Fashion Week.
Yet there is nothing quite like it. The Fashion Week brought a breath of creativity and aesthetic beauty that you would not perhaps normally see on the streets. The street style was a sort of bizarrely wonderful paradise of fashion lovers coming together, and creating an edgy fusion of Lolita, Blade Runner, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Indeed, Fashion Week streetstylers can amaze you, but Milan and Paris better step aside, because the best and brightest ones are undoubtedly found in London. After all, this is the home of style icons and creative minds; take it from Vivienne Westwood, David Bowie and Spice Girls. Not to forget our always-elegant Kate Middleton, whose feminine style has also been beyond inspiring.
A couple of trends feel particularly fresh and new this season; one great example is the use of neon to accent an outfit and act as a focal point. From bags, socks, to headwear this trend certainly garners attention. One blogger sported neon light green ankle socks with her chunky silver platforms. This is a fresh take on the idea of layering summer sandals with socks as you transition into fall, and it revamps the concept for transitioning from winter to spring.
© Ana-Diamond AA
© Ana-Diamond AA
SPOTTED: HOT STREET STYLES
A new take on the superhero trend?
Perhaps our favourite trend at the moment though is printed trousers. Probably every third person at fashion week was wearing them. From brocade to geometric, this trend is not only high fashion, but extremely accessible on a student budget. Many high street shops carry them at affordable prices: Topshop and Forever 21 boast some great steals.
Neon and prints are big this season
ROAR! MORE!
R!M! CREDITS:
THE BACK PAGE
FRONT PAGE: SOPHIE HUTCHINGS BACK PAGE: SAMUEL SPENCER
CULTURE QUESTIONS #1: DID JENNIFER LAWRENCE DESERVE TO WIN AN OSCAR?
Since the first Academy Awards in 1929 certain events have become staples. There will always be horrendous dresses, and a deeply awkward song, (we’re looking at you, Seth MacFarlane...) but most crucially of all there will always be a controversial decision. Recent seemingly insane desicions have seen Crash winning Best Picture over Brokeback Mountain, Judi Dench winning Best Supporting Actress for Shakespeare in Love despite only being on screen for around eight minutes and the shocking snub of Spice World the Movie. This year, it was Jennifer Lawrence’s Best Actress win for frankly passable romcom Silver Linings Playbook. Did she deserve to win? Here’s what our writers thought...
YES Charlotte Woods
IN SHORT, yes. Jennifer Lawrence did deserve her Oscar. The Oscars represents an appreciation of pure talent, which J.Law clearly has but, there are a million and one reasons as to why she deserves such a prestigious award and why we are all falling in love with this amazing lady. First of all, let us just take a moment to realise the context surrounding Lawrence. She is 22 and has been nominated for two Oscars, and won one (for a rom-com too)! That right there is pretty impressive for starters. But age shouldn’t come into the Oscars so let’s focus on the acting alone. Lawrence gives an inspiring, emotional and deep performance. A collection of traits many might find difficult to portray when given the task of tackling subjects such as depression, bipolar disorder and grief. There really is something special about an actress performing in such an intense yet humorous way, and getting the balance just right. It is for this level of talent that Lawrence deservedly won such an incredible award against some other brilliant actresses. If that is not enough to convince you, then maybe a look at a wider range of her acting abilities will help to persuade. Lawrence has displayed her multi-faceted acting skills in a number of films. It is certain that J. Law cannot be type cast as ‘that one role.’
NO Chandi Lakhani
Lawrence has played some fantastic roles, fantastically. From the young troubled widow in Silver Linings,shape shifting mutant Mystique in X-Men: First Class to Ree, an intense young girl, touching on difficult issues of caring, hardship, drugs and extreme violence in Winter’s Bone.
LET ME start off by saying, I’m a huge Jennifer Lawrence fan. I think she’s an incredibly versatile actress with an extremely promising future. I’d even go as far as to say that she’s the next Meryl. And yet, when they called out her name on Oscar night I was shocked; it just didn’t feel right. There are many reasons why Jennifer Lawrence is a fantastic actress, but unfortunately she was hardly better than the competition.
No role is ever the same and it seems as though there is no end to Lawrence’s talent and ability to adapt to whatever the task at hand. It is a collection of roles such as these, at such a young age, which have made her known as one of the most talented actresses in America. So if you didn’t agree on her actual Oscar win for Silver Linings then surely the pure talent she has demonstrated at 22 is deserving Oscar standard recognition? But if that’s still not quite enough, here are a few more reasons as to why we just generally love J.Law. For one, Lawrence fell at the Oscars; suddenly my fall at the school play aged 10 is a distant memory… Swings and roundabouts though, Hugh Jackman rushed to rescue her so life is not too bad… Also, she has wardrobe malfunctions (her dress fell down slightly in a rather unsexy manner at the SAG awards), she is clumsy and normal and we love her for it! She also gets star struck, losing all composure and becoming a little speechless when Jack Nicholson interrupted an interview to congratulate her on her win. We love her as an actress, and rightly so. And we love her as a person. And if it’s good enough for Jack Nicholson it is good enough for us!
VS.
Are you jaded with JLaw, or are you a sucker for Silver Linings Playbook? Let us know @roar_news
Although Silver Linings Playbook was a remarkably original film, it was nonetheless a rom-com, not a mental illness drama like many people have deemed it. JLaw gave an incredibly raw, funny and passionate performance but is this really the stuff Oscars are made of? I’m not saying Silver Linings Playbook isn’t a great film, but there’s a reason it didn’t win Best Picture, Director or Screenplay, it’s just not really Oscar material. “So what is?” I hear you ask. Well let’s take a look at Naomi Watts’ role in The Impossible, an incredibly challenging and physical role where she was literally thrown in water tanks and tossed about in fake tidal waves for hours in order to convey a believable performance. Like Lawrence, this was also her second nomination and Watts is additionally known for being a diverse performer, having starred in the likes of King Kong, Mulholland Drive and Fair Game. Perhaps the
reason she didn’t stand more of a chance of winning was because the academy had the unfortunate experience of seeing her in Movie 43…? Also, why not consider Quvenzhané Wallis? At the age of 9 she delivers one of the most memorable performances of the year. Seth McFarlane’s one good joke of the evening was his dig at Jennifer Lawrence being the old lady Quvenzhané was up against. And on the other scale of things, Emmanuelle Riva gave an extremely emotive performance, and not to sound pessimistic but this was probably her last chance at winning an Oscar... And what about the underdog, Jessica Chastain? She struggled for years to make it in Hollywood (unlike JLaw who has risen to fame in just a few years), and came to our attention in 2011 where she made appearances in 7 major films, including Malick’s The Tree of Life and her Oscar nominated role in The Help. Versatility is Chastain’s middle name, given her performances in so many different roles, including Mama, which she starred in as part of an effort to not be typecast by the industry. People have a habit of overlooking her (yes I mean you, Academy!), but after this award season I’m hoping that will change. Also, putting aside the controversy surrounding the film, she gave a truly empowering performance in Zero Dark Thirty. She played a real CIA Agent who literally kicked ass in order to survive and find the world’s most wanted terrorist. It’s a shame she couldn’t kick JLaw’s ass on this occasion, but the good thing is this won’t be the last we see from many of these fantastic actresses.
18th March - 22nd April 2013
CAREERS
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@roar_news
REPUTATIONS & RELATIONSHIPS: UNDERSTANDING P.R.
Above: Jennifer Saunders as self-proclaimed ‘PR Guru’ Edina Monsoon in Ab Fab. Not the most accurate representation of PR there ever was... Isabel Fraser TESCO and horsemeat, the BBC and Savile, Barclays and Libor…all companies involved in recent scandals that have hugely affecte public perception of these organisations. It’s not just corporate institutions – the Catholic Church, Lance Armstrong, Oscar Pistorius…they all have their own puppet-masters backstage, clambering to protect their professional reputations. Of course, it’s not all damage control. Every brand, organisation, institution and service has a need to manage its relationships with the public. Public Relations, if you will. The Chartered Institute of PR gives us a nice definition of public relations, and being the chartered body of the whole industry, it knows its stuff: “Public Relations is about
reputation – the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. Public Relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. “It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.” So, in a rather superficial and slightly dented nutshell – make sure people say nice things about you so that other people will like you. But how do you start out in the industry? What does an intern do? What can you learn in the space of a couple of weeks or months? Well, I asked those very same questions to Ayesha Ghafoor, a final-year RHUL student who spent part of last year working at a PR consultancy in Madrid. Here’s what she said…
“I spent the third year of my European Studies with Spanish degree in Madrid. Besides spending my time having copious amounts of fun enjoying all that the city had to offer, I did do some work. I worked at Dédalo Comunicacion, a Public Relations consultancy specialising in corporate, financial and crisis management. Besides being a small agency in Spain, their client list is vastly spanning the globe. The firm is incredibly hands -on using their experience to provide bespoke solutions to clients. “The office was completely Spanish speaking, so keeping up and participating in conversations was a little daunting at first. But everyone was very welcoming and friendly and my Spanish was at a very good level by the time I left. “My work was varied and interesting. I was given the task of producing a report on how Spain was portrayed
in the foreign media in 2011. This involved trawling through newspaper articles in the UK, America and France. I compiled a study that broke down my findings, illustrating the number of articles written about Spain, the main themes of these and the main journalists that often reported on the country. The final document was very thorough including graphs, tables and analyses with a version in English and one in Spanish. “Another project involved evaluating the effectiveness of a client’s use of social media and comparing this to its competitors. I regularly went through the Spanish media, reading the daily news and flagging up articles that were in some way significant to clients. I also frequently translated business documents from Spanish into English and even translated the new design of the company’s website. “One of my most memorable days involved sitting in on a business pitch
for a potential client. Being present at the meeting was a great experience and I was even given the opportunity to add to the discussion. “To anyone wanting to pursue a career in PR , I would look at the client list of potential firms that you want to work for before applying. Dédalo’s clients are mostly comprised of corporate and financial companies, and so it would not be suited to someone interested in fashion, wanting to work in a more creative environment for example. “All in all my ten months flew past and I had a fantastic time working in the industry and living in Madrid. It’s a great line of work for anyone that enjoys keeping up with current affairs, trends and issues, and using this information to offer intuitive advice for clients, as well as developing fantastic communication and analytical skills.” First published on the University of London Careers Service blog.
HOW NECESSARY IS WORK EXPERIENCE? Helen Kempster
HOW MUCH work experience have you done? Is it really necessary? A recent survey has shown that work experience is one of the most important factors taken into account by graduate recruiters. The High Fliers study, ‘The Graduate Market in 2013’, surveys 100 of the UK’s top graduate employers. In response to the study, 56% of these employers stated that if a candidate has had no prior work experience, either with themselves or with another company, they would be ‘not very’ or
‘not at all’ likely to receive a job offer.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom! The good news is that the study also showed that more than 80% of top graduate employers are offering formal work experience programmes for undergraduates and recent graduates this year. In fact, a record 11,387 places are available on such programmes, a 5.2% increase on the previous academic year. However, entry onto these programmes is often highly competitive, so it’s also a good idea to research programmes offered by employers outside of these top 100, as well as to make speculative applications to organisations not of-
fering formal schemes, typically small and medium-sized companies. It’s also important to remember that any experience you gain can be valuable, be it through part-time work, volunteering or formal internships. The skills that many employers are looking for, such as communication and teamwork, can be demonstrated in many different contexts. The Careers & Employability Service can also help you in gaining work experience. In addition, we can also support you with the process of demonstrating the skills and competencies they have gained from such experience to potential employers.
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SPORT
18th March - 22nd April 2013
Liam Jackson Sports Editor sports@roarnews.co.uk
facebook.com/roarnews
BUCS PROTEST: WHERE DO YOU STAND? Liam Jackson
THE FIRST question you may be asking yourself is “What is BUCS?” BUCS stands for British Universities & Colleges Sport. It is the governing body for all sports around the UK and was formed in 2008. It is a membership organisation for 162 universities and colleges around the UK, coordinating competitions and leagues for over 2.3 million students. Your second question will probably be, “Okay, and why are we protesting?” Here’s a quick timeline of events that will make it that bit clearer - July 2011: BUCS AGM. The mention of the removal of medical school “anomalies.” Straight away begins an outcry from both sides of the KCL sporting fence. - Jan-Feb 2012: BUCS Referendum. Should KCLSU continue to support KCL and KCLMS teams separately? Vote was to keep teams separate by a huge majority. Event brings together the passion to fight for individuality. - April 2012: British Medical As-
sociation (BMA), Medical Student’s Conference (MSC). Lobby BUCS to extend consultation and engage more directly with medical students. Part of the letter is shown in the right hand side of the page. - May 2012: BUCS Decision. Amalgamation is the choice nevertheless. University given two absolute options. - October 2012: KCLSU Sabs and Club Captains meet to discuss May offer. Neither accepted by KCL consensus. - November 2012: meeting with representatives from all five London institutions with medical schools, as well as CEO of BUCS and Head of Sports Programmes. Additional options submitted by QM/ Bart’s & Imperial/Imperial Medics. - Early December 2012: BUCS National Advisory Group. Additional options voted down by the rest of NAG. Left still with two options. - Mid-December 2012: General consensus in meeting with King’s sport teams. Option one is the only one that is decided will be feasible. March 2013 test at BUCS
– Proheadquarters
All e-mail correspondence can be seen on the KCLSU webpage, including letters sent from BUCS and those sent from both our current and previous VPSAF’s and the BMA.
So what about the protest itself? The protest has been set up primarily by the Medical Society at KCL in order to raise awareness to any of those who still are unaware of the intentions of the organisation. They have joint up with other universities containing medical schools around London and will be marching upon BUCS headquarters located at 20 – 24 Kings Bench Street, London on Tuesday 19th March at 2pm. Everyone is encouraged to wear their respective kits and meet to make plaques and banners at Guy’s Campus from 1pm. Having established an open facebook page, the description urges people, “this one afternoon could make such a huge difference to the future of our medical school sports teams, so we need every single one of you who loves GKT to come down and show BUCS that we won’t go down without a fight!”
With over a hundred and fifty attending already just from our institution, the day seems to be on track for a large attendance.
President of MedSoc, Dheeraj Khiatani, one of the organisers of the protest and firm believer in keeping these entities separate stated: “We’ve been fighting a battle against BUCS, in order to maintain the long and rich tradition of our medical school sports teams. Despite this, BUCS simply haven’t listened to us, their members. Having no other option, we are protesting them next Tuesday alongside other London medical school. As this affects all King’s students, whether your loyalties lie with KCL or GKT, you should set aside your differences come support us. We can recommence our rivalry at Macadam cup!” Christian James, a member of the Athletics team at KCL, looks at the issue differently: “From a BUCS perspective... I don’t blame them for joining KCL and
GKT....think of the hundreds of Uni mergers, sporting clubs... once there is a merger, identities change...it’s hard to keep separate identities... but I don’t have the history or passion when I see these decisions...back home my football team merged with another club...it was hard for all supporters, change in anthem, colours... that’s 140 years of history gone...but you should look forward and build upon a bigger and better tradition...”
The answer on everyone’s minds is what the protest will achieve? Will the raw passion and love for sport change the minds of the BUCS decision makers? Will identity and the clear rich past in rivalry and competition prevail? Or will this day be merely a protest that falls flat at the feet of number 20 King’s Bench Street? Whatever the outcome, if you feel passionate about the merger, or want to merely find out more information and be part of a London University sporting protest not witnessed in recent history, then wear your colours and be part of an overwhelming act of student pride for what they believe in.
18th March - 22nd April 2013
SPORT
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@Liam_SportRoar
LONDON VARSITY FIGHT NIGHT
Liam Jackson
being KCL vs UCL, the King’s contingent was in full voice.
THE BIG NIGHT was here. The night the competitors had been training for endless months, strict diet regimes and no alcohol.
Whilst the traditional lines of “godless scum” were not sung, ‘oohs’, ‘aahs’ and raucous cheers followed every blow delivered into the face of Rob’s UCL opponent.
The crowd gathered at the Coronet, the cold environment was quickly heated up by the anticipation o those watching, from the mass of KCL fans, some with banners and wearing their King’s colours, to eager and most probably mildly worried parents and family friends who had come to give their support.
The bout was fiercely contested and despite losing the fight by unanimous decision, one spectator, Lewis Hammond, thought the evening was a great success. “I’d never been to a boxing match before so didn’t quite know what to expect.
The initial fights were the tasters, showing off real talent from around the London boroughs representing Lynn and Hanwell boxing.
But I was surprised by how good the turnout was, how vocal the crowd got and how fast and powerful the boxing was!
The competitors were in the form of younger boxers aging around fifteen years old. All of which made the crowd watching and especially myself, feel mildly ashamed of my own lack of fitness and stamina as they fought gallantly for an endless 1.5 minutes in three round matches. The first big match of the night for KCL Boxing was in the senior women’s category. Our own Natalie Cass (55kg) vs. Livia Kallayova (56kg) of Epsom & Ewell boxing club. Both came out all guns blazing, with Cass flooring the opponent briefly in the second round to the cheer of the crowd.
The King’s boxers put in a great account of themselves and although they didn’t get any wins can go home with their head held high. Hopefully this is something that can happen every year along with varsity rugby.” Our Laurence Clarke (76kg) was the next one up vs. Ryan Robinson (76kg) of the All Stars Boxing club. The mind games were tried by the opposition before the match had begun, delaying coming out to the ring for a good five minutes, defragmenting the good sportsman-
able show of determination and grit to fight what the consensus believed was the best opponent of the night. Fellow boxer and housemate Rob Prince (76kg) was next, fighting Marco Lobo 76kg of UCL Boxing. The atmosphere suddenly turned as
The UCL supporters and ours alike raised the roof of the Coronet, giving the fighters that last wind up until the final bell. Unfortunately the points system beat us again, with UCL taking home the medal. After losing his heavily contested
The last main fight was our Mike Stawpert (75kg) vs. Dan Gordon (75kg) of Imperial Boxing. Mike started off the blocks quick, dazing Gordon in the first round with an array of combinations and wrong footing the Imperial hopeful. This rallied the King’s faithful to hopefully get that first win of the night.
Natalie’s quick and agile feet gave Livia problems, with a strong, clean right hook that saw some direct powerful blows over the three rounds. The point’s decision however fell to the away team.
However in the last round, the fitness of Gordon shone through, leaving the crowd and fighters rather down without a win, but with immense pride at how all fighters had fought and shown undoubting courage on the night.
Our next female athlete bout was KCL’s Marguerite Gallaghar 69kg vs. E. Narozanwski 67kg of Lynn boxing.
Cameron dent of
However back on points decisions, the Cambridge trained boxer was successful.
Presistated:
It was a shame that the other Uni clubs didn’t provide more boxers but we showed that KCL ABC is ready to take on anybody.
The men’s first bout was in the form of the heaviest weight category of the night, seeing KCL’s Marcus Rhinehart (83kg) vs. Tinashe Murozoki 85kg of Cambridge boxing club.
The Cambridge boxer was merciless, with our Marcus withholding anything as the nicknamed “rhino” threw at him, showing a calm and calculated nature that made him stand out from the sluggishness of his opponent.
Bray, Boxing
“The club is happy with the performance of all of its fighters who showed what can be achieved in just a few months.
Our boxer seemed lifted by the supporting crowd with constant screams of “Come on Mags” and trainer Lee Steggles giving his guidance from ringside saw yet another fierce also come down to points.
From the first bell, the onslaught of jabs was brutal and relentless, the spray of sweat flowing through the air with every big landed punch resembling a scene from the well known Rocky films.
KCL
As far as we’re concerned, this is a strong first step for a new and developing squad.” The night was a certain success and to all participants and organisers thanks has to be extended. ship shown throughout the night. The first round was tense, each fighter assessing how the other moved and jabbed, Robinson having the advantage of a longer reach and showed signs of intense training and ability. Shortly through the third round, trainer Lee Steggles threw in the towel after Laurence took some big hits and was clearly swaying and grown tired, demonstrating an unbeliev-
our oldest rivals were matched in the ring, centuries of conflict all merged into the ring for the next three rounds. Rob was clearly on top after the first round, showing the Gower lot the power of KCL Boxing and fighting at its best. UCL clawed their way back in the subsequent rounds, demonstrating real fitness and vigour that pains me to report.
bout against his UCL opponent, Rob Prince was full of optimism regarding the night itself, ‘It was a great night for KCL Boxing. Unfortunately the results didn’t go our way after all the effort and training we put in, but saying that we can’t fault the turnout as the crowd really got behind us.’ This was perhaps the most hotly anticipated fight of the evening
Referee Harry Slater and other officials were all volunteers, a true show of raw passion for the sport. A mention has to go out to the KCL coaches and the other boxers who unfortunately couldn’t fight, with Rob Smith rein acting every blow both from the crowd and late into the night at Walkabout. To conlude, I as well as others that were watching hope for more events like this one in the coming near future.