Platform Magazine - April 2011 by Nottingham Trent Students Union

THE VARSITY EDITION

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Features: NTSU Elections fallout Music: Chase & Status interview Fashion: Top 5 menswear trends Travel: How to travel light Health: Spotlight on NTU Karate Society Film: Looking back on the classics Gaming & Tech: Windows Phone 7 uncovered

C’mon Trent!

Let’s hear those cheers...

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11 April 20

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Editor’s Letter www.platform-online.net E D I TO R- I N - CH I E F

MARY ANN PICKFORD mary.pickford@su.ntu.ac.uk D E PU T Y E D I TO R

OLIVER WHITFIELD-MIOČIĆ deputy-editor@platform-online.net NE W S / FE AT U R E S E D I TO R

ALEXANDER PAGE news@platform-online.net

.R.E.N.T we are the Trent Armyyy!!

When you hear those chants it usually means the Varsity series is well under way. And right now we are smack bang in the middle of it, so here is our Varsity edition to dedicate to the cause. If you don’t already know it’s a massive charity event, in fact, it’s one of the biggest in a Trent student’s social calendar. So far at the time of writing the score is 5-4 to those posh toffs over at Nottingham Uni. Booooo. (Don’t worry ‘bout the name calling, it’s all just a bit of friendly banter!!). You can check out the match reports so far in the sports section (pages 52 - 55). Fixtures for the next few games can also be found there.

M U S I C E D I TO R

JAMIE MIDDLETON music@platform-online.net FI L M E D I TO R

JAMES GORDON film@platform-online.net PH OTO GR A PH Y E D I TO R

STEFAN EBELEWICZ photos@platform-online.net A RTS E D I TO R

MICHAEL WORRALL arts@platform-online.net

So now that it’s getting sunnier it’s time to ditch those heavy winter clothes and swap them for the latest spring/summer trends. Go to page 21 for the fashion section to see what’s hot right now - apart from the sun of course! Ba dum chhh. Bank holidays are also right around the corner and if you’re in need of a bit of a break, we recommend a great book to read all about taking those little chances in life. Motivating stuff. It’s called One Day and you can read our review of it on page 37. Or, if you’re more into gaming, check out our top five ‘get your mates round’ games (page 48).

FA S H I O N E D I TO R

LUCY BUDGE

fashion@platform-online.net T R AV E L E D I TO R

LIZ RIORDAN

travel@platform-online.net G AM I N G & T E CH N O LO GY E D I TOR

AARON LEE

Well I hope you enjoy this issue, don’t forget to add us on Facebook ‘Platform Magazine’ and follow us on Twitter (@PlatformOnline). And if you have any news/ comments/stories/events, let us hear about it! Happy Easter and much love,

gaming@platform-online.net H E A LT H E D I TO R

THOMAS DELL

health@platform-online.net S PO RTS E D I TO R

VACANT

Email platform@su.ntu.ac.uk

Mary Ann Pickford Editor-in-Chief

D E S I GN E R S

SIMONA CIOCOIU ANDY LAWRENCE LEE SKINNER comms@su.ntu.ac.uk

Platform Magazine

Nottingham Trent Students Union, Byron House, Shakespeare Street Nottingham NG1 4GH 0115 848 6200 0115 848 6201 EMAIL platform@su.ntu.ac.uk TEL FAX

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Cover photo: Stefan Ebelewicz

Platform is an independent publication, and any views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Editor or of Nottingham Trent Students Union and its Elected Directors and Officers. Companies advertised in Platform are not necessarily endorsed by Nottingham Trent Students Union. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of the Editor.

Contents

5 Union News

21-24 Fashion

44-46 Film

+Fly FM presents Reverb +2 minutes with the Exec...

+Designer of the season +New York & London Fashion Weeks +Top 5 menswear trends

+Classic Film Reviews Brighton Rock, Withnail and I, The Flying Scotsman

6-9 Features +Are you a secret American? +NTSU Elections: The fallout +The horrific truth about Kashmir +Column The end is near

10-19 Music +Interview Chase and Status +Album Reviews Adele, Bright Eyes, Jessie J +Albums that make an impact +Interview Twenty Twenty

20 Trent Voices

25-26 Photos 27-33 Travel +Travelling light +Florida (Disney World) +Education abroad +Cambodia +An unbeatable combo

34-37 Arts +Platform’s hot picks +What’s on +Theatre Reviews Cinderella, Wicked +Youtube: Ones to watch +Book Review One Day

47-51 Gaming +Windows Phone 7 +Game Reviews Top 5 ‘get your mates round’ games +Opinion Violent video games

52-55 Sports +Varsity Match Reports American Football, Ice Hockey, Swimming

57 Notts Events & NTSU Ents Listings

38-43 Health +NTU Karate Club +Restaurant Review Curry Lounge +Savoury and sweet recipes

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Union News www.trentstudents.org

FLY FM PRESENTS REVERB

ell hello there! We’re Fly FM, your student radio station for NTU. We’re in Platform every month telling you all you need to know about our shows and making sure you don’t miss a thing. Do you love hearing brand new music and what’s occurring around Uni before everyone else? Well Reverb is a show on Fly FM that is not to be missed. On air 1-3pm every day, each show has hilarious unique features such as ‘Testiculate’ and ‘Hotter than Menorca’, as well as games gossip and competitions where you can win tickets to sold out events! Reverb Monday with Peter and Rachael is also home of the Fly FM Chart Show. Based on several charts and Fly’s most requested, the first half an hour of the show is dedicated to the biggest tunes around. There’s also brand new music from artists you know and love, as well as tracks from hotly tipped bands that will definitely get you talking about them. Games, prizes, news, banter and plenty of music, all packed into a daily two hour show. Is there a better way to spend your afternoon? Fly FM is home of the Varsity coverage and we’ll tell you everything about the biggest Varsity Series in the UK, as well as covering live matches and interviews with the players. Be sure to check flyfm.co.uk regularly as you’ll find out about all the latest news and competitions first. We’re also on Facebook: facebook. com/flyfmuk Until next month Fly FM

2 MINUTES WITH THE EXEC Ruth Cannavan, VP Education & Representation Interview by Mary Ann Pickford M: So hello Ruth! What does VP Education & Representation actually involve? R: It has two parts, Education involves Education campaigns such as the campaigns against tuition fees we have ran ourselves and joining in the larger protests in London. I also sit on University Academic panels which make decisions directly affecting education at Trent, meet with the libraries and student investigation panels if you are suspected of academic misconduct such as cheating in exams or plagiarising - that’s pretty much the most horrible thing about my job... But it’s a job that needs doing. Representation wise I look after mature, international, post-graduate, young, parent students and care leavers with the help of the student directorate. And of course, the fantabulous course reps. M: What’s been some of the biggest challenges you’ve had this year? R: Contacting representation groups can sometimes be hard such as care leavers - we have a fantastic care leavers officer Fiona [fiona.mcfarlane2008@my.ntu.ac.uk] and we worked together at the start of the year to find any students that had been in care before university that may want to meet or be given more information about bursaries and other help they can get whilst at uni. M: And your successes? R: Taking 400 students to the demo in London. Of course that’s a bit of a cop out and our students wanted to go, but it did take a fair bit of planning. We were up amongst the top uni’s for bringing the most amount of people outside London and that’s something Trent should be very proud of. M: Was there anything in your manifesto last year which you’ve not had the chance to follow through? R: Not this year, my manifesto was super realistic after my first term in office last year when I realised I could promise the earth but I wouldn’t have time to do it, as much of my job from the previous year was taken up with meetings or preventing problems or dealing with things that crop up. M: I know training course reps comes under your responsibilities, what do you think makes a good course rep? R: It depends course to course, some will just need to keep an ear to the ground for any problems that arise and others will go to uni meetings, raise money for their course and make massive changes. Either course rep is fine as long as they’re approachable and the students they represent are able to contact them. M: How could a student get involved? R: By nominating yourself to be a course rep, or to be the mature/parent/Post graduate students officer. Or just coming in [to the Exec office] for a chat and I’ll see what I can do! M: And finally it’s coming up to the end of your term, any last words on your experience so far as VP? R: It’s odd because elections have just taken place and it’s starting to hit me that it’s coming to an end. Watching campaigners has made me realise how much my friends did for me to get me my job. I am still so grateful for this opportunity. It’s been the best two years of my life, it’s not always been easy, we’ve never made a decision lightly and for all the fun we’ve had it’s been a lot of hard work too. I’ll never forget it and I’m preparing for my post-Trent breakdown when I leave this summer. I’m just really really grateful for this and I can’t wait to hand over to Abbie [Cullen - newly elected VP Education & Representation] as I know she’s going to be amazing!

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Features Edited by Alexander Page (news@platform-online.net)

are you a

secret american?

rom fast food and text-speak to American spelling and mid-Atlantic pronunciation, are students helping to turn Britain into the 51st state? While tapping away on my Apple Mac, and reaching for a sip of Coke before turning on CSI, you can’t help but wonder how much of an influence our colonial cousins have on us. They are arguably the dominant force in influencing our tastes in music, food and activities. You need only ask my flatmate who is in his first year of American Football. Even the spell check on my computer is telling me that I have three or four grammatical mistakes in my writing already. ‘Americanisms’ have been making regular appearances in teen entertainment and can be heard on Radio 1, as well as creeping onto more highbrow stations like Radio 4. Annoyed listeners to the BBC enquired as to whether the presenters were ‘born in Compton’; an area of LA notorious for gangs. Even the Prime Minster has been caught out on occasion while trying to pander to youth culture. Some people don’t even know that they’re doing it. Kimberly Reigman, a 2nd year Psychology student from Rotterdam said: “Its kind of hard to get away from, I mean, everyone watched Friends when they came home from school and most could quote it off by heart.”

When asked what she watches now she said: “Oh it has to be CSI on Five USA. They have CSI marathons every week and I have to watch them I can’t get enough, it’s well interesting.” These exports are nothing new. Just walk down into Market Square and you’ll pass two McDonalds, a Pizza Hut, Abercrombie and Fitch and countless other chains. We have truly embraced the ‘American Dream’, which for some people isn’t seen as such a bad thing. Emily Dennis, who works at Premier Inn on City Campus, said: “American TV is okay, however I prefer most things on Channel 4 like Big Brother. In Spain almost all of the TV is bought from the US and badly overdubbed into Spanish, which makes it unwatchable.” When asked what she does like about the US she replied: “I do like a lot of fashion from the US like American Apparel; they make cute dresses…oh and I love Sex and the City and Tyra Banks from America’s Next Top Model.” Those students that attended the Fresher’s Fayre in September would have seen both ‘Cheerleading’ and ‘American Football’ society. Alien activities to you or me, luckily my housemate Jamie is part of the latter (thankfully!) and agreed to shed some light on them: “I joined the American Football society because Football society was just too hard to get into, not to mention the ground fees (the

| Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine

‘pay-to-play’ policy). Now I’m playing something completely new. “It’s scary and exciting at the same time but is sort of similar to football in that you have ‘strategies’ or ‘plays’ that you have to learn. I’m centre-back which means I get tackled a lot!” And on Cheerleading Society: “Oh they’re a good laugh, dedicated Ocean goers and fun to be around. They do their routine before some of our games. It requires a lot of practice and time to do what they do. My girlfriend is thinking about joining. She says its really good exercise.” Thestudentroom.co.uk has a thread dedicated to the topic of ‘Americanisms’ and the debate regarding our close relationship with the United States rages on, with hundreds of hits a week. To reassure the minds of those who wear their ‘jim-jams’ to bed after a nice brew and Corrie on telly, I don’t think that we are losing our British values, at least not the ones that really matter. We still complain about the weather, love queuing (Ocean anyone?) and many Americans are still under the impression that we’ve all met The Queen! Thomas Dell

NTSU

ELECTIONS: the fallout

he votes have been counted, the result announced, and we have a brand new executive team to lead the student union in the next year. So what can we expect from them? This year’s NTU elections were the most hotly-contested in the union’s history. 47 candidates applied to fill the ten prestigious positions, up on twenty the previous year. That’s double the amount of students willing to take on that extra responsibility, and of course, that glowing CV reference. In the light of the elections at Nottingham university (which had such a poor turnout in the way of presidential candidates that the eventual winner gained the place practically by default), this is something to be truly admired. One can’t help but wonder at the increase in interest. Have people been less than impressed with the executive team this year? Did they voice their frustration in voting, or standing for election? Is it any coincidence that the majority of manifestos this year featured a pledge on improving communication in some form or another? The campaigns kicked off in a crowded lecture theatre (think Ocean on a Saturday night and you’re there – latecomers had to stand at the back) and for a week, you couldn’t go anywhere on campus without having a campaign leaflet shoved in your general direction. Interest amongst the Trent student population also proved incredibly high, with a record-breaking 4864 students turning out to vote. That’s a 18.3% of NTU’s body of students, which is fantastic news. Voting shows that you care. If you voted and you’re in your final year, that’s even better, because it shows that you care about

what happens to the university even after you’ve left. NTSU describes the elections as “the biggest and most important event on our calendar,” and with good reason – it is the opportunity for the Nottingham Trent student body to speak out, and elect those whom it wants to lead it next year. These are the people who will represent us when dealing with the government, other universities, and even Nottingham Trent itself. They organise events such as the Fresher’s and Graduate’s balls, and arrange funding for the many societies within NTU. So it’s very important that the right people get elected. Results night took place at in Byron House Hall on the Saturday after the campaign week, and revealed that Andy ‘Midge’ Schulten had won the coveted position of president, beating off three other candidates, with more than half the votes cast for him. His distinctive ‘If Trent Made Presidents’ manifesto outlines his aims to improve communication between the three campuses, improve entertainment functions over at Clifton (useful as there will be a lot more students over there next year, what with the new halls) and improving NTU’s employability. All good aims – and he’s got the experience and know-how to carry them out, having been on the executive team this year as Vice President for Sports. Vice-presidential positions were also hotly contested-for, and if the successful candidates keep their election promises, we could have a lot to look forward to next year. This includes an increase in the availability of library resources on an online domain (as promised by Abbie Cullen, our new representative for education and representation), new gym equip-

ment from Phoebe Nicolaou (quoted as being “no1 for student services”), and an increase in funding for societies (promised by Lekan Adebanjo, the new vice-president for societies). Also of interest are Caitlin Hayward’s promise to increase work experience opportunities abroad, and Jonny ‘Yoshi’ Ellison’s efforts to develop and promote a new structure for the NTSU. However, there are some election promises that you can’t help but wonder whether they can possibly be achieved at all, let alone in the space of a year. Dommy Szymanska’s attempts to get buses running direct from West Bridgeford to Clifton in the mornings could be met merely with raised eyebrows from Nottingham City Transport. Likewise, Toby Mitchell’s quest to increase buses to Brackenhurst campus may meet a similar fate. But for the sake of Clifton and Brackenhurst students, I’m quite happy to be proven wrong in this case. So putting all cynicism aside (which, I admit, is not entirely possible for me), whatever campus you’re studying at, keep an eye out for the improvements your new executive has promised. Hold them accountable, and keep the political interest high amongst students. If even half of the promises are carried out, 2011/2012 is looking to be a fantastic academic year. Which is good, seeing as it’s the last entry year that students will be getting on the cheap. Alexander Page For more information and a full list of successful candidates for the 2011/2012 academic year, visit www.trentstudents.org/elections

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Features

The

horrific truth about KASHMIR

n the year 1947, Britain began to relinquish its control over the Indian subcontinent, granting it independence which subsequently led to the splitting of the region. Hindus were concentrated in Central and Southern India and Muslims in Bengal and the North West. The division led to 15 million people fleeing across borders and an estimated 50,000 deaths due to rioting. Kashmir was the only region out of 565 princely states to be left as a Muslim majority with a Hindu ruler. India claimed that the Maharaja’s intention was to join with India, however Pakistan denied this. The question of Kashmiri independence was raised when the Pushtun North Western Front Province invaded the region with the support of the Pakistani government. India responded militarily and the relationship between the two

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nations remains unstable. In 1949 India turned to the UN to broker a ceasefire – a line of control was issued without a final border. Nuclear war between India and Pakistan was narrowly avoided in 1999 over Kashmir. However hitherto much remains unresolved. In text books and travel guides, Kashmir has been labelled the ‘Switzerland of the East’. This complement not only describes the region’s aesthetic beauty, but also its ski slopes, claimed to be the best in the world. Natives call Kashmir hell on earth. The beauty of Kashmir could not contrast more horrifically than with the daily lives of its inhabitants. The streams and rivers are tinged with the blood of innocents and the mountains only seem to exist to echo back the screams of women and children.

Irrespective of age or gender, Kashmiris live their daily lives without dignity or justice. Mobile phones are banned and the internet is only accessible on rare occasions. Gang rapes have occurred in villages orchestrated by the ruling Security Services. Reportedly it involves women between the ages of 8 and 80. Young Kashmiri men are forcibly paraded through the streets naked with their hands behind their heads. Evidence can be found in videos smuggled out of the country. These are not isolated incidents. Children being beaten to death is are not isolated incidents. Discoveries of unmarked mass graves are not isolated incidents. On 21 March, Amnesty International filed a report, slamming the draconian laws in the region including the ‘Public Safety Act (PSA)’ which they have called “arbitrary and abusive”. The PSA “is used to secure the long-term detention of individuals against whom there is insufficient evidence for a trial” they

Uni Truths: Tom tells it how it is as a Trent student

claim, for a maximum of years. But these two years are never adhered to. In light of all this, Amnesty International Society held a successful talk at Trent University called‘Kashmir: Is there a solution?’ The talk involved guest speakers MuzzammilThakur (Kashmiri activist) and Waheed Ur Rehman (LLM student). Whilst the UK (rightly) holds its gaze on events in Libya and the Middle East, the talk hopefully educated or reminded the audience of Kashmir’s 64 years of suffering. Amnesty Society will be taking further action on Kashmir next year and have a few things planned for next term – watch this space. For more information on human rights abuses either visit: amnesty.org.uk, or contact: trent.amnesty@gmail.com or find us on Facebook. Noora Ismail President, Amnesty International Society

The End is Near

hen I saw that we had a two-week break at the end of March I was pretty pleased. It wasn’t even going to be Easter, and we still had a holiday. However, as the holiday snuck up on me, I realised that it hasn’t fallen at the best of time. For those of you who have been lucky enough to already submit your dissertation then congratulations and best of luck. For the rest of us, the holiday has in fact, been anything but!

others will be revising for the final exams of what we all hope will have been a successful university experience. The graduation emails have been distributed, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who pictures themselves dressed in the colours of the uni, walking up on stage in front of family and colleagues to proudly collect the degree they’ve worked three years to get. It’s so close now. The final push.

And as I return from the break, five days before my dissertation must be submitted, it is fair to say that it hasn’t exactly been relaxing. But it does signify an important week in the university year, as returning from my break coincides with the handing in of my dissertation. Nothing can compare to the relief, pleasure and general ‘weight off the shoulders’ feeling that comes from handing in something that has been hanging over my head since early October.

The world ‘final’ holds other connotations though. As well as the proud finish, it signifies the end of university. We’ll be saying to goodbye to people who have helped us through the tough times, partyed with us through the good. Whilst there are some people who will stay in touch, there will be others who fall by the wayside. It signifies the end of a part of life that has shaped us all for the rest of our careers, whatever paths we take. So all that’s left for me to say is thank you NTU, but it’s time for me to leave.

So now it’s finished what’s next? Well some final essays to be handed in, whilst

Tom Wallin

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Music Edited by Jamie Middleton (music@platform-online.net)

Having smashed the underground scene in their early days, the London duo has since been embraced by all, as ‘End Credits’ signalled their official eruption into commercial success. They’ve lifted our hands and our hearts ever since, with their eclectic blends of drum ‘n’ bass, dubstep and grime. Currently touring following the release of their second album No More Idols, Saul “Chase” Milton had a chat with CORINNE HOMER at Rock City. How’s the tour going so far? Very well thank you – we have four more in the UK after tonight, then from the beginning of April we have two weeks in Europe and two weeks in America. Nice, so you’ve performed in Nottingham before - there’s a great music scene here especially in drum ‘n’ bass - what do you think of it as a city? Yeah I’ve played here loads of times. We’ve played here [Rock City], Stealth, Rescue Rooms - there’s always a great vibe in Nottingham. One of our first shows with Plan B back in 2008 was actually one of my favourites, right after More Than A Lot came out. Yeah I’ve got a lot of time for Nottingham. So No More Idols is a massive album with some big names: Cee Lo Green, Dizzee Rascal, Tinie Tempah, and you’ve also worked with Rihanna and Jay-Z. You’re sought after these days - how hard is it to stay grounded now that you’re so well-known? That’s very flattering – we don’t look at ourselves as being famous in the slightest, it’s still so surreal being recognized and stuff but that’s not why we do it at all. You stay grounded by never getting caught up in the success; we want to continue to be successful so we’re always setting ourselves new goals to stay focused. You can’t just go around thinking your shit don’t stink y’know, we’re always striving to do more and that keeps you level. So in terms of the artists you’ve worked with, is it a case of grabbing the

opportunity to have a big name or is it more about getting the right sound? For us it’s if we like their music and what they do; for example we love Dizzee and wanted to do a track with him that wasn’t necessarily commercially viable but more grimy. If we don’t vibe with someone it’s not going to work, it has to be a pleasure to work with them, and we get on well with everyone we’ve worked with. Out of all the tracks in More Than A Lot and No More Idols, are there any that are especially significant to you? It’s hard to say – all the tracks have done a lot for us. But right now because it’s fresh, ‘Blind Faith’ is an emotional one. It harks back to the time when we were getting into this music a long time ago. The feeling of euphoria it brings when we play... It’s always a real nice moment, so right now that song really resonates with everyone I think. So about your videos. They’re always gritty and can be a bit unnerving – where do your ideas come from? Really, you think they’re unnerving? Well yeah, the Jeremy Kyle one especially. Okay, a lot of our songs are open to interpretation; you can take from it what you will. But about the Jeremy Kyle one - the song ‘Let You Go’, the lyrics are very stalker-ish, it’s like, “You’re not telling me we’re over, f*** you - I’m telling you we’re done.” It’s quite a dark song. So for the video we thought, let’s not go for some clichéd love crap, let’s do something different. It was interesting

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“

we’re ourse alw l v to staes y

to have someone who is always dishing out opinions, telling people they’re scum, when really he’s the biggest scumbag there is. It’s a nice contrast. Oh okay. That’s so much cooler now. Blind Faith is easy though. The warehouse one, that’s a bit more straightforward. Yeah it’s about nostalgia. Talking of nostalgia, Chase & Status tracks have become synonymous (continued on next page)

US T A T S ASE &

S U T A T S D N A E S A H C H

FC O , N O T SE” MIL

“CH L U A S ITH

WW E I V R E INT

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Music with my university life and my early twenties, as I’m sure they have for many. Following your video for ‘Blind Faith’, what kind of artists do you get nostalgic feelings about? Oh, wow. Joy Division, New Order, The Prodigy, old Goldie records, old Andy C Ram records - old jungle records between ’94 and ’98... that was a big time for us. Garage, all old school garage records like Dem 2 - ‘Destiny’, Antonio, ‘Hyperfunk’... there’s so many. Even bands - Nirvana, The Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins. Hip-hop like WuTang, Mobb Deep. Will and I, we’ve got really rich palettes. And there are tastes of all that music on your album. Yeah, we like a lot of stuff so we put it in what we do. I think that’s what attributes to our success, our versatility, otherwise we’d get stale and we don’t want that. What’s your opinion on everyone jumping on the dubstep bandwagon? There’s Britney’s new tune and the band Modestep – it’s more pop with a dubstep edge to it, what do you think of that? Everyone’s been up in arms about the

Britney track but to me it’s not dubstep, it’s a trance record with about sixteen seconds of dubstep in the bridge. I’m not really fussed about it. Rusko has been producing stuff for her as well so I’m sure we’ll get more dubstep on her album. Okay, I have friends that are into DJ-ing and it’s difficult for them to become established – how hard was it for you, and would you have any advice for aspiring DJs? First of all no one should ever do it to be famous, because that’s the end. We were DJ-ing for a long time before we got to play in a club as Chase & Status. I used to say all the time when we were kids, “I’m better than Andy C, they just won’t let me play.” We have a laugh about it when I see him now. I’m not saying I’m better than Andy C, but you’re not going to get anywhere by just being a good DJ, you need to make music, put something back into the scene that you want to be involved in, then people will want to see you. Be committed to it and take it seriously, give everything up to do it. That’s the way forward. You have to live for it then. You do. Will and I were friends before uni, but it was uni when we got into it and dropped out. All our friends were going out on Friday nights, meeting girls, and we were like “Nah, we’re staying in to make a bass for this.” They thought we were losers. We figured we would sacrifice the social life and now we’re travelling around doing all this so, it pays off. Okay, cheesy quick fire questions. DJ set or Live set? Completely different. Playing our tracks live for the crowd is like a concert, DJ-ing is just us and Rage, and you try to DJ cleverly to make it interesting for yourself. The live set is like a unification thing - us, for you guys. There’s more of a family vibe to it. Our DJ sets are insane but there’s something about the energy in a live show that is incomparable; we’re really excited about it at the moment. Dubstep or Dn’B? Both scenes are really intertwined, it’s hard for me to choose, I love them both – I’ve been into jungle my whole life, carnage happens in the club when the jungle tunes play, there’s something about the speed of it and the reaction it gets.

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Easier one now – summer or winter? Ooohh... in between y’know, I like to be able to wear jackets, I like cardigans. You’re very diplomatic with these choices... Yeah, I like long sleeves. It can get too hot in the summer but winter, yeah, it can be very cold so let’s say... May time. Annie Mac or Zane Lowe? I can’t answer that - they’re both great supporters of us. Annie brings in the weekend with two hours of up front dance music and Zane Lowe is a constant professional and the best presenter on Radio One. He’s very knowledgeable - he knows a lot about music. Annie as well... hard question. Horses for courses really. Fish n’ Chips or pie? Fish n’ chips... but I like a pie as well. More Than A Lot or No More Idols? Again, can’t choose. With No More Idols we got second album syndrome, we couldn’t re-create what we’d done because we’d done it - we couldn’t write ‘Eastern Jam 2’. It’s safe to write the same stuff again but you want to move forward and progress. More Than A Lot did so much for us, but No More Idols is a real comingof-age, more mature album. It’s already outsold More Than A Lot so it is more successful, but we would be nowhere without it so, they both go hand in hand. Ovenbake: your lyrics or your cat? Oh... I love cats. I love Ben – that was Plan B’s cat in the Pieces video. You stuck Plan B’s cat in the oven? Well we didn’t turn it on, obviously. The video – it was all about the cat, then we had to make the lyric book version for YouTube but they all got banned anyhow. In real life... I haven’t even got any lyrics so it would be an empty pad. Nottingham Trent or Uni of Nottingham? Erm... I’ve no idea! I’m here for Nottingham Trent if that helps. What’s the difference? I can’t decide that... Okay... I tried. Chase & Status are currently on tour, and you can download No More Idols on iTunes now.

Album Review: Adele, ‘21’

n emotional Brits performance and well-timed publicity has seen Adele become the first artist since The Beatles in 1964 to have two albums and singles in the top five of the charts at the same time. Adele’s second album 21 released early 2011, debuted at number one. With an original voice, the main question seemed to be whether this album could be any different from her debut 19. Starting with the lively ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and finishing with the emotional ‘Someone Like You’, 21 appears to make

a statement about Adele’s ability to show variety as an artist. In between the two singles lies a good mixture of upbeat songs and ballads. She seems to like a good beat as much as the next person, however she makes sure that we remember she’s just as happy singing with a simple piano accompaniment - this album covers a range of styles and seems to experiment more with the backing music and tone of songs. In this respect she’s made a strong step away from 19. Though the one similarity you can’t get away from is the

main theme of a failed relationship and heartbreak. Each song follows the theme whether it’s completely obvious or just an underlying tone. Yet it seems to have worked well - though it may wear slightly thin if carried on to a third album. A good listen from start to end, 21 seems to show a growing maturity in Adele’s voice and music, and her chart success seems to cement her place as a serious artist. Whether she truly matches up to The Beatles, is up to the listener. Natasha Hawkes

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Music

s y e e y K E s t ’ h e g l i p r o B e P The R eleased on Polydor this year The People’s Key is the latest piece of genius from Conor Oberst and Bright Eyes, and the follow-up to 2007’s critically acclaimed Cassadaga.

Now with a pretty much permanent line-up, Bright Eyes have perhaps still not chosen a set genre for their musical style - but it’s clear that The People’s Key is another beautiful record right from the ever-so-slightly creepy start with ‘Firewall‘, where a voiceover describes reptilian creatures that roamed Earth at the time of Genesis. A bit odd, admittedly, but by now we’re used to the odd speaking parts on Bright Eyes’ albums. ‘Firewall’ continues on into the music to become a slow, simple track with plenty of chilled out drums and guitar picking. Second on the album is the single that was released as a free MP3 a while back, ‘Shell Games’. The mood picks up somewhat here with a faster piano and lyric line, and a catchier beat that before. The mood of this album, it’s fair to say, can be somewhat related back to Oberst’s

| Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine

personal emotional state last year, as the album was put on hold after the suicide of a close friend. Lyrics like: “Every day is a gift, it’s a song of redemption…” give us some insight into Oberst’s state of mind during the production of this album, but no song more than ‘Ladder Song’, written to express his grief, and returning back to the old Bright Eyes style of aching piano and heartbreaking metaphorical vocals: “You can only lose what you love the most/You’re not alone in anything/ You’re not unique in dying…” Rumoured to be the last release from Bright Eyes, The People’s Key has certainly had a lot of hype, and if I’m honest I do feel it lives up to it. Each track on this album is gorgeous in itself, with layer upon layer of meaning and sublime musical intellect. If this is in fact, the last record from these guys, I can’t say they’re going out with a bang, it’s true - but they go out with a soft half-smile and a wave, which is more than enough. Jamie Middleton

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MUSIC

hysical copies of our music are dying out. It’s the age of downloading, listening off of YouTube, Spotify and Soundcloud. But somewhere on a dusty shelf, we all have one of those albums that we feel the need to have in a shiny plastic compact disc case. Just in case. That album tends to be the album that changed our lives. It’s relatively easy to look back at the moment that music really did something important for us, to find the one record that made us think about what music really is and can be. So we thought, hey! Why not share that amazing record - or in some of our cases, records with you guys? This is what we came up with…

Linda Perry. It’s a particular song and album that was always played in the car and house by my dad, no matter where we were in the world. Whilst I’d groan and roll my eyes as it was played, I couldn’t help but sing along “WHAT’S GOINNNG ON?” Additionally, it was a pleasant surprise when I spotted my first crush singing along to it as it was played at the International school fair. The song was like a well-known secret.

Tom Wallin Every single car journey as a child, I would fight to have Thriller played. Whether we were going down the road, or driving to the south of France, there was only one album I ever wanted and it was Michael Jackson’s Thriller. It’s no mistake that it is the best selling album of all time. On top of the leading single ‘Thriller’, tracks such as ‘Billie Jean’, ‘Beat It’, ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’’ and ‘P.Y.T.’ have become timeless classics. It is a unique ability that Michael (R.I.P.) held - to create music that no matter when or where it’s played, lights up a room and encourages a positive atmosphere. Thriller for me is not only the album that shaped my life, it continues to have an effect on how I live my life, and for me is the best album of all time. Jamie Middleton For me, the album that really had a massive effect was Radiohead’s Hail to the Thief. Anyone that knows me knows I am a huge Radiohead fan - but this is where it started. I remember hearing the simple bassline for ‘The Gloaming’ in the car with my dad, and just thinking wow. It was completely different to anything I’d ever listened to before, and the sheer variation has never failed to keep me listening to this album. From ‘2+2=5’ and its sudden raggedy guitar sounds, to the quiet emotion of ‘I Will’. This album is still, and will always be one of my favourites, and I’ll be forever grateful that I got in the car that day and listened properly for once. Bernadette Butterworth The vast majority of us all have heard the 90s hit ‘What’s Up?’ by the 4 Non Blondes, fronted by the goggled spangled

Alas, the band was a one hit wonder and disbanded soon afterwards. What remained was Linda Perry, who embarked on a solo career in 1996. It wasn’t until I turned nineteen and listened to the album on my own at the height of my university independence, that I fully realised and appreciated the unflinching honesty that is her album In Flight. It’s an album that perfectly encapsulates the reckless experiences of a young adult. Her self-analytical reflections on very personal subject matter make it profound, and songs like ‘In My Dreams’, ‘Life in a Bottle’, ‘Fill Me Up’, and the glorious ‘Knock Me Out’ still move me with their understanding. These days, she chooses to work behind the scenes as a successful female music producer, working alongside artists like P!nk, Christina Aguilera, Courtney Love, and James Blunt. But she will always be, ‘the woman with the big voice.’

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Emily Willcox With her tomboy look, edgy music and well written lyrics, Avril Lavigne took the music scene by storm as she became an idol to teenage girls across the world. June 2002 saw the release of her début album, Let Go. A copy quickly found it’s way into my walkman and it’s been with me ever since. Like many great albums Let Go has a good mix of tracks ranging from the angsty, opening track, ‘Losing Grip’, through to the ballads such as ‘I’m With You’ and closing track, ‘Naked’. Lyrically, the album speaks out to anyone who

Alex Adams Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. For some people their musical influences are shaped by their parents. For me and this album, this is very true. I still remember when I was young, hearing my dad blasting this album through the house and wondering what all those stunning noises were. When I was about fourteen, I sat down with the album by myself and took it all in. It comes as no surprise to find this record on numerous “Greatest Album” lists. The vast array of sounds and tones found on this album, the amazing wails on ‘Great Gig in the Sky’, the stunning and insightful lyrics of Gilmour and Waters on songs like ‘Time’ - “Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way…” as a perfect example. Everything comes together so perfectly.

might feel lost, hurt or confused in such a changing world and confusing time in life. Lavigne addresses heartache, love, and challenges the assumption that you should live up to expectations. Her songs, and style, encourage and celebrate the differences and individuality of us all. Nearly a decade later, the messages still ring clear, and the songs still relate. This album might be on the poppier side of rock, speaking to issues for the teen that lives in us all - but lets be honest, we all love to “Let Go” every now and then.

All the songs intertwine with each other, winding their riffs and melodies to create a beautiful musical landscape. When the album finished I switched off the stereo and just sat in silence for a few minutes, letting the music settle in my head. It was the first time I realised the true potential of music. I tried to go back to listening to Oasis, Green Day and other bands after that album, but it all seemed somehow dulled by Pink Floyd. I had the music stuck in my head for days, weeks even. It was the catalyst that made me start searching for music outside of the Radio 1 playlist. It gave me a great respect for older music and opened up new and exciting musical experiences to me. It’s the album that changed how I looked at music.

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MUSIC

David Holden Hundred Reasons, Shatterproof Is Not a Challenge Definitely not the best album ever created but this was the album that got me into punk rock and alt music in general leading me to listen to others such as Blink 182, Rancid, Taking Back Sunday etc. While I own better albums few have had such a great affect on me. Aerosmith, Big Ones Admittedly a greatest hits probably shouldn’t go down on the list, but constantly being stuck on repeat, songs like ‘Rag Doll’, ‘Dude (Looks Like a Lady)’ and ‘Love in an Elevator’, it became the album of summer 2006 for me, and led me to listen to their wider back catalogue.

Francesca Bonfiglio Spice by the Spice Girls was the first cassette I ever owned. I played it over and over again, much to the annoyance of my family, and I’ve never looked back! I still love teeny-bopping pop, and it always reminds me of why I got into music in the first place. Green Day was one of the first rock bands of my generation, pulling me into a world of rock music. I love every single song on Warning and I will never forget the first moment I heard ‘Minority’. Machine Head’s Through the Ashes of Empire. ‘Wipe the Tears’ was the first song I heard from this album in 2004, and so Machine Head were the first metal band I really got into. They have defined my taste in music ever since. Eloise Mclennan Voodoo Child: The Jimi Hendrix Collection. Ten years after this album was released and every track still manages to give me chills; it’s a perfect blend of funk, rock, and soul. I’m a big guitar aficionado so in my book no one comes close to touching the power that Hendrix and

his axe produces. It can make you want to jump around the room and dance like an idiot to tracks like ‘Izabella’, or tracks like ‘Angel’ - my personal favourite - can be the perfect relaxing song that comes during the wind-down of an awesome party. Because that’s what this album is. It’s a party. It has its high moments of complete ecstasy where every note is perfectly harmonized with his gravelly vocals, and moments where the mood drops completely. However the main reason that I love this album, and why I think everyone, at least once should give it a chance, is because Hendrix is just... Hendrix. There is no one really who can be compared to him. He never fails to deliver or amaze, it’s a simple as that.

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Y t N e tW EntY

Three-piece pop/rock band Twenty Twenty are fast becoming the next big thing in the UK charts but who knew one of them enjoys taking a dip in Trent’s very own Ocean? MARY ANN PICKFORD chats with brothers Sam and Jack backstage on their tour with The Saturdays to find out more…

I know you guys have been in Nottingham before ‘cause local band I Only Date Models supported you, do you remember them? What did you think of the city when you came to visit?

How’s the tour been going so far then?

Sam: I went to Trent, so I actually used to live here for a couple of years.

Sam: It’s been going amazing, it’s going really well. We’re now in the ninth day in and it’s still really really fun so that’s a good sign. Are you guys playing any festivals this year? Sam: We hope so, we’ve got none booked at the moment, but it’d be nice to do them, we love playing them.

Sam: I actually used to go to uni here.

spent ages coming up with like twenty something and Twenty Twenty just seemed to stick. Sam: When we came up with it we realised that a lot of people remembered it straight away so it was quite memorable. I guess the tour can be quite stressful sometimes. What do you guys like to do to chill? Sam: Well it hasn’t been stressful, our headline tours are usually quite stressful ‘cause we’re the main act, but since we’re not we’re a bit more free to do stuff. But when we chill out-

Oh which one? Jack: We go for meals to chill out-

Jack: Sam knows his way around, so when we come into Nottingham Sam’s like ‘stand back everyone, I know the way I used to live here!’. That’s wicked, so what did you study at Trent?

Sam: Like today we went to Wagamama’s. We just like doing kinda nothing really. Because obviously we’re so busy running around sorting out equipment and stuff usually when we’re on tour we just do something like walk around the city or just get away and have half an hour just to do nothing.

Sam: I studied Product Design.

Jack: Because we’re in different cities we like to nosy around too.

How come you had to leave? Is it because of the band?

Would you guys ever go out clubbing after your gigs?

Sam: I wanted to start this… But don’t flunk out of uni people don’t do it!

Sam: It depends what we’ve got on the next day. If we’ve not got anything on the next day usually we hit the town and see the nightlife. But sometimes it’s just a really quick gig before we have to go off.

Where’d the name come from? Jack: It’s just kind of to do with the time really. It was like twenty-to-eight or twenty-past-eight and we were just like, we like twenty, and I remember we

Since you’ve been living in Nottingham where’s your favourite place to go out? Sam: I dunno I don’t want to say anything that people are gonna be like ‘ohh…’ but as bad as it sounds I used to go to Ocean and Oceana. Some people think it’s absolutely dire but I think it’s a pretty good night out. Awesome! So you’re part of the Ocean Devotion then? Sam: Yeah definitely, it’s fun. Nice. Well that’s a pretty good way to end it, thanks guys for coming to speak with Platform. Enjoy the rest of your tour! Twenty Twenty’s new single Love to Life is out now. Visit their website on www. twentytwentyband.com for more info.

Left to right: Jack, Sonny, Sam

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Trent Voices

raduating students: You are cordially invited to pay £25 per guest to watch you walk on stage and receive your certificate! We asked graduating students:

“Do you think the ticket price is too high?”

Toby, 21 – Graphic Design

“It’s quite a lot really. If they knocked it down to £20 or something less it would be better. It is your graduation after all.”

Sophie, 23 – Textile Design

“Definitely! They’re making money off us. We don’t have any other choice do we? It’s ridiculous. Everybody is talking about it today.”

Verity, 21 – Real Estate Management

“Yes I do. It does seem quite a lot. I’ve just paid £50 for my two parents, gown hire was £42, then photos and £5 for a tube for my certificate. It does really mount up and it doesn’t really seem fair because you’ve earned the right to be there.”

Jenna, 20 – Law

“I suppose it is. So you have done all the work and you still have to pay £25 for your guests?”

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Suki, 22 – Business & Marketing

“That’s well expensive! I don’t think you should have to pay. Your parents pay £3,000 a year for three years and then they have top pay to come and see you graduate. It’s a bit ridiculous really”

Tom, 25 – International Business & Chinese

“No I don’t think that’s too much. I think that’s alright”

Fashion Edited by LUCY BUDGE (fashion@platform-online.net)

Designer of the Season

Tom Ford is back D esigner, business man, film director, the list goes on. Mr. Ford is a man of many talents; it seems that everything he lays his hands on turns to gold. Spring and Summer 2011 this year sees Tom Ford’s almighty come back with his first womenswear collection for the last six years. Ford is one of the most influential designers in the business, not just for his collections but his commercial genius. Responsible for the most sexy and provocative fashion imagery, and not to mention the fact that he was YSL’s saving grace from the clutches of bankruptcy after taking on the role of Creative Director at Gucci for ten years.

of fashion take place through bloggers, the internet, and less restrictions on who can attend the shows. Is it time to reduce the exposure of the fashion shows and reinstall the mystery back into the industry? With a new make-up and skincare range to plan, a film script to be written and a new womenswear collection rumoured to be shown in London on the horizon, means we will be seeing a lot more of Tom Ford and his genius. Oh and not forgetting the mention of an H&M collaboration. Welcome back Tom. Daisy Simpson

Photos: www.tomford.com

To put it simply, Mr Ford knows what women want to wear and his spring summer 2011 collection is hard evidence. The collection was modelled by the likes of Julianne Moore, Beyoncé, Daphne Guinness, and Lauren Hutton in a secret catwalk show during New York Fashion Week at Ford’s Madison Avenue store in New York, where only a select number of people were invited to attend including buyers, press and Anna Wintour. The show was kept under wraps from the public and no photos were allowed to be taken. The exclusive fashion show identified a shift in focus to the consumer from the critic, in the December issue of Harper’s Bazaar Ford gave his reasons for doing so, “You see the clothes, within an hour or so they’re online, the world sees them. They don’t get to a store for six months. The next week, young celebrity girls are wearing them on red carpets. They’re in every magazine. The customer is bored with those clothes by the time they get to the store. They’re overexposed, they’ve lost their freshness.” This could be the tipping point, for a while we have seen the democratisation

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Fashion

New York fashion week T

Looking at the lady designers, Donna Karen AKA Mrs New York had a more sophisticated approach to colour with red, beige and black/blue combos. Her palette progressed into more brown

Donna Karen

Darcy Summerton photos: www.look.co.uk

So what key trends can we steal from NYFW…

Motif mania. Be experimental with different

prints - be it hounds tooth, polka dots or Aztec. Go crazy!

Play with textures – be it velvet, fur,

Donna Karen

A maverick in American fashion, Marc Jacobs did not disappoint this season either, especially with his use of graphic prints, paying particular attention to the polka dot. He was also smart and sleek however silhouettes were slightly looser. A lot of pieces were belted with impeccable tailoring, often combined with tiny hats showcasing Michael Jackson’s precise and mannered style. Colour was primarily monotone yet with bursts of silver and burgundy and subtle hints of deep blue and emeralds. A favourite piece from the show was the latex Wellington boot. Oh so couture!

New York Fashion Week designers sent out a strong message to buy special pieces with staying power, advising all fashionistas to go for strong and classic looks.

latex or cable knits.

Colour – go bright and bold! Cleverly combine contrasting colours or clash similar toned pieces.

Seventies style

– continue the love of flares, ponchos, capes and oversized hats next season.

Smart tailoring – opt for belted/double

breasted jackets to form tight silhouettes – très chic!

Go Global! Gather inspiration from

all aspects of Europe, Asia and America. Be continental!

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Tommy Hilfiger

Another all-American designer who focused on sleek elegance was Tommy Hilfiger, opting for a less preppy look with more androgynous formalwear showcasing some very desirable double breasted jackets. It was kept quite casual however with jersey dresses and knitted ponchos. Hilfiger similarly delivered a variety of surface designs with pyjama prints and patchwork.

And lastly let’s look at Diane Von Furstenberg (to all the cool fashion kids, DvF). Inspired by American legends, she streamed a very glamorous collection, glitter dresses galore! Strong influences from the South-American countryside gave it a very western feel. Bold colour combinations also flew down the runway: reds, blacks, gold, emeralds, blues and turquoise gave a very seventies glam aesthetic. Oversized hats and the upbeat seventies soundtracks added to the nostalgic vibe.

Diane Von Furstenberg

What’s great about the New York shows is that designers make clothing more relatable to customers. Ralph Lauren delivered a very modern and relevant show but with a Chinoiserie twist. Extremely chic with embellishments and prints from Asian influences, with the Dragon making a regular appearance. There were elements of European style too with browns and tweeds.

camel tones with a safari meets the seventies vibe. There was a continuation of flares throughout the collection. Donna Karen also sported the cape for the Autumn/Winter 2011 season, a key piece on the New York catwalk.

Ralph Lauren

his season saw New York Fashion Week (NYFW) take a more colourful spin on classic American style. Minimalism graced the catwalk in true NYFW spirit with Calvin Klein as the big contender. Many designers focused on texture and colour yet combining with a subtle silhouette. It was all elegant, sleek and well-tailored.

London fashion week T he designers at London Fashion Week created a turning point for the clothes which will appear in our high-street favourites this coming autumn/winter. It will be time to forget cosy, chunky knits and thigh-high cocktail dresses and look towards a new grown up chic.

Erdem

Designers such as Burberry and Erdem demonstrated how to wear this trend with two very different styles. Christopher Bailey the chief creative director of Burberry sent his models soaring down the catwalk in bright crayola coloured melton wool coats with opaque tights. The whole Burberry collection reflected the rich colours of autumn, together with maroons, bottle greens and black. Even tartan made an appearance in the form of a knee length winter coat. On the other hand, Erdem showed off grown up chic by fronting embroided velvets and chiffons, using rich colours. It seems the new LBD is one with long sleeves, either floor length or knee length with perhaps some rich dark greens or

deep maroons in the mix. Other designers such as Jonathan Saunders and Betty Jackson also celebrated the arrival of colour with Saunders sending his models down the runway wearing an array of teal, coral and leaf green which seemed inspired by William Morris prints. Betty Jackson’s models have been referred to as ‘ladies in red’ by the many fashionistas who were lucky enough to have tickets. Every model was dressed head to toe in red, yet another nod towards the autumnal colours and indeed following on from the summer’s colour block trend. London Fashion Week was an array of grown up styles, fusing together luxurious fabrics, autumnal colours and chic cuttings and finishes. Although the coming autumn/winter may seem set to be an expensive one with coats and dresses being investment items for many, the great British high-street will be thereready and waiting! Poppy Taylor

photos: www.style.com

Betty Jackson Burberry

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Fashion

for spring/summer 2011

With the new season comes a new wardrobe and this spring it’s all about colour and confidence. It’s time to shed those heavy winter layers, hang up that classic trench for another year and embrace the latest spring/summer collections from the catwalks.

The suit has had a fashion makeover. Spring 2011 sees the introduction of the ‘Alterna-tux’, with fashion houses such as Louis Vuitton and Givenchy adapting the fashion classic to fit their alternative styles. Slashed fabric, manipulated forms and embellishment are amongst the changes made, creating fashion forward yet easy to wear jackets and trousers set to hit the high street very soon. Louis Vuitton’s take on the ‘Alterna-tux’ sees delicate silk fabrics slashed and cracked producing strong and edgy outfits whilst Adam Kimmel’s designs show a subtle glimmer of embellishment. Subtle or not, the suit will never be the same again.

Get your sunglasses at the ready this spring because loud electric colour is set to hit our high streets any day now. Neon is a huge trend this season, seen on the catwalks of D&G, Jil Sander and Calvin Klein. Nothing has been left untouched from the colour outburst, from fluorescent Jackets, shirts and t-shirts to neon sunglasses, belts and even shoe soles. Dsquared² lit up the runway with salmon pink jackets, bright blue shirts and fluorescent green shorts, fully embracing intense colours this spring. Introduce colour subtly on t-shirts and glasses to start with or welcome it with wide arms and dress head to toe in pure brights.

A recent comeback to the catwalks this spring is the prisonstripe. Dressing the runway shows of Galliano and Comme des Garçons, the stripe can be worn at any time of day, with pretty much anything in your wardrobe. Neil Barrett displayed a fashion forward diagonal stripe shirt in his spring/summer 2011 collection which he teamed with a pair of navy slim fit trousers, showing us the way forward in springtime casual wear. Introduce the stripe into your wardrobe on t-shirts, shirts and, more adventurously, trousers from the high street this spring.

It’s fashion meets abstract art for this big trend for spring 2011, ‘Splatter’. From designs with delicate watercolour prints to others that look like the designer has sent the models paintballing, ‘Splatter’ is an easy yet intriguing way of adding spring time colour to your wardrobe. Kris Van Assche’s designs included a very plain bright white sweatshirt splashed with jet black across the torso and arms whilst Jean Paul Gaultier hurled white paint over trouser legs and accessories. The best thing about this trend? It’s incredibly easy to DIY.

All the rage in footwear this spring is the JuteSoled Shoe. Shoes of all styles including sandals and boots are soon set to bear the braided sole, traditionally seen on classic European espadrilles, and will certainly hit the high street soon. Prada, Gucci and Hermes are to name but a few of the runway shows adorning the sole, Gucci presenting theirs underneath a roman leather sandal, destined to become a big trend throughout the season. D&G paid homage to the espadrille, displaying their jute shoe under beautifully stitched canvas, a look easily worn with any springtime outfit. Francesca Morris

| Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine

Photos: www.style.com

Top 5 menswear trends

PHOTOS Edited by STEFAN EBELEWICZ (photos@platform-online.net)

NTU Fashion Design: Menswear Photos: David Bullock

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PHOTOS

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Travel Edited by Liz riordan (travel@platform-online.net)

TRAVELLING LIGHT Y

ou never come across a traveller who brags, ‘every year I pack heavier.’ The measure of a good traveller and an even better travel experience is how light you travel. Here’s how you pack light and pack smart. First thing’s first: a medium sized suitcase or backpack. As for backpacks though, sturdy stitching, front and side pouches and padded shoulder straps help for extra comfort. Pack your bag only two thirds full to leave room for food, water and souvenirs. Also pack a few plastic bags for underwear, toiletries, socks etc to keep everything separate and organised. Organisation is the key to packing light. How do I fit a whole trip’s worth of luggage into one small backpack?, we often ask ourselves. Pack very little that’s how. Whether you’re travelling for six weeks or six months, pack the same! Spread out everything you are thinking of taking on the lounge floor and scrutinize each item. Ask yourself: will you really use it or really need it? Don’t pack for

Obviously essentials for most travellers would perhaps include underwear, a towel, toiletries and a camera. So go on, have a go, you will surprise yourself. Oh and don’t forget your sunnies!

A few personal essentials which you might benefit from • String – can be used as a washing line to help your clothes dry quickly and very easily. • Swiss Army knife – bottle opener for those beers/to open packaging/etc. • Small waterproof wallet – to put your phone/camera/money in so that you don’t have to leave your valuables on the beach while swimming. • Fanny pack – You can put this under your clothes with valuables in so they won’t be stolen. In some cases, particularly in dorms, you can sleep with these under your night clothing to ensure your stuff stays safe. • Emergency contacts – email yourself a list of emergency contacts/addresses so that you don’t lose them. You can then check your email at internet cafes any time you need to. • Torch – you never know when this might come in handy, especially if you’re sharing a dorm and can’t turn the light on. • Small hand mirror – hey, we all need to check that we look okay and some places may not provide mirrors, depending on where you’re going. • Inflatable travel pillow – not necessarily an essential but if you’re planning on doing a lot of long journeys then this maybe a worthwhile investment to ensure you get enough sleep. • Small, portable sewing kit – a God-send to repair any of those rips or holes that can suddenly appear. • Thin, light towel – that can be used on the beach and to shower with. You might want to take two just in case one gets lathered in sand. • Universal plug adaptor – if you plan on going to a number of different countries. • Eye mask – very useful when staying in a room with light/no curtains, particularly when you want to sleep off that hangover.

Hollie Bone

Liz Riordan

the worst scenario, think about what you could do without rather than what would be handy to have. Risk shivering for a day rather than filling up your backpack with a bulky coat. It’s also now possible to buy all essential items in a mini size such as toothpaste, cream and razors, so this helps too. The bulk of your luggage is obviously going to be clothing. Taking less means more space in your bag for other things and less washing. Chose dark clothes that dry wrinkle-free and fast. Plan five full outfits and maybe a couple of extra items. One pair of flip-flops is more than enough and once worn out buy some more cheap ones. It’s fun to buy clothes whilst travelling, which is another good reason to take less.

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Travel

he first theme park at Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom is the most magical place on Earth and is the place where all your dreams come true. One of the newest attractions here is Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor where Mike Wazowski and pals collect your laughs in an interactive show. You’re sure to be in stitches. Just as entertaining is Pirates of the Caribbean where you set sail with Capt. Jack Sparrow and other swashbuckling pirates. Head over to Fantasyland (which the kid in you will love) and enjoy the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Snow White and Peter Pan. For the more adventures, head to Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. You should also make time to see the spectacular parades that occur throughout the day and finally: don’t forget to have your photo taken in front of Cinderella Castle. The Magic Kingdom is truly magical at night. Don’t miss SpectroMagic - a parade that lights up the Magic Kingdom as Mickey and the gang parade for its audience. Each day ends with Wishes: a magnificent display of fireworks that are truly magical in every single way and will light up your eyes in wonder. Epcot is the park of the future. The park is split into two areas: Future World and World Showcase. In Future World, explore technology in weird and wacky ways. Be a test dummy in Test Track, blast off into space in Mission Space and fly through California in Soarin’. The kids will love Turtle Talk With Crush and The Seas with Nemo

and Friends. The other realm of Epcot features World Showcase. Situated on a lagoon you can visit 11 world nations (including the UK) and enjoy the culture from each country by experiencing their shops and restaurants. Every day ends with IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, a night-time musical spectacular with thunderous fireworks, lasers and lights,

Disney characters in a whirlwind of water, pyrotechnics and fireworks that dazzle the night sky.

It’s time to bring out your wild side at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as you explore the lands of Africa and Asia and discover creatures that you never think you’d ever meet. Jump aboard a rickety train Everyone feels like a star as you experience through the Himalayas on the glitz and glamour of Hollywood Expedition Everest in search of a terrifying yeti. Prepare to get which all help to tell the story of commusoaked on Kali River Rapids and nication. This is a show not to be missed! head back to the Dinosaur Age in Dinosaur. Don’t miss FestiHere at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, val of the Lion King, an amazeveryone feels like a star as you experiing show full of fun, laughter ence the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. and not to mention seeing From imaginative shows to thrilling Simba the lion himself. Put rides, there is something for everyone on your super Bug glasses here. Don’t miss Toy Story Midway Maas you head on over to It’s nia, a popular attraction, where you don Tough To Be A Bug under 3D glasses and wiz into a world full of exthe Tree Of Life and enjoy citing interactive games and play against an exciting 3D show with your family with all of your favourite Flik the Ant. Not to be Toy Story friends. Who will win? For missed either is Kilithe thrill seekers drop 13 stories on manjaro Safaris (the The Twilight Zone: Tower Of Terror flagship attraction and enjoy a thrilling rollercoaster of a of the park) where ride on Aerosmith: Rock and Roller! you’ll set out on a Experience a blast from the safari and see exotic past with Beauty and the Beast African animals. - Live on Stage, as well as Finally, in the late Playhouse Disney and the afternoon head new Block Party Bash over to the Tree Parade where you of Life and can see all your be amazed favourite Disney as you characters in watch action. When Mickthe sun sets. ey’s head over to JamFantasmic and be amazed as sorcerer Mickey fights evil

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Walt Disney World is one of five Disney Resorts in the world but without a doubt it is the biggest, the most imaginative and the best of them all, which makes it the most visited recreation resort in the world. AIDAN DARRALL explains why.

FLORIDA walt disney world

They’re the most creatively themed water parks on Earth and you’d be daft to miss either of them

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min’ Jungle Parade and see all your favourite Disney characters go wild. They’re the most creatively themed water parks on Earth and you’d be daft to miss either of them. Located on Mt. Gushmore is Blizzard Beach. Thrills include Slush Gusher and Team Boat Springs. Blizzard Beach is also home to Summit Plummet - the USA’s tallest free-fall water slide - where you’ll fall 120ft down… down… down... If you’re looking for somewhere more relaxed then look no further. Typhoon Lagoon boasts a more tropical and lush setting: with roaring rapids and incredible rides dive into the world’s biggest outdoor wave pool and conquer 6ft waves. Take the family on Mayday Falls or why not just be a lazy person on the lazy river and soak up the sun on Castaway Creek? At Downtown Disney, you’re spoilt for choice from a huge variety of over 70 shops, restaurants and attractions. Downtown has everything! Explore Disneyquest - an interactive indoor theme park or watch Cirque Du Soleil: La Nouba, a show that you can’t see anywhere else in the world. For the ravers, head on over to Pleasure Island which hosts a huge selection of pubs and clubs and you wouldn’t want to pass up the chance to wonder World of Disney, the biggest Disney shop in the world. So there you have it. Your tiny glimpse into the massive world of Walt Disney World. There’s no doubt about it: Disney World is simply huge. So huge in fact that you might feel as though you won’t achieve everything you want to. But don’t worry, don’t panic. It’s easy to achieve everything as long as you plan, because there’s no mistaking it: Walt Disney World is the place to go for all your dreams to come true.

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Travel

EDUCATION ABROAD

The university experience is all about learning new things, meeting new people and becoming independent. Yet with rocketing tuition fees and dramatic slashes to the teaching budget for British students many may look even further afield for new experiences. But how will studying abroad compare to the experience of being a student here in Britain? Clare Absolon reports.

tudying abroad is by no means a new concept, but with the impending higher education reforms about to hit British universities it may soon become a more appealing one. Despite increases in the numbers of UK students taking part in the Erasmus scheme, which allows students to take a year abroad as part of their degree, figures last year still showed that just 0.46% of UK undergraduates took

part in the scheme. Typical concerns include funding, linguistic difficulties and concern that a student’s academic and social experience will be affected, although research undertaken at the University of Edinburgh shows that students ‘actually tend to do better academically through the experience’. NTU student Maya Mercury, currently studying at the Euromed Marseille Ecole de Management in France, told Platform: “I would recommend the year abroad to everyone as the work isn’t usually as hard as English universities so the pressure isn’t as high. You meet so many people from across the world and get to see several cities and countries you wouldn’t normally see in a student year.” But what about studying outside of Europe? Whilst doing a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) placement at the University of Can Tho in Southern Vietnam, I had the opportunity to become involved with a uni experience

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very different from what we are used to in the UK. The war in Vietnam didn’t end until 1975 and it is now a communist country, which means that there is still a lot of poverty and many poorer children have to work from a young age to provide for their families. Consequently, Vietnamese parents in middle income families put everything into providing for their children in higher education to ensure that they are as employable as possible, and in turn the students recognise the expectations put upon them and are incredibly focused on their work. With tourism in Vietnam on the increase, there is a heavy emphasis on leisure and tourism, management and IT skills, and English language lessons are compulsory for almost every Vietnamese student. In contrast to the range and freedom in choice of degree courses in the UK, degree programmes in Vietnam tend to focus on employability and academic

acclaim, and courses in subjects like Art and Design are rare. The student social scene is also very different from the UK. We are all used to the student stereotype of staying out all night, sleeping late in the day and having photos posted on Facebook of embarrassing Fresher’s week antics. A school day in Vietnam, however, starts at 6:30am and many young people, particularly girls, have curfews set by their parents – factors which don’t really encourage all-night clubbing and binge drinking. Instead, Vietnamese students gather at coffee houses and bars, and large group meals in local restaurants are traditional. I found the students that I taught to be significantly younger in terms of personality and experience than the typical UK student. Travelling to study elsewhere in the country is much less common than in the UK, and many

students live with their parents and attend their local University - giving them a more sheltered and familiar experience, but also removing the independence that many UK students enjoy when going to Uni for the first time. Students were on the whole very enthusiastic and eager to learn, excited by games and activities that would seem childish to a student in a British university, and always extremely friendly. One obvious advantage of studying abroad is the opportunity to see and experience different places and cultures. As in the UK, working around a termtime schedule leaves plenty of time to travel during the holidays, and during my six month long placement in Vietnam I visited all the major cities up and down the country, attended Vietnamese language classes, learnt to scuba dive, climbed a mountain and sampled snake blood – not exactly the experience of the average student in Britain.

Financial worries are still a big factor to consider when deciding whether to study abroad. However with costs in Britain set to rise next year, there is no longer a cheap option for higher education students, and studies have shown that students who have experience abroad, on average, attain higher salaries long term than those who do not – boosting our flailing economy. With so many graduates vying for jobs, employers are keen to take on individuals with social and language skills as well as academic achievement. A placement, term or even a whole year abroad is a great way to add these skills to your CV, and I would recommend the further afield the better. Tuition fees may be daunting, but the experiences to be gained studying in a totally foreign culture are priceless.

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Travel

CAMBODIA

uring the summer of 2008 I was lucky enough to visit Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. To be honest, as a young naïve teen, I had no idea of where the country was – let alone the name of the capital! However, before setting off on my travels I did a bit of research and quickly became aware of the country’s past troubles under the rule of Pol Pot. More than a million people out of the total population of 8 million had died under his leadership in the late seventies, so I was expecting to see poverty, destitution and hardship. Inevitably I saw all of these things. On a visit to the country’s famous killing fields, I have a vivid memory of seeing a huge stack of human skulls commemorating a small minority of the many civilians who had innocently lost their lives. Beside the heap of skulls were hundreds of sandals. Men’s, ladies and children’s.

The devastation was still clearly etched into the natives’ memories. However I did not leave Cambodia with an overwhelming sense of empathy. The people were getting on with their lives and learning to rebuild their great nation despite the tragedy of years gone by. When walking back to my hostel one evening, a young man on a motorbike who worked where I was staying pulled up by me. He asked me if I would like a ride. Naturally, I said yes. To my surprise he then moved to the back seat of the bike and told me to ride it wherever I liked. So I did. We went all around the back streets of the capital until we had a huge tailgate of followers cheering us on. They loved the fact that a Westerner was experiencing their culture. This was the everlasting memory of Cambodia that they wanted me to take back to England, and so I did. Joe Thomas

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an unbeatable combo W

ine and baguette, the standard combination that comes to mind when one thinks about French food. Well I am forced to stand beside this long-lived cliché because it is true. Nowhere else will you find a more delicious piece of white bread than here in its native country, and let me tell you it is addictive. Everyone surrenders - even my sister who notoriously used to dislike bread and butter has come to worship this formula after a couple of months in Paris. In my flat we have started to confess how much bread we have indulged in during the day. A whole baguette is not unusual. Maybe time to start up a Baguette Anonymous? Going back to the holy combination, we are not to forget the Wine or any Frenchman would hunt you down slowly and methodically. All around town I see people sipping a glass of wine after work and in the corners of small one-way streets there are little wine shops to find. I pass them every day on my way to class but it was not until last week that we actually went into one of them. The shop is so tiny that there was only room for three or four tables, and its owner intimidated me to begin with. First of all small shops in general makes me uncomfortable, like your every step is being registered and they leave me with a feeling of being K in Kafka’s The Trial. Also his potential jokes and sarcasm failed to go through to me, because to me they were just potential. I could not for the world work out if he was serious or taking the piss which added to my uneasiness. I gradually calmed down when he walked us through the different wines in his col-

lection on the shelves. There were hints of wood, blackberries and red pepper. The most bizarre one had a taste of animal. We settled for one which had a taste of raspberries and a hint of tobacco. Yes, the feeling of decadence was tangible. Sceptical as I was after having read on numerous wine lists that this wine has a taste of this and that but never in my twenty-two years of age been able to actually taste it. I was in for a surprise. I could smell the berries and it did feel a bit like I had been smoking a cigar when I put my glass down. My hat’s off to you France. As the night unfolded I realised the owner was not such a strange person with bad humour after all. We had a nice little conversation about how he had worked in Stockholm for a decade, why he loves wine and what we thought about Aix. I caught myself thinking he would be a perfect Grandpa. Halfway through our bottle, my friend randomly picked up a book from pile on the windowsill, which happened to be French wine poetry. To be honest, I don’t think there is a better way to end a night than being recited poems about wine, life and love, in a dim bar in the south of France. Or wait, adding a baguette would have made it divine. Anna Tranberg

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Arts

Edited by Michael Worrall (arts@platform-online.net)

Platform’s Picks This month, we love:

Huang Yong Ping and Wael Shawky Exhibition at Nottingham Contemporary Known for his sculpture work, Huang Yong Ping visits Nottingham with some of his best work including the Bat Project IV (2005). Simultaneously at Nottingham Contemporary, Wael Shawky’s film Cabaret Crusades: The Horror Show File will be shown in the UK for the first time.

David Nicholls’ ‘One Day’ So many people are recommending this book and now we are too. Definitely worth a read, check out our review (next page) and give it a go!

Spring Awakening Original Broadway Cast Recording It may have closed on both Broadway and in the West End but as the weather looks up, Spring Awakening is the appropriately titled soundtrack to your spring.

Harry Potter – Film Wizardry This book is a stunning piece of memorabilia and a must have for any fan. It includes reproductions of props such as The Marauder’s Map, a real Hogwarts letter, an educational decree and many more. Like I said: Must. Have.

What’s on in April The Wanted

Corrie!

Beyond Gravity –

We’ll Meet Again

Milton Jones

17th April Royal Concert Hall Tickets £15

An Audience with Peter Shilton

The Roses Of Eyam

2nd April Royal Concert Hall Tickets £24

4th April Theatre Royal Tickets from £12.50

4th April Theatre Royal Tickets from £16

Rambert Dance Company 6th-8th April Theatre Royal Tickets from £14.50

11th-16th April Theatre Royal Tickets from £12 12th April Royal Concert Hall Tickets £15

12th-16th April Arts Theatre Tickets £10/£8 Concessions

Russell Watson 13th April Royal Concert Hall Tickets from £25

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain 15th April Royal Concert Hall Tickets from £12

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The Greatest Circus Show Off Earth

Spirit of the Dance 17th-19th April Theatre Royal Tickets from £14

Avenue Q 26th-30th April Theatre Royal Tickets from £12

Roy Chubby Brown Live 29th April Royal Concert Hall Tickets £19.50

theatre Reviews:

Matthew Bourne’s

Matthew Bourne’s contemporary take on many classical works are known all over the word. I have seen all his works and thoroughly enjoyed watching them. The atmosphere is always electric and the most important aspect of the performances, the dancing, is always sublime.

inderella is one of the most well known fairy tales, and has been made into a ballet using Prokofiev’s beautiful score. Bourne has taken the story and turned it upside down. Bourne has often made fairly controversial choices, notably his all-male Swan Lake which had homoerotic undertones.

I struggled a little whilst watching the performance, I found Kerry Biggin as Cinderella fairly unconvincing and although she moved beautifully, particularly during her pas de deux with Sam Archer, I didn’t think she stood out, and felt particularly Michela Meazza, as the Stepmother overshadowed her.

Adapting Cinderella and setting it during World War Two has turned Cinderella more into a wartime love story rather than the traditional Disney fairy tale, but Bourne manages to show how love can flourish even throughout wartime.

The set, created by Les Brotherston, was superb and the close attention to detail was evident. The unconventional setting and the changes made in the storyline were exhilarating to watch, and Act 2 in particular was excellent, although I felt

that Act 1 dragged a little, with fairly repetitive dance steps and very little action. I’ve always been a fan of Fredrick Ashton’s classical ballet interpretation and although I usually embrace and hugely enjoy Bourne’s contemporary interpretations, I found his Cinderella much more of a struggle to watch. Helen Christie

’ Recently voted the Best West End show at this year s Whatsonstage.com awards, Wicked is fast approaching its 5th anniversary and is still breaking box office records. Following a recent recast, I went to experience the magic once again.

icked has been breaking records and winning awards since it first opened in London in September 2006. It currently stars Rachel Tucker and Louise Dearman as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. Despite having seen many shows, Wicked will always hold a place close to my heart. There’s just something about it that touches people, which is why people go back time and time again. The magic of the show shines through the amazing songs, gorgeous sets and, of course, the story. Based on the book by Gregory Maguire, Wicked tells the tale of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the good witch, in Oz before Dorothy ‘dropped in’. Throughout the show, we find out why the Scarecrow is a scarecrow, why the Tinman wants a heart and why the Lion is cowardly. The shows leading ladies’ vocals raised the roof of the Apollo Victoria theatre and dazzled the audience. Rachel Tucker’s sublime performance as Elphaba recently

earned her a Whatsonstage.com award for Best Takeover in a Role. Her stunning renditions of Defying Gravity and No Good Deed were immensely powerful and brought the house down. New to the cast, Mark Evans plays the love interest, Fiyero. His effortless vocals and dancing prove why he has returned to the show as the lead after understudying the role three years ago. The show’s producers should be commended for their casting, as they always seem to get it right. With the 5th anniversary just around the corner, the current cast will no doubt out perform themselves to celebrate the phenomenon that is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Michael Worrall Wicked is currently running at the Apollo Victoria theatre in London’s West End. For more information visit www. wickedthemusical.co.uk

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Arts Ones to Watch

Our 5 favourite YouTube videos of the month:

Rachel Tucker performs Defying Gravity from Wicked on Dancing on Ice Winner of the Whatsonstage.com award for Best Takeover in a Role for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked, Rachel Tucker breaks the ice with her incredible rendition of the showstopper Defying Gravity. http://youtu.be/o9inJ4L27_U Nicole Scherzinger and Tracie Thoms sing Take Me or Leave Me from RENT It may have been a while ago now, but still love this sizzling performance from RENT at the Hollywood Bowl last year. Check out Nicole’s amazing auto-tuneless vocals – we wish she’d sing like that on her own songs! She sounds much better without being edited. http://youtu.be/QsF3vdpK04g

Kerry Ellis & Brian May perform Anthem at the Royal Albert Hall Kerry’s album Anthems came out back in September and she performed the title track at the British Legion Festival of Remembrance in November. She’s touring the UK next month and is appearing at the Royal Concert Hall on Sunday 8th May. http://youtu.be/Ps03X124j9c Avenue Q at the 2006 Royal Variety Performance With the UK tour of Avenue Q hitting Nottingham this month, check out the Original London Cast’s performance from the Royal Variety Show five years ago. It’s definitely not one to miss. http://youtu.be/6OJ9tejzMUg

It Gets Better – West End These are just two videos of so many from around the world that are part of the It Gets Better campaign. The moving stories of people who work in the West End just go to show that it really does get better. http://youtu.be/MEbZLjc232s http://youtu.be/N82njXYK4LE

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Michael Worrall

Review:

One Day by David Nicholls “You’re gorgeous, you old hag, and if I could give you just one gift ever for the rest of your life it would be this. Confidence. It would be the gift of confidence. Either that or a scented candle.” It’s not very often that you finish a novel and still find yourself reeling from its conclusion days later. David Nicholls’ One Day appears to have had such an effect on the over-whelming majority of those who have read it.

aving become one of the biggest sellers in fiction, not only in this country, but also worldwide, it is now only months away from witnessing its big screen adaptation (starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess) reach cinemas. The focus is one particular date, 15 July, with each chapter leaping forward exactly twelve months and filling in the gaps it leaves behind. Emma and Dexter meet on the final night of their tenure at University in 1988, on the brink of entering the big wide world of employment and reality. They make promises to keep in touch, as Dexter prepares to set off on his travels to explore the world and Emma dreams of a career in writing. In the years following their meeting, Nicholls explores how a relationship that seems so obvious and perfect changes over time. Through the Labour-boom years of the 90s, fame and fortune becomes an unlikely critical third-party between Emma and Dexter, while in parallel they struggle to match the expectations of their parents and reach the successes that seemed so achievable in their younger years. They are plagued by hollow relationships and personal problems and at times the distance between them threatens to destroy their friendship. It’s not all doom and gloom. It’s full of charm and wit - Emma’s bleak toler-

ance of her troubled career evokes as much humour as it does sympathy. It’s enormously absorbing – on each of Emma and Dexter’s chance meetings, you find yourself willing them together. When they’re angry, they’re frustrated or they’re happy, you feel it too. As time goes by, a supporting cast of memorable characters develops, flitting in and out of Emma and Dexter’s’ lives throughout the years following their meeting. It’s no run-of-the-mill romance – this is a story that tackles problems in work, within families, with drugs and alcohol, as well as the obvious relationship between the two focal characters. One Day is a lesson in what’s important in life – materialism and success or family and friendship. It’s incredibly frustrating reading how the lives of two characters - so seemingly well suited - crossover while they never seem to realise what’s in front of them. But that’s precisely Nicholls’ point, which is drummed into you with its sucker-punch of an ending – never let anything go unsaid and don’t let opportunities pass you by, because you never know what life’s got planned for you around the corner. Before you know it, it could be too late.

Pete Allison

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Health Edited by Thomas Dell (health@platform-online.net)

SPOTLIGHT ON

NTU Karate Society T

here are plenty of societies at Uni to help you stay in shape. TOM DELL caught up with one of NTU’s latest societies and its founder Tarran Huntley.

Hi Tarran, you’ve written a few fitness tips for Platform in the past. What made you get into karate? My mum trained and my step dad is one of the best in the country, so I guess I kinda grew into it! I’ve been training since I was 5 on and off, but it’s my first priority now and always will be. It’s important to dedicate your body to training so you can enlighten your mind and live in peace. Buddha said that. Smart guy. Am I right in saying that we have got a judo society? What’s the difference between karate and judo? Ha! What? Big difference. Judo is essentially a grappling sport invented in Japan in the late 19th century for competition. Karate is a defence and strike based mechanism designed for un-armed combat in feudal Japan. Karate translates as open handed. Today I mainly focus on the self-defence and discipline aspect of Karate, although it is

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practiced also in a competition environment.

Can you accommodate beginners?

Have you ever needed your karate in Nottingham? Any fights/ personal defence or is it just for the ladies?

We can accommodate anybody willing to dedicate themselves to the martial art. I’m doing this to offer an alternative view on life. We’re hoping to launch the club next year, and use some really amazing instructors from a well-known traditional Wadoryu karate club.

For the ladies? That’s a new one, I thought karate was thought of as a little bit geeky? I’m definitely more Geek than Chic. No, it’s totally for me, to discipline my body and focus my mind; I’m not happy if I’m not training. You use Karate all the time, because it heightens your awareness of situations, and changes the way you think. When I was 14 and naïve, I got jumped by a group of older lads coming out of a pub. They said I was staring at them, and at the time I thought that was some kind of genuine misunderstanding! I blocked 6 swings and knocked them back, but then they pretended they were going to calm down and sneakily hit me. My personality won the day ultimately, because they felt so bad that they apologized. And luckily they punched like a lettuce. You’re fists should be your last weapon; your tongue and karma should be your first defence. They’ll get there’s, and I will remain trusting in human nature. We train full contact to keep it real in the dojo, and it does work.

Who will be taking the lessons? We’re waiting on confirmation from the Uni, but I’ve suggested Sensei Tony Baker (BA) 9th dan Wado-ryu, 8th dan Ju-jitsu, 5th dan atemi-jitsu, and a few other grades but yeah, he’s good. Where is it going to be held? Prospectively at the City campus, Sundays 4-6pm. Do you have fitness/eating/drinking tips? Fitness is the first aspect to living and seeking enlightenment. Make it your life. Work hard, eat lean and drink green tea!

Why should people join karate society? Finally any defence/attack tips? This is one for the people who don’t feel quite comfortable on a night out, and who don’t feel safe walking down a dark street. There are a lot of misguided people out there, and it’s worth at least trying to defend yourself. In the mean time you can get yourself in great physical condition and learn to open your mind a bit. No harm in that is there?

Never attack angry. You will injure some one, and probably yourself! Defence really is the best offense, so defend and counter well. Take the shortest route, and be the best. For more information join the Facebook group: Nottingham Trent University Karate (N.B.A)

Health

Review

Curry Lounge I

t’s a shame that the majority of the time, when we think of curry we immediately think of a takeaway – don’t get me wrong, there are some fantastic ones out there but wouldn’t it be nice to actually go out for a curry once in a while? We were offered the chance to dine at Nottingham’s Curry Lounge and couldn’t give no as an answer.

just checking if we were okay and keeping an eye on our table even though we were right next to a large office party. When the restaurant filled up – you can really see why people choose to go here. The atmosphere is electric, it feels cosy and comfortable but you’re not bored by your surroundings. It’s definitely a place to go if you’re trying to impress!

Where? Curry Lounge, Nottingham – Upper Parliament Street. What? Indian cuisine. Who? Lauren Roitman and Matthew Staniforth.

There is a massive variety to choose from and there is certain to be something that everyone likes. I was also impressed when I discovered their ‘healthy options’ which gave a calorie count for each dish – perfect if you’re trying to watch your weight but still want a treat. The calorie counts ranged from 488 to 732 and offered some really tasty sounding dishes like the Chicken Salan. With two pages of starters (seafood, vegetarian, chicken and lamb), three pages of mains (lamb, chicken, fish, vegetarian, Biriyani and the healthy options) you are spoilt for choice! The vegetarian options were fantastic – in most restaurants, vegetarian options are often the same few dishes but there are some really fantastic sounding options for you non-meat eaters to enjoy! We decided to give a little bit of everything a go – starting with the Goan Stuffed Mushrooms, Chicken Pakoras and Lamb Boti. The mushrooms were fantastic – their size did make us laugh at first as they were huge, not what you would expect – but we definitely could have eaten more. The Lamb Boti was incredibly tender – slightly too hot for my taste (I’m a Korma girl) but it was still enjoyable.

We’ve all walked past it, seen the ‘Gordon Ramsey’ signs and wondered if it’s really like the restaurants he creates on television - you won’t be disappointed when you walk through those double doors. Immediately you are confronted with a large pane of glass containing a waterfall and you know you’re somewhere luxurious. As you walk up the stairs you’re greeted by friendly staff and even more sumptuous surroundings – chain curtains, deep reds, fibre optic lights hanging down from the ceiling, leather chairs, mirrors and chandelier appliqués on the walls. We were informed when we arrived that tonight was going to be a busy night, and I can see why. We were immediately sat down, greeted by the staff, offered drinks, poppadoms and chutney, a menu. We were constantly looked after and even though the restaurant was fully booked, we didn’t feel like we were being neglected – there was always someone

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For the mains, Matthew opted for the Lucknow Gosht – lamb marinated in Curry Lounge’s own blend of spices, yoghurt, ginger, mustard oil and mace in a mild to medium sauce with toasted onions. I went for the Butter Chicken (desi style) which was Chicken Tikka simmered in a medium to hot gravy with ginger and garlic. As I’m a wimp with spicy foods I asked for this to be a bit milder and it was absolutely incredible! The lamb was again, incredibly tender and full of flavour, while the milder chicken was incredibly more-ish (I actually took the rest of the sauce home with me!) Alongside this we has the classics Saag Aloo and Tarka Daal and a Peshwari and Chilly Cheese Naan. The Saag Aloo was genuinely one of the best I’ve had, and I always order it whenever I have a curry! I would definitely recommend it. The Chilly Cheese Naan lived up to its name – the heat gave both of us a little bit of a runny nose but dipped in the sauce from the chicken it was perfect. Curry Lounge is definitely worth a visit – they do offer a student discount so make sure you ask when you arrive as you can save a lot of money and still have a fantastically sophisticated experience – not your typical rubbish telly, jogging bottoms, curry out of the tin foil box experience that most of us have! Words and pictures: Lauren Roitman

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Health

Savoury If you want to eat well and impress your flatmates and family then you may think that it will cost a fortune. Here’s a recipe TOM DELL only tried a few weeks ago ...

Lamb Tagine Prep Time: 30 mins Cooking Time: 3 hours (slow cooker) Serves: 3-4 A firm favourite in my family, my mum made enough to fill out most of my freezer for two weeks. It’s a great source of protein and surprisingly low in fat.

Ingredients 3 tablespoons olive oil 1kg diced lamb (alternatively turkey or chicken if you like) Tin of Moroccan spices 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander 2 medium onions diced 4 carrots cut to same width as a pound coin Tablespoon garlic puree 1 tablespoon grated root ginger 1 lemon, zested 1 chicken stock cube 1 tablespoon tomato puree

Preparation Using a resealable bag or large pan, place the oil, lamb and spices in together, preferably overnight but this isn’t necessary. Just make sure that every bit is covered and well mixed in. On a low heat, brown the meat until it is cooked on the outside and raw on the inside. This should take no more than 45 mins if done correctly. Add perhaps a dash of water if the mixture is becoming too thick. Remove from heat and add onions and carrots and mix everything in together for 15 mins. Return to heat, add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 2 hours or until ready Personally I add butternut squash and potatoes - it fills

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it out. You need to cook slowly over a low heat for 3 hours or more. You can buy tins of Moroccan spice in Sainsbury’s and I am sure all the other supermarkets in the herb and spice rack - saves buying all the individual pots! You can serve with cous cous or rice, whatever takes your fancy really! Enjoy!

Sweet Seriously easier than picking your nose By Tom Dell

The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Easiest

Flapjacks Prep Time: 3 mins Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

Preparation

75g margarine or butter 75g light brown sugar or baking sugar 100g rolled outs

1) Grab a wooden spoon and mix all of the ingredients in a bowl

Optional extras: chocolate chips, apple chunks, toffee flakes

2) Find a cake tin alternatively grease some tin foil and place on top of baking tray and pour mixture on top making sure its well compressed, maybe 1/2 inch thick maximum 3) Bake in a preheated oven at 220C for 20mins or until golden brown 4) Take out and leave to cool (not on window sill because they will get stolen!). 5) Cut into pieces and enjoy! Nom Nom

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Film

Edited by James Gordon (film@platform-online.net)

Looking back on the ...

classics A

ll too often we become obsessed by the latest big blockbuster trend and we forget that many of the finest films ever made come from a year gone by. So it’s time for Platform Film to take a trip back in time to look at the movies of yester-year which we feel you should still make a point of seeing.

k Brighton Roc (1947) Director: John Boulting Starring: Richard Attenborough, Hermione Baddeley, Carol Marsh Certificate: PG

With a modern day remake flopping its way out of the cinema early this year, it’s clear why the original Brighton Rock has remained in peoples minds more than 60 years on. Re-released now in digitally remastered blu ray format for the first time, this dark, noir-ish thriller feels as important now as it ever has. It stars a young Richard Attenborough as Pinkie, the head of a gang of thugs. When a murder is witnessed by a young waitress called Rose, Pinkie has to try and romance her to keep her quiet.

moral compass throughout the film, and in many ways a more fully realised character on screen than he ever was in the novel. Add this to Marsh’s perfectly sweet and unexpecting portrayal of Rose, and the supporting cast truly shine here. The idea that this noir thriller is taking place at the seaside, the happiest place in many childhoods, is of course why this film works. It’s such a shock that such dark things happen here, and because of this the audience becomes wrapped up in the ever increasing weave of deceit, looking for a way out. At 64 years old this year, Brighton Rock still stands as one of Britain’s finest ever thrillers, and will no doubt remain so for another 60 years to come. James Gordon

Adapted from his own book, Graham Greene writes the screenplay and remains basically faithful to the original story (unlike the remake) which, in this way, makes the whole plot a lot more understandable. William Hartnell shines as Dallow, a character who acts on screen as Pinkie’s

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Withnail & I

(1987) Director: Bruce Robinson Starring: Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown Certificate: 15

Bruce Robinson’s directorial debut in 1987 came in the form of a blackly comedic British film called Withnail and I. More than 20 years later, the film has a huge cult status amongst fans, and Robinson arguably did his best work here. Inspired by Robinson’s old friend, Vivian MacKerrell, the plot revolves around two out of work actors living in Camden Town at the end of the booziest decade of the century: the sixties. It follows the unnamed “I” as an anxiety-ridden young man dealing with the follies of his eccentric friend Withnail, who is a blinding drunk from an aristocratic family. When the two decide to take a weekend trip to the countryside, all hell breaks loose, exacerbated by Withnail’s archly homosexual Uncle Monty in hot pursuit of our narrator. The film is undoubtedly marked by the triumphant performance of Richard E. Grant as Withnail, who managed to portray a staggering, elegantly wasted man at the end of his tether albeit being teetotal himself. He is undeniably supported by the fantastic cast, be it Ralph Brown as the adept drug dealer Danny or Richard Griffiths as the Baudelaire-quoting Uncle Monty. However, Grant truly carries the film in his heartbreaking part tragic, part comic role; his petulant flair for dramatics incites laughter, but in it lie the makings of a talented actor destroyed by his addiction. The only man who outshines Withnail himself is our writer and director, Bruce Robinson, who, in penning this semi autobiographical tale, created an utter master-class of a screenplay. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and iconic, full of dry humour and quotable one-liners. Not a moment drags or droops, and the

characters are engaging and charming in a way that characters so rarely are; a way that encourages the audience (or at least myself) to revisit them consistently. The brilliance lies not only in the near-perfect writing and hilarity of the antics, but also in its multilayering of subject matter. Although at first glance, Withnail may seem confined to a very small slice of life in Britain in 1969, it speaks on many levels. It is a film about male relationships there is a notable lack of female cast. It is a film about the struggle to articulate our talents and ambitions amidst the squalor of poverty or the windfalls of addiction. It is, undoubtedly, a film very much about both the sixties and about the time in which it was created; Robinson has admitted that “I” cutting his hair at the film’s conclusion was a symbol of oncoming Thatcherism. Danny points out that at the end of the decade, they had “failed to paint it black”, and the question Robinson poses to us must be -- have we ever succeeded at doing so? “I” escapes the bohemian squalor of their lives to succeed, whereas Withnail remains; his only friend a bottle of ‘53 Margaux. The film paints a bleak portrait of the bohemian life and its implications; perhaps that it is not maintainable, or perhaps simply that the descent into alcoholism is an ugly and formidable thing. Regardless, the deeply character driven tale of Withnail & I is not so much cautionary as it is personal. In what is perhaps one of the most compelling and poignant last scenes ever filmed, Withnail stands in the rain, before the wolves at Regents Park zoo, howling a soliloquy from Hamlet. It will be his most impressive performance, but neither the wolves nor the Margaux are impressed, and Withnail, his talent forever curtailed, turns away in defeat. His frame grows smaller as it moves away and we are swallowing the collective lumps in our throats as the credits roll. This is what cinema should be. Christina Potamousis

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Film

The Flying Scotsman (1930) Director: Castleton Knight Starring: Moore Marriott, Pauline Johnson, Ray Milland, Alec Hurley Certificate: PG

‘The Flying Scotsman’ feels very much like a film in two halves. Originally a completely silent movie, with captions and music leading the action in 1929, it was re-released a year later, with the second half of the film converted into a talkie. This jump from one to the other feels forced, and it’s fair to say that the original visual story-telling of the silent form works far better. The train’s driver, Old Bob (Marriott) - who is just one day from retirement - discovers that his partner Crow, has been drunk on the job, and gets him fired. Rather predictably, Crow sets about revenge, and aims to ensure Bob’s perfect thirty year record ends on the most almighty blemish. For it’s time the film also manages to incorporate some particularly impressive

stunt work, as members of the cast most notably Pauline Johnson, dressed in heels and a fur coat - find themselves hanging from the sides of the eponymous train. That being said, this film is far from perfect. It is not as clever, or as funny as it thinks it is, and a side story regarding a secret romance between Bob’s new partner on the train and his daughter is nothing like as hilarious as it should be. All in all, I can’t say this is a film I’m going to mourn not having in my DVD collection. While the famous train has remained a stalwart reminder of times gone by, still ferrying passengers to this very day, this film, especially in this partially converted version, comes from a forgotten age. And it’s time it went back there. James Gordon

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Gaming&Tech Edited by Aaron Lee (gaming@platform-online.net)

SEVENTH STAR

WINDOWS PHONE 7 UNCOVERED

indows Phone 7, the latest mobile OS from Microsoft, is one many of you probably aren’t familiar with. In a world of iPhones, Blackberrys and Androids, Windows Phone 7 has been left out in the cold somewhat. But arguable, Microsoft’s OS offers enough to be up there with the big boys. We reviewed the initial software earlier, but now we’re taking a much closer look. The system is beautifully set out, especially on a sharp HD handset, and in terms of performance, easily rivals what Apple and the others have to offer. Dynamic icons display app-specific information before you’ve even entered them. In addition, high quality mobile brands such as HTC and Nokia are offering high-end handsets to support the OS. With WP7 you certainly don’t get a raw deal. In terms of what the OS has to offer in regards to apps, usability and support for users, WP7 is up there too. Of course, being a Microsoft product, full Outlook, Office and Windows Live support is offered, making handsets running the system the closest your likely to come to a pocket-sized computer compatible with your PC and its common applications. One of the most exciting features WP7 offers is full Xbox Live integration, a huge bonus for gamers. On your handset you can send messages to your Xbox Live friends, check your Achievements and even change your avatar. So if you feel like a quick update on the move, ready for that next game of Black Ops when you get home, you have the option to do it in (continued on next page)

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Gaming & Tech the palm of your hand. It is a truly great offering from Microsoft for any diehard gamer. There are also Xbox Live-enabled games to download and play, via Microsoft’s iTunes equivalent, Zune. Games, such as mobile versions of de Blob, Crackdown and Need for Speed, offer you the chance to improve your Gamerscore through Achievements, just like full Xbox 360 titles. Angry Birds and Doodle Jump are also set for release this April, with full Xbox Live integration. With Zune Marketplace, thousands of apps are available to download, as well as the latest music releases and you can also connect to your PC to sync music, photos, contacts and any other downloadable content from the PC version of Zune. Speaking of music, WP7 handsets offer SRS surround sound and Dolby Mobile, offering exceptional quality for music lovers. Coming soon for the system via firmware update are other functions such as copy and paste, true app multitasking and custom ringtones (Apple still haven’t granted iPhone users the latter). Now, these may seem like common place functions now, but when you consider Microsoft has taken six months to develop and update which offers these in comparison to Apple users year-and-a-half wait for such functions, WP7 is going pretty strong.

FIVE TOP

GET YOUR MATES ROUND GAMES W

hat we’re looking for here are games which can warm up the early birds to a party, entertain guests and get everyone involved and having fun. So, here’s your top five...

By Aaron Stevens

MARIO KART WII (Wii) For any Nintendo fan this is a must buy. The very simplistic nature of racing creates winners and losers that undoubtedly makes Mario Kart competitive, keeping everyone entertained. And it’s always fun to put Yoshi in a tailspin with a banana skin. Get everyone on the starting grid in multiplayer or take a friend on in head-to-head.

Windows Phone 7 honestly haves a lot to offer. In a very competitive market, Microsoft has brought us a system which doesn’t just look great, but has the brains and brawn to back it up. It may not have the fashionable draw of say an iPhone or the clinical SMS advantages of Blackberrys, but what it does have is the wow factor. It offers business users great support through Office and Outlook integration, gaming fans true Xbox Live support and, for everybody else, there is certainly something to float your boat. We just hope Microsoft, and the buying public, give this system enough of a chance to succeed. It deserves to. See more on Windows Phone 7 and its apps on our website. Ian Davies

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JUST DANCE 2 (Wii) Practice for when you hit the town with your moves on a Friday night (or every night). Dance competitively against each other or in a duet co-op mode. From Wham!, to Rihanna, to Elvis Presley, and an ever expanding tracklist on WiiWare, there’s definitely something for everyone. Enter party mode where you set a playlist freeing you from menus for non-stop music and dancing. Multiplayer mode is more for those with competitive blood in their veins, up to eight players can compete in a dance off. Have you got the moves?

FIFA 11 (PS3/360/Wii/PC/PSP/DS/PS2) It can be argued that this is a male-orientated game, but some females still love to play it. It’s not to everyone’s tastes, yes, but this is probably the best football game ever made and competition between two players can get tense. Nevertheless, a ‘get your mates round’ game needs to get everyone excited and involve as many people as possible. FIFA 11’s two-player cap chains it to third place. However the unwritten FIFA rules give an incentive to be competitive, such as the apology at a loss of 5-0, or a phone call to your parents apologising for your lack of ability at a loss of 10-0 (and no-one wants that).

WII PARTY (Wii) Wii Party showcases a variety of 80 mini-games which your onscreen Mii character can compete in. Whether you choose, house, party or pair games your sure to have a laugh. Up to four players can join in with games like bingo, hide and hunt and time bomb. The hide and hunt game has proven to be a party favourite as it gets everyone up of their feet and involved. The player must find a hidden Wii Remote whilst it makes a variety of sounds. Feeling competitive? Play against the clock or try and race a friend.

ROCK BAND 3 (PS3/360/WII) You want interactive, well you can’t get more interactive than this. With guitars, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals there’s certainly something for everyone. And if you refuse to play, just rock out to the music with a bit of head banging. With over 83 songs on the disc and over 2000 songs available in the online library, and more being added every week, there’s no excuse for not giving it a go. Cut your teeth on the career mode or if you just want to live the rock and roll lifestyle, play as a band with your mates.

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Gaming & Tech

OPINION

What's your problem with violent video games? T

his is a call to arms; a plea to condense the nonsense that appears occasionally upon our various media forms. The world has become somewhat understanding of video games as the single biggest entertainment industry. But it was not always like this. Be it a newspaper piece or an ‘objective’ discussion conducted by a celebrity agriculturalist (clearly deemed an expert in the area of video games), there’s always been a culture around placing the blame at the door of video game violence. It was a rainy Thursday afternoon in 2004 when my parents were subjected to an episode of Richard & Judy, warning them of the extreme violence found within Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as the interviewee made sure that all he did in the demonstration was pick up hookers and kill them in wooded areas. This became more real when the ‘Manhunt murder’ occurred towards the end of 2004 (http://bit.ly/bdEdou). You can understand why this game was blamed to have led him to murder, to think that somebody could’ve done the terrible things without influence would create an unthinkable amount of emotional distress for a mother, so much like the Catcher in the Rye and video nasties before it, the closest paradigm of

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violence portrayal is brought in for public responsibility. This then led onto a terrific piece of lawyer-tainment, someone who perfectly filled the ‘bad guy’ role as he tried to ban the top video games the world over. Unfortunately, working counteractively is something that gains a much larger popularity than it could ever muster. I could banter about the reign of this individual, Jack Thompson, making so many claims against Rockstar that he was finally disbarred from law practice in 2008, but that would be the wrong angle for this. Chronological, journalism really isn’t the way to go, because there seems to be a much bigger enemy behind this. A general profound sense of public ignorance and, of course, the first human reaction is to position itself against something it doesn’t know. Something that seems to be missing from the general public discourse surrounding this area: Adult content always gets into the hands of children; it’s not something that was created around the birth of video games. For example, I watched the first American Pie and Halloween when I was nine-years-old. Granted, I never looked at boobs and very tall men in the same way for a couple years, but I can’t say that it’s ruined me psychologically. Similarly, the fact I played Manhunt when I was 13 hasn’t turned me into

a violent murderer. Children like to see themselves as adults, and the way they see themselves as adults is doing adult things. Sometimes it’s a beneficial learning experience, and at other times its damaging, but you can say video games fall somewhere in the middle of the two polar extremes. And if you give it a little thought, it does come down to the parents on this. For those, like Titchmarsh in his TV interview (http://bit.ly/c5hz6Q), who say that the rating system is non-existent or confusing, then you’ve blatantly ignored the big red ‘18’label that has become synonymous through films. It isn’t difficult to differentiate the vividly red colouring, never mind read the two numbers adjacent to each other. Holding this archaic view of games as a whole being just like that Pong machine you used to play on occasionally, rather than seeing the grander scale of evolution into a platform where coherent stories can be told and adventures engaged is beyond ignorant. Just as you’d look into

a new film before your child watches it, do the same with videogames. Don’t put yourself in the dark and then cry foul. There really isn’t anything left to say that hasn’t already been said in the last decade of debate about this topic. The facts and concise arguments are presented to contradict the points made by people against violence in video games, and yet they keep cropping up. Can’t they just step up and admit that these games have an amoral tone that they, in their value system, refute against? That’s not significant grounds for you to change a multi-billion dollar industry, but that’s grounds for you to be, what you deem to be: a responsible individual for those close to you. Set boundaries for yourself and family, but don’t drag other individuals with different opinions with you. Jason England

“Just as you’d look into a new film before your child watches it, do the same with videogames. Don’t put yourself in the dark and then cry foul.”

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Sports Edited by Mary Ann Pickford (platform@su.ntu.ac.uk)

| Nottingham Trent Students Union Magazine

he 2011 PASIC Charity Varsity Series kicked off again on Sunday and after the success of last year’s inaugural American football game it was the Renegades vs. Outlaws fixture that got the ball rolling once again. A hard fought Defensive show down ensured that history repeated and Trent walked away with an 8-0 victory, and the Lead in the series. Walking out to a near capacity crowd at the Harvey Hadden stadium it was clear to see that Trent had the far superior support, making the most noise and displaying the best looking cheerleaders, a theme that is sure to continue throughout the rest of series. From the very first play it was always going to be a defensive battle. With the Outlaws starting at the 25 yard line after Chris ‘Mystic Meg’ O’dea correctly called the toss and deferred, they attempted a pass which was picked off by Defensive MVP Danny Miller, which gave the Renegades great field position. Unfortunately they could not capitalize on this due to penalties and some superb defence from GB middle Line Backer James Beaumont. Both defences continued to dominate and after a three and out and a good punt from the Outlaws the Renegades found themselves deep in their own territory as the end of the first quarter approached. A fumble by Chris O’dea inside his own redzone gifted the Outlaws the first real chance to open the scoring. The defence however would not go down without a fight. After it seemed the Outlaws scored

on first down, and with both the crowd and the sideline celebrating, the officials deemed that the play was stopped on the one yard line. The defence stood firm and forced a 4th down. The Outlaws sensing a touchdown elected to go for it. Again the defence negated the threat and the Renegades turned the ball over on downs. With the Renegades at their own one yard line they decided to run the ball to give themselves some breathing room for a punt. Chris O’dea then had the chance to redeem himself for the earlier fumble with the ensuing kick. This ultimately turned out to be the defining moment in the encounter. Using the wind as his aide the kick sailed downfield and was eventually scooped up on the Outlaws one yard line, a superb punt with a net distance of 85 yards! Following a defensive stand by the Renegades, including notable tackles from Wilkins and Butcher, the Outlaws were forced to punt from deep. The kick, straight into the wind, actually went backward and the Renegades started inside the Outlaw 10. A couple of small gains followed but on third down came the most important play of the day. The celebration from the 500+ Trent fans told the whole story. Ben Rabbett ran his way into the endzone, breaking tackles on the way, in which would turn out to be the only touchdown of the game. The call came in to go for two and a fantastic play action pass from Adam Grant found a wide open Alex Williams which left the score at 8-0.

The rest of the half and the third quarter passed without incident. The only notable point was the trent crowd, led by Women’s Rugby and Football, increasing in decibels as they sensed the team was getting closer to the finish line. In the final stages of the game the Renegades finally started to find some offensive rhythm. Led by offensive MVP Kyle Clark and the rest of the offensive line they wore down the Outlaws Defence and made some positive yards both on the ground and through the air. This gave the defence some much needed rest after their awesome performance up to this point, and as the clock wore down to the final few minutes they continued their fine form. The Outlaws never looked like scoring in the final period and the Renegades were able to run out the final moments to cap a memorable victory. This is Trent’s second victory in as many years against their local rivals which means that the University are now 1-0 up in the Charity Varsity Series with nine events still to play. Photo: Letitia Randell

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Sports

21st February 2011 Varsity score 2-0 to NTU after ice hockey showdown

aving won the Varsity series opening game, NTU eagerly awaited the flagship event: ice hockey. With two consecutive victories in this event over the last two years, the University of Nottingham (UoN) hoped to make it a hat-trick this year, but NTU had other plans! 7,000 screaming fans, witty chants, continuous cheerleading displays and a shoot out between the two sports officers built the atmosphere to almost fever pitch at the Capital FM arena.

to make it 2-0 and drive the Trent Army wild. 3-0 This was followed in quick succession by a third goal from NTU in yet another show of superb skill amidst deafening shouting and cheering from joyous NTU fans. 3-1 The period was to see yet more action as Nottingham went on the attack - and somehow a long shot beat NTU to make it 3-1. 3-2

The game started nervously with both sides acclimatising to the deafening noise and making early mistakes and cagey attacks. 1-0 With seven minutes gone, during a period when they had begun to build pressure with superior passing, NTU took a shot past the keeper’s outstretched arm and into the roof of the net to secure their first point on the board. 2-0 UoN attacked in an attempt to equalise, but were quickly undone by a superb break from NTU. The puck came to NTU who, with opposition players hot on their heels, sprinted towards the UoN goal before calmly slotting it past their keeper

The second period started with UoN coming out firing and NTU seeming to lack some of their spark from the first half, with UoN saving shot after shot. With just five minutes of the period left, the NTU defence couldn’t clear the puck during a sustained period of pressure, and it was slotted past the despairing NTU keeper by jubilant UoN. Interval - sports officer shoot out! The interval saw the traditional tussle between the two sports officers - Andy Schulten from NTU and Dave Heads from UoN - as each attempted to slot five pucks into the goal from half way. In their shiny suits, both Rugby players appeared confident and Dave Heads ignored Andy Schulten’s friendly distrac-

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tions to slot in two. When it came to his chance, however, Schulten fluffed it, slotting in only the last puck. NTU have never won this particular contest - but the bigger prize was still waiting to be claimed. 4-2 The final period was dominated by plenty of goal keeping saves, but somehow all shots stayed out until a goal mouth scramble in the UoN area was concluded by NTU putting the puck past UoN to make it 4-2. Despite some attempts at further goals, neither team were able to add to the score and, as the hooter signalled the end of the game, the Trent Army went wild to see the Varsity series total go to 2-0 in favour of NTU. Andy Schulten - NTU’s Sports Officer said: “I’d much rather lose the free shot contest than lose the game. The best team won tonight, and so congratulations go to all NTU players and coaching staff, as well as the ever superb Trent Tigers cheerleaders for their displays.” Photo: Luke Crabb

SWIMMING 2ND MARCH 2011 / uoN WIN / NTU 2 -1 uoN Men T he swimming pool at the University of Nottingham (UoN) was host to the Swimming varsity and a raucous crowd of expectant UoN fans. In the last two years of this fixture, NTU has never won. Despite this, it wasn’t an event to be missed. NTU were the underdogs by far, but had some very talented swimmers in the squad who threatened UoN’s dominance, and it proved a much tighter affair than the 2010 fixture. The gap between the two teams this year was much reduced with NTU’s swimmers narrowly beaten, despite a superb showing.

Brilliant individual performances from the team included Allan Campbell winning the 100m backstroke and Richard Jagger, NTU Men’s captain, finishing second in four events.

Women The women’s team were up against a number of GB team swimmers in the UoN squad, but that didn’t deter them as they took the battle to the line with Louise Cox claiming second in the 100m Individual Medley event.

Final score: 379-225 Despite some excellent performances from the NTU swimmers, the sheer power of the UoN squad shone through and they eventually won 379-225. Dean Bates, President of NTU Swimming, said: “We will look to build on this performance and work harder in the pool to get revenge next year. We thank all the fans that came along to support us.” Photo: Stefan Ebelewicz

Event

Date

Venue

Start

American Football

6th February 2011

Harvey Hadden

1pm Kick Off

Ice Hockey

21st February 2011

Capital FM Arena

7:45pm Face Off

Swimming

2nd March 2011

UoN Swimming Pool

1pm Start

Rugby League

5th March 2011

Highfields

2pm Kick Off

Basketball and Netball

11th March 2011

UoN Sports Centre

TBC

Hockey

18th March 2011

Beeston Hockey Club

Women’s 3:30pm/Men’s 5:30pm

Football

9th May 2011

Meadow Lane

Women’s ko 5:15pm/Men’s ko 8pm

Rugby Union

12th May 2011

Meadow Lane

Women’s ko 5:30pm/Men’s ko 8pm

Cricket

6th June 2011

NTU Clifton Campus Cricket

Pitch Coin toss 11am

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May events Sunday 1st Monday 2nd Tuesday 3rd Thursday 5th Friday 6th Saturday 7th Sunday 8th Tuesday 10th Wednesday 11th Thursday 12st Friday 13th Saturday 14th Sunday 15th Wednesday 18th Thursday 19th Friday 20th Saturday 21st Sunday 22nd Tuesday 24th Thursday 26th Friday 27th Saturday 28th Sunday 29th

Chillout Sunday Quids In! open from 7pm Cocktail Night Chillout Thursday The House Party Quids In! Chillout Sunday Pimm’s Garden Party Brack Awards Night Chillout Thursday Live Friday Quids in! Chillout Sunday Geeks & Chavs event night Chillout Thursday Assault Quids in! Chillout Sunday The Big Quiz Chillout Thursday The House Party Quids In! Chillout Sunday

trentstudents.org/ents Ţ facebook.com/trentstudents Ţ @NTSUents

NOTTS EVENTS April Gig Listings

11th – Run, Walk – The Maze 12th – Cole Stacey – Malt Cross 13th – Memory Box Cinema – Lee Rosy’s 14th – Metronomy Rescue Rooms 16th – Small Disco – Spanky Van Dykes 17th – Songs By Canadians – The Golden Fleece 18th – Verbal Warning The Half Crown

19th – N-Dubz – Royal Concert Hall 20th – Hard Fi – Bodega Social Club 21st – Louder – Stealth 22nd –Paul Rodgers Royal Concert Hall 23rd – Maniere des Bohemiens – Cafe.Bar.Contemporary 24th – Frustration – The Old Angel

25th –Kakolo Afrobeat Orchestra– The Golden Fleece 26th –Northern Monkey – Malt Cross 27th – Simon Felice – Glee Club 28th – 2manydjs – Gatecrasher 29th – The Money – Jam Cafe 30th – Fantastic Folk – Moog

NTSU Entertainments

Weekly Events

EVERY MONDAY Event: Dirty Mondays Time: 10pm – 3am Cost: £4 on the door (£3 tickets available

from The Pulse on Mondays)

EVERY THURSDAY Event: 2UNED Time: 9:30pm – 3am Cost: £4 b4 midnight / £5 after Venue: Rock City - NUS ONLY

Venue: The Forum - NUS ONLY

Discount tickets Quids In at The Pulse from 8pm

EVERY TUESDAY Event: Kiss Kiss @ Oceana Time: 9:30pm – 3am Cost: £4 Venue: Oceana - NUS ONLY

EVERY FRIDAY Event: Double Vision Time: 9:30pm – 2:30am Cost: £4 Venue: The Point, Clifton - NUS + Guests

EVERY WEDNESDAY Event: Campus Time: 9:30pm – 3am Cost: £3.50 adv Venue: Ocean - NUS ONLY

EVERY SATURDAY Event: Climax Time: 9:30pm – 2:30am Cost: £4 b4 midnight / £5 after Venue: NTSU - NUS + Guests

EVERY THURSDAY Event: Quids In Time: 8pm Cost: Free Venue: The Pulse, NTSU - NUS ONLY Event: Chic @ Gatecrasher Time: 9:30pm – 3am Cost: £4 Venue: Gatecrasher Discount tickets available from Quids In at The Pulse from 8pm - NUS ONLY

Brack Events for May See advert, left.

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