Pure Magazine Halloween Issue by David Kavanagh

& distributed to 15,000 homes

CONTENTS

PURE MAGAZINE TEAM 10 Carlisle Road L’Derry BT48 6JN t/ 02871 3777 07

Jamie Oliver // pages 6 & 7 Womens Section // pages 8-11 The Shoot // pages 12-15 Music & Film // pages 16 &17 True Blood // pages18-21 Halloween // pages 22 & 23 Ian Brown // pages 24 & 25 Men’s Pages // pages 28-31 Local Talent // pages 32 & 33 Business // pages 34 & 35 What’s on Guide // pages 36 & 37 Interiors // pages 38 & 39 The Saturdays // pages 43 Alphabeat // pages 45 The Reviews // pages 47-49

Welcome to the October edition of Pure magazine. We’ve loved hearing the great feedback and support from the public and think you’ll agree that each issue is getting bigger and better every month. We’ve increased our page count even further, there are loads more interesting features and interviews, and (drum roll) there’s an entire page devoted to giveaways - we know you love your freebies! Without a shadow of a doubt, our greatest achievement to date is securing

AND NOW FOR THE LEGAL BIT The thoughts, views and opinions expressed within this publication are exclusively those of the author, and neither the publishers nor the editorial team accepts responsibility for them. Pure magazine is published by PURE INC Ltd and all information held within this publication was current at time of going to press. PURE INC Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors, spelling mistakes or amendments to be made. For further information please contact directors@pureinc.co.uk

exclusive interviews with the maker and main cast of True Blood – America’s biggest smash hit TV show – before they have started any UK press. This month, we meet Alan Ball, who penned the brilliant Six Feet Under, American Beauty, and now True Blood. The show has hit America by storm, is highly entertaining and, after you’ve seen just one episode, you’ll be bitten by the bug and instantly addicted. Added to this, we speak with Ian Brown, Jamie Oliver and Alphabeat.

PUBLISHING, EDITORIAL & PR: David Kavanagh, DIRECTOR e/ david@pureinc.co.uk Sinead Melaugh, DIRECTOR e/ Sinead@pureinc.co.uk Mary-Anne Mc Nulty, editorial e/ maryanne@pureinc.co.uk ADVERTISING SALES: David Roche, sales manager e/ david.roche@pureinc.co.uk DESIGN TEAM: Noel Heaney e/noel@pureinc.co.uk Barry McGilloway e/barry@pureinc.co.uk

Also, on page 51, you’ll find the Pure magazine readers’ survey 2009. Help us to get to know you better, and by doing so, we will continue to make even more positive changes to the magazine you have in your hands. We’ve got some great prizes on offer for one lucky reader who either sends their completed survey by post or enters online – if you’re not in, you can’t win! Happy Halloween Readers! X

INTERVIEW

Since he burst onto our screens as the irrepressible ‘Naked Chef ‘ in the cookery proramme of the same name, Jamie Oliver has been a firm household favourite for the past decade. Be honest, boys. Who among you hasn’t tried to ‘rock’ cooking like Jamie by tearing basil over a pasta dish in a cavalier fashion or splitting open a garlic clove in a style more akin to performance art than plain old cooking? And Jamie not only made food cool; his uncomplicated style and ‘ordinary bloke’ persona made it less intimidating and accessible to those of us who found Gary Rhodes or Delia a little too stuffy. The fact that he is, at heart, immensely likeable, has also contributed to his growing success, and explains why we have found his personal journey, from puppy-like ‘Mockney Cockney’ to socially responsible father-of-three with enough clout to persuade the government to rethink its national policy on child nutrition, so compelling. Jamie’s latest escapade sees him embark on the culinary journey of a lifetime as he travels around the USA for his latest six-part series, Jamie’s American Road Trip, which is currently airing on Channel 4. Here, he talks to Pure about food, Obama and fatherhood…

What’s the new series about?

I wanted to make the ultimate American food-angled series. And we were just not interested in clichés or predictable stuff, you know junk food and fat people. I wanted to really get under the skin of what is America, how diverse its food is, is any of it any good. We certainly got that. A lot of it was shocking and amazing and at times a little scary. The series covers immigration, recession, positive role models in East LA gangland, being in Louisiana just after Hurricane Gustav had hit, being in Georgia just after Obama got in, soul food, slave food, Arizona and the Navajo Indans and their cuisine. It’s just mind-blowing really – and then there’s the scale of this place!

You were certainly in America at an interesting time, has the trip changed your attitude to the US?

This trip totally changed my attitude towards America and Americans. As per usual with me - timing and luck – it was a great year to be in America. I never thought a year ago that I would have met President Obama and his wife - I never thought that they would even be elected. We were in Georgia literally weeks after he got in power. It’s the birthplace of Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement, so it was an amazing place to be at an amazing time. Obviously my passion is food, but really food’s just an excuse to sit round the table and meet people on really casual terms. I do think that this last eighteen months in America has been a once in a lifetime opportunity for Americans to reflect on what’s good about what they’ve got, what they might have and maybe what they’ve lost in the past. So it was amazing timing.

JAMIE OLIVER “What you get in America is some of the original ‘fusion food’, where you get French and Spanish and English and African influences – that’s the cornerstone of Cajun and Creole cooking”

What’s at the heart of American food?

Laid back: Jamie relaxes in the U.S. of A.

“I never thought I’d get to meet him, but

Michelle his wife asked to meet me, so I got to meet them both. I wasn’t nervous, but I was surprised, it was a bit surreal. Without question he is incredibly charismatic. I like him”

Do you think there’s a difference in attitudes to food in the US and the UK? I think in England the attitude towards food is getting really, really good. There’s still that massive divide between foodies - people who can cook and that can be resourceful - and the ones that have grown up with fast food joints and pre-made food. There’s definitely that in America too, but much more so. America has been taken over by brands and convenience. That’s great in many ways, but it’s taken away and stripped it of everything that it was in so many other ways. What I found I had to do in this series, and what I would say to anyone that goes to America, is get off the highways where there’s convenience every mile. And the minute you start going off the beaten track there’s these gems, these bits of gold and you start to see how people live and what they’re cooking and there’s some amazing stuff going on. There’s some great stuff out there, but you’ve got to get about.

American food is a melting pot. With immigrants comes food - someone who loves food will take it wherever they end up. American food is basically a metaphor for the whole world: you could be eating the most authentic dan dan noodles from Korea; you could be eating amazing pasta from third generation Italians; and ultimately the biggest American food icon, the burger, is from Germany. What you get in America is some of the original ‘fusion food’, where you get French and Spanish and English and African influences – that’s the cornerstone of Cajun and Creole cooking.

You cooked for, and met, President Obama at the G20. How was it?

Meeting Obama was pretty sureal, and being asked to do the G20 was pretty surreal, pretty high-pressured. I was more worried about not letting my students down at Fifteen – that’s who I was cooking it with. I just wanted to cook Obama my food, but home food and also recession food. I thought that was really appropriate. I wasn’t given a brief, I could do what I wanted. But the last G20 they’d spent thousands of pounds per head with amazing ingredients. I’d love to have been there, it would have been amazing, but it just would have been wrong to do that in the current climate. If you went out and bought the ingredients for what I cooked it would probably be about £13 per head – slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, you know. But President Obama loved it. I never thought I’d get to meet him, but Michelle his wife asked to meet me, so I got to meet them both. I wasn’t nervous – I was surprised, it was a bit surreal. Without question he is incredibly charismatic, I like him! And Michelle Obama is the first First Lady to plant an organic garden at the White House, which is a big statement. One of my team was over there recently and went to have a proper look at the walled garden

Nice wheels: the Essex boy travels in style.

and it was really humble and cheaply done, and they asked why it had been done like that. They said: ‘So any school in the country can replicate it’. And I thought ‘Yes! That’s what it’s all about!’ - politicians with their feet on the ground: finally a bit of reality!

You had a baby whilst making the series, was it hard to be away from home?

I’d done most of the trip around America before Petal was born so I only went to one trip to Wyoming after that, but it’s always hard leaving family and friends when you go on these trips. I try not to go for too long because of the little ones, but there were amazing experiences and I met some amazing people and families who I will take my kids to when they’re just a little bit older. The kids found it incredibly amusing that dad was a cowboy!

Is it a nice change to be travelling and not campaigning?

America was no easy job. It was fairly hard and knackering and some of the situations I got in weren’t particularly comfortable – parts of the cowboy ranc hing were pretty tough and working with some of the gang people in LA was pretty shocking. But it was very different and definitely more relaxing that doing campaigns like School Dinners, Ministry of Food or Fowl Dinners. There was no pork, no chicken, no school dinners and no Ministry of Food, just a proper old-fashioned graft around America to get under the skin of it. I’m really proud of it. I didn’t just want to make the best American food show, I wanted to make the best American show full stop – and you can be the judge!

Jamie’s American Road Trip airs on Channel 4, Tuesday nights at 9pm.

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WOMENS PAGES

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‘Beauty with an edge’ Urban Decay is the brand for individuals, so no shrinking violets please! This one is for the brave and the experimental so we were excited to check out the new products at the Urban Decay counter in Debenhams, Foyleside.

amaZene avocado & andiroba bath and shower gel Packed full of natural and organic minerals, this gentle yet invigorating gel is the perfect way to start your day. Easyto-absorb avocado moisturises the skin tissue while exotic amazonian tree oil andiroba has a unique rejuvenating effect.

Show Pony Shadow Box Including six shadows (two exclusive to this palette), a 24/7 eye pencil and eyeshadow primer potion, this perfect little package is great for party girls. Six eye-popping colours presented in a funky little box. ‘Painkiller Blue’ is my favourite and guarantees to get you noticed. £18 for the set. Pure rating: 8/10

Urban Decay, Hi Fi 24/7 Pencil Set Four amazing shades in one little pack. Dazzle in ‘Flipside’ or ‘1999’, or channel your inner rock chick in glide-on ‘Zero’. Try the NEW and exclusive ‘Mildew’, a deep green perfect for autumn. For party nights add a slick of heavy metal glitter eyeliner in ‘Distortion’, included in the pack. £18. Pure rating: 9/10

REVIEWS

Urban Decay Rocks No one does ‘notice me’ make up like Urban Decay. These little gems in resplendent silver, gold and iridescent crystals can be used at the corner of your eyes, on your nails or to cheekbones for the perfect night time accessory. £13. Pure rating: 8/10

Marc Jaccobs, Lola The positively gorgeous bottle design begs a top notch fragrance to rest within it, and this multi-layered scent certainly won’t disappoint. An opulent rose-petal aroma is tempered by a vivacious citrus zing to create a sophisticated yet fun-loving fragrance, while hints of vanilla and geranium provide a mellow finish. Especially perfect for those Saturday nights filled with the promise of adventure.

BARE MINERALS

WOMENS SECTION

There’s a new generation of make up in town so good riddance to thick fake foundations and say hello to beautiful natural skin. bare Minerals is 100% pure minerals free of preservatives, talc, perfume and skin irritants; this weightless new wave in foundation is quickly becoming the must have beauty product for women. You don’t need to have flawless skin to achieve the flawless look. The coverage from this foundation is amazing and totally natural. Now available at the bare Minerals counter in Debenhams, Foyleside; Take yourself along for a consultation on your skin tone match and pick up a starter kit for £45. Sold separately the kit is worth over £140. We’ve got three kits to give away so to enter go to our competitions page.

MAKEBELIEVE TANNING With makebelieve Self Tan Lotion you will see your natural, moisturized and streak- free tan emerge within a few hours of applying. The ‘Whisper’ light lotion will cocoon you in a divinely exotic fragrance whilst helping to visibly improve and tone your skin so that it not only looks beautifully tanned but feels soft, firm and re-energised.

makebelieve is available at Boots, John Lewis and Brown Thomas, or buy online at www.makebelievebeauty.com

This fantastic kit from bare minerals contains everything you need to get started with the new wave of mineral make up. The kit includes two shades of bare minerals powder, allowing you to colour match your skin-tone perfectly; a mineral veil which is a silky powder you can blend over the foundation for a soft focus camera lens finish (perfect for that up close perfection finish). The ‘warmth all over’ face colour gives a beautiful flawless glow and a bottle of skin rever upper, included in the pack, is a multivitamin face prep to smooth out fine lines and rejuvenate. Three application brushes and a guide to flawless perfection finish off this value for money kit. The kit costs £45 from Debenhams, Foyleside, sold separately it would be £141

PRODUCT REVIEWS

SHISEIDO SHISEIDO ZEN PERFUME Shisiedo Product Reviews 1. Shiseido Perfect Mascara, £20.50 Fed up with clumpy lashes? Look no further, as cosmetic boffins at the Shiseido lab have cracked the code with an innovative design that expertly delivers the ‘big four’ of volume, length, curl and lustre - minus the mess. Uniquely crimped brush fibres take on the ideal amount of colour to deliver a bold yet refined look, while treatment ingredients make it gentle on the lashes. 2. Shiseido Smoothing Eyeliner Pencil (black), £17.50 Whether you’re going for the subtle or dramatic, this whiz of a pencil does the job with a versatile tip that can handle fine or bold equally well. The colour blends seamlessly with the skin, and looks fresh as a daisy hours after application, while the nifty sponge applicator blends lines with pinpoint precision. 3. Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil (ash blonde), £17.50 Perfect for ladies with lighter locks, this tidy little pencil is firm enough to draw a single hair, yet its smoothness ensures broader areas are also catered for. Again, Shiseido’s commitment to superior ingredients ensures the look will last from sunrise to sunset. Guaranteed to be the fair-haired girl’s new best friend.

5. Zen Fragrance for Women by Shiseido, £66 This golden-themed scent from Shiseido is opulence in a bottle. Combining tangy citrus freshness with a pleasant floral bouquet, this unique fragrance evokes images of pristine Japanese gardens with jasmine and magnolia scents breezing delicately through the trees. As the exquisitely-designed bottle suggests, this product is worth its weight in gold.

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4. Shiseido Translucent Loose Powder, £32.50 Few powders have ever achieved this level of smoothness; this baby feels like silk on your skin. The ultra fine Satin Smooth Pearl provides a soft and natural glow and merges light to create a perfect look, whatever your skin tone. This product has great staying power, doesn’t make your skin feel dried out, and significantly improves the finish of your foundation.

Shiedo eye pencils in action

LOCAL FASHION

10-12 Carlisle Road L’ Derry, BT48 6JN T / 028 71 265371 www.revolver-clothing.com

PAGE 12- ‘Cheap Monday Pencil Skirt - £50 Vintage Blouse -£15

PAGE 13- Loose Cheque Shirt - £30

Cheap Monday Long sleeve T - £25 PAGE 14- Cheap Monday Black Dress- £55 PAGE 15- (Below) Handmade Dress £30 PAGE 15- (Bottom right) - Vintage Top £20 PAGE 15- (Top right) - Navy & Red Cheque Shirt - £35 Hair and Make up by: Studio Hair & Beauty Unit 3 Da Vincis Complex t/ 028 71 271599 (Products Supplied By Jane Iredale) Special Thanks To The Playhouse.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRY MC GILLOWAY LIGHTING ASSISTANT - KEIRAN TEMPLE

FILM REVIEWS

The Soloist is directed by the young, gifted and British Joe Wright (Atonement & Pride and Prejudice) to steer clear of the sentimental traps in the script by Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich) is reason enough to recommend it. That the Soloist features two of the year’s best performances from Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx raises the bar another notch. Downey plays Steve Lopez, a Los Angeles Times columist who in 2005 began writing a series of articles about musician Nathaniel Ayers (Foxx). Once a Julliard cello prodigy, Ayers suffering from severe Schizophrenia,who has literally hit the skids when Lopez meets him, playing a battered two-string violin in the slums.

From Disney•Pixar comes Up, a comedy adventure about 78-yearold balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic eight-year-old wilderness explorer named Russell. From director Pete Docter (Monsters, Inc.), this delightful animation invites you on a hilarious journey into a lost world with the least likely duo on Earth.

From the wonderful Ricky Gervais comes new romantic comedy The Invention of Lying, which takes place in an alternate reality where lying, even the concept of a lie, doesn’t exist. Everyone, from politicians to ad men to the man and woman on the street, speaks the truth and nothing but the truth with no thought of the consequences. But when a down-on-his-luck loser named Mark suddenly develops the ability to lie, he finds that dishonesty has its rewards. In a world where every word is assumed to be the absolute truth, Mark easily lies his way to fame and fortune. But lies have a way of spreading, and Mark begins to realize that things are getting a little out of control when some of his tallest tales are being taken as, well, gospel. With the entire world now hanging on his every word, there is only one thing Mark has not been able to lie his way into: the heart of the woman he loves. Hugely enjoyable, Ricky Gervais hits the jackpot with another winning formula. Look out for his and Stephen Merchant’s directorial debut coming soon.

dvd releases

Released September 28 Biographical drama about Joe Meek, songwriter-producer behind numerous hits of the 60’s. A must for music buffs.

Released October 12 Based on Neil Gaiman’s best selling book, this spectacular stop-motion animated adventure will charm kids and adults alike.

Released October 12 Eric the postman journeys into the most perilous territory of all - the past. Broody Eric Cantona impresses in this quirky Ken loach offering.

Omniplex Recommends... Fame A reinvention of the original Oscar-winning hit film, Fame follows a talented group of dancers, singers, actors, and artists over four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. Directed by choreographer Kevin Tancharoen, this enjoyable movie charts the journeys of the young performers as they attempt to overcome social and emotional obstacles in a bid to realise their dreams, and with some moving scenes, prepare to bring tissues. In an incredibly competitive atmosphere, plagued by

Released September 21 Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck in political espionage thriller. Powerful drama, with a typically top notch performance from Crowe.

self doubt, each student’s passion will be put to the test. In addition to their artistic goals, they have to deal with everything else that goes along with high school, a tumultuous time full of schoolwork, deep friendships, budding romance, and self-discovery. As each student strives for his or her moment in the spotlight, they’ll discover who among them has the innate talent and necessary discipline to succeed. With the love and support of their friends and fellow artists, they’ll find out who amongst them will achieve fame…

MUSIC REVIEWS

Ian Brown returns this autumn with the release of new single ‘Stellify’ from the eagerly-anticipated album My Way. The single, released through Fiction on September 21, was followed a week later by his sixth studio album, debuting almost two years to the day after his last long player, The World Is Yours. Where that record was led by the anti-war single ‘Illegal Attacks’, My Way sees Brown moving from social commentary to the personal, drawing deep from his own experiences to create his most intensely emotional record in years. The bulk of the 12 tracks were co-written with long time collaborator Dave McCracken at Battery Studios, London, where Brown and the Stone Roses recorded their seminal debut 20 years before.

I didn’t think Dizzee could top the excellent Maths and English, but after listening to this seems he has. This album is perfectly well rounded, keeping the loyal fans happy as well as the new ones. The three tracks we’ve already heard, ‘Dance Wiv Me’, ‘Bonkers’ and ‘Holiday’, are definitely the most commercial stuff on the album and everything else is raw hip hop with a twist. What sets this work apart from others is Dizzee’s new found pop sensibility. A good or bad thing? Only time will tell. A lot of airplay and a number one single to boot in ‘Bonkers’ means Tongue n’ Cheek will receive a lot of media hype. One thing’s for certain, it’s a far cry from his debut Mercury-nominated album Boy in da Corner.

cd releases

Released September 7 Wakefield’s finest return with a bang. One of the must-have indie albums of 2009.

Released September 21 Catchy opening single ‘We are Golden’ suggests this album will swamp commercial airwaves.

Released October 2 The follow-up to An End Has a Start, their distinctive sound will attract even more fans.

Pure ‘Live’ recommends... Fionn Regan After a long absence from the limelight, Wicklow-born Fionn Regan emerges with new material and a tour to boot. Thanks to the sucess of the first album The End of History, Regan has gained a cult following in Ireland as well as international status, appearing in prestigious title Vanity Fair. His enchanting melodies and lyrical prowess have garnered him immense critical acclaim; he was recently invited to Trinity College, Dublin, to speak to the literary society there, where Dr Thomas Morrris

Released October 5 The dynamic French duo return avec a new attiude to contemporary electronica.

Released October 5 Jay-z’s latest offering of hip hop with a helping of pop tunes thrown in for good measure.

described his lyrics as ‘possessing the most beautiful poetry’. Regan’s Irish tour began at the start of October, and prior to that he played two shows in one day on ‘Arthur Guinness Day’. With a style reminiscent of early Dylan, both in his artistic swagger and bohemian philosphy, Regan could justifably be regarded as the definitive Irish troubador. Fionn’s tour takes in the Queens art festival, Belfast, on October 20 and the Balor arts theatre, Ballybofey, on the 21st. Reasonably priced at between £13-15, this is a show not to be missed.

TRUE BLOOD

TRUE BLOOD SPECIAL WORDS: MARY-ANNE MCNULTY

To celebrate the upcoming release of Season 1 on DVD, Pure explores the phenomenon that is the US smash cult drama True Blood, and talks to some of the key players who have contributed to the show’s resounding success. As a dyed-in-the-wool fan of hit HBO drama Six Feet Under, I was a little apprehensive about its creator Alan Ball’s latest project, True Blood, based on the books by Charlaine Harris. Six Feet Under, the poignant and darkly funny drama set in the California home of a family of undertakers, is the hardest of acts to follow. Its astutely-drawn characters and sensitive handling of the tricky theme of death, coupled with impeccable performances from a superior ensemble cast, rightly earned the show a prominent place in television drama’s Hall of Fame. By contrast, the supernatural elements of True Blood, I thought anxiously, could be a potential banana skin for Ball. The story centres on the inhabitants of a small Louisiana town and how their lives are affected when a vampire comes to live amongst them: the danger that the vampish misen-scene could veer alarmingly close to cliche or, worse still, kitsch, seemed high. As the credits rolled on the conclusion of the first episode, however, my fears were banished. It’s different from Ball’s previous offering, yes, and more accessible to a younger audience, certainly, but all the characteristics that make Ball – who also wrote the screenplay for Oscar-winning film American Beauty - one of television drama’s hottest properties are there in spades.

Bloodthirsty: Jason Stackhouse (Ryan Kwanten) gets his fix.

The casting, for instance, is spot-on, with Anna Paquin ( a childhood Oscar winner for The Piano) in particular a revelation as the show’s main emotional focus, the naive, telepathic Sookie Stackhouse. And not a single member of the supporting cast strikes a bum note, from the youthful Ryan Kwanten as Sookie’s permanently bemused brother to Rutina Wesley as the prickly, sassy, yet emotionally vulnerable Tara Thornton. The notion of ‘otherness’, a theme clearly close to Ball’s heart and explored extensively in Six Feet Under, is taken even further in True Blood, with the disenfranchised vampires serving as a metaphor for both homosexuality and race, two political hot potatoes in American society that simply refuse to go away. The obvious love that Ball had for his characters in Six Feet is again at play here, and one of the main joys for viewers is following the emotional growth of each individual as truly momentous events transform their lives. Fans will doubtless have their particular favourite, but the common thread that makes the majority of his characters so likeable is a strong sense of morality. That’s not to say that they always do the right thing; far from it. But the fact that a character will struggle with his conscience after carrying out a morally questionable act is a trait you sense Ball wishes was more prevalent in American society, particularly amongst its political and religious leaders. At heart, however, Ball is a born entertainer, and if you don’t really fancy reading into things too much, then as a stand-alone piece of entertainment, it’s pure gold. The dialogue is smart and often painfully funny, the various sub-plots put meat on the main storyline, and the dramatic tension provided by the perilous situations the characters find themselves in on a regular basis makes for literally nail-biting stuff. So, in true evangelical fashion, I am urging you to see the light and let True Blood into your hearts. And, if my words aren’t enough to convince, here’s a few from the Creator himself, the inimitable Alan Ball..

Q: What was it about Charlaine Harris’ novels that made you want to turn them into a series? ALAN BALL: I was browsing in a bookstore one day and I saw this book titled ‘Dead Until Dark’,

which had the tag line “Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn’t such a bright idea.” I thought that sounded like fun, so I bought the book – the first in Charlaine Harris’ series – and could not put it down. I loved the way it was funny and scary and sexy and romantic, and it had a lot of interesting things to say about what it’s like to be other than mainstream. And it’s not just the vampires: Sookie is a telepath, and there are other non-human characters in the story. I became addicted. And once I finished the book, I thought, “Where’s the next one?” I’d been wanting to pitch a new series to HBO, and I thought this would make a terrific series.

Q: How do you see the series unfolding over the course of the first season? AB: Basically the first season is the first book in the series, with some new stories created for the characters of Jason, Tara and Sam to provide balance. One of the things I love about Charlaine’s books is the way she treats the supernatural world so matter-of-factly. We’re trying to do the same thing in our production design and the way we shoot everything. We want to keep the supernatural rooted in nature, so that it’s just more nature than we’re used to in everyday life. I’m trying to avoid all the vampire clichés. I watched just about every vampire movie, and most of them told me what I don’t want to do. I wanted to avoid the crazy contact lenses, the opera music, the blue light. True Blood takes place in a small town in rural Louisiana. It’s hot and humid and there’s not a lot to do there. I want it to be rooted in the characters, and seem like it could be really happening, and not some fantasy world. Q: What made you want to do another series? AB: I was looking to do another series because Six Feet Under was such a great experience. TV, especially with the advent of the premium cable channels, is in many ways a much better place to work as a writer than movies. In a movie, you’ve got to pack it all into two hours, and movies are becoming more and more like amusement park rides. I enjoy a good amusement park ride as much as the next guy, but TV is more like a novel.

TRUE BLOOD

ALAN BALL’S BACK CATALOGUE

Are you sitting comfortably? Then master storyteller Alan Ball will begin...

You can stay with characters over a long period of time and really see the subtle and interesting changes that life visits on a person. You can dramatize their struggle with life, rather than dramatizing the struggle with a particular issue that gets resolved over two hours. Q: How do you approach as opposed to writing?

directing,

AB: I love to direct. For me, directing is very similar to being a writer, in that I’m a storyteller. It’s all about the stories and the characters. Q: How do you think viewers of Six Feet Under will respond to True Blood? AB: I think fans of Six Feet Under will like the show because there’s a lot of moral complexity in it, which is something that always fascinates me. We grow up with notions of good and evil, and the belief that good will always triumph, but if you take a look at the world around you, that’s obviously not the case. Also, one of the things we kept coming back to on Six Feet was the idea that when you do the

“T V is more like a novel. Y ou can stay with characters over a long period of time and really see the subtle and interesting changes that life visits on a person .” right thing, the moral thing, a lot of times it makes your life harder and more complicated. And that’s interesting. But True Blood is different in that it has a much lighter tone. It’s more of an adventure. It’s a story you’ve never seen before and a world you’ve never seen before. It’s fun. It’s a show I would watch.

Top: American Beauty (1999) Middle: The award-winning Six Feet Under (2001-2005) Bottom: Towelhead (2009)

TRUE BLOOD

“ Y ouve got sharp pointed teeth mak ing a hole and suck ing from it; that ’ s sexy man and there ain’t no getting away from thAt .”

‘I’ll have a pint of O negative and a whiskey chaser’...Stephen Moyer gets his teeth into the role of vampire Bill.

TRUE BLOOD

Who’s that guy? Pure gets up close and personal with True Blood’s brooding blood-sucker Stephen Moyer. Those of you fortunate enough to have already been initiated into the wonderful world of True Blood will be no stranger to mean and moody Bill Compton, the most notable resident of the not-so-sleepy Southern townland of Bon Temps, Louisiana. Ridiculously handsome for a man pushing 180 years old, Bill’s impeccable Southern manners and old-fashioned courting skills instantly ignite the amorous affection of the town’s innocent blonde waitress, Sookie Stackhouse. And the fact he happens to be a vampire only serves to muliply the sexual tension between the pair by, oh, a thousand or so. Unsurprisingly, it isn’t just Sookie who’s hooked. Female fans of the smash hit show are tuning in by the bucketload to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous Stephen Moyer, the British actor who positively smoulders as vampire with a heart of gold, Bill Compton. Moyer, 39, was a busy actor on both stage and screen prior to True Blood, though it’s perhaps fair to say he was relatively unknown. With the success of the show, however, all that has changed, and while anxious parents may not be overly thrilled at the prospect of their teenage daughters hanging up posters of a blood-sucking vampire on their walls, there’s no getting away from the fact that Moyer has, almost overnight, become a bona fide sex symbol. And if you don’t believe the hype, grab the DVD coming out soon and experience the magic of Stephen Moyer for yourself. Meantime, pull up a chair as we have a chat to the man who has made Bill Compton the most intriguing vampire around... Q: What’s it like playing a 173-year-old vampire? A: I love him. He’s amazing. I love his back-story. I knew from the character break down that he had kids and that he’d been forced to leave them and it gives you a sense of this man that has to feed on blood but it’s the last thing that he wants to do. Also, as we learn, he is profoundly moral so he has no qualms about killing if it’s for the right reason. So you’ve got this romantic, old fashioned gentleman who also happens to be a vampire. And the audience has to wonder about that conflict within him and wonder about what he is capable of.

And and hole man

you’ve got immortality, you’ve got blood you’ve got sharp pointed teeth making a and sucking from it – (laughs) that’s sexy and there ain’t no getting away from that.

Q: Ah yes, the teeth. How are they? A: I’ve got three sets and they’re very sharp and they go on to the eyeteeth as opposed to the canines – and actually I have quite pronounced canines.

youve got this romantic old fashioned gentlemen who also happens

to be a vampire”’

Q: Presumably there’s CGI used as well? A: We shoot it twice – we shoot it leading up to the moment when the teeth appear, they CGI that moment, but apart from that, it’s all real! (laughs). Q: You’d worked in the States before True Blood. Did that help you win the part of Bill Compton? A: I’d done bits and pieces. I was very lucky – actually, I say ‘lucky’ and I was, because Bill is the most fantastic part and I’m lucky to play him, but I had worked my way up to this. There’s a director called Jon Avnet who I worked with on a project called Uprising and I had an extraordinary time on it and that led me to getting an agent in the States. In fact, Donald Sutherland got his agent to meet me, which was so kind of him. Anyway, that year our show came out I ended up going backwards and forwards to the States a lot and Jon and his family put me up every time. They’ve been like my surrogate American family. Lovely people.

True Blood Season 1 is released by HBO on DVD and Blu-ray on October 26. Bill’s love interest Sookie: a thoroughly smitten, bitten kitten.

Q: Sex and death is a subject that Alan Ball dealt with expertly in Six Feet Under. Is he dealing with new territory here? A: (laughs). You have the whole thing of ‘why are vampires exciting? What does it represent? Why are people obsessed with it?’

HALLOWEEN

FRIGHTENING FEAST OF FUN ON THE FOYLE Every year the city of Derry/Londonderry celebrates Halloween like nowhere else. The unique vibe generated in the city during the festival has been regularly marvelled at by the thousands of visitors to these shores who found themselves lucky enough to visit here at Halloween. Whether they hail from big cities in America or the UK, the refrain is often the same: “Why can’t we do Halloween as good as Derry does?” For the past 20 years, the Banks of the Foyle Halloween carnival has welcomed thousands of visitors to the city for this unique, unrivalled and thrilling occasion. From Smurfs to Shreks, witches to warlocks, the colour and costume of this carnival event is second to none, capturing the hearts and imagination of everyone who visits the city on October 31. There’s a real buzz about the town, and with each year there’s an increasingly intense air of anticipation as the thousands of us who get involved pull out all the stops to ensure we live up to our illustrious reputation. Derry is a town famed for its performers, and on October 31 it’s fair to say the whole city is a stage. The lead up to the main evening helps to build the spooky atmosphere, with local shops all dressing their windows and a series of eerie ghost trails and storytelling taking place at key venues throughout the city. Such is the enthusiasm for dressing up in the city at this time of year that anyone venturing out in their normal evening attire is likely to find themselves standing out like a sore thumb amidst the host of ghouls, witches and vampires that take over the city on this evening. The event has become a fully-fledged phenomenon that incorporates something for every age and taste. The festival culminates in a spectacular Banks of the Foyle Carnival on Halloween night itself with a themed carnival parade that ends with a dazzling fireworks display over the River Foyle that can be seen for miles. A series of outdoor stages with live music, street artists and the colourful locals ensure the festivities are a memorable event and one that is not to be missed. The event was awarded the Northern Ireland Tourist Board ‘Event of the Year’ accolade in 2002 and is recognized as the city’s biggest tourist attraction attracting thousands of visitors on an annual basis. With top class live music guaranteed, carnival costume colour and a choice of unrivalled family events across the city leading up to the event, the only place to spend some time this Halloween is here! Further information about the event can be obtained by contacting Derry City Council’s Festival Office, Tel 028 71376545 or by visiting www.derrycity.gov.uk/halloween.

INTERVIEW

Ian Brown

They call him the wild rose... He’s considered one of indie-pop’s most charismatic figures and a cultural icon to millions of music fans, both as front man of legendary band the Stone Roses and for his subsequent solo output. To celebrate the recent release of Ian Brown’s sixth - yes, sixth - studio album My Way, Holly Wild chats to Manchester’s finest about his music, global warming and being inspired by Kanye West...

You’ve said you’re anti-nostalgia so how does that work with singing about those themes?

You’re just about to release your sixth studio album My Way, which everyone involved is really excited about…how do you feel about it?

Was that difficult for you, or did you feel like it was the right time? It was easy. I feel great about the Roses, I don’t feel bad about it. There’s a couple of mentions of them throughout the album-did it just happen or did you think, right I’m going to sing about them now? Oh yeah, everything’s deliberate.

It’s quite a personal album. How was it writing about those sorts of themes? The first song we wrote was ‘Vanity Kills’, which was actually meant to be recorded by another artist. Dave McCracken, who co-wrote it, was signed by Roc Nation and was asked to write a song for Kanye West. Amanda Ghost wrote the melody, Dave wrote the music and they wanted me to write some lyrics and it had to be a sort of autobiographical song for Kanye. So we had a few pow wows and Amanda told me about him ’cause she knew him and she texted him while I was there and said ‘Kanye, I’ve got Ian Brown to do the lyrics’. I was made up ’cause he texted straight back and said “Ian Brown, Stone Roses, hell yes!” and I was, like, ‘fantastic’. So we wrote him a song but we were a little bit late with sending it in and Amanda had said it’s gotta be like a “My Way” for Kanye, so I took that and thought, right, I’m gonna keep that for myself, I really like it. So that gave me the brief to make the album like My Way. Me and Dave were also asked to write a song for Rihanna, and after finishing ‘Stellify’, even though she could probably sing it better, I thought “I’m gonna keep this”, so I kept it. That set us off then, we thought, right it’s gonna be a ‘my way’ album - I’m gonna write about my life in music. I’m gonna write about coming off the dole, going into music, what happened along the way; that was my brief.

You’ve mentioned Dave McCracken who worked on most of the tracks with you, but was there anyone else you worked with, who you haven’t before?

You said you were aiming to make an album of singles, so with so many tracks to choose from how did you pick ‘Stellify’ as the lead single?

I worked with a Japanese guy called Naoto and he’s in a band called Orange Range. He’s a superstar in Japan, he’s sold like millions of records. He’s a friend of a friend of mine, Kazuki Kuraishi, who’s designed the album sleeve. He’s a clothes designer and all the clothes you’ve seen me in over the last ten or eleven years, he’s designed them. I met him in Tokyo and he sends me a box of clothes every six weeks. He introduced me when I was at his birthday party in Tokyo a few years ago to his friend Naoto who offered me his studio on the island of Okinawa. Then we met up again the next day and it turned out Naoto was a guitar player and he was alright. He said “I’d like to work with you” so I said “send us something”. The guitar part of ‘Always Remember Me’ is what he sent me. So we added some keyboards, added some drums, I did a melody and some lyrics, sent it over. He e-mailed me back and we sat with tears in our eyes listening to it! So we both loved it and that was it.

Stellify’ was like the benchmark for the album ‘cause it was the first tune we wrote. As we played it I thought: “wow, this is the first tune I’ve got since ‘FEAR’ that’s up there with it. I end every show with FEAR but now I’ve got a track that I can come on with after that. ‘Stellify’ was always the benchmark, but it was also the trickiest to mix and we had to do it about seven times to get it right. I’d been laughing at stories about Kanye West mixing his last tune 30 times, but I’m starting to understand how you can, so you can get it exactly how you want it. That was the benchmark so it was always really going to be the first single.

Do you get many requests from people to work with them? You mentioned Kanye and Rihanna…

“

If I like the music, then I’ll do it. At the moment I’m working with a band called Sohodolls. I told them I was a bit busy with my own album but give it a couple of months and we’ll get it on. I’ve just written some songs for Sami Yusuf, who’s an Islamic singer who sings in Arabic and he’s really big in the Middle East. He wants to write an album in English, so he’s written the music and the melodies and I’ve just got to do the lyrics.

To move on to the live side of things, you played Reading and Leeds this year. Is it good to be back on the stage? At Leeds I looked out at the crowd and there was hardly anyone of my generation there - it was all 16 year olds and up to about 25 and I thought “I’m old enough to be their Dad and I’m on the main stage, it’s great”!

We were also asked to write a song for Rihanna, and after finishing ‘Stellify’, even though she could probably sing it better, i thought “I’m gona keep this

“

I feel it’s my best work, yeah, I certainly put the hours in. I started writing it about this time last year, not constantly, but on and off. We worked right through the winter, started recording it in early spring and finished it on July 7, so we’ve gone through all seasons.

It’s not nostalgia to me, it’s my life and all things come around. There’s a point to everything and everything comes around in a circle eventually. By nostalgia I mean repackaging, remastering, reselling, squeezing a lemon. That made me think about the Roses, as I’ve never addressed them in songs before.

You’ve included a cover on this album, what made you choose In the Year 2525? I wanted to write a song about global warming ’cause I’ve not heard anyone sing a proper song about it or the effect that it’s going to have. So then I had to come up with a song that’s better than ‘In The Year 2525’ [hit song by 60s duo Zager and Evans.] Them lyrics were written 40 years ago but they still resonate as powerfully today as they would have done then. I couldn’t manage it and didn’t come up with a tune that was better than that, so I thought “Well, you know what? I’ve got a Mariachi sound sometimes anyway, so if I got a trumpet on it I could make it sound like one of my own songs anyway”. And I was lucky because Dave [McCracken] worked on the last Mr Hudson single so I got Mr Hudson playing guitar on it as well. He came down and put flamenco guitar on it. So it’s my tune now.

IAN BROWN

Not in a shy way: Ian Brown’s new album My Way is out this month

Ian Brown is performing live at St George’s Market, Belfast, on November 22

You’re going to be doing a pretty extensive UK tour. Are there any cities that you’re particularly looking forward to playing? Manchester most definitely. It’s going to be my fourteenth appearance at Brixton Academy. I did two with Roses, so the second night of this tour will make it my twelfth time at Brixton Academy, which is big news for me. Anywhere really. It’s great to go and meet people anywhere. I’m looking forward to Ipswich ’cause I’ve never played there, Southend because I’ve never played in Southend. I’m looking forward to all of them. Do you always take the same band out with you? I used to change it up every tour to keep it fresh with different line-ups, but the last five and a half years I’ve had the same line-up and they never let me down. Thse guys still sound fresh.

Do you have any stand out gigs from past tours? Glastonbury ’05 was probably my favourite show because it was the biggest crowd I’ve ever played to. It was pretty emotional and everyone was singing along. There were thousands of people bobbing up and down and we played really well that night. Usually when I do a show, I feel great about it and the next day I’ve forgotten it. But one day, if I make it, when I’m 90 and I’m sat out in the back chair with my Filipino nurse putting a blanket over me, maybe I’ll think about when I played Nottingham Rock City on my birthday, or my first Brixton Academy, but Glastonbury’s the show that I think about every few weeks and think “Wow, that was ace”. Other than Manchester do you have links to any of the places you’re playing? I love Liverpool and Glasgow. Liverpool’s probably the best place to play. Crowd and atmosphere-wise it’s definitely been the best show on the last few tours. Maybe I shouldn’t say that in case the Mancunians don’t buy tickets! Also Dublin, it’s amazing to play Dublin, it’s beautiful. You’d think Dublin was a thousand miles away from England from how different people are over there- so warm spirited and

friendly. Glasgow is probably one of the best places to play in the world. Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Dublin are the best places to play. There’s something very similar about all them places. Have you got anything special planned for the gigs? The Manchester date is the last night of the tour and just before Christmas. That’s right, it’s only the week before Christmas so that will be a big party, yeah. I’ve got no plans for fire-eaters or jugglers or anything. I’m just gonna get a lot of new songs out ’cause I think a lot of these new songs sound great live and mix it up with the best of what I’ve got. To finish on a slightly different note, what do you think about Noel leaving Oasis - is really the end for them? Yeah, I think it probably is, which is a bit of a shame really. I think it’s been coming for quite a while hasn’t it? Their very first NME feature they were scrapping and their last one they were scrapping, so they came in scrapping and they’ve gone out scrapping. Bit of a shame but no surprise really. I’d heard a few rumours myself this year and I think it’s run its course.

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DOLLS

Shoppers welcomed the return of Living Dolls to the North West’s premier shopping destination, Foyleside Shopping Centre, recently. Models posed as live mannequins in participating retailers windows showcasing the very best of autumn/winter from Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, Dunnes Stores, DV8, La Senza, D2, Burtons, Next, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Fosters. With hair styled by Suede, a five star hair salon as awarded by Good Hair Guide, and makeup created by Boots, The Body Shop and Debenhams, it was hard to tell the Living Dolls from mannequins. Thanks to Vision Express, the models also looked spectacular with this season’s latest frames. In addition to the fantastic window displays, Living Dolls brought fashion to life with a series of red carpet catwalk shows in the mall.

With Living Dolls proving to be an enduring success for Foyleside, Centre Manager, Des Farrell, reflects on the continued success of the event. He says: “Our live window spectacular gets bigger and better every time and is one of the highlights in our events calendar. As more and more hear about Foyleside’s Living Dolls the event becomes more popular, people love trying to catch a glimpse of our live mannequins modelling this season’s latest trends. “Not only do our Living Dolls have that certain ‘ je ne se quois’, but this time our cash shoe also proved a massive hit with shoppers. They had great fun trying to work out how much was in our high heel for a chance to say ‘bonjour’ to a spectacular trip to fashion capital Paris.” For more information on Foyleside visit www.foyleside.co.uk, email rachel.bradley@spiritmg.com or call 028 9026 7090.

FRAGRANCES CARDIES SHISIEDO ZEN SLANKET MENS PRODUCTS BLACK & WHITE 10 TIPS TO METROSEXUALITY

MENS SECTION Fairisla bobble hat £9.99, Celine Fairisle knit £39.99, Montana Shirt £24.99, Perjury jeans £34.99, Fairisle fingerless gloves £7.99

BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE

Main picture is the property of River Island Clothing

Snuggle up in one of our recommended knits of the season.

Oatmeal Fairisle Shawl Neck Jumper Subtitle £40/€59 available at Burton

Fairisle chunky cardigan £20.00 Collections for Autumn 2009. available at Primark

Navy Shawl Collar Tipped £45 / €67 Autumn/Winter 2009 available at Burton

‘YOU KNOW IT MAKES SCENTS’ Pure reccomends this season’s top five scents for men.

Shiseido is adding a masculine flanker to its line this time with Zen for Men. The composition is described as being woody with exotic fruity accents and a lingering musky base. Fruits have become the new hip, metrosexual note in mainstream masculine perfumery so the trend continues with this fragrance...

CK Free inspired by the spirit of the modern, independent man who lives every day to the fullest. Containing notes of star anise, jackfruit, juniper berry, absinthe, tobacco, suede, coffee, buchu, oakwood, patchouli, cedarwood and ironwood.This is a fragrance specially designed for men who are looking for something different. Dior Homme is an uncomplicated fragrance (as sport fragrances should be) and it possesses a steady stream of ginger from top to bottom. Besides ginger there are hints of citron, bergamot, grapefruit, rosemary, lavender, elemi, cedar, vetiver and sandalwood in Dior Homme Sport’s formula.

Provocative and playful D&G’s 1 Le Bateleur is the new fragrance for the man who gets what he wants. Aromatic with an aquatic heart and cedarwood and vetyver base. Incurable romantic D&G’s 6 L’Amoureux is for the Charmer. A tantalising array of spices in the top and middle notes dry down to a sensual wood and musk base to finish.

All fragrances available at Debenhams, Foyleside

MEN’S SECTION

METROSEXUALITY 10 BASIC STEPS TO ACHIEVE METROSEXUALITY metrosexual (met.roh.SEK.shoo.ul) n. An urban male with a strong aesthetic sense who spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle.

1: Stay hydrated If you want great -looking healthy skin then drink plenty of water, at least 1.5 litres a day.

2: Get a skin care regime

You don’t always act your age, so why should you have to look it? A simple regime - face wash, facial scrub and moisturiser - can really make a difference.

3: Know your skin type To get the most from your skin care regime, use products designed for your skin type. For oily skin use oil-free moisturiser, and if sensitive use a moisturiser with built-in sun protection. The modern metrosexual well-groomed man must have a clear, clean complexion.

4: Male body grooming is essential. Shower every morning and when necessary – no one likes a stinker in the office! Use a body wash rather than regular soap to avoid drying out the skin and a good antiperspirant deodorant to help regulate sweat throughout the day.

5: Get a good hair cut: one that suits both your face and your hair type. Not sure what the latest fashion is or what will look good? Then book with a stylist at a salon - not your local barbers - and get advice from those in the know. If hair is thinning then keep it short and, please, no combovers!

6: Eyes are the window to the soul Your eyes can reveal the fact you were out last night or your true age; use a specialist eye cream to get rid of puffiness and telltale wrinkles and no one need ever know the truth!

8: Eat a healthy balanced diet with regular exercise Keep your intake of fast food to a minimum and eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Not only will you feel better and have more energy, but you will notice improvements with your skin and hair.

9: Everyone loves a killer smile Make sure you clean your teeth twice a day. Use a mouth wash and don’t forget to brush your tongue to keep your breath smelling fresh for longer.

10: Get yourself a manicure or at least keep your nails trimmed and clean . After all, your hands are always on show - and no fingernail biting!

10: Learn how to shave ... properly! The art of the perfect shave is disappearing fast. Shave after the shower or use plenty of hot water, and use a good quality razor rather than a disposable. Invest in a shave brush and use a good quality shave cream and apply with the brush. Shave toward the grain and apply a non alcohol-based balm to finish.

LOCAL TALENT

PAUL MORRISON

The imagery in my work is typically inspired by images found through research on a particular subject, using the internet, medical websites, books, and magazines. I usually have a concept I have been thinking about and it’s simply about finding an image I feel I can manipulate in paint through gesture, mark and colour so as to try and convey some of my own feelings on the matter. My paintings ‘Attenuvax’ and ‘Cause and Effect’ depict people suffering from various medical conditions such as measles and foetal alcohol syndrome. The idea behind these kinds of paintings is not to mourn the fragility and transience of human life, but to celebrate the efforts of science to prolong it – a celebration of the capabilities of humans and our endearment towards life. Recently, my paintings have taken on a somewhat larger scope, and deal with concepts of death, guilt, and the abyss of the conscience in the face of human realities. ‘The Heart Satisfied by Christ’ was based on Ronald L. Haeberle’s beautiful photographs from the Mai Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. Here I have been working largely from memories of my feelings towards those pictures to construct colours and forms in something like a landscape, punctuated by the actual horror with references to figures from those photographs. My work concerns the internal battle of human endearment, the largeness of living and I am trying, as always, through the painted gesture and selection of colour, to analyse how the little human spends his time on earth.

The Derry-born artist (24) gives us a career update and talks about the influences on his work.

‘The heart satisfied by Christ’

ABOUT THE ARTIST Raised in Derry, Paul is a proud alumnus of the city’s North West Regional College, where he gained a qualification in foundation studies art and design in 2003/04. He moved to Loughborough in 2004 to study a fine art degree, graduating in 2007 with first class honours, then set up a studio there with three colleagues, which now has space to work for five artists. In 2008 he joined Vanilla Galleries, a group of Loughborough graduates working together to promote the work of emerging artists through exhibitions and artistic events away from the usual artistic hub of London. Now a committee member of this group, Paul helps organise these exhibitions and events, promoting the work of their roster of painters, illustrators, photographers, textile designers, sculptors and video artists. Paul is currently studying for a PGCE in Art and Design at Birmingham City University.

‘Kev’

‘Bitterluffa’

PAUL MORRISON

Contact Paul at: paul@vanillagalleries.com www.vanillagalleries.com

‘Attenuvax’

BUSINESS

MAKING DERRY THE HUB OF THE SUPER HIGHWAY.. The

Londonderry

CHAMBER of COMMERCE

Janice Tracey, chief executive officer, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce talks about the benefits of ‘Project Kelvin’.

The sky’s the limit: Project Kelvin will massively increase the potential for business growth in the region, says Janice Tracey The Chamber, together with Derry City Council, hosted an event in Derry recently with telecoms giant Hibernia Atlantic, the team that have brought the transatlantic cable across the Atlantic to be housed in Derry, where it will link up to towns across the North West. This transatlantic cable, and the high speed connectivity and reliability which will be provided by the Telehouse in Derry, will be extremely attractive to businesses, particularly those in communications and digital sectors and specifically those that have been hard to attract up to now.

It is clear that Project Kelvin coming to town is the perfect anchor with which to start a full scale marketing campaign for Derry as the capital of a wider city region. However, the Chamber is convinced that in order to make sure this opportunity is maximized and exploited, more has to be done in order to get the message out there. Invest NI say they market Northern Ireland, Hibernia say they market their entire network. We need to ensure that this city, as the capital of the wider region, is firmly on the marketing map. We also need to make sure that when companies are considering locating or relocating, and they need high speed connectivity with superb reliability, then one of the first places they think of is Derry.

It is the council’s job to take the lead in marketing the city and region to foreign direct investment, and this seminar was a good early step. I will endeavour to ensure that the Chamber will assist the council in this critical job of work. This is a unique opportunity for Derry City Council, Invest NI and the Chamber of Commerce to promote Derry to encourage new businesses to set up here. ‘We need to make sure that when companies are considering locating or relocating, and they need high speed connectivity with superb reliability, then one of the first places they think of is Derry’

Of course, this technological advantage adds to the other things that put the north west of Ireland on the map. We have one of the most youthful populations in the UK and Ireland, a well-skilled workforce, and a brilliant quality of life with beaches and mountains equally on our doorstep. All in all, we have a cosmopolitan lifestyle with a bit of the rural idyll thrown in. The ‘but’ in all this is that the message is just not getting out there

‘IT WAS DIFFERENT THIS TIME’ Alan Bridle talks candidly on the economy

Locally, this downturn has reached the parts that others didn’t. All recessions tend to hit manufacturing and construction hard but on this occasion, serious collateral damage has been done to a range of business and professional services including legal, finance, property and advisory with spillover into areas such as recruitment, advertising and PR. The so-called ‘white-collar’v recession explains why Northern Ireland has experienced such a broad-based crisis of confidence this time. A generation has grown up in a benign economic context and become used to a continuous rise in

living standards but many are now experiencing certain “wealth destruction” amidst falling property and share values and dimmer prospects for income growth in their employment. No surprise then that domestic retail spending in the North, particularly on “big ticket” discretionary items like new cars or household durables, has felt the chill as families look to pay off debt and rebuild savings. In some respects, border regions have fared much better than Greater Belfast in this recession – the inflow of southern shoppers spending an estimated £500 million in the last year has provided a timely

boost, while the performance of the leisure and hotel sector has benefited from a similar trend. The direct impact from such spending on local businesses may be debatable but there’s no disputing that a level of employment has been sustained in these areas that would have been under threat. Overall, it may be scant consolation but the recession in Northern Ireland is very likely to be shallower and less pronounced than our neighbours in Britain and Ireland - the disproportionately large public sector affords some support with the contraction in GDP in 2009 likely to be in the order of 3% v 4% and 7% respectively.

WHATS ON

Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival, throughout Derry. Nowhere does Halloween quite like Derry, and this year promises to be better than ever with a fun-filled programme of thrills courtesy of the city’s famous annual carnival. Expect to see a spooky spectrum of ghosts and ghouls parading through the streets, and shop windows specially dressed for the occasion. Highlights include eerie ghost-telling and outdoor stages with live music, with the show-stopping fireworks display on the Foyle promising to be a fitting climax.

Kevin McAleer, The Playhouse, Derry. Look up ‘deadpan’ in the dictionary and chances are you’ll see Kevin McAleer’s laconic mug. The Tyrone stand-up has been splitting the sides of audiences everywhere for 20 years, with the key to his distinctly Irish brand of whimsy all about the delivery. Sit back and enjoy the ride as McAleer takes you on unique journey of surreal ramblings, and watch out for astute observations lying cleverly within along the way.

An Evening With Michael McIntyre, Odyssey, Belfast. In an entirely different vein from Kevin McAleer, we go from the deadpan to the exuberant with the ninety miles an hour Michael McIntyre, an effervescent stand-up who has quickly claimed his rightful place in the Pantheon of top drawer English comics. Don’t be fooled by McIntyre’s middle-class bufoon persona; beneath lies a razor sharp observational wit and a charm that will have you rolling in the aisles.

Green Day, Odyssey, Belfast. Green Day’s lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong may be getting dangerously close to middle age – he’s 37 – but he still posseses the energy and pomp of a disaffected teen. This Californian trio know how to belt out stomping pop rock, but their catalogue also boasts a more mature, introspective body of songs that can bring a tear to the driest of eyes.

It’s midnight, the clock strikes heralding in the spirit of Christmas. Yet something stirs in the darkness beyond and thus unfolds this magical festive tale of The Nutcracker. For the past 16 years, Moscow Ballet – La Classique has thrilled ballet lovers throughout the world. Their delightful production of The Nutcracker, one of the greatest ballets of all time, captures the imagination with the magic and fantasy of the ballet.

23rd October

The Nutcracker, Millennium Forum, Derry.

WHATS ON

An essential guide to the upcoming events not to be missed

Belfast Festival at Queen’s, Belfast. There’s something for everyone at Queen’s fortnight-long festival, from music of all genres to cutting-edge theatre and top rate comedy. Classical buffs are in for a serious treat as the festival opens with world-class conductor Valery Gergiev and the renowned Mariinsky Orchestra of St Petersburg perfoming Shostakovich’s ‘Leningrad’ symphony, while other highlights include comic turns from Julian Clary and Stewart Lee.

2nd november

Look Good Feel Great There’s no need to grow old gracefully! Life still goes on so why not make the most of it. Come along to this great afternoon and make the most of now! Event includes : life coaching seminar, guest speaker Lynda Bryans, hair and beauty experts as well as a host of other activities. Event takes place at the prestigious Waterfoot Hotel and all proceeds go to the Foyle Down’s Syndrome Society and ‘Aware’. (tickets £20) Contact David on 07961 751 830 for details.

Derry Playhouse / 9th October / Foyle Follies / Derry Playhouse / 3rd Novemeber / Adam Hill / BIG TICKLE / Millenium Forum / The Beauty Queen Of Leenane / 19th-21st October / The Nerve Centre / Tommy Reily / 5th October + Funeral For A Friend / 24th October / An Grianan Theatre / 30th October / Jason Byrne / LUSH / 3rd October / Eric Prydz / LUSH / 7th November / Calvin Harris / 20th-28th November / Foyle Film Festival 22 / The 02 Dublin / 30th October / Elton John /

free and distributed to 15,000 homes advertise now: call 028 71 377707

INTERIORS

the finishing touches Make it up as you go along with this kids storage unit from habitat with chalkboard exterior and slots for artwork. Great for budding young designers.

Antibes fully restored antique Chaise in patchwork fabrics from Designers Guild.

INTERIORS

Cushion the blow this winter As the cold nights draw in, give your home a cosy glow with clever use of textileswithout driving up the thermostat...

“Think Bavarian homesteads, artsycrafty patterns and Bohemian chic”

With our summer (if you could call the sodden and dull July and August we endured a summer) now well and truly over, we’ll all find ourselves spending more time indoors as the winter chill begins to take hold. Many of us will doubtless be suffering SAD-like symptoms already, as the darkness descends before teatime and we dread the thought of emerging from the morning shower with icicles hugging our skin. But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom; with clever and budget-friendly use of textiles, we can give our homes a warm ambience that will do wonders to chase the winter blues away. Cushions that are patterned or have a deep warm colour, whether red, flame orange or gold, scattered economically through the living room, create an instant illusion of warmth and light, while a chunky rug or throw can do wonders to soften even the sparsest bedroom or lounge. White walls are crisp and clean in the summer, but if you’re handy with a paintbrush it may be worth considering going for a charcoal grey or black: the colour gives the room’s dimensions a cosier feel and provides a wicked backdrop to vibrantlycoloured furnishings. As always, we at design-conscious Pure aim to bring our readers the latest trends, and ‘textiles’ is definitely one of this season’s buzzwords. Get ready, then, for what we’re labelling the ‘folk invasion’. Think Bavarian homesteads, artsy-crafty patterns and Bohemian chic, and you’ll have an idea of what will be a popular mode of decor this year. Patterned sofas and cushions with strong, almost garish, colours, will be all the rage, while quirky, fairytale-ish accessories like a wooden owl or elaborate knitted tapestry won’t look out of place. The great thing about this look is that you can pick up little craftsy oddities without breaking the bank, while the chunky knits and adventurously-upholstered furniture and carpets will made your room feel positively toasty. So make sure your home doesn’t get SAD this winter, and transform your surroundings into a folk wonderland.

WHAT’S HOT

1. BEN’S BROTHER

Spearheaded by Londoner Jamie Hartman, tuneful five-piece band Ben’s Brother have deservedly earned a reputation for well-written and melodic indie pop. Their current album, Battling Giants, is crammed full of beautifully-crafted and instantly memorable songs, from catchy opener ‘Apologies’ (co-written by notable indie pop diva Natalie Imbruglia) to the funk-tinged, upbeat strains of ‘Questions & Answers’. Hartman’s soulful, gravelly voice is the perfect complement to the album’s super smooth production values, creating a unique sound that lovers of top notch pop will adore, while guest vocalists Joss Stone and Jason Mraz are the icing on the cake.

SAVING GRACE

It feels a bit odd to be bigging up a show that has been cancelled by its American network after four seasons, but nevertheless we feel duty bound to draw attention to Saving Grace, the first series of which is currently being aired by More 4 on Monday nights. The incomparable Holly Hunter gives a virtuoso performance as washed-out cop Grace Hanadarko, who is given a shot at redemption by a ‘last chance’ guardian angel. The show itself can sometimes be let down by the supernatural element, which tends to jar with what is otherwise a smart and sassy black comedy drama, but it’s worth watching alone for Hunter, who is in top form and rules every scene she’s in.

2. BASEMENT JAXX

Hurray - the funkiest house duo in town is back with a new album that is sure to become a firm favourite on the weekend sound systems of students and professional party animals alike. We’ve already had a taster with the hedonistic single ‘Raindrop’, though the rest of upcoming album Scars sees the Jaxx in a deeper and darker phase than before. While their trademark bombastic beats and astute choice of vocalists still reigns supreme, this album – their fifth – also sees a departure from the sprightly feel of their earlier work into a more mature and melodically complex place. A revelation.

4. RYAN KWANTEN

The fantastically vampy True Blood is a must-watch for any number of reasons, but high on the list has to be the hunktastic Aussie actor Ryan Kwanten (pictured below). The blonde Adonis originally sent pulses racing as beefy lifeguard Vinnie Patterson in Oz soap Home and Away, and now he’s doing for it audiences worldwide as promiscuous but golden-hearted Jason Stackhouse in the acclaimed Louisiana-set vampire drama. Boasting a perfect American accent (and perfect pecs to boot) Kwanten’s formidable acting skills prove he’s not just a pretty face, though if any future roles demand the removal of clothing we certainly won’t be complaining...

INTERVIEW

Live music every night

Live bands every weekend

59-63 Waterloo St , Derry, BT48 6HD - tel / 028 71 267295 - Paedarodonnells@hotmail.com - holders of the traditional bar of the year award

THE SLANKET

Loafers rejoice! Now you can stick two fingers up to heating bills, quite literally, because this gargantuan, ultra-soft blanket has integrated sleeves: readers, meet the SLANKET. Keeping nice and warm on a lazy Sunday afternoon is crucial for curing the hangover but unfortunately, what with this pesky credit crunch malarkey, heating a room costs about the same as fuelling up a 747 with liquid gold. So thank goodness for the Slanket.

This gigantic fleece blanket is soft, light and ludicrously snuggly. ‘But so are most modern blankets,’ we hear you yell. Well yes, but this quality slice of 100% polyester microfibres features large, loose sleeves so you can keep your entire body covered, arms ‘n’ all, and still use your hands. Clever, eh? Your remote will love you for it. Available at www.prezziesplus.com, priced at £29.75, alternatively www.prezzybox. com and www.firebox.com for £34.95

STAR BUY

WIN! We have five to give away so to get your grubby paws on a set email your name and address to competitions@pure-mag.co.uk and mark your entry ‘slanket’.

THE SATURDAYS

The Saturdays

“We just want to get bigger and better” The Saturdays strike back with a brand new single and album for the autumn. First up is a change in direction for the girls, with their new single, ‘Forever Is Over’, released on October 5. The Saturdays have been one of the biggest breakthrough artists of last year; since last summer they have had an incredible run of success, from five smash hit singles to a platinum-selling album and a sold out tour. They have now set their sights on international success as the girls have just come back from a major promo trip to Asia, where their brand of pure pop has gone down a storm in the East and further trips are planned for later this year. We spoke with The Saturdays just a few months ago ahead of their comic relief smash hit ‘I just can’t get enough’. Just how have things changed for the girls since then? And what’s in store for the future? We speak exclusively to Vanessa to find out more ...

Tell us all about your new single, what’s it all about?

So, the new album ... tell us a bit about that then?

It’s called ‘Forever is Over’; we just can’t wait for everyone to hear it because it’s a bit different from our usual stuff and a bit more mature as it has a rocky/pop edge to it. It’s basically about a break-up with anyone ... a boy or a girl, a friend, or anyone really in that situation. It’s about getting over it and just having your girls with you to help make you feel better.

We’ve got a new album out on October 12th, called Wordshaker. It’s a lot more mature than our last album but still fun and full of pop. There are loads of really great tracks on it, we love it and we are really excited about everyone getting to hear our new music. All very exciting at the minute!

Is this based on personal experience then? Yes definitley, everyone has been through this before! Recently there’s been a bit of press in the tabloids about a falling out between yourselves and Girls Aloud. Tell us more... Someone completely took that right out of context and twisted our words. We would never say anything bad about Girls Aloud or the Sugababes. I mean, Girls Aloud are on the same label as ourselves and we really look up to them and wouldn’t have a bad word to say about them – they’re all really nice girls! Any collaborations planned with other artists? Not at the minute, but we would love to do some soon. We’d love to collaborate with Chipmunk as he’s really cool at the moment and mentioned us within his lyrics on his new single!

So since our last interview with your comic relief single at the beginning of the summer – looking back, how have things changed for the band? Oh my god, things have totally changed, it’s been like a rollercoaster. It was amazing to be asked to do the comic relief single, and since then we had our tour that was incredible and sold out, we never thought that would happen! We’ve achieved so much already but we just want to keep getting bigger and better – we’ve still got a lot more that we want to achieve but in all its been an amazing year for us and we can’t wait for more. Any announcements of a tour just yet? Not at the minute but we hope to soon, we’ve been to Ireland a few times and loved it. Oxegen was so much fun!

WORDS: David Kavanagh

FAB FIVE: The Saturdays are back with poptastic new single ‘Forever is Over’.

ALPHABEAT

Alphabeat, the Scandanavian power-pop six-piece, are back with a new single called ‘The Spell’, with an album of the same name due out this winter. The Danish outfit leave behind their Duran Duran/B52s-esque guise, influences which defined their critically-acclaimed debut album This Is Alphabeat, channelling instead this time the spirit and sound of the best dance hits of the late eighties and early nineties a la Snap and Black Box. Alphabeat have mastered the art of taking influences from pop classics of the past and reinterpreting the sound into unique modern smash hit singles. The whole band wrote and produced the entire album, holing themselves up in their basement studio for several months experimenting with old record samples and retro-synth programming to create the perfect pop record. They also enlisted the services of six-time Grammy award winning mixer Serban Ghenea (one of the best mixers in the business – Justin Timberlake, Pink, La Roux). Leading man Anders SG speaks exclusively to Pure magazine about the new sound and muses on the success of the band to date.

How has success been since you hit the UK – were you already established back at home? We were, we released our last album in Denmark and we got pretty big, and due to this we got a record deal in the UK and things really took off for us. We’re planning a UK arena tour starting late October, with seven gigs around the UK, and we’re really looking forward to it. Have you done any Irish gigs to date? We played in Dublin once, and it was really great, the crowd was amazing so we’d love to do more. Our new album will hopefully let us visit Ireland more as well! How did the band come about? We met seven years ago in our home town in Denmark. Most of us knew each other before but we found Stine by putting an ad in the local high schools. From this we all moved to Copenhagen about four years ago and got signed and then two years ago moved to London and are still here since.

So your new single’s called ‘The Spell’. Tell us a bit about it...

Who has been the band’s biggest inspiration?

The new album is a lot more dancey and synthetic compared to the last one. It really annoyed us how we were seen as an indie rock band because we had used the guitar a lot throughout the album because we’ve always seen ourselves as a pop group and for this album we wanted everything to be 100% pure pop, so weve really tried to focus hard on this.

It’s difficult because it changes with every album – right now, we’re concentrating on the early 80s disco era with a bit of Blackbox and Snap thrown in for good measure.

What’s the message behind your new song? It is a good old love song. It’s classicly styled, as we as a group love the old school love songs, and it’s inspired by many of early 90s dance bands, like Snap and Ace of Base. We’ve tried to bring the housey angle that was used a lot during that time as no one has really brought that back.

Alphabeat release ‘The Spell’, the title track from their upcoming album, on October 12.

LIFESTYLE

go ‘in’ to dinner With more people hosting Come Dine With Me - style dinner parties, we caught up with with Derry woman Elaine McVeigh and asked her to fill us in on her latest venture in home entertainment...

When Elaine McVeigh decided to stage a lavish dinner party at her Greenhaw Manor home, she wanted to make sure everyone had a night to remember. But with the guest list running to a healthy 18 people, she wisely chose to bring in the experts to ensure her own stress levels were kept to a minimum. So there was to be no fussing over hot stoves in the kitchen for Elaine; instead she enlisted the help of well-known caterer Patricia Mahon to provide a sumptuous meal that allowed her to enjoy the fun just as much as her friends. “Patricia is a great caterer,” says Elaine, “so I knew the food side of things would be in very safe hands. And I didn’t want to be the ‘absentee host’ that you often see on shows like Come Dine With Me, where they spend more time checking than roast than enjoying the company of their guests.” The diners were treated to a range of fabulous culinary fare courtesy of Patricia, including a a mouth-watering silverside of beef, her trademark goulash, and a ‘to die for’ glazed ham. And, not one to do things by halves, Elaine also recruited florist Sharon Peaker to glam up the lounge with eye-catching floral displays and, as a centrepiece, a tree adorned with little strawberries on cocktail sticks. “By this stage I was thinking ‘I may as well go the whole hog!”, she jokes, “so I brought in this fantastic waiter called Mohammed. He was really brilliant with the guests,

always at hand to replenish drinks and making everyone feel pampered, which was definitely the kind of feel I wanted the night to have.” Help with choosing the right wines was just a phone call away, as Elaine is a member of the Foyle Valle wine club. She says: “The club is a great idea. You pay a monthly membership and regularly receive recommended wines. And they were great when it came to the dinner party; the five wines they recommended were excellent. One of them is the house white in Gordon Ramsey’s restaurants, so that was another little touch of glam!” With the wine flowing and everyone in great form, Elaine’s big night stretched out into the early hours, with much singing, dancing and general frivolity. And, when she bade farewell to the last guest at the end of the night, did she feel it was all worth it? “Definitely,” she says. “I love eating out with my friends, but this was a great alternative. My home had the ambience of a restaurant, but without some of the restrictions; the smoking rules were more relaxed and we were able to have a ball without fear of being ushered out after a few hours. “It was good fun playing the ‘hostess with the mostess’ for the night, but having said that I’m hoping the next dinner party will be at one of the other girls’ houses!”

Having fun: from left: Elaine McVeigh, Patricia Mahon and Deirdre O’Leary.

Augusta Neff and Barry Shiels share a strawberry.

The guests had a great time at Elaine’s.

The diners get stuck in.

THE REVIEWS

the garage by Sinead Melaugh Waterfront dining is becoming more and more popular here and there are a new breed of restaurants popping up around the waterfront in Derry to maximise this potential. The Garage on Queen’s Quay is one of these restaurants enjoying the fantastic views across the river. The modern interior has an eclectic feel to it; a style which is seen in the trendiest restaurants across the globe. Huge vintage style chandeliers are hung alongside modern lighting, mixing retro with contemporary for an up-to-date style seen in the interiors pages of glossy magazines. Beautiful wallpapers and seating bring a real sense of luxury to the restaurant. A cosy, relaxed feel adds to the comfort factor; something I find missing in a lot of modern restaurants. This modern feel is reflected in the menu which offers a huge choice to suit every diner. The restaurant has an excellent seating arrangement, with large booths and long tables for larger parties and smaller, more intimate tables for smaller groups or couples. We opted for one of the larger booths at the back of the restaurant and perused the menu while waiting for our drinks. There is an excellent choice of wines available and each of the wines is also sold in quarter bottles, which suited us as my companion was having a non-alcoholic evening.

SCORES I decided on Thai fish cakes for my starter and my friend chose the cheesy garlic bread with tomatoes. The fish cakes were light and flavoursome and a perfect start to the meal and my friend’s starter was, as expected, loaded with cheese and extremely filling. There’s an extensive selection for main courses and I settled on Cajun monkfish and tiger prawns served with vegetable ratatouille. My main was beautifully seasoned and fresh, and the vegetable ratatouille was a perfect accompaniment with chorizo mash as a side. My fellow diner was feeling adventurous and decided on the fillet steak served on a rock for you to cook whatever way you want. This is a real event and something that I have seen in restaurants outside of Derry but hadn’t seen here before. The fillet is served on a sizzling rock, allowing you to cook it yourself to your exact requirements. We drew a few stares from other diners when the rock was brought to our table. Feeling pretty full from our mains we decided to share a dessert of mango and passionfruit cheesecake. The cheesecake portion was huge and a lovely light finish to a very enjoyable meal. I was pleasantly surprised with what the Garage has to offer; excellent and attentive table service, large portions, modern menu choice and a comfortable interior. A great night in a great setting, with brilliant deals for two courses available midweek.

The Garage 24 Queens quay L,Derry Tel // 028 71 260494

THE REVIEWS

spice

SCORES

by David Kavanagh We visited Spice on a midweek evening to sample the delights of one the Waterside’s most renowned restaurants. Conveniently located along Spencer Rd, we found there to be plenty of parking available and only a quick stroll away from neighbouring bars or just a quick taxi ride from the town. When it comes to eating out, many citysiders tend to graze locally, but after our visit, take our advice and venture across the river, because if you haven’t been to Spice yet, book a taxi and get ready for a night of indulgence, quality food and an alternative to city centre dining. Firstly, top marks for a simple and smart menu – a selection of tasty dishes, displayed in an easy-to-read format with just enough choices to make a quick and uncomplicated choice. The restaurant is decorated with comfortable private booth seating along with an enclosed dining area with deep rich purples and comfy seating throughout - definitely sort of place where you’ll enjoy staying on for a few drinks after your meal. For starters I chose tempura monkfish while my partner enjoyed a cocktail of crab and prawn – both were delicious and we were dying to ask for seconds! The portions are also quite large which in my eyes is great; there’s nothing worse than only getting to enjoy a small portion of something really tasty and it’s nice to have a choice on how much will

The monkfish was perfect: delicious and large goujons of steaky fish served with a tasty dipping sauce. My friend is a keen fish feaster and made no complaints about her crab and prawn starter, which was served in a luxurious round shape amongst a bed of lettuce. It was such a picture it was almost a shame to eat it. From examining the menu on entrance I made an instant decision for my mains – medallions of fillet steak served with Jack Daniels sauce. It sounded so good my companion ordered the same. I couldn’t wait for it to be served and when it had, it tasted even better than I had imagined. I’m a steak lover and the first to complain when it’s not served right or cooked incorrectly but I had no complaints – sex on a plate and highly recommended! We decided in the end that a selection of cheeses and fruits on crackers were more than enough for us both to share and the perfect for end to a perfect meal. Spice offers a wide selection of wines to choose from, all reasonably priced and from every corner of the world. We decided on an Australian chardonnay and stayed on for more after we finished our meal. Take our advise and pay a visit to Spice; it’s a little different, and definitely worth a venturing across the river – top marks

Spice Restaurant 162 – 164 Spencer Rd LDerry Tel // 028 71 344 875

THE REVIEWS

shush city @ sandinos

SHUSH CITY @ Sandino’s by Sinead Melaugh R&B/ Hip Hop isn’t really my thing but wanting to broaden my horizons musically and craving an escape from the usual music scene in Derry, I decided to shake things up a bit and went to the launch night of Shush City at Sandinos. The R&B/Hip Hop movement has been growing rapidly over the last few years and shows no signs of going away. With this in mind I thought it was time to embrace my inner ‘Beyonce’ and take my booty to this new night. Sandino’s has fast become the cool place to hang out, catering for every type of music lover. You can expect to hear live music from singer/songwriters in the smaller main bar to 12 piece bands in the huge upstairs club; not forgetting the excellent dance/funk/soul music mix nights at the weekend. They know how to pull the crowds and this new night will be no exception. We got there quite early and although the venue was starting to get busy, no one had braved the dance floor. A few tunes and a few drinks later, the crowd had definitely loosened up and some very aptly dressed revellers were starting to get their groove on.

SCORES These people know how to bring on the bling, barely there dresses with skyscraper heels for the girls and beastie boys stylie for some of the boys. There was definitely the more hard line R&B music fans about, their ‘too cool for school’ street wear was a giveaway. Sandino’s always try to stay ahead of the game with their music nights; willing to try something new and different. An R&B night is definitely a break from the norm in Derry, but a welcome one at that. Be prepared to bust a few moves on the dance floor; leave your inhibitions at the door and you’ll have a brilliant night. This is a great alternative night for the student population here and is sure to become a favourite on your weekly social calendar. Shush City since its inception on the 27 th August when Radio one’s DJ G Child opened proceedings continues to grow every week and promises to get even bigger. Doors open at 10pm, Thursdays, and has a late tax of £4 on the door.

Sandino’s Water street L’Derry Tel // 028 71 309297

www.bebo.com/movement 2009

FRAGRANCE’S Courtesy of Debenhams, Foyleside we have a bottle of each of our fragrances featured in our Male and Female product pages to give away. Fragrances featured are Marc Jacobs Lola, Shiseido Zen for Women, Shiseido Zen for Men, Ck Free, Unisex and Male fragrances from D&G’s new range. To enter email your name and address to competitions@pure-mag.co.uk with your fragrance preference and mark your entry ‘fragrance’.

MAKEBELIEVE We’ve got three sets of makebelieve self tanning products worth over £60 to give away, courtesy of makebelieve. Included is the ‘night time’ facial self tan moisturiser which is quickly absorbed and packed with treatments to help prevent the signs of premature ageing, makebelieve self tan lotion to give an even streak-free tan with added benefit of firming toning and tightening the skin. Also included in the pack is a box of ‘quick fix’ cleansing wipes. This is the perfect little pack to maintain a beautiful sun-kissed glow throughout the winter. Just email your name and address to competitions@pure-mag.co.uk and mark your entry ‘makebelieve’.

BARE MINERALS We’re giving away three sets of bareMinerals ‘get started’ kits worth £141 courtesy of Debenhams, Foyleside. Not all minerals are created equal; just touch bareMinerals and you’ll immediately notice its creamy, soft texture. bareMinerals looks like a powder, feels like a cream, and when buffed onto skin, becomes one with your skin. And because bareMInerals have always used only the purest, highest quality ingredients, you get the look of bare skin while giving you the coverage you desire without the chemicals your skin doesn’t need. bareMinerals are proud to be able to say, ‘It’s makeup so pure you can sleep in it’. To enter, just send your colour preference - light, medium, tan, dark, deep - along with your name and address to competitions@pure-mag.co.uk and mark your entry ‘bareMinerals’.

THE BLANKIE

The latest stateside ‘must have’ has arrived on these shores. The Blankie is the ultimate lap duvet, a warm and indulgent mix of down and feather wrapped in a fully reversible 100% combed down-proof cotton shell available in a range of modern colours. Seriously luxurious, and totally indulgent, Blankies are perfect for a night on the couch, summer picnics by the sea or in the garden, barbecues, boats, holiday homes, outdoor festivals and rock concerts. Best of all it’s machine washable! We’ve got two up for grabs – email your name and address to competitions@pureinc.co.uk and mark your entry ‘blankie’.

COMPETITIONS PAGE

READERS SURVEY 2009

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How often do you get your hair cut? ....................................... How much do you spend on average per trip? ....................................... How much do you spend on the average night out? 10-20/20-30/30-40/40-50/50-100/100+ How much do you spend per month on fashion? .............................. Where do you shop most? High street / online / boutique Content: What would you like to see more of within the magazine? (underline) Celeb interviews Food and drink reviews Advertisements Readers offers Local content Fashion Interiors Other, please explain ... What would you like to see less of ...(underline) Celeb interviews Food and drink reviews Advertisements Readers offers Local content Fashion Interiors Other, please explain ... At the moment, how do you rate the following out of 5 ... 5=best and 1=poor Content ....................................... Design ....................................... Layout ....................................... Editorials ....................................... Competitions ....................................... If you had to, would you pay for your copy of the magazine – don’t worry we will never charge for our issues but we want to see how much people rate the publication Any suggestions for improvements? email directors@pureinc.co.uk. Many thanks for your time – make sure you fill in your details and send it to PUREinc, 10 Carlisle Rd, Derry, BT48 6JN Confidential survey Any information will be used solely for internal purposes, we will not share personal data or contact information onto any third parties; the purpose of this survey is simply a marketing exercise to constantly improve our content for our readers.