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April 2015
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contents
C O N T E N T S 16/17
06/08/09/10: The Big List: A what’s on guide to Plymouth’s best venues, bars and clubs, written by Andrew Girdler 12/13/14: Editor Naomi Girdler finds out about the best local and national festivals to hit up this summer!
18
16/17: We met up with Another Robot, a local video production company who like to wear boxes on their heads and make creative motion graphics and videos. 18: Resident politics buff Dominic Wallace schools us on what to know about the upcoming General Election.
20
20: Science queen Lorna Parker talks to us about the groundbreaking news of a head transplant to go ahead next year. 22: Plymouth Uni graphic communication student Jonny Aldrich talks about his final major project and his plans for the future
22
23: Jetsetter Casey Goddard tells us why teaching English as a foreign language could be an option for any one of us! 24: Naomi Girdler tackles the subject of student retention in the city
23
26: Plymouth Student Letting and Student Rooms 4 U give us the lowdown on local lettings 28: We tackle the very important issue of alcoholism in student culture, with a little help from Alcoholics Anonymous 30: Naomi Girdler checks out some local pubs and bars to see what’s on offer on the Plain and the Hill
32/33
32/33: Owner of LoveDot Pop Up Shop, Enya Richards, follows the history of music and fashion 34: Andrew Girdler shares a great summer recipe of gnocchi bake!
37
36: Matt Girdler, computing graduate from Plymouth University gives us another game review. 36: Local Marjons student Chloe Smith reviews After the Crash by Michel Bussi
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37: Seth Haney reviews a Current, Classic and Local album, featuring local beys Woahnows 37: The Dust Piggies are up to no good, again! 38: Resident agony aunt Ellie Ward tackles your hard hitting problems once again
CHECK OUT THE NEW PLYMOUTH STUDENT WEBSIT E AT
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editor’s letter
Contact PS: 07811 343335 hello@ps-zine.com www.ps-zine.com Published by Us As One
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Hello! Time flies, doesn’t it?
Many thanks to all who’ve supported and contributed to PS Issue 12.
Spring is probably my all time favourite time of year, the sun begins to show its face, everyone’s getting excited and planning for the summer and it’s time to brush off the cobwebs of the winter and get your holiday garbs on.
Editor, Designer & Writer Naomi Girdler naomi@ps-zine.com
We’ve been working hard at Plymouth Student, working on a brand spanking new website for you guys. It has all your favourite magazine articles from previous editions, plus exclusive updates, an archive of issues, an extensive events listing and much more to come! Keep an eye out on www.ps-zine.com to keep updated on the latest goings on in the city.
Contributors Chris Girdler, Andrew Girdler, Dominic Wallace, Lorna Parker, Jonny Aldrich, Casey Goddard, Enya Richards, Matt Girdler, Chloe Smith, Seth Haney, Ellie Ward, Garry Hunt, Mike Bromage & the Dust Piggies
Our April issue also means our Big Festival List, showcasing the best of local and national festivals, with a great opportunity this year to win tickets to Volksfest, Plymouth’s ‘biggest little music festival’. Don’t miss out on a chance for some free festival fun, right on your doorstep! I hope you enjoy our April issue, guys, don’t forget to find us on Facebook and let us know what you think! Without you guys, Plymouth Student wouldn’t still be here. All the kudos to you. Naomi Girdler Editor
Advertising If you are interested in advertising in PS, please contact us at les@ps-zine.com or 07835 495881 Printed by Newsquest Weymouth The views expressed in PS are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every effort is taken to ensure the accuracy of all information contained in this publication. However, the publishers do not accept any liability for any advice or information included in this publication. Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ PSzineplymouth
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the big list
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THE BIG LIST Listings by Andrew Girdler With every new ray of sunshine, the summer gets ever closer. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a great selection of events to check out before you head home for the holidays. From craft fairs to performance festivals, from comedians to burlesque dancers and every genre of music you could wish for. With local country lovelies, Walnut Falcons to indie punk rockers Crooked Little Sons, there’s something for everyone in this little seaside city.
April Derren Brown: Miracle 20 - 25 Apr Theatre Royal The multi-award winning acknowledged master of psychological illusion is back on tour in 2015 with a brand new oneman show, Derren Brown: Miracle. Derren is once again looking forward to the challenge that comes with being acknowledged as one of the world’s most renowned live performers; a dark manipulator of magic and mind control. Box Office 01752 267222
Derren Brown
Wave 21 - 25 Apr Theatre Royal Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Wave explores the relationship between a parent and their offspring as they reach adulthood and leave home. It is written for an audience of teenagers and adults with severe learning disabilities along with their companions. Box Office 01752 267222 Cafe Acoustica 22 Apr, 13, 27 May, 10, 24 Jun
Ben Howard
B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre B-Bars fortnightly showcase of unplugged talent, hosted by singersongwriter Jessie Mullen. Details 01752 242021 Rhymewarp 23 Apr & 18 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Welcome to the B-Bar’s participatory poetry and spoken word night. Hosted by the inimitable Mama Tokus and bringing you an excellent array of talent, we think every one of these will be a unique experience not to be missed. Details 01752 242021 Give Up Your Day Job! 23 Apr The Junction Give Up Your Day Job is a super rad art fair full of people selling their hand made wares. Get your favourite zines, prints, comics, arty stuff, gifts and loads more! Details 07916 127298 Racing Glaciers 24 Apr The Hub / dbs Live Racing Glaciers at The Hub. Support from Skeleton Frames and Martyn Crocker. Details 07966 626490 Appaloosas 24 Apr B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Appaloosas are a three-piece band from Dartmoor, Devon, who perform music from the Appalachian region of the eastern United States. Details 01752 242021 Boogie Knights 24 Apr Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Originating from Plymouth, a five-piece Disco funk, soul, big wigs & high boots
band! Details 01752 260555 The Alex Hart Band 25 Apr Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Our favourite Southwest Sweetheart brings her band to the stage, performing both her own Westcountry Country originals and favourite covers that will get you groovin on the dance floor. Details 01752 260555 Pyrrhon 25 Apr Exile Pyrrhon are a death metal band from New York City. They formed in 2008 after a chance meeting on a subway platform and have been honing their increasingly twisted take on the genre ever since. Support from Department of Correction, Carcinoma and Tendrils Details 01752 226305 Kayo Dot, Botonist, Steve Strong 25 Apr The Junction ‘Avant goth’ experimental band Kayo Dot at the Junction with support from Botonist, Steve Strong and more tbc. Details 07916 127298 Walnut Falcons 25 Apr Union Inn, Saltash Join in in the infinite barroom in the sky as cosmic cowboys Walnut Falcons bring their classic country to Cornwall (the Texas of the UK) for the first time. Two set of honky tonk, juke-joint swing and outlaw rockers. Details 01752 844770 Ben Howard 27 Apr Plymouth Pavilions Ben Howard is pleased to announce details of a special South West show at Plymouth Pavilions on Monday 27 April, the final date of his UK and Ireland
arena tour. Box Office 0845 146 1460
wowed audiences in 2011 Box Office 01752 267222
The Ingenious Gentlemen Don Quixote of La Mancha 28 Apr - 02 May Theatre Royal Little Soldier presents a hilariously inventive adventure of immense proportions, to be taken with a pinch of salt and a handlebar moustache. Inspired by Don Quixote’s wanderings, two feisty señoritas and a downtrodden Englishman embark on a journey through Spain, taking on one of the most accomplished works of fiction ever written. Box Office 01752 267222
Plymouth Humanists 28 Apr, 26 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Aron Ra Texas State Director of American Atheists and anti creationist campaigner. Details 01752 242021
Top Hat 28 Apr - 09 May Theatre Royal - The Lyric Direct from its tremendous success in London, winning three Olivier awards for Best New Musical, Best Choreography, Best Costumes and the Evening Standard Award for Best Night Out, this spectacular West End production will be returning to the Theatre Royal Plymouth where it
Cale Tyson 29 Apr B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Cale Tyson is a singer and songwriter from Nashville, TN. Born in a small town in Texas, he was raised in Fort Worth, the home of Townes Van Zandt and the place where he first heard the classic country sounds that have inspired and enriched his gentle, melancholy, and undeniably whiskey-soaked sound. Details 01752 242021 Hot Club of Stonehouse 30 Apr, 19 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Hot Club of Stonehouse bring the gypsy jazz of 1930s Paris bals
Walnut Falcons
the big list musettes to present day Blighty - sultry, insouciant & SWINGING, their authentic Hot Club sound is uniquely anointed with the balmy and incomparable vocals of the divine Miss Becky Brine... Details 01752 242021 Worried Shoes 30 Apr The Nowhere Inn Indie punk rockers Worried Shoes headline with support from rockers 8 Bit Thief. Details 01752 670592
May
Michael Ball 01 May Plymouth Pavilions For more than 25 years Michael has been at the top of his game starring in musical theatre productions in the West End and on Broadway winning critical acclaim, a devoted following and awards for his stage work and recording career, and now he is bringing his 2015 live tour to the Plymouth Pavilions! Box Office 0845 146 1460 Hamer & Co 01 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Everything from silky smooth to smoking’ hot jazz music! Rich Hamer, Frank Hamer and some fabulous special guests unite to form this sublime band, seamlessly combining swing, blues, latin and bebop. Details 01752 242021 Burlesque in the Basement: Burly Birthday Bonanza! 01 May Exile Same venue, new name, team burly are back with vengeance celebrating their first birthday! Feat Kitty Kane, Sammy Dodger, Betty Boom Boom, Angelique Dominique and Fantastic Ms Fanny! Details 01752 226305 Dinosaur Zoo 01 - 03 May Theatre Royal - The Lyric Direct from the West End, Dinosaur Zoo brings these awesome prehistoric creatures to the stage as you’ve never seen them before! From cute baby dinos to teeth-gnashing giants, observe and interact with extraordinary life-
eight like dinosaurs in this imaginative and hilarious live show. Box Office 01752 267222 The Blue Bottles 01 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque None of this cliched sharp suit business – just uncluttered grooves aimed squarely at the dance floor! Details 01752 260555 Blu Funk Allstars 02 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque The Allstars create a feel good atmosphere with real music, from old to new in their very own funked up stylie. Full of energy from start to finish Details 01752 260555 Mike & The Mechanics 02 May Plymouth Pavilions Following on from their sold-out UK tour earlier this year - Mike & The Mechanics, who have sold over 10 million records worldwide - announce ‘The Hits Tour 2015’. Box Office 0845 146 1460 Shanty and Howlin’ Lord 02 May The Junction Shanty are a party-reggae collective from London; they describe their sound as ‘stomping bass, soulful hooks and party vibes’, with influences ranging from Soul, Electronic and Hip Hop, also playing are 5 piece folk rock band Howlin’ Lord. Details 07916 127298 Michael Campari 03 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Legendary Rat Pack crooner, Michael Campari with his voice sweet, deep and velvety like melted chocolate he will sends shivers down your spine. Details 01752 260555 Calabrese 04 May Exile Steeped in hard rock swing, brash punk energy, metallic bombast and a healthy helping of death rock, the three Calabrese boys established a diehard following and garnered immense critical praise outside of the traditional system. Support TBC. Details 01752 226305
Scordatura & Support 05 May The Junction Scottish Death Metal bruisers Scordatura have spent years crafting their sound to reach the perfect, bludgeoning experience which they unleashed on the world in February 2013 in the form of ‘Torment of The Weak’. Support from The Florentine Camerata, Warcrab, and Necrosis. Details 07916 127298 Back Down 05 - 09 May Theatre Royal Back Down is the highly-anticipated first play by Steven Camden, more commonly known as the award-winning spoken word artist, Polarbear. Steven has crafted a must-see coming-ofage story that is both insightful and incredibly funny. Box Office 01752 267222 The B-Bar Comedy Night 06 May, 03 Jun, 01 Jul B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Some light relief with the best standups on the UK circuit. Details 01752 242021 Forked: Poetry and Spoken Word 07 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Poetry to inspire, delight and provoke. Every other month those clever people at Apples and Snakes present an evening of wonderful spoken word performance. Details 01752 242021 Flood 07 May The Nowhere Inn A whole night of music from grunge, rock and blues band Flood. Details 01752 670592 Tango Sonoro 08 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre An exciting band that plays a unique blend of Latin and Argentine Tango music from traditional millings and valses to Tango Neuvo. One of only a few tango bands in the UK dedicated to playing authentic Argentine Tango. Details 01752 242021 Hi-On Maiden 08 May The Junction
Crooked Little Sons Iron Maiden tribute act Hi-On Maiden are back by popular demand. They are the world’s longest running and ONLY Iron Maiden tribute band officially endorsed by Iron Maiden themselves. Details 07916 127298 Crooked Little Sons 08 May The Underground Crooked Little Sons are on tour and coming to Plymouth to bring your their own unique blend of punk rock and roll! Support from Arizona Law, Paul Armer and Issac. Details 07878 460500 Freshly Squeezed 08 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque An 8-piece funk fuelled barnstorming behemoth. Details 01752 260555 The Lincoln House Band 09 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Founded deep underground in Lincoln Avenue, Plymouth. TLHB are a bunch of friends making funky vibes to stomp your feet to! Details 01752 260555 Philharmonia Orchestra Live iOrchestra 09 May Plymouth Pavilions See the musicians behind Universe of Sound LIVE in concert. Feel the power of a live orchestra in full swing - featuring some familiar pieces, including works by Copland, Verdi and Grieg, and a few surprises along the way. Suitable for all! Box Office 0845 146 1460 The Sherlocks 09 May The Hub / dbs Live Indie band The Sherlocks are coming to The Hub with support from The Paisley Strays and Double Denim. Details 07966 626490
UB40
Screamin’ Miss Jackson and the Slap Ya’ Mama Big Band 09 May The Underground UK take on the New Orleans street sound, with elements of country, skiffle, jazz and western swing all mixed together. Details 07878 460500
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas 11 - 16 May Theatre Royal - The Lyric Based on the best-selling novel by John Boyne, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a heart-wrenching tale of an unlikely friendship between two innocent boys. Box Office 01752 267222 Sam Fearon 14 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre A solo acoustic artist who creates a wall of sound with his loop pedal and is not to be missed live. Giving you the music which has influenced him and the music he writes from stories from his life. Details 01752 242021 Brunel Album Launch 15 May The Underground Brunel release their long-awaited album ‘Smash On’ and are hosting a special celebration at the Underground. Support from Night Motor, Tendrils, Tinnedfruit, and Quiet Man. Details 07878 460500 Kelly Kemp & Support 15 May The Junction Indie-folk band Kelly Kemp at The Junction with Ducking Punches, Jake Martin, and Wisecrack. Details 07916 127298 Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment 15 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Musicians from the world-renowned Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment bring you Vivaldi to go with your vodka and Prucell to go with your pints and prawn crackers. Details 01752 242021 Malavita 16 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Plymouth’s own Malavita blends funk and latin into infectious dancefloor beats. Details 01752 260555 Unit 37 Birthday Party 16 May The Hub / dbs Live To mark their first birthday, Unit 37 are hosting a boat party and a night to remember. Featuring DJ Hype, Spectrasoul and local DJs, this one is not to be missed. Details 07966 626490
nine UB40 17 May Plymouth Pavilions Following their sell-out UK tour earlier this year, Birmingham’s reggae stars UB40 will embark on a second leg UK tour in October and November 2014 which will see the band play the Plymouth Pavilion in Plymouth on Monday 10 November. Box Office 0845 146 1460 The Woman In Black 18 - 23 May Theatre Royal - The Lyric Now celebrating 25 years in the West End, The Woman In Black is ‘a marvellous exercise in tension, spun from perfectly paced storytelling’ (The Independent) that has enthralled over seven million people since its original debut. Box Office 01752 267222 Pioneer 19 - 23 May Theatre Royal - The Drum Winners of a Scotsman Fringe First Award 2014, curious directive (After the Rainfall, Kindness of Strangers) return to The Drum with a multimedia sci-fi thriller, a poignant tale of the first human mission to Mars. Pioneer shuttles you from the Garden of Eden to mission control and onto the surface of the red planet. Box Office 01752 267222 Haunt the Woods 20 May, 17 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Haunt the Woods are a folk band from the Shires of Devon and Cornwall who effortlessly blend classic folk-rock with a more modern and unique sound. Superb songwriting is elucidated by thoughtful harmonies and spot-on guitar licks. With special guest musicians in support. Details 01752 242021 TC & The Moneymakers 21 May The Junction TC & The Moneymakers have been making big blues waves on the British blues circuit in the last few years, with their high energy brand of classic hard drivin’ house rockin’ blues. Ft. local legend Vince Lee and support from Russel Sinclair. Details 07916 127298 An Evening with Slaid Cleaves 21 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Slaid Cleaves spins stories with a novelist’s eye and a poet’s heart. Twenty years into his career, the celebrated songwriter’s latest album, ‘Still Fighting the War’ spotlights an artist in peak form. Details 01752 242021 I Love Amp 22 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque With musicians hailing from some of the most successful bands in the South-West, the band create a very tight, big sound across a broad range of genres and party tunes. Details 01752 260555 Capsize 22 May The Junction Founded in 2009, Capsize are a melodic hardcore band from San Diego, California. Described as calming and crippling, they have support from ’68, Casey and Agelast Details 07916 127298 Kursa, B2B, Duskky 23 May
The Voodoo Lounge IMPACT returns to Voodoo Lounge with big plans! Feat two incredible headliners as well as a selection of the most talented DJs in Plymouth, all playing the biggest bangers that will be shaking the 15k Turbo-sound system. Details 01752 262288
the big list
BuBBles
Jimmy Carr
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Duke Johnson & The Scorchers 23 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Over the last 20 years Duke Johnson & The Scorchers have become an institution in the live music scene & have rightfully gaining the reputation of one of the best Rock & Roll bands in the UK. Details 01752 260555
serVICe WasHes aVaIlaBle Monday to Friday 8.30am to 1pm
Fuzz Orchestra 23 May The Underground Starting from radical improvisation, the band achieves to forge a sound which, today, is built on strong rock textures, guitar and drums based, on which a fluxes of outer sounds (old movies, old vinyls, cut ups, noise streams and real time audio manipulations) ties and rages. Feat. members of Zeus!, with support TBC. Details 07878 460500 Jimmy Carr 23 May & 16 Oct Plymouth Pavilions ‘Funny Business’ is Jimmy’s brand new stand up show. Come for the witty and incisive musings on the human condition; stay for the knob gags. Box Office 0845 146 1460 The Roosters 24 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque If you love be-bop, rock n’ roll swing, jazz and boogaloo, this is most definitely a night for you, and it’s guaranteed to be a swinging atmosphere from The Roosters! Details 01752 260555 ONE Love 24 May The Hub / dbs Live ONE Love is back for a summer send off, with a night full of great artists, including Billy Kenny, SG Lewis, Après, Panda, and DJ Darko. Details 07966 626490 Plymouth Fringe Festival 25 - 30 May Theatre Royal From the City Centre to the Waterfront, the Plymouth Fringe Festival is a week long celebration of live performance, featuring the very best in home grown talent from the South West, plus some of the most exciting new theatre companies from across the UK. Over 50 performances will take place in venues across the city including The House, The Barbican Theatre and The Lab at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. Box Office 01752 267222 Barnum 26 May - 06 Jun Theatre Royal - The Lyric This exhilarating musical follows the irrepressible imagination and dreams of Phineas T Barnum, America’s Greatest Showman. The story of his life and his marriage to Chairy reveals a couple who looked at the world from opposite sides of the spectrum, and also reveals that she was the practical one who made his dreams come true. Box Office 01752 267222
selF serVICe WasHes 7 days per week 8.30am to 9pm last wash 8pm
Thomas Ford 28 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Electrifying blues talent in the form of this harp-playing, hard blues singing solo performer. Born in a field 20-something years ago, Thomas Ford is a blues shouter, a guitar picker and a harmonica firebreather. Details 01752 242021
Dave Can’t Dance 30 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Dave Can’t Dance have entered their seventh year as Devon’s premier Disco/Funk outfit. They recreate an era where you can experience the 70’s Disco sounds of Kool & the Gang, Sister Sledge, The Trammps, Chic and many more. Details 01752 260555
Arabrot feat. John Doran of Knifedoutofexistence 29 May The Underground John Doran, author of the Vice column Menk and editor of The Quietus, comes to Plymouth with his mate Kjetil Nernes of Arabrot to perform a reading of his new book, Jolly Lad, accompanied by the ambient music of Arabrot. Support inc. Steve Strong and Richard Thomas. Details 07878 460500
June
Jessica & the Rabbits 29 May Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque If you like music with a pulse you have to come and shake a tail feather with this band that’s sure to shake, rattle, and roll. Details 01752 260555 Some Like It Hot 29 May B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Vintage and contemporary swing, played with flair personality and panache. Danceable delights, steamy songs and tantalising tunes! Details 01752 242021 The Cadbury Sisters 29 May The Junction Like all the interesting things in life, The Cadbury Sisters come with a secret - their great great grandfather was William Cadbury, the man behind the world famous chocolate company. Their goal is simple; to take the spirit of traditional English folk music, infuse its DNA with contemporary influences such as Bat for Lashes, Daughter and First Aid Kit before disseminating it into the world. Support from Sawtooth. Details 07916 127298
Lemuria 01 Jun The Junction Female fronted punk and indie pop band Lemuria storm back to Plymouth after successful shows in the past. Based in Buffalo, New York, the trio have been touring their new album “The Distance is So Big”. Support from Dads, Personal Best and Woahnows. Details 07916 127298
drY CleanInG aGents all sIZe QuIlts WasHed
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David Sedaris 02 Jun Plymouth Pavilions After three sell-out runs in London, two sell-out Edinburgh Fringe Festival stints and a sell-out UK 2014 tour; David Sedaris will once again set out across the UK in June 2015. Box Office 0845 146 1460 The Scandals 03 Jun The Underground Established in 2004, this New Jersey punk rock is four dues who spend more time in the van than their own beds. Support TBC. Details 07878 460500 Little Lapin 04 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre West country singer-songwriter Little Lapin has been making her mark on audiences all over the world, from New Zealand where she was based for five years, to New York where she recently performed the last leg of her acoustic
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the big list
Atomic Daze 05 Jun Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque A brilliant 5 piece band revitalising the best music from the 80’s! Details 01752 260555 Hamer & Co 05 Jun & 03 Jul B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Hamer & Co are a smokin’ hot jazz outfit with a difference. Experienced guitarplayers Rich Hamer and Frank Hamer perform their own unique brand of music, blending everything from hot to cool jazz using a combination of smooth basslines and groovy rhythms. Details 01752 242021 Moody Blues 06 Jun Plymouth Pavilions The Moody Blues - Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge - carry on their magical musical legacy from generation to generation, year after year, and are on their way to the Plymouth Pavilions. Box Office 0845 146 1460 Andrew Jackson Jihad 06 Jun The Underground Andrew Jackson Jihad has a constantly shifting lineup resulting in wide-ranging sonic textures both live and on record. Andrew Jackson Jihad has obtained much coverage for their lyricism, which often covers themes of social anxiety, poverty, humanity, religion, existentialism and politics. Support from Hard Girls and the Fairweather Band. Details 07878 460500
Almost Blues 06 Jun Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Almost Blues are a young 5-piece playing a stimulating mix of Rock & Roll and Rhythm & Blues. With hits from the likes of Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jackie Wilson and Ray Charles, the band showcase the best of the 50s and 60s. Details 01752 260555 Anything Goes 08 - 13 Jun Theatre Royal - The Lyric This brand new production of Cole Porter’s classic, multi-award winning musical-comedy, Anything Goes transports you to the magical age of tap dancing and high society. Box Office 01752 267222 The Solid Life of Sugar Water 08 - 13 Jun Theatre Royal - The Drum Phil and Alice are in love – familiar, flawed, ordinary love. Phil and Alice are on a journey, but this journey doesn’t have an A to Z. Candid, uninhibited and visceral, this world-premiere from award winning playwright Jack Thorne is an intimate, tender play about loss, hurt and rediscovery. Playwright Jack Thorne recently adapted the cult novel and film Let the Right One In for the stage, which played to sell-out audiences in London’s West End. Box Office 01752 267222 Geoff Lakeman 11 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Geoff Lakeman, a Cornishman who has lived on Dartmoor in Devon for 37 years, has been described as “a stalwart of the west country folk scene and the father of a virtual folk dynasty”. He’s the dad of Seth, Sean and Sam Lakeman, all of whom are nationally and internationally
renowned as performers. Details 01752 242021 The Retro Gents 12 Jun Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque With a strong flavour of epic riffs mixed with melodic vocals, accompanied by bouncing bass lines and thumping beats, The Retro Gents are not to be missed. Details 01752 260555
Slim Semora
Slim Semora 12 Jun Slim hails from Houston, Texas, with roots in Nashville. He delivers what he refers to as a bone rattling’ blend of “Texakana” music - Americana, rhythm & blues, alt country, rockabilly and folk rock. Influences would be legends like Johnny Cash, RL Burnside, Neil Young, JJ Cale, ZZ Top, Bob Dylan and the like. Details 01752 242021 Russel Sinclair 13 Jun Annabel’s Cabaret & Discotheque Scottish born singer songwriter performing with The Smokin Locos. He has gained a great reputation for his live shows within the Southwest. Details 01752 260555
Dirty Dancing 16 Jun - 04 Jul Theatre Royal - The Lyric Seen by millions across the globe, this worldwide smash-hit tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives. Box Office 01752 267222 Plymouth Business Show 17 Jun Plymouth Pavilions Run by the team at Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, the biggest business show in the South West makes its way to Plymouth Pavilions to host over 100 exhibitors in its main hall and welcome up to 1000 people through the door. Box Office 0845 146 1460
Carrie’s War is a fascinating depiction of war through the eyes of a child. An enchanting and unmissable production for all ages. Box Office 01752 267222 Elvis Costello 24 Jun Plymouth Pavilions Following the success of his solo shows earlier this year, Elvis Costello announces a 21-date UK tour called ‘Detour’ in the early summer of 2015. Box Office 0845 146 1460 Alex Gregory & Band 25 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Likened to both KT Tunstall and Beth Orton, Alex has been described as an ‘awesome songwriter with the voice of a slightly naughty angel’ and ‘the darling of BBC Introducing in Devon’. Details 01752 242021
Soul Legends 19 Jun Plymouth Pavilions It’s all aboard the soul train for the show of the year, embarking from soul’s heady Sixties origins. . . steaming, nonstop, through to the present day. . . via everyone’s favourite Seventies and Eighties dance classics it’s the feel good show of the year! Box Office 0845 146 1460
Vince Lee & Becca Langsford 26 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Blues vocalist Becca Langsford, alongside Plymouth’s top bluesman Vince Lee, play a session of country blues, jump blues, swing, gospel and southern soul from the 1920’s to the present day. Details 01752 242021
Milton Jones 21 Jun Plymouth Pavilions Milton Jones brings his hilarious oneliners to Plymouth with his 2015 tour ‘Milton Jones and the Temple Of Daft’. Box Office 0845 146 1460
Vince Lee & Becca Langsford 26 Jun B-Bar at the Barbican Theatre Blues vocalist Becca Langsford, alongside Plymouth’s top bluesman Vince Lee, play a session of country blues, jump blues, swing, gospel and southern soul from the 1920’s to the present day. Details 01752 242021
Carrie’s War 23 - 27 Jun Theatre Royal - The Drum Capturing the trials and tribulations in the life of a young 1940s evacuee,
If you would like your event featured in THE BIG LIST, email your listings to hello@ps-zine.com
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tour. Little Lapin’s highly anticipated follow-up album due to be released in April/May this year promises to deliver more of her infectious indie pop gems. Details 01752 242021
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the big festival list
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THE BIG F E S T I VA L L I S T / Listings by Naomi Girdler /
We give you the lowdown on the best festivals to hit up this year, from down the road to across the sea, there’s something for everyone.
LoCaL Masked Ball 2nd - 3rd May £60 - Porthleven, Cornwall Located on top of stunning cliffs, in a sleepy Cornish village, the biannual party happens overlooking the sea, combining idyllic views and a summer time festival like no other. The Masked Ball happens twice a year, once on the May Bank Holiday, and again on Halloween, and neither are to be missed. As well as the dawn of Spring, the Masked Ball also brings to 2015 Bonobo, Simian Mobile Disco and Nightmares on Wax DJ sets, Congo Natty, Andrew Weatherall, Norman Jay MBE and too many more to mention, over a vast array of stages. You can party hard on the cliff edge at The Live Deck, enjoy underground music at Shore’s Ditch or should you be so inclined, find yourself at the Big Gay Disco. I don’t think that last one needs much explaining. The May Bank Holiday is fast approaching and tickets are selling fast, so don’t miss out the opportunity to have some masked fun in the sun!
Volksfest Volksfest 22nd - 25th May £95 - Newnham Park, Plymouth Hidden by an old tungsten mine and industrial estates is Newnham Park, the home of Volksfest for the past eight years. With humble beginnings as a Volkswagen enthusiasts haven, it’s grown to be the local colossus that it is today. Growing every year, we’re now treated to acts from live music, to stand up comedy, cabaret and live dance acts and DJs. Never far from sight, and true to it’s name, the endless displays of Volkswagen vehicles still hold centre stage. As for the main
stage however, this year you’re treated to such acts as Ocean Colour Scene and Wilko Johnson, with blasts from the past including Atomic Kitten and East 17 and never forgetting the local legends of Mad Dog Mcrea and Land of the Giants. There’s something for everyone and families are welcome and encouraged. Bring your nan, bring your dog, they’ll have a blast too.
bands, stages such as the Locally Grown, hosted by BBC Introducing allows for live broadcasts and interviews to keep you busy too. At just £20 for the day, or for an extra tenner you can stay overnight, there’s not many excuses to not hit up this local lovely. Glasdenbury
your wand and embrace the legend. As well as live music from Peatbog Faeries (of course!), Professor Elemental and 3 Daft Monkeys, there’s also a faery market, walkabout performers, workshops, talks and a bar. On top of all that, on the Saturday there will be a Guiness World Record attempt for the largest gathering of fairies in one place! Pack your wings, your wand and your tutu, it’s going to be a sprite-ly weekend! Port Eliot 30th July - 2nd Aug £165 - St Germans, Cornwall
Freedom Community Festival 26th - 31st May FREE - Freedom Fields Park, Plymouth Every year since 2000, a host of volunteers have made it their mission to bring a community festival to a little park just off from the city centre. Freedom Community Festival is a free festival, attracting up to 3000 attendees last year with over 30 bands over 6 days and 6 locations. This year will not differ. With local giants, Andy Quick’s Flying Orchestra, Dub Class, Bus Station Loonies, Waterboarders and Worried Shoes, as well as the ever growing acoustic tent, I promise something will take your fancy. As well as live music, they’re hosting events all week encouraging people to get involved with local projects and charities, supporting the community in the area, the team have worked hard to include those from all walks of life. Yourselves included. Lemonfest 30th May £20 - Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon This one day marathon of acts is back for it’s sixth year at Newton Abbot Racecourse, featuring headliners such as The Subways, Rosie Lowe, Dub Pistols, DJ Yoda and Beans on Toast. What it loses with it’s day long span and small scale, Lemonfest makes up for in diversity of acts, a range of stages to suit everyone’s taste and final touches such as locally sourced ales and ciders, a street food market and a silent disco. Allowing the festival to cultivate the best local
Glasdenbury 10th - 11th July £45 - Fairfield Farm, Denbury, Devon Situated on a dairy farm, not far from Newton Abbot, Glasdenbury is a family friendly down to earth festival in a field. With a friendly atmosphere on site, as well as a load of surprises to put a smile on your face, the line up isn’t all about the music (although, it’s still pretty good.) With poetry and spoken word, cabaret and workshops for all ages, there’s enough to keep you busy in between acts on the main stage. With Matt Owens (of Noah & the Whale fame), the Jay Tamkin band, Jessica and the Rabbits, The Rocker Covers, Moriaty and more, there’s an abundance of genres to choose from and maybe even some new ones to introduce yourself to. As well as food stalls, traders, bars stocked to the brim with real ale, ciders and cocktails, you can continue to fuel your dancing amongst the daisies at Fairfield Farm. Three Wishes Faery Fest 19th - 21st June £99 - Mount Edgcumbe House & Country Park, Cornwall Now, what would be the West Country without a little faery magic? There’s been tales of pixie activity in Devon for many years, so to celebrate this quirky folklore is 3 Wishes Faery Fest, hosted by Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park. With just a short ferry ride a few skips from Royal William Yard, you can find yourself in a world of the Celtic Faerie Clans. It’s a BYOW occasion (Bring Your Own Wings) as it’s time to brush off
Dubbed one of the most original and bohemian festivals in the UK, Port Eliot seems to be growing in popularity year to year. Since it’s birth over a decade ago, it’s seen the likes of Kate Winslet, Jarvis Cocker, Dominic West, Martin Parr and Ralph Steadman pass its gates and the fun doesn’t stop there. The line up includes such greats as Andrew Weatherall, Matthew and Me and Stealing Sheep of which you can all enjoy in the grounds of the Earl of St Germans Cornish estate, the oldest continually inhabited dwelling in the UK. The festival allows you to explore the House itself too, with exhibitions in the basement, tours of the historic rooms and conversations in the Round Room. With it’s upbringing in spoken word and literature, Port Eliot redefines what a festival is, providing inspiration, broadening the appeal and expanding to those who wouldn’t have given a literary festival a thought. One to check out. Boardmasters 5th - 9th Aug £129 - Watergate Cornwall
Bay/Fistral
Beach,
A combination of live music, surf, skate and BMX contests and all the usual fun filled activities a festival has to offer, Boardmasters is going from strength to strength. With last year boasting a line up featuring Snoop Dogg, Chase & Status and Bastille, this year has had a lot to live up to. Bastille return with the dons of dance Faithless as well as sets from The Darkness, De La Soul and Seasick Steve. This beachside festival is one to mark on the calendar, especially if you have any interest in extreme sports and
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the big festival list
Port Eliot
Boardmasters
coastal hang outs. Taking place over five days on a cliff top location overlooking Watergate Bay and Fistral Beach, there’s also a variety of bars and fairground rides to choose from on site. Boomtown Fair 13th - 16th Aug £155 - Matterly Estate, nr Winchester Rising from the underground in 2009, BoomTown Fair has fast become one of the wildest and most inspirational independent festivals on the UK circuit. Starting as a humble village fair, it’s become the sprawling creative metropolis that it is today, with a diverse mix of genres to suit everyone’s tastes. With a variety of different districts, playing host to a line up full to the brim with talent, including the likes of Stephen ‘Ragga’ Marley, Flogging Molly and Gogol Bordello as well as DJ and dance acts from across the world including Squarepusher, Noisia, Infected Mushroom and DJ EZ. By creating their own city where only their rules apply, BoomTown Fair creates a unique experience for the average festival goer where you can be completely immersed in the BoomTown attitude and I promise, you’ll make memories to cherish for years to come. Boomtown Fair
getting bigger and better. Spanning across six stages with a family area for the little ones, the festival features a number of big names. From the pop punk stylings of Dropkick Murphys to the classic alt rock of the Happy Mondays, to the quirky gypsy punk from Gogol Bordello to the rhythm and blues of Wilko Johnson, Beautiful Days is a corporation free zone, yet tickets still sell out every year in advance. As well as a strong line up, the festival also hosts a walkabout theatre, site art installations, comedy, theatre, family camping, food and craft stalls, a healing area, play areas and real ale bars run by Otter Brewery. An intimate little festival, celebrating independence and cultural exchange. Looe Music Festival 18th - 20th Sept £110 - Looe Beach, Cornwall The last of the summer festivals, for three days of September, the little town of Looe in South East Cornwall gets hit up with big music, manic entertainment and a smattering of culture for good measure. The festival transforms the sleepy seaside town, beach and streets, giving locals and visitors all over the world a chance to mingle and enjoy the show. With titans Johnny Marr and the Proclaimers claiming the headline spots, local legends Mad Dog Mcrea and Geoff Lakeman continue the celebration of home grown talent. With 90 bands over five stages, you won’t find lazy, Sunday summer grooves, it’s all about eclectic high energy music, delivered back to back. Finish your festival season with a bang and give this one a go.
N AT I o N A L The Great Escape 14th - 16th May £59.50 - Various Venues, Brighton & Hove
Beautiful Days 21st - 23rd Aug £135 - Escot Park, Devon With humble beginnings in 2003, the festival, managed by the Levellers is
Europe’s leading festival for new music, The Great Escape has grown in reputation as being the place to be to discover the newest and hottest talents on the UK scene. Headliners include Alabama Shakes plus the The Strypes, Kate Tempest plus George the Poet and Skepta & JME, the full line up however is huge and a great place to find out about new acts in an
The Great Escape
intimate setting. With the set up in multiple venues, it’s never going to be the same vibe twice, so cram in as much as possible. The Alternative Escape, the Brighton Dome shows, secret gigs, club nights and spontaneous collaborations all add to the festivities and make this weekend in Brighton one not to miss. Isle of Wight Festival
Download 12th -14th June £205 - Donington Park, Derby Now one for the metalheads, punks and rockers. Download is the place to be if you’re into loud, angry and shouty music. The rock festival giant has been active since 2003, taking over from the Monsters of Rock festival that made it’s home in Donington Park spanning the 80’s and the 90’s. Download has hosted some of the biggest names in rock including Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden and AC/DC to name just a few. With headliners Slipknot, Muse and Kiss, this year continues the tradition of hard and heavy, with little to no let up. Motley Crue, Judas Priest and Marilyn Manson fill out the line up, but it’s hard to ignore such a huge mix of artists spanning over four stages and three days. Don your black eyeliner, patch up your jackets and pull on the New Rocks, it’s almost time!
Isle of Wight Festival 11th - 14th June £195 - Seaclose Park, Isle of Wight With it’s history stemming as far back as the late 60’s, and with such giant headliners as Bob Dylan, The Who, Jefferson Airplane and Jimi Hendrix back in the day, it’s no surprise that the Isle of Wight festival still holds such a huge following today. The festival is still the behemoth it was then, with this year’s line up including Blur, Fleetwood Mac, The Black Keys and The Prodigy to name just a few. And if that isn’t enough to get you going, there’s Groove Armada and Paul Oakenfold in the Big Top for all those with dancing on their minds. Luxury camping (or glamping as it’s grown to be known) is always an option to make the most of this momentous festival. Don’t be put off by the ferry journey, make it across the water for a bloody great party.
Glastonbury Glastonbury 24th - 28th June £220 - Pilton, Somerset What would festival season be without Glastonbury? Easily one of the most popular festivals of the year, with an ever growing following and now almost the size of a city, Glastonbury is one hell of a live music event. Beginning back in 1970, where the entrance fee was £1 (including some free milk from the farmers), to becoming the colossus it is today, Glastonbury has become a contemporary gathering for all sorts of arts, from of course, live music, but also dance, comedy, theatre, circus and cabaret. Headliners this year include Foo Fighters, Kanye West, Florence and the Machine, Patti Smith, Deadmau5, Future Islands and many many more. If you can get your hands on a ticket (make sure to watch out for the fake ones!), then this will definitely be hell of a ride.
the big festival list
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Reading Festival
2000 Trees 9th - 11th July £72 - Upcote Farm, nr Cheltenham Featuring some of the best new and underground British music, 2000 Trees is an award winning festival with a focus on a friendly, intimate atmosphere and live music. Started by six friends in 2007, who had grown tired of paying out the nose for festivals decided to create a festival all about value for money as well as an opportunity to raise awareness of environmental issues. With five stages, a trader village and the hugely popular headphone disco, this year’s headliners include Deaf Havana, Alkaline Trio, The Subways, We Are The Ocean and Idlewild. As well as all that lovely stuff, there’s also some amazing food and locally produced ciders, ales and lagers - the best weekend of your summer guaranteed! Latitude
Latitude 16th - 19th July £200.50 - Henham Park, Suffolk Ran by the same brilliant minds behind Reading and Leeds, Latitude Festival is said to be similar to continental music festivals, with a comprehensive list of musicians, bands and artists across four stages. Wander from film to music, comedy to literature and theatre to poetry, set in fairylight-lit woods, by a lake and featuring a flock of multicoloured sheep, this festival really is a cultural highlight of the season. With Alt-J and Portishead dominating the headliners, other acts include Caribou, Manic Street Preachers, Jon Hopkins and SBTRKT. With it’s 10th birthday this year, there’s no doubt that Latitude will make this one to remember.
Green Man
Green Man 20th - 23rd Aug £165 - Brecon Beacons, Wales Easily my favourite festival of the year, based in a valley by the beautiful mountain range of Brecon Beacons, Green Man is more like your own intimate party amongst family and friends than a festival. Having seen giants such as First Aid Kit, Modest Mouse, Mac Demarco and Mogwai there in the past, I was elated to hear this year’s line up consists of Super Furry Animals, Hot Chip, Goat and Public Service Broadcasting. Not limited to live music, but also spoken word, comedy and literature, as well as workshops, fun and games and an Enchanted Forest, Green Man is a hidden gem amongst other mainstream festivals. And who can forget the burning of the Green Man on the last night?! I highly highly recommend it! V Festival 22nd - 23rd Aug £189 - Hylands Park, Chelmsford & Weston Park, Staffordshire Originally the brain child of Pulp’s front man Jarvis Cocker, V Festival was put on due to the fact he wanted to play two outdoor venues in two days. V Festival was born. The perfect choice for those who like to spend their time in the Top 40, headliners include Calvin Harris, Kasabian, Sam Smith, Stereophonics, Olly Murs and The Script are all gracing the stage this year. Spanning over the two parks simultaneously, swapping over the weekend, there’s no excuse to miss your favourite act. With sponsors including MTV, Coca Cola, Carling and Smirnoff, you’re guaranteed to find freebies and attractions to suit everyone.
Reading Festival 28th - 30th Aug £205 - Richfield Avenue, Reading Being the world’s oldest popular music festival still in existence, Reading has had it’s fair share of musical phases over the years, now settling with rock, alternative, indie, punk and metal dominating. Definitely not family friendly and with eight stages and a line up boasting Mumford and Sons, Metallica and The Libertines, this year is set to be a banger. Selling out year after year, there isn’t much for me to say that you probably don’t already know about Reading festival, but keep an eye out for the silent arena, the ActionAid tent, cinema and funfair. Leeds Festival 28th - 30th Aug £205 - Bramham Park, Leeds Leeds Festival, Reading’s sister festival, will be taking over the August Bank Holiday weekend by storm with the same huge line up as Reading. Spanning over three days, this is another classic festival to dominate the summer season. Again, enjoy the ActionAid tent, the silent arena, cinema and fun fair, but also make sure you find time for some 5-a-side football and some great DJ sets at the Piccadilly Party with XFM. End of the Road 4th - 6th Sept £195 - Larmer Tree Gardens, Wiltshire The award-winning End of the Road, specialising in alternative music, such as folk rock, alt country and americana is hosting another huge year of music this year. Running over four stages in the idyllic location of the Larmer Tree Gardens, you can look forward to Sufjan Stevens, Tame Impala, War on Drugs, Future Islands and Laura Marling. Easily one of the most beautiful festivals, it’s not unlikely to be joined by peacocks wandering the area, as you take some time off in the healing field, get competitive in the games area, settle down for some light reading in the library in the forest or chill out in the film tent.
With a capacity of 11,000, you’re treated to an intimate atmosphere with a family friendly vibe. End of the Road
Bestival 10th - 13th Sept £195 - Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight Another legendary festival hosted by the Isle of Wight is Bestival. Running for just over 10 years, it’s blagged itself a number of awards from Best Major Festival to Best Dance Event. Bestival, despite being considered a ‘major festival’, is considered quite alternative and diverse, offering a large selection of vegetarian foods; a dress up tent and a ‘secret stage’. There’s so much going on at this festival it’s easy to forget the epic line up they have in store this year, with headliners including The Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Duran Duran and Tame Impala, and DJ sets from the likes of Rudimental, Skrillex and Annie Mac. As well as the huge line up of acts, you can also get married in their inflatable church, take part in the fancy dress Guiness World Record attempt or enjoy comedy theatre, short plays, mindexpanding musings and hotly tipped sketch shows in the Amphitheatre.
F o r m o r e i n f o r mat i o N v i s i t www.ps-zine.com
another robot / post graduate spotlight
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/ Words by Naomi Girdler /
ANotHEr
roBOT
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PS: So who’s Another Robot and what are you guys about? AR: We’re Jake and Adam and Another Robot is a video production company, that specialises in promotional videos, music videos, motion graphics, for anyone that wants it really! We work a lot with other businesses in the city as well as being part of the Knowledge Collective, which is basically just a a group of people with a number of different skills, working together. We also work with Dom Moore, a local photographer, who also is part of the collective. PS: You’ve done a number of different things, from corporate videos to festival sessions to music videos, how does the work compare and what do you enjoy most? AR: They’re all different, but I think it’s best when you get a project that sort of meets in the middle. We get some really creative projects, such as working with Artory recently, where we get the opportunity to push the more creative side of things, something that we don’t always get to explore in the more corporate aspect of our work. We’ve done sessions for Knee Deep Festival for a couple of years now, as well as working for Leopallooza Festival, which has been great. Getting to go to a festival for free isn’t bad, but also getting to meet all the bands and get an exclusive look at what they do is really cool. Unfortunately, both of those festivals are taking a year out, but there’s plenty of fields down here, I’m sure we’ll find somewhere else to get involved in. PS: So how was Another Robot born? AR: We both met here, at Plymouth University, studying the same course, Media Arts, and it stemmed from there really. We started working on a lot of projects together and then doing bits and pieces here and there, and it snowballed from there. It seemed to lead into a great working relationship. At uni, you start to fit into certain groups and begin to find yourself a little. You’ve also got so much extra time on your hands and the freedom to be able to work on projects and be creative. You get to know the people that like the same sort of things you do and you learn quickly who you can work with and who you can’t. PS: Where did the name come from? AR: Oh, we didn’t talk about what we were gonna say for this one! We should have thought of that. We always try and make up a different story every time, but I’ve forgotten to make one this
time! You’ve caught us off guard. In all honesty though, I don’t really know where the name came from. When we started out, we sat down and began throwing things out there. We didn’t necessarily want to have something that was just video studio or something like that, we wanted to be a bit different and to stand out a little. PS: What inspired the robot heads? AR: We know we needed head shots, but we wanted to remain anonymous. It was an idea just to chuck some boxes on our heads. We’re hiding away from something, we’re building the mystery.
another robot / post gradaute spotlight
off people, even if it’s helping someone with something that we’re not going to be involved in. Working in video tends to be massively collaborative to start with, because you tend to work with a number of different people and it’s often part of a campaign or as part of promotion, so you often have to collaborate to come up with ideas to suit everyone. Good ideas stick with you, even if it’s about something completely different, you can rework and rehash it and it can turn into something great. You can always recognise a good idea, no matter what field it’s in. PS: What does 2015 hold for Another Robot?
PS: You’ve worked with a lot of different businesses and artists, who continues to inspire you?
YOU CAN ALWAYS RECOGNISE A GOOD IDEA, NO MATTER WHAT FIELD It's IN AR: Well, all the guys we work with in the office at the Knowledge Collective have really helped from the start. Since they were already an existing business, they helped set us up, and got us a few projects to sink our teeth into. It’s grown from there and now we work in the office with them which is great. The mutants, of Mutant Labs, a game design company work in the same building as us, and we’re great friends with all of them. We don’t necessarily work with them a lot since they’re so different to what we do but we know that if we ever needed different skills on a project, we’ve got potential collaboration there. It’s just nice to bounce ideas off of people in different fields to you, but still in a creative way. That way you can get some different angles and ideas. Another artist we’ve worked with is Susan Austin, who has developed an underwater wheelchair, and is currently in the process of developing a flying wheelchair. We’ve worked with her in the past, editing her videos, helping her produce some of her content. She goes off around the world, demonstrating her inventions, the underwater one is being demoed in Egypt I think! She straps on a GoPro and films it all, then we get the chance to sit down and work with her to see what we can turn it into. We’re really into the idea of collaboration though. It helps our creativity to bounce ideas
AR: Well, we launched our new website in January, which was exciting, but as for the rest of the year, just keep growing really! 2014 was great, we managed to come into an office environment and started to secure a few more contracts within the city which is good, so continue that momentum really. We need to fuel the creative side of things as well, because even though it is a creative business, it’s still a business! That can bring you down a little bit, so that’s why we try to do stuff with festivals and bands. There might not be the most money there, but it allows us to fuel our creative side. Keep our souls happy and help us sleep better at night. PS: What advice would you give young people in your situation? Thinking of setting up a business, getting into a notoriously difficult industry, etc. AR: Just do it! Oh wait, that’s someone else’s catchphrase. But no! Just do it! A lot of people say they wanna do this, or wanna do that but until you try it and get stuck in, you just don’t know. It’s hard, ridiculously hard, it’s taken us a long time to get to the level where we are now, where we’re happy and comfortable and we know we can keep pushing on. It doesn’t mean anything without hard work. If you’re thinking of getting into videography and media, I’d say just make as much as possible. It doesn’t matter who it’s for, or if you’re trying to get into music videos or corporate promotional videos, everyone’s going to look at what you’ve made in the past. Keep making things! If it’s what you wanna do, you’re going to enjoy making them anyway. The average person isn’t going to look at your one best piece of work, they’ll look at the fact you’ve been out there week in and week out trying to create something. If you’ve got a back catalog of ten projects, as opposed to one good one, that can sometimes look better, like you’re spreading your effort out a lot more.
politics / the general election
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THE GENERAL ELECTION GUIDE / Words by Dominic Wallace / More than three million people between the ages of 18 to 22 will have their first opportunity to vote come the 7th of May, although according to YouGov only around 41% of this group will cast a vote. With myself falling into this category as a first time voter, I can wholly relate to the lack of interest in politics expressed by the youth and the disillusion felt towards modern politics. However for all voters this election poses an alternative to the traditional two horse race seen in previous years, as parties such as the Greens
C onservatives ‘’Strong leadership. A clear economic plan. A brighter, more secure future.’’ Conservative Party Website. The Conservative led coalition has achieved a lot of things over the past five years, although many would argue these things are not necessarily great. The NHS is on the brink of falling apart and the dread of privatization looms over it, quantitative easing has seen a massive redistribution of wealth directly into the pockets of the 1% (about £600 billion). Consequently the welfare state has been awfully damaged; throwing many into poverty or uncertainty about their future, thus the rise of food banks. However according to polls the Conservative Party are still the most trusted to manage the economy. Key Pledges: • Eliminating the deficit. • Cutting taxes by raising basic and higher rate starting points. • Helping people to own their own home and have financial independence in retirement. • No housing benefit for 18-21 year olds. • Providing an education system that helps children reach their potential. • Holding a referendum on Britain’s EU membership. • Replace Trident to maintain continuous at sea nuclear deterrent. • Reform strike laws, including on the transport network. • Restore police and agencies’ access to the communications data they need to fight terrorism and organised crime. Local Candidate - Oliver Colvile: ‘’I have been working hard to tackle the problems that we face to make Plymouth Sutton and Devonport an even better place to work, live and raise a family.’’ Oliver Colvile, age 55, is the Conservative party’s current representative in the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency. Educated in Stowe private school Colvile has worked for the Conservative Party since he was 21. Colvile has outlined 6 main pledges if re-elected and his first is on transport. As well as campaigning for the A303 to be duelled fully, he expresses the importance of improved rail networks for ‘businesspeople’ to come from London and work in the city before 9am. His second pledge is to continue his work towards higher levels of employment in marine engineering research which he first attempted by the signing of the ‘City Deal’ which will supposedly transform Plymouth’s South Yard for industrial and commercial use. He plans to further this by campaigning for a Marine Energy Park to be built in Plymouth. The security of the armed forces in Plymouth is Colvile’s next pledge with protection of heritage
or UKIP step up to the political platform. From Westminster to Plymouth the political floor is more crowded than ever and whether it’s your first vote or not, the time has come to vote for a party you can personally relate to, rather than a lesser of two evils. However in the run up to a general election, it can be hard to see through the veil of the consistently changing and contradictory world of politics as it is seen and absorbed by people on so many
and servicemen at his priority. To do this he shall fight to secure armed forces based in the area within historic sites such as Stonehouse Barracks and continue to campaign for a new warship to be named ‘HMS Plymouth’. His fourth pledge is to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower leaving Plymouth and use this occasion to attract tourists and increase economic growth. His fifth pledge is about heritage and the restoration of the North Corner Pontoon. And his last pledge is to fix the potholes plaguing Plymouth’s drivers.
L
abour
‘‘Britain only succeeds when working people succeed. This is a plan to reward hard work, share prosperity and build a better Britain.’’ – Labour Party Manifesto Having grown up under Brown and Blair’s New Labour, the animosity held against the Labour party is of no surprise. With the move towards the centre ground in 1997, red and blue seemed to merge and the left leaning workers party had become something else. Two wars without conclusion and a financial crisis have stained Labour’s reputation, however under Milliband the party has seemed to distance themselves from Labour’s last existence. Whatever your personal opinion on Milliband is, he is no Blair. Key Pledges: • Cut the deficit every year, no extra borrowing for manifesto commitments. • Make it illegal for employers to undercut British workers by exploiting migrants. • Extra £2.5bn funding for the NHS, to pay for 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 GPs. • Cut university tuition fees by £3,000. • Freeze energy bills until 2017 and give energy regulator new powers to cut bills this winter. • Raise an extra £7.5bn a year by cutting down on tax avoidance. • Raise the minimum wage to more than £8 by October 2019.
Local Candidate - Luke Pollard: ‘’My priorities are simple: Jobs, housing and defending public services.’’ Luke Pollard is the Labour and Co-operative Parliamentary Candidate for this election. He was born and lives in the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency and studied at Exeter University. Pollard worked for ITV in Plympton making children’s TV programmes before getting a job working for David Jamieson and then standing for Labour in the 2006 local elections and as a candidate in SouthWest Devon during the 2010 general election. On his web page Luke speaks of Plymouth’s ‘‘enormous potential to create more jobs, attract more tourists, have better transport, more homes and better shops and culture.’’ He goes on to say that
different levels. Each piece of the picture whether an article, a petition, a piece of political satire, etc. has its own bias and spin which can mound into an incomprehensible mess of personal opinion; where media logic dictates I shouldn't vote Labour because David Milliband probably looks better eating a bacon sandwich than Ed. Therefore to get back to the reality of the situation, it is best to look over what each party is, what they offer and what they have done.
he believes Plymouth is being let down by the Conservatives through austerity highlighting the need for a government who recognises the potential in Plymouth. Pollard asserts his belief in social justice and equality, and believes in public ownership of services such as railways and the NHS. Furthermore he wants to bring focus to the South West as an area of opportunity in contrast to the Tory-led concentration on London and the South East. Pollard supports campaigns such as Cross Out Cancer, The Tax Evasion and Tax Dodging Bill, Vote Bike (cycling campaign) and a cross party campaign for a new Type 26 frigate to be named ‘HMS Plymouth’.
waste collection services, banned those selling alcohol illegally to under 18’s and eased planning restrictions to encourage the reuse of redundant rural buildings. Reed has been a campaigner for causes such as women’s rights, child welfare, help for disabled groups and care for the elderly. Reed is committed to local decision making and supports the move to give more control to local communities. Furthermore he is committed to better education and training in the manufacturing sector as well as social inclusion and fairness for all.
‘’A stronger economy and a fairer society, enabling every person to get on in life.’’ Liberal Democrat Pre-Manifesto Founded in 1988 the Liberal Democrats are a relatively young party in comparison to the Tories and Labour and became part of the coalition government in 2010. While many saw the Liberal Democrats as the change they were looking for, it is clear now that Cleggmania did not live up to the hype. However, it’s hard not to feel sorry for Nick Clegg as the promises he made on tuition fees and other subjects were quickly swept under the rug by the Conservatives.
ecology party but have since expanded their environmentalist message under their leader Natalie Bennett; now fighting for not only a greener world but for a fairer society capable of supporting everyone’s needs. Distancing themselves from the politics of the past they believe in a future that works for the common good. Since gaining their first MP in 2010, Green Party’s membership has grown significantly and are now the third largest party in the UK, having over taken the Liberal Democrats.
G reen y L iberal Part ‘’Real Change’’ - Green Manifesto D e m ocrats Green Party’s roots stem from the 1970’s
Key Pledges: • Balance the budget fairly through a mixture of cuts and taxes on higher earners. • Increase tax-free allowance to £12,500. • Guarantee education funding from nursery to 19 and qualified teachers in every class. • Invest £8bn in the NHS. Equal care for mental & physical health. • Five new laws to protect nature and fight climate change. • £3.5bn extra for mental health. • Guarantee qualified teachers, a core curriculum and sex education in all state schools. • Give 16-21 year olds two thirds off all bus travel. • Double renewable electricity by 2020, aim to decarbonise the power sector by 2030, leading to a zero carbon Britain by 2050. Local Candidate - Graham Reed: Born in Southampton, Reed was educated at Stirling University where he gained a BA in History and Politics. He worked as a technical salesman in Australasia and then a glassblower, once again at Stirling University, before starting his own business which trained school leavers in glassblowing. He was elected as a local councillor for Stirling Council where he successfully improved local
Key Pledges: • Publicly funded, publicly provided health service free at the point of use. • End austerity and restore the public sector, creating jobs that pay at least a living wage. • Work with other countries to ensure global temperatures do not rise by more than 2C. • Scrap university tuition fees. • Return the railways to public hands. • Make mental health a greater priority. • Increase the minimum wage to £10 per hour by 2020. • Ban “exploitative” zero-hours contracts. • Close taxation loopholes and crack down on tax avoidance. • Introduce a financial transaction tax (a “Robin Hood” tax) on banks. Local Candidate – Libby Brown Green Party’s candidate in the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency is Libby Brown. Educated at Plymouth University and still in her early 20’s, Brown represents two minorities severely underrepresented in Westminster - both females and the youth. Brown claims her reason for standing is due to the disengagement in politics, specifically the young, and believes politics shouldn’t be for just the elite few but for everyone. Already having gone up against the likes of Oliver Colvile and Luke Pollard during local debates, Brown has proven her ability to fight for what she believes in;
striving to prove Green Party is a viable alternative offering fairness and equality for all. Plans for Plymouth would include: securing employment and a vibrant economy by putting local people and businesses first rather than multinational corporations, preservation of open green and public spaces, sustainable transport, warmer homes and resilient and healthy communities, sustainable food systems amongst others.
U
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‘’Believe in Britain.’’ - UKIP The UK Independence Party, set up in 1993, was put in place to campaign for the immediate removal of the UK from the European Union. The right-wing, nationalist, eurosceptic party represent a mis-guided anger against mainstream politics and are dedicated to making Britain a post-war traditionalist society characterised by extreme prejudice and hypocrisy. The sooner this election over the better, just so I don’t have to view the two monstrous yellow and purple eye sore’s overlooking Exeter Street. Key Pledges: • Rapid referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. • Control immigration. • Powers for voters to recall MPs. • Extra £3bn a year for the NHS. • No tax on the minimum wage. • Scrap Sex and Relationship Education for children under 11. • Cut foreign aid budget by £9bn per year. • Repeal the Climate Change Act 2008. • Scrap fees for poorer students taking degrees in science, technology, maths or engineering. • No new subsidies for wind farms and solar arrays. Local Candidate – Roy Kettle Roy Kettle, 59, is the UKIP parliamentary candidate for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport. Originally for Derby, he has experience in finance and the private and public sector. Furthermore he is a previous business owner ran a large transport cafe in the midlands. Kettle believes immigration to be the cause of wage deflation in the UK and claims immigration is the cause of strain upon local services including housing. Kettle also believes a crumbling infrastructure is putting a strain on jobs and wants further contracts awarded to the region by the government, specifically Devonport Dockyard, ‘’as a matter of urgency’’. Kettle praises the work of Plymouth University, however criticises the scrutiny they have recently come under, claiming it “is damaging the reputation of an excellent university”. He brings further attention to the subject of transport links into the county and around Plymouth, criticising the Labour party for failure of local infrastructure.
science / head transplants
twenty
LOST YOUR H E A D ? Psychology student Lorna Parker tells us the history of head transplants as millions react to the news of a human subject volunteering for the cause. Sergio Canavero. Insane? Unethical? Brilliant?! Whichever way you look at it, if the Turin based neurosurgeon gets his method right, he’ll have changed the world, as we know it. By 2017, Canavero claims he will have mastered the art of head transplantation, and he already has a body ready to take the hit in the name of science. Reactions from the both the public and the scientific community range from one of excitement and curiosity, to one of disgust and outrage at the ethical implications of the procedure, with most people sitting somewhere in the middle in a haze of stunned disbelief. Many members of the scientific community outright refuse to comment on the issue, dismissing the concept as completely outlandish and unethical, but the concept of head transplantation, or in fact any transplantation, is not a new one. The arguments that accompany experimental procedures are forever changing in line with the development of new and successful treatments; essentially we’re all glory supporters and our ethical beliefs are not as concrete as one might think. Many of the key criticisms of the proposed procedure, other than the fact that Canavero is yet to reveal details of how precisely he intends to successfully overcome the longstanding issue of spinal cord reattachment, revolve around the 100% fail rate in previous transplant attempts in animal studies. Though it should be noted that some of the animals in historic transplant attempts did go on to survive for a while, they cannot really be considered successful on account of the eventual, and to speculate, probably painful and drawn out death. So in brief, here is a history of (some of) what’s been done so far: The earliest reported attempt at head transplantation was by Charles Guthrie in 1908. Guthrie attempted to graft one dog’s head onto the neck or another, creating a two-headed dog. Weirdly, the second head was attached to be facing the existing head, reportedly to give the impression of ‘intimacy’. Amazingly once linked up to the host dog’s blood supply, the second head did demonstrate some signs of life: dilation of pupils and twitching of the nostrils, however the second head never had fully restored brain function. In the 1950s, Vladimir Demikhov, considered to be a pioneer in transplant surgery, repeated the experiment, successfully
transplanting the entire head and upper body of one dog onto that of another, demonstrating again that ample blood flow from the host body could, to some extent keep the parasitic brain functioning. It has even been reported that in one attempt, the second head bit an experimenter. However in all Demikhov’s studies, the host dog survived no longer than a few months; supporting the attached half-dog drained the host dogs’ life forces, killing them slowly.
of being, of existing; the poor monkey was just a head, and he knew it. In all then, it seems that despite the undeniably vast advances in neurological and anatomical knowledge that have come from these studies, none of them have been a resounding success in terms of their therapeutic application, unless of course the desired outcome is death. The key flaw, other than all the painful deaths, in all previous head transplant attempts has been the lack of ability to restore nervous system function. But what if Canavero has figured it out? What then? Many people are already reaping the rewards of life saving organ transplants that were once considered to be beyond the realms of possibility. Consider, for example, a failed drug overdose resulting in a lifesaving liver transplant. Imagine waking in hospital, relieved to be alive, full of remorse and then your liver shows signs of imminent and fatal failure; the outcome of successful transplantation is not just restorative, it’s life changing. It’s the physiological basis for post-traumatic growth and repair on a level much more profound than just a biological one.
Demikhov’s dogs Fast-forward to the 1970s, and Dr Robert White made great advances with the procedure. White successfully managed to transplant the head of one monkey onto the body of another. The recipient body remained ‘alive’ though was paralysed from the neck down due to the severing and subsequent failure to reattach the spinal cord to the new brain. The head of the newly created monkey showed strong signs of cerebral function; vision, hearing and even the ability to taste remained intact. However once again, the monkey survived for only 9 days, during which time it was reported to maintain an expression of absolute terror on its face. The fear reportedly expressed in the face of the monkey was no doubt very real. Human and animal studies have provided strong evidence of our sense of self, our sense of embodiment, being strongly linked to our body movements. Though processed in the brain, bodily feedback is essential for enabling someone or something to experience a sense
Canavero proposes that successful head transplantation could mark the beginning of the end of death by terminal cancer, of major bodily trauma taking the lives of those with fully functioning brains, of ALS (remember the ice bucket challenge?!). At this point the idea seems nothing short of insane, but once upon a time Albert Einstein, Nikolas Tesla and many other greats were considered madmen. It’s both terrifying and brilliant in equal measure, and whilst most will struggle to get on board with the idea, the amount of media coverage Canavero has had over the last month highlights the fascination we humans have with the weird and the gruesome and the impossible. Do we want him to fail? Surely not, because doing so will bring about yet more death. But success will bring about a world of ethical complications; where will we draw the line? Will the rich and famous be attaching their old heads to sexy cadavers? Will the NHS soon be funding body transplants for sufferers of body dysmorphic disorder? The possibilities are endless, and with them come a multitude of arguments both for and against the procedure. For now, we can only stand back and watch, because maybe, MAYBE, something quite brilliant is about to happen.
student submission / jonny aldrich
twenty two
J O N N Y A L D R I C H
PS: How’s life? JA: Life is good, I have currently just started my Final Major Project of my last year at Plymouth University. Also the running of Design Society is going very well we have already had six guest lectures, two portfolio review workshops, one film screening and one exhibition with more events planned in the future.
at bad spacing of any kind, white space is key to this so that the design can breath and doesn’t become overcrowded. I have always believed that an idea should be communicated in a post it note for maximum efficiency. Design should be interesting to look at but also easy to understand so that anyone can relate to it.
PS: What is it that you’re studying, and where? JA: I am studying Graphic Communication with Typography at Plymouth University.
PS: Who’s your favourite artist? JA: I have many favourite graphic artist from past and present, everyone is inspired by the greats such as Saul Bass famous for movie posters and title sequences of the 50’s and 60’s or FHK Henrion the pioneer of corporate identity in the same period. But I am also inspired by new designers like Andre Beato and Alex Trochut two wonderful typographers or Noma Bar famous for his minimalist double meaning illustrations or Hey Studio from Barcelona the list goes on.
PS: What made you choose Plymouth University? JA: A combination of the place, facilities and the course. Plymouth as a city is great, not too big and not too small, plenty to do but never too overwhelming. The facilities at Plymouth are brilliant, we have the second largest collection of metal and wood type in letterpress and a wonderful studio with breathtaking views situated on floor 7 of the inspiring architectural masterpiece, Roland Lewinsky Building. No other university I applied too had such a nice building to work in. All of this combined together made for an easy choice when compared to other universities. I have also had a keen interest in typography since learning about design in school and this course was perfect as it also allowed you to specialise in the 3rd in either branding and identity, editorial or information design. PS: What does your course involve? What’s your favourite thing about it? JA: I basically solve problems through design. My favourite areas are branding, identity and packaging, which includes designing logos, typography, promotional materials, everything and anything related to brands, but I can also design for editorial such as books or magazines and information design such as the tube map is a famous example. PS: How would you describe your style of work? JA: My style is quite paired back and minimal with an emphasis on type, but it depends on the project. I am also a perfectionist and will always get annoyed
PS: What inspires you? JA: Great design inspires me the moment when you wish you had thought of that idea, friends in industry inspire me with their stories of success, the will to win a design award and my own personal ambition to succeed in the world of design. PS: What’s your plan for when you graduate? JA: Go to London, simple as that, I believe that the best design in the world resides in London and I want to be a part of it. I was once told if you think your good enough go straight to London, gain experience, once you have London under your belt you can go anywhere in the world with design. I want to work for the best branding, identity and packaging agencies in London and then see what happens. PS: What’s your experience been as a student in the city of Plymouth? JA: Great city lots of opportunities you just need to go and get them, meet people, discover new places, ask questions you never know what you might find. I have discovered new clients, freelance work and much more through just being in Plymouth. Just take everything in your stride and treat everyone with respect, enjoy
yourself and you might find a friend coming back to you for your advice and help. PS: Can you tell us what’s good to do in Plymouth? JA: I’m a designer so I enjoy going to art and design related things. The Bread & Roses art pub is great, lovely friendly atmosphere, great drinks, people and events. Design Society have an exhibition coming up at the pub on the Tuesday 21st April for a week. There is always something do in the various pubs, bars, venues and galleries. Check out Plymouth Arts Centre too thats where we held the first ever Plymouth Film Festival and lastly download the app Artory, its a guide to art, design and music in Plymouth and you can even earn points to win free things like drinks and food at the various venues across Plymouth. PS: What do you get up to you in your spare time? JA: When I’m not running Design Society, working at university or doing freelance work you will either find me in the pub with friends, £1 a pints and 2-4-1 cocktails are the normal affair or watching endless amounts of TV at home, I’m a proper fanatic, recently House of Cards, Suits and Elementary. PS: Anything else you’d like to add? Plymouth Film Festival was one of those projects that came to me because I met the right people at the right time in my first year. Two recent film graduates and now friends and clients of mine asked me to brand the inaugural Plymouth Film Festival. The identity needed to capture the rich film history of Plymouth and promote the festival on an international scale, to compete with other high profile film festivals. Great project to be a part of and would never of happened if i didn’t meet people and go and find it. Want to find out more? Check out jonnyaldrich.co.uk, or find him on Twitter and Instagram @jonnyaldrich For more information on the Design Society, check out their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ designsocietyplymouth
twenty three
tefl teaching
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE / WORDS by Casey Goddard / What’re you going to do after University?
Shop around for a course
I used to get scared of that question and I still don’t know the answer! But, right now, teaching abroad works. Currently, I’m headed to Madrid to get more experience as a foreign language teacher. I was there last year being paid €1600 before tax on 20 hours a week. It’s been an incredible experience and is either a career move or a very fun stop-gap.
The best way to start if you have no teaching qualifications is to find a course. The best courses will offer you teaching experience. Others will be just online. There’s no real rule in the TEFL world that says you need experience. I only did an online TEFL qualification and was able to teach after two weeks training by a private company then they employed me. As easy as that.
If you feel that, after leaving university, you’ll find it tough to get a graduate job. If you’re worried about employment, this vocation is in need of professionals. As a native English Speaker (and other languages are in demand) you will not struggle to succeed as a foreign language teacher. I don’t think Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is the answer to graduate employment, but it’s a damn good way to get paid, get experience and, most importantly, remain a hedonist. Teaching might not be for you, sometimes it includes long hours, difficult students, endless bureaucracy and always puts on trial your ability to be patient. But, sticking with it can lead you to a job that’s always available, a way to travel and make a not-immodest income.
T eaching English as a Foreign Language isn’t the answer to graduate employment but it’is a damn good way to get paid So, you can get heavy discounts on sites like groupon for online courses. But I think the most solid step, followed by many, is to get some form of on the job training. If you have some spare cash I’d consider the far more serious CELTA and DELTA programmes. These are elite. If not, an internship similar to the one offered by Hand’s on TEFL. Some companies will offer just to pay you and train you - so shop around. Where you decide to teach could be a mix of
personal preference and cold hard economy. If you have lots of cash after uni, I know some do, then go to a country with a good exchange rate and low cost of living. If you have no dollar in your pocket, consider going somewhere where you get paid in money worth taking home. It really does vary, some courses will pay you enough so that you’re just living abroad, but searching can yield some well paid opportunities. If you know a second language it’s worth trotting off to that particular country and brushing up on your skills, language industries are still well paid and worth the investment. Aside from teaching you can try translating, giving tours, or working regular jobs. Honing second languages opens many doors for graduates. Importantly, you don’t have to know the language in which you are teaching. This is more true for when you’re teaching higher levels. Many TEFL opportunities rely on the applicant not knowing the language, that’s how I got a job offer in China, Spain and Thailand. Students learn better if they can’t use their mother tongue. As for the short and the sweet, go abroad! Get some experience and have the time of your life! You don’t need to know the language, just get some TEFL qualifications and teaching experience and you’re well on your way.
student retention
twenty four
FINISHED UNIVERSITY? N O W W H A T ?
There’s a lot that comes with being a student, that often most aren’t prepared for. Despite the growing list of benefits for students in this country, from student discounts, tax allowances and the comfortable bubble of ‘all bills included’, students are faced with a lot of issues that are often overlooked by the government, the general public and institutions. With issues such as low housing standards, a continuing lack of support due to budget cuts and a breakdown of communication with the institutions and the employers, it can be hard for a student to feel prepared for the big bad world when their course is finally over.
graduates, supporting local businesses and encouraging entrepreneurship and enterprise. Being graduates themselves, they know the struggles of day to day life once the university is no longer your second home, and it can often be a struggle faced alone. If you would like to receive updates, text UPGRAD to 66777.
Two graduates who have been working hard against all odds are Emily Dymond and Rosie Drake-Knight, the brains behind local craft market Native Makers. After the success of their festive market in December, they’ve decided to expand further to the Devonport Guildhall for a summer of Student retention is a nationwide arts and crafts on June 6th. Rosie, issue, but when a city with a fifth Textile Design graduate of Falmouth of it’s population is made up of University told us “On graduating, students, it’s obvious how important both Emily and I faced the struggle it is for the local economy to continue of finding a suitable selling platform to feed jobs and opportunities to the in Plymouth, so we decided to create thousands of fresh faced graduates. one ourselves. Native Makers is With Plymouth University boasting one specifically designed to support of the largest in the country, and young, local artisans.” Illustration Plymouth College of Art poised to graduate of Plymouth College of Art, receive university status in the next Emily says, “The popularity of our year, the city is set to swell with first market was unimaginable. We knew students over the next few years. that Plymouth was missing an event With the help of bodies such as NUS, like ours, but we had no idea how students are better equipped now more Emily Dymond (L) & Rosie Drake-Knight (R) great the attendance and feedback than ever to understand and defend would be.” If you would like to know their rights, but often a feeling of more about Native Makers, find them on Facebook or email nativemakersdevon@ isolation can creep in once the graduation caps have hit the ground. gmail.com With Plymouth University scoring an 89% success rate of employment or further study after attendance, and with the University College Plymouth There is a life after education, and that’s so easily clouded by revision, St Mark and St John scoring a whopping 93%*, it’s clear to see that the exams and deadlines. With the help of Upgrad and Native Makers, we can opportunities are out there, but just not on our doorsteps. Local recruitment change the scene of graduate life to better benefit us all. The future is agency Upgrad, who specialise in helping recent graduates get on the career ours. ladder, have been working hard to make opportunities more accessible. taken from http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/jul/04/which-graduates-areUtilizing the mobile generation, Upgrad send you text and emails to alert *Statistics finding-work you of upcoming jobs available to you, as well as assisting a network of
alcoholics anonymous
twenty six
B I N G E
GENERATION
Stuart K talks about his experience of student drinking culture and how destructive it really can be Drink and university went together wonderfully for me. I would go into college and make my way to the bar at midday. The premium lager was cheap and I had a student bank account, credit cards, a cheque guarantee card, and a large overdraft limit. The world was my oyster! Unfortunately I rarely made it out into the world I was usually in one bar or another; and when I did make it out, the evening wasn’t complete until I’d got drunk. Although I say that drink went well with university in general, it didn’t go very well with lectures. Once I’d got into the bar and had a pint, the idea of going to a lecture seemed incredibly boring. The bar was so warm and cosy, and the people so friendly. And anyway, it was months until exams: rock ‘n roll! I felt cool because I was such a heavy drinker, and all my musical and literary heroes were too. I read Jim Morrison’s biog over and over; and I loved hearing about Hendrix, Coleridge, Hemingway and Bukowski. Alcohol was the fuel of my ‘genius’. My academic life was nil, but my social life was the tops. I was popular, and I listened to the best music. I had no time for the people who couldn’t keep up with my drinking because of academic commitments. They were squares and boring. You only live once burn out don’t fade away! Sometimes, on hangover mornings, I would worry that maybe I should be doing more work and spending less money. I was in the student bar every night spending £20, drinking enough to give me a throbbing head, and saying and doing things that I usually regretted the next day. My so-called ‘genius’ usually involved a few drunken mumblings to other students in pubs, trying to persuade them, by direct or indirect means, that I was special. I wrote songs, and talked crap. The more I embarrassed myself, the more I lost my selfesteem, and the more I depended on drink to make me
feel at home in social scenes. One hangover morning I decided not to go to the student bar at lunchtime. But on the way into college, my head began trying to persuade me to go to the bar. I was telling myself that it would be okay, and that maybe I’d just have one pint and then go to my lecture, or that I had plenty of time to get my work done, or that ‘what the hell - have some fun!’ But another part of my head was telling me not to do it: I knew that once I had one pint, I would not be able to stop, and that I would then drink through the day, and wake again with a massive hangover and another lost 24 hours. I found myself walking to the bar doors at midday. I stood at the doors and had a massive internal battle. I thought I must be going mad to be at such odds with myself - I was very confused. I wrenched myself away from the bar, and went to the student medical centre to ask for help. I began to see a psychiatrist but, amazingly, I wouldn’t talk to him about the root of my problems, my drinking! I persuaded myself that I didn’t have a serious drinking problem (an amazing dishonesty - inspired by my desire to let nothing interrupt my habit.) The volume I drank increased, and the results became worse: violence, self-mutilation, police cells, morning drinks, isolation from friends and family, intense paranoia. When eventually I tried to stop drinking, I failed, and only managed three months sober. I tried again and again, but would always end up defeating myself: picking up a drink through some trivial excuse that had no bearing on the pain the drink eventually caused. Each time, just before relapsing, my head would fail to recall the immense suffering that drink had caused me in the past. Even a baby can learn to avoid a flame, but here I was, in my late teens, and totally unable to avoid the very thing that was ruining my life.
I had to retake my first year and my second year, and I only made it through one term of my third year before finally admitting that there was no point in continuing my degree until I could find a way to stop drinking. My despairing mother put me up again, and I began going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, aged 22. At the meetings, recovered alcoholics were describing how they stopped drinking. After a few visits I realised that I was an alcoholic, and that alcoholism was a disease! I wasn’t a bad person, just a sick one. But there was good news and bad news. The good news was that there was an AA program of recovery which could give me a daily reprieve from my drinking problem. The bad news was that unless I did something about my alcoholism, it would kill me, painfully. I would continue to poison myself, unable to stop - even to the point of death. Heart disease, Cancer, Alcoholism - yes it does belong in the list. AA members will show newcomers how they did the AA recovery program. They do this because it helps them to stay sober! Not because they’re do-gooders... Although highly skeptical at first, I was taken through the program (divided into 12 “Steps”), and while doing the 12 Steps, I lost the compulsion to drink. After doing the AA recovery program my life turned around astonishingly rapidly, and I returned to Plymouth University, getting the highest finals marks in the department, and winning a prize. I have now just had my third Christmas and New Year in sobriety. Instead of dreaming of writing, I am now a published poet, and a publisher of others. I am doing a higher degree, and have just started to get my research published. I can now use my intellectual, literary, musical and social talents to their fullest. My earning capacity has gone up, while my alcohol spending has gone down to zero, so I’m just discovering the joys of disposable income. And I have finally returned to my family and friends.
MYTH CITY
MAY 06 // THE HUB MAY 04 // EXILE
MAY 19 // CAVERN
MAY 20 // UNDERGROUND AUG 05 // MARBLE FACTORY
MAY 20 // LEMON GROVE
MAY 27 // LEMON GROVE
RICHARDS / CRANE
SEP 23 // THE HUB
student lettings / advertorial
twenty eight
S T u D E N T R o o MS 4 U
Student Rooms 4 U have accommodated thousands of students in Plymouth since 1998. What sets Student Rooms 4 U apart from many other letting agencies, is that they own and manage the properties themselves - which means students have the benefit of dealing direct with their landlords, rather than having the inconvenience of going through an intermediary. With no agents involved, Student Rooms 4 U have found that their students appreciate being able to speak to them directly about any issues they have. In turn, Student Rooms 4 U take considerably more care of maintaining their properties to the highest standards.
of Plymouth - and has been ever since the university introduced the rating system some years ago. Student Rooms 4 U currently accommodate just under 200 students in properties ranging from one bed apartments to 15-bedroom houses - and all are located within 300 metres of Plymouth University and Plymouth College of Art. Student Rooms 4 U is part of a family-owned group of companies, including Sunnybanks Homes, which is a well-respected property development and construction company. The group also includes a residential lettings business and a Cornish holiday village.
Student Rooms 4 U offer attractive terms for students with no admin fees, guarantors or deposits required and all-inclusive rents which include gas, electricity, water bills, Broadband and many other benefits.
Students benefit from a responsive maintenance service and 24 hour emergency line, so Student Rooms 4 U are always on hand if needed. The group has a team of directly employed staff and contractors which enables them to deal with any maintenance issues quickly and efficiently.
All of Student Rooms 4 U accommodation is rated Grade A by the University
For more information visit www.studentrooms4u.co.uk or call 01752 849232
P l y m o U t h sTuDeNT LettINGS Plymouth Student Letting have been providing quality student accommodation in Plymouth for nearly a decade. Plymouth Student Letting provide a professional and personal approach offering affordable accommodation to hundreds of satisfied students every year. The company represents landlords who know and understand the needs of providing quality student accommodation, managing around 80 properties ranging in size from studio apartments to 11 bedroom homes. All the properties are within walking distance of Plymouth University and Plymouth College of Art, with all-inclusive rents from £80 per week. Sergio Shemetras, who heads up Plymouth Student Letting is an experienced and respected property expert. He said:“At Plymouth Student Letting we like to maintain good quality student lets setting the standard in today's student accommodation. We are a student focused letting agent with a clear understanding of students and landlords demands and needs. “We are here to help and advise all tenants and landlords on making the
right decision. We recognise that dealing with maintenance issues is a top priority which is why we have our own online support system available 24/7 where tenants can report any maintenance issues and be kept informed of its progress. “We also offer students regular cleaning of the communal areas, and an all-inclusive package which includes the cost of TV Licence and high speed internet package, meaning students do not have to worry about any bills. Plymouth Student Letting’s high profile office is located just minutes away from Plymouth University on North Hill, providing easy access to all students. The company also has dedicated property managers to deal with the day to day management of properties for both tenants and landlords. The company is a member of the UK Association of Letting Agents and is also registered with the Deposit Protection Service registering tenants deposits with the only Governmentauthorised custodial scheme keeping tenants deposits safe. Properties are currently available for September 2015. To find out more visit www.plymouthstudentletting.com or download the Plymouth Letting app from the Apple Store.
thirty
pub & club reviews
EXILE
The Junction
North Hill
Originally known as the Tiki Bar and Grill, Exile has taken on a new name and a new ethos. Still with the vintage hawaiian tiki bar feel, this small cafe and venue based on the Hill has loads to offer. From early in the morning, till late in the evening, it operates as a cafe, serving quality homemade food, with a vast array
EXILEPLYMOUTH of options for vegetarians and vegans alike. With a chilled out vibe and friendly staff, this is the perfect place to pick up a quick lunch in between lectures. I highly recommend the bagels! At night however, the bar takes a different turn, playing host to a variety of art, culture and music events. From stand up comedy and acoustic shows, to art events and vintage music nights, there’s not just the bar upstairs but also the intimate venue downstairs. Bands from all over the world have graced the small non-stage of all kinds of genres, as well as burlesque dancers, magicians and cult movie night aficionados. With a delectable cocktail and drinks menu, Exile offers everyone’s favourite poison at a reasonable price. Be sure to keep an eye on their Facebook for upcoming events.
Mutley Plain
MUT LEYJUNCT ION
The White Rabbit has moved home. Situated on the junction of Mutley Plain, the aptly named The Junction is now the place to go for live music and good times.
Having dealt with the realities of city redevelopment, Dan James was without a night club and the city was without a major player in the music scene. Fast forward and the Junction has been reinvented. Loads of great drink deals, providing a night out on a budget, with live music and classic pub fun such as free pool and darts. A
range of beer, craft ales and ciders pumps decorate the bar and a wide variety of speciality spirits don the back shelves. With a weekly pub quiz, Saturday night’s Funk and Disorderly club night and stand up comedy alongside a huge range of live music genres being booked on the regular, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on their Facebook for upcoming events. Sister pub to the Underground, there’s often show after parties over the road, so don’t fret - the party doesn’t end when the doors close at the Junction. Pop in for a pint or check out a local band, the Junction is fast becoming one of my favourite drinking holes.
NO AGITE LIM
LE TO AVAILABULL TIME F ALL IN N, TRAINING O I EDUCAT ENTICESHIPS R P &AP
UTHS PLYMO T BUS S LARGE ORK NETW
Available on at our Travel Centre on Royal Parade, City Centre plymouthbus.co.uk/geton *
against adult equivalent
thirty two
fashion
Fringing in the swing era
Jimi Hendrix
CLASH OF Rave culture
Enya of the Lovedot Pop Up Shop talks about the long term relationship of music and fashion and their influence on eachother As a practice of expression, a way to individualism, and of course a form of art; it’s obvious that music and fashion are closely linked. Just as listening, dancing and singing along to our favourite song, fashion does the same thing. Wearing an outfit you love makes you feel confident and happy. Music and fashion are the two biggest things in my life to put that cheesy grin and bubbly mood back into my day. Looking back at the last five and a half decades and how trends and styles have changed is evidence enough to un-pin the question of music influencing fashion and culture. In the swinging 60’s, there was a strong fashion blend of Beatle mania and the summer of love, with hippy culture being brought through to the 70s, until the likes of David Bowie and Kiss made Glam Rock and male make up a prominent
theme. The 80s are where things get wild. All fashion do’s and dont’s were thrown out of the window. Anything goes and boundaries were pushed to the limit and can easily be known as the most eccentric era to have influenced fashion with New Romantics springing to mind. The 90s saw the injection of Vintage Grunge with a big help from Kurt Cobain and Gwen Stefani in her No Doubt days. With the other side of the 90s being pushed along with a Hip Hop style, baggy clothes and chains taken from artists such as J5, Mos Def and Charizma. Rave culture has been influencing kids through the 90s and today, not only through style but practicality. With trainers for comfort and UV to ensure you’re not lost in the rave, well at least I think that was the original idea before the whole club cottoned on. Music and clothes are an expression of our mood, as I type this I’m sitting in an oversized patterned shirt and baggie shorts I
fashion
thirty three
Kurt Cobain
Adam Ant
Gwen Stefani
Big L
CULTURES purchased while travelling. The music that is aiding my creative flow is the soulful Jazz and Blues beats of the American greats such as Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers. Relaxed mood, relaxed music, relaxed clothes, it just fits. Now we’re into 2015 where music and culture are so diverse from city to city that people can really express themselves and their feelings. Today we are blessed to be able to take style and influence from all eras and trends. It’s the beauty of our generation, we aren’t swayed by music as much as in the past, we pay homage to times passed and keep the music, style and fashion alive. We are the privileged who can pick their chosen decade, what feels right to them. We do what we want, listen to what we want and wear what we want. We have the freedom of expression, use it.
Enya is the owner and creator of Lovedot, a vintage, retro and customised pop up shop that is held monthly at the Bread and Roses pub. Inspired by her mum’s wardrobe, fashion is Enya’s one true love. She loves to collect, create and customise and encourages all to do the same. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to grab some bespoke pieces and check out the next event. Find Lovedot on Facebook or visit lovedotclothing.wix.com/lovedot
thirty four
recipe
Veggie Goodness Gnocchi and tomato bake Recipe by ANDREW GIRDLER 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 400g can chopped tomatoes 500g pack gnocchi
handful basil leaves, torn half a 125g ball mozzarella, torn into chunks Prep: 5 mins Cook: 25 mins Serves 4
Method 1. Heat grill to high. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then soften the onion and pepper for 5 mins. Stir in the garlic, fry for 1 min, tip in the tomatoes and gnocchi, then bring to a simmer. Bubble for 10-15 mins, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is soft and the
chips chips with dip cod haddock hake plaice china sole lemon sole scampi
1.85 2.35 3.70 3.70 3.70 3.70 3.00 4.00
2.55 3.05 4.30 4.30 4.20 4.30 3.60 4.60 3.50
sausage jumbo sausage fish cake
0.80 1.60 1.10
burger in bun cheese burger 1/4 burger 1/4 cheese 6oz burger 6oz cheese burger chicken burger veggie burger
1.50 1.70 2.50 2.70 3.00 3.20 2.40 1.90
1/2 chicken chicken nuggets veggie fritter pea fritter onion rings
3.00 2.20 1.50 1.30 1.50
baked beans curry sauce mushy peas faggot gravy dips for chips roll & butter pineapple fritter banana fritter can of drink
0.80 0.90 0.90 1.20 0.60 0.50 0.45 1.50 1.50 From 0.75
All prices correct at time of going to press
sauce has thickened. Season, stir through the basil, then transfer to a large ovenproof dish. 2. Scatter with the mozzarella, then grill for 5-6 mins until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Serve.
thirty five
imperfect orchestra
I m p E r F e C t / Words by Naomi Girdler /
O r CH E ST RA
I settle into my seat, two rows from the front, in the darkened theatre of the Plymouth Arts Centre in order to watch a live performance by the ever talented Imperfect Orchestra. I’m here to watch a showing of Tamar, a 30 minute film directed by Imperfect Cinema organiser Allister Gall, accompanied by a live presentation of the score by the orchestra. Commissioned by the River Tamar Project, the film combines original footage shot by Russell Cleave, Richard Gorman and Allister Gall, a host of school children, and unique and exclusive footage from Claude Endicott, a butcher who filmed life in and around Plymouth from the 1920s to the mid 1960s. I squirm in my seat, I’m nervous. There’s something oddly tense and suspenseful about a live soundtrack performance, similar to the art of theatre, where at any moment, you and everyone in the room is aware that a mistake could be made, a moment could cause the entire thing to fall apart. Not that I think it would, the musicians in front of me seem calmly confident, united in the nerves of the moment. I scan around and see hammers lain on the floor, blocks of wood, pieces of metal and a vast array of instruments, featuring a cello, a harmonium, two percussionists and a plethora of guitars. The lights dim and the archival footage begins to flash in front of me, and I’m completely immersed. Comparisons of then and now provide an incredible perspective on the city where I’ve grown up, with captivating footage of the building of the Tamar Bridge, and rare footage that
goes as far back as the 1920’s, compared to modern day Plymouth. Footage taken from shaky school children’s hands mixes in with the well thought out and executed footage of the Imperfect Cinema team and Mr Endicott, showcasing the river in a way that I’ve never seen before, from mining and industrialisation, to the dockyards and warships to the rural beauty of the Sound that we are so blessed with. Influenced by DIY punk rock ethics, traditional folk and modern instrumental post-rock, the score itself follows the themes presented in the footage, and I’m taken on a journey through eras of Plymouth past. The building of the Tamar Bridge accompanied by the shattering tones of metal on metal and knees up folk dancing guiding footage of local patrons all add to the sense absorbing treat of the performance. I don’t want it to end. I’m completely captivated and half forget that the music I’m listening to is being produced in front of me, as the two art forms weave seamlessly. I find myself a little overcome with emotion as the credits begin to roll and I see the musicians beam to each other that they got through it together. A sense of homegrown pride swells and I clap so hard my hands sting. Truly a feat of local talent and glorified so aptly with the mixture of archival footage, live music and the great spirit of collaboration. Search for Imperfect Cinema on Facebook to keep up to date with their latest projects.
game review / book review
thirty six
Game review
by Matthew Girdler, computing graduate from Plymouth University
BOOK review
by Chloe Smith, creative writing student from Marjons
PS4/XBOX ONE
PAPERBACK/EBOOK
BORDERLANDS: THE HANDSOME COLLECT ION
AFT ER THE CRASH
/ developed by GEARBOX SOFTWARE/ARMATURE STUDIOS/IRON GALAXY STUDIOS
MICHEL BUSSI /PUBLISHED BY WEIDENFELD & NICOLSON
/ PUBLISHED BY 2K GAMES So far, the PS4 and Xbox One have been pretty disappointing in terms of new franchises. Instead, we’ve seen countless ports of PS3 and Xbox 360 games making their way to the new consoles. Now, we’re getting another remaster in the form of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection which brings the loot-driven FPS action of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! to newgen consoles. While the trend is getting pretty annoying, this is a great package for those who missed either of the games last generation.
It’s just my preferred way to play games. For the sake of the review, I left my game open to matchmaking throughout my playtime in the hope that I could try out playing co-operatively. Unfortunately, no one ever joined. I don’t know if this is a matchmaking issue, or a general lack of players. Borderlands is better with buddies, though, so you’re better off playing splitscreen or getting a party going with people on your friends list.
In case you’ve never tried it, the Borderlands series is a one-to-four player FPS/RPG hybrid with a focus on loot. Set on the cartoony, Mad Max-inspired planet Pandora, the series sees you playing as mercenaries in search of the ‘Vault’ - a legendary cache said to contain alien technology. Each character comes with their own unique ability and weapon specialisations. The line-up of characters changes in each game, but they generally follow the RPG class archetypes (Warrior, Hunter, Rogue etc.) One of the series’ main selling points is its obscene number of guns. With millions of unique, randomly-generated weapons varying in elemental effect, damage, rate of fire, scope, reload speed and more, you’re pretty much guaranteed to never get the same gun twice. Experimenting with new guns is seriously addictive, whether you’re finding out which weapons work best against a particular enemy, or just discovering a new personal favourite. From pulling off skull-exploding headshots, to watching a chest intricately unfold and absorbing its goodies; everything in Borderlands pushes those endorphin-releasing buttons in my brain. The ability to sprint endlessly - and reload while doing so - will make you wonder why all other FPS games don’t follow suit. Starting with an unlevelled character, the core gunplay isn’t as immediately snappy as, say, Call of Duty, but this only improves as you progress. This is yet another addictive aspect of the game, and it’s easy to get into the ‘one more quest’ mindset. Set in-between Borderlands and Borderlands 2, The Pre-Sequel (get it?) is pretty much more of what we’ve already seen, except with new characters and a different setting. This new setting is Elpis, Pandora’s moon, and it brings along with it some gameplay changes. Elpis lacks any atmosphere, meaning you’ll have to maintain oxygen levels by running over air pockets. You’re also able to jump extremely high thanks to the reduced gravity, and swiftly follow it up with a damaging stomp. Neither of these features revolutionise the formula, but they never get in the way, either. Although it’s designed with co-op in mind, I’ve always enjoyed playing Borderlands alone.
Along with the new hardware comes a graphical upgrade, although this is no revolutionary change à la GTA V; the games simply run at a higher resolution, and, generally, a smoother frame rate. I say generally because things still get choppy during when there’s a lot of action on-screen, particularly in The Pre-Sequel!. Given the extra processing power, I would’ve liked both games to run at 60fps, as is the norm for HD remasters. The games still look great, though; the cell-shaded visuals are bright and colourful, and environments are varied and detailed. As someone who played the hell out of Borderlands, got through most of Borderlands 2 and played none of The Pre-Sequel!, I’m probably the ideal audience for the remaster, but omitting the first game seems a strange decision - I’m sure there are plenty of PS4 and Xbox One owners who would like to start the series from scratch. The downloadable content helps to fill this void though - adding hours of great quests and four additional Vault Hunters. Anyone who played these games last generation can import their characters to the new consoles, although this doesn’t work cross-platform, meaning I was unable to bring my 360 characters to the PS4. I have a few issues with Borderlands: The Handsome Collection. Besides the inconsistent frame rate and the exclusion of the first game, I found it mildly annoying that I was unable to switch between the two games without restarting the application. Those niggles aside - with tons of exciting content and great gameplay, The Handsome Collection is easy to recommend for those looking for some addictive, loot-collecting action on their newgen console.
I started this book on March 25th 2015 – the day that Airbus A320 careered into the French Alps leaving no surviving passengers. Coincidence? Definitely not. But there was a strange and unsettling feeling that settled over my knowing that I was about to embark on a journey with similar situations. Recently published, After The Crash is a contemporary thriller novel by Michel Bussi; a novel set in 1998 exactly 18 years after a plane travelling from Istanbul to Paris crashed into Mont Terri leaving only one survivor – a three month old baby dubbed Lylie. In the aftermath of the event, Lylie is pushed and pulled by the uncomfortable uncertainty of who she really is as two families come forward to claim her as their own; one is wealthy and upper-class, the other is poor and humble. Is she Lyse-Rose de Carville or Emilie Vitral? Throughout the novel, we follow in Marc Vitral’s footsteps as he scrutinises the investigative journal of one Credule Grand-Duc, a private investigator hired by the de Carville family to uncover the truth of Lylie’s parentage and return her to her rightful place. Bussi opens the novel through the use of a prologue where the reader is immersed in the terrible tragedy of the crashing plane. From the point of view of a flight attendant the reader finds themselves amidst a plane struggling for control as a storm commands the sky above the French Alps. Towards the final moments before the inevitable destruction of the plane, the reader is made aware that there are in fact two babies aboard the plane. Bussi doesn’t hold back, throwing the reader straight into the mystery by suggesting that the flight attendant “thought she could hear another baby.” I love this technique, and from experience it is a common one used amongst thriller novelists such as Lee Childs. By placing an intense, high
energy scene before the main narrative the reader then starts questions, drawing them in and requiring them to read further in order to answer those questions – something I myself fell for! I loved Bussi’s approach to the structure of his chapters, beginning each chapter with a time and date stamp that sets the reader in place of the character. Given the role of GrandDuc as a private investigator, it gave me the feeling of someone being questioned on their whereabouts in order to understand a series of events or of someone writing a diary. I felt this was quite effective given some of the events that do take place within the narrative. I have to say I couldn’t really fault Bussi on his approach and writing style with this novel. I felt they all melded together to fit perfectly with the themes and genre creating a seamless piece of work that is gripping, intense, and surprising. I’d recommend this book for anyone looking for a good mystery to dig their teeth into.
Michel Bussi
MUSIC
REVIEWS by Seth Haney
CURRENT WHAT FOR? / TORO Y MOI
CARPARK RECORDS
The rush to find big summer hits is just as pertinent as the similar fuss around December’s number one. While Pharrell Williams has dominated the previous two years with his focus group pleasing pop, it’s time to move on and get into something a little bit deeper. Something with a little more soul. Something that doesn’t sound so fucking plastic and disposable. Chaz Bundick has produced chilled out, beat driven music since 2009’s ‘Left Alone At Night’ EP and although his last record ‘Anything In Return’ felt like a career high, he’s taken a surprising side-step in his style. Previous records have been dance heavy and featured plenty of dancefloor fillers. On ‘What For?’ Chaz filters the nuances of dance music through a live band sound and presents a record that is dizzying in its glory.
thirty seven
music reviews / dust piggies them at the centre of everything psychedelic in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury scene. They decamped to the country and broke out the acoustics and pedal steels to produce a beautiful country record full of songs about the devil, whiskey and dangerous women.
It feels timeless in its hazy, sunshine inflected sound and there’s plenty of interesting instrument choices to keep each track feeling fresh. The warm clavinet of ‘Lily’ gives way to a laid back groove while the phased guitar of ‘Buffalo’ combines with soaring synths to soundtrack your best days of BST. You light the BBQ, I’ll bring this beaut over on vinyl. I want to party with y’all to this record.
CLASSIC WALKINGMAN’S DEAD / GRATEFUL DEAD WARNER BROS.
It’s rare for any band to find themselves in a position to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. Bands get fed up with each other, get bored, get married, overdose on their egos and mountains of grade A pharmaceuticals. Grateful Dead have barely squeaked by, their de facto leader, Jerry Garcia, passed away in rehab in 1995. 2015 finds the remaining members saying a fond farewell to the band and bowing out gracefully with a clutch of US shows in the summer. 1970, however, was a whole different trip for a band that had burnt themselves hard in the white light of the LSD party scene that saw
‘Workingmen’s Dead’ highlights a band in transition, a band ready to surprise and a band willing to take risks. There’s plenty of golden moments on this record that make perfect sense after a few cold beers and a little light smoke. It’s an album that invokes the spirit of the old west, fractured through a band mind that REALLY went out there. Happy fiftieth, dudes.
LOCAL
UNDERSTANDING AND EVERY THING ELSE / WOAHNOWS BIG SCARY MONSTERS
I asked Tim from Woahnows if I could get a copy of this record and he said, “If you hate it, please don’t give it a bad review!” That made me feel like a monster. I’m passionate about music and I love all genres. Some music jumps out and grabs me by the throat and
leaves me gasping music, other music gives me a limp, cold sweat handshake and I want nothing more to do with it. I’m an opinionated motherfucker and I have your best interests at heart. Listen or don’t listen to me, that’s your choice. You’ll really do yourself a disservice by ignoring this record though. That’s a stone cold promise. I’ve already raved in this pages about this awesome Plymouth band and it’s been amazing to watch them become tighter, stronger, and leaner. Amazingly, after the departure of bassist Dan James, Tim and Wherly laid this record down together and there’s not a dull second in its fast paced thirty minutes. ‘Watching Accidents’ is a highlight of the record, an insanely catchy riff is driven by fullbloodied drumming to produce a song that transcends the pop punk genre and propel the band to a great guitar band that not only shines on record but will kick your ass live, too. Buy two copies of this record, you’ll wear the first one out by overplaying it.
w w w.dustpiggie s.com
agony aunt ellie
thirty eight
Ellie likes tea, cats and tie-dye. She doesn’t like snakes and when her friends are sad. We thought that was the best criteria for an agony aunt we’d ever heard.
If you would like Ellie to help you with some of your problems, email us at
hello@ps-zine.com
AGONY AUNT ELLIE Dear Ellie I’ve been suffering from social anxiety for years now,
Dear Ellie I’m drowning in debt. I’ve been a student for two years
Dear Ellie My mum and dad split up about a year ago, but are
but recently, it’s been getting worse. I want to hang out with
now, and without a job I’ve had to rely on my credit cards to get
still married. We still all live together, but they sleep in separate
friends, but I find that even when I do, my paranoia and anxiety is
through the tight times. This also includes a pretty hefty student
rooms now. They don’t really argue anymore, they barely speak
making my life miserable. I’m constantly plagued with thoughts
overdraft and a few payday loans that I can’t afford to pay off. I
to each other and I feel totally stuck in the middle. I’m an only
about whether anyone actually even likes me, as well as the
stay up far too late at night worrying about it, but I have no idea
child so I don’t have anyone I can really confide in about this,
constant monologue of self-doubt about things I say. I just feel
where to start or who to turn to. What do I do?
since no-one else is dealing with it. How can I get my parents to understand how horrible this situation is to deal with?
like a massive loser. What can I do? You’re not the first and you won’t be the last, that’s for certain, but I’m really glad you’ve come to me with this problem. Though I can’t
with student loans and tuition fees already at an all-time high, any
give you a quick, magical fix (as much as I’d like to!) I can give you a
additional debt accrued by students does give me a bit of a sick
few strategies to try to get you through this tough patch and get
feeling in my stomach. Not because you took out the credit, you
you back to being the social animal that Mother Nature intended
understand, more so that students are expected to choose between
you to be. Anxiety is a totally natural emotional state that everyone
having no money for 90% or their time at university, and working
experiences at some time in their life. Think exam preparation, or
themselves to death trying to maintain some semblance of a stable
looming deadlines or breaking up with that person who is JUST
financial existence. It’s a lose-lose situation, and is something that
TOO KEEN. Anyway, I digress. When anxiety becomes persistent
NUS are forever challenging.
and disabling it becomes a clinical disorder; the treatment options
First up, can you ask your family for help? It’s sometimes worth
for which are generally proven to be effective. So first step, and I
sucking up your pride and just being honest. There is no shame in
want you to do this TODAY, is to make an appointment with your
admitting that things have got out of hand, and believe me, with
GP. Daunting, I know, but from what I have seen, GPs are highly
the interest you’ll accumulate on the payday loans, you’ll get a much
adept at managing and treating anxiety disorders, and contrary
nicer reaction now than you will in 12 months when they send round
to popular belief they don’t want to turn you into a drugged-up
the big boys to break your legs and sell your mum. If you can get
zombie; they are there to help you…they WANT to help you. The
those settled, the other more legitimate debts should be easier to
likelihood is that your GP will refer you into the local mental health
manage.
team for assessment and treatment, or alternatively you can self-
Double check with your bank that your overdraft is interest free.
refer into one of the local teams (details below) or access therapy
This is standard across student accounts and saves you guys a
via your college or university. So many options! Unfortunately there
lot of money, particularly when they stretch into the thousands.
is generally a depressingly long waiting list for these services, so
Assuming it is interest free, it might be sensible to ask your bank
here are a few things you can do to try to keep afloat before the
manager whether you can increase your overdraft in order to pay
experts get their hands on you: STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS! This
off a credit card or two; you’ll consolidate your debt and you won’t
doesn’t just mean trippers and uppers and downers and gurners
pay any interest on it until the end of your course. The alternative
and all the other ‘ers’. Caffeine has been shown to increase state
would be to transfer your credit card debt onto a 0% interest credit
anxiety in people who DON’T have an anxiety disorder and alcohol
card. There are deals out there if you look hard enough. If you can’t
is a depressant, so for someone in your position, it’s probably best
even manage the minimum payments and using your overdraft to
to stay away from these things too. Sorry!
clear some debt isn’t possible then there are a couple of free money
EXERCISE! No gym membership required. A 20 minute walk every
advice companies out there (details below) who can talk through
day will do two things: firstly it’ll get your happy little endorphins
your debts and often negotiate minimal payments with creditors;
flowing, forcing you to think more positively even if you don’t want
they may even be able to get some of your debt written off, but
to. Secondly, it’ll challenge you. Anxiety needs to be challenged, and
don’t count on it. Finally, speak to the student support team at
it’s hard and it’s shit, but unless you want to spend your whole life
your university. There are grants available to students who are
in a perpetual state of FOMO you need to work at it. Tell yourself
struggling, just be prepared to hand over a mountain of paperwork
every single day that YOU ARE NOT A LOSER. Because you are not.
and fill in a big old form.
It just isn’t true. I cannot express strongly enough how important it
In regards to your current spending, it sounds like you might need to
is that you work at loving yourself for who you are. Start today. Start
tighten the purse strings. Easier said than done, but where there’s a
immediately. No amount of asking other people for reassurance will
will there’s a way. Swap nights out for nights in, use online auctions
help you with this one. Again, it requires work, but you’ll get there.
instead of high street shops and eat a shit load of pasta. Pasta is
Three little things right there that could make a big difference to
CHEAP.
how you feel. Attack it from all angles and don’t let it win because
You won’t be in this position forever, and frankly, it’s part of fight!…
you are better than that. You deserve better than that. Stay strong
the workload is only half of it; the rest is survival.
and don’t give up! I hope this helps you to get back on track.
Check out the links below for more support, and good luck!
Plymouth
Options
Depression
&
Anxiety
Service
–
Money Advice Plymouth - http://www.moneyadviceplymouth.org.
www.plymouthcommunityhealthcare.co.uk – Tel: 01752 435419
uk/ - Tel: 01752 208126
The Zone - www.thezoneplymouth.co.uk – Tel: 01752 206626
Plymouth Citizens Advice Bureau - http://www.plymouthcab.org.
Plymouth & District Mind Association - http://www.plymouthmind.
uk – Tel: 03444 111 444
org.uk – Tel: 01752 513694
My instinct is to give you some slightly fluffy ‘time heals everything’ advice here…but actually that’s probably going to be as effective as telling you to wax seal a bottle of your own piss, throw it into the sea and wait for your parents to find it and decipher the hidden meaning of your mental breakdown. So here goes… Your parents already know how horrible you are finding the situation. They’re still human, although probably emotionally skeletal at this point, and they know that what they are doing is going to be hurting you. Unfortunately, there is little that they can do to make things easier for you. Playing happy families will only send out mixed signals, and despite being an adult yourself, this could still cause you a great deal of confusion and distress. For whatever reason, your parents have decided to remain cohabiting and if they are able to do so without ripping chunks out of each other then I would consider this to be fairly positive. Though the subtlety of the silent tension weighs heavy on your shoulders, it is the lesser of two evils. In terms of how you manage the situation, I would say that it is better you concentrate on your own coping strategies rather than expect any changes from your parents. You are an adult yourself, and as such you have the power to make choices and positive changes in your own life that will make your feelings more manageable. Having a ‘panic button’ is a great way to help to alleviate distress in this kind of situation. Not a literal button with sirens and flashy lights and bells, but an escape plan for when things get too much. This can be as simple as a planned route for a power walk, or an agreement with a friend that you can go and visit any time you need some space. When young children are struggling to manage their feelings, they often create a den or a safe place; a concept that is no different to the panic button and just as effective. Insofar as your relationship with your parents is concerned, you should work on accepting the idea that what was once a unit is now two individuals and treat them accordingly. Perhaps making arrangements to spend some quality time with them separately would be a good first step. You’ll get some one-on-one with them and you’ll probably find that you learn a lot about them; they’ll be glad to know you still care, and as much as you might feel angry about their separation, it will help you to re-establish a strong bond with both of them individually. If you feel that there are things you really need to say in order to move on with your own life, you could always write a letter to your parents, though it is important to consider how they might react to this and the impact it could have on your home environment. Sometimes writing a letter can be cathartic in its own right, and sending it may not be necessary. If all else fails, the counsellors at Relate may be able to offer you some guidance, perhaps in the form of family therapy or mediation. It’s a difficult situation for everyone involved, and I sincerely hope that things become easier for you. Good luck. Relate Plymouth - www.relateplymouth.co.uk – Tel: 01752 213131