17th MARCH 2014/ ISSUE 18 FREE
MANCHESTER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Feature: Nightline
Music interview: Âme
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Lifestyle: Blind Date
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Gang stalk and assault student on Oxford Road
The 20-year-old female student was followed for over a mile and assaulted by a gang ‘like animals stalking their prey’
Inside...
of the offenders approached her from behind, grabbed her hair and dragged her to her knees. She was struck repeatedly in the face as she fell further to the ground. As she lay defenceless on the ground one offender grabbed hold of her legs to prevent her kicking out while other offenders continued to kick, punch and stamp on her. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment to her injuries, which consisted of severe bruising. Detective Sergeant Robb said the attack could have been a lot worse. “It is only by sheer luck more than anything else that this woman did not suffer more serious injuries, such was the ferocity of the attack,” he said. After the attack, the group of girls made off in the direction of Upper Brook Street after meeting up with some males. Police say they are sure they will catch the offenders. “We have already reviewed dozens of CCTV cameras and I am absolutely confident we will identify these girls so I would urge them to come and give us an account of what happened before we come knocking on their doors,” Detective Sergeant Robb said. “I want to reassure the community that such incidents are rare and these offenders will not get away with what they have done. “I believe the victim was oblivious to the fact she was followed for such a long distance due to being distracted by listening to music and I want to remind people just how important it is to be aware of your surroundings, especially when out walking alone at night.” Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed any part of the incident, or who has any information, to come forward by contacting the police on 0161 856 4223 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The same man who sexually assaulted five women in January has attacked four more women in Withington, police believe. Three attacks took place in the same night. Most of the women attacked were students in their early 20’s. Police have renewed their warning to lone women to be on their guard in the area.
Michael Williams News Editor A University of Manchester student was attacked after being “stalked” for over one mile along Oxford Road by a gang of seven. The 20-year old female student suffered an attack described as “ferocious” by police, being kicked, punched and stamped on. The victim was walking home from a friend’s house in Fallowfield at around 11pm on Wednesday 5 March, and had walked down the Curry Mile to near St. Peter’s Chapel. She was listening to music in headphones, rendering her “oblivious”, according to police, and she was followed and set upon by the group who were “acting like animals stalking their prey”, according to Detective Sergeant John Robb of Greater Manchester Police. “The offenders followed her for quite some distance before striking in an area they thought was more isolated than any other part of the route she had taken,” said Detective Sergeant Robb. Two men stopped to intervene after what Detective Sergeant Robb called “a vicious, premeditated and sustained attack on an innocent woman.” CCTV first captured the gang, four girls and three male youths, at around 11.13pm. Footage shows them run onto Wilmslow Road from Dickenson Road, then cross over Wilmslow Road and head in the direction of Platt Lane. At 11:18pm the victim is seen on the same CCTV camera walking up Wilmslow Road towards Rusholme. As she crosses Dickenson Road the gang appear on camera behind her and start to follow her. After approximately one mile, as she walked beneath a bridge close to St Peter’s Chapel, one
Withington sex attacker strikes again
Read more on page 3...
Police appeal for student witnesses in investigation Police have reached out specifically to student witnesses after a man died after an incident outside a nightclub holding a popular student night. The incident outside the city-centre nightclub South, which was hosting a Murkage event, may have led to the 34-year-old man sustaining serious head injuries. Read more on page 3...
Atos whistleblower talks to students on campus Dr Greg Wood, the doctor who blew the whistle on the ‘fitness-for-work’ test at government contracted agency Atos, addressed an audience of students from the faculty of medical and human sciences at a Save Our NHS event, last week. Wood quit his £60,000 a year job as a disability benefit analyst after being repeatedly told by his boss to change Victim was “oblivious”, say police, because she was listening to music. reports. Read more on page 5... Photo: Robbie Green@Flickr
02 : NEWS
ISSUE 18 / 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Highlights
Games:
Call of Duty: Ghosts
Voting opened for the Students’ Union exec elections last week , potential candidates have been plastering the campus with their campaign material. Photo: The Mancunion
Page 15
Picture of the week
Film:
John Travolta blunders Page 18
Food & Drink:
Make mash like the Irish Page 23
Female students are more Deputy president to retire ‘psychologically resillient’ after nearly thirty-five years Charlie Spargo News Reporter A study by Leeds Metropolitan University on students entering their first year has found that those with “psychological resilience” are likely to perform better, with women far outpacing men. The study was carried out by a collaboration between Leeds Metropolitan’s Counselling Service and the Institute of Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure. 1,534 full-time students entering the University were tested for the “capacity to adapt to new challenges” and their scores used to predict their attainment mark at the end of the first year. The results were presented in a study published in the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling. Overall, it was found that those with the characteristic of resilience outperformed those who did not. However, those who were both female and with the capacity for psychological resilience were two times as likely to achieve a 2:1 or first in their first year than similar men. Leeds Metropolitan’s Jim McKenna, professor of physical activity
and health, said “Although… the outcomes suggested similar academic performance by gender, higher resilience was progressively and incrementally associated with higher grade profiles for females”. In certain cases, men with resilience clearly underperformed in comparison to those without the characteristic, and many dropped out of the study. This trend was not reflected in the women observed. This may show that the system of higher education is better suited to tough-minded women than men. “There are concerns at how the general nature of [higher education] has evolved to favour female students,” said John Allan, who carried out the study. In regards to the underperforming male students, he added, “It could easily represent a purposeful and functional choice.” The researchers also recommended that male students receive extra counselling to ensure they fulfil their academic potential. At the University, targeted intervention in order for males to access counselling has already been brought in.
Deputy Editor: Harriet Hill-Payne
Lifestyle:
First Dates Page 27
Sub-Editors: George Bailey, Jennifer Grimshaw & Eleanor Muffitt
Visit Our Website www.mancunion.com Facebook: The Mancunion Twitter: @THEMANCUNION Editor: Jonathan Breen editor@mancunion.com Postal address: Univerity of Manchester Students’ Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR Phone (0161) 275 2933
News Editors: Michael Williams, Pippa AllenKinross & Aidan Gregory news@mancunion.com
Marcus Johns Contributor Deputy President and Deputy ViceChancellor, Rod Coombs, is to retire in September 2014, after serving at the university for over thirty years. Professor Coombs began his academic career as a lecturer at UMIST in 1979 and in 2002 became a senior officer, forming part of the project team that unified UMIST with the Victoria University of Manchester. As the only current senior officer that held a senior team position before the merger in 2004, Coombs spoke to The Mancunion on the changes at the University since its inception. In 1974, “UMIST and the Victoria University had 15,000 students between them, of whom only thirty per cent were female.” The university now has around 40,000 students and female students outnumber males. “There are more females now than there were students in 1974,” he added. “The original plan had been to spend £300m or £400m on building projects, however double this has already been spent despite the Estates Master plan not yet beginning.” Coombs has played an important BeautyEditor: Haylee Wells beauty@mancunion.com Food & Drink Editors: Ben Walker & Maddy Hubbard foodanddrink@mancunion.com Film Editors: Sophie James, Robbie Davidson & Angus Harrison
News Reporters: Inez Dawoodjee, Anna Philips, Charlie Spargo, Haider Saleem
film@mancunion.com
News Web Editor: Dan Harold
features@mancunion.com
Opinion Editors: Alice Rigby and Charlotte Green opinion@mancunion.com
Features Editor: Sam Dumitriu Games Editor: Alasdair Preston games@mancunion.com Lifestyle Editors: Moya Crockett, Isabelle Dann, Beth Currall & Lauren Arthur lifestyle@mancunion.com
Fashion Editors: Susie Coen & Marie Yates fashion@mancunion.com
Music Editors: Tom Ingham, Patrick Hinton &
part in dramatically raising the profile of Manchester internationally and domestically. He took his current role in 2010, focusing upon the improvement of external engagement and the international image of the university. When asked how the University would change looking forward, he named two international projects: The role of the University in distance learning and networking with similar status universities around the world. He will continue to hold ties with the University, spending more time working as a non-executive director of the Central Manchester Foundation Trust. “Will it matter if I’m not there? Not one bit!” He said. He will now be able to spend more time playing lead guitar in his rock band, Loose Covers, which “is named so because they only play covers that are pretty loose!” In a farewell message to students, Coombs emphasised the importance of both “[having] a bloody good time and… [exploring] all of the intellectual opportunities that the uni has to offer you. “You have to recognise what a priviliged position you are in and take it seriously—but have fun!” Phoebe Clarke music@mancunion.com Sport Editors: Andrew Georgeson, Thomas Dowler & Thomas Turner Sports Reporters: James Eatwell & Jonathan Roberts sport@mancunion.com Theatre Editor: Stephanie Scott theatre@mancunion.com Web Editor: Jennifer Ho webed@mancunion.com Photography Editor: Peter Chinnock photography@mancunion.com Photography team: Patrycja Marczewska, Joshua Brown & Cil Barnett-Neefs
ISSUE 18 / 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
NEWS : 03
Withington sex attacker assaults four more women - Most of the victims have been women students in their 20s - Apparent teenage attacker suspected of nine assaults, all in the Withington area - ‘Go out with someone else wherever possible’, say police Pippa Allen-Kinross News Editor The same man who sexually assaulted five women in January has attacked four more women in Withington, police believe. Three attacks took place in the same night. Most of the women attacked were students in their early 20’s. Police have renewed their warning to lone women to be on their guard in the area. Between 7.40pm and 10.10pm on Monday 3rd March, the offender grabbed and sexually assaulted three women on Neston Avenue, Withington, Burton Road, Withington, and Mauldeth Road, Ladybarn. A further attack took place on Sunday 9th March on Palatine Road, near Everett Road, Withington. The offender is described as between 5ft 5in and 5ft 8in tall, of slim build, wearing a hoody and baggy jogging style bottoms. In the last four incidents, he was riding a dark coloured mountain bike.
The repeated attacks have caused concern among some students. “I feel a little bit worried about being on my own at night now”, Róisín Farrell, a fourth year Speech and Language Therapy student living in Withington, told The Mancunion. “It’s quite worrying that this same guy is targeting such a small area and he still hasn’t been caught”. Earlier this year, the same man assaulted five women on or around Everett Road in Withington. Between 6th January and 25th January 2014, he grabbed and sexually assaulted five lone women in their 20’s, many of whom were out jogging. All the attacks have taken place between 6.15pm and 11.00pm. Detective Sergeant Doug Cowan of South Manchester Division sai, “Since the first spate we have been working hard to catch this offender, but it appears he has started to once again target lone women. “From what they tell us, the suspect is quite young – in
his mid to late teens – and is now riding a dark-coloured mountain bike. “But don’t let his relative youth fool you. To be grabbed or touched inappropriately by a complete stranger in these circumstances is extremely unpleasant and downright scary. “That said, the purpose of this appeal is not to alarm people but to alert women of the risks posed to them and to be on their guard. “We need to consider that there may be other victims who have not yet come forward and I would urge them to do so. “Also I would ask lone women, especially joggers, to be aware of their surroundings, to stick to well-lit areas and, most importantly, to go out with someone else wherever possible. “We have been speaking to residents and have also stepped up patrols in the area to reassure people, prevent further offences and gather information”. Monique Davis, a fourth year French and Italian student also living in Withington, told The Mancunion, “It hasn’t greatly impacted how safe I feel because I still see Withington as quite a safe area. “The fact it’s the same man as before is worrying though, because he clearly isn’t afraid and so things could get worse. “I will try and follow the advice from the police, people do need to be careful to not go out alone. But it wouldn’t stop
Night-time alarm angers exam-takers Anna Philips News Reporter Grosvenor Halls students have spoken out after ‘’irritating, blaring’’ alarms kept them awake before exams. On more than one occasion, the alarm lasted all through the night - from 11pm until 6 am. Students in Grosvenor Halls, particularly Bowden Court, have been affected - and have been forced to complain to the council about the alarms, which have persisted over recent weeks. The alarm was heard as late as last Friday, where it sounded for over two hours at 2.30am. Second year biochemistry exchange-student, Julie-
Nathalie, told The Mancunion that, ‘’this prevented many people, including myself from sleeping and is very very annoying.” “It even happened during final exams’’, she said. In another case, first year French and Spanish student Katie-Taylor Wright explained how the issue continued after they complained, ‘‘we all had to complain to the council because one time it was going on all night from around 11pm6am with no one coming to stop it.’’ She added, ‘’they emailed me to say the issue had been ‘solved’, but then it’s still going’’. An American exchange
student studying physics, Dean Lalap, was also annoyed by the persistent alarms. ‘’One would think that the staff in charge would have this sorted by now, but nope. If it isn’t an idiot burglar breaking into the Aquatics Centre every few hours in one night, then I demand an explanation.”, he said.
Grosvenor Halls Photo: University of Manchester
All nine attacks have taken place in the Withington area. Photo: chiptooth @Flickr me leaving the house if I didn’t have anyone to go with”. Sarah Cook, a fourth year Speech and Language Therapy student living in Withington, also told The Mancunion, “The new attacks have made me feel more cautious about being alone at night. “It seems like not enough
has been done to raise awareness about what has been happening. The focus should be on catching the attacker, not on telling women not to go out. “I felt uncomfortable walking to visit a friend who also lives in Withington, and I shouldn’t have to feel like that five minutes from my front door”.
Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone who has seen a man matching the description acting suspiciously to call them on 101 or 0161 856 4973.
Student witnesses may be key to assault investigation Appeal for witnesses after incident outside South nightclub, hosting a Murkage night that night
Michael Williams News Editor Police have reached out specifically to student witnesses after a man died after an incident outside a nightclub holding a popular student night. The incident outside the citycentre nightclub South, which was hosting a Murkage event, may have led to the 34-year-old man sustaining serious head
injuries. Police were called shortly after 4.15am on Friday 24 January 2014 to reports of an assault on Deansgate at the junction with John Dalton Street. They found the man collapsed in the street, and believe that students may have witnessed the assault that left him there. Senior Investigating Officer Bob Tonge said, “Just before the assault we believe there was an incident outside the South nightclub and we know there were a number of people around at that time. That particular evening there had been a student night at South nightclub and I would appeal to the student population who were there to contact us.” Police have also released
images of potential witnesses who may have seen the incident. “A number of weeks have passed since the man’s death but we are continuing to appeal for witnesses,” said Senior Investigating Officer Tonge. “I would like to reassure those people who are shown in the images they are not in any trouble at all with police and we purely want to speak to them to see if they saw anything.” Simon Tarry, 28, was charged with section 18 assault and affray after the assault. He appeared before Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Monday 27 January 2014. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 9908 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ISSUE 18 / 17th MARCH 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
04 : News
Islamic Society hosts ‘Community Week’ in aid of Christie Hospital Aidan Gregory News Editor
The Islamic society has raised over £6,400 for Christie hospital through a week of fundraising activities. “Community week” involved a series of events which aimed to give back to the local community, including a charity football tournament, cake selling, a feed-the-homeless walk, and the redecorating of Shakespeare House; a local community centre. Isoc members have also been writing letters of support to patients on the children’s Oncology ward at The Christie. In an interview with The Mancunion, Hiba Khan, third year material science and engineering student, and Vice President of Isoc’s student affairs committee, explained the reasons behind organising community week. “We came together as a committee, and our membership decided to get involved in this campaign called community week. “We looked at the Islamic inspiration for giving back to your community, which is a fundamental and integral part of the faith”, she said. When asked why Isoc chose The
Isoc took more than 80 students up Mount Snowdon. The trip alone raised £5000. Photo: Islamic Society Christie, Khan replied that, “Cancer affects all of us regardless of age, gender, race or background. It’s a really beautiful cause to raise for.” On Saturday 8th March, Isoc ventured on a sponsored walk up Mount
Snowdon in difficult conditions. Khan was one of the students climbing the mountain. She said, “I’d done it a few times before but never seen weather as shocking as [it was]. “The Snowdon trip raised £5,000 on
its own; we took about 80 people up”. A blind student was one of the first to reach the top of the mountain. He is studying for a Masters degree, and is an active volunteer for Isoc. Reflecting on the week of events, Khan
said, “Hopefully next week we will go down to The Christie and give them the cheque. “We’ve had a huge turnout, and it’s been lovely speaking to members of the local community.”
Students’ Union Awards 2014 Nominations are now open for the 2014 Students’ Union Awards. We’ll be awarding all of the awesome work done by our students over the past year, so nominate your favourite group, society, project or student by visiting the Students’ Union website.
Nominations close at midday on 11 April.
www.manchesterstudentsunion.com/unionawards
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
NEWS : 05
ATOS whistleblower Dr Wood speaks to students on campus
Aidan Gregory News Reporter
Dr Greg Wood, the doctor who blew the whistle on the ‘fitness-for-work’ test at government contracted agency Atos, addressed an audience of students from the faculty of medical and human sciences at a Save Our NHS event, last week. Wood quit his £60,000 a year job as a disability benefit analyst after being repeatedly told by his boss to change reports and declare seriously ill patients fit for work. After a brief period of silence, he went to the BBC with his story. Following Wood’s expose, the Department for Work and Pensions issued a report that described Atos’s benefits claimant test as “‘unacceptably poor”. The company have also since announced they will not be rebidding when the contract comes up for review. In his talk at the University of Manchester, Wood told the story of how he came to work for Atos, having previously served 16 years as a General Practitioner in the Royal Navy. Wood went on to describe the benefits test used by At0s as “medically nonsensical” - The Atos guidelines said that if a patient could walk to another room, they could walk 200 metres.
Another criterion said that “if they can wash and get dressed, they have enough drive and concentration to do a job.” This however, as Wood explained, was not suitable for many patients. He had to write a report clearing a woman as medically fit on these grounds, despite the fact that she displayed severe psychotic symptoms such as “incoherent ramblings.” When he raised this with his supervisors, Wood was sent two emails saying “you need to amend the report.” Wood saw this as a “breech of medical integrity” under General Medical Council guidelines. It was the final straw and he resigned from Atos immediately. “The doctor’s word should be final”, he added. After quitting the company, Wood has written a book about his experiences in the Iraq war which is currently with an agent. He has no intentions of returning to general practice, lives off his Navy pension, and wishes to focus on his blog about the politics of the NHS. Wood explained further to the students that he thought long and hard about ‘blowing the whistle’, first seeking guidance from his local MP. His main concern was harming his future employment prospects. But it didn’t really matter, because in
his view the post with Atos was a “dead end job.” Speaking to The Mancunion after the talk, Dr. Wood added that “medical students generally don’t care about politics. But healthcare in this country is so driven by economics and politics.” Atos, in Wood’s words “have caused a huge amount of hurt for sick people.” Paul Foley, head of health for UNISON North West, also spoke at the talk. He discussed his experiences working for UNISON, and representing health professionals in trouble for whistleblowing. Foley also apologised for the bad fiscal record which he believes that his generation have left future and current users of the NHS and social security. Milly Sleazak, second year adult nursing, member of the ‘Save Our NHS Society’, and Manchester students have previously accused Atos of “crimes against disability.”Photo: Steve Graby @ faculty rep, helped organise Facebook the talk. In her introductory speech she said that “without disability.” healthcare surrounding speaking is about changing people’s benefits I wouldn’t be at Sleazak outlined to The out against poor patient care. mentalities.” university.” Mancunion the background and The purpose of the talk in The faculty of medical and Back in February, the Save reasons for asking Wood to visit Sleazak’s words was to “raise human sciences at the University Our NHS Society staged a the University. awareness of politics and of Manchester is the largest in demonstration on campus, In the Francis Report into whistleblowing” in the NHS, and Europe. It alone compromises which accused Atos chairman the Mid Staffordshire Hospital to “improve patient care and around 10 percent of the student Thierry Breton and the Coalition scandal, concerns were raised work ethic.” body. government of “crimes against about a culture of fear within She added that “whistleblowing
Bursaries failing poorer Birmingham University staff students at university win Living Wage after protests Pippa Allen-Kinross News Editor Bursaries do not improve the chances of students from poorer backgrounds completing a degree, a study has found. Instead, the biggest factors that influence drop-out rates are how well the student did at A-level and household income. The study, Do Bursaries Have any Effect on Retention? by the Office for Fair Access (Offa), also found that students from disadvantaged areas are less likely to complete their studies than those from the least disadvantaged areas, and that those attending institutions with higher entry requirements were more likely to complete their course than those at universities with lower requirements. Professor Les Ebdon, director
of Fair Access to Higher Education, said: “Previous research showed us that bursaries do not have an observable effect on the choice of university for disadvantaged young people. “Now this new piece of Offa analysis shows that bursaries may not be the powerful retention tool that many currently believe them to be. “At this stage, we’re not ruling out the possibility that bursaries may have an effect on retention rates – what we’re saying is that, within the constraints of the data currently available to us, we have not been able to detect any such effect”. The report also found that neither the size nor the availability of a bursary had much effect on whether a student would finish their degree course.
Instead, the study said that continuation rates were similar whether the student was receiving a bursary of less than £700 a year or more than £1,000 a year. Professor Ebdon said the report provides evidence that universities should spend money on outreach projects with schools, rather than on students. He has asked universities to take the findings of the report into account when they draw up their access agreements. He said: “We will be encouraging them to rebalance their investment towards both targeted [and] sustained activities that raise attainment and aspirations, and activities that support students in successfully continuing their studies and progressing to employment or postgraduate study”.
Anna Phillips News Reporter The University of Birmingham
for year from August 2014; and
living wage employer if staff
then current level for year from
aren’t going to live in fear of
August 2015.’’
poverty, and it is inexcusable that ‘’Branch
it has yet to do so whilst its Vice-
has granted all staff members the
Executives of Unison and Unite
Chancellor is paid over £400,000
current Living Wage following an
will recommend to members that
a year. We still have a whole list
array of protests.
no further industrial action be
of other demands which are yet
taken in relation to the 2013 pay
to be met so the campaign will
settlement’’.
continue.”
Vice principle and provost Adam Tickell announced the
He
also
added:
changes in an email to staff and
Hattie Craig, Vice-President of
on Twitter on March 5th, which
Education at the University of
a series of series of Defend
will allow each staff member
Birmingham’s Guild of Students
Education protests earlier this
from 1 August 2014 the Living
said:
comes
year resulting in thirteen arrests
Wage of £7.65.
after a hard-fought campaign
including six students. These
including
students
Adam Tickell announced the changes
on
Twitter,
saying:
“This
victory
numerous
strikes,
The
announcement
were
follows
subsequently
demonstrations and occupations
suspended yet only three have
&
and shows that students and staff
since been reinstated.
Branch Executives of Unison
fighting together have the power
The current Living Wage is £7.65
and
to force universities into doing
and £8.80 for London, yet many
what is right.’’
Universities around the country
‘’Birmingham Unite
University are
pleased
to
report that the dispute over 2013 pay settlement resolved.
She also said: “However, the
The university will match the
University of Birmingham still
current rate of the Living Wage
needs to become an accredited
have still not granted the Living Wage to all employees.
ISSUE 18 / 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
NEWS : 07
UoM students in second round of global Shell competition Masters students invent “solar tree” Aidan Gregory News Editor A team of Manchester students have made it to the second round of a global competition for investment, run by oil giant Shell. Olusola Omosola and Ryo Inoue, both masters students at the University of Manchester, and Emmanuel Olatokun, a Phd student at the University of Salford, have come up with a new type of solar panel called a ‘solar tree’. If successful at stage two, the team will be invited to pitch their idea to a panel of judges at Shell Eco-Marathon Europe in Rotterdam, and stand a chance of winning funding from the Shell Game Changer Programme. To date, the programme has invested USD $300 million in new ideas. Olusola Omosola from Nigeria, and studying for an Msc Management and International Systems, hopes that his team’s project can open up a new more
cost effective era for solar power. In the words of a Shell spokesperson, the project “will offer communities in the developing world that aren’t connected to the national grid an energy solution that makes use of their biggest source of energy.” In an interview with The Mancunion, Omosola explained the concept of the ‘solar tree’, and his personal hopes for the project. The solar tree is designed to copy the shape of a tree by building the newly designed flexible and light panels vertically without having to firstly rely on a solid structure to act as a base, and secondly to avoid taking important land away from people that need to use it, so the tree adapts to the environment it’s set up in. Although an important concern, Omosola believes that the project can help everyone, not just his native Nigeria. “In the long run, we are looking at a system where you can just go to a market and buy a box of it [solar panels]. There are parts [of Nigeria] where we have more solar energy than others, but we do have a lot of sunshine”, he said. At this point, The Mancunion pointed out that in the UK
L-R: Ryo Inoue, Olusola Omosola, Emmanuel Olatokun. Photo: Olusola Omosola it costs between £4000 and £6000 to install domestic solar panels. After that, it takes time to see a return on the investment. Although Ofgem, the electricity and gas regulator, have predicted that solar panels are set to come into their own in the next few
years as prices rise. Omosola and his colleagues aim to solve this problem. “Conventional solar panels are very expensive”, he said. “We are looking at bringing down that cost significantly. We are in the computer age,
computer memory, flash drives, used to be very expensive. But suddenly the price crashed and become really cheap.” Omosola added further that “Hopefully it will even generate more electricity. We’re looking at going into more research to find
out how we can generate more power using smaller or lighter parts”. Round two of the competition commences at the end of the month.
Students’ Union elections 2014 candidate list General Secretary Charlotte Cook Greg Knowles Jennifer Grimshaw Joe Baines-Holmes Joseph Clough Laura Sullivan Peter Werner
Women’s Officer
Luke Prince
Wellbeing Officer Joseph Clough Rosie Dammers Rowan Mataram Thomas Allen Thomas Lalaurie
Community Officer
Casper Hughes Ellen McLaughlin Farah Nassef Jennifer Grimshaw Joseph Clough Activities and Development Saad Rehman Jess Lishak Nazmun Nahar Niharika Asha Archer Zac Diamond
Officer
Daniel Davis Dominic Leverment Joel Smith Joseph Clough Joy Emawodia
Education Officer Andrea Campos-Vigouroux Harriet Potter Joseph Clough
Campaigns and Citizenship Officer Conor McGurran Joseph Clough MacIntyre Law Thom Nixon
Diversity Officer Fakhra Aslam Joseph Clough Masharul Haque Tessy Martim Vera Qian Yamen Hawit Voting for the 2014 University of Manchester Students’ Union elections is open until 5pm on the 20th March. The results will be announced at 9pm the same day. You can vote online on the Students’ Union website.
08 : Feature
ISSUE 18 / 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Inside Nightline: Volunteers from Manchester’s anonymous listening service tell their stories Nightline volunteers tell The Mancunion why they joined the listening service
I
t’s after midnight, the students are sat quietly drinking cups of tea and maybe having a biscuit, or two. A shrill noise breaks the quiet, it’s the phone. One of them confidently leans forward to pick it up, ‘Hello Nightline’ … University isn’t an easy period in many people’s lives. It can be really enjoyable, but it comes with its own set of pressures such as, moving away from home, exam stress, housing issues and money troubles – the list is endless. Proof of the difficulties plaguing many people during this period in their lives is demonstrated by a recent NUS study finding that 20 per cent of students identified themselves as having a mental health problem. But even worse are the fears revealed by recent Priory Group research that many students suffer in silence and don’t feel they can share their problems, for whatever reason. This is why organisations such as Nightline play a vital role in helping with student wellbeing. Nightline represents a voice at the end of the phone, a voice that will neither judge nor advise. They recognise that sometimes all that is needed is having somebody to talk to and for someone to listen. Volunteers are not trained in any official counselling capacity; they are all students who volunteer their time because they believe that the service is of vital benefit to the University community. The volunteers receive rigorous training so that they are equipped to handle any call in a calm and empathetic manner. The training is completed over a number of weeks and allows for prospective volunteers to learn about a range of concerns students may face and gives the opportunity to listen to speakers on topics ranging from student issues, mental health, and gender identity. I’ve been given the opportunity to speak to some of the volunteers and find out why it is important for them to be involved and what the service actually does. Due to the confidential nature of Nightline none of the identities of the people giving their stories will be revealed however, they are all committed members of the service. Why did you join Nightline? Volunteer A – When I started university it was my first time away from home without the security provided by my friends and family. There were times I really enjoyed myself but at others I felt alone and down but didn’t feel I could talk to the people I was still getting to know. At the time I didn’t feel my problems
were worth bothering Nightline about, so I didn’t call, but ended up getting involved as a volunteer because the ethos of being a non-judgemental, nonadvisory and confidential listening
Anyone can and should call if they want, however large or small they might view their problems Nightline is there to listen. service really attracted me. For me, Nightline represents the type of safe listening space I once needed. Now as a volunteer I know that anyone can and should call if they want, however large or small they might view their problems Nightline is there to listen. Volunteer B – In my first year I rang Nightline when I was suffering from mild depression. Earlier that day I’d gone to see a Doctor but I really didn’t feel he understood my problems and how difficult I was finding it to motivate myself. However when I rang Nightline they seemed to really understand and were happy to listen. It was great to have a friendly voice that was on my side. I later decided to join as I thought it would be a great opportunity to help others and return the support Nightline offered me when I was feeling vulnerable. Why do you think providing a service like Nightline is important? (A service for students, run by students) Volunteer C – I think that it’s important to have someone available for the people who need it at the most isolated times when everyone else is probably asleep. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to or someone to care about what you’re going through, just having someone to talk to can make a big difference! Being students ourselves, I feel that we can relate to our callers better than adult
Nightline’s Mascot Noel is the only member of Nightline who isn’t anonymous Photo: Nightline volunteers from other organisations. Other organisations might not be as familiar with student issues or things discussed. I like to think that being staffed by student volunteers means our callers feel more at ease talking to us (well, hopefully). Having such a service just generally improves the mental wellbeing of students, which is extremely important for their time at university. Why is Nightline useful, given the fact they can’t give advice? Volunteer A – We aren’t qualified in any formal capacity, thus making it difficult to sanction giving advice. We are a large group of students who want to help people and who have the ability to empathise. We only know as much as the caller chooses to tell us, so don’t know the specific situations callers are in. Therefore if we gave advice it could be irrelevant or potentially cause harm to the caller and the person offering it. Also one of the aims of Nightline is to provide a uniform service so that students on any given night can call and receive the same standard of professionalism and helpfulness every time they call; if we started offering advice then this aim wouldn’t be achievable. Sometimes though it’s not about people wanting advice at all, what’s needed is just to let all those bottled up feelings out to someone who’s willing to listen. It also helps that we’re strictly confidential, non-judgmental and anonymous, so our callers don’t have to worry about opening up to us about anything and everything. Finally, although we can’t
give advice, we are allowed to give information so people can phone asking for things such as options of who to contact for student related services, taxi numbers and more. Why is it important to maintain confidentiality? Volunteer C – We understand there are some things it can be hard to discuss. It may have taken a lot of courage for someone to call and we want to ensure no matter what is said, it will remain safe. We are taught from the beginning that confidentiality is a foundation of Nightline, and will never disclose the content of your call to third parties. This aims to create a trusting relationship between caller and volunteer, where callers feel comfortable sharing anything they want to get off their chest. Volunteers will not discuss calls with their friends, as this would be a violation of the confidential, nonjudgemental service we pride ourselves in delivering. This confidentiality covers to the identities of volunteers as well. As individuals can’t be recognised with Nightline, we have a mascot – Noel the Nightline Bear as the face of the organisation, who can be seen around campus, advertising the service. What happens when a person calls? Volunteer D – When a person calls Nightline, they will be put through to one of our volunteers. The volunteer will discuss anything the caller wishes, for as long as they like. Our hope is that talking one on one, with someone in a similar position to you could provide that little extra support, that some
may find difficult to come by in their student years. For those who don’t fancy talking on the phone, we also provide E-listening, offering the same service via email. What kind of things can people call for? Volunteer D – People can call for absolutely anything. Our volunteers are happy to listen to anything you want to talk about, for as long as you want. We understand students can have a hard time, and we offer a non-judgemental space to discuss your thoughts and feelings. If there’s a particular issue you are having a hard time dealing with we’ll talk it through with you. Common topics include stress, low mood, money, relationships or drugs and alcohol, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. Equally if you just want a chat, or can’t sleep, that’s fine too! We’ll never tell you what to do, though we can offer information if you ask. Whatever is on your mind, we are here to listen, open 8pm-8am every night during term time. The number is on the back of your library card. Or you can email us at nightmail@nightline. manchester.ac.uk For more information about the service and student well-being in Manchester you can find Noel the Nightline mascot on Facebook and Noel Nightline Bear or Twitter – @MancNightline The author of this piece has chosen to be anonymous.
ISSUE 17/ 2nd MARCH 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Features : 09
Unveiling the veil – oppression or liberation?
Photo: Neil Hester @Flickr
Amiel Cohen considers from a Western perspective the role and representation of the veil in both Western and Muslim countries and cultures Amiel Cohen
A
veil can portray a number of different acts; from an expression of religious identity, to a bride wearing traditional clothing on her wedding day. With regard to the religious aspect, within western society, the majority view the veil as a religiously oppressive signifier which upholds the patriarchal separations within Islam and Islamic societies. Strange considering similar assertions would not be drawn when observing a Nun pass by... Someone who is also expressing their religious identity but somehow, luckily for the Nun, there is a western ‘acceptance’ to this more familiar religion... Edward Said, the Palestinian scholar responsible for the academic critique known as Orientalism, would possibly acclaim this idiosyncrasy to the western view of Oriental behaviour as strange, in opposition to our own ‘rational, enlightened manner’. Considering the apparent ‘multicultural’ society we claim to live in, such habits and understandings one would assume, should have been taught and understood outside this frame of ‘western’ thinking. As a Jew, growing up in a left wing and secular family, largely juxtaposed by the orthodox synagogue that I attended from a young age,
I have always found the separation between genders in religion baffling. Consequently finding myself moving away from this section of my religion toward a fully egalitarian community (Masorti Judaism). When nurturing my thoughts on a Muslim woman’s veil, my somewhat ignorant reaction, has always been to view it as another tool used by the dominant male to control and ‘oppress’ women, both religiously and socially. But why?... Considering that I know very little about the practices of Islam, it seems unfair that I base my judgements through the eyes of a western society that assumes moral superiority. This led me to delve deeper, finding myself even more concerned and fearful with the knowledge uncovered. Having carried out research, it seems strange that nowhere in the Quran does it explicitly state a Muslim women should cover up her face, with the relevant reference stating that she should cover her ‘breasts’ with a veil. Additionally, the notion of a veil within Islam seems to have stemmed from a rather nonchalant act performed by the Prophet. Indeed, when Muhammad lusted for one of his wives whilst in company, he would drop a veil to symbolise the separation of the public and the private, expressing desire for his
company to leave. Certainly, within the society he lived in, Muhammad was huge strides in front of his peers with regards to feminist thinking. It therefore seems that there has been a refusing to continue Muhammad’s progressive nature and through time, inherently patriarchal Islamic societies have forced the veil upon women, manipulating its origins with claims that it provides safety from the male gaze... ect. During a seminar I attended this week I was struck by some of the adjectives used by the women who wore Hijab’s (head scarf). Words such as modesty, protection, liberation, and safety. Whilst asserting my somewhat western and egalitarian ‘moral superiority’ upon a class of largely veiled women, I stated my struggle to comprehend and accept gender specific religious practice as ‘liberating’. I received a captivating response. A chorus of voices gathered claiming a feeling of protection and safety whilst veiled, something that perhaps did not seem possible without them... ‘WHAT’?! I was in a state of shock... These were not women living in oppressive Middle Eastern Islamic countries, but women living in the UK, a country with a society that assumes a level of gender equality and safety. It is a country which on the surface claims to have tackled large obstacles on the road to eliminating patriarchy.
One girl shared an example of the treatment she received before she started wearing a Hijab, and the increased respect she received whilst wearing one, claiming that some men indeed found it ‘attractive’. I did not quite know how to react to this; however, a sudden realisation dawned upon me. It was perhaps not the ‘oppressive and patriarchal’ nature of Islam itself that these girls were liberating themselves from, but the misogynistic, non-egalitarian societies and circles that they found themselves surrounded by. I must say, I found this thought very upsetting. The depressing notion that someone would need to change their appearance in order to feel liberated, feel safe... feel protected. Though I understand the positives that religious expression can bring to an individual, providing a feeling of fulfilment, pride and unity, I cannot escape my western, egalitarian mind-set which fails to accept gender specific and separated traditions as ‘liberating’, on the contrary, finding them as a means of sustaining patriarchal dominance.
10
Opinion
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
I, too, am prejudiced
#Your
With the ‘I, too, am’ project sweeping universities around the world, Alice Rigby addresses the casual prejudices we witness every day
Want to give your thoughts on University news, or comment about an article? Tweet, and it could appear in this fortnightly column...
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@MancunionOp
Photo: itooamoxford.tumblr.com The most powerful social movements are often the most simple. If you remember the ‘I need feminism because…’ campaign from last year, you’ll remember how impactful putting a face to a very human account of prejudice written starkly on a whiteboard was. It is in this vein that students around the world are attempting to tackle another, arguably more potent, form of prejudice. The messages written on the white boards at Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge suggest that even for some of the most educated young people in the world, racial prejudice is by no means a thing of the past. What is striking about the stories of the students involved in the project is that many of them seem to come from the wellmeaning motivations of their peers. Our understanding of ‘cultural sensitivity’ means that one of the most prolific occasions of racial prejudice documented by the project was the all too common question, ‘where are you really from?’ Caucasian students ask this because they want to understand their peers’ identities and aware of the unique perspective presented by them. But while this question may provide a fascinating insight into background of a Nigerian student, for the son of Iraqi parents born and raised in Birmingham, the answer is, well, right here and the question is downright offensive. No matter how well meaning, it was asked simply because of the colour of that person’s skin and that’s something we can all identify as racial prejudice – yet it happens every day and I will certainly admit to doing it. More to the point, by asking the question it is assumed that, because of their skin colour, that person is an outsider, not genuinely ‘from here’. It’s reinforcing a racial segregation that shouldn’t exist in the first place. Another eye opening theme in the students’ stories was the impact that urban culture has had on the attitude towards minority
students. The assumption that white students understand their minority counterparts because they’re a fan of a handful of artists with similar coloured skin is astounding. I look near identical to a couple of countrywestern artists and yet no one would suggest that I’ve had a remotely similar experience to a girl raised on a farm in rural Oklahoma. Yet, as one student from Harvard described, if you can’t rap Jay Z lyrics you’re legitimately accused of being ‘less black’ – as though your unique identity is something that can be quantified at all. On the flip side you get the educated insight, too. You’ve taken cultural studies for one semester and therefore think you can provide someone with a perspective on their own background that is more enlightened than theirs. The 21st century form of prejudice swings both ways: we assume that we understand minority experience, either by participating in a minute part of their culture or by viewing it as an academic peculiarity, a case study of which we cannot be a part. The biggest revelation of the project has been just how casual our attitude to prejudice really is. We assume that, as long as we’re saying something positive about a culture, we can’t possibly be being prejudiced. By relating to that individual in any way we think we are directly counteracting the negativity of the past. Yet, when we define anyone by their skin colour, whether positively or negatively, we are reducing their identity down to a single vector. Although it’s something we would never want done to ourselves, we freely do it when ethnicity is the vector in question. The ‘progressives’ who ‘don’t see’ skin colour are doing just as much harm. If you ignore one of the key elements of someone’s identity, you are diminishing that identity. It is you who has decided that an aspect of someone’s experience is unimportant. The conversation over racism has been so
simplified due to decades of segregation and abuse that when faced with someone from a minority background we begin panicking about being sensitive enough about their ethnicity. In doing this we are still only seeing skin. We need to move the conversation over race forward. We need to see people as individuals and let them tell us, if and when they want to, what role their racial background plays in their identity. Of course, there are still instances of outright racial ignorance. The idea that someone would ‘speak Nigerian’ is a travesty when you are aware of how many different identities and cultures come together in African nations. Similarly, confusing someone from a minority background for a different person from that background reeks of lazy generalisation and reflects a habitual practice in our society, more commonly associated with the police. This isn’t made any easier when minority students’ achievements are undermined on the grounds that they were ‘probably’ the result of positive discrimination. Yet while we are all quick to condemn these explicitly racist instances, it is our lazy prejudice that reflects most poorly on our society. When someone is being ‘racist’ in the traditional sense they are immediately criticised. The prejudices that most of us engage in, with the noble goal of being culturally sensitive, perpetuate the otherness of minority students in a way that explicit racism never could. So the next time you encounter someone with a different skin colour to your own, pause for a moment and consider the questions that immediately come to mind. I, for one, almost always wonder where that person is ‘really’ from. The ‘I too…’ project has finally made me understand just how iognorant that really is.
Opinion
ISSUE 18 / 17th March 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
11
Following the #idebate coming to Manchester, we ask...
YES At the ‘I’ debate on Tuesday 11th March a panel of journalists from the Independent and ‘I’ newspaper discussed whether or not, as Russell Brand suggests, a generation of students should give up on Westminster. I have always fallen on the ‘no’ side of this debate, believing that everyone should always involve themselves in politics as much as possible, even just through the very basic medium of voting. My argument rested on the fact that deliberately avoiding politics doesn’t mean that politics doesn’t affect you – after all, governmental policies will have an influence on your life whether you engage with them or not. Simply boycotting the polling booth does nothing for anyone. However, since the debate I have reconsidered this position. The main pull of Westminster is that it is presented as the only real seat of power, and the only place where voice really has any meaning. As such we are conditioned to believe that change cannot be
Charlotte Green effected unless it’s happening on the benches of the House of Commons. Charities, journalism, direct action and campaigning are all very well, but compared to the pomp and might of Parliament they still seem small-scale, practically amateur. Those looking for a serious alternative to Westminster as a way of advocating change will find few legitimate avenues to go down. So whilst I’m not saying we should give up on politics, maybe it is time to give up on Westminster. Fundamentally it is a bloated elitist institution filled with middle-aged white men who went to Oxbridge. And that doesn’t look like it’s going to change anytime soon. Supporters of the current system praise its historical values and its traditions of democracy, but how democratic is it really? Women, minorities, the young; they are all underrepresented in parliament. The difference between the current parties can be reduced to what colour tie their leaders
“Are a generation of young people right to give up on Westminster?”
are wearing, rather than any real ideologically-driven policy divide. There’s been talk of moving Parliament out of London into the North, possibly relocating to Birmingham. This would go some way to changing the Westminster mind-set and culture, but not enough. If young people want to prove that they are politically motivated, but just disillusioned with the Westminster bubble then we should do something truly revolutionary – form a party to represent the disengaged youth, set up our own Parliament in Camden or Manchester. If we can’t force Parliament to change through conventional means, then we need to effect that change ourselves. So yes – get voting, get campaigning, get political, but also get radical about reform. It’s time we found a different way to govern our country – and it shouldn’t be through Westminster.
It can often seem like Westminster politics is an unchangeable bastion of inherent inequality. The leader of each of the three major parties looks nearly identical to the white, middle class man next to him and each has worked since graduation on a career whose apex we are currently witnessing. It’s no wonder in such circumstances that the cries for revolution of characters such as Russell Brand start to seem appealing. But be warned: our generation giving up on Westminster is not the answer to the problems that politics presents us with. It is a myth that ignoring Westminster will force them to deal with our concerns. This is apparent when you realise that the young have been ignoring Westminster for decades. The 18-25 turnout in 2010 was only 44 per
Alice Rigby cent, one of the lowest of any demographic. It is this apparent apathy that is then reflected in policy. While our tuitions fees have risen, our grandparents, no matter how wealthy they are, get their TV licence waived, receive a winter fuel allowance and could get their council tax reduced. This is unsurprising when you consider that 76 per cent of over 65s turn out at elections. While the desire to criticise Westminster may be genuine, simply ignoring it will only confirm its power. While not voting projects an apathy that may not be reflective of the young’s true dissatisfaction with British politics, participating in the Westminster political system doesn’t have to reflect a complicit attitude to its practices. The idea of fighting from the outside and the inside is one we are all familiar with. By engaging with their system, we compel the political elite to engage with us. However, it is still possible to criticise,
NO even while participating. This is why it is only a duality of attack that can prompt real change in our political system. Participating in the system legitimates us as critics of it, while criticising it from the inside actively reduces its legitimacy. If we give up on Westminster politics, all that will happen is that Westminster politics will continue to give up on us. We will continue to see tuition fees rise, our debt sold to private companies and will never be able to buy property. If we engage with Westminster, we show that we understand their system and that our criticism is not simply the ignorant revolutionary whim of youth. It is only by participating in democracy that you can make real political change. To do anything else would be to undermine the principles we are so desperate to defend.
Disagree? Tweet us @mancuniondebate, or email us at opinion@mancunion.com
A response to the ‘crisis of apathy’
General secretary Grace Skelton responds to last week’s elections criticism, reminding you why you should vote As General Secretary of the Students’ Union, I’d like to start by saying how extremely disappointed I’ve been to read only negative stories about elections in the last couple of editions of The Mancunion. I’m grateful to have been given the opportunity to put forward an alternative viewpoint this week. Firstly, the Students’ Union elections are not suffering from a crisis of apathy. All eight positions are very hotly contested this year, and you only need to walk up and down Oxford Road or ask students with lectures in University Place to know that the candidates this year are everywhere! One can’t help but feel that we could have Sky News doing a live feed of the elections, and The Mancunion would still say there was no hype. To make the point that there is a crisis of apathy surrounding the Students’ Union, and to base that point solely on elections is ludicrous and lacking in evidence. I say this not just as someone who is passionate about elections and democracy, but because I think it misses the point of Students’ Unions completely. There are many reasons why
I think the elections are brilliant. The main one being that they genuinely get students thinking about the change they would like to see, whether that’s in the Union, University or the wider community. Via the Students’ Union we This year’s Executive team Photo: Manchester Students’ Un ion see students taking an active only getting worse. I have a students are shaping this agenda. role in the newsflash: turnout last year was Elections not only make sure Manchester community every higher than ever before and that those with the most popular single day. By Christmas, our was the fourth highest in the policies get elected, but they give students had recorded 2,045 United Kingdom. The author current officers who have four hours of volunteering, and raised blamed this so-called apathy months left even more to be a staggering £150,000 for charity. on exec not implementing lobbying the University for. Without the Union to bring all this popular policies like the full-time In the article last week there together, it wouldn’t have been salaried Mancunion editor. This was blatant hypocrisy and possible. is ridiculous. I got 1,945 votes, factual inaccuracies that featured The extra engagement around the All Student Vote on a paid throughout. The piece claimed election time is so crucial; with Mancunion editor got 224. If I’m that the exec officers “can’t really the University putting increasing unpopular, what does that make claim a mandate from students” emphasis on the “student the Editor of the Mancunion? because turnout is so low and experience”, it is vital that
Regardless, what the article failed to recognise was that the value of the Students’ Union is so much more than how many people run in elections and how many people vote. The value is the 24,530 individual s o c i e t y memberships, which is up 20 per cent on this time last year. These societies are the lifeblood of the Students’ Union and some of the activities and events they organise are truly remarkable. The value is the £1.2million of bursaries that was put back into students’ pockets due to exec officers and students working with and lobbying the University to understand the real value of that money. The value is the estimated 20,000 students that might read
this article in the Opinions section of The Mancunion, and that it might make them think again about whether they choose to vote in this year’s elections or not. All of these things, and so many more, are made possible by the Students’ Union. The idea of having a space that is led by students for the benefit of students is something actually quite remarkable and I can’t tell you how proud I am to lead such an organisation. It was disappointing to see that last week’s author believes the role of General Secretary to be one faced with so much negativity and political infighting. I can assure readers that nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, there is political disagreement among the exec, but we have a 40,000 strong diverse membership and it would be an injustice to them if that diversity wasn’t reflected in the exec team year on year. Personally, I can’t wait to see who the eight lucky people are that are elected on Thursday to lead such a large, vibrant and exciting organisation in 2014/15. I can only hope that they enjoy it at least half as much as I have!
ISSUE 17/ 10th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Editors: Phoebe Clarke, Patrick Hinton, Tom Ingham Interview
Opinion
theMUSIC OPINION: Why we should all watch the Eurovision Song Contest When asked, “Watching Eurovision this year?” many people say no, many more say, “Hell, no,” and a few say they’ll be watching but minus any real passion. It seems that in this country, especially among students, having anything to do with Eurovision is distinctly uncool. There is a certain image of Eurovision cultivated by those who don’t like it – that it is tacky, cheesy, and has bad music which causes people to decide they hate Eurovision when, in fact, it may be years since they actually sat down and watched it. I would like to put forward my view on why Eurovision is, in fact, a great television event and a powerful and important institution. Firstly, how many TV events per year are watched simultaneously by 170 million viewers across 36 countries?* That feeling of togetherness is the main reason I like Eurovision. That you are sitting in your front room watching, and people are sitting in their front rooms in Spain and Greece and Norway and Russia and are watching the exact same thing as you. Isn’t that really something? For me this feeling was epitomised in 2010 with the Eurovision flash mob – YouTube it and tell me you don’t feel moved by it. Secondly, Eurovision is a chance to learn about other countries. I learnt more about Azerbaijan from their hosting Eurovision than I had ever known in my life. We hear songs sung in other languages. I have picked up the odd word of Czech and Estonian from Eurovision songs, and huge chunks of French and Spanish. Plus, with English dominating
international television, it is truly refreshing, for me anyway, to hear some new tongues. And it is an important reminder to protect the incredible linguistic diversity of Europe; to learn, teach, speak these languages; to keep them alive. Finally, there is the music. Yes, there is the standard “cheesy” Europop (which I think people should give more of a chance. Some Europop songs are very well-written and enjoyable). However, if Europop is not your thing, don’t despair. Every year brings songs from a wide range of genres. Folk, rock, soft ballads, semi-opera. Some of my favourite songs happen to be Eurovision songs. It’s just a matter of finding songs of whatever genre you prefer, rather than lumping all “Eurovision songs” in together. So, when Eurovision comes around in May, don’t hastily remember you were planning to go out that night, or hope there’ll be something on another channel. Give it a try, and who knows, you might find a song that’ll stay with you forever. At the very least, you’ll see the sublime and the ridiculous, learn a bit about Denmark and maybe, just maybe, be infected by that Eurovision feeling, the feeling that from sunny Malta to chilly Finland we are all watching this together. That, to quote last year’s slogan, “We are one.” Plus, it’s a great excuse to have a party. Cupcakes with European flags on for the win. Elizabeth Gibson
the MUSIC INTERVIEW:
Âme
Patrick Hinton talks with Âme about their label Innervisions, marathon dj sets and football. Âme are deep house masters and, alongside Dixon, run one of the most prestigious labels in dance music - Innervisions. We spoke to Kristian Beyer prior to their appearance at the DGTL festival in Amsterdam. Berlin is a real mecca for electronic music producers; Âme resisted the move for a long time. I begin the interview questioning why it took them so long to leave their hometowns and whether their job has changed since then. “Actually it didn’t change anything for us, but it did help to improve the workflow for the label and in the studio. Now we have brought everything together office, studio - and families of course. We love the city but actually more the side which is not connected to the techno scene. Since then it’s also easier to play more often at the best club we have nowadays named Berghain.” “A couple of months ago Frank started to produce with other artists and I join sometimes as an advisor. This is the first time where we’ve let some outsiders into our studio and this is definitely a new experience.” One such collaboration is with Ry Cuming, the man signed to a major label that houses the likes of Britney Spears. How did this come about? “They met through a mutual friend and it clicked very fast between them. I must say I am very happy that Frank found him as Frank can make a lot of music with him he could never do with me.” Throughout their releases Âme have drawn on a wide range of influences and worked within numerous genres. Kristian shares how the direction of a track forms: “I would say it’s a natural process. Very often we start with a sample or an atmosphere and this drives us somewhere and very late in the whole process we can see the goal.” Âme have also produced a lot of remixes. “In the beginning of our career we often remixed tracks where we couldn’t use anything of the original, so at the end it was more a track of our own then a remix. At that point we decided to only remix songs we like where
I kept myself being a music and party addict we knew from the beginning which parts we could use in an own version. Most of the time these are classic songs as they are the best material to work on.” Next Kristian reflects on how his feelings towards music have remained strong over the years: “As I have a private life which doesn’t really have to deal with my job I am still very hungry every weekend. I kept myself being a music and party addict by avoiding this during the week as much as possible.” Recently Âme signalled a possible new direction, producing a different kind of dance music - for the Berlin State Ballet, a member of which featured in their video for Tatischeff. “We are always open for projects like that, but at the end we are still a dance project. We would love to make film music again too, but if it’s not happening we will continue to make tracks for the dance floor.” Âme are playing live and dj sets at the DGTL festival in Amsterdam over the Easter weekend in April. “Amsterdam is like a second home to us, since the [Club] 11 days and now with our relationship with Trouw. We became friends with a lot of people over there in recent years and I holiday in Amsterdam with the whole family for at least one week every year. The Dutch crowd have always been good to us.” Kristian often plays marathon dj sets of anything up to 12 hours. I question how he prepares for these and whether it’s ever a struggle. “I have more music with me, that’s the only difference. In my opinion it starts to be fun after 3/4 hours and if you pass
this mark everything works automatically.” Frank takes control of the live sets, which are often a bit of a misnomer in electronic music, but this is not the case for Âme: Kristian confirms “he is playing live and not just starting prepared tracks in Ableton.” Fellow Innervisions co-founder Dixon formerly had a highly promising footballing career. “We are all huge football fans and coincidentally have all supported the same team since we were small kids…this makes it much easier. This year the Innervisions crew will join our national team at the World Cup as a mental support!” Let’s hope Âme take the reins of Germany’s official world cup song – German football and house music, two of life’s greatest pleasures. So how would an Innervisions 5-a-side team line up? “I wouldn’t play football in one team with the others as this always ends up with a fight. Don’t play with friends in one team! Rule number one…” The standard of Innervisions releases is always exceptional. “We all three have to be happy with the music so this makes it harder for every release to get through the committee.” I ask what their plans are for 2014, noting particular interest in the song ‘Epikur’ by David August which was a set highlight when I saw Âme. “Actually the David August is coming out this month as part of our Innervisions anniversary. Release number 50 will be 4 12 inches at the same time by Recondite, David August, Orson Wells and Sandrino & Frankey so these are our plans for the next weeks. After that, we’ll see.” Lastly, the question I’ve been burning to ask all interview: Where does Dixon get his excellent shirts? “Probably at any Dreis Van Noten store!!!” Âme play the DGTL Festival in Amsterdam on April 20th
Patrick Hinton Music Editor
Top 5: by Henry Scanlan
TOP 5
SONGS:
for a funeral
1. Steppenwolf - Magic Carpet Ride This doesn’t have to be a drab affair! Slap on some Steppenwolf and get your grandma’s hips moving.
2. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
3. Celine Dion - All By Myself
4. Pavement - Shady Lane
Make sure you coax some tears from every last man, woman and child in the room. Even that 7th cousin you never ever spoke to. If they can’t shed a tear for you then what was the point of it all?
In case no one turns up. There was probably just a mix up with the invites. (That will be the official party line.)
“You’ve been chosen as an extra in the movie adaptation of the sequel to your life.”
5. Brian Eno - An Ending A moment of reflection please. This is the sound of your soul catching the wind and drifting into the ether. Perhaps accompanied by a slideshow displaying all of your finest achievements.
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
: @MancunionMusic : / TheMancunionMusicSection
Music
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Interview
Justin Van Der Volgen Phoebe Clarke, Music Editor
Electronic DJ Justin Van Der Volgen has the most laid-back attitude of a New Yorker that I’ve ever seen. Describing his sound as simply the best selection of “old and new Dance music”. He’s an understated character that has a name for himself through highly accredited remix work and diverse original material. “My whole ethos is that you should always try to make something that you’d want to listen to, otherwise how can you expect that other people will want to listen to it too?” he comments. This has led to a changing sound throughout his career. “When I produce, I try to make something that sounds interesting although my style has really evolved as I’ve grown older. In my twenties for example, I really got into Minimalist music and ‘The Clapping Song’ is based loosely off Steve Reich”. For someone so ambitious, his genuine love for the craft is refreshing. Turning to his remix work, the emphasis is on artistic credibility rather than the opportunity to earn a quick buck. He explains “I never agree to do a remix until I’ve had the artist send me the parts first. I then work on it for a day or two and only at that point, can I figure out
if I’m happy with remixing that product or if it will be an enjoyable process.” To him, this credibility is all too lacking in modern day Dance music. “I really belief that you shouldn’t agree to do a remix unless you belief you’ll do a good job” he comments. “Initially I don’t say yes as then I’m committed to trying to make something that maybe won’t be good for either of us. To me, it makes no sense why people do remixes if they’re garbage all the time. They’ve become a thing where they’re just there and exist, even for artists that I like and respect. Ultimately it boils down to the fact that I’d rather make one good product a year than lots of average ones.” The product he does create however, is always of a high standard, with Justin having produced much acclaimed remixes for Alexander Robotnik and Sof Rocks to name a few. I ask him the secret of his success. “Ultimately it’s all about finding that balance between your input and the already existing material. I have to find some sort of spark of inspiration within the parts that have been given to me. There’s no point in just writing your own track and giving it back like “here’s a remix of your song, that’s much improved but has none of
your own parts!” Sometimes it gets to a point where you don’t like any of their own stuff and that’s where the need for balance comes in.” Looking towards the future however, Justin will be focusing on his new material. “I’ve probably released more records this year than I have before. I’m aiming for a release schedule that will see my next track out at the beginning of April followed by a new release every 2-3 months after that. Well, that is if everything goes smoothly...” However with a schedule that will see him jet from Japan to Croatia’s Dalmatian coast this summer, his live sets have to take priority as he describes a loyal following of fans that make his sets so explosive. “I want to enjoy my life and I have so much fun playing at clubs and that’s partly because the crowd is always so responsive at my gigs. As what I do is quite niche, they normally know what to expect and people know what they’re getting into when they’re booking me. Of course you have the odd nightmare gig but if it was something that I didn’t enjoy doing then I wouldn’t do it. There’s no point spending your Saturdays and Sundays doing something that you aren’t incredibly passion-
ate about. You only have so many and so you’d better make them count.” His favourite set of last year however, was The Garden Festival in Croatia that will be returning to its new home in Tisno this summer for its 9th season as the country’s founding electronic event. “I love going to Japan but I’d have to say The Garden Festival in Croatia was by far my favourite set of last year. That’s the one what really stood out. I always tend to prefer smaller gigs in general however, with a more intimate vibe.”Justin will be playing at The Garden Festival Croatia’s annual club tour, the Manchester show of which will take
place at The Deaf Institute on Sat 22nd March. If you fancy a longer break from student life however, Justin will be returning to the Garden Festival this summer alongside Eats Everything, Craig Richards, Bicep and many more. Grab your ticket to the party paradise by visiting www.thegardenfestival.eu.
Mancunion Music Show! Every Thursday, 5:00pm
Listen online at www.fusefm.co.uk Review
Review
Reverend & The Makers HMV Ritz - 5th March 2014 Hot on the heels of their tour of fans’ living rooms and conservatories, Reverend and The Makers’ latest set of live shows saw them hit Manchester’s HMV Ritz on the 5th of March. The band delivered a tight, careerspanning performance of their trademark danceable indie rock in front of a packed crowd of their famously devoted fans. Beginning with the lead of track from the newly released Thirty Two, ‘Detonator’, followed by the synth-heavy groove of ‘Bassline’, the band commanded the stage and the fans alike, with frontman and namesake Jon ‘The Reverend’ McClure displaying the Gallagher-esque swagger that first helped set the band apart from their contemporaries almost a decade ago. Though Thirty Two was barely a fortnight old, the audience seemed to already have taken this new set of songs to heart, singing and bouncing along to them with almost the same fervour as classics such as
‘Heavyweight Champion of the World’, ‘The State of Things’ and fan-favourite ‘Shine A Light’. ‘Your Girl’, though much hyped and released as a teaser for the new album only weeks ago, was notable in its absence from the set list, left out in favour of more established concert staples in the vein of ‘He Said He Loved Me’ and the gently anthemic ‘No Soap In A Dirty War’. ‘Silence is Talking’ - the thunderous, trumpet-laden highlight of their second record A French Kiss In The Chaos -
8/10 closed the main show, leaving fans to continue to chant its main melody as they left the venue and made their way across the street to see The Rev perform one of his acoustic roadside encores, culminating a sing-along cover of The Specials’ ‘A Message To You Rudy’.
Dan Whiteley
Haim Manchester Academy 1 - 8th March 2014 Since dropping the Forever EP back in 2012, HAIM have been making waves with their refreshingly relaxed approach to ‘girl power’. Despite absolute bad asses like Chrissie Hynde and the infamous string of famous females bassists (Kim Deal, Kim Gordon, Tina Weymouth etc) there is still an out-dated notion of novelty tagged on to females in rock bands; kind of like seeing a woman on Mock The Week. HAIM, along with Warpaint and countless others are putting the last resounding nail in that 1970’s, pipe smoking, ampsup-to-11 coffin. Opener ‘Falling’ epitomizes the breezy and slick brand of pop that has drawn endless comparisons to Stevie Nicks and Tango In the Nightera Fleetwood Mac; treading the perfect line between being danceable and ideal with a Pimm’s in the park. Although the vibes feel firmly 1975-onwards RE Fleetwood Mac, the set features the Peter Green classic ‘Oh Well’, revealing HAIM’s heavier roots and showcasing Danielle’s vintage
chops. Their second cover, Beyonce’s ‘xo’ is a significant departure from the noise and sees Estee take the mic for a sensitive number, restraining from her usual gurning bravado. The brief nature of the set, a mere 12 songs, actually works in the sister’s favour and allows them to administer one pungent shot of energy without any of the fat. As was the case at the Ritz earlier this year, ‘Forever’ is the stand out track; the ‘Edge of Seventeen’ picking, the funky lead guitar line, the killer bass and soulful harmonies come together to produce a dangerously catchy and
9/10 infectious single. Whilst Este’s onstage persona can come across a little crass and dare I say ‘American’, in the context of the live show even cynics like me feel compelled to respond in chorus to “how the fuck we doing Manchester?”. No band can be labelled ‘great’ from one album, and whether HAIM choose to pursue their pop sensibilities or branch out and experiment remains to be seen, however for the time being they are riding an endless high, and long may it continue. Tom Ingham, Music Editor
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Music
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Now: Architects- Lost Forever//Lost Together Epitaph Records Release Date - 11th March 2014
Architects have garnered quite a name for themselves over the past several years, and it looked like topping the earth-shattering Daybreaker would be quite the challenge, but the Brighton boys have done it again with Lost Forever//Lost Together, showcasing some of their finest material to date. On initial listening the album immediately elicits a number of mental images, chaos comes to mind, as does complete and utter ruin. The lads certainly haven’t mellowed out in their ten years as a post-hardcore quintet. Lost Forever//Lost Together sees them combine the raw, underpolished carnage of their third release Hollow Crown with the intelligent and intimidating style of Daybreaker. The early moments of the album contain some of the finest, ‘Gravedigger’ is a key track which welcomes the listener to a bombardment of (somewhat overused) blast beats and breakdowns preceded by Sam Carter’s signature ‘‘BLUGH!’’ as well as a very addictive chorus which will dare the listener to put it on repeat. Onto the main body of the album then – ‘Naysayer’ and ‘Broken Cross’ are the two singles
Book now: 0161 832 1111 For full listings visit:
manchesteracademy.net 8/10
released thus far, both of which have music videos, and are sure to be key Architects anthems played at current and future shows. The midsection of the album maintains the heaviness and momentum of these bangers, but does not stand out particularly when compared to the openers. ‘Red Hypergiant’ is certainly a filler, an interlude seen too commonly in music today. I sensed a hint of Architects imitating the political and activist themes also frequently feigned in heavy music these days, but that’s a different matter. The interlude is a nice enough break and maintains the element of impending doom which makes the album what it is. Track number seven breaks back into the onslaught with ‘C.A.N.C.E.R’, it opens with a slightly generic breakdown but Architects deliver it in a way only they can. The final few songs from Lost Forever//Lost Together are a more experimental and give the record its depth of quality, ‘Colony Collapse’ has heavy undertones, but slows the pace down a little, creating a melancholy vibe. We see Carter’s good vs evil vocals at the back end of the album, track number nine ‘Castles In The Air’ is a stand out track both instrumentally and lyrically, Tom Searle’s guitar tones shine through here like never before and Carter belts out some fantastic lines ‘’ I wasted time building castles in the air. If there’s peace to be found, I won’t find it there.’’ The final two tracks on Lost Forever//Lost Together are not the most memorable, but are essential in creating the whole package that is this cracking record.
Donald Spencer
MARCH Space & Republica Thursday 20th NMEAwardstour2014withAustin,Texas: Interpol + Temples + Royal Blood + Circa Waves Thursday 20th Ian Prowse & Amsterdam Friday 21st Quadrophenia Night Friday 21st Heaven’s Basement Saturday 22nd Transmission - The Sounds of Joy Division Saturday 22nd Azealia Banks Wednesday 26th Bonafide Wednesday 26th Jack Savoretti Thursday 27th Loveable Rogues Friday 28th Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank (TGT) Friday 28th The Stranglers Saturday 29th The Lox (D-Block) Saturday 29th
APRIL The Robert Glasper Experiment Wednesday 2nd Emblem3 Thursday 3rd Therapy? Troublegum 20th Anniversary Thursday 3rd Mentallica vs Megadeth UK Saturday 5th Bipolar Sunshine Saturday 5th Deaf Havana Saturday 5th
Then: The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones
State Of Quo Saturday 5th
Decca Records -
Johnette Napolitano (Of Concrete Blonde) Thursday 10th
Riverside Sunday 6th Devildriver Wednesday 9th The Wildhearts Thursday 10th
April 1964
Next month will bring us the golden anniversary
entitled ‘Tell Me’. Amidst all the blues, this song is a
Hue & Cry Thursday 10th
of the eponymous first album of The Rolling Stones.
textbook pop ballad number. It tells of heartache for
The album essentially pays homage to their early
a former lover and how he wants her back. Although
UB40 Saturday 12th
musical passion of rhythm ‘n’ blues.
the song isn’t a stand out hit for the album, it does
Penetration Saturday 12th
Consisting of twelve songs, the album is dependent
show that The Rolling Stones at the time weren’t a
Gallon Drunk Tuesday 15th
on covering, as nine of the songs are reworks of
one trick pony. It shows that they were versatile and
blues and rock and roll classics from legendary
could skew away from R’n’B, whilst boasting their
Augustines Wednesday 16th
performers such as Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon.
talents as songwriters.
The Summer Set Thursday 17th Berlin Berlin Saturday 19th
The opening number sets the tone for the album
Upon its release, this album stormed to number 1
ahead with an upbeat cover of the R’n’B standard
in the charts and remained there for 12 weeks and
Kvelertak Monday 21st
‘Route 66’. The song has a raw and inexperienced
deservedly so. 50 years later they’ve had 29 studio
sound that is expected from an up and coming band
albums, 8 number one hits, and enough drugs
Brody Dalle Tuesday 22nd
from the early 60s. With Jagger’s youthful voice and
to make Charlie Sheen cower in shame, and it all
a blistering guitar solo from Richards, this really
began with this album: The Rolling Stones.
makes a perfect start to the album. However not the entire album relies on covers with three original compositions. One is credited to Jagger and Richards whilst the other two are credited to Nanker Phelge (a pseudonym for a collaborative effort by the whole band). ‘Now I’ve Got a Witness’ is the first original to appear on the album. Being an instrumental song, it really showcases the band’s musical ability to jam
Jack Bittiner
The Temperance Movement Wednesday 23rd Uncle Acid &The Deadbeats Thursday 24th Clutch Thursday 24th Patent Pending & People On Vacation Friday 25th Jace Everett with band Friday 25th The Smiths Ltd Saturday 26th
out with typical bluesy harmonica and guitar solos
John Butler Trio Sunday 27th
throughout. It truly is a song you can imagine any
Blood Red Shoes Monday 28th
band practicing in their nan’s garage, shredding the guitar and leaving a lot of room for improv. The song composed by the Jagger/Richards duo is
MAY De La Soul Friday 2nd
Northside Saturday 3rd Neon Trees Monday 5th Janelle Monae Wednesday 7th Martin Stephenson & The Daintees Thursday 8th Jagwar Ma Saturday 10th The Clone Roses Saturday 10th Action Bronson Monday 12th Courtney Love Tuesday 13th Michael Franti & Spearhead Tuesday 13th Lit Wednesday 14th CASH – The No.1 Johnny Cash Tribute Saturday 17th Capone-N-Noreaga & Onyx Saturday 17th Fishbone Wednesday 21st Goldfinger/Zebrahead Thursday 22nd Swans Thursday 22nd Ned’s Atomic Dustbin + The Wedding Present + CUD + The Sultans Of Ping + The Frank & Walters + Chameleons Vox
GIGANTIC – Classic Indie All Dayer Bank Holiday Saturday 24th
CULMINATION – Marcel Woods/TV Noise/Harry Shotta Live/Sandy B Live/Paul Taylor/Original Sin/Whelan & Di Scala Sunday 25th The War On Drugs Wednesday 28th The Three Johns Wednesday 28th AWOLNATION Thursday 29th Francis Dunnery Band Friday 30th
JUNE Schoolboy Q Sunday 1st Gary Clark Jr Tuesday 3rd The Polyphonic Spree Saturday 7th Pond Monday 9th Andy Jordan Wednesday 18th Jurassic 5 Thursday 19th Gareth Gates Tuesday 24th
REST OF 2014 Extreme – Pornograffitti Live Tour Friday 4th July Ska Face Saturday 5th July Anberlin Thursday 7th August AxisOfAwesome Monday22ndSeptember Vance Joy Thursday 25th September Evile (Album Launch Show) Saturday 27th September Miles & Erica Saturday 11th October Anti-Nowhere League Thursday 16th October The Orb Saturday 18th October Katy B Saturday 25th October Asking Alexandria Friday 31st October Cockney Rejects Thursday 6th November Lindsey Stirling Friday 7th November Dan Baird & Homemade Sin Friday 21st November New Found Glory Friday 21st November
Games
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
15
Editor: Alasdair Preston Preview
Preview Zenimax Online Studios • Bethesda • RRP: £49.99 • Available on PC, Mac, Xbox One & PS4 • Out
Retro Corner
The Elder Scrolls Online
Did Square Enix’s gamble on Final Fantasy X pay off? Bruce Tang gives his verdict
Nick Jastrzebski finds out if the infamous RPG can compete in the massively multiplayer world Let me just start by saying, I love the Elder Scrolls. It is my favourite video game series. In my eyes, it is the ultimate role-playing game. The total freedom to go exploring anywhere in the world and play how you want is at the core of the franchise. No restrictive classes which send you down a specific path, just a set of skills you can improve, or not if you choose. This is my fundamental problem with the Elder Scrolls Online; it’s a massively multiplayer online game, so the freedom which is the cornerstone of the series has been neutered. You start the game, in true Elder Scrolls fashion, as a prisoner. Captured by necromancers and sacrificed to the daedric lord Molag Bal, you awake in his realm, Coldharbour, for the tutorial segment. Before beginning, you are presented with the character creation menu where you can select your race, gender, appearance and so on. The two big things here are the addition of a class system and the faction system. The factions of Tamriel are the Ebonheart Pact, the Daggerfall Covenant and the Aldmeri Dominion. Depending on which race you pick, you will be assigned to the appropriate faction. For instance, the Nords of Skyrim are members of the Ebonheart Pact along with the Dark Elves and Argonians. The exception being the Imperial race that can join any faction, but they are only accessible if you fork out for the Imperial Edition of the game. Each faction has a unique set of early game locations they can visit as well as serving as the three groups warring in the player vs player content set in Cyrodiil. There are 4 classes to choose from; Templar, Dragonknight, Sorcerer and Nightblade. Each class has unique skill sets that only they can use, giving them a different focus in grouped dungeons; Templars tend
Extra Life
Extra Life Infinity Ward • Activision• RRP: £44.99 • Available on all major platforms
to favour tanking and healing, Nightblades are generally damage dealers, and so on. The game UI even acknowledges these archetypes by allowing you to select your preferred role (tank, heal, damage) when searching for a group to join. But this is an MMO, so combat archetypes are fine, right? The combat system feels very much like it should, with active blocking and dodging being an important focus which gives it a more strategic feel than you might expect. Each weapon type has its own skill line which you can develop the more you use them. However, melee attacks tend to feel somewhat weightless with very little impact (unlike the feeling of crushing a bandit’s skull with a warhammer in Skyrim) thanks to the lack of clipping with NPCs. But this is an MMO, I guess floaty combat is to be expected, right? One thing I certainly can’t complain about is the voice acting and the story in general. While quest objectives tend to fall into the trap of “go here, kill these” or “go here, collect these things”, the stories behind these quests are all well written and worthy of being part of the Elder Scrolls world. Definite choices, interesting characters and varying enemies keep the gameplay interesting and will keep you coming back for more. Yes, you can run around the war-torn province of Cyrodiil freely, fighting other players and conquering forts for your faction, but not until you reach level 10 which takes a lot longer than I feel it should. Over the weekend the beta was available, I only just reached level 10 so I didn’t get a lot of time to try the PvP content. What I did manage to play involved an awful lot of lag and frame-rate drops, though I was using a US server and beta is still beta, after all. I would expect the game to be far better
Image: ToTheGame
optimised upon release. I think the biggest obstacle for a lot of people, including myself, is going to be the price of the game. The initial purchase plus the monthly subscription fee of £8.99 definitely seems steep to me. I know game development is not cheap and servers are expensive to maintain, but I can’t help think of all the free to play MMOs out there that seem to profit without having such a high barrier to entry. Zenimax have managed to make the best of a bad situation. Creating an Elder Scrolls MMO was always going to be problematic, but I feel they’ve managed to put together one of the best MMOs ever, or at least the potential for one. If you’re looking for a new MMO to sink hours of your life into, I’d recommend this. However, if you’re not a big fan of MMOs I’d steer clear for now. It has the look of an Elder Scrolls game, but at its core it’s a classic MMO. I just wish they’d made this The Elder Scrolls VI instead.
When Square Enix announced a while back that they were going to remake Final Fantasy X in HD for the PS3, I almost squealed. This game was one of the first games I played as a kid back in 2003 on the PS2 and it was one of the very, very few games that I’ve replayed several times. RPG games like Final Fantasy usually have an incredibly convoluted storyline, but this was one that I could actually understand even at the age of nine. You follow Tidus as he joins a group of Guardians. Guardians must protect and aid their summoner on a pilgrimage to Zanarkand. Once they arrive, they can call upon Aeons, magical beings who temporarily defeat Sin, a monster that has been terrorising the world due to their sinful ways. Square Enix took a huge risk when developing FFX because so much of the scenery and setting had changed from past Final Fantasy games. It had broken the recurring Western medieval feel and instead adopted a more distinctive South East Asian style. Instead of looking at grey castles again and again, we had a heroic quest that spanned ancient ruins on a tropical island and an icy crystal-like forest. It was very easy to get lost in the game just staring at all of the tiny details on the screen. Reading subtitles and text on screen meant that certain events didn’t hit as hard, but the introduction of voice actors in this series changed how I responded to games. Things were acted out in front of me, which made all the emotions from the story hit me much harder than it would have done otherwise. Of course there were bits in the game where the acting was questionable – the awkwardness of the laughing scene for those who can remember for example – but things like that pale in comparison to just how emotionally capturing this game was. The turn-based battle system also marked a slight change from previous entries. There was no time restriction, so you could spend as long as you wanted creating the right strategies and finding out your opponents’ Image: ToTheGame weaknesses, while working out what combination of characters worked out best. If you’re willing to invest a huge chunk of your time into a game, look no further than FFX. The HD version is set to release sometime this month as well, which gives me all the more reason to play it yet again and satisfy my nostalgia.
Call of Duty: Ghosts Alasdair Preston decides whether the action powerhouse should still be haunting your console
It’s March. You’re itching to do some virtual shooting. You haven’t yet bought into the latest Call of Duty, but you know that we’re not far off the next one. How do you decide whether to invest? It’s time for the Extra Life review of Call of Duty: Ghosts. During Summer 2013, Activision reps excitedly bragged about the upcoming Call of Duty game, touting it’s next-gen fish and flashy shooting. Now we’re all too old and cynical to believe that any Call of Duty game is going to reinvent the wheel. And they’re better off not trying, so long as they make a reasonable effort to justify the price tag. Ghosts seeks to establish a new Call of Duty franchise to replace Infinity Ward’s massively successful Modern Warfare, and it does a decent job. The single player effort is a mixed bag. I’ve always enjoyed the campaigns, they’re several hours of guaranteed fun with explosions and ridiculous war-adjacent combat
scenarios. Ghosts is no different. Our heroes, the Americans, have fallen on hard times and are suffering in a war against their Southern cousins, who are blatantly villainous and must be stopped at all costs. Luckily for them, they just so happen to have a super-elite team of soldiers ready to get involved. The Ghosts campaign stands out as one of the better CoD efforts in recent years. It has a sense of scale, plenty of variety and even packs in the space level that Infinity Ward have been trying to do all along. As far as decent solo play goes, that’s about all you’re going to get. The Spec Ops mode (also playable in co-op) that so enhanced the latter two Modern Warfare games is completely gone. Now, once you get through the campaign, your only options are Squads and the multiplayer modes. Squads is a deflating waste of time. You manage your own squad characters (who are also your multiplayer loadouts), customising their appearance and weapons to take on other people’s squad AI with your
AI squad backing you up. There is a very finite limit to how entertaining it can be to play a multiplayer shooter purely against bots, and this mode outstays its welcome very quickly. The only redeeming quality of this section of the game, is the horde-style mode that has you team up with other players to tackle waves of enemies. Powerups and weapons flow freely, making this an exciting way to play. However, the mode is so buried in the menus that it took me about two weeks to find. The multiplayer matches have been given the usual batch of minor tweaks. Deaths are more frequent, but this is balanced by making the killstreak rewards easier to reach. As with every CoD game, there are some good new maps and some bad ones. There don’t seem to be any instant classics, I wouldn’t expect to see any of them revived for nostalgia’s sake down the line. The playlists have some new modes that are variations on existing game types. FPS staples such as gun game and virus are present,
continuing the franchise’s trend towards a community-incorporated shooter. Unfortunately, as is always the case in CoD games, the submachine guns seem overpowered, all but making the assault rifles obsolete. This isn’t helped by the map design that increasingly focuses on tight spaces and fast movement. Ghosts comes with the new Exctinction mode. Treyarch has zombies, and now Infinity Ward has aliens. Several players work together to wipe out key alien targets before setting a large bomb and legging it. The game makes inventive use of a progression system, allowing you to make some changes to your loadouts before the match but levelling up in progress by completing challenges. This is by far the most compelling part of Ghosts, which makes it a shame that the base game comes only with one map for Exctinction. All of this sounds quite positive and, at a reduced price, you might be tempted to purchase Ghosts. But you shouldn’t. Why? Downloadable content. Activision have elected to further punish those who don’t want to spend large sums on game
Image: ToTheGame
expansions by doling out new weapons to season pass holders that trump pretty much every other gun, making the multiplayer matches a play-to-win affair. And at £35, the season pass is hardly a tempting prospect. Essentially doubling the cost of the game, just to poke a few more hours of play time out of it? Far from good value. There are plenty of better options available right now for shooting fans. Battlefield 4, Titanfall and GTA: Online are all better options for online multiplayer fun that actually provides value for money (especially GTA:O).
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ISSUE 17/ 2nd MARCH 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
/mancunionfashionandbeauty
Editors: Gráinne Morrison, Aimée Grant Cumberbatch, Nikki Patel (Beauty)
@MancunionFash
Fashion
Beauty
Geography North Campus:: I cannot deny that the North Campus is an enigma to me - a place I have heard tales of but never visited. From what I gather, it is mainly home to an eclectic mix of engineers and textile science students. Nevertheless I do know some engineers. Generally, I would categorise their style as practical but preppy because, much like the Brunswick Street residents, engineers have a large amount of contact hours. Unlike Brunswick Street though, the majority of students wear branded or logo-ed clothing, aligning themselves with the image of a select few brands. North Campus does not play host to many female students, automatically reducing the variety of looks on show.
Warning helmet hair risk Peasant wagon Risk of drowned rats Style casualties Disclaimer: This map has not been approved by Ordnance Survey.
Brunswick Street: Home to many of Manchester’s science students; the Brunswick Street style is focused on practicality. These are people who stand up in labs for long periods, people who actually spend 8 hours of the day at University – people who require comfort. Trainers and hiking boots are almost mandatory for the residents of Brunswick Street if they are to make it through the day. Another vital part of their attire is a University of Manchester hoodie, t-shirt or if you’re going the extra mile - a varsity jacket. A friend of mine (a physics student) described the typical Brunswick inhabitant style as: ‘I shop at Next’. Admittedly, there are those on Brunswick Street who favour a different look: the simple style, often involving branded clothing (Levi’s, Hollister or Vans) that is equally comfortable, but a bit more… style conscious.
17
Readers respond
Welsh boy wears make-up Mancunion Fashion and Beauty put make-up on a boy. This is his story-
Make-up is weird. For most women, it’s a essential part of our daily lives: we wake up and put a face on without giving it a thought. But when it comes to boys, make-up is little more than mysterious substances girls use to magic away their spots and blemishes. In recent years, the use of male beauty products like guyliner and even concealer aimed at men has seen a dramatic increase, yet a full face of slap is still seen as something far too feminine for most members of the opposite sex. When you think of a made-up man, it’s Ru Paul who comes to mind, rather than say, Sam Smith, despite the fact that most male stars wear just as much make-up as their female counterparts. In a city like Manchester, where almost anything goes style-wise, we wanted to test the theory that even here, make-up on a man would be met with shock and confusion. After much negotiating and a tiny bit of bullying, we convinced our male lab rat to take to the streets of Fallowfield, foundation and all. His price? A post-night-out chicken king, on us.
“ We Ask You Answer” This week we asked: Is it ‘false advertising’ when a girl wears make-up? “I don’t know about false advertising, but they should really let you know if they are going to leave orange tan stains on your sheets.” -Adam Lavery
“I don’t really care as long as they share the contents of their make-up bag with me.” -Alex Scott
“I don’t mind as long as you can’t tell that a girl is made up.” -Meirion Jones
Photo: The Mancunion
Campus style map From North campus to Sam. Alex, Sarah Kilcourse takes us on a style safari of our very own UoM Fashion fresher
Style PhD
Street style
Street style : SU special The hub of all student activity, we scoured the SU for style savvy individuals
Photo: University of Manchester
Samuel Alexander: Arguably, this is the most fashionable part of the University – it certainly tries to be. There are a greater variety styles on show in the Sam. Alex. building compared to other areas, some of the staple characters include: the Topshop girl – she buys everything from the ‘New In’ section online; Second Hand chic – formerly known as ‘hipster’ but has become too popular for that title now - expect over-sized everything and a flashback to the ‘90s; the Fashionistas – they probably have a blog and accessories are their best friend. Safe to say there is no dress code in the Samuel Alexander building, wear whatever you like, you’re an Arts student and the world needs to know!
The immaculate conception: Our first task was to prep our blank canvas. Boys are notorious for giving their skin short shrift, so we ensured our subject was smothered in Nivea Creme before we got started. Base covered, it was time for him to lay the foundations, literally. Sensitive to his personal space, we let him take the lead with the application process. After even coverage was established, and unruly Gaelic beard successfully avoided, it was time to give this skinny little Welsh boy a healthy glow. He was surprisingly taken with his new bronzed appearance: “It looks like I’ve been on holiday! This is the closest to a St.Tropez tan I’ll ever get.” But as we live in Fallowfield, not the French Riviera, a bit of blusher was required to achieve that rosycheeked, in-from-the-cold look.
Photo: The Mancunion
Brows on fleek: On to eyebrows. We made the startling discovery that left to grow untamed, male eyebrows lack shape, discipline and know no bounds. So, after some skilful shaping and combing we cultivated our subject a killer set of brows. Every self-respecting make-up maven knows the importance of good smoky eye game, so we prepped his lids with a dash of primer and set about shading. Our subject’s complexion required a mix of warm tones. After dabbing on a matte mahogany shade, we highlighted with shimmering bronze pigment. Contouring completed, our subject attempted the obligatory cat-eye flick and finished off the look with a wave of his mascara wand.
-Claire Cottis
“I personally love wiping off a girl’s makeup for her; it’s an intense sexual experience.” -Phillip Shuttleworth
“Make-up allows me to be a more confident, happy and genuine version of myself, what’s so false about that?”
Opinion
Fashion fears: the graduate
“My cat flicks are a mere extension of my feline fierceness.”
Adrienne Galloway on why with great responsibility doesn’ t always come great style
-Nikki Patel
“Fake or not: Any guy that thinks that my brows are naturally on fleek, and our skin flawless without intervention isn’t worth the time of day anyway.” -Anjana Selvanathan
Photo: 20th Century Fox
Charlotte Cook
Samuel Ward
General secretary and all-round superstar.
Music editor and president of Fuse TV’s Fashion Fix fan club
Photo: The Mancunion
Photo: The Mancunion
I am currently in the second semester of my final year at university and edging towards adulthood. Due to procrastination, I’ve had time to think about the evolution of my dress sense since the first day I moved into Richmond Park wearing a hoodie, baggy jeans and white converse. Styles develop and trends change but it’s fair to say that this city and its student culture have definitely influenced my dress sense. There is no definition for student style in Manchester, it comes from personal perspective and experience. For me, Manchester student style revolves around vintage bargains and looking super cool without trying. A combination of effortlessness, edginess and comfort are the key components. Pieces that spring to mind at the moment are fur jackets, Adidas Superstar trainers and baggy checked shirts. In my hometown I find that people dress far less ‘edgy’, probably because of the lack of good charity shops and pop up vintage fairs. Students in Manchester make up nearly 10% of the city’s total population and therefore there is a lotmore demand for second hand. Time and time again, I find myself saying that I need to dress more like an adult in-
stead of thinking about what trainers to add to my collection. More often however, because I’m in my last few months of education I feel I might as well enjoy dressing like typical university student whilst I have the time. Working 9-5 in an office means only really having the chance to dress casually at weekends. However, there’s no reason why student style can’t influence what you wear in the workplace. Take woolly jumpers for instance: worn over a blouse, skirt, tights and with Chelsea boots, this can appear equally as quirky as it is formal. Dress sense is all about personality so as a student your exploration of new styles and your sense of fearlessness can create a carefree dress sense. But as you enter into the world of work, it’s likely this boldness will be left behind. Perhaps films such as ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ or ‘Working Girl’ would have us believe that working in a high pressure environment will immediately cause you to change your hair or purchase a pair of thigh high Chanel boots like Anne Hathaway. But, in reality, the process of waving goodbye to student style is much more gradual.
Photo: The Mancunion
Hot lips: After a few well-placed words of instruction we were extremely impressed with our subject’s flawless lipstick application. The boldest shade in the make-up bag, red was the obvious choice. “Is it ok to lick my lips?” he asked, worriedly. While adjusting to the strange new sensations, he couldn’t stop gazing at his perfect pout in his compact mirror. We made a a note of these interesting developments. A prominent member of the university’s men’s football team expressed feelings of sexual confusion upon catching sight of the subject’s shapely smile.
“Is it ok to lick my lips?”
Photo: The Mancunion
Into the wild: It was soon time for our subject to show the world his new self. Destination: Shell garage. On the walk over, he was filled with nervous excitement and despite putting up the hood of his parka, we caught him stealing glances at passers-by to check for their reactions. But before they could pause to take a second look, he scuttled across the garage forecourt and into the shop. Once inside he amused himself with a copy of Women’s Fitness and perused the canned goods aisle. The tempting 2-for-1 offer on mushy peas made him temporarily forget his new look. He finally plucked up the courage to make a purchase, and after his ordeal, only a nice glass (or 5) of Pinot Grigio would do. Shuffling past several confused-looking shoppers, our subject came face to face with an astonished-looking cashier. After spluttering, “Got any ID?” it took him an awkward 30 seconds to remember the price of the wine. The make-up couldn’t hide the blood rushing to our subject’s already rouged cheeks.
Operation complete, it was time for our tired subject to return home for a good cleanse, tone and moisturise. Despite his initial protests a niggling part of him can’t help but be intrigued by the perfecting potential of make-up. Maybe he doesn’t want to look just like every other boy after all…
“Only fakers wear make-up, it’s just a façade that hides what’s really lurking beneath.” -Ben Murphy
Next week we are talking about heritage fashion and what influences the way we dress. So we’re asking: how has your heritage shaped your personal style? Instagram your pictures of any garms or accessories that you’ve inherited and tag us on Instagram at @mancunionfashionandbeauty using the hashtag #fashionheritage
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Editors: Robbie Davidson, Sophie James and Angus Harrison Top 5
TOP
John Travolta blunders
5
AfterJohn Travolta’s recent slip of the tongue at the Oscars, Charlotte Edwards names some his other notable missteps 5. Hairspray (2007) Perhaps one of the most awkward cinema selections is the casting of Travolta as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, his second, and hopefully last musical appearance! Although Travolta valiantly pulls of this role of the middle-aged housebound mother, the distinct lack of chemistry between him and Hollywood great, Christopher Walken is evident - they’re certainly not timeless to anyone watching.
4. Grease (1979) In Grease, a clumsy Travolta strikes again, literally. During his suave attempt to offer Sandy his ring, even Danny’s greased (lightnin’) hair struggles to loosen it from his finger, resulting in him elbowing Sandy in the chest. Poor old Sandra Dee.
3. Face/Off (1997) As though it isn’t bad enough for an actor to work alongside Nicholas Cage: a star so notoriously bad he even has an internet meme in his honour, Travolta takes this one step further by switching identities with him in Face/Off (1997). FBI agent Archer (Travolta) attempts to undermine his nemesis, Caster Troy (Cage) through the assumption of his enemy’s appearance: ‘It’s like looking in a mirror. Only not.’
2. Pulp Fiction (1994) Pulp Fiction is a film with many remarkable lines and moments, but possibly one of the most memorable is the scene where Travolta’s Vincent accidentally shoots Marvin in the face. I Guess we’ll never know what he had to say about Jules’ retirement plans.
1. Academy Awards (2014) At number one has to be Travolta’s most recent pronunciation mishap, which made him a laughing stock across the world as his Oscar’s clip went viral within hours. Idina Menzel’s name isn’t so hard to remember, yet Travolta clearly ‘let it go’ out of his mind, instead introducing, ‘Adele Dazeem’ to the stage. Let’s just be thankful he didn’t have to announce Chiwetel Ejiofor instead!
Feature
the FEATURE: Are you sitting comfortably? In light of the renewd focus on Woody Allen’s private life, George Bellamy asks how much our enjoyment of a filmmaker’s work is affected by knowledge of their personal scandals? There was concern leading up to the Academy Awards this year of whether or not Cate Blanchett – a dead cert for a while – would receive the Oscar for best actress on account of the resurgence of interest in the controversies surrounding Woody Allen. Whilst the particulars of Allen’s infamy is subject for discussions elsewhere, the issue of the significance of the personal lives, and problematic reputations of the characters behind the camera has been a part of Hollywood from its early days. The film business is not keen to support tarnished images, even when those images are not on the screen. Yet, Blanchett won the Oscar and the question this provokes is how much does it matter that a filmmaker has an uncomfortable past, and how has this issue been resolved for the filmmakers to continue work? For an actor, the reputation allied to your image has always been precariously significant for your career in Hollywood. Since the case of Fatty Arbuckle, Hollywood has proved itself of only liking a scandal when it’s glamorous. Arbuckle had a prosperous career throughout the early years of Hollywood silent era as a physical comedian, but when, in 1921, a party he was hosting left a young woman dead under suspicious circumstances, his career never managed to withstand the scandal of accusations thrown at him, despite a Jury emphatically supporting him as innocent from any blame. His career never recovered, and is proof of the hypocrisy of standards actors need to maintain in their private lives, where the worst sin possible is that of having an uncomfortable presence when they appear on screen. Tom Cruise’s worst crime was being a bit odd, but his career took a huge blow in recent years after jumping on a sofa and talking about his religious beliefs, whilst Robert Downey Jr. has never been better since he got out of rehab and returned to acting. Proved crimes of the sins of sex and drugs rarely shake up a functioning actor’s career for more than a year or two, though a lingering uncomfortable feeling about an actor is far more dangerous than moral discrepancy. Behind the camera, the situation is similar. Michael Powell, after delivering the masterpiece Peeping Tom delved into the sin of the uncomfortable when
he delivered a film which took the perspective of a serial killer of prostitutes, and his career never recovered. His previous films were in the realm of magical romance, and the shock of Peeping Tom on audiences and the industry created a black mark for his name, despite a private life free from scrutiny. Alfred Hitchcock in the same year deliviered Psycho, a film similar in many aspects, only Hitchcock himself was a celebrity, one with an image that carried morbid fascination with it. It seems that for a public reputation of a film-maker to maintain capital in the film industry, there has to be a correlation of the feelings we experience in their work and in what we can project into the imagined characteristics of the film maker. Mel Gibson is an example the audience being less forgiving than the industry. He has had support behind him to make his comeback from various members of the Hollywood elite, but ticket sales
thus far have proved indifferent to their attempts. Domestic abuse, racial superstition and sexist rants don’t correlate with his position as either hero or an anti-hero, and his reputation off-screen creates unease when it comes to enjoying his work on screen. His characters are often violent, mentally unstable, whilst remaining defendors of traditional family values; The similarities between his characters and his real-life persona now too uncomfortable to ignore. There are no absolutes when it comes to the ability to withstand scandal in cinema, but it appears the key to maintaining success in Hollywood is to keep your audience at ease with your public image, and not provoke too many questions about what the audience want to enjoy. George Bellamy
Preview
the PREVIEW:
Trancendence
Cinematographer Wally Pfister has been realizing the worlds of director Christopher Nolan since Memento in 2000, having also collaborated with the director on his Batman trilogy and 2002’s Insomnia. Sci-fi thriller Transcendence will open in the UK on April 25th, and will mark Pfister’s directorial debut, with Christopher Nolan taking a back seat in the role of executive producer. The film stars Johnny Depp as Dr. Will Caster, an artificial intelligence researcher who hopes to create a machine that possesses technological singularity, or greater-than-human intelligence. Caster calls this goal ‘transcendence.’ A group of extremists who oppose technological advancement, known as ‘RIFT,’ target him, but their actions merely drive him closer toward his goal. After his attack, Caster uploads his consciousness to a computer system, although his wife Evelyn Caster ( Rebecca Hall ) and best friend Max Waters ( Paul Bettany ) question the wisdom of this move. Caster’s goal to acquire superior knowledge becomes one to acquire power, and he seems to be unstoppable. In Transcendence, artificial intelligence is viewed with suspicion, and depicted as a threat to humanity.
The film explores the human desire to transcend the limitations of the body and its mortality, and what the consequences would be if this were to be
achieved. An interesting idea, but an idea that has been revisited many times by Hollywood and has perhaps become a bit tired. An apocalyptic vision of the future where the capabilities of machines come to surpass the capabilities of man has been
Director: Wally Pfister Starring: Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall Released: 25th April 2014
explored in Hollywood features such as The Matrix and The Terminator. The image of a sinisterfaced Johnny Depp that stares out at us from the poster for Transcendence, with a multitude of wires attached to his naked scalp, even recalls the image of Neo in The Matrix when he ‘wakes up’ to realize that he is plugged into a simulated reality. However, when the film opens in April, it will perhaps prove to have greater originality than the trailer suggests. If the trailer is anything to go by, Christopher Nolan has certainly left his distinctive marks on this feature. The dark and foreboding tone of the soundtrack by Mychael Danna recalls the feel of Hans Zimmer’s atmospheric score for the Batman trilogy. Transcendence even includes key members of the Batman cast, such as Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy. The trailer introduces a strong and talented cast, which will perhaps make up for the lack of originality in theme. Regardless, the trailer promises a thrilling viewing experience (would we expect any less from Nolan?) and a potentially thought-provoking film.
Film
/filmmancunion @mancunionfilm
Review
TV Catch Up
theREVIEW:
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Director: Wes Anderson Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton and Edward Norton Released: 7th March
James Moules found Wes Anderson’s latest to be an excellent introduction to the director’s unique style for the uninitiated I envy any readers who are not already familiar with the delights of Wes Anderson movies – if The Grand Budapest Hotel is your first Anderson film, then you’ve got one hell of an introduction coming your way. The film begins with an author (Tom Wilkinson) speaking into the camera about his views on storytelling. Earnest, yet laced with hilarity, this monologue sets the tone the entire film. We then cut to the writer as a younger man ( Jude Law) on a visit to the titular hotel. Despite still having a certain beauty to it, the hotel is not in a good way – it is a sorry place, where guests dine alone and barely a sound can be heard. In the evening, the writer meets the hotel’s owner Zero Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham), who tells the story of the Grand Budapest’s former glory. We go back in time once again to the 1930s, where we meet Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes) – the hotel’s snobby but well-intentioned concierge – and Zero as a young man (Tony Revolori), employed at the hotel as a lobby boy. After the death of Madame D (Tilda
19
Swinton) – a wealthy formercustomer at the Grand Budapest – Gustave discovers that he has been bequeathed a highly coveted painting called Boy With Apple. This news does not go down well with Dmitri, the son of the deceased (a delightfully cartoonish Adrien Brody), who scoffs at the notion of Gustave coming into possession of this treasured – and not to mention valuable – work of art. Not long after he takes the painting back to the hotel with the help of Zero, Gustave is arrested on suspicion of the murder of Madame D. As for what happens next, I shall not say. All I shall divulge is that the quest surrounding this desirable painting is a gleefully entertaining trip involving all manner of mayhem that could only have come out of Wes Anderson’s vibrant imagination. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a display of Anderson’s quirky sense of humour at its finest. Those familiar with the director’s style will know that he brings a joy to movie watching that few other directors working today achieve –Quentin Tarantino and
Edgar Wright are among the few other directors who make such unapologetically enjoyable films. Anderson’s attention to detail with the film’s production design is also a valuable asset – each of the different time periods in which we see the hotel has its own distinctive look. When we move from the thematically bland yet still striking setting in the 1980s to the lush, colourful background in the 1930s, we feel the same nostalgia as the narrator of the story. There are many directors out there who
could learn a lot from Anderson here. One of the things that make the story skip along so giddily is the film’s fantastic cast and the eclectic range of characters they portray. Ralph Fiennes is pure comedy gold in what, in this writer’s opinion, is one of his best performances ever. Alongside him, we have Edward Norton as a police officer, Saoirse Ronan as a baker, Willem Dafoe as a shady assassin, as well as Bill Murray, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum and many more recognisable names. It’s hard to resist a cast like that. Many critics have hailed The Grand Budapest Hotel as Anderson’s best film to date – I wholeheartedly agree with them. The director has never brought his distinctive vision to life with such energy before. The film’s comedic tone is utterly pitch-perfect and the world of the story is deliciously rich and full of flavour. It is the best film of 2014 so far – any film wanting to take this honour has a high bar to reach for.
tv CATCH UP: Some say that daytime TV is intentionally awful, the idea being that the sheer drudgery on offer will, sooner or later, force the unemployed to get a job. If you know where to look, however, there’s plenty to see. Take a break from the auction house fluff and head to nextfilm.co.uk, which details all the films coming up on Freeview – Film 4 and Five Star put out classics daily. For Friday nights, the BBC is your best bet. Reece Shearsmith’s Inside No 9 ( iPlayer) is a cleverly comedic reworking of The Twilight Zone format, and The Graham Norton Show is quite simply dominating with the sheer star power of his communal couch. Poor Jonathan Ross wouldn’t last a second in his Red Chair of Doom right now. If you have Netflix (if not, get it) there’s a trove of telly treasure at your disposal, from the laugh-a-second sitcom Arrested Development to Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which features the before-he-wasfamous voice of Bryan Cranston as the snivelling Snizard. My house is currently working through Dexter, but be warned; you’ll soon notice certain people yawning a lot more than usual before finding out they’re two seasons ahead of everyone else. Those in the know are watching the new HBO show True Detective, starring Oscars king Matthew McConaughey. It’s unswervingly brilliant, blisteringly cinematic, and already better then Breaking Bad. Americans have just witnessed the season finale, but over here on Sky Atlantic they’re a couple behind. Check out the full first episode for free (and legally) on the Sky First Episodes official YouTube channel, and the rest are on Sky Player.
Tom Bruce James Moules
Contrary Corner
Cornerhouse Pick of the Week
Sin otoño, sin primavera Dead Genre Walking Mercdes Antrobus reviews Sin otoño, sin primavera from Equador, one of the many films featured at the Cornerhouse’s ¡Viva! film festival
Last week, I decided to kick off the annual VIVA! Film Festival by watching Iván Mora Manzano’s directorial debut Sin otoño, sin primavera and I’m still not 100% sure it was the right film to start the VIVA! season off with. I am by no means saying the film was bad, but like many of the other viewers who filtered out of the Cornerhouse expressing their confusion, I left feeling a little more than befuddled and not sure whether I liked it or not. Manzano gave the audience a lot to take in and didn’t make absorbing it an easy task as he intertwined nine different stories that overlapped at odd intervals and which were frequently not chronological. In fact, there were “two” characters I didn’t even know were the same person until about a good hour into the film. However, considering that his aim was for the film was to portray “Guayaquil’s erratic, disenchanted middle-class youth”, I can understand why representing the stories of Ecuador’s youth in an “erratic” way made sense. As far as the cast goes, I was quite impressed. Manzano took the very en vogue Latin American approach to cinema by telling the story as a fictional
documentary of sorts. I actually believed each actor was a real person experiencing real, emotional and personal challenges. Despite this, I think the average Hollywood viewer probably wouldn’t be able to appreciate these characters for what they are. Even though they confront the problems many young, middle-class individuals experience at some point, the Latin American reality would seem very detached from what we know. The city setting of Guayaquil is vastly different to Manchester, London or New York and the class divides definitely break along different lines to the ones we’re accustomed to. In other words, the film lacks western universality and as a result it could never be a Hollywood blockbuster, but that’s the fault of our own egotism, not Manzano’s directorial skill. My biggest issue as I watched the film was trying to figure out whether Manzano was sympathizing with or criticising Ecuador’s young, middle-class. At times he seemed to mock their reactions as spoilt teenagers going through a rebellious phase, but at other times you couldn’t help but think they were in the middle of a profound identity crisis struggling to find the thing that made them happy. In hindsight, Manzano probably didn’t want to do either and was more concerned with making the audience stop and think about a real and current social issue and how we should address it. Regardless, Sin otoño, sin primavera is definitely worth a watch unless you’re Hollywood blockbuster aficionado, in which case this film is going to cut it for you.
Mercedes Antrobus
Nikolas McNally bemoans the soaring popularity of zombies on our screens, and prays for more visionary directors to breathe new life into the brain-dead genre Revered film critic Roger Ebert once claimed that ‘every film is only as good as its villain’. Whilst this is a sweeping generalization: less dramatic films tend to hinge less on ideological conflict, and films with more accomplished character work delve deeper than the binary black/white morality of traditional ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’, it is still one grounded in truth. Here lies a crippling issue at the core of the zombie genre: how do you craft a compelling story driven by antagonists no more lucid than illtempered lobotomy victims? 28 Days Later is successful in this regard by shifting the focus away from zombies and onto the societal disarray following their outbreak. Mayor Henry West (Christopher Eccleston), seemingly the last reasonable authority figure, calls out to the survivors through a radio broadcast claiming to have ‘an answer to the infection’. West’s shroud of solidarity unravels to reveal an inept response to the pandemic and a sinister undercurrent behind summoning the survivors to his military outpost. By exploring whether our designated protectors can pose a more menacing threat to us than those ravaged by a plague, the racing pulse of dread behind this zombie film is rooted in its humanity. Unfortunately, the following outbreak of the zombie genre has saw films such as the Resident Evil series and Survival of the Dead recycle the able-bodied zombies of 28 Days Later without its attempt at insight about the post-apocalyptic world. Recent zombie films in this vein have turned the zombie into a stale horror gimmick to deflect from the fact that, apart from an occasional mild scare, absolutely nothing new or interesting is being portrayed. For the utter bastardization of zombie horror and drama, look no further than The Walking Dead. The zombies take a backseat like in 28 Days Later, though only due to the fact that they usually appear only to be outpaced or
when a character makes a mind-bogglingly moronic decision such as wandering off alone. Disregarding these benign attempts at horror, what we’re left with is an overwrought mess of two-dimensional ‘characters’, trading histrionic monologues of contrived tension. Only sometimes in a prison. Then on a farm. Then back in a prison because the writers, like the vast majority of recent zombie fiction, are creatively deficient. Broken everyman Rick Grimes’ pronunciation of ‘Carl’, so mangled it contorts the boundaries of phonetics, is a favourite. The ‘Carl’ in question is of course, like the rest of the characters, totally insufferable. However, The Walking Dead continues to prove a ratings kingpin despite it representing the nadir of modern zombie fiction. With grittiness replaced by melodrama and fantasy horror by implausibility, post-apocalypse has never been so oversaturated yet so unexplored.
Nikolas McNally
Question Time University Place Theatre A Friday 28th March, 6.30pm Manchester Students’ Union has been asking you about the top things you’re worried about in the community.
Your top 5 issues were 1. Crime: burglaries, muggings, sexual harassment 2. Housing: bad housing conditions, bad landlords, high rent 3. Bin Collection and Litter: lack of bins, lack of recycling facilities 4. Cycling Safety: not enough and unclear cycling lanes, traffic, pot holes 5. Street lighting: unsafe streets, frightened at night
Come and ask Manchester City Council political candidates about your issues and let’s see what they plan to do about it.
www.manchesterstudentsunion.com/bigask
ISSUE 18/17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Editors: Esmé Clifford Astbury, Annie Muir Review
BOOK
V.
Books
/TheMancunion: Books @MancunionBooks
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FILM The Rum Diary
It is rare to discover a film that is better than the book it is based upon, but I believe I have found one in Bruce Robinson’s The Rum Diary. This is not taking anything away from Hunter S. Thompson’s writing abilities, for The Rum Diary was one of his earliest novels, only semiautobiographical, when he was still attempting to find his voice; he would later become one of the greatest writers of his generation. Robinson’s adaptation wonderfully combines the essence of Thompson’s writing and originality, and has been described by critics as ‘a dazzling, comedic romp.’
It is rare to discover a film that is better than the book it is based upon, but I believe I have found one in Bruce Robinson’s The Rum Diary. Set in the late ‘50s, The Rum Diary is the story of Paul Kemp, a journalist from New York who moves to the tropical climes of San Juan in Puerto Rico, where he works at the Daily News. There is a constant threat of the newspaper folding, so Kemp, along with the other journalists, spends his days (and nights) drinking rum and talking about quitting. He develops a mad lust for Chenault, a rebel who has also left New York to be with her lover, Yeamon, or, in the film adaption, Sanderson.
Bruce Robinson’s film adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s The Rum Diary far surpasses the book, says Alister Pearson
The Rum Diary, 2011
Thompson writes in cinematic way, creating scenes of wildness while his characters wallow in apathy for their surroundings. The ending is particularly humorous, as the characters scramble to leave the island after their former boss, Lotterman, dies of a heart attack. However, Thompson lacks an original voice. What made him one of the best American writers of his generation was the fact that most of the things he wrote about actually happened. The Rum Diary is different in that the majority is pure fiction, meaning that Thompson is detached from Kemp and so unable to portray truly mad scenarios like he does in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
What made Hunter S. Thomson one of the best American writers of his generation was the fact that most of the things he wrote about actually happened.
Feature
And so, the stage is set for Robinson. He has a great writer but an average book to produce a film with. What makes the film better than the book is the dialogue, which screams of Thompson’s writing and yet is invented by Robinson. Another selling point is the the adaptation of some of the characters. For example, Moberg plays only a small part in the novel and yet in the film he is one of the highlights. Constantly high on drugs or rum, he likes nothing better than abhorring Lotterman, at one point telling him to ‘die a slow and agonizingly painful death,’ and listening to Nazi rhetoric on vinyl. My favourite scene involves him approaching Kemp and Sala with a drug that is so powerful the FBI give it to communists! The drug leads Kemp to discovering the meaning of life by staring into the eyes of a lobster. This part is missing in the original novel but it would be hard for Robinson not to accredit the inspiration to Thompson. Thompson never got to see Robinson’s 2011 adaption because he committed suicide in 2005, but I can imagine that he would not only have approved of the changes made but also would have enjoyed it immensely.
Poetry
How not to read: An epiphany POETRY corner Elizabeth Mitchell on when to give up on an unmanageable book Lionel Shriver (the award-winning author of We Need to Talk About Kevin) recently wrote an article in The Guardian about how she has abandoned her childhood belief that you should always finish a book. Instead, Shriver now believes that there are plenty of fish in the literary sea, so precious time should not be wasted on books that you do not immediately take a shine to.
Plenty of fish in the literary sea... Photo: N Bojdo
With the release of the Harry Potter series around the corner, I consigned The Salterton Trilogy to the bookshelf. However, I decided to revisit it again this past summer and found it to be one of the most perfectly crafted pieces of humorous literature I’ve ever read.
As a ridiculously precocious child, I often attempted to read massive tomes, only to be disheartened when I started to struggle at the top of page two. I sympathise with Shriver’s accounts. As a ridiculously precocious child, I often attempted to read massive tomes, only to be disheartened when I started to struggle at the top of page two. Yet, due to some unfounded principle, I would trudge on until the bitter end. Not that I’ve relinquished this habit as I’ve got older: even now, I will spend hours battling with a seemingly unmanageable book that, quite frankly, I just don’t think I like. Have I gained much from this exploit? To be sure, I have an average general knowledge of literature. Moreover, I am convinced that I would never have grown to love and treasure my now favourite books had I given up after the first lacklustre pages. Then again,
and found it to be one of the most perfectly crafted pieces of humorous literature I’ve ever read.
the list of classics that I only have a vague recollection of or now distinctly resent is longer than War and Peace. One of the notable exceptions to my mantra was The Salterton Trilogy by Robertson Davies. Having received it for my 14th birthday, I eagerly sat down to read it on my next free afternoon but found that, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get settled into the 816 page volume. With the release of the Harry Potter series around the corner, I consigned it to the bookshelf. However, I decided to revisit it again this past summer
Shriver’s article got me thinking: the enjoyment you get from a book depends more on the stage in life at which you read it than I had thought. 14 year old me just could not get my head around the subtle wit of Davies’ fantasy world, and continuing to struggle through it would have meant that I would have relegated it to the novel graveyard. Maybe sometimes not finishing a book is, in fact, for the best.
To my daughter. When you were born you were unblemished, but as you skipped you snagged your coat on twigs and bruised knees of innocence on rocks, bitter with age. When you fell and cut your arm purity poured out and pooled in a puddle, dripping from your summer dress, desperate to cling on. The nettles that stung your leg left a sexuality residue that spread and flourished in your mind. You grew a flower and from it cherries sprung, ripening when he kissed you, only for it to wither and die after your first time. A rotting collection of heartbreak that gave you those wrinkles, premature in your adolescence When you first ran away from home you forgot to pick up the longevity of youth, we all do. Note to self: remember your luggage.
A. Webb
ISSUE 19/ 24th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Editors: Ben Walker, Maddy Hubbard Feature
you ASK we ANSWER
Feature
Good Beer for the Masses
Ben Walker celebrates the ongoing rise of American craft beer
...where can I go to be gluttonous on a budget?
1. ALADDIN
Don’t let the outside fool you, this place is truly a hidden gem. The food a yummy mix of Lebanese and Middle Eastern delicacies such as the humble but glorious match made in heaven that is falafel, hummus and pitta, the succulent posh kebab wrap otherwise known as the Shawarma and a range of beautiful pastries and cold mazza that really do make you want to return again and again. The portions are enough to make you leave with a slight case of food coma and what’s best is that it is BYOB so you can save those precious pounds and buy as many refreshments as you desire. The staff are happy to help and the service is efficient and swift. The interior does not leave much to be desired, I recall fake red brick walls, function room type seating and a very odd Lebanese cat wall painting? I’d recommend the fateh, tabouleh and the shish kebab.
2. KYOTOYA
In my eyes the greatest Withington based source of culinary heaven is Kyotoya. It has some of the freshest, good value and purely delicious Japanese food in the whole Manchester. The range of set menus (starting at just £12 for 6 dishes!) are kind on your wallet, generous and mouthwateringly appetising. Not just a sushi restaurant they also specialise in Katsu curries, stir fries and rice dishes for all oriental lovers tastes. Their gyoza is one of the best I have ever tasted and Japanese food is my favourite cuisine so trust me, if you haven’t been you’re missing out on a seriously unforgettable dining experience! They also do takeaway which is free after 6pm Monday-Saturday so what more could you ask for? The staff are charming, friendly and helpful. I’d recommend (everything!) but if I must; the mixed sashimi, gyoza and beef shichimi!
3. CORNERHOUSE
Believe it or not this upmarket arthouse mecca has an insane and under the radar deal on Mondays and Tuesdays. Their ‘reel deal’ ticket offer means you can watch a great indie film of your choice along with a homemade stonebaked pizza and a glass of house wine, pint of Becks Vier or a soft drink all for £15! Definitely a classy but thrifty alternative to the crazy busy Orange Wednesdays. Beat the queue and book a ticket in advance to make sure you’re not disappointed. You can book in person at Box Office or over the phone between 12:00 - 20:00. I’d recommend the Florentina or Formaggio di Capra for veggies and the Polpette or Barbecue Carne di Maiale for a meat feast.
4. THIS & THAT Another place not to judge on appearance, but with a selection of achingly good curry for under fiver, who could complain? Tucked away down an alley this place is one of the most loved unpretentious eateries in the area for those in the know. A rotating daily menu means you can never get bored and includes dishes such as biryani, channa, korma and lamb karai. Along with their succulent meat and vegetable curries they have daal, naan and chapatis on offer.
5. SOUP KITCHEN
Selling fresh and seasonal produce made from scratch each day this is the Northern Quarter way of serving soups, sandwiches and desserts - but all under a fiver! There soups are delicious and served with hearty bread and their deli style sandwiches are full with gorgeous high quality ingredients. Best of all - it’s a great place to go for an afternoon and end up having a a couple of their premium or craft beers, cask ales and wines. The canteen wooden benches give it a relaxed atmosphere and makes you feel miles away from the basement where they play live music almost every night of the week! I’d recommend any of their daily changing soups or desserts. Emily Lean
Craft beer was once the reserve of the plaid shirt brigade of Common, Port Street Beer House, and the like, but the beer’s proliferation throughout the non-hipster parts of town has been a revelation. Of course, supermarkets have for some time been selling the entry-level American craft beers at around £1.80 a bottle which equates to a good deal compared to the £4 bottles of Brooklyn from behind the bar in the NQ. However you now can go out drinking American craft beer on the cheap; Brooklyn Lager, Goose Island, and Sixpoint at 2 for £5— that’s £2.50 per bottle/can—that’s 37.5% cheaper than current market and thus phenomenal
value. I have always been a supporter of the spread of quality products; I want tasty food, delicious beer, great music, awesome films to become widely known—I support the enrichment of our lifestyles and culture and want to share these wonderful things. If we can go out and have £2.50 imported craft beer, then it’s a win all round, isn’t it? Yes it is, but of course nothing is straight forward. As always, there is a slight caveat, and basically it involves the surroundings in which one sits/stands and drinks and socialises-- this is very much part of the going-out experience— the inflated alcohol prices often reflect the
swish or cool surroundings in which it is sold. It is through this lens then we can understand the reason why such cheap craft beer is available—it is being sold out of 900 branches of the J.D Wetherspoon across the UK. Reconciling the trans-Atlantic amber nectar with a JDW may at first appear a hard task, but the reality is that this is a massive step in the right direction for the beer culture in the UK. The tardis-like experience of JDW that is when you walk into one you can be essentially transported to literally any of the 900 venues in the UK is an issue for another article, but the point here is that these beers are raising the standard of ‘standard’ beer, no longer does one have to suffer the agonising gurn of gulping Ruddles. As much as I love the NQ, prices are often just silly. The overpricing of Goose Island in the NQ is wrong; Goose Island is excellent but it is mass produced by a huge Chicago company and is available from Tesco. That is not exclusive and I’m glad to say that it is now extremely widely available the country over. The mysticism created around such entry level beers is the creation of skilful marketing, there cannot be any doubt the Goose Island is over the moon that Spoons want to sell its beer; I hope JDW encourages prices to drop across the market. Painful as it is, I must further praise Spoons for introducing me to the products of the Sixpoint Brewery, founded in Brooklyn in 2004. They offer three 355ml cans all of which I endorse and are tasty and decent craft beers. There is Sweet Action (5.4% ABV) which seems to cross the boundaries of pale ale and wheat beer—as in the name there is sweetness, but it is no way saccharin. The Crisp (5.2% ABV) is a hoppy lager and the best of the three, and finally the Bengali Tiger (6.4% ABV) is an IPA-style beer and a close second. I will be drinking a lot of these beers of that I am sure, and I hope that Sixpoint doesn’t start appearing elsewhere at £4.50 a can—it is a cheap tasty beer and Spoons to their credit are helping strip away the pretentious, elitist veneer that coats too much of the imported beer market.
Review
SoLiTa Review Tucked away on one of the quieter streets in the Northern Quarter, SoLita is a small yet charming American style diner. The menu has a great variety without being over complicated. Everything has a special twist from the bacon fat popcorn to the pulled pork sundae. I however, skipped the “nibbles and small plates” section of the menu and opted for a plate of their infamously spicy wings. They offer a range from the mildest “smiling” end of their spice scale to their hottest “cry for help” wings, which come with its own health warning! I opted for the slightly hotter than middle-of-the-range “T ‘n’ T” wings. The sauce was a combination of tequila, Tabasco, and a fantastic mix of spices which was delicious. Burgers of course are the main act and again, there was a fabulous variety, each one being completely different. For those who want something a little different they also offer plenty from the “Inca Grill” and a selection of gourmet hot dogs. I tried some of both the Manc-hattan burger, their “Manchester meets Manhattan” option, and their “Once in a Lifetime” burger. The Manc-hattan was cooked to perfection. Slightly pink on the inside with a Mancunian influence of black pudding complementing it well. In comparison however, the Once in a Lifetime burger blew the rest out the water. This and the “Big Manc” burger being the only two that require a stick through them to hold them together. Being about four inches tall it contained pulled pork, buttermilk fried chicken, a beef and bone marrow patty and onion rings. If this still doesn’t sound like it is enough for you however, you could always spend a whopping £16 on their “Big Manc” burger. With two patties alongside a whole variety of other ingredients, I knew defeat was imminent upon any attempt to order and finish it—delicious as the challenge was. Whenever I am given the opportunity I am always one to replace the standard chips with something a little bit different. When offered, we decided to replace them with sweet potato fries and their off-the-menu curly fries with bacon and cheese. Being a personal favourite of mine, the sweet potato fries were definitely the better of the two; the cheese drenched curly fries being a little too much after everything else we had tried. This was not exactly the healthy option having opted out of their “famous” 60-40 mash, 60% mash and 40% butter. Yes, you can really start to feel the calories piling on, but damn is it good.
Sam Herridge checks out this big name in the Northern Quarter to see what all the fuss is about
The service was great. Helpful and friendly waiters, who didn’t pester you too much, had plenty of unbiased recommendations and who seemed as though they were happy to work there. The wine list was adequate, priced as expected for a quirky restaurant in the northern quarter. Being a student myself I of course only ordered a glass of house red, which was fine. There wasn’t a great selection of deserts but not being a particularly sweet-toothed person, this didn’t bother me too much, and trust me, after a once in a lifetime burger, I’m sure most people wouldn’t need one either. Overall, I was very impressed with Solita. Catering for both a romantic or party atmosphere whilst offering a menu that you could honestly never get bored of. It particularly stands out as being one of the first on my list of restaurants that I would go back to.
/TheMancunion: Food & Drink @maddylaura
Feature
Food & Drink 23 Recipie
A Rustica Lunch
our
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Comfort Food
James Jackman celebrates the fact that spring is finally here with an al fresco lunch
Recipe and photo: Holly Poynter
Make mash like the Irish
Photo: Flickr Nationaal Archief / Spaarnestad
It was a Sunday displaced from the summer and
dropped in the middle of March. Making the most of it, I had gone for a walk into the city centre and visited the cathedral and a few other choice spots. Wandering up into the Northern Quarter, I suddenly noticed how I was famished. I’d been walking without stop for hours and my stomach was very aware of it. I was in the middle of the northern quarter, I needed some food and I needed it quickly. I noticed a small place called “Rustica”, on the corner of Tib Street and Hilton Street and I thought I’d check it out. The list on the wall began with an “award-winning sandwich”, the Milano (chicken, bacon, pesto, garlic mayo and salad) and featured sandwiches with a wide range of fillings, with the option of 3 different breads (baguette, ciabatta and “Frisbee”—essentially meaning massive). They also serve jacket potatoes and pasta and a variety of hot drinks. Initially I had set my mind on the Milano, to see if it lived up to its own hype. However, suddenly at the last minute, whether it was due to the sandwich gods or not, at the counter I asked for the Moroccan lamb (Lamb, humus, mint yoghurt, salad) in the Frisbee bread. I handed over the £3.35 for the hot, hand-made sandwich and waited with anticipation.
Had I made some horrible mistake by straying from the award-winner? The woman behind the counter must have seen the slight look of concern on my face, as she assured me I had made the correct choice, in fact she said it was “her favourite”. Marketing ploy? Probably so, but I didn’t care.
Given Ireland’s history with the potato, it is hardly surprising that Champ and Colcannon are renowned Irish comfort foods. Both are variations on mashed potato, and can be used as a side dish, but frankly they are a meal in themselves. Easy on the wallet, perhaps not on the waistline, but one thing is certain: they make excellent late-night snack food.
• 1. Photo: Wikimedia, Gorivero However, she did warn me it was a “messy one” and she kindly gave me some extra napkins as I would need them. The name “Frisbee” was apt, as the circular bread was roughly the size of your outstretched hand. The lamb and salad was piled into the toasted bread, wrapped up and I was on my way, back out into the sun. The shop is very small (enough room for 2 people sitting), so I couldn’t stick around. As a result, on busy days you can expect a queue out of the door. I quickly found a bench and tucked in. The lamb was tender but not rare, the mint yoghurt and humus was exquisitely matched. The salad was fresh and was enough to convince myself I wasn’t being too hedonistic. I did struggle a bit with the structure of the sandwich, but I was warned beforehand and the tissues came in handy. For students, Rustica is a little far out of the way for a sandwich between lectures. However, if you are up in the city centre or just have a lot of spare time, I heartily recommend heading up there. Just be prepared to stand outside, it really is that small.
2.
METHOD
•
Peel and chop potatoes, then boil until soft in well salted water (around 20 minutes, but don’t be afraid to leave them in for longer to make sure they are completely cooked—keep checking them with a point of a knife). For the Champ, cut the onion into centimetre pieces and add them to the milk and heat up on the hob (don’t boil). For Colcannon, sauté the cabbage in the half the butter until tender—you could also add some smoky bacon or pancetta here for an extra dimension.
3.
Mashing the potato can raise some discussion: I prefer to use a ricer for a perfectly consistent smooth mash but that isn’t pureed. A hand masher leaves too many lumps and please, never whizz your spud up in a blender! (this is the time to add your seasoning)
4.
Mix in you spring onions of cabbage into your mashed potato for the Champ. For traditional Colcannon, make a well in the mound of mash and add the remaining butter to melt. For a variation try adding English or wholegrain mustard to taste to give warming kick.
INGREDIENTS • Champ: 750g Potatoes 1 bunch spring onions A knob of Butter 250ml milk Salt and pepper
Colcannon: 75g potatoes Approx. 1/2 finely sliced cabbage Knob of butter 200ml milk Salt and pepper
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Arts & Culture
Feature
the ARTS FEATURE:
ISSUE 18/ 17th March 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Editors: Abbie Roberts, Matilda Roberts Review
Art Brut
Assemble
Matilda Roberts discovers an artworld ‘outside’ art... Art Brut or Outsider Art is the term used to describe art created by those outside the established art scene. Often, outsider art illustrates extreme mental states, unconventional ideas, or elaborate fantasy worlds. It can be seen as art at its most pure, its most powerful and its most meaningful, produced entirely for individual satisfaction and inner need, with no regard to exhibition, fame or monetary reward. Inspired by a vision, these artists are often driven by obsession to realize their ideas on found materials using makeshift methods that might seem illogical but end up leading to profound works of art. “Outsider Art” has attracted controversy and praise since it was first exhibited. Critics have said the distinction
SPOT LIGHT:
between “outsider” and mainstream is impossible to make, while for others, their views on art have been fundamentally challenged by this work. An exhibition at the Hayward Gallery last summer saw outsider artists offer their Alternative Guide to the Universe. It brought together mavericks and dreamers, reimagining the worlds of culture and science, and showing the peculiar lengths gone to in order to make sense of the world. If you missed that the Whitworth Art Gallery owns the huge, Musgrave Kinley Outsider Art Collection. Comprising of nearly 800 works, on paper, textiles and sculpture the Musgrave Kinley Out-
sider Art collection was founded in 1981 by Victor Musgrave and Monika Kinley. Feeling that most contemporary art was bland and inactive in the ‘well crafted chains of its own making’, they chose instead to seek out artworks that they felt were genuinely original and intuitive: art that ‘tapped into the mains electricity of the imagination’.
Jasper Llewellyn reviews ‘Assemble’ at Antwerp Mansion Image: Assemble
In anticipation of the Whitworth’s opening here are just a few examples of ‘Outsider’ artists, some of which are included in the Whitworth’s collection:
Ferdinand Cheval (1836-1924) Massive structure built by country postman Ferdinand Cheval in southern France, the Palais Ideal was the first of many discoveries of sculptural and architectural creations of ‘ordinary geniuses’.
Madge Gill (1882-1961) Stricken with illness during childbirth, Englishwoman Madge Gill suddenly started drawing visionary, black-and-white images of a woman in fancy dress when she recovered. She drew thousands of them, which were later found in her home and exhibited internationally.
Morton Bartlett (1909-1922) Born in Boston, Morton Bartlett bounced from job to job while secretly making dolls of children and photographing them over a 25year period, leaving an apartment full of figures and prints to be discovered upon his death. Eugene von Bruenchenhein (1910-1983)
Martin Ramirez (1895-1963) A Mexican migrant, Martin Ramirez spent most of his adult life institutionalized in California mental hospitals, where he made large-scale drawings of horseback riders, trains, and saints using available materials.
A Wisconsin baker and horticulturist, Eugene von Bruenchenhein painted luscious visions of imaginary realms, shot alluring pin-up photographs of his wife, and made surrealistic sculptures from chicken bones. Marcel Storr (1911-1976)
James Castle (1899-1977) Born deaf in a small town in Idaho, made drawings, assemblages, and books from found materials with makeshift brushes and ink that he made using soot and saliva.
Flickr: Ferdinand Cheval - Palais Ideal-fred_v
Paris road sweeper who was abandoned as a child, Storr created intricate and futuristic designs of how the French capital could be rebuilt after a nuclear catastrophe.
Lee Godie (1908–1994) Bill Traylor (1854-1949) A self-taught artist who was born into slavery in 1854, Bill Traylor was discovered making drawings of people on the street and memories of plantation life in Montgomery, Alabama in the 1940s.
Lived homeless on the streets of Chicago and used photo booths to capture herself in almost endlessly different guises.
Flickr: Howard Finster USDAgov
Howard Finster (1916-2001) A Baptist reverend and self-taught artist, Howard Finster believed he was on a mission from God to spread the word of the Gospel and paint sacred art. He created his own Plant Farm Museum, a total folk art environment with multiple structures decorated with his colorful work in rural Georgia.
Flickr: Bill Traylor cliff1066
Adolf Wölfli (1864-1930)
Miroslav Tichý (1926-2001)
A Swiss artist who had been orphaned as a child, Adolf Wölfli spent most of his adult life in an insane asylum, where he made thousands of intricate drawings of imaginary adventures
Self-taught Czech photographer Tichý made his own cameras from cardboard tubes and tin cans and photographed countless women of his hometown on the sly, printing each clandestine image only one time.
Flickr: Morton Bartlett Art Comments
From the Editors
youASK
we ANSWER Mini Manc Dictionary
Image: Flickr: stacey.cavanagh
no it isn’t – is it ‘eckers
sandwich – butty
generic term of endearment – cock
alleyway – ginnel
excuse me – Ee Ar
tantrum – mard/strop
throw it away – cob it
food – scran
disgusting (thing) – angin
really - proper
disgusting (person)- mingin
happy – buzzin
what’s ON:
A Chromatic Revolution: The search for affordable colour in 19th century British book illustration Special Collections at MMU On daily til 16th May Albert Adams Exhibition Gallery Oldham 30 November 2013 - 19 April 2014 Everyday Relics MOSI Open daily until 29th Jun 2014 Free Entry
I think of Antwerp Mansion and I can’t honestly say that the words ‘contemporary theatre’, ‘performance’ or ‘drama’ are the first that come to mind. Having only been to Antwerp on a handful of nights out in first year, I was pleasantly surprised to see a listing for ‘Assemble’, a performance event that looked unlike anything I had ever heard of happen before at this unique venue at the top of the Curry Mile. Intrigued, I went along at 7 to check it out. The first piece of the evening was written and performed by Liverpool-based duo ‘blueDragonfly’. Called ‘And All the Rest Is Junkmail’, the piece explored problems in modern day inter-personal communication through hilarious scenarios involving smoke signals, pigeons and audience participation. Both performers were confident and commanded the stage space well despite the large number of objects scattered over the floor, however, I felt that the Mansion’s upstairs Ballroom was in fact slightly too big for the piece and problems with sight lines and acoustics caused some of the more subtle bits of humour to be lost on those towards the back of the room. The piece itself moved along at quite a mix of paces with some sections lasting for what felt like hours whilst others seemed to flash by almost momentarily. There were a couple of brilliant moments when the performers repeated an action or phrase so many times that the audience seemed to pass through a number of different states before eventually crumbling into fits of giggles. After a quick break and a trip downstairs to the bar, we were summoned once more up to the Ballroom for the evening’s second performance – young Bristol-based company Massive Owl and their piece, ‘We Used to Wait’. With chairs lining the walls of the room, the audience sat awkwardly facing one another, waiting for something to happen or an actor to appear. Eager to not seem off put by the silence, I decided to make casual conversion with the two guys sitting next to me; only for them to suddenly spring up and start enthusiastically running their hands over one another! The performance had begun. The four performers became ‘Bob’ (a name chosen at random by an audience member) and proceeded to charge round the space with furious energy, introducing themselves manically to the audience. One of the actors repeatedly sprinted round the space, focusing in on particular audience members, which was both comic and slightly unnerving! The piece culminated in what initially felt like an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting as we sat round, performers and audience members, hand in hand but quickly changed as we were pulled to our feet and almost deafening dance music was pumped through the speakers! The audience danced as the four performers boogied their way out of the room to much applause from everyone involved. We were left feeling elated and revitalised as we undertook the cold walk back to Fallowfield. ‘Assemble’ is definitely a night to keep an eye on – for a couple of quid, what could be better than dancing, completely sober, in the ballroom of a Victorian mansion with about fifty strangers! But seriously, a really fantastic night of performance and a great opportunity to enjoy spending time in such a unique venue.
Theatre
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Editor: Stephanie Scott Review
What’s on
Virginia Woolf’s ‘Orlando’
Photo: Johnathon Keenan
this WEEK Flying Solo Festival
Amber De La Haye reviews a stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando at The Royal Exchange
Sarah Rhul’s adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s novel follows Orlando (Suranne Jones) on a transgressive, cross-dressing journey through time, continent and gender. From the moment Queen Elizabeth takes him as hers, to his love and loss of the Russian princess Sasha and eventual marriage to the adventurer Marmaduke, this story is both epic and internal, making it difficult to stage but fantastic when done well. And Max Webster’s production does it very well. The wit and insight of Woolf’s writing is not entirely lost through the use of a Greek-chorus style of narration, which accompanies the performance from start to finish without ever feeling like an interruption. A stunning live cello score (Isobel Waller-Bridge) is also played out on stage throughout, adding to the sense of pace and immediacy that is amazingly achieved in this epoch-spanning play. The innovative use of props and staging is striking, allowing dramatic changes to be enacted at whirlwind speed. Queen Elizabeth’s dress is lit from within by fairy lights, a frozen lake is a white-lit silver sheet, a life
size skeleton wonders round the stage as part of the carnival, a sumptuously silk draped bed represents Constantinople and bright bulbs ring the stage in the twentieth century. This sparse set manages to conjure an impression of luxury, allowing the full capacity of the in-the-round staging to be utilized, particularly by Sasha who, suspended by ropes, dances through the air, spinning rings around love struck Orlando. The costume changes demark the passing of time, progression of history and changing attitudes; Orlando’s shorts are changed for an awkward, restrictive dress, and then the bright colors of the Edwardian period swapped for dour black button ups of the Victorian. Demonstrating identity and gender to be all an act, one Orlando first struggles with, clothing is suggested to always be a costume in this performance. The use of drag, with a deep-voiced hairy-legged Queen Elizabeth, adds an element of pantomime and the carnivalesque to the performance. The drag mirrors and compliments Orlando’s own gender-swapping, raising questions about the performativity of gender
My Favourite Scene
This week Sam Ebner-Landy tells us about his favourite scene from Alan Bennet’s The History Boys
HECTOR: What have we learned this week? POSNER: ‘Drummer Hodge’, sir. Hardy. HECTOR: Oh. Nice. Posner says the poem off by heart ‘They throw in Drummer Hodge, to rest Uncoffined – just as found; His landmark is a kopje-crest That breaks the veldt around; And foreign constellations west Each night above his mound. ‘Young Hodge the drummer never knew – Fresh from his Wessex home – The meaning of the broad Karoo, The Bush, the dusty loam, And why uprose to nightly view Strange stars amid the gloam. ‘Yet portion of that unknown plain Will Hodge for ever be; His homely Northern breast and brain Grow to some Southern tree, And strange-eyed constellations reign His stars eternally. HECTOR: Good. Very good. Any thoughts? Posner sits next to him.
and emphasizing the transgressive edge to this story through the undermining of the status quo enacted in the carnival. The performance manages to entertain and amaze, be both funny and touching whilst retaining suggestions of subversive ideas. Overall, this play shows a search for a true personal identity amongst the myriad of different Orlando’s that have and can exist; a search with becomes eternal when combined with the immortality of art and a search we can all identify with.
POSNER: I wondered, sir, if this ‘Portion of that unknown plain/Will Hodge for ever be’ is like Rupert Brooke, sir. ‘There’s some corner of a foreign field…’ ‘In that rich earth a richer dust concealed…’ HECTOR: It is. It is. It’s the same thought… though Hardy’s is better, I think… more… more, well, down to earth. Quite literally, yes, down to earth. Anything about his name? POSNER: Hodge? HECTOR: Mmm – the important thing is that he has a name. Say Hardy is writing about the Zulu Wars or later the Boer War possibly, these were the first campaigns when soldiers… or common soldiers… were commemorated, the names of the dead recorded and inscribed on war memorials. Before this, soldiers… private soldiers anyway, were all unknown soldiers, and so far from being revered there was a firm in the nineteenth century, in Yorkshire of course, which swept up their bones from the battlefields of Europe in order to grind them into fertiliser. So, thrown into a common grave though he may be, he is still Hodge the drummer. Lost boy though he is on the other side of the world, he still has a name. POSNER: How old was he? HECTOR: If he’s a drummer he would be a young soldier, younger than you probably. POSNER: No. Hardy. HECTOR: Oh, how old was Hardy? When he wrote this, about sixty. My age, I suppose. younger than you probably. POSNER No. Hardy. HECTOR: Oh, how old was Hardy? When he wrote this, about sixty. My age, I suppose.
30
The Contact Theatre hosts some of the newest and most exciting theatrical pieces all year round - but in March it is solo performances that take centre stage. From discussions of the most basic and intrinsic human emotions, such as fear, desire and compulsion, to discussion of comedy and even a one-on-one phone call piece around the city centre, Flying Solo Festival has something exciting for everyone. Runs from the 12th to the 22nd March at The Contact Theatre and other locations
Orlando Based on Virginia Woolf’s extraordinary novel of time travel and gender-swapping, this adaptiation promises to be just as funny and incredible as the original. Sarah Ruhl has adapted the nvoel for the stage and brings it bursting to life - despite the many shocking occurences throughout the story!
Review
my FAVOURITE SCENE
The History Boys has always resonated with me, given my boy’s-school background and family’s eternally irritating obsession with Oxbridge. Having seen the Drama Soc’s production of Bennett’s 2004 play last weekend, one scene stood out. Hector, the loveably old-fashioned English and General Studies teacher, is confronted by the school’s Headmaster about his mild paedophilia. Accordingly, Hector is allowed an early retirement, and in the following scene, where the schoolteacher discusses, with a pupil of his, how to begin an essay on Hardy’s war poem ‘Drummer Hodge’, Bennett allows the audience to feel the tragedy of the old man’s life, and career, coming to an abrupt end.
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SECOND REVIEW
Carmen
Runs from the 22nd February to the 22nd March at The Royal Exchange
Photo: Russian State Ballet and Opera House
Adam Fearn reviews Carmen at the The Russian State Opera House, and in process discovers the wonders of opera The story of Carmen and Don José has long been one of the world’s favourite operas due to its risqué plot, engaging characters, and beautiful music. Foretold by Tchalkovsky as one of the most popular operas in the world and endeared by the likes of Nietzsche and Brahms, Carmen, based on the novella by Prosper Mérimée, tells the story of a young, untamable femme fatale who preys on the Corporal of Dragoons in order to fulfill her own egotistical desires. The piece, composed by Georges Bizet, has become one of the most well known works of operatic performance since its initially negative reception at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, 1875, having been adapted by numerous assemblies. From Bollywood to Beyonce’s own Carmen: A Hip Hopera, the productions have been constantly adapted and changed by a multitude of directors, united by Carmen’s seductive and captivating theme, Habanera. The performance at The Russian State Opera House stayed true to Bizet’s original. The fantastic cast, with soprano Natalia Kovalenko taking the lead, gave a enactment that was charming and enchanting; the venue complimented the intimate scenes and the music, provided by a 30-piece orchestra, was clear throughout: a problem that often ruins even the best operatic productions. Although the show was sung exclusively in French, every line was subtitled; a nice touch that further increased its accessibility and my overall appreciation of the night as a whole. If you are new to the world of opera, Carmen is a fantastic gateway performance that demonstrates some of the most moving, enthralling, and passionate scenes that the genre offers. Its story is relatively easy to understand, the music is powerful, crisp, and second-to-none, whilst its characters are well formed and entirely believable.
The MIFTAS The Drama society’s MIFTA showcase begins this week. Presenting a variety of student performances, the MIFTAS is an unmissable showcase of talent, and a great opportunity to support the new theatrical talent that is sprouting from the university. Various locations from the 19th February to the 23rd March
Evita When Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice wrote Evita, they created a materpiece of musical theatre. Following the life of Eva Peron, first lady of Argentina, the musical captures an audience through the story of a girl from the slums, who steals the heart of a nation - and through the musical, the heart of the audience as well. Runs Monday 17th to the 22nd March at The Palace Theatre
ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2013 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Editors: Lauren Arthur, Moya Crockett, Beth Currall Feature
Growing up British in the Middle East
Natasha Smart grew up in Oman, Qatar and Dubai before moving to Manchester. Here, she reveals what life in the Middle East is really like
Photo: Rick’s Images (Flickr) After living as an expat in the Middle East for over eight years, I knew my upbringing wasn’t like everybody else’s, but I didn’t realise just how different it was until I arrived in Manchester. Due to my father’s occupation I have lived in over five different countries and, despite being British, had only visited England twice before moving here to study Business, Finance & Economics. I wasn’t quite sure how people would react to me telling them I lived in the Middle East, but I found out pretty fast. During my first week as a terrified and naïve fresher, I was asked if I lived in a mud-hut, and whether I rode a camel to school. I’d like to say these comments were made in jest but in reality I think they were genuine questions! I have lived in Oman, Qatar and Dubai, but Dubai is perhaps the place which has caused the most controversy over the last couple of years. Dubai often conjures up images of sparkling beaches and soaring skyscrapers, but quite a few people I have spoken with are of the opinion that it is “artificial” and lacking
in depth. At first I thought this stemmed from jealousy, but later realised that the way Dubai is often presented in the media means that there are many misconceptions about the place. In reality, there are many places you can visit to experience a bit of Dubai’s history such as the Dubai Creek in Deira, which served as a port as well as assisting their fishing and pearling industries in the 1930s. Nearby Al Bastakiya, a historic residential region, gives you an insight into traditional Middle Eastern architecture. The most common question I’m asked after telling someone I live in the Middle East is, “don’t you get arrested for holding hands?” In a word, no. We all remember the “sex on a beach” incident a few years ago where a British couple were arrested and briefly jailed for being caught in an extremely compromising position after meeting at one of Dubai’s infamous boozy brunches. Dubai has certainly undergone an incredible transformation over the last decade, but it does struggle to strike a balance with its reputation as a cosmopolitan, glamorous holiday destination while also upholding its strict religious values. Such conflicting ideals means that tourists can, understandably, get confused. This isn’t helped by the British media’s portrayal of Dubai. In one well-known paper, a journalist accused expatriate mothers of being “too drunk” to look after their children, who in turn were out-of-control and hosting wild house parties. In my opinion, there’s absolutely no truth in this. Articles like this are often written by ill-informed journalists who – in most cases - have never visited the place. It might sound obvious, but the most important thing to remember when visiting Middle Eastern countries is to be mindful of your surroundings. You don’t have to cover your entire body but at the same time don’t turn up to a shopping mall in your bikini - it’s all about reaching a happy medium. Respect and be aware of Middle Eastern culture, and in return the locals will respect you. However, I’m not saying Dubai is perfect. There are many teething problems which still need to be dealt with: there is a vast disparity between the superrich and the poor, and the 2008 financial crisis hit Dubai very hard, exposing cracks in its façade. It was apparent that its rapid growth had finally caught up with them. Many expatriates fled the country as there was lack of solid legal infrastructure to protect them, and the majority of newly-built skyscrapers were left empty due to an over-supply. Dubai divides opinion, but it is undeniably surreal. I have seen a small cheetah in the front of a Range Rover, a Lamborghini police car and on one occasion my year weren’t allowed to go to our local shopping centre when GCSEs finished because there was a bomb scare. Although it may not have been a conventional upbringing, I wouldn’t change my time in the Middle East for the world and thoroughly recommend anyone to visit this unique part of the world.
Photo: Pixelchecker (Flickr)
It’s...
Take Me Out: The Date UoM’s RAG Society recently staged another successful Take Me Out in aid of charity. Third year History of Art student Lily kept her light on for fellow historian Jeremy - but was their date at Fallow one for the history books?
Jeremy, Third year History
Lily, Third year History of Art
First impressions?
First impressions?
Very attractive, blonde (I don’t normally go for blondes), and very easy going.
Well, we met on Take Me Out, and his talent was juggling eggs. So, I guess my first impression was that he is unusually excellent at juggling eggs.
What did you guys eat and drink?
What did you guys eat and drink?
I thought the food would be the sort of thing you get in Wetherspoon’s, but instead I had an amazing gourmet burger. I felt bad about eating meat in front of a vegetarian but the burger was to bloody good to pass up.
We shared a bottle of red wine, and I had the veggie lasagne.
Any awkward moments? No, I don’t think so. Going on Take Me Out was awkward enough to be honest, so I feel like we’d got that out of the way!
Any awkward moments?
Is Jeremy your usual type?
We lingered on supermarket chat for a little too long in the beginning – I discussed Lidl, Sainsbury’s, the grocers in Withington and ASDA before she moved the conversation on. After that the conversation flowed really easily.
I guess so... I do have a soft spot for boys with glasses. [Editor’s note: Jeremy took his glasses off for the photo. Lily isn’t crazy.]
Did you have much in common?
Is Lily your usual type?
Yeah, a fair bit. We both hate football and we both read our horoscopes in the Metro on the bus every day. Oh, and he’s just got a puppy, and I love dogs.
No, I normally end up with horrible girls, and she was actually quite nice.
Can you spill any sordid secrets?
Did you have much in common?
I don’t think so.
How did you say goodbye? Hug? Kiss? Heavy petting? Um, we just said goodbye!
Would you like to see your date again? Yeah, sure. Why not?
Rate the experience out of 10? A solid 9/10.
Lily &
Jere my
We had a lot of third year grievances to chat about: the best places in the library, dwindling career prospects and mounting dissertation deadlines.
Any secrets revealed? Couldn’t possibly say… No.
How did you say goodbye? Hug? Kiss? Heavy petting? Kiss on the cheek.
Jeremy and Lily went on their date at Fallow Café, 2A Landcross Road, Fallowfield, which has free music gigs and a quiz on Mondays. Photo: Peter Chinnock. Words: Moya Crockett
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Advice
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Advice
Can we really do it all? How to pull an all-nighter More students are working part-time to fund their studies and a social life. Claire Morris shares her tips on getting the work/life balance right
No one enjoys working through the night to meet a deadline – but unless you’re one of those organised types, we all have to do it occasionally. Moya Crockett tells us how to tackle it like a pro(crastinator)
Photo: Sarah Kelly (Flickr)
The latest example of “it shouldn’t work but it just does” television is Channel 4’s First Dates, the new dating programme that is raising the bar of reality TV from the terrible depths of The Valleys and Geordie Shore. It is undeniably compelling, even more so than Gogglebox and The Fried Chicken Shop, and is certainly a far cry from Channel 4’s Benefits Street, which shouldn’t work and definitely did not work. But I’ll save that rant for another time. For those who haven’t managed to get round to watching it, First Dates is a show in which two strangers sit and have a date. I’ll admit that it doesn’t sound too exciting, but it’s honestly brilliant. Its greatness resides in the fact that it leaves the couple to it. There are no TOWIE-esque disclaimers that “some of these scenes are created for your entertainment,” and this is where its excellence lies: it gives the show the spontaneity necessary to keep viewers uncompromisingly gripped. It’s difficult to predict how two people will interact with one another when they actually meet but the most interesting dates on the show are undoubtedly the dates in which chalk and cheese come together to create an imaginative and flamboyant cheeseboard (stretching the metaphor too far?
Probably). As well as these curveball dates there have been many uplifting moments throughout the two series and not surprisingly, countless instances of “wanting the ground to swallow you up” awkward situations. But that’s the great thing, it’s not you, so no hole needed (I’ll refrain from lowering the tone). We get to chill in the comfort of our freezing student homes surrounded by housemates exclaiming “oh no, too desperate”, “what a bellend” and “yeah she’s a bit of alright” when it’s just the boys watching (yeah that happens, not even ashamed) and “aww so cute”, “they’re such a good couple” when the girls are round (talk about perpetuating gender stereotypes). When we’re not commentating, we’re over-analysing; I don’t know what it is, but for some reason when we’re protected by the screen, we become the Descartes of the dating world. Everyone transforms into Hitch when the doors of the restaurant open and by the end of the episode. we’re left craving more so that we can impart our new found wisdom . So if you’re nursing a hangover and need something comforting and fun that goes well with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s, you’ve found your match. Photo: Channel 4
4. Move. A certain kind of spaced-out feeling starts to set in after you’ve been sitting in the same chair for hours on end, particularly when it’s dark outside. Moving around and getting some fresh air will always make you feel brighter and more alert, and a break from the computer screen can help you organise your thoughts. Personally, I like to make a big move from the library to the learning commons at around 11pm, but that’s mainly because John Rylands gets creepily silent after a certain point and I’m scared of getting murdered.
Photo: Phillip Cummings (Flickr)
Emmanuel Demuren on why Channel 4’s latest reality show is worth a watch
Photo: Victor Silver (Flickr)
Television
Photo: Maria Elena (Flickr)
2. Turn off your phone. Smart phones are dangerous because they make it all too easy to pretend that you’re being productive, as long as you’ve got your essay open on the screen in front of you. But once you get going, you have to get going, and spending forty minutes scrolling through Facebook, Whatsapping your friends and liking things on Instagram is really not worth your time. Free yourself from the perpetual vibrate. Switch it off.
Photo: Hayden Fritz (Flickr)
TV review: First Dates
1. Allow yourself a slow start. Let’s be real: if you’re even facing the prospect of an all-nighter, procrastination is not unfamiliar terrain for you. You’d be forgiven for thinking that twentyfour hours before the deadline is maybe the time you should actually pull your finger out and JUST. GET. ON. WITH. IT. But you’re not going to, are you? You’re going to dick around on the internet until 9pm, at which point you’ll be hit with a wave of truly inspirational terror. If you’re anything like me, you’ll need that fear like Lance Armstrong needed performanceenhancing drugs. Consider “dicking around on the internet” a warm-up activity for the night ahead.
3. Food, glorious food. Treat an all-nighter the same way you would a childhood sleepover or school trip: stocking up on snacks is essential. The nearest ATM’s seem terribly far away from the learning commons late at night, and there’s nothing, but nothing (well, maybe some things) worse than sitting at a computer at 11.30pm without enough change for the vending machines. A serious all-nighter requires at least two coffees, a Twix or three and possibly a bag of Haribo as a palate cleanser, so stock your purse/wallet accordingly. Make sure to pack some fruit and healthy snacks too, though, because ten hours of nothing but E numbers and caffeine can make you feel a bit weird. Photo: Tommy Huynh (Flickr)
slip your mind when you’re so busy. As well as working hard though, make sure you look after yourself. Set aside free time and cherish every minute of it. Make dinner and catch up with housemates, go to the gym or call your friends and family back home. It’ll feel great to take your mind off your hectic schedule for a while and will give you the much-needed opportunity to get some rest. That way, come Friday night, you won’t feel totally drained and you’ll be able to go out and get drunk with everyone else. What’s the point in working hard to earn extra cash if you’re so exhausted that by eight p.m. on a Friday you’re asleep in front of Eastenders and you miss that night out you’ve been saving up for? There will be hard times when things pile up and you wonder why you’ve taken so much on when all your friends seem to be out every night having a great time without you. But think of the positives; it will look great on your CV that you managed to balance both your degree and a job successfully, and with work-experience under your belt, you’re more likely to find employment after your degree is over. So, be prepared for the strange looks and the sympathy when you tell your friends you can’t go out because you have to work, and accept the fact that you might find yourself pulling the odd all-nighter because you miscalculated how long it takes to write an essay. Just keep thinking how great it will be when you finish your degree and you get to lounge in the luxury of free time again. And remember, there’s nothing better than the feeling of finally getting out of that overdraft!
Photo: BenLucier (Flickr)
It’s the same story for most students: we’re skint. Being at university means accumulating massive debts. According to a 2012 University Lifestyle Survey, 30% of students expect to be more than £20,000 in debt when they graduate. Paying back that loan one day is a grim prospect. But let’s face it, once tuition fees and accommodation costs are paid off, there isn’t much of a loan left to fund the other necessary aspects of uni life like travel, household bills and, you know, food (it doesn’t matter how cheap they are, it isn’t necessarily a good thing when Sainsbury’s Basics instant noodles become your staple diet). So, many students are turning to part-time work to earn a little extra cash. In 2013, 57% of students were working part-time to help fund their lifestyles; students can’t live off just their loans anymore. However, taking on a part time job during your degree has its drawbacks. A job that takes up valuable time in the evening or on weekends on top of uni coursework can leave you with little time for anything else and your social life can suffer as a result. It’s important then, that you’re able to juggle all three. The most important thing is to prioritise; set aside a couple of days a week for uni-work, or more depending on your workload. If you have an essay due in a week, don’t agree to work every night leading up to the deadline. Talk to your boss. Chances are they’ll have other employees in the same situation, or they’ll have been through it themselves. If you’re a reliable worker, they’ll be more than understanding and happy to accommodate your needs. Communication is key; don’t agree to work if you know you can’t, because inevitably you’ll end up letting people down. Be open and honest about your commitments from the outset and it will make things much easier for everyone. Equally, if things are quiet at uni, offer to take on some extra shifts. Not only will your boss be grateful, but you’ll also reap the rewards of the extra money in your bank at the end of the month (new shoes, anyone?). The key to juggling a job and uni is time-management. It may seem simple, but buy a diary if you don’t already have one so that you can keep track of everything; it’s amazing what can
5. Accept that this is not going to be the best thing ever written. The truth is, if you really cared about it being the best thing ever written, you wouldn’t have left it to the last minute. Sorry. But this is not the time to cry, freak out, and rue the day you ever sent off your UCAS application. This is the time to grit your teeth and write something, anything. A wise woman (my mum) once told me, “It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to exist.” Think of this as you churn out your 2,500 words of rushed half-arsery, and promise yourself that you won’t leave things to the last minute ever again (or at least for a couple of months).
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SPORT
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Sports Editors: Andrew Georgeson, Tom Dowler and Thomas Turner
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Contact: sport@mancunion.com
On the end of a Hyde-ing
Jonny Roberts discusses the struggling club Jonny Roberts Sports Reporter
With Manchester United and Manchester City at the forefront of Manchester’s football scene, it is easy to forget that other clubs do exist. So why not take a look a little lower down the football league and follow another of Manchester’s illustrious clubs? We have Oldham in a tasty relegation scrap in League One and Bury sitting slightly more comfortably in League Two. However, if those do not take your fancy, look a little further down the table. In fact, a lot further down. You will find Hyde FC. Currently sitting in last place in the Conference, taking nine points from 36 games, it has been a disappointing season for Hyde FC, to put it politely. If you thought it was going badly for Manchester United, show a little sympathy for Hyde. However, where has it all gone wrong? After avoiding relegation by five points last season, after being promoted the previous year, many felt Hyde could only get stronger this season. They were wrong. Very wrong. After an 8-0 loss to Forest Green on the opening day of the
season, signs were fairly ominous. But surely no one could see it going this badly? It is almost mid-March and Hyde FC is the only team in the top six tiers of English football not to have won a home fixture this season, a fairly embarrassing statistic. A comparison with Derby County’s 2007-2008 season in the
Premier League springs to mind, where an all-time record low of 11 points was posted by Derby at the end of the campaign. Currently sat on nine points, with two less games played than Derby, it appears Robbie Savage and Co. may have the last laugh. But, what is the problem at Hyde? It is pretty simple really, not scoring
enough goals and conceding too many. On an astonishing -63 goal difference, the Hyde defence is far from watertight. Conceding more than three goals in almost half of your matches does not bode well for any team. It is fair enough for Manchester City may have the motto, ‘you score four and we’ll score five’. Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo can
There has been little to celebrate at Hyde FC this season. Can they restore some pride in the shirt? Photo: @hydefclive
take care of that. However, Scott Spencer lies at the top of the goal scoring charts, with a meagre eight in all competitions. He is then followed by Connor Hughes on four. These are not exactly the most inspiring statistics you will ever see. However, their manager seems pretty focused and praised his dog after Hyde’s first victory in the league in January. McNiven explained that “when I’ve been coming in for the last six months, she’s been hiding under the sofa. Last night, she came and gave me a kiss”. Is it any wonder they are struggling with such a man at the helm? More Kevin Keegan than Jose Mourinho. However, even a managerial change is unlikely to salvage this sinking ship. With ten games remaining, it may seem like a lost cause, but Hyde can do with all the support they can get. So, get down to Ewen Fields and show The Tigers some support, maybe you could even witness their first home win of the season. It has got to happen soon, surely? The next Hyde FC home game is against Dartford on Saturday 22nd March and tickets are just £8 with a student card.
Rugby League Champions
UMRLFC go undefeated to win the league By Tom Marsden and Michael Linn Now that the Rugby league season is coming to an end, it is time to look back at what has been such a successful season for the Manchester Rugby League squad. The team over the season has become a tight-knit unit, moving from strength to strength, putting to bed teams such as Salford and UCLAN to end up undefeated league champions. We started this year determined to succeed, and couple this with a fierce attitude on and off the field we were destined for greatness, and a North West league dominance followed that Jose Mourinho himself would be proud of. Whether it was a gruelling fitness session in the mud of Platt Fields, or walking back onto the field down on the scoreboard on more than one occasion, the lads were always rallying together, putting bodies on the line for our teammates. The most fitting of these examples would be the final league deciding match against UCLAN, where both teams entered the match undefeated, with all to play for in a single 80 minute stint. Even with great heart and outstanding defensive effort from UMRLFC we went into half time 10-0 down. Despite this, like Gordon Ramsey adding chilli to any tomato-based Italian dish, Manchester knew how to turn up the
heat. There was a collective groan when our talismanic captain attempted a downfield kick that ended up with such curve that the ball floated backwards rather than forwards, seemingly ruining our chances, gifting UCLAN the field position they needed. Team spirit was once again exemplified by prop Paul Symons, poached from ten pin bowling in September, with a magnificent try-
for this month’s varsity, was the 24-18 pre-Christmas victory against our crosscity rivals Salford university, in which Jayke Hartley showed his true northern grit by standing up to what can only be described, as the long lost son of WWE star The Great Khali, after a ball was flung into his face, with the rest of the team not far behind, the offender was dispatched. The Manchester squad once again
Manchester’s Rugby League side were undefeated in the league this year. Photo: Josh Kilby Photography.
saving tackle that would surely have sealed the game for UCLAN in the dying minutes. Manchester rallied around this feat, emerging from a tough spot, once again, victorious. Another hard-hitting memory fresh in the team’s mind, especially in time
snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, thanks mostly in part to a superb last minute try from full back Jonny Cottom, bringing us in front for the first (and last) time in the match, a well-earned win. That is to say, things didn’t start off with such steam after post-trial selection.
Although the spirit was there, the body was weak, with some of the squad at the beginning of the season making Per Mertesacker seem like the ideal combination of marathon runner and bona fide Olympic Sprinter. Despite a win in the first match of the season at the beloved Armitage ground, a general (but understandable) lack of game knowledge from some players, a lack of fitness from others, as well as an unexpected drop of the ball whilst diving for a try 20 yards from any other player from stand-off Matt Macintosh, proved that we still had a long way to go. It has gone to show now though, championship to boot, that work and success really do go hand in hand. 2013 was a fantastic year for rugby league in general, gaining mainstream TV coverage with England hosting the prestigious World Cup. The boys at Manchester became extremely lucky during this period, as we were given the tremendous chance to meet and take pictures with some members of the Australian national squad after a 9-a-side touch tournament - a once in a lifetime opportunity. Several onlookers may in fact elude to the idea that it was meeting these players face to face that really set the sparks going, and that James Tamou’s photogenic smile was a mascot that guided the team to victory in the North West league. Some might say that a team anthem keeps a squad bound together in both
good and bad times, almost by blood. Certainly at international competitions, countries and their respective athletes can bellow out their national anthem with pride, ready for the arduous challenge ahead, no matter how tough it may seem. Here at UMRLFC, we feel proud to have honoured this time-old tradition, embodying a spellbinding, tear jerking, rugby-league-based rendition of Cher’s 1998 superhit ‘Believe’ on and off of the field, binding the squad together in sweet harmony. For Manchester Rugby League though, there is still one final test yet to come in the form of Varsity. UMRLFC will be taking on Salford in the AJ Bell Stadium – home of the Sale Sharks and Salford Red Devils - in the hopes of taking home a second trophy for the year. The two teams have met once before this season, in a tightly contested game that saw Manchester come out as victors, but there is still all to play for with the pride of the University and the city on the line. The game is on the 24th March with a 7:30 PM kick off; tickets are available for purchase at £5 from the players flyering outside the Students’ Union on weekdays until that date, and for further information contact the rugby league team.
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ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM
Sport in focus Sweet Chariot can guide England to RWC glory Tom Dowler analyses England’s performance in the 2014 RBS Six Nations Tom Dowler Sports Editor I approached the start of the 2014 RBS Six Nations with anxiety, knowing Stuart Lancaster’s side are still very much in their development phase. The Red Rose would surely wilt under pressure from Wales, Ireland and France – teams who all seemed far further along the line than Chris Robshaw’s side. Ireland are in the driving seat for the championship with a superior points difference and just the one defeat (13-10 to England at Twickenham). Victory at the Stade de France in Paris would seal a memorable championship for the retiring rugby deity that is Brian O’Driscoll. However, should Philippe Saint-Andre’s mercurial French side defeat the Irish on home soil, then mathematics will decide if the French can sneak past the English on points difference. This is unlikely as France go in to the final round with a points difference of just 3, compared to England’s 32 ahead of their trip to Rome. England started the tournament with a tricky away visit to Paris with several new combinations being tested. Gloucester’s Billy Twelvetrees and Northampton’s Luther Burrell forged their centre partnership for the first time, and inexperienced speedsters Jack Nowell and Jonny May made their Six Nations debuts on the wings. France took a commanding 16-3 lead after just 22 minutes,
however Burrell bundled his way over for a try and Mike Brown – who will surely be awarded player of the tournament broke away for a score of his own. Throw in Danny Care’s audacious successful drop goal and England were back in the game. Alex Goode added a penalty and the English looked like sneaking a surprising away victory. However, the heroic effort fell short as Gael Fickou, the promising Toulouse centre raced away for a 50-metre try at the death to seal a 26-24 home victory for the French. To his credit, Lancaster stuck with his original selection for the trip to a boggy Murrayfield and his side ground out a hardfought 20-0 victory against a woeful Scottish side. The score line flattered the hosts as England left several scores out on the field, however, the forwards outmuscled their opponents and Burrell and Brown scored a try a piece to settle the visitors’ nerves. This gave the young English side some confidence ahead of their battle with Ireland at Twickenham. When England welcomed the Irish to rugby HQ, the visitors were tipped as favourites by many. Experience counts for everything in international rugby and with O’Driscoll rolling back the years and Paul O’Connell as aggressive as ever despite losing some pace and dynamism around the park, his side were confident of victory. England trailed 10-3 at half time after Rob Kearney cut a beautiful line to score under the
posts, however, yet again England showed tremendous character to claw their way back in to the game. Harlequins superstar full back Mike Brown made a scything break before releasing the electric Care who dived in to score unopposed. Two penalties and a successful conversion from the maturing Owen Farrell were enough to earn a famous win for his side. Next up, Wales. Anyone who remembers the horror show from England’s 30-3 drubbing at
defence, coming round the corner at pace before spreading the ball out wide to scoring threats such as George North and Alex Cuthbert. However, this simply didn’t work. England’s stoic defence held firm and a shocking kicking performance by Rhys Priestland helped the hosts enormously. The quick thinking of Care saw him take two penalties quickly to make a huge territorial gain and after the second cheeky effort he dove over for the opening score as Sam
that Leigh Halfpenny slotted with ease. England withheld Welsh pressure in the second half and even turned the screw on the Welsh scrum, resulting in another sin binning for Gethin Jenkins. Farrell added a few penalties to give England a cushion and Burrell looked to be in for another score only for Halfpenny to make an amazing try-saving tackle in which he dislocated his shoulder for the cause. The final whistle blew at England 29 Wales 18 and all memories of the shambles in
Mike Brown has been in outstanding form for England. Photo: @rugby_blogUK
the hands of Warren Gatland’s side in Cardiff last year may have approached the game with severe anxiety. Surely England weren’t going to be humiliated on home turf? The Welsh arrived with the simple game plan of ‘Gatlandball’ – in which they are directed to batter-down the opposition
Warburton’s side failed to retreat for the penalty. Twelvetrees put in a delicate grubber kick that Burrell latched on to for a superbly executed try. Despite dominating the game in terms of territory and possession, England led just 20-15 at half time because they gave away silly penalties
Cardiff last year eased. England will obliterate Italy, but I suspect Ireland will beat the French by 5, meaning that Lancaster’s side will take a wellearned second place in this year’s tournament. This England side excites me and the squad that will represent England in the
World Cup in 2015 on home soil is building promisingly. There are two or three players competing for every position and there is real talent and determination being showed by Chris Robshaw’s team. We may not have the best pack of forwards individually, but we are working well as a unit and are a match for the Southern Hemisphere sides. Care has to remain as the number one scrum half; he sets the tempo and is always aware of attacking positions around him. Farrell is turning in to a world class fly-half, he is kicking exceptionally well from hand and off the tee, he tackles anything that comes down his channel and he has even added a running game to his repertoire. Lancaster faces tough choices in the centres, but it is reassuring to see real quality and strength in depth in this side. Brown will make himself the best full back in world rugby if he continues the form he is in, yet his wingers outside him need more time to develop. England can challenge in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, despite facing a tough group with Australia and Wales. This side is yet to reach it’s full potential. There is plenty more to come in attack and the defence can still be strengthened. Regardless of the final outcome of the 2014 RBS Six Nations, England have had an excellent tournament and have made a real statement to the rugby world. Who is to say that England cannot win the 2015 Rugby World Cup?
The Demichelis dilemma
Andrew Georgeson looks at Manchester City’s frailties at the back this season Andrew Georgeson Sports Editor Sometimes in sport, for whatever reason, things just don’t go right. Brian Clough at Leeds. Xisco at Newcastle United. David Moyes at Manchester United. Sometimes players get unjust criticism, such as Cleverly. These players are never as bad as they seem, but sometimes players really are that bad. Pelligrini at the start of the season bought in Demichelis. Understandable, he had never managed in England before and wanted someone he could rely on, and if not rely on at least someone he knew. The two first met at River Plate over 10 years ago, and when Pelligrini was picking up the pieces of his career post-Madrid at Malaga he signed Demichelis from Munich on ridiculous wages, and he was part of the team that went from avoiding relegation to Champions League in consecutive season. But why bring him to City? Was it a feat of loyalty? Was it Pelligrini trying to impose his style of playing out from the back? Was it because he was cheap when City were very clearly not going to spend any money on a defence?
He is 33 years-old, so clearly he was not a long term solution. Whatever the reason there is one indisputable facts: he has made two tackles, in two matches this season that he jeopardized City’s quadruple credentials. The tackle on Messi can be excused; he has made many a man look the fool. But what about Marc-Antoine Fortune? He wasn’t even Wigan’s best player on the day, ironically it was his opposite number Emmerson Boyce, so it was genuinely inexcusable. His awareness is poor, his decisionmaking can be reckless and he hasn’t got the pace a modern centre-back requires. This can be seen at the match at Stamford Bridge when Fernando Torres was gifted a last minute victory. These faults were shown again against Barcelona when the City Twitter account tweeted calling him a ‘rock’, before hastily deleting the Tweet after his sending off moments later. He can pretty much only head the ball pretty well. He reminds me of Steven Taylor of Newcastle United as he gives away games. Steven Taylor getting sent off for hitting Aguero on the opening day of this season was a Demichelis feat of idiocy, and resulted in 4-0 loss for Newcastle.
Demichelis has proved to be a real weakness at the back for Manchester City FC. Photo: @mercatosphera
His constant presence in the team is a damning statement on the rest City’s defenders. It is similar to Roberto Martinez playing a back three with Wigan, despite leaking goals every week. Martinez had no confidence in his defenders, Pelligrini has no confidence with Lescott and Nastatic has a few
injury problems. But for me he simply epitomises city’s defensive woes. I am by no means Kompany’s biggest fan, when he plays well he is brilliant, but when he is prone to big mistakes. He was at fault for Sunderland’s goal at Wembley, and was it not for Yaya Toure coming to the rescue, it could have
been a third trophy City have missed out on because of their own mistakes. If Kompany deserves credit at all, it is for holding together that sham of a defence. Take Zabeleta out of the equation, it is not a championship winning defence, let alone a Champions League defence. There are several defenders who could do a better job. Colloccini, although not much younger, has Premier League experience, and is probably only behind Kompany as the best centre back in the league. Steven Caulker, should Cardiff go down would be a decent replacement, as too would Jagielka. If all else fails, they could actually play Lescott, the centreback the season City won the League. The tainted centre-back position, and general defence, needs to be sorted out over the summer if City and going to be serious European contenders. The 6 points they have lost to Chelsea will probably have decided the league, so Pelligrini will have to plan for next year. Pelligrini needs to ditch his loyalties. Demichalis has been good in teams that have historically struggled or had a quiet patch, c.f. his years at Bayern Munich, but he isn’t part of a championship winning team, no matter how good mates you are with him.
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ISSUE 18/ 17th MARCH 2014 WWW.MANCUNION.COM/
@mancunion_sport All good things come in threes Netball take three teams to the final of their respective cup after a whirlwind semi-final day
Helen Gavin Sports Reporter During what could be the club’s most successful season to date, with first team finishing top of the premiership and fifth team also potential league winners (along with 2’s, 3’s and 4’s who have all finished in the top 3) netball have also managed three incredible cup runs which saw 1sts, 2nds and 5ths play in the semi-finals this week. After seeing off Leeds Uni and Man Met rivals in the previous two rounds, 2’s were up first to face their semi-final fate against an unbeaten UCLAN side that had already beaten the Manchester side twice, quite easily in the league. This meant that the 2’s had nothing to lose going into to the game as firm underdogs with their aim purely to make sure they didn’t go out without a fight. But nobody expected just how much of a fight the 2’s side would give which saw them play 75 minutes of exhilarating netball before the winner could be decided. For the first 2 quarters the Manchester side even held a two goal advantage over the ambitious UCLAN side that were definitely not prepared for such a hard-hitting first half of the game. The third quarter then saw UCLAN rally up a comeback, and increase their contact, which saw the 2’s go down by one goal heading into the final quarter. As the crowd and coach Palmer lost it with nerves, the Manchester side kept composed and didn’t let UCLAN’s momentum take them too far into the lead. With every last bit of effort Manchester could give the side levelled things up in the final quarter with some outstanding play from Gardner and
Rhodes in the defensive third. This meant that at full time the score was 48-48 and the sides would have to play for another 15 minutes after exerting all their energy in the previous hour. Extra time then commenced with the anxious energy of both crowds bursting out of the Armitage centre. This didn’t seem to affect the steel nerves of shooters Bradshaw and Lush who made sure the efforts of centre court
side could not match. The final whistle eventually blew after what felt like forever and Manchester had won by 57 goals to 55, a team performance that was worthy of hero status. Flawless shooter Kerri Lush was rewarded with player of the match and they will now face Lancaster in the final on the 19th and have every chance of getting their hands on the trophy. Firsts were up next against Northumbria,
were league winners by taking the lead by 20 goals in the first quarter. Perhaps this was just a formality now for the firsts but they made everything look so effortless down the court against a team which were not an easy side to conquer. From C Payne at GK through to B Payne at GS, each player seemed to be enjoying their role within the team and wanted to show the near full capacity crowd just how exceptional they could be. At
and had to catch their breath after watching their team mates steal the show before them. However, this seemed to only inspire the Manchester side as they reminded their opposition of why they
half time Manchester had maintained their 20 goal advantage, a gap that would be unassailable for the deflated Northumbrian side. Manchester then played out the second half with a
Manchester strike again at the Armitage.
Matthews, Johnson and Caldicott were rewarded by sinking every shot. As the minutes ticked on, the end was finally in sight and Manchester took a two goal advantage which an astonished UCLAN
professional performance, similar to that of Barcelona during their second leg against Man City, and the crowd were treated to an exhibition which would leave them in love with the beauty of the netball on show. The final score of 6340 will leave Leeds Met (Manchester’s opposition in the final) quivering in their asics trainers in the anticipation of Big Bucs Wednesday on the 26th in Surrey which is where the final will be held. The 5th team were then left with the pressure of two wins when they travelled to play their rivals for league title, Liverpool 5ths, in their semi-final. As the current cup holders, Manchester perhaps went into the game as favourites but with Captain and Coach Becky Hall missing due to a broken foot it was going to be a new challenge to face this strong Liverpool side without her. However, with the memory of a last minute league victory against Man Met still fresh on their minds the 5th team had full confidence in their ability to get to the final. This meant that they did not falter when they were found trailing the Liverpool side for the majority of the game. Timing their resurgence to perfection, the Manchester side lured their opposition into a false sense of security and came back from 5 goals down to storm to victory in the final quarter by 36 goals to 31. The come-back kings had done it again and secured their place in the final on the 26th against Durham 4s. This completed an unprecedented day for UMWNC, one which only a team effort and great support could achieve; and after three sterling semi-final victories the club has every faith that we could have three Manchester side’s lifting the cup by the end of the month.
Buttler serving up the goods England starlet Jos Buttler joins Lancashire in search of that elusive first England test cap
Rob Eden Sports Reporter With the county cricket season almost upon us, cricket fans in Manchester must be relishing the prospect of watching England’s newest hero Jos Buttler at Old Trafford playing in the red of Lancashire instead of Somerset. Somerset allowed Buttler to leave because they had two quality wicket keepers (the other being Craig Kieswetter). Although Buttler grew up in Taunton and played for many of Somerset’s youth teams, it was only fair they let him leave in order to find a county in which he didn’t share playing behind the stumps. Newly promoted Lancashire will be able to offer this to Buttler, allowing him the first class experience needed for a shot at England’s test side. Buttler, aged 23, has already established himself as a game-winner for England’s international one-day and 20/20 sides and with Matt Prior’s recent diminishing form, many have called for the vastly improving star to come in for the ageing wicket keeper and get a chance in the test side. His recent heroics during England’s
one-day series against the West Indies brought light to a dark winter of English cricket. In the deciding match, Buttler scored 99 runs in 84 balls to help clinch the series victory, smashing four sixes and seven fours in the process. The following 20/20 series saw Buttler come in with England in difficulty at 26 for 3. Buttler guided England to 137 before losing his wicket, hitting three 6’s and five 4’s to score 67 off 43 deliveries. His game changing ability has brought cricket legend Sir Viv Richards to come out and openly declare “[Buttler is] one of my favourites. He’s one of the finest finishers in world cricket. He looks a class act.” Thus it’s no surprise that many are calling for Buttler’s inclusion into the test squad. The recent removal of Kevin Pietersen offers a like-for-like swap with Buttler. Both are aggressive batsmen with distinctive flair that cricket fans love to watch. In addition Matt Prior’s wicket keeping ability has always been scrutinised - his ability with the bat has always outweighed this fact however and kept him in the team as a crucial member. Buttler on the other hand is one of the best fielders let alone wicket keepers in England. His stunning backwards-diving catch against Surrey
Source: @predictcricket
in the FL20/20 quarterfinal highlights this athleticism. However, retired off-spinner Graeme Swann thinks that Buttler must not be rushed into the test side and that he could do with a few years at Lancashire
before he is introduced. This view could be supported by the fact that for all of the game-winning traits Buttler possesses, he is fairly inconsistent and this is what may be keeping him out of the test side. In the recent West Indies tour already mentioned, he also recorded two ducks and a 12 in three games along with his superb performances. It does seem that Buttler has a tendency to either stay in and score a vast amount of runs in stylish form, or get out quickly and cheaply. However, this is again another similarity shared with Kevin Pietersen and he hasn’t done too badly in his career. Last year’s ICC trophy was a particularly disappointing tournament for Jos Buttler. He only recorded 15 runs in four innings (1, 0, 14, 0) throughout the competition. However, this allowed us to witness another trait of Buttler – his bounce back ability. The ability to forget is important for any professional, arguably even more so in cricket. In England’s back-to-back ODI series against Australia following the ICC trophy, Buttler scored 75, 65*, 42, 34*, 49, 4, 71 and 5. That is a grand total of 345 runs in eight innings, with an average of 57.5. Thus, Somerset’s loss is Lancashire’s
gain. Lancashire have a prized asset in Buttler that can help them instantly in the one-day format whilst also excel in his mission to prove his first class credentials in order to claim that elusive first cap for the England test side. His first class record is actually fairly good. In 70 innings, Buttler has scored 2031 and has an average of 31.73. Though I unwillingly agree with Swann that it is too soon to introduce Buttler into the England test setup, I undoubtedly see him as a future star of the team. My main concern surrounds not his ability, but the fact that batting where he does in ODI cricket means he always has the license to try and hit big and play a very attacking game. I am yet to see him have to carve an innings through ones and twos, something that is often needed during a quick flurry of wickets. The departing Pietersen seems to master this style of play. Holding back his attacking natural game in order to stabalise an innings, whilst suddenly exploding to put his opponents on the back foot. Therefore I hope that by joining Lancashire, Buttler will not only be able to emphasise his ability as a quality wicket keeper, but will also be able to develop his first class game in preparation for test cricket.
SPORT
17th MARCH 2014/ ISSUE 18 FREE
MANCHESTER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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Triple threat
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Second time lucky for Manchester
The University of Manchester 21 The University of Liverpool
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Andrew Georgeson Sport Editor When the rest of the student population of Manchester were basking in the early spring sunshine, cracking out their Havaiana flip flops faster than someone could upload a picture to Facebook of holidays gone with the status ‘take me back (INSERT SUNNY PLACE NAME)’, Manchester 2nds took on Liverpool 2nds. The surprisingly sizeable crowds were accompanied with a litany of beers, music, sunglasses, some guy inexplicably reading the ‘Bell Jar’, and guys who look like they walked into the University stash cupboard and put every bit of university related kit on they could find. Who can blame them? The student population of Manchester hasn’t enjoyed this much consecutive sunshine since Parklife, and we all remember how that was, right? Anyway, amongst all the banter Manchester put in a decent shift to beat a Liverpool side, despite being beat by their third team earlier on in the season, a result that leaves them 5th in the league. The weather heralded in perfect conditions for a free flowing match, full of outrageous Brian O’Driscollstandard passing. This makes it even more alarming that there were so many
mistakes from both sides to the point that there were only one or two line-outs that the referee didn’t end up pulling up for not being straight, and most the tries
Manchester responded with a try, again from a set-piece, when the scrumhalf Sterridge exploited the blind-side from the scrum drawing the full-back
for Liverpool as a overthrown ball led to Manchester gaining possession before playing it along the line to easily score in the corner. Carter again was on target
Manchester bounced back from defeat against Liverpool 3rds with their victory over the 2nds Photo: @mancunion_sport
came from set-piece moves. Manchester missed a 30-yard penalty early on in the match, which Liverpool responded to by marching down the other side of the pitch and crossing following a drive from a lineout.
before popping the ball to Breen who was tackled over the line in vain by a chasing Liverpudlian. The conversion was good from out-wide making the score 7-5. The Line-out conundrum continued
to make the score 14-5. Liverpool managed to carve out one more chance before half-time, but looked so scared at the possibility that they might score a well-worked try that it took them a while to decide how they
wanted to. After making their way down field with a series of rolling penalties, trying to go for touch, a tap penalty and everything else in-between, they finally crossed making it 14-12 at half time. The second half was a more placid affair. If Liverpool could have limited their own mistakes, there is a chance that they would have been able to get back into the game, especially with the amount of penalties that Manchester gave away. They did register their only points of the second-half after a few minutes, converting a penalty after Manchester were interfering in the ruck. A mistake from the resulting kickoff allowed Manchester to regain possession, however, and they soon crossed making the score 21-15. The only other notable moments of the second half was Liverpool’s 50 yard penalty attempt that hit the post, and Liverpool’s scrum-half astounding act of bad sportsmanship when he kicked the ball away, claiming it was a Manchester member, and getting the penalty for it. The match ended 21-15, and although not as exciting as it was building up to be, it was a decent result for the purples who go into their final match of the season next week against second-tobottom MMU. Man of the match: 14 - involved in all of Manchester’s good play, casuing havoc down the left flank all game.
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