INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 7 Page Freshers’ Pull Out + What’s On Guide! FREE
King’s News King’s Entertainment September 17 October 10, 2011 www.roarnews.co.uk Got a story? editor@roarnews.co.uk @roar_news roar! newspaper 020 7379 9833
HELLO AND WELCOME!
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The FWB Library has opened its doors for the new year with a new look. Roar took a look round before anyone else...
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LONDON’S BURNING...
What can the London August riots really tell us about society? And what was the real cause of it all?
SPORT
YOU ASKED FOR IT!
COMMENT
NEWS
This month, Roar is looking forward to seeing you at the Welcome Fair, 22nd & 23rd September, Exhibition Centre 2, The Barbican. Drop by and say hello!
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TEAMS ON TOUR!
Roar snoop on the King’s sports teams tour photos, as well as a guide to the best sports teams to try this year.
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Roar Editorial Board 2011-12 Editor Zoe Tipler editor@roarnews.co.uk News Editor Luke Chattaway news@roarnews.co.uk Comment Editor Michael Miller comment@roarnews.co.uk Features Editor Rupert Clague features@roarnews.co.uk Student Groups Editor Laura Arowolo students@roarnews.co.uk Fashion and Lifestyle Editor Coryn Brisbane fashion@roarnews.co.uk Arts Editor Theodora Wakeley arts@roarnews.co.uk Film Editor Kate Loftus O’Brien film@roarnews.co.uk
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Note from the editor
Yay! Freshers’ time again! A whole new bunch of people to initiate! Welcome aboard to those of you who are just joining us! For those coming back...they are 18! Are you sure you want to do that!? It’s all change at KCLSU, loads of KCLSU and College money has been poured into a major revamp. Rumor has it Tutu’s was going to be renamed The Penthouse... but we’ve had a lucky escape from all connotations of a pervy old man’s club there, and Tutu’s stays strong! So, in these times of great upheaval Roar has decided to become something of a bible. Just how you would survive the perils of freshers’ fortnight without us is anyone’s guess! One of our major plans this year at Roar is to remind King’s that students are customers and we need value for money for our degrees - we will be covering everything from contact time with lecturers to the standards of uni accommodation. Get in touch with us if you think you’re getting a rough deal... or indeed if you’re really happy with your uni life. Email suggestions for submissions (on that topic and anything else) to editor@roarnews.co.uk. Or to the relevant ed listed on the left. Anyway thats for this first issue, good luck to you all and I hope KCL manages to live up to all your expectations!
Zoe xx editor@roarnews.co.uk
Music Editor Shivan Davies music@roarnews.co.uk
Students, unite, leave your summers behind you and embrace what is now a reclaimed month. 2011-2012 will bring a record number of highs, lows and everything in between. Guys who’ve dreamt of the chance to wear neon tights and tutu skirts judgment-free, girls who couldn’t bear to throw away your too tight school uniforms, you are in the right place. We embark on a month ahead of freshers’ nights (not just for the newbies, hall parties, flat warmings, the lot. And on the off chance you wake up too hungover to remember the night’s events, have no fear, this column will be the source of embarrassing details, gossip, rumour and scandal. University is a microcosm of society, the transitional realm from school to the big bad world of employment, mortgages and responsibility. We spend our time here strengthening out minds and our souls, developing skills and character. But, the only way to truly succeed through this journey is if you’ve have managed to have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE.
The memories you gain from freshers’ weeks may not be the longest-landing, but their certainly your first for the year. Whether you strive to be the boldest, the smartest or most confident version of yourself, there is no time like the present to go forth and shine (and if that doesn’t quite work out, you can always live vicariously through the adventures of others through this column). If you have what it takes to make the most of the year ahead, keep me up to date at (email address) with a scandal, exhibition or event worth a mention, but be warned, I may already know all about it.
Sports Editor Charlotte Richardson sports@roarnews.co.uk
So hop on your Boris-bike and try and keep up, if you think you can.
Proofing Editor Sofie Kouropatov proof@roarnews.co.uk
Yours truly, greeneyes@roarnews.co.uk
Legal and Advertising Fran Allfrey vpsme@kclsu.org Roar is an independent Student Media society at KCLSU. Views expressed in Roar do not necessarily reflect those of Roar’s Editorial Board, KCLSU, its trustees, or its employees, or of King’s College London.
September takes the ultimate u-turn, from sad to sexy.
So what ever this involves, whether it’s unleashing your inner grinder or taking advantage of the world’s greatest city, do it with the knowledge that THIS IS YOUR MOMENT.
See you in the bar!
Oh and don’t forget to listen out for the Roar podcast on KCL radio!
GreenEyes@ roarnews.co.uk
izes, we’ll give When we have pr t for now, just bu them away here... rk-out... enjoy the brain wo
Top King’s Tweets... @roar_news @kclsu @KingsCollegeLon
This issue, we love that new students are excited for Welcome 2011... Congrats are due to KCL African & Caribbean Society... and King’s Anatomy Theatre announce great offer for students.
ELECTIONS 2011
STUDENT COUNCIL 50 Positions - 50 Ways to make change happen!
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News
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Edited by
Luke Chattaway news@roarnews.co.uk
SO... what?
A Message from Professor Trainor, Principal of King’s
The KCLSU Student Officer team update. This week: President Hannah Barlow. Hello, How is everyone? If this is your first year at King’s then welcome and congratulations from everyone at KCLSU. If you are a returning student... HEY! Myself and the other officers have been in post since July. We have been beavering away helping to organise the start of term Welcome events, whilst also putting pen to paper about our ideas for the year. Our agendas will be posted on the KCLSU website so everybody can see what we plan to do for you this year. Of course all input and questions are welcomed. Just drop any of us an email or fill out the comment box on the ‘contact us’ page of kclsu.org In other news... If you’re reading this after 19th September nominations are now OPEN for our student council elections. You have until 4th October to nominate yourself, and then comes candidate training, and campaigning and voting begins on the 7th October. Phew! In a nutshell, student council gets your voice heard and lets us Officers, KCLSU and the College know exactly what you want, so get involved and if you are not running for a position then get voting for who you want to represent you. Check kclsu.org/elections to find out more details. There are loads of events going on over the next few weeks to welcome new students to King’s which are all documented online at kclsu.org/whatson. Make sure you get involved, I promise it’ll be fun. Oh, and we’re really excited about all the new common room/ library spaces which have appeared over the summer! KCLSU and King’s have worked hard to complete the new FWB library, and also The Lobby, a common room on floor B2 (minus 2) on the Macadam Building, The Bridge Careers and Skills centre on floor 1 and a tarting up of Tutu’s on floor 4! So, that’s it from me (for now)! See you on campus, Hannah
president@kclsu.org @KCLSU_Hannah www.kclsu.org > Your Representatives
Dear students I would like to extend a personal warm welcome to all our new students, both undergraduates and postgraduates, embarking on their first term at King’s. University can be one of the most valuable experiences you have in life and we sincerely hope this will be the case for each of you during your time here. Ensuring you receive the highest quality all-round educational experience is of the utmost importance to us. You will be taught by academics at the forefront of their fields, in a supportive community setting. Beyond the stimulating aca-
demic environment at King’s lies a wealth of extracurricular activities open to you. Your Students’ Union, KCLSU, is a leading light in the university sector. It will provide you with a diverse choice of social and cultural activities, when you need to take a well-earned break from your studies. We hope that you will embrace the opportunity to try something new by joining some of the KCLSU societies, activity groups and sports clubs at the Welcome Fair, which goes from strength to strength every year and should not be missed. At King’s we are lucky to have a diverse community of students from over 150 countries worldwide. I would
urge you to take the opportunity in your first few weeks to introduce yourself to as many fellow students as possible – you are all in the same position of being unfamiliar with your new environment, but you will spend a great deal of time with each other over the next few years. The friends you make at university can last a lifetime. On behalf of your tutors and the Professional Services staff who will support you throughout your studies, we hope that you settle in quickly. I look forward to meeting many of you at KCLSU and College events and wish you the very best for your time at King’s. Professor Rick Trainor
King’s Top Researchers Make Waves By Luke Chattaway
KCL scientists have discovered a natural sunscreen at the heart of sea coral. These compounds, found in all coral, help prevent UV damage and university researchers have begun to crack the ways these protective substances are made in the hope that they can be synthesized and used in fields as varied as common suntan lotion to developing UV resistant crops that are able grow in hot countries. After collecting the coral from the Great Barrier Reef in Australia in collaboration with an international effort from universities from both the United States and Australia, the King’s team led by Dr Paul Long, the Senior
Lecturer from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, discovered that the sunscreen – after being manufactured through a process that includes both the coral and species of algae that the coral coexists with – passes up the food chain when the coral is eaten by predators like fish. ‘This led us to believe that if we can determine how this compound is created and passed on,’ Dr Long comments, ‘we could biosynthetically develop it in the laboratory to create a sunscreen for human use, perhaps in the form of a tablet, which would work in a similar way.’ The effects this compound, if introduced into certain crop species, could
have in the developing world are potentially huge; it would allow high yield crops bred for temperate climates to thrive in hostile conditions in developing economies and deal with potential temperature rises that will come with global warming and climate change.
coral without the protection of the UV resistant compounds. A greater understanding of how this process happens could help a great deal with worldwide conservation efforts: especially in places with outstandingly beautiful coral formations like the Great Barrier Reef.
Climate change also presents a host of problems for the coral itself. With rising sea temperatures, many species of coral have been observed to ‘bleach’, a term for when the algae many corals have a symbiotic relationship with dies off in rising water temperatures – such as happened worldwide in the summer of 1998 - and leaves the
It remains to be seen just how effective this discovery will eventually become – effectively synthesising the compound on a large scale is still a few years off – but the research done by these scientists has the potential to be very important indeed.
NEW AND IMPROVED: Waterloo FBW Gets Massive Redesign! The College has invested significantly in modernising the Library and student space at Franklin-Wilkins Building, Waterloo Campus over the summer. Working closely with students and KCLSU, asking us what we need every step of the way, the end result is a new library composed of ‘flexible spaces’, and an improved advice service.
wheels, and tables and chairs which can easily be wheeled around too. The room can be changed around for different events and purposes: from training, to meetings, to group work on projects, at a moment’s notice. Smaller group study rooms (bookable by anyone, including student groups) have meeting tables and touch screen LCD screens.
‘Flexible space’ is the jargon term for rooms which can be used for many purposes: from group work, silent study with or without PCs, and study and eating spaces. One example of a truly flexible room is on the 2nd floor: this room is full of white-boards on
The library not only has a better library services desk - more open, and with more self service machines available - but there is also the addition of a Compass (advice) desk and ‘pod’ run by college, and a KCLSU advice desk and ‘pod’. Students will
be able to book academic advice sessions
be able to meet KCLSU advisors in FWB for the first time, with the ‘pod’ being a space-age, sound-proofed meeting room. Drop in KCLSU advice will also be available at the desk for smaller issues. The College Compass desk also will run bookable and drop in sessions, with their staff on hand to ‘point you in the right direction’ during their service hours. Across the way from the library, the new Cafe will have an improved menu selection, and longer opening hours, with the addition of a 24/7 internet cafe.
KCLSU Vice President for Student Activities and Facilities, Holly Walsh said on our tour of the new building: ‘I’m really happy with everything from the design of the library to how it actually functions. KCLSU made sure that student input was taken into account at every stage of development, and you can tell this has paid off: I really think people will love the facilities available to them, and actually enjoy spending time in the library!’ The library is open 8:30-21:00 Monday to Friday, 09.30 - 17.30 Saturdays and 11.00 - 19.00 Sundays
News
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Gap Yah? No, Ta. By Luke Chattaway
This summer saw a drop of 40% in potential undergraduates choosing to defer their place at university in order to take a gap year. This is reversal of a general trend in recent years where ever-increasing numbers of students chose to postpone their studies in order to travel around the world. FEES TO BLAME? The most obvious factor causing this change is the recent tuition fee rises
allowed by the government last December; these rises do not take effect until 2012 so going to university this year will cost a third of the price as it will then. This choice between choosing a cheaper education or a gap year is, however, a one off event: fees are not expected to go down any time soon so the question now is whether the gap year tradition will reassert itself post 2012 in the face of a greater
financial burden. Debts a worry? There is no doubt gap years are a popular choice for many young people: any of the fresher’s week conversations I remember having with the bizarrely confident young people who had claimed to have discovered themselves while hiking to Ladakh or drinking fresh coconut milk in the Cambodian surf is a testament to that.
It is hard to imagine that the lure of travelling to other countries for a year will ever disappear – even if it may seem a frivolity at a time when higher education is becoming an increasingly expensive (and, hence, serious) business. Who knows? Maybe a year abroad will seem even more attractive when a lifetime of paying back enormous debts lurks on the horizon. Interestingly, in a way that somewhat mitigates the drop in deferred places, many gap year and travel companies have found that graduates seem to be applying for volunteer positions abroad. Market analysts speculate that the hostile job conditions have
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been playing a role in this, prompting unemployed university leavers to take unpaid positions abroad (in what may turn out to be a cheaper option than staying in the UK) to bulk up their CVs. Silver Lining? Whatever happens, it is hard to imagine that the lure of spending a substantial amount of time in an exotic place will ever really disappear. Even if the idea of travelling resurfaces as that of taking shorter holidays closer to home in an attempt to save money, the temporary blow the gap year tradition has suffered this year will undoubtedly turn out to be a temporary one.
Internships: The New Slave Labour By Yaseen Akhtar Unpaid internships are something that the majority of students and new graduates will be familiar with and accepted as a necessary evil! They do however beg the question: have internship just become a source of free labour for companies? The government’s response to the resulting scarcity of jobs due to the ongoing financial crisis has been, in part, to promote internships as a means of improving the prospects of graduates. The Graduate Talent Pool (www.graduatetalentpool. direct.gov.uk), a website launched by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, has the largest ratio of unpaid to paid internships, with around 1,700 out of 5,200 current vacancies being unpaid. However a number of other sites, such as Inspiring Interns (www. inspiringinterns.com), have almost no paid internships available with only travel and lunch expenses being covered for periods of up to 6 months, full time. Something that most new graduates and students would struggle to be able to afford without another source of income. From a legal standpoint, irrespective of being labelled an internship, any person considered a ‘Worker’ must be paid the national minimum wage. Considering the definition of a ‘Worker’
is a person that provides a service and goes beyond just shadowing individuals, it seems like a great number of interns are being treated unfairly for the work that they do. And it’s not just businesses that’s benefiting from this raw deal. Internships within the parliament provide an estimated 18,000 hours of free labor a week and a saving of £5m a year. This casual disregard for interns can also extend to paid internships. During a study conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development in 2010 it was found that out of 280,000 employers that planned to use interns, of whom 28% admitted that they were planning to pay less than minimum wage. And, there is nothing an intern can do about it short of suing their boss which has to be counter productive in getting a job at the end of it! This is not to say all internships are unfair. It is just that fears that they might be exploited are well grounded and that these fears are compounded by the lack of regulation, or even recognition, of the people that have very few alternatives to taking an internship. And often almost no means of recourse if it does go sour.
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Comment
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Edited by
Michael Miller comment@roarnews.co.uk
A Destructive Sense of Entitlement By Olivia Selley
There has been endless media coverage of the riots. Pages filled with speculations as to the causes and possible solutions to unrest. What bothered me about it was the apparent consensus that it was the result of a broken and fragmented society. The suggestion that the looting may have been a result of the disparity of wealth between the rich and the poor or that it is the result of poor parenting and undisciplined children is an easy explanation that has been seized upon by politicians in order that they may appear authoritative by discussing policies that will ‘fix Britain’. One Facebook status read: “everyone needs to cool it with this talk of “ignorant, amoral etc. thugs.” The people rioting are principally only “ignorant” “amoral” etc. because of the system in which England as a country has put them. Acting smug because we have been put in a better position than them is really embarrassing”. Comments which followed below went on to discuss how society has failed the rioters, that they came from low income backgrounds and had little education etc. I wonder what the magical system that is supposed to serve people is.
The riots were not an example of the disparities of wealth within the country or a lack of education but a gross demonstration of the consumerist society that we all live in. People clearly feel a sense of entitlement to have the newest pair of trainers or the biggest widescreen television. Ultimately, neither the ‘haves’ or the ‘have nots’ need any of these things and instead of blaming each other for being ‘ignorant’ or of being bad parents as some reports suggested we should blame mass media: in the form of television, lifestyle magazines and advertising for drumming it into us in the first place that we need televisions, MP3 players, fast cars and flashy clothes. In the aftermath of the riots it seemed everyone was playing the blame game. Possible explanations were printed left, right and centre. Perhaps, rather than our disparate society being the cause of the riots they were just a bit of fun? The power of mob mentality or peer pressure should not be undermined, who’s to say that if I had been there among friends I wouldn’t have helped myself to packet if chewing gum. Our society is not ‘broken’; neither is it failing ‘underprivileged’ people. It is merely overindulged. What should be addressed is people’s levels of expectation and overinflated sense of entitlement to unnecessary consumer goods that ultimately do more harm than good.
Arriving Home in the Wake of the Riots By Hannah Ewens
They are the ones that are using elbow grease and determination to make sure they get nice things and a good job in the future. Furthermore, they are juggling undesir-able parttime jobs - probably the type of jobs that that looter turns down.
Like me, you all probably got sick to death of hearing about the looting over the summer, but going back to my house in London made it all seem a little more real. Reading reports about where the looting and vandalism had oc-curred informed me the road I took the bus from to uni on the Strand has been hit, as well as my own street.
The media has gone crazy recently with reports of university students in-volved in the looting. Understandably, this links well with the protesting about rising fees from last year. But all I can say is that by getting involved in this - for this political reasoning or not - has ended up hurting other stu-dents, my friends cannot be the only ones. Nothing
positive has come out of the looting, except perhaps for the looter on the video who says it is like ‘Christmas come early’. The part of that interview that I cannot help laugh at is the voiceover sum-mary at the end. Put in a softer, emotional tone he closes with, ‘They wanted what they haven’t got…a voice.’ Perhaps that interview did give them the voice they needed, but it merely revealed them as a bunch of vile thieves and yobs.
What I didn’t anticipate, coming round the corner to my house, is that the very house next door to mine had been heav-ily burgled and practically ruined, its front room windows smashed. Next door are students just like myself, who now have lost expensive elec-tronic equipment, cash and significantly, personal items. I can’t even begin to imagine how I would feel if I had found my own home in such a state. These students do not have the financial means to easily repurchase what has been stolen which is what I can imagine the looters say to justify their actions. These students paid for these goods out of their savings, from stu-dent loans and scholarships, and from part-time jobs alongside their degree. In a South Today news report a looter says he stole from shops because he wanted nice things; because he ‘can’t’ get a job; because the ‘government’ won’t look after him and allow him to get the job he wants - this just makes me sick to my stomach. My neighbours are not the wealthy that the looter refers to in the interview, they are hardworking students.
AP Photo / Lewis Whyld, PA
BURNING ISSUE: “Can long distance relationships work at uni?” Freya Pascall says “YES!”
This issue can’t be sugarcoated... long distance relationships are hard. Properly hard at such a formative time in your life as Uni. However, as Nietzsche said “A man who has a why can survive any how”. Too cheesy for a philosophy student to quote Nietzsche in a student newspaper? Well the sentiment’s true. If you want anything enough, you will find a way to manage it; just like when you’re skint, but you can somehow manage to find the money to go to the pub, buy a pack of fags and get a takeaway on the way home. The question is whether you both want it enough. The reason so many long distance relationships fail at Uni is usually because one party simply doesn’t want the relationship enough to dedicate the effort to it that they could be
spending elsewhere. You may love each other to bits, but beyond the obvious issue of trust, there are nights out with new friends that you will miss, essays that will need to be done early so you can go for a visit, new societies you won’t be able to commit to fully as you will be away every few weeks and a fairly large amount of self-confidence boosting to give your other half... All things considered you have to make this effort and sacrifice, and want to (not just because it will be easier to avoid the upset caused if you don’t). If the want isn’t mutual, you will frustrate each other, resent each other and end up unable to ‘go the distance’. If, however, you are committed, organised, give each other the space to grow as individuals, genuinely don’t have the inclination to “sow your wild oats” so to speak and have your eyes open to the hard work that it will take....then there’s no reason
you can’t manage it...you’ll find the tenner down the back of the sofa to get you that takeaway...even if your bottom lip does tremble when you have to say Goodbye at the train station every few weeks.
So yes, long distance relationships can survive at Uni, but I didn’t say it was going to be easy.
Zoe Tipler says “NO!” Before I write this I feel I should put in a little caveat - I am one of those people who did long distance for 18
months... and it was hell!!!
The jaded realist in me can’t subscribe to the romantic ideals of childhood sweathearts I’m afraid. The fact is that unless you are prepared to spend every weekend forking out for a train fare and traipsing home or romantically snuggled up in your single bed missing out on socials, parties, and all the other things that make freshers what it is, then a long distance uni relationship can’t work. Most people come to uni with strataspheric expectations about how amazing it’s all going to be. You will have the most incredible freshers, you will get a first and your life will be a constant out-take of Notting Hill. The pressure to perform is huge enough without having to remember to have regular phone sex with someone you have less and less in common with.
We are all told that uni is meant to be a growing experience but how can you have the freedom and the space to do so with someone tagging along for the ride. Especially if they are growing in a different place. And! Just to make matters worse! You have no one to whinge to about your partner’s failings because no one in halls knows who they are let alone cares - and all your other friends are busy living their own fresher dream! Ultimately (and yes I know I sound like a complete doom merchant) you will save yourself and the one you ‘love’ a tonne of heart ache by ending it on good terms before either of you has the chance to do something you shouldn’t. And if you discover that you can’t live without each other then; amazing and I wish you all the luck in the world... if you can... well, it wasn’t meant to be anyway!
Student Groups 7
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Edited by
Laura Arowolo students@roarnews.co.uk
Into The Wild... KCL Wilderness Medicine Win Best New Society 2010/11!
Where are they now?! Best New Society 2009/10: KCL Radio
By Laura Arowolo
This June, at the classy sit down reception of the KCLSU Awards the new Wilderness Medicine Society won Best New Society. In its first year of activity they put on the Inspirational Medics series of evening talks, given by doctors who had worked in varied environments including the Antarctic, space, war zone and even expedition medicine. They also organised an expedition medicine training day, took their members to the Lake District for a weekend on mountain rescue; welcomed sixth formers from local sixth form colleges to their talks to provide them the opportunity to meet their inspiring speakers, and current university students to find out about university life - an opportunity that may not otherwise have
they had.
The society makes efforts to reach out to non-medics too, and has successfully raised £170 for the
Wellbeing for Women charity! In the year to come, KCL Wilderness have told us they have a handful in store for it’s members! From it’s initial freshers trip they have planned a hard core search and rescue training weekend in Somerset. They plan to harden people up over the year in preperation for their staple wilderness medicine training weekend planned in February; if medicine in the
wilderness is your thing, be sure to sign up! They also plan to continue with the Inspirational medics series with
talks on tropical medicine, altitude medicine, disaster medicine, the psychiatry of extreme situations and war zone medicine; organise an electives evening with final year students talking about their experiences, chaired by Dr Mark Wilson, who runs the Medics Travel website; a conference bringing together the science of extreme sport and wilderness medicine, in the year the Olympic Games come to London (January 2012) and plan to continue their efforts with community engagement by inviting more sixth form students to our talks among other plans. An amazing project of the society’s includes a planned research expedition for Summer 2013. The founding and current President, Neeraj Shah, had this to say; “Firstly, I’d like to thank all of our supporters, students and faculty, who have ensured a very successful first year for us. My wonderful committee have also worked tirelessly over the year, and over the summer, to ensure that we can provide a programme that suits our members’ wide ranging interests. Working in the wilderness has always been considered a ‘niche’, accessible only to a few - we hope through our events that we can demonstrate that anyone can get involved in this developing field.”
Last year the accolade was awarded to KCL Radio Society From its inception, KCL Radio set the bar high, applying for, and being awarded a grant from the Annual Fund for building the first radio and pre-record studio in KCL history! 2010-11 saw the station interviewing Jeremy Paxman, The Black Ships, Greg Davies, Principal Rick Trainor, and a whole host of exciting dubstep artists (including Jazzsteppa, Cotti, Hektagon, El-B). Their stats are just amazing, having produced over 100 podcasts in 7
Lastly, KCL Radio was shortlisted Society of the Year at the KCLSU awards 2011!! They plan on expanding the station this year and coming out with a full live schedule by Christmas. Plans also include a desire to have bigger and better live events associated with the station and to enhance their image across the university. www.kclradio.co.uk
Introducing: KCL Gospel Music Society
KCL Gospel Music Society (KCL GMS) is a society based on Christian values with the aim to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ across the KCL campus. This began with the medium of Gospel Music, but the Society has evolved in numbers and talent, and Dance, Drama, Poetry and Band departments were established in 2010-11. The incredible growth of KCL GMS is allowing everyone to express themselves in various ways and bond with other university students from different campuses during weekly rehearsals. In 2011, KCL GMS entered the first ever University Gospel Choir of the Year Competition, and were awarded 2nd Runner-up place, a fantastic achievement of which they’re very proud. KCL GMS hosts two annual concerts: one in December before the Christmas break and an ‘End-ofYear’ concert in late February/ early March. Last year saw the first Endof-Year Production put on by the Society, titled ‘Breathe & Believe’, which brought together all departments and was a great success. KCL GMS held their first Open Mic night in October 2010, which exceeded expectations of all who came and was enjoyed by all who attended. The society also produced a DVD of the Society in 2010-11, which will be on sale at this year’s Welcome Fair, showcasing the society with footage from their Christmas Show, ‘The Gift’, and backstage interviews from the KCLSU President, All The Kings Men, and old and new KCL GMS members.
Above: KCL GMS collect their second runner up trophy at University Gospel Choir of the Year Right: on-stage at King’s
issues in 2009-10. They doubled the number to over 200 podcasts in 2010-11, whilst membership also grew by 100% to 100 members this past year!
As the new academic year dawns, KCL GMS will establish its new departments and work for their continued success. The society will host its Open Mic Night on November 10th at the Miller Pub, Guy’s Campus, with collaborations from other KCL Societies; this is in addition to their planned weekly Bible Study meetings. For those of you who are keen volunteers, KCL GMS also has a Community Engagement branch which allows university students to go into local schools to teach Gospel songs to pupils - they will be recruiting interested students for this. The society will put on its annual Christmas and End of Year Shows with guest artists. KCL GMS’s incoming President, Lalesia Ngoke told Roar: “KCL GMS has moved in leaps and bound in the past year, which is a testament of the excellent work of the committee in the past year. Not only that, but the successes of the past year has seen the Society evolve into a Family, where members genuinely care for each other, in and out of rehearsals. As the Society moves into 2011-12, we plan to reach out further to the student body at King’s making our presence known on all Campuses, and providing a welcoming, fun environment where everyone is welcome regardless of their background, whilst providing platforms for students to showcase their talents individually and together.”
Find a full list of student groups, volunteering groups and sports teams at www.kclsu.org PLUS remember to go to the Welcome Fair at the Barbican Exhibition Hall 2 on Thursday 22nd & Friday 23rd September. It’s not just for Freshers, so if you missed out first time round, it’s never too late to take a look and join a group!
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Features
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Edited by
Rupert Clague features@roarnews.co.uk
I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER
By Rupert Clague
After a long summer holiday, there are always things you must reacquaint yourself with.
If you have been abroad, you come to discover what your house truly smells like. If you have remained at home and your friends have been away, you must begin to remember who they are, and indeed, how they smell. However, the one thing I will never get used to, and find myself wishing I did not have to participate in every time one comes up, is the post-holiday conversation. For many years, returning to school, to University, to work or simply back home, I have inevitably been confronted by someone asking “how was your holiday?” The first person to enquire, whether it is your best friend, a coworker, or simply the cashier in Sainsbury’s will hear just about everything; from the beautiful girl you shared an elevator with in the airport to the flavourless taste of the biscuits you wolfed down in the hotel. The second person to ask will receive a cut down version of the story, perhaps only the bare essentials: the fact that your return home was hastened by your running out of money and contact lenses and the freak hang gliding mishap that you are still suffering from.
Love Letters From London Bridge By Laura Frater
There are a million things to see and hear in train stations. That’s why I so often find myself taking the 381 to Peckham, getting off at London Bridge and strolling into the station. The conversations hit you as you manoeuvre though the entrance. Welcome to the world of the longdistance boyfriends, the waiting husbands, the traveling girlfriends and the worried wives. More importantly, welcome to the world where those relationships are exposed; where goodbyes are unintentional performances and hellos are embedded in the platform gates. I sit there waiting for the train to Denmark Hill. There are probably a dozen couples preparing to part. Some are smiling. Some are not. Some will return to meet. And some will simply not know. I watch the ones who are about to be left, the ones who have so much more to say that unsubstantial ‘goodbye’. You can see it in their faces: they’re struggling to walk away. Clumsily they fumble in the pockets of their coat: are they trying to find their words? Did they scribble down their farewell? These are the ones who confirm for me what train stations really are - they are places of love letters. They hold the greatest love letters in the world because they store the unwritten ones, the tragic ones the ones that were never read. They were only left with a writer who wished they had slipped them into the packed pocket of their companion before they departed to the gates. Only the fatigued passengers, the trodden platforms and their trains will get to hear what they really had to say. My train is delayed so I continue my gaze, my eyes focusing on the woman in the red coat. The man she’s with has turned away, his suitcase dragging behind him, his head drawn to the ground. She’s mouthing through the crowd, “I have so much more to say”: her arm held out, a speech prepared - an unsent love letter in her hand. Then she departs, coffee cup thrust in the bin along with tissues and crumpled paper. I stand to make my way to the platform and the woman in red melts into the crevasses of London Bridge. Train stations: they are places of love letters; the unsent and the unsaid. Perhaps they were better off never being sent. After all, the greatest ones never are.
The third friend will only get a sentence, while by the time the seventh punter asks, you are only willing to give a token grunt in their general direction. I only wish there was a better system to combat these laborious encounters, the prospect of which has prompted me to come up with a plan. To avoid these insipid, repetitive exchanges I intend to return to University equipped with a series of cards. Businessmen, rather than endlessly reproducing their personal details for each person they meet, carry business cards, so why not carry a holiday card? A simple photocopied piece of paper, outlining to any asker the particulars of what you’ve been doing with your life for the past few weeks, would save endless amounts of time and awkwardness. “Hey, how was your hol...” “Read the card.” “What? But how about...” “On the card.”
THE ROAR FRESHERS’ GUIDE 2011
Loads of people think that students (especially London students) are so poor they have to live off tinned food and hang out in dodgy pubs. But don’t listen to them! This Roar special will show you that if you spend your beans wisely, you can enjoy the city like a King!
Photo by Fran Allfrey
10 Welcome to the Roar Freshers’ Pullout Guide 2011. We’ve got a load tricks, and tips from those who know best: King’s students who’ve been there, done that, gotten the t shirt, puked on it, and exchanged it at a swishing event. We hope this guide will make things a little bit easier for new students, but that also any returning King’s people might discover something new about our amazing City too. Enjoy! Zoe and the Roar ed team 2011 xxx
How To: Become Billy No Mates in Halls By Rupert Clague
So here you are. You’ve moved into your halls, your bags are unpacked, you’ve found the ‘Good Luck’ card your Mum kindly tucked inside your backpack and are now sat on your bed staring out the window. You’re at University. Try not to panic.
and about to have the time of your life.
Was this all a big mistake? Perhaps you should have stayed at home and taken that job down the mine. You feel so nervous and awkward; no one will ever want to talk to you. It all seemed so fun wandering around IKEA buying pillow cases and cutlery. You didn’t think you’d ever actually have to use them, let alone cook something. And what are these strange voices coming from outside in the corridor? Why does everyone seem to know eachother, when you’re sat here, alone. In the dark.
3) Be tremendously nervous Be confident. Not only is it hugely attractive, but deep down everyone is just as nervous and desperate to fit in as you.
Thank God you’ve found this copy of Roar. All is not lost, for I, Rupert, am your guiding light and Fresher’s Saviour. Take heed of the following tips and before you know it you’ll be getting more attention than a bloke yelling “BOMB!” on a crowded tube at rush hour. 1)Be Incredibly Homesick It’s not 1914, nor are you fighting in the Somme. You’re at University,
2) Cower in your room You’re not going to make any friends in here. Get out there and get amongst it.
4) Keep your door closed at all times The riots stopped long ago, so you have nothing to fear. Keep your room door open, and you’ll be surprised how many people you’ll get to know. 5) Be socially awkward and avoid eye contact at all times To clear up another common misconception, you are not spending the next three years of your life on the London Underground avoiding eye contact with everyone around you. If you see someone interesting, go straight in and say hello. What’s the worst that could happen? Okay, that hot girl / handsome guy is probably going to take one look at you and walk away, but the rest of the crowd looks nice.
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
6) Try too hard Sharing beers or a pot of tea is fine, but offering to do someone’s laundry is a bit much. 7) Be a stalker You’ve made a friend, great. Just don’t cling onto them for dear life. 8) Talk endlessly about your longdistance girlfriend / boyfriend / gap yah stories From personal experience, even if she is a Swedish supermodel and Timbaland did buy you a drink at the Cannes Film Festival, no one really wants to hear about it. 9) Don’t involve yourself with any clubs or activities Get involved with as many things as you can. Be like a true Canadian and get clubbing (not for seals). 10) Eat in your own room in silence like a 14th century monk Instead, set up shop in one of the communal areas in your flat and someone is bound to join you.
By Eva Chaideftos
1. Fake Sleep; The powernap is an art-form as important as pre-drinking for any fresher - minimum 5 minutes, maximum 30 minutes for full recuperation – a longer nap will take you into deep sleep and have the opposite effect; grogginess and weariness, not brilliant for those all important first impressions. 2. Fake Cook; The absence of mum’s home cooked meals and the replacement of the student kitchen into a drinking room, can send any fresher into a ready meal binger. However the lack of
17th September Kinetic Open Day - all day
FREE gym tours with the chance to meet the personal trainers and Kinetic staff on hand to answer questions. Kinetic Gym, Stamford Street, SE1 9NQ
Lindy Hop Rock n Roll - 20:00-2:00
Dance class and club night at Guy’s £TBC Guy’s Bar, Boland House, SE1 9RT
18th September The KCLSU Welcome Party: 22:00 - 3:00
Tickets are only £6 for THE welcome party you just can’t miss it! Dress up, grab everyone you know and head to Cable for Hip Hop, Funky House and Club Classics. £6, Cable London, SE1 3JW
substantial nutrition and energy they provide will not help your fresher’s fatigue. Even if you are a sucker for fast food, there are healthier and tastier alternatives. For example visit Leon on Strand, boasting healthy “naturally fast food”, SNOG in Covent Garden with the most delicious, in-trend, frozen yoghurts or stroll down Lower Marsh, close to the Waterloo and Strand campuses, at lunch-time for the daily food market. You’ll find delicious savoury crepes, world food and sturdy burgers as well as healthy fast food restaurants and cafés, suitable for student budgets. When out for cocktails choose Sangria, as red wine has proven heart benefits. And remember to eat the fruit! 3. Fake bake; that’s not to say ‘Essex’ yourself but Olay skin-care research has shown that a discreet tan will make you look healthier and younger while hiding small blemishes.
19th September NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR STUDENT COUNCIL 2011-12!
Will you be a part of the Big 50 changemakers at KCLSU? Take a look at www.kclsu.org/election for info on what exactly Student Council is, how to run for election and what role council plays for everyone at King’s.
By Mark Daniels
This week, we’ve scoured the campus to find the ultimate MUST and MUST AVOID this Welcome period. Fresher Success: geek specs
Black-rimmed
Round or square, these glasses are in….think Johnny Depp. It might be a stereotype, but they do make you look more intelligent, so are great for giving that studious first impression to the lecturers, even if you’re not listening, just thinking about the hangover you’re nursing. Appearances can be deceiving and these geek-chic babies are the best way to deceive in a positive way. And who says that only people lucky enough to have bad eyesight can enjoy this fashion fad? Fake ones are easily found, the only problem being introducing them into the wardrobe unnoticed, so, to avoid awkward optician-related lies later in the semester freshers, get them now, while your new friends don’t know they’re not real!
...If you’ve tried all these, and you still aren’t making friends, just get drunk. Really drunk.
Survive freshers’ week – by faking it!
The moment you have been prepared for with the help of hundreds of American teen films over the years is here: you are a fresher at Uni. Unfortunately life did not come with a backstage full of make-up artists and personal assistants. Amid the constant socialising, networking and occasional partying, you will, from time to time, need to re-boost your system. The best way to do this? Fake it!
Campus Spy: Fresh Special
4. Fake healthcare; lack of sleep, bad eating habits, abundant alcohol/ bad food consumption, a.k.a. Fresher’sWeek, will affect your skin’s wellbeing and your body’s immune system. Sadly, student budgets are often not substantial enough to incorporate expensive skin treatments. Fortunately you can find alternatives closer to home. Hangover? Eat fruits for Vitamin C which breaks down alcohol content and drink sports drinks for excellent rehydration. Cucumber based eye make-up removers give a cooling sensation and an all-important refreshing feel. Invest in Garnier Caffeine Eye-Roll on, I promise you it will become a staple in your makeup bag! You won’t need to fake everything for fresher’s, the time you’ll be having will be genuinely amazing, but these few simple, but affective, cheats will ensure you’re able to keep going for the duration of the day, and night.
21st September
PHOTO of this guy?
Girls DO make passes at guys who wear glasses...
Fresher Fail: Flip-flops You can wear as many pairs of flipflops as you like, but it will not turn the South Bank into a summery Australian beach. Face facts: You are in London. It is going to rain, so it’s time to put gap year wardrobes well away, flip-flops included. If you really want to reveal a bit of flesh to attract the wealth of new beautiful ladies you are going to meet at KCL, they are going to prefer a calf peaking out from a ¾ length trouser or a chest bulging out of a slightly unbuttoned shirt, to a cold, bony pair of feet curled into some Havaianas –
22nd September
International Students’ Mixer: 18:00 - 21:00
THE WELCOME FAIR 2011
3D Disco & £1000 Balloon Drop: 20:00 - 2:00
I Love the 90s: 20:00 - 2:00
FREE Get together with other international students and enjoy the view from Tutu’s, 4th Floor, Macadam Building, WC2R 2NS
Make your £5 ticket price back in the £££ drop, and experience the first ever 3D disco to be held at Tutu’s. Funny glasses ahoy.
FREE Drop by the Barbican and say hello to over 150 student groups and sports teams. tip: sign up to everything! Barbican Exhibition Hall 2, Golden Lane, EC2 - 11:00 - 18:00 Relive the best (and most egregious) moments of the 90s. Fancy dress absolutely standard. £7, Tutu’s, WC2R 2NS
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Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Freshers perspective
While clearing my room of ripped notepads, broken pens and other ALevel debris - I stumbled upon a few items which hadn’t seen daylight in months. Among these were worrying amounts of notes that evoked the thought, ‘this would have been useful during revision’, and beneath it all, one yellowed sheet of paper entitled ‘Personal Statement ideas’. One year and many drafts later, having completed the UCAS ‘experience’ and here we are. Sure, there were moments of utter anguish, when after constantly refreshing your inbox, UCAS decided to tell you about its “Media” rather than your future. And yes, these emails were about as welcome as the Avon lady. But whichever obstacles lay in our path, whether it was Student Finance rearing its awkward head, or that one examination question which made you think, ‘FML’ we have all survived the transition into becoming a KCL Fresher. After going to Sixth Form in a tiny town called Newport, where even tumbleweed does not venture to in fear of changing the landscape, I hope that living in London will be an overwhelming three years. Instead of viewing the city through the eyes of a frantic shopper, I eagerly await experiencing the city as a student: zipping around on a Boris Bike, discovering new places and even getting lost in areas that look disturbingly like Hackney. As I cross the days off my calendar, I can only imagine which friendships and memories will be made during our first few days. After all, we have the capital city at our doorstep and one shot at being a Fresher, so we may as well enter London with a bang (metaphorically, of course).
23rd September THE WELCOME FAIR 2011
Day 2 of the Welcome Fair. It’s not just for first years you know.
Welcome To Friday and £1000 Balloon Drop: 20:00 - 2:00 Dance away with BBC Radio 1’s Sarah Cox and Dev on the decks, and another chance to win some spending money! £7, Tutu’s, WC2R 2NS
Money matters By Kate Nave
As Britain’s capital London’s high cost of living is inevitable, and at around three thousands pounds more a year than the national student average, it’s certainly not to be underestimated. Yet for those prepared to put in a little extra effort, the city offers hundreds of excellent money saving opportunities for the student on a budget. 1. Student Travel Prices Public Transport in London is expensive, but student prices go some way to easing the blow. A Student Oyster card will get you a third off 7 day or longer travel cards but you could still end up paying up to £772 a year just for zones 1-2. Walking or Cycling is a great way to save all that money, and within the centre it’s a usually faster than the bus. You’ll likely still need public transport occasionally though, and if you own a 16-25 railcard you can get it loaded onto your oyster at the major tube stations giving you a third off single fares or the daily price cap. 2. Charity Shops Avoid London’s overpriced ‘vintage’ stores and head to the charity shops for real second-hand bargains. If you’re looking for designer deals, then up market areas like Chelsea or Kensington are the place to go, and Oxfam is known for higher than average quality, though at more expensive prices. For real budget bargains try places like Scope, and
Age UK. You’re unlikely to be picking up vintage Chanel here but for t-shirt and jean type staples at under £5 you’ll be hard pressed to find cheaper. 3 Drinking and Partying
T h e student union is a no-brainer for cheap drinking, but when you fancy a change of scenery try a Sam Smiths pub. They offer astonishingly low prices for the capital at just over two pounds a pint and are usually charming old buildings; the cavernous Ye Old Cheshire Cheese just down the road from Strand Campus being a prime example. When it comes to clubbing, know your student nights, as entry’s usually at least half normal price, and sometimes even free. Milkshake at ministry of sound is a popular
choice but that means that if you turn up at one in the morning your probably not getting in. Your better off buying tickets in advance, or at least adding yourself to the guest list beforehand. Finally it’s always wise to only
bring as much as you can actually afford to spend, it’s amazing what a good idea buying a round of shots for a group of people you’ve just met can seem after you’ve had a few to many yourself. 4. Theatre While the Theatre might seem an expensive luxury for those on a budget, remember students don’t pay the prices of the masses and most theatres offer discounted student standbys for those prepared to queue up on the day. Turn your gaze off the west end and tickets
get even cheaper. The National Theatres Entry Pass scheme allows access to some of the best theatre in London for only a fiver. And anyone can get a quality Shakespeare experience with groundling tickets at all Globe Theatre productions for five pounds again. Considering that even student cinema tickets go for over a tenner in London, that’s a pretty good deal. Always remember to book to ahead however, as discount tickets are snapped up fast. 5. Books and Supplies Gargantuan as the Maughan is, it still doesn’t house enough copies for each student to borrow every book on their reading list. Be an early bird and find out what you need as soon as possible, then get on the KCL ISS website and reserve away. If you’re too slow, or just prefer to have your own copies to scribble all over, then at least don’t buy them new. Amazon.co.uk or King’s Marketplace on Onespace both have second hand books going at a fraction of their original price, and as the many of the year above you will be trying to get rid of the very same books you need, there should be plenty of available. Useful websites www.tfl.gov.uk for all London travel advice, including cycling! http://www.jamesgretton.co.uk/samuelsmiths/ for Sam Smith’s locations nationaltheatre.org.uk
SEXPRESS YOURSELF! By KCL Sexpression
It’s Fresher’s Week, and that means a whole set of new experiences. It may mean meeting new people, parties, drinking, and perhaps the chance of sex with someone new. If that’s the case, be sure to protect yourself from unplanned pregnancy and STI’s… KCL Sexpression has some top tips on how to do this! 1. Get yourself some condoms: You can get condoms for free from Sexpression stalls at Welcome Fair, the KCL Health Centre in Macadam Building, or KCLSU student centres. They’ll come in paper bags to minimise any embarrassment of taking them away. Have a condom in your wallet or handbag or bedside drawer- that way you’ll have one available if the need for it comes up. It shouldn’t be too hard to suggest using one to a partner- just get one
24th September FREE Sports trials begin! All day. See our p 15 for Roar’s picks, but check kclsu.org/whatson for full listings.
Exilio LGBT Salsa Night 9pm2am
FREE Salsa and cocktails at Guy’s Bar’s friendliest night.
out and go ahead! Guys, if you find condoms a buzzkill, consider asking your partner to put it on for you…
can they help with pulling, they can intervene if you’re too drunk to make a good decision!
2. Make sure your partner is tested: It can be awkward asking someone new this, but if you’re going to be sleeping together, you’re going to be something a bit more intimate than asking a few questions. A simple “Have you been tested recently” can confirm whether or not they’re savvy about sexual health or someone to avoid.
4. Get yourself tested: It’s important to look after your own sexual health; it’s advisable to get tested in-between partners, or every year even in a relationship. The KCL Health Centre can give you a sexual health screen, or there are many other clinics around London. -Chlamydia is the most common STI in young people- you can get simple “pee in a pot” tests from KCL Sexpression stalls or the Health Centre to get yourself checked for this. You can even order a test online for free, from www.checkurself.org.uk
3. Beware of beer goggles: Too much drink can lead to poor judgement- having done something you regret, or waking up with a person you regret. It’s best not to drink to the point you don’t know what’s happening- try drinking the odd glass of water in between. Have a wingman/wing-girl- not only
25th September London Sightseeing Tours 11am-1pm FREE just meet at Boland House at 11am for a guided tour around central London
5. Know where to get help: If you have had unsafe sex, you may need to get the morning-after pill or an STI test.
September 26th Burgers and Ballots 6-8pm
FREE Find out more about the Student Council Elections over some fried food - open to would-be candidates and interested voters alike! The Waterfront, Macadam Building, WC2R 2NS
The morning-after pill is available from pharmacies (but you have to buy it) or free from the KCL Health Centre or Family Planning Clinics. -If you’ve had unprotected sex you should have a full STI test, available at the Health Centre or a Family Planning Clinic. You can find details of your local clinics on the asksexpression website. KCL Sexpression is a volunteering society at King’s that works to promote sexual health on-campus and in schools. For sexual health info, visit www.asksexpression.com. For more information about the King’s Health Centre, see www.kingscollegenhshealthcentre.com
September 27th Burgers and Ballots 6-8pm
FREE The KCLSU representation team take the info and nibbles night to Guy’s Bar too. Boland House, SE1 9RT
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Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
The Student Media Team’s Guide to London!
Luke Chattaway News Editor Edgeware Road With it’s Middle Eastern shops and restaurants, taking a walk down this road feels a little like bit like going abroad. Try a shisha cafe and spend the evening!
Kate Loftus-O’Brien Film Editor Get away from the constant traffic of central, and spend the day at Hampstead Heath. Take in the amazing views of central London, have a pint, and who knows, maybe you’ll spot a celeb out on a jog too.
Coryn Brisbane Fashion & Lifestyle Ed Heading to Camden to explore its various markets - look out for the primark cast offs claiming to be vintage, but if you’re prepared to dig, you’ll find some gems! Then in the evening head to one of Camden’s many bars for drinks - spend the evening peoplewatching and celebrity spotting!
Laura Arowolo Student Groups Ed Westfields shopping centre: it’s huge, and has an amazing food court! A great alternative to trawling up and down Oxford Circus when it’s raining (although everyone will have the same idea!)
Fran Allfrey VPSME Thamesis Dock It’s a pub, but it’s a colourful, fairy light bedecked boat! And they do food. Perfect for those more summery of September afternoons. Nearest tube: Vauxhall
Jenni Graham KCL Radio Arts Ed My recommendation is the BFI on the Southbank. Concession tickets (with valid student card) are £6.50 for weekday matinees £6.75 for evening shows an Saturday and Sundays. On a Tuesday tickets for all shows are £5 for everyone all day!
s; nd a s
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Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
I asked the Roar and KCL Radio team to come up with some of their suggestions for the best places to try whilst you’re in London! Love, Zoe, Editor.
Ilk Ghavami Skills and Development KCL Radio Cargo, near Old Street, has got to be one of the best live music/ club venues in central London. Nights are often free, or at least student friendly. Hang out with the hipsters!
Freya Pascall KCL Radio Station Manager Cafe 1001: Huge cafe, open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinking, dancing and chilling. Can spend entire day there reading and buying 1 cup of tea, or spend from 10am-10pm at one of their all day clubs. Nearest Tube, Liverpool Street.
Theodora Wakeley Arts Editor The Barbican is such a versatile venue: it’s a housing estate, an exhibition centre, a theatre and cinema, and Museum of London all rolled into a couple of square miles. Have an explore whilst at the Welcome Fair, and definitely sign up to the FreeB scheme. Free to join, and gives massive discounts. www.barbican.org.uk/freeb
Michael Miller Comment Editor Boris Bikes! I’d recommend…making your own tour of the capital on London’s Boris Bikes, just £1 for 24 hours access. Just be sure to dock your bike every half an hour! Take in the impressive views and various art exhibitions on London’s Southbank, and end up at Borough Market to taste the free samples and find your favourite watering hole near Guy’s. Just be careful riding that Boris Bike home! tfl.gov.uk/cyclehire Rupert Clague Features Editor South London Loves The 606 Club, 90 Lots Road, London, SW10 0QD Fitzgerald called jazz “compressed heat exploded into sound”. You too can be compressed in this amazing, underground speakeasy. The Dover Castle, 6A Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4XW Fantastic pub and better company. Say “Rupert says hello” when ordering at the bar, and you might get a discount. ...Failing that, I might. Royal Food and Wine, 59 Great Dover Street, London, SE1 4YF Only £1 for a can of Special Brew for a special night.
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Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Editors’ Pick The Societies We Love! SIFE
Charlotte Richardson, Sports ed: “Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) is a fantastic voluntary group. They run several business-based social enterprise projects in London as well as overseas. Members can commit as much or as little time as they would like.It enables students to be creative, organised and work in a team.and boost their CV!” www.kclsife.com
Film Society
Kate Loftus-O’Brien, Film Ed: “This semester’s listings are a really interesting mix at film soc, and there’s usually cool people (and alcohol) involved after the screening at the pub! I’d also like to encourage people to head to the film makers meetings, it’s a relaxed atmosphere to throw ideas around in!” www.kclfilmsoc.co.uk
International PEN
Theodora Wakeley, Arts Ed: “With an overall aim of upholding freedom of expression, the King’s PEN society regularly organizes talks, debates and social events
that provide an insight into the creative struggles of writers who are politically threatened as well as enabling student members to get actively involved in stifling suppression. Make sure to stay behind after talks as well for the free glass of wine accompanied by intellectually stimulating conversation.” www.twitter.com/kclenglishpen
KCL Radio
Shivan Davies, Music Ed: “A pioneering young society at King’s that really does give students another medium to have a voice and experience for those interested in a future in Radio! There’s always lots
The Alternative Freshers’ Arts Guide By Theodora Wakeley, Arts Editor Freshers Week should be about so much more than Walkabout Wednesdays, Welcome Parties and 2-4-1 shots…Take advantage of the rich and diverse arts scene that will now be on your doorstep by venturing outside the SU box and immersing yourself in London culture.
ALL WEEK The Street: Reclaim the Mural at The Whitechapel Gallery – An art exhibition that requires so much more than silent contemplation, this project ultimately aims to produce a new mural born out of the collective wisdom of the attendees. It also details the often turbulent history of mural culture in London so you can treat it as a routine exhibition if you so wish. I say go, get involved and do for London what Diego Rivera did for Mexico. Gallery 5 & 6, 11am – 6pm (9pm Wednesdays), FREE.
WEDNESDAY 21ST SEPTMEBER Dr Sketchy’s London, Royal Vauxhall Tavern – I have never been to Dr Sketchy’s but I know people who have and it sounds like a right hoot. Basically a late night life drawing class focusing on the voluptuous burlesque performers, the other selling point (as if you need another) is that all standards of artist are allowed (i.e. no experience necessary) and being tipsy is not an option but a requirement. Forgo the expensive West End club and spend your entrance fee on this instead. 8pm – 11pm, £10 advance (booking recommended), £15 at door, drsketchylondon.co.uk. Kaleidoscope at Hootananny Brixton – For those who consider Freshers Week a failure unless you are permanently wasted, head to the deep south for this infamous Brixton bar’s monthly live jam. Hootananny is one of a kind – the
atmosphere is consistently laid back but loud with outside barbecues staffed by Rastafarians – and the night is hosted by one of the UK’s best spoken word artists. Berlin may have YAAM but Hootananny is not far off being London’s equivalent. 7pm – late, FREE. THURSDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER Sahar El Mougy and Johnny West, The Arab Spring, at Southbank Centre – Slow the pace of Freshers with a political pause for thought. Focusing on the impact online media had on the Arab Spring revolutions, this discussion by two eyewitnesses and writers promises to be an informative and eye-opening experience as well as a reminder that studying in London can provide you with the opportunity of being thrown into the deep end of intellectual debate,. 7.45pm, £8, ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk.
going on, really amazing people on the team and an opportunity to learn so much!!” www.kclradio.co.uk
King’s College London Business Club (KCLBC)
Laura Arowolo, Student Groups Ed: “If you’re interested in business, either management, enterprise or corporate & finance then this is definitely the society for you! An independent & free society, it’s filled by an amazing, ambitious and hard working set of young associates! Whether it’s bringing the most impressive CEOs of today to KCL or
organising Apprentice & Dragons’ Den style competitions with real opportunity these folks do it all and this year will only be better!” www.kclbc.com
KCL Women’s Rugby
Coryn Brisbane, Fashion & Lifestyle Ed “My favourite club is KCL Women’s Rugby, not because I actually play for them, but because they play as hard as they do on the field on Wednesday nights at Walkabout!” Facebook search: KCL Women’s Rugby 2011/12
London on a Shoestring by ***
When you first arrive in London there seems to be an endless number of things to do and see. It can be’ overwhelming, especially if your student budget doesn’t quite stretch to fulfilling your impossibly stylish and cultured expectations. Thankfully, there are a plenty ways to live the high life without breaking the bank! Definitely get cultural and take advantage of London’s many free museums. My favourite has to be the Victoria and Albert with its chic interior and serene atmosphere, not to mention the vintage couture. On Thursday and Friday evenings the Late Shift at the National Portrait Gallery, just down the road from The Strand, is a fab night out. They host some great debates, I went to one on size zero models led by Elle editor Loraine Candy and model Erin o Connor. On lazy Friday or Saturday afternoons there’s nothing more satisfying than trawling around Borough Market feasting on free samples. Though you can lunch for free it’s always nice to buy something delicious and head to the green to picnic outside Tate Modern- the view of St Paul’s across Millennium Bridge is one of the best in London. If you’re willing to wait around at the market until 5 o clock on Saturday you can get fresh fish for half price and cook yourself a Michelin style dinner at a fraction of the cost. Flirt a little with the fishmongers to get the best pick. For a cheap thrill, everyone loves ice-cream, but there’s nowhere else in the UK that you’ll find a ‘nitro ice-cream parlour’ as easily as hopping on the Northern Line. Located in Camden Lock, the Chin Chin Laboratorists specialize in using liquid nitrogen to make bespoke ice cream on the spot, giving you a Heston-esque experience without having to fork out for the whole tasting menu.
FRIDAY 23RD DECEMBER Tashi Lhunpo Monks and Junya Ishigami: Architecture as Air at the Barbican – Currently in the midst of post gap year depression? Pretend you’re back in Asia with this concert by Tibetan monks from the Tashi Lhunpo Monastry. It is certain to be a visual feast for the eyes as they present sacred music, dance, and prayer using traditional instruments, costumes and masks and construct a sand mandala in the theatrical space. Make sure you arrive early enough to see Ishigami’s awe-inspiring installation in
28th September Full Moon Party 9pm-3am
Utah Saints and DJ Switch bring some eastern inspired promise to Tutu’s. £7, Macadam Building, WC2R 2NS
the Curve space beforehand, which from a distance appears to be floating in space. If all this sounds ridiculously expensive then don’t fret for it is free thus student friendly. Tashi Lhunpo Monks, Freestage, 6pm. Junya Ishigami, The Curve, 11am – 6pm. Both FREE. SATURDAY 24TH – SUNDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER ADAD Bloom Festival at the Southbank Centre – Standing for the Association of Dance of the African Diaspora, this festival is another free event taking place in one of
29th September Retro Games Night 7-10pm
FREE Board games, video games and mocktails. An alternative night out and time to recoup! The Spit, Boland House, SE1 9RT
London’s premier cultural spaces. Strictly speaking you do have to pay to attend the dance performance in the evening but throughout the weekend there are a variety of workshops, talks and performances which just require your enthusiasm and not your wallet. Try the Afro – Contemporary Dance Workshop on the Saturday if you need to burn off any alcohol calories, then relax and enjoy film screenings and choreographies on Sunday, all of which aim to publicise and celebrate African dance. See southbankcentre.co.uk for all details and times.
1st October KCL vs KCLMS Challenge Cup Come down to Berryland’s for midday to cheer Medsoc vs nonMedsoc Football teams! Trains from Waterloo.
If you have a penchant for high fashion be sure to visit a sample sale. Not normally advertised, but easily found through the power of the Internet, they crop up every week across London and give you the chance to hunt down designer treasures without the original price tags. The best are held at the Truman Brewery in E1, where you can pick up labels such as 3.1 Phillip Lim, McQ and Marc by Marc Jacobs. Finally, if your parents no longer pick up the tab for your haircut, try booking into the Toni & Guy Academy, where a trainee stylist will cut your hair for a mere £5. There’s no need to be worried, these technicians are either almost qualified or getting further qualifications and are watched meticulously by a judge so won’t ruin your hair, or give you a Mohawk. In fact, you’ll probably get a great haircut. Even though it might take a couple of hours longer than usual, the saving is totally worth it and leaves you with money to buy the things you really need, like nitrogen ice-cream.
2nd October London Sightseeing 11am1pm FREE just meet outside the Macadam Building at 11am for a guided tour around central London. WC2R 2NS
3rd October Getting into the Media Q & A 6-7pm FREE Put your journalism and media questions to King’s Alumni working at national publications and Michael Billington (Guardian Theatre Critic and Fellow of KCL). The Edmund J Safra Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, The Strand.
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Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Sports Trials 2011 - Some of the best!
Many KCLSU Sports teams run trials and tasters over Welcome, below are some of our faves. There are loads more if you go to kclsu.org/whatson! If you’re in a sports team and want future sessions advertised, email sports@roarnews.co.uk -Wednesday, October 5th - 2-4PM - Britannia Leisure Centre (we will meet at Old Street Station at 1:30PM and walk there together) -Sunday, October 9th - 4-6PM - London South Bank University Sports Hall October 12th - 2-4PM Britannia Leisure Centre (we will meet at ---Old Street Station at 1:30PM and walk there together) KCL Volleyball -Wednesday, Sunday, October 16th - 4-6PM - London South Bank University Sports Hall -Wednesday trainings are open to all, after the trial period, Sunday practices will be by invitation only.
KCL Mountain Climbing KCL Cheerleading KCL Football
KCL Netball
President: Arthur Ling Facebook group ‘KCL Volleyball’ President: Martin Davies Vice- President: Joe Mealor email kclmc.committee@gmail.com website www.kclmc.org Facebook: facebook.com/kclmc
Taster Sessions: Wednesday 28th Sep, Wednesday 5th Oct, Wednesday 12th Oct and Wednesday 19th Oct at 2.30pm Venue: Castle Climbing Centre, N4 2HA All are welcome to come along even if you have never climbed before! Taster Event: Regents Park on Sunday 25th September with the King’s American Footballers (as if you need any more reason!) 3pm onwards Taster Session - 6-8pm Wednesday 28th September Pavy Gym London Bridge
President: Elizabeth Holmes Vice President: Carmen Kwok
President: Jack Denyer Club Secretary: William Reed-Wright Website: www.kclfc.co.uk
Trials: Saturday 24th of September and Wednesday 28th at Berrylands- meet Waterloo station (times TBC)
President: Marina Mansour Vice-President: Charlotte Richardson email kclnetball@hotmail.co.uk
Trails: Saturday1st October from 11am-5pm at Berrylands. This season KCL Netball has 3 Level 1 qualified coaches just in their committee!
website www.kingsnetball.webs.com
KCL Muay Thai
KCL Badminton
Training times: Every Monday 8-10pm and Friday 7-9pm at Pavy Gym, Guys Campus, London Bridge. This burgeoning martial-art society trained by two-time world champion David Paquette. The classes are PERFECT for getting and keeping in shape. It is also great for learning or improving your martial art skills. We also have socials every Fridays and a dinner once every semester. Sessions: Every Wednesday 1-6pm and Saturdays 12-4pm at Fusion Leisure Centre, Elephant and Castle
President: Chukwumbudike Aghaji
President: Lucia Chen website www.kclbadminton.com
KCL Capoeira
If you want to try a really exciting and different sport, this could be the club for you. Capoeira is an afro-Brazilian martial art that combines dancing, acrobatics, traditional music and self-defence Trails: Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th October, from 7 to 9 pm in AR1, Boland House, Guy’s campus. Check out their website for an insight into this great sport.
President: Susanna Mitolo website www.capoeira4u.com
KCL Women’s Rugby
Trails: Monday 26th September (meet at 5pm at waterloo to get train to Berrylands) and Wednesday 28th September (meet at 1pm at waterloo for the train) A social will be held after trails on the Wednesday, so prospective freshers can have their drinking capabilities authentically tested!
President: Rosie Allison Vice-President: Samantha Hull
Games held: 7 O’clock every Thursday at Rileys in Victoria The club play at a very high level in the 2nd Division of the London Darts League, so are definitely worth looking out for at the Fresher’s Fair.
President: John Seager Vice-President:James Hendry
Trails: Wednesday 28th September 2011 from 11:00am to 13:00pm at Berrylands
President: Mahau Dilly
KCL Women’s Basketball
Training: We train at the Brixton Recreational Centre and are planning to hold trials on Wednesday 5th October4-6pm and Sunday 9th October from 6-8pm.
President: Andrianna Hadjimichael Vice-president: Leisha JosephJames
KCLMS Netball
Trials: Wednesday 28th September, meeting at Boland house at 12:30 before heading off to the Griffin sports venue. KCLMS Netball girls pride themselves as the most social team in the whole of GKT. So, if you like netball and love socialising, join the girls at Guy’s bar.
President: Lola Giwa
KCL Athletics
Introductory session: Wednesday 28th September at Regent’s Park. You can either meet other members at the hub in Regent’s Park at 14:30, or outside Regent’s Park tube station at 14:00. All abilities are welcome, whether you are just looking to keep fit or are a competitive runner. If you are interested and want more information, come along and to the fresher’s fair where the athletics club will have a stall set up.
President:Pennylouise Hever
KCLMS Women’s Football
Trails: Wednesday 28th September at 12pm at The Griffin Sports Fields, nr North Dulwich station. KCLMS WFC is the perfect club for anyone passionate about football and having a great social life at Kings. Whether you have played for years or just want to try it out all level players are welcome.
President: Alexandra Long
KCL Darts KCL Women’s Football
Go to kclsu.org/sports for all the clubs listings and info about thier trials and taster sessions over Welcome. Also, you can find KCLSU Sports on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/KCLSUSport 4th October Student Media Workshop
FREE drop in sessions to find out more about getting involved with Student Media including ROAR, our student newspaper and KCL Radio, our very own student radio station. 4 Chesham Building 11-13:00
Some sports trials continue! Check www.kclsu.org/whatson for full listings
5th October Some sports trials continue! Check www.kclsu.org/whatson for full listings
6th October Student Media Workshop
FREE drop in sessions to find out more about getting involved with Student Media including ROAR, our student newspaper and KCL Radio, 4 Chesham Building 11-13:00
7th October Swish
&
Pout
7th October 1-5pm
Bring along some quality-yetunloved clothes (and £4 entry fee), and swap with vintage suppliers and other students! Perfect opportunity to put together your 80s outfit for Truffle Shuffle. Hair stylists and a nail bar will be on hand to complete your look at student friendly prices!
Truffle Shuffle 10pm-3am Roar’s favourite 80s night returns! Backcomb that hair, squeeze into those leggings and make like Madonna/ Adam Ant. Somehow nostalgic even for those not born in the 80s... £5, Tutu’s, Macadam Building, WC2R 2NS
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Fashion & Life Style
17
Edited by
Coryn Brisbane fashion@roarnews.co.uk
The Strand Becomes a Catwalk By Lucia Ariano
Somerset House will be hosting London Fashion Week from 16th – 21st September. That’s right, the underworld of high fashion will be right on our doorstep. This means that as King’s students we can potentially catch a glimpse of a member of the fashion industry or the press; in other words, we might see one of the privileged few that actually have access to the catwalks. Unfortunately, LFW is one sartorial gold mine that will be for the most part kept out of our sight, neighbouring or not. There is of course London Fashion Weekend (22nd – 25th September) which any Tom, Dick or Harry can buy tickets for. Here we are to expect items that have graced the catwalks at somewhat discounted prices. Personally though, my funds (i.e., the problem: living solely on student loan) will have to wait for the day when they kept in even a reduced Chloe handbag. I think I speak on behalf of many when I say that I’ll just have to wait for the hottest designer trends to trickle down into the high street. But something tells me we shouldn’t be too down about these sad truths. LFW isn’t just about the latest in high end fashion, it’s about partying too... and how can all of those fashionistas possibly compare vats of champagne to jugs of snake bite; extortionate, flamboyant clothing to fancy dress; ‘ooo-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing’ at new designs to ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing’ at short-lived ‘romances’? I could go on forever...
Definitely lecture-wear. That’s if the Film Studies students are anything to go by. What’re people wearing in your lectures? Tweet us your fashion encounters @roar_news. Black lippy was massive last year with English lit students... what will be the trends for 2011-12?
Freshers, I propose to you a challenge: give the fashion glitterati a run for their money with some high street corkers and (on this account, more importantly) make sure your week of partying knocks the designer socks off any LFW parties. Good luck.
Campus Spy
Jenni Graham, final year German with English. “My ring is from a market stall in Maurpark, Berlin, where I just spent my year abroad. The boots and bag are both New Look, £25 and £14, but I picked up the skirt in Urban Outfitters for £4 in their sale. My scarf is from a little shop in Glasgow, and the coat was a steal from TK Maxx (if you have the patience to rummage, try the branch on Charing Cross Road.) Finally, you HAVE to have lipstick - this is watermelon by Clinique. Have to make the most of Christmas presents with a student budget to manage!”
18
Music
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Edited by
Shivan Davies music@roarnews.co.uk
SUMMER HITS! 1
Foster the People: Pumped - Up Kicks
If you didn’t listen to the lyrics, this is one of the cheeriest songs you’d have heard all summer. If, however, like myself you paid attention to the storyline of a troubled and psychotic kid with a gun-wielding father then you’d be rightly confused by the stark contrast between the chirpy chorus and the meaning behind it. Still, it’s one of the more intriguing releases of the summer.
2
Calvin Harris: Bounce
Even if you aren’t a massive fan of Harris’ previous efforts, this release will still having you flailing your limbs like a moron on the dance floor. The chemistry between Harris and vocalist Kelis results in a song that is catchy, sassy and pretty darn cool.
3
Real Estate: It’s Real
This sounds like a surfer version of Seattle folk band and harmony- extraordinaires ‘The Fleet Foxes’. The warmth of its melody is almost tangible and perfect for lazing around to on one of those rare summer days you may or may not have experienced- depending on whether or not you went abroad.
4
Katy Perry: Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Well, it’s certainly a hell of a lot better than another Friday-inspired effort.
5
Lady Gaga: The Edge of Glory
Although it was released as a single in May when most of us were huddled in libraries or locked in our rooms studying, this still counts as a summer hit. Gaga has officially transcended the status of a mere musician and is now a growing global-brand and few can really say she doesn’t deserve it.
NOW PLAYING in the Roar office 1 James Blake and Bon Iver Fall Creek Boys Choir 2 The Weekend - Lonely Star 3 NERO - Promises 4 Example Changed The Way You Kissed Me 5 Jay Z and Kanye West - Otis 6 Aloe Blacc - I Need A Dollar 7 Wretch 32 - Don’t Go 8 The Horrors - Still Life 9 Tyler The Creator - Yonkers 10Wu Lyf - Cave Song 11 Rizzle Kicks Down With The Trumpets
Album of the Summer
Bon Iver, Bon Iver By: Shivan Davies
Bon Iver, the moniker for singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, first entered the world of Indie-folk back in 2008. His debut album ‘For Emma, Forever Ago’ was unique for its haunting sparseness, its silences, its creaks and muffles, and the wail of Vernon’s voice in his despair. The legend quickly grew of the brokenhearted man who retreated to a secluded Wisconsin cabin to heal himself in the middle of the woods whilst managing to record one of 2008’s best albums using his own rusty recording equipment. The LP was followed up by the lesserknown but equally as dark and eerily beautiful ‘Blood Bank’the song ‘Woods’ is perhaps the most well-known since being covered by Kanye West in his 2010 album ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’. Now, however, Vernon has returned to the fore with an album that few would expect him to have produced. This is an album that proves he is as comfortable in a studio as he was in log cabin. His second album bears an eponymous title and ten tracks, many named after places- some real, some fictional. The album opens with the ‘Perth’, which begins simply enough with a staccato guitar riff that suddenly explodes into an angelic cry backed by fierce military drums before each layer collides. The opening lyrics- ‘I’m tearing up, across your
(June, 2011, jagjaguwar records)
face/Move dust through the light/to find your name’ are atypically Bon Iver; vague, ethereal, not fully capable of being understood and yet s till unexplainably poetic. After ‘Perth’, Vernon joyously begins Minnessota , WI with a R&B-lite introduction before into a luscious blend of finger-plucking strings accompanied by his falsetto cry - ‘neve r gonna break/never gonna break’. Vernon insists on the album being eclectic. The following track, ‘Holocene’, is a whirring, beautiful song built upon a simple riff until the many-layers combine to create an inflated chorus. ‘Towers’ and ‘Michicant’ are equally moving, before Vernon again surprises the listener with reverb and synthesisers in ‘Hinnom, TX’. The highlight of the album, however, comes in the most basic song on the album-‘Wash’, which is composed solely of a couple of staccato piano chords and vocals before eventually blooming into another breathtaking climax. The sensational ‘Calgary’ is followed by the soft instrumental ‘Lisbon, OH’. Then comes the greatest surprise of the album in Vernon’s audacious attempt to pull-off an eighties power-ballad in the album’s finale ‘Beth/Rest. It is brilliant; a fitting finale for an album that deliberately flits between genres without failing at any of them. This is a remarkable record and Vernon has pulled of an incredible achievement; that of bettering his debut. This is a major contender for record of the year.
MISSES!
1. Cher Lloyd- ‘Swagger Jagger‘: If Rebecca Black thought she’d cooped the prize of Worst Song of the year, she’ll be bitterly disappointed. This disjointed mess of a single from the former X-factor contestant deserves praise for lowering the standard of song-writer as far as it can go. It even manages to include a weird Crazy Frog-Esq. bridge. 2. JLS- ‘She Makes Me Wana’ ft. Dev: Only marginally better than their god-awful reworking of the ‘Sound of Music’ (How did they ever think that borrowing Julie Andrews could be cool?) in ‘The Club is Alive’, this song is still unbearably generic and lame- typical of an ever-expanding genre of thumping cheese pop. 3. The Wanted- ‘Glad You Came’: It may be undeniably catchy but it is unbelievably bad. 4. David Guetta- ‘Little Bad Girl‘: Many listeners lost patience with the repetitiveness of Guetta’s assembly-line productions. This track is identical to the others; and suffices to say it is terrible. 5.Coldplay- ‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’: Yes, despite being alternative-music royalty, the list of misses must remain impartial, and therefore, based on the quality (or lack of) of the song it’s included as a miss. At least Chris Martin sounds happy...
Forthcoming Gigs At Tutu’s
The Wonder Years
>> September 23rd 2011
The Pennsylvania pop-punk band come to King’s for a highly anticipated gig following the critical and commercial success of their most recent album ‘Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing’, which was released earlier this year.
feat. “the world’s greatest” Michael Jackson tribute >> October 7th 2011
Truffle Shuffle. With Michael Jackson. Could it get better? YES! Tickets are only £7.
For all KCLSU tickets go to www.kclsutickets.com
Music
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
19
Summer Album Reviews Wu Lyf - Go Tell Fire To The Mountain ****
(June ‘11, Lyf)
Wu Lyf, which stands for ‘World Unite! Lucifer Youth Foundation’, were the major indie-tour-de force of the summer having released this noisy, fist-pumping and lyrically indistinguishable album. Despite lead vocalist Ellery Roberts’ vocals verging on grunting, the band is in fact UK-based, hailing from Manchester. Thanks to creating a shroud of mystery over themselves by refusing to do interviews and self-releasing their debut album despite offers from major record labels, Wu Lyf have perhaps inevitably become the centre of critical attention. The album was much anticipated and, thankfully, lives up to the hype. Stand out songs include ‘Cave Song’, ‘Lyf’, ‘We Bros’, and ‘14 Crowns for Me and Your Friends’. This album, as the title suggests, is pure crashing guitars and howling vocals but also utterly compelling.
City And Colour- Little Hell *** (June ‘11, Vagrant)
increasingly popular folk alias ‘City and Colour’ and seemingly ignores the expectations of his fans to produce an album that lives up to his 2008 effort ‘Bring Me Your Love’. ‘Little Hell’ is similar in many ways; it’s charming, romantic, and easy to listen to but it’s not challenging enough - many of the songs tend to pass you by and the same can be said of the lyrics.
Fleet Foxes Helplessness Blues ****
(May ‘11, Subpop)
Their debut EP ‘Sun Giant’ and their eponymous debut album were two of the best releases of 2008. With immaculate harmonies and nostalgic Americana melodies their songs- notably ‘Mykonos’ had a radio-friendliness about them that was crowd pleasing. They stick to the same formula in the second album, only tightening the structure and instrumentals so that the overall feeling is that of a more polished yet equally original and enjoyable record. Stand out tracks include ‘Lorelai’, ‘Bedouin Dress’ and ‘Grown Ocean’.
Dallas Green, of Alexisonfire fame, releases his third album under his
TV on The Radio - 9 Types of Light ****
(April ‘11, Interscope)
Any feeling of joy fans of TV on the Radio may have had after the release of yet another fantastic record was immediately dashes after the death of bassist Gerard Smith who worked on the bands last three albums. The album itself is the bands first romancecentred album to date and doesn’t contain the political gravity of their 2009 classic ‘Dear Science’ but it certainly holds on to its spikiness and originality. Make sure you listen to ‘Will Do’, ‘Second Song’, ‘Caffeine Consciousness’ and ‘You’ to name just a few. \
Jay Z and Kanye West Watch the Throne *** (August ‘11, Def Jam)
Two super-inflated egos combine to release an album of album of backslapping hubris and frequent boastful references to their own personal wealth. West’s previous album - ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ contained these elements too, however, West’s playful self-consciousness about his huge ego and the surprising inclusions of his own personal short-
comings gave the album both mischievousness and emotional depth. ‘Watch the Throne’ is everything bombastic about ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ but without being tongue-in-cheek. There are, however, some great moments between an album that is a constant battle for supremacy between two artists who are supposed to be working together, including ‘Otis’, ‘No Church In The Wild’, and ‘Made In America’. These tracks just about compensate for an album that is overall just a little too self-indulgent.
David Guetta Nothing But the Beat *
Death Cab For Cutie - Codes and Keys **
What happened? Fans were prepared for another ‘Narrow Stairs’- dark and brooding and filled with atmospheric stadium-filling songs. Unfortunately, Death Cab have regressed back to the chirpy songs of ‘Plans’ but have not taken the melodies along with them.
Cults Cults **** (June ‘11, ItNoC)
So close to being named the album of the summer, this album from the Manhattan-based Indie band is brilliant. A few months back, the beautiful ‘Go Outside’ caused a storm on many musical groups and as always, causing hysterical hype about the upcoming album. The result is an album whose tracks contain several
Disagree with any of these reviews? Defend your musical sensibilities by tweeting @roar_ news, leaving a message on facebook, or even email music@roarnews. co.uk if you’re really impassioned. We’ll print the best protests.
Chillax, Dude!
by Matt Quinton (Editor, 2010-11)
If you were to ask who was the biggest chiller at the Big Chill, chances are Kanye West would come out of nowhere and tell you himself; he was. Standing out from the rest of the lineup, ‘Yeezy’ was the best-known name at the festival (for better or worse). It seems his performance was geared towards achieving two primary objectives; the first being to “Give y’all the best show of all time... All time”, and the second to offer an insight into Mr West’s state of mind at the time of his most headlinegrabbing imbroglios with the press (for the uninitiated, Taylor Swift-gate and MTV Video award-gate). The way in which he set out to achieve this consisted of making the audience wait for 50 minutes before appearing (bad move), and then interspersing performances of his songs (a selection that showcased the best of his career, very good move) with ballet dancers (good) and two 15-minute monologues about himself (bad. Very bad). The overall effect was that of a man who desperately wanted to be loved, but who had lost any semblance of charisma or normality that his audience could empathise with and towards the end of his set the crowd was visibly thinning. Ultimately, the music was less of a draw than the peculiar one-man show that Kanye West has become. The rest was a heady mix of styles and influences; James Blake was the sole person to play
on Thursday and managed to not only draw a huge crowd to the festival a day early but demonstrate to any naysayers that they should believe the hype. He was brilliant, bringing a soaring energy to his music that just isn’t present on the minimalist recordings. Other highlights included Aloe Blacc, strutting around on the Reveller’s Stage as though it was his own 70s NYC sidewalk, and the frightening Gentlemen’s Dub Club, who turned the crowd into a frothing, seething ska-dub-punk mess. Fantastic. Similar bands like Gypsy Hill, Deathray Trebuchay and the incredible Molotov Jukebox made the People’s Ear the place to be at around 1am when the headliners had finished. And what headliners! Rodrigo y Gabriela were surprisingly well-received considering their somewhat niche appeal, and the Chemical Brothers played a set that could only be described as ‘euphoric/monstrous’. However, yr. corresps. highlight was Ghostpoet; his performance was spooky, ethereal, intimate and thought provoking. Plus he threw free badges into the audience: instant crowd-pleaser. All in all, a fantastic weekend, and one only slightly marred by being unable to find my friends for a good three hours on the first night, and egotistical headliners. Minor quibbles. Go next year.
(May 2011, Atlantic)
(August ‘11, Virgin EMI)
Sorry to pick on you, Dave. It’s just because you’re terrible.
beautifully whimsical and sometimes slightly dark songs that are welcoming to the listener unlike so many impenetrable Indie bands.
Chilled out: festival goers at The Big Chill 2011 Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebigchillfestival (c) Marc Sethi
20
Arts
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Edited by
Theodora Wakeley arts@roarnews.co.uk
Culture Fix at Rich Mix By Harriet Williams
King’s College has its cultural advantages in the centre of London, surrounded by world famous exhibition spaces as the National Gallery and Portrait Gallery, the Tate Modern and of course, Somerset House’s Courtauld Gallery on the University’s doorstep. But after the hub and hype of Fresher’s weeks, those place names lose their feel of fame and the thirst for exploration begins. London’s vast expanse of alternative cultural spaces should not be underestimated. Since it opened in 2006, Rich Mix arts centre has answered London’s call for a contemporary, diverse representation of the arts in the East End. In the heart of Bethnal Green, the centre is thriving with new, local talent in all forms of music, dance, performing and visual arts to appeal to all ages and cultures of the community. The sleek, five floor building is housing three cinema screens for the latest blockbusters alongside international, arthouse and independent films. Four floors are dedicated to creative space for workshop and business with Rich Mix’s own exhibition rooms displaying the works of artists as they mature into the new decade. Among the latest displays are the compilations form-
ing Cellular Shifts. Inspired by Neale Donald Walsch, Abraham- Hicks Foundation, the project uses the shapes and patterns of Middle English manuscripts, invigorated with vibrant colour and dimension in mosaic, to celebrate the union of art and language. Cellular Shifts explores concepts of universal law, looking at the possibility of ‘destiny creation’ from small shifts in our bodies and minds, beginning with cells. It is about joining parts to complete the whole, controlling what we know of ourselves into whatever image we desire. Like the mosaic, our lives are senseless until we are able to step back and observe the bigger picture. The good news for students is that exhibitions like this are part of one third of Rich Mix’s entire programme that is free to access. This includes gallery events like Showcase Cities on 28th September: an evening displaying the new ideas, styles and patterns of emerging artists and, like all exhibition evenings, with a backdrop of live music. The theme continues in free live music every Wednesday and Saturday at the centre’s vast bar, hosting events every night of the week and offering a variety of performances at early bird prices. Rich Mix arts centre certainly has plenty to offer for everyone, from the art enthusiasts to those simply wanting a change of cinema. So I urge you, when you are tired of touristing central London, look to the East. For more information on all events at Rich Mix go to www.richmix.org.uk
THEATRE OF THE MONTH The Arcola: East End Playhouse for the Masses
by Bryony White Theatre in London is undoubtedly expensive. With West End theatres charging ridiculous prices for spectacular performances, it can be daunting enough for the average person buying theatre tickets - let alone the student who must decide whether spending a week’s rent on seeing Ian McKellen in the latest Beckett production is worth it. It begs the question: why should going to the theatre become a financial decision? The Arcola Theatre in Dalston allows attending performances to shed its financial skin. Arcola has always focused on the all-encompassing nature of theatre in a community. Located within the heart of Hackney, Arcola offers Hackney residents a community space where they can watch theatre and have the opportunity to take part in the making of theatre itself. With a Writer’s Group, a Turkish speaking theatre company, a Youth Academy, a Creative Network, a 60+ theatre company, and a Youth Music academy, it’s safe to say Arcola caters to all. This all-encompassing nature of theatre becomes
all the more inclusive if we consider Arcola’s Pay What You Can scheme, which takes place every Tuesday. This scheme embraces theatre as an act of cultural value and understands that not everybody in London can afford the theatre. Consequently it becomes far less about spending money and much more about just appreciating a performance. The system is simple. Arcola’s Box Office release the remaining amount of tickets for each show in their two studio spaces and these tickets then go on sale at half past six. People queue and when the tickets are gone, the tickets are gone. However, the difference is that they go on sale for whatever price the audience member is willing to pay. This can be two pence, thirty pence, four pounds or even the pre-sale price of the ticket. For that one day a week, the monetary value of theatre is ignored and instead it becomes an event that the general public want to see just because they like going to the theatre. ‘Pay What You Can’, every Tuesday at Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, Dalston. www.arcolatheatre.com.
NEXT TIME: Roar Arts has teamed up with OUP to review and give away a book every month. Email arts@roarnews.co.uk if you fancy reviewing ‘Hitler’s First War’ by Thomas Weber by September 30th.
More Than Just a Pub
If there’s one thing Roar’s learned over the years in London about any pub or bar, it’s always to ask: so what’s upstairs/ through those doors/ in that room? Pints and Performance at The ing spoken word night wordPLAY, at which Peep Show comic David Good Ship Mitchell can regularly be spotted By Rebecca ‘Brooks’ Mavin lurking on a corner couch. Walking down Kilburn High Street just after dark as kids pelt you with footballs, you’d be forgiven for wondering what you were letting yourself in for. But music bar The Good Ship is something of a diamond in the rough; a reasonably-priced, dimlylit little place with a noisy jukebox which – when I arrived – was midway through blasting out the best of Kate Bush, to much fanfare from the ale-sipping clientele. The Good Ship prides itself on bringing out decent bands and fun-loving DJ’s (read as: Noel Fielding) and when they’re absent, the aforementioned jukebox operates without a charge. It is also home to the thriv-
If you’re into sticky floors, comfy seats, and good music, you’ll fit right in here. Refreshingly, the Good Ship also disapproves of overpriced Bacardi Breezers and dishing out change on steel plates, and has an atmosphere which effortlessly shifts from demure afternoon pint to Friday night out. Better still, it’s free to get in unless there’s an event on. Should you find yourself at a loose end in Kilburn, it’s definitely worth a look. The Good Ship, 289 Kilburn High Road, Mon - Thurs & Sun till 2am Fri - Sat till 4am.
Is your local more than just a pub? Tweet your recommendations to @roar_news or, write more than 140 characters and email arts@ roarnews.co.uk
Film
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011 Love film? Up for watching just about anything? Roar Film gets press invites to everything from new blockbusters to the Hong Kong film festival. Get on the writers mailing list by emailing Kate: film@roarnews.co.uk, and send through your ideas!
FILM FOR A FIVER Rat Race (2001) By Zahra Mirza
This film is my personal cure for stress (it may not work for everyone, in which case chocolate is your next best bet) – and let’s face it, we all expect to go through our fair share of it at university. We’re introduced to a new chapter in our life, inconvenient 9am classes, last second essays – wait, this is about getting rid of stress, so let me get straight to the cure. It’s called Rat Race, directed by Jerry Zucker, and it boasts the names of a lot of funny people in the entertainment business, who, when thrown together in this film, make laughing an 112-minute-long exercise, and laughter cures a lot, stress included. You would expect that the great comedians involved like John Cleese,
Seth Green and Rowan Atkinson would gather the most laughs. However, the best part of the film is that it showcases every principle character in their own personal frames of hilarity, so that you fall prey to the comedy of their over-the-top mishaps and get hooked onto each of their individual stories. It’s about a race involving 10 misfits heading to New Mexico for two million dollars – everything imaginable goes wrong, but we still find characters travelling by car, plane and an airborne cow (yes – an airborne cow!) to win it. Whoopi Goldberg and Lanei Chapman show how unconventional a mother-daughter reunion can get, and Atkinson plays a completely lost Italian whose accent is enough to start you giggling. If you find your head screaming for a break and in need of a light-hearted film where you can enjoy other people fumbling around for a change, then this is a great one to watch.
Food and Flicks at the Drunken Monkey By Hannah Ewens
Crispy chicken, cocktails and Casablanca are three things I would never have put together before my Wednesday night at the Drunken Monkey. Surprisingly (if a little worryingly) as I sat next to a decrepit man in drag, opposite a gaggle of middle aged women, munching on dim-sum and looking up at the chiselled face of Humphrey Bogart, I felt quite at home. The chick flick film club is a new venture by the restaurant, which offers the females of London food and a girly film for the generous price of £12. Expecting to be seated in the restaurant, I was impressed when we were led through to the private members lounge where the event was held. Despite my friend nearly choking to death on a prawn dumpling, the food was impressive, and included a good range of veggie options. The reasonable cost of the ticket was a blessing, as by the end of the night, I had made my way through five potent (and pricey) cocktails. So, what I had
By Kate Loftus-O’Brien So I know freshers week is all about making friends and having a smile constantly plastered to your face, but trust me, some of those friendly faces you bonded with over £3 bottles of wine won’t be quite the type of people you envisaged hanging out with. Especially three months down the line when the bin needs emptying. Follow the lead of these silverscreen insulters and you’ll be casting off those hangers-on in no time.
planned as a cheap, civilised night out turned into an expensive messy one embarrassingly drunk from the cocktails, tequila slammers and bar crawling in Shoreditch ensued. It seems the Monkey got its name for a reason. If you, like me, think this sounds like a good night of entertainment, book a table for the Chick Flick film night. It’s held on the last Wednesday of every month; September’s film is The Wedding Banquet. If you’re a bloke (or a member of the transgender community for that matter) and feel the urge to attend, never fear- when I was there, a number of you were scattered around, hidden amongst girlfriends and partners under the pretence of duty. All I can conclude about this film night is- GO! The Drunken Monkey, 222 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6PJ www.thedrunkenmonkey.co.uk
5. ‘You squitty little, shitty little, snot-nosed bastard’
About a boy (2002) Ok I might be biased here, since this insult is basically a lit students dream. There’s alliteration, there’s rhyme, there’s even repetition just to make sure the message hits home. It’s pretty much three insults in one fell swoop- use it on the stuck up boy that starts ranting about the importance of the British Empire after four beers. The rest of us are just trying to dance bro.
21
Edited by
Kate Loftus O’Brien film@roarnews.co.uk
Review: The Inbetweeners Movie By Sarah Fortune
Cinema of the Month The Prince Charles Cinema By Adele de Fontbrune
When the E4 series The Inbetweeners first began in 2008 an endearingly pathetic portrayal of modern teenage life was brought to our screens. “Best fwends” Will, Jay, Simon and Neil careered from one embarrassing situation to the next with an apparent talent for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, finding themselves confined to the fringes of teen society. We re-join them when, having finally left Rudge Park behind, the boys head to the Greek resort of Malia in search of sun, sea, and girls (a heavily censored version of Jay’s speech). Based upon my own experience of the infamous ‘Malia Mile’ this summer, I can say that there weren’t nearly enough 3am performances of God Save the Queen, extremely disgruntled Greek policemen, or girls crying because they couldn’t get their shoes off. The film, admittedly, is all the better for this. It also manages to allay any fears that the show’s original charm might have been lost en-route to the big screen. The director and writers involved are all Inbetweeners stalwarts and wisely choose to follow a relatively similar
format, with the film retaining the show’s fast paced, sharp and witty dialogue. The result is one that will make you laugh out awkwardly loud as the boys find inventive new ways to humiliate themselves. However, they also learn some important life lessons along the way, and there is certainly sadness in their realisation that, as they prepare to part ways, they need each other far more than they’d like to admit. This is the moment where The Inbetweeners Movie, for all its bravado, really strikes a chord with its audience as they empathise with the characters and their all too familiar fears for the future. Unsurprisingly, this definitely isn’t a film to watch with the parents (one brave family I did see in my screening seemed to spend most of it staring intently at the ceiling). It also doesn’t veer too far from the well-established plotlines for teenage summer movies, but it is certainly a must for fans of the show and those who want a film of pure escapism, plenty of laughs and ultimately heartwarming moments; A perfect sendoff for these ‘Inbetweeners’.
Offering a respite from the catastrophically high ticket prices around Leicester Square, the Prince Charles Cinema is a dream for people who love ‘Film’ (Think Taxi Driver rather than Transformers). Aside from its eclectic mix of high quality current movies, sing-a-long showings such as Grease, and cult classics like The Room (routinely labelled the worst film ever by its adoring fans), the main draw for students is the budget pricing. The £5 yearly student membership allows cinephiles to see films on the cheap – around £6 for new releases or £4 for the oldies. Well worth it if you plan on regular cinema trips this year! www.princecharlescinema.com
KCL Film Society listings FREE films every week! Thurs 6th Oct - Blade Runner (1982, Ridley Scott)
Fri 14th Oct - Animal House, (1978, John Landis)
*This screening will be accompanied by a toga party in Tutu’s, a limited number of reduced tickets will be available for Film Soc members*
Top 5... on screen INSULTS
4. ‘ Well fuck me gently with a chainsaw. Do I look like Mother Theresa?’
Heathers (1988) Having spent around half of my adolescent life praying for the perfect opportunity to arise in which any one of the razorsharp barbs in this film could be employed, I couldn’t resist throwing this gem in. Use it when you get sick of your flat mate asking to ‘borrow’ your milk. There’s nothing worse than dry Shreddies Godamnit!
3. ‘You’re a smelly pirate hooker’
Anchorman (2004) Possibly the most quotable movie of the past decade, Ron Burgundy and his posse provide a multitude of jibes to choose from. This one is my personal favourite, what could be worse than smelling bad and prostituting yourself to pirates? Ouch.
Screenings are to be held at the Strand Campus in 2B18 (also known as S-2.18 or The Arthur and Paula Lucas Lecture Theatre) in the basement of the Strand Campus. Bring food, drinks & friends!
2. ‘For me, you’re somewhere between a cockroach and that white stuff that accumulates at the corner of your mouth when you’re really thirsty.’
Con Air (1997) If insults came in packaging this one would have something like ‘Caution, handle with care’ in bold red lettering on the front. Seriously mean, save this for when you are insensibly angered. It’s probably safe to assume that those on the receiving end won’t speak to you again. Ever.
www.kclfilmsoc.co.uk 1. ‘Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.’
Gone with the Wind (1939) Because what better way to express your utterly uncompromising inability to give a crap? When all else fails, use this tried and tested classic. *Roar bears no responsibility should you actually use these insults, therefore increasing your chances of spending the next 9 months friendless watching re-runs of Jeremy Kyle and wondering if halls regulations allow you to own a cat (or five).
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Sports
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
Edited by
Charlotte Richardson sports@roarnews.co.uk
Welcome to Roar Sports 2011 -12 My name is Charlotte Richardson and I am the Sports Editor of Roar! this year, and what a year to cover. This is a massive year for sport in our country and the capital particularly. It cannot be understated how fortunate we are to study at King’s and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere building up to the Olympic games. With such a breadth and depth of sporting talent at King’s I relish the opportunity of reading and reporting on all the sporting successes and achievements. If you too are interested in having a part in the Roar! Sports writing team, please get in touch!! Email roarpapersport@gmail.com. Sport plays such an important role in the King’s environment and I would really recommend checking out our guide to finding the right club. Whether you are a fresher aiming to carry on playing a sport from college, a second year looking to enhance their social life, or a medic God knows how many years into a degree searching for a source of relaxation from their heavy workload, there will be a club for you! I have been able to put together a list of trial dates for just a handful of clubs, but there are many, many more! If I haven’t included a club you would be interested in joining and weren’t able to find info on, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on email, the Roar! Facebook page and Twitter. I should also mention our fantastic gym Kinetic on Stamford Street whilst I get the chance. They do a great student rate and have an offer on at the moment which will sort you out for the year. So go and check them out too. And for any prospective netballers, as a player myself I look forward to meeting you at trials. Here’s to a great start to the academic and sporting year!
KCL WRFC: Most Improved Club ‘10-’11 As King’s ‘Most Improved’ Club, KCL Women’s Rugby has a lot to look forward to this season. Vice-president Samantha Hull gives us an insight into their formula for success and issues a stern warning to rivals UCL… I have always taken great issue with the idiom ‘Football is a gentlemen’s sport played by hooligans; rugby is a hooligan’s sport played by gentlemen’ because, if KCLWRFC’s 2010-2011 season is anything to go by, rugby is a hooligan’s sport played by ladies. Granted, our 2009-2010 season was a bit of a disaster. With only a handful of consistently available players – a number that fell well short of the required fifteen – we managed to complete very few games, let alone complete them victoriously. This year has been a different story entirely. We went from competing in only one league to contending in both BUCS and ULU. In the old girls we developed a doggedly determined team spirit that refused to see another season like the last, and in the new members we acquired several
talented players. The result was a dramatic turnaround. From a team that often could not finish a game due to injuries, we worked with a more focused approach and suddenly found ourselves on a winning streak. With the incredible leadership of President and Captain Linda Sjoblom, as well as new coaching, KCLWRFC stopped wallowing in the bottom of the league and battled its way to the top of two separate leagues. Despite a disappointing loss at Varsity we finished the year in second place in ULU and third in BUCS and - although we
were missing several of our starters -with a decisive victory at the Macadam Cup. This brilliant turnaround was capped with KCLWRFC dubbed as KCLSU’s ‘Most Improved’ Club. It’s an honour we plan to uphold in the upcoming season. Watch your backs, UCL.
Tales from tour...
send your tour stories to sports@roarnews.co.uk
All the best, Char
Meet KCL Net ball’s new drin king buddyrandom old Cro atian lady: Com ing to a Walkabout near you…
et a have to g -you don’t Thanks to ts n e d u st ll r! Note to a day of tou dvice. very first e ta a th th n r o fo n ta ll again a tb e N L KC
“Hurry up! If she got on her knees and opened her mouth would you get over here faster???”
KCL Women’s Rugby, nothing if not classy.
Oh remember Simon Edwards throughout tour!?!
...Oh wait…he wasn’t there.
STOP PRESS!
*offer open to King’s students and staff until 31 October 2011, subject to availability.
It’s just been a nnounced that KCLSU won us bid to host the King’s students final stop of th the e Coca Cola Oly The bus will be mpic Torch bus! parked at Guy’ s campus on th so drop by, ta e 4th November ke a look, and , maybe get a p icture with the Olympic Torch!
Sports
Roar, September 17 - October 10, 2011
23
TOP 5 TEAMS TO WATCH
Charlotte Richardson analyses the prospects of five of King’s brightest teams this season
2 King’s Badmint on
by 1 King’s Rug
Website:
g b y.c o m w w.k in g ’s ru
www.kclbadminton.
Website:
w
com
Badminton is one King’s. This is refl of the most popular sports here at members reaching ovected by the club’s huge number of teams in total, three er 100 every year. The club has seven Following an extrememen’s, two women’s and two mixed. Badminton is one of ly successful season last year, KCL Their men’s 1sts an our six to look out for this season. ed last year, whilst d women’s 2nds were both promothighest tier of BUCS their mixed 1sts are competing in the 1sts compete, they actfor the fifth year running. Not only did the whilst coming runners-ually won the BUCS League last season achievements have be up in the BUCS Cup. Their outstanding sponsorship from Baen rewarded further as they have gained substantial funding en dminton England this season. Such beginners at their ses ables the club to offer FREE training for of shuttles and coachsions, which also covers the fresher cost been customized for ing. Two eight-week programmes have played the sport befor King’s students who may never have out for, they are a gre e. So not only are they are club to look at club to consider pla ying for this year.
st s stories of la e major succes eetest victories th of e on as sw the lub w KCL Rugby Cly did they complete one of also managed to gain season. Not oning seconds of Varsity, theykept Los Locus on its ever in the dy the top tier of BUCS and on the future looks even promotion to Not too bad at all. This seas boys go into the season financial feet. a fantastic committee, the nst the best university brighter. With allenge of competing agaist all their London rivals progressing pa l as defending their relishing the ch el try has to offer, teams the coun L, GKT and LSE, as w cause it remains largely including UC The team is one to watch be ther from last season Varsity crown.he core of the squad togecome in and enhance it. unchanged. T foundations for freshers to s last season, steps up as cements strongds, one of the star performer great benefit to the club. Simon Edwar pointment which will bring will enable the lads to captain, an ap e, enthusiasm and leadershipr abilities. No doubt they His experienc y fear and to the best of thei rformers at Walkabout play without anably be one of the strongest pet, defo keep an eye out! will most prob you are a rugby fanatic or no too. So whether
5 Table Tennis club
3 King’s Fencing
Website:
Website:
groupspaces.com/KCLFencingClub King’s fencers are a very strong, tight-knit squad. Being more intimate in numbers has been key to their success as a club in recent seasons. Their ability to work extremely well as a unit has enabled them to remain competing at a very high level. The club also has 6 international fencers, which has made them one of the strongest national sides. KCL fencers will be lookin g to gain more wins over their rivals ULU, who they beat last year but fell beneath in the end of the season table. This club is one to watch because if they can enhan ce their numbers and guarantee at least 3 players per fixture, promotion would most certainly be on the cards. They were undefeated last year but they lost their points on being unable to field teams every week. A good performance at the Fresher’s Fair will help this club and give them the momentum to take the league on with new recruits.
Saturday 17th September
w w w. k c l t t . s t u d e n t b o x . c o m
4 King’s Ultimate Frisbee Website:
w w w.t h ro w n u l t i m ate . co m Ultimate Frisbee is one of the most up-and-coming sports at King’s. Their progress last year was cemented by victory at Macadam - but their success extends further. Last year the club finished 7th in the second division of the national mixed indoor league, making them the 23rd most successful club in the country. The club competed well in the London Winter League, finishing a close second. The key to their success last year and what makes them a great team to look out for this year is their ability to recruit freshers. Their party of over forty at the fresher’s tour in Brighton last year was a masterstroke. If freshers like to party with you they like to train with you too, and obtaining that commitment to training and enhancing team spirit makes this club special. The teams sporting success is helped by the experience they have within their committee. Long term players such as Adam Hartley, Louis Hall, Dan Kem, Rupert Medina Jr and Kevin Permall, provide a wealth of knowledge about the game which rubs off on the whole club. The season will start brightly too, as the club host their annual King’s Beginner tournament, to encourage new players to get involved in the game and progress to competing at the nationals. The club is aiming to seize upon the buzz of their success last season, make Division 1 and become one of the top sixteen university teams in the UK. They have already made a good start by becoming one of our top 5
Saturday 1st October
Saturday 1st October
s. Their Table tennis is a recently established club at King’ er divipremi the to bottom the from ess progr ring stagge list. our from them omit to sion of BUCS makes it hard for rs playe ienced exper of intake an ed The club has enjoy key the as spirit ghting fi their credit but years two the past ng unito beating long-established teams at leading sporti nt and geme mana atic system of lack versities. Despite their d bonde s alway have team the es regim g trainin scattered t itmen comm of very well together, with outstanding levels enting repres t outfi strong a that ensure they always have es. With King’s at fixtures in all home and away match of Brian ency presid the under and year this g fundin more tough face They . squad Lin there is nothing stopping their on, divisi er Premi the in n seaso rst fi opposition in their and met g havin , dence confi of es bundl with it into but go during the performed well against these top opponents substantial more With year. last BUCS Championship r their bolste to n seaso this rt suppo al nanci fi and s preparation for. out watch to raw sporting talent, they are definitely a team
Saturday 8th October
November 2011
Kinetic Fitness Club Open Day
King’s Lions Cheering London Marathon
KCLMS Football Tournament
KCLA Games
KCLMC running the 3rd LUBE
Kinetic Fitness Club holds its Open Day enabling all students to take a look around KCLSU’s premier gym facilities. So, if you need a gym to join pay a visit to Cornwall Road, SE1 9NQ (just around the corner from Stamford Street Halls). Staff will also be on hand to answer any questions you may have about memberships prices.
King’s Lions, our fabulous cheerleading squad, will be sideline cheering marathon and half marathon runners from 9pm till 2am, at the 02. They will then perform at the Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich, donating their bend and snap for a charitable cause! Cancer Research holds their fundraising Shine event on this day and it is definitely worth going along to support and be entertained by our lions.
KCLMS Football team lock horns with their fiercest rivals KCLFC in this early season encounter. The tournament is more than just a warm up for the long, grueling season ahead; it is a chance for either team to inflict misery upon their rivals whilst gaining some momentum going into their fixtures in the BUCS and ULU leagues.
King’s alumni return to the college to take on both KCL and KCLMS on this date for the KCLA games at our home ground Berrylands. It is a brilliant warm-up event for all clubs, but do not be deceived the competitive edge is still razor sharp.
KCL Mountaineering Club set up the London University Bouldering Event (LUBE) in 2009, and this year will be their 3rd year of both running and competing in the competition. LUBE is the only national, multi-round student climbing competition, so not only is it a massive achievement to compete but also to have originated it. For more information check out kclmc.org/lube and show your support for this fresh competition.
Wednesday 2nd November
Friday 2nd March 2012
Friday 23rd March 2012
Wednesday 28th March 2012
Final Date TBC
KCL Netball vs KCLMS
London Varsity
United Hospitals Cup
The Macadam Cup
ULU Finals
This is one of the crunch encounters of the netball season. KCL Netball Club 1s versus KCLMS 1s. Standards are set very high each year for this BUCS fixture. Victory is crucial for both teams, to get one over their toughest rivals. To watch competitive netball at a very high university standard, this is the match to be at.
This is the date you CANNOT miss out on - Varsity. One of, if not the, biggest day in the sporting calendar. King’s Men and Women’s Rugby teams battle UCL for the title as The London’s Champions. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious rugby titles dating back over a century. Will KCL be able to hold on to the Jeremy-George Cup? Of course! So make sure you are there to see it!.
The United Hospitals Cup takes place on this day and is one of the oldest rugby cup competitions in the world, dating back to 1874. All six London medical schools compete and GKT will be keen to defeat current champions Imperial, who have obtained the cup every year since their last GKT’s previous victory in 2009..
The Macadam Cup is a fantastic occasion for the whole of King’s College. A whole range of sports from football to rowing, badminton to ultimate Frisbee, take part in this event that sees KCL take on KCLMS. KCLMS’ amazing track record came to a devastating halt last year as KCL chalked up their first victory in the history of the competition. So this year the competitive charge will be turned all the way up.
The University London Union Finals are the perfect toast to the end of the sporting season. In a final throw for glory, a number of different sporting teams compete in this intercollegiate battle..
Straight talking from KPMG.
Graduate Programmes – All degree disciplines
Drinks, presentation and networking with KPMG
6.30pm, Tuesday 18th October
KPMG, Presentation Suite, 15 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5GL
www.kpmg.co.uk/careers
© 2011 KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, is a subsidiary of KPMG Europe LLP and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative, a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. The KPMG name, logo and “cutting through complexity” are registered trademarks or trademarks of KPMG International.
No bull.