Miles Kane steps out of the shadows
Exclusive withactor Mileson Kane of the Last Shadow Puppets Theinterview rapper and music, comic books and his new show at the REP Music, p19
Redbrick
The University of Birmingham's Student Newspaper since 1936 EXCLUSIVE
Library opening hours finally extended
Inside look at Birmingham's street art scene Lisk, the prince of Birmingham's underground scene, speaks for the first time, p12
Tom Byrne Reporter
After months of campaigning carried out by numerous officers at the Guild of Students, our University’s Main Library has agreed to extend their opening hours. Previous opening hours were from 8.30 in the morning until 10.30 in the evening from Monday to Thursday, 8.30 in the morning until 7 in the evening on a Friday and from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening on the weekends. However, those hours have now been extended considerably and the main library will now be open from 8am until midnight throughout the week and from 8 am until 8pm in the evening on weekends. The new hours will take effect from the beginning of the next academic year. Furthermore, the iLounge and ‘Just Ask’ service will also be available for extended periods, although the official opening hours of these services are yet to be disclosed. There will also be library staff working at all times, as opposed to security or untrained personnel, meaning that the high standard of resources and services that students are accustomed to will be available whenever the library is open. Library staff are looking at the possibility of beginning the later opening hours during the Easter vacation of this year, but this is not yet confirmed. Other universities, such as Warwick and Imperial College London, have had extensive library opening hours for some time, however they do not have trained library staff on site at all times. The issue has long been a fea-
New opening hours 8am-Midnight weekdays from Autumn term. 8am-8pm weekends. ture of the election manifestos of Guild officers, with several making it a key focal point of their election campaign. Vice President for Education and Access, Rob Hunter, was one of the individuals who vowed to tackle the issue during his successful campaign last year. Of the new opening hours he said: 'The substantial extension to Library opening hours is a fantastic win for students. From next academic year, students will be able to use the library before early morning lectures and much later into the night. Students whose personal and work commitments mean they need to spend a considerable amount of time in the Library over the weekend will no longer be held back and all of this will be delivered with a staff team on call to offer help and advice, something which few other universities are able to offer. 'Such flexibility is crucial when the student demographic is changing so rapidly. Increasing numbers of students study part time, have care responsibilities or have work commitments beyond the University and the services Continued on page 5
Friday 25th February 2011 Volume 75 | Issue 1386 redbrickonline.co.uk
Artwork by Lisk
2
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Redbrick Editorial Editor Samuel Lear Deputy Editors Victoria Shires Sam Langtree Online Editor Micaela Winter Treasurer Jonathan Craven Art Director Thomas Walters Chief Photographer Mike Roberts chiefphotographer@redbrickonline.co.uk Technical Director Jeremy Levett News Editors Helen Crane Glen Moutrie Anna Hughes news@redbrickonline.co.uk Features Editors Rosa McMahon Seb Mann features@redbrickonline.co.uk Film Editors Elmley de la Cour Matt Davis film@redbrickonline.co.uk Arts & Culture Editors Lexie Wilson James Reevell Alexander Blanchard arts@redbrickonline.co.uk Music Editors Will Franklin Charlie Bailey music@redbrickonline.co.uk Television Editors Natalie Timmins Joe McGrath Amber Alexander tv@redbrickonline.co.uk
Redbrick
25th February 2011
University Highlight of the week Lapworth Museum: The Wenlock Limestone
Food Editors Harriet Constable Dami Olugbode food@redbrickonline.co.uk
The Lapworth Museum contains the finest collection of fossils from the Wenlock Limestone of the Dudley area. The limestone is world renowned for its exceptionally well-preserved fossils, and indicates that 425 million years ago the West Midlands was covered by warm, shallow, tropical seas containing a diverse reef fauna. This specimen contains a rich assemblage of fossil corals, crinoids (sea lilies) and bryozoans, and is from the collection of Sir Charles Holcroft, a Black Country Iron and Coal Master, who was a major benefactor of the University.
Travel Editors Ed Gordon James Cull travel@redbrickonline.co.uk Sport Editors James Phillips Simon Hall sport@redbrickonline.co.uk Online Sport Editor Joseph Audley Technology Editors Stuart Gittings Manpreet Pangli technology@redbrickonline.co.uk Crossword Editor John Rizkallah Editorial Assistants Victoria Bull Rochelle Balach Laura Hewitt Vikki Jeff Will Hunter Kate Selvaratnam Online Editorial Assistants Charmaine Katz Becky Sibson Danielle Fox Sophie MurrayMorris Junior Art Directors Lauren Wheatley Jazzarie Lee Bethany Richardson
Courtesy of the Lapworth Museum of Geology
News feed POLITICS
Expenses inquiry cost £840,000 The investigation into MP's expenses has cost more than £840,000 to date, Scotland Yard has revealed. Up to 13 officers have been working on the case since May 2009, and three MPs have been prosecuted so far.
Redbrick strives to uphold the NUJ Code of Conduct. The views expressed in Redbrick do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Guild or the publishers. If you find an error of fact in our pages, please write to the Editor. Our policy is to correct mistakes promptly in print and to apologise where appropriate. We reserve the right to edit any article, letter or email submitted for publication. To contact us: Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TU 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrickonline.co.uk www.redbrickonline.co.uk Redbrick is printed through www.quotemeprint. com: 08451 300667. Advertising: Contact Aimee Fitzpatrick in Guild Marketing on 0121 251 2524 or
Word on Twitter: @JonoCraven: Youtube has got to be up there. My favourite way to waste time.
A microsoft update for its mobile phone operating system has lead to a small number of Samsung models to cease to function entirely. As a result Microsoft has withdrawn the update and stated that it would seek to fix the issue.
@vchodge: TWITTER. A virtual world of procrastination. Look how fast I replied as well.
EDUCATION
@ButlerAlexander: Scouring the BBC website's Weird and Wonderful section does me.
AQA marking error means lost places
@JGOBunting: http://www. dearblankpleaseblack.com – best procrastination ever.
A 17-year-old school pupil has been arrested on suspicion of poisoning two of her school teachers in Devon. The teachers, from a school in Torbay, suffered from upset stomachs but otherwise were not thought to have been seriously affected.
Thirteen A-level students missed out on their first choice of university or course last year due to a marking error by exam board AQA. An inquiry by an exam regulator found that 622 grades had to be changed.
Ian Mallowan Graphjam: Lolcats, Photobombing, and other choice cuts from the Cheezburger network.
WORLD
USA
SCIENCE
Heather Smeeton: Procrastinating about procrastination.. while seeing how long you go cross eyed for. :)
Christchurch devastated by 6.3 quake
Death sentence for US activist
Scientists name new dinosaur
Sarah Murphy: Reading about other people's hilarious misfortune on fmylife.com.
New Zealand city, Christchurch, has been hit by an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale. It hit on Tuesday at 12.51 local time, when the Island was at its busiest. At the time of going to print, the death toll was 75.
An anti-immigration activist has been sentenced to death after a break-in ended in shooting. Shawna Forde, 43, broke into the home of Raul Flores in 2009 but shot Mr Flores and his daughter when the burglary went wrong.
Scientists have discovered a new dinosaur species from fossil remains discovered in a quarry in Utah, USA. The species has been named 'thunderthighs' because of the huge thigh muscles it would have had.
POLITICS
HEALTH
For meeting times find us on facebook or email section editors.
Copyright (C) Redbrick 2011
best ways to procrastinate:
Pupil accused of poisoning teachers
Lifestyle Editors Briony Singh Rob Lewis lifestyle@redbrickonline.co.uk
Designed and typeset by Redbrick.
Microsoft phone update 'kills' mobiles
CRIME
Copy Editors Anna Lumsden Sian Stanfield Olivia Wilson
We asked you...
TECHNOLOGY
Rahm Emanuel mayor of Chicago Barack Obama and Bill Clinton's famously short-fused former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has been elected Mayor of Chicago. He will replace Mayor Richard Daley, who is stepping down after over 20 years in office.
Alcohol could lessen heart disease risk According to research published by the British Medical Journal, moderate alcohol consumption showed a 14% to 25% reduction in heart disease. Experts did note that this is not a reason for nondrinkers to take up the habit.
Word on Facebook:
Emily Rose Dutson: Staring out of the window at squirrels
Word in the Office: Danielle Fox, Online EA: Counting how many teeth you have with your tongue. Will Franklin, Music Editor: Gin and Pokemon. Sam Langtree, Deputy Editor: Pacman, chaning clothes, constantly refreshing Facebook and randomly meeting up with friends for coffee. Victoria Shires, Deputy Editor: Making endless cups of tea and thinking about what to cook for dinner. Beth Richardson, Junior Art Director: Have a pint or make some pancakes. Lauren Wheatley, Junior Art Director: Play on Angry Birds and eat.
Redbrick
redbrickonline.co.uk
25th February 2011
Inside Redbrick this week FEATURES – PAGE 6
ARTS – PAGE 12
MUSIC – PAGE 18
SPORT – PAGE 24
The strange allure of Selly Oak
Interview with comedian Tim Key
Redbrick speaks to The Undertones
VPS claims athletics gold
Like 'Redbrick' on Facebook and follow us on twitter @redbrickpaper GUILD
Election campaigns to begin on Monday Campaigning for next year's Sabbatical Guild positions begin on Monday with voting taking place between 7-11 March. See Redbrickonline for live coverage of the hustings on Tuesday, and the presidential debate on Wednesday.
Spotlight on Societies Debating Society President: Megan Field Meet at: 2pm, Wednesday, Law LT2 What is it? One of the oldest societies in the University, the Debating Society offers students the opportunity to brush up their public speaking skills and compete against other universities. Keeping to a parlimentary format, the society is currently ranked 96th in the world against other university debating societies. Typically each debate takes a controversial issue and in teams of two students argue for or against passing the motion. Examples of past motions have been 'This house would legalise abortion' and 'This house would legalise incest'. Debating also attracts a wide range of speakers for its frequentlhy popular public debates. This has included multiple MPs, from Lembit Opik to Clare Short. Main Events
PROTEST
Protest in London on March 26th On Saturday 26th March, unions up and down the country will be taking part in 'March for the Alternative' against cuts. Transport will be provided from the Guild leaving at 8am – tickets £5 from Student Voice. POLITICS
Geithner backs Osborne's Cuts The US Treasury Secretary stated that he was 'very impressed' by George Osborne's austerity measures in government. He also stated that the problems had not been created by the current incumbent government.
One of the society's biggest events is its Inter-Varsity competition which is held annually – during some of the world's best debaters speak. Previous winners include speakers from the University of Manchester, Lincoln's Inn and King's Inn.
3
Letter from the editor Samuel Lear As we enter the final third of the Redbrick year, it has dawned on me quite suddenly how quickly the time has gone this year, and how little time there is left. Within a couple of months, we shall have a new committee who will undoubtedly hold new ideas as to how Redbrick must develop and ways to become more relevant to our readers. Perhaps the greatest sadness is that the best of this year is yet to come. Over the next couple of weeks, we shall have a new website that we hope will be up there amongst the best in student journalism. We are also in the process of developing our smartphone apps. Recently, we have redesigned our Twitter (@redbrickpaper), and now have a new Facebook page (Redbrick – or facebook.com/redbrickpaper) that we hope will provide a more direct point of contact between us and the readers, and will stimulate greater interaction.
'We have a new Facebook page... that we hope will provide a more direct point of contact between us...'
There is an annual Fresher's Cup in the Autumn term for those who have not debated at university level before. A debating competition for local schools is also held each year, where university students can hone their skills as a judge. In their own words 'The Debating Society is one of the oldest at the University of Birmingham and one of the best. It provides people the chance to challenge what they know, develop their public speaking skills and meet like minded students.' How to get involved Turn up to the Wednesday workshops at 2pm every week in Law LT2. Membership costs £5 with free renewal for each academic year. You can also turn up to the socie-
Public debate featuring Politics lecturer Peter Kerr. The motion will be 'This House Would Ban Alcohol'. March 10th, 6.30pm, Arts Lecture Theatre 1.
We are also constantly in the process of tweaking our output in print. We have extended our 'Page 2' coverage after your initial positive feedback, and we want this double page spread to become a page that gives you a bitesize view of our issue, our societies, our campus, and our world. Next week, campaigning for the Guild elections will commence, and Redbrick will be at the very heart of it – redbrickonline.co.uk. Be part of it!
Public Debate: 'This House Would Impose a five year freeze on all non-EU migrants entering the UK'. March 17th, 6.30pm, Arts Lecture Theatre 1.
This week's top Tweets
ty's regular public debates, watch guest speakers and speak to society members. Upcoming Events
Find Out More Search The 'University of Birmingham Debating Society' on Facebook, or email debating@ guild.bham.ac.uk If you would like your society to be featured here, email society@redbrickonline.co.uk
Stats of the week
$110
The cost that a barrel of Brent Crude Oil has risen to after weeks of uncertainty in the Middle East
250,000 The amount of people that doctors predict will die in the next 20 years due to poor alcohol regulation
26.9 million The amount in pounds that staff at Asda are to receive collectively this year in bonuses
50,000
The amount of jobs which are to be lost in the NHS, including those of doctors, nurses, dentists and administrative staff
denisleary: I'm gonna miss Gaddafi's outfits. He makes Lady Gaga look like Johnny Cash. IGM: iPad 2 announcement event confirmed. It's OK to cry, brandnew iPad owners. iamwill: I put my facebook in her twitter then she was youtubin my google and I was going yahoo. bada bing. I can't wait to put my amazon in her ebay justinbieber: thinking about getting a haircut....hmmmmmm campbellclaret: blogpost – I am now confused re Big Society at home and DC's policy abroad. Someone please explain serafinowicz: I have trouble even monotasking.
4 News This week in statistics
£3.7 billion the surplus made in January from 'bumper' income tax and the VAT rise.
Redbrick
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Editors – Helen Crane, Glen Moutrie and Anna Hughes
6,000
1,900
£317m
the number of seats in the newly constructed velodrome for the Olympics.
the number of guests invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
the pre-tax loss made by BAA Limited in 2010
Wikileaks expose US NUS under fire over leaked alliance with Durham memo encouraging dialogue Caroline Mortimer Senior Reporter
The US whistle-blowing website, Wikileaks, has exposed a series of secret payments by the United States government to Durham University in exchange for work on a series of projects designed to gather information on Iran. Durham's School of Government Affairs reportedly received £300,000 from the US State Department to conduct seminars and exchanges with Iranian students, academics and journalists to learn more about internal politics and society in Iran according to a cable sent to the US Embassy in London in 2008. Sixteen postgraduate Iranian students are currently studying at Durham and concerns have been raised over the safety of their return, as Ehsan Abdoh-Tabrizi, a doctoral student from Durham, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for taking part in anti-government activities and having 'relations with foreigners' last year. Similarly, Reza Molavi, former director of Durham's Centre for Iranian Studies, was arrested in Tehran last year. The memo says the Embassy 'encouraged further...proposals for academic symposia or workshops drawing on (names
deleted)'s networks within Iranian academia and unofficial policy circles.' The embassy cable says the projects put forward for funding in 2008 were 'likely to attract broad participation from individuals and non-governmental organisations in Iran, in some part due to the political cover among contacts within Iran which Durham has apparently been able to generate' and that all output would be published online and in Farsi, to be distributed in Iran. Particular interest was paid to attracting the participation of Iranian local officials in order to understand how politics works on a grassroots level. Durham confirmed the existence of the link between the university and the US government saying that their 'academic autonomy' had not be comprised by the exchange and they would consider applying for funding for projects again. They acknowledged that the recent arrests of former Durham students in Iran were due to their connections with the university but they did not know how the release of the cables would affect their detention. In regard to the safety of current Iranian Durham students, the university said it was 'committed to dialogue... and will support them in discussing any concerns'.
Freddie Herzog Reporter
A memo posted on the National Union of Students website has been criticised for advising student leaders to 'engage' with university leaders instead of just campaigning for lower fees. This is a marked difference from the Union's comments while the student protests over tuition fee rises were taking place, when the rise in fees was described as 'unfair' by Aaron Porter, the NUS President. The memo gives a detailed breakdown of the new system including assessing the way universities might be thinking as they come to set fees for the 2012/13 academic year. It says: 'Recognising that simply campaigning for a low fee might not generate the results you require (especially inside the Russell and 1994 group), NUS would recommend you engage in detailed discussions with councils and execs to discuss the issues at stake before engaging in detailed discussions' and that the system will be 'relatively progressive.' One of the main criticisms of the memo has come from Rahul Mansigani, the President of Cambridge University Students' Union who said: 'It is disappointing that anyone views as progres-
sive a scheme the NUS, Cambridge University Student Union and students up and down the country campaigned against. 'The new fee system shifts the funding burden from the government into vast debts for students, and is a cynical and damaging attack on our university system.' The NUS is still opposed to
fee rises and insists there has been no change in its position, according to its President. Aaron Porter said: 'The system is baffling, chaotic and shortsighted – so our advice to students' unions is to secure the maximum clarity and value from the fees their university will set.'
Mike Roberts
NUS protest in London
Redbrick meets Brum's University Challenge team Charlotte Lytton and Kerrina Gray talk to two members of Birmingham's team
On Saturday four students will make history as the first team from the University of Birmingham to make the televised stage of quiz programme University Challenge. Oliver Jeacock, a third year Chemistry student, is captaining what he hopes will be the show's next winning team... How did you come to be team captain? We played rock, paper, scissors to decide who it would be. There's a lot of pressure and organisation that goes into being the team captain: I've had to juggle arranging travel and accommodation for the competition with my studies as well as liaising with the Guild, so there's been a lot to do. What was the audition process like? The first audition stage consisted of an open test in the Guild, which was attended by around 70 people. We also had a group interview
at the studio with a team from Warwick before getting the news that we'd made it through – only 28 out of 130 make it. They were quite geeky, really. I think we're more laid back! What do you think the team's strong and weak areas are?
Paxman? Our strategy is to just treat him like a normal person – he's got just as many weaknesses as everyone else. We'll just go there to have a good time, and not get intimidated by him if he starts getting a bit shouty! We want to
have a laugh and it's really about the experience above all else. Tom Farrell, first year Physics student, is the team's only fresher.
Well I've been watching it for years, and I think it's one of the best things on TV... however geeky that sounds! So really I just loved the idea of actually getting to go on and do the whole thing.
What made you first apply for University Challenge?
Were you surprised that you made it onto the team?
We're probably a bit weak on the arts side of things – if a picture or music round comes up, we'll just sit back and let the other team take over! I think we'll be strong on science, history and geography.
Yeah definitely! Especially considering the number of people who were there for the selection and the kind of questions they used, I didn't think I had a chance. Also the fact that I'm first-year, I thought I'd have to be trying a few times to even get near.
How do you rate your chances in the competition?
What have you been doing to prepare for the show?
We won't know what our chances of winning are like until we get there, and we haven't really practiced as a team much. It could well be that we come across a college who have won before. If we get a good draw, we could easily get through to the second round. How do you plan to deal with
Just general reading really: reference books, newspapers etc. and trying to absorb as much general information as possible. I've also been doing whatever pub quizzes are around and watching as much University Challenge as possible! The Birmingham team will face Jeremy Paxman on Saturday
News 5
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Redbrick
Editors – Helen Crane, Glen Moutrie and Anna Hughes
Edwina Moorhouse
7
The number of consecutive quarterly decreases that Wal-Mart have experienced in the US.
25.9
The amount in pence pranksters changed the sign indicating petrol prices to in Dorset. They also changed the diesel sign to read 'LOL'.
Campus extremism James Brilliant Reporter
A new report calls on universities to stay vigilant to campus extremism whilst protecting freedom of speech. Universities UK launched a review into campus extremism in the wake of two failed terrorist plots conceived by students of British universities. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a former student of University College London (UCL) and president of the university's Islamic Society, attempted to blow up a transatlantic flight to Detroit on Christmas Day 2009. Taimour Abdulwahab alAbdaly, a former student at the University of Bedfordshire, killed himself when he detonated his explosive device in Stockholm. The attacks have led to fears that both men may have been radicalised on their respective campuses, with Prime Minister David Cameron declaring more needed to be done to 'de-radicalise our universities.' Professor Malcom Grant, chair of the Working Group, called on universities to review their protocols regarding campus security and invitations to external speakers to ensure the 'welfare of students, staff and the wider community.' However, the updated guidance also makes clear the legal
obligations universities face in protecting freedom of speech and equality, which he argues are 'fundamental to their functioning'. In January 2010 Azzam Tamini, a Palestinian academic who said blowing himself up against Israel would be a 'noble cause', was invited to speak at the University by the Islamic Society. In response to strong criticism regarding the invitation from the Centre for Social Cohesion, a think tank that highlights Islamic radicalism in Britain, the University defended the talk, stating 'Universities are plural societies which are home to differences of opinion, debate and views.' The review recommended universities work more closely with the police; of the 40 that responded to the survey, half said they had regular contact with counter-terrorism officers and nearly all had regular contact with the police. West Midlands Police were unable to reveal whether Special Branch officers were operating on University campus, although University security said they were unaware of any Special Branch activity at the University. The security team was also keen to stress that they encounter no serious issues regarding extremism of any form on campus, and that there is good communication between different societies.
Senior Reporter
After overseeing a tumultuous few months for the NUS, current President Aaron Porter has announced he will not stand for re-election in April. Mr Porter has faced a torrent of criticism in his handling of the protests and the action taken by the NUS in the fight against tuition fees increasing to potentially £9,000 per year. He is stepping down amid concerns that individuals have increased their personal attacks on the 26 year old President. A recent incident cited by the Guardian was his cancelled talk at a rally in Manchester after he was subjected to verbal abuse, including some remarks he called 'antiSemitic' although he himself is not Jewish. He said that the pressure from some individuals, such as the ones in Manchester or more radical students, has become an 'occupational hazard' and he has 'had to grow a thick skin.' Mr Porter, who is a member of the Labour Party, played an important role in the pledge against a rise in tuition fees signed by the Liberal Democrats before the
last general election in 2010. The proposed, and now implemented, changes in policy led to widespread student protest including the one in London last November, which ended in violence and vandalism. In light of this and the later protest in December, Mr Porter condemned the violence and made a conscious effort to distance himself and the NUS from such action. This had a knock on effect with his leadership as he began 'a battle on two fronts' according to the BBC, as he tried to mediate between the students and Government. Despite reports that he felt confident enough to win a re-election, Mr Porter emailed members explaining 'After considerable soul searching, I believe there needs to be a new presi-
6
The percentage decrease in pregnancy rates in under18s in the past year, meeting levels not seen since the 1980s
Library hours to be extended
Continued from page 1: the University provides must adapt to these changes. ‘The promise to deliver opening times befitting of the 21st century has long been the stuff of officer election manifestos but Finally, thanks to the hard work of staff at the University and their willingness to listen to the views and needs of students, the lobbying has paid off. ‘We would like to express our
gratitude, not only to the decision makers, but also to the Library staff whose flexibility and willingness to work less sociable hours has made such a big improvement possible.’ Upon hearing the news, second year Business Management student Scott Brierley stated: 'I'm so happy that the library has finally extended their opening hours. This will be such a relief when it comes to those long essay and
dent to lead the student movement into that next phase.' He has expressed his feelings on the campaign moving 'into a different landscape' – a landscape that requires a 'fresh start' and a new leader. As for his successor, he hopes that a candidate will step forward who can represent mainstream student opinion without bending to vocal extremists. Currently, a member of the Socialist Workers Party, the vice-president of the NUS and the head of NUS Scotland have all put themselves forward for the position.
Aaron Porter Age: 26 Course: BA English Literature at the University of Leicester Previous editor of his University paper 'Ripple' Picture from ucloccupation@flickr
revision sessions.' Second year Psychology student Lauren Currier stated: 'I think that extending library hours is a really good idea, as I often find it a struggle to revise at home with so many distractions. Having a peaceful place to go for an evening's revision session is great news!' For up to date information, students are advised to check the Library services website at www. library.bham.ac.uk.
Freddie Herzog
University Main Library
NUS President Aaron Porter will not run for re-elections Edwina Moorhouse
3
The number of people arrested for threatening to blackmail Coleen Rooney over baby photos of son Kai.
Academic positions demand more PhDs Ryan Jones Reporter
There is growing demand from UK universities for their respective new academics to hold doctorates. Doctorates, or PhDs as they are also known, are likely to become increasingly significant within higher education given the proposed changes to university funding in the coming years. Some argue that the removal of the cap on tuition fees will make the UK university system increasingly market orientated and perhaps even more price competitive. Prospective students are likely to take greater consideration with respect to the proportion of PhDs amongst staff when initially deciding upon a university; more so given the ultimately greater financial burden. There are already a few UK universities, such as City University London, who have made a PhD amongst their prospective new scholars an entry requirement. As a consequence of higher education funding reform, this initiative could soon be one that is undertaken by other UK universities. According to statistics provid-
ed by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, the overall proportion of UK academic staff with doctorates rose from 48% in 200405 to 50.1% in 2009-10. Statistics show that in the last five years, the proportion of academics with PhDs in pre-1992 universities has increased from 60.4% to 62.7%. In post-1992 universities, the increase has not been as great; rising from 27.6% to 29%. Chief Executive, Pam Tatlow, has responded to the statistics, arguing that post-1992 universities differ because they are more professionally orientated. She goes on to say there is 'actually a distortion because academic staff can be highly qualified in their field and recruited from industry or elsewhere, but do not necessarily have doctorates: of course, doctorates give no indication as to how well anyone performs in teaching.' Wendy Piatt of the Russell Group of universities has said that the greater proportion of PhD academics 'has been the case at Russell Group universities for many years. Providing a first-class teaching and learning experience is vitally important to our universities.'
6 redbrickonline.co.uk
25th February 2011
Redbrick
Comment & Features Editorial Sam Langtree Derputy Editor
Students, sick and Selly Oak Amanda Callaghan ponders on the love/hate relationship we have with our home away from home
Libyan Politics More political turmoil within Africa inside a month. This hugely sweeping generalisation would of course be about Libya, fresh from the unrest and trauma in Egypt. Many of us, generally ignorant of the goings on within international politics would be unfamiliar with the name Muammar al-Gaddafi, military leader of Libya since 1969. He has, over the decades been seen creating a perceived democracy when in reality he has had almost complete say on all political decisions since taking power. Initially an appealing and bohemian character, his flamboyant dress sense (think Mary Poppins meets Michael Jackson), large grey sunglasses and posse of exclusively female bodyguards (the Amazonian Guard, essentially ninjas for all the martial art and fire arm training they're rumoured to possess) make him comparable to Charlie of Charlie's Angels and Gene Simmons (especially in appearance) and over the years he has proven to be an 'interesting' leader with his heavy of use sanctions, essentially bringing to its knees the country with the largest oil supplies in Africa. If you wish to view the bohemian weirdness of Gaddafi's logic then I suggest you hit up Youtube and look for his most recent speech, made Wednesday night and a culmination of four decades of cryptic and bizarre logic. Urging his loyalists to 'take to the streets' rather than himself step down, Gaddafi has only further ensured that more bloodshed will continue within his country. His response to the rioting and civil unease showed not a hint of regret, only complete and utter rage that his leadership should be questioned. This is just as harrowing as the violence and conflict outside on the streets of Benghazi, Libya's second city, where over 300 people have already been killed. As always, whenever a political outbreak in a third world country occurs our newspapers are always more interested in reporting on the Britons being rescued, staying around long enough to grab a few photos to made into a streamed gallery on a website. What is important to remember is that this is in fact the culmination of 40 years of poor international relations and heavyhanded careless oil deals. As with any political or social upheaval in a lesser economically developed country, our media will already have turned its eyes onto the next international event. I won't be so pompous as to ask all you readers to keep the Libyan issues at the forefront of your thoughts but I hope that future military coups and revolutions don't lead to mass trauma and death nearly half a century down the line.
I
stepped outside of my student house in the heart of Selly Oak yesterday and glanced inside a large Tupperware container that was discarded by my doorstep. I recoiled and gasped as, to my horror, the object inside was particularly sinister indeed. Curled up and lurking within the container was a colossal piece of faecal matter. On further inspection my disgust only intensified as it appeared the familiar characteristics of the 'turd' in question meant I had no choice but to accept it was more than likely human in origin. I was en route to a seminar at a world ranked academic institution to discuss the nuances of the British Political system and greeting me at my door there it was: bowel movement in a bowl. My housemates and I discussed the evidence over dinner that evening and concluded that a fellow student was probably guilty of the hideous crime. After a particularly heavy night out some morally corrupt individual had, perhaps for a dare or due to a personal emergen-
cy, taken the liberty to relieve him/ herself at my doorstop. Perhaps the worst thing about the situation we all agreed was that the incident was not uncommon for the area. It is a rite of passage after the relative comfort of the Vale or other student accommodation that in second year we will move to the mean streets of Selly Oak. For the first time ever we act as adults and have to organise utility bills and harangue dodgy landlords to please, please replace defunct smoke de-
'My disgust only intensified as it appeared the familiar characteristics of the 'turd' in question meant I had no choice but to accept it was more than likely human in origin'
tectors or fix broken beds. Perhaps as a backlash to this responsibility, loutish first year behaviour is replaced by more loutish second year antics. One only has to take a casual afternoon stroll down Dawlish road to see puddles of vomit and urine and Rooster house chicken splattered against car windows. Anti-social behaviour is rife and it is a given that the neighbours will choose to host a house party the night before an important exam. Drum and Bass music will pulsate through the thin walls to your bedroom until dawn. We haven't even began to discuss the subject of crime yet. A new Facebook application allows us to see the reported illegal activity that has occurred within a one-mile radius of our homes in the past year. I am too terrified to find out the results but let us assume for the sake of argument we are probably be more likely to be the victim of crime living in Selly Oak than if we lived in Beirut. So, we are forced to ask, why do we continue to live here? A few of us choose the sanc-
tuary of Harborne instead but these tend to be medical students or post-graduates. The fact of the matter is Selly Oak has an endearing charm that, while hard to place our finger on, does definitely exist. Arguably places like Stratford-upon-Avon or an idyllic rural town somewhere in the Cotswolds possess charming characteristics that are easier to identify with. This may be true, or let's face it, is true. However, we have the rest of our lives to live in such locations so instead of finding fault with Selly Oak I suggest embracing the rough and ready culture while we have the opportunity. So, next time you walk down the Bristol road and inhale the wholesome aromas of traffic fumes and chip fat with the faint but distinct hint of marijuana take a deep breath and smile. One day you'll be probably be living in dull suburbia with perfectly manicured hedges, two and half children and a Labrador, and you're really going to miss this.
To tweet or not to tweet Twitter's virtue: will it last like this over-used Shakespeare parody? Olivia Thomson Commentator
An obvious headline, I know, but this is a question that is faced by every student with each fly-poster and computer screen. In the five years since its birth, Twitter has amassed over 175 million users and continues to be a familiar icon on the web pages of various businesses and companies, despite recent reports of a dip in profits. A frequently observed peculiarity is the fact that Twitter has been valued at approximately $10bn (£6bn) this week as Facebook and Google rear their powerful heads in interest, apparently indifferent to said losses. Though Twitter is regularly described as a 'social media site', and therefore immediately comparable to Facebook (whose superior popularity is evident with its 600m users), notable differences perhaps contribute to the belief that it is a potential goldmine in what has been termed a new wave of dotcom boom (The Observer, 20th February 2011). While usually mentioned in the same breath as Facebook, Twitter's own 'about' page explicitly describes itself as an 'information network' that connects users with updates about their choice of subjects. In the public domain, this often means news of celebrities or public figures; however, one of Twitter's most significant successes is its use in business, for companies to promote awareness and recognition of their products and brand values. Whether students decide to tweet or not often directly depends on whether their particular inter-
ests or prospective careers correlate with the perceived benefits of Twitter and its existing users. One would assume that the large majority of students have Facebook, bringing them interpersonal, private connections with friends (in features such as tagging) and communities identified by the joining of groups and fan pages. Twitter has much more of a public focus, having specific appeal to the public faces of companies, celebrities and professionals, particularly in the media industry. A Birmingham student and GTV member with her eye on a career in television production recognises the value of Twitter in this profession: 'It's good because you can gauge the opinions of lots of people very quickly; it's concise.' She plans to get Twitter soon to help keep up to date about the media industry, and to generate eventual recognition of her own name and views, but agrees that Facebook offers a lot more for students. Andrew Ward, Birmingham
alumnus and now IT freelancer used Twitter as a student to receive updates about development in the technology industry, and now additionally uses it from a business perspective. 'I can gain followers by tweeting technology advice or recent developments, and then redirect people to my own webpage', whilst others may offer links to a personal blog. His partner Aimee Spinks, a photographer, uses Twitter to update her clients about their commissions. For students, Twitter will never achieve the online presence of Facebook in terms of social networking. It can, however, be of particular use when a potential career demands a public profile; Twitter's own belief in its effectiveness for business is clearly identifiable on its information pages. If you are considering a career in media or culture, the benefits of providing the public with a short reminder of your presence and opinions are obvious; ultimately, it is not the place for detailed private profiles.
Freddie Herzog
Seeking true asylum
Current legislation makes it illegal for illegal for asylum seekers to work before they've achieved refugee status. This has to change Marie Southall Commentator
Around 80% of the world's refugees are living in developing countries. It is often the educated, wealthy and mobile which make it across the borders to the UK. These are people with skill sets and knowledge that this country can harness for its own improvement. They are often motivated individuals who give a lot back to their community. Take, for example, St. Chad's Sanctuary (a local Birmingham Charity): out of the 30 or so volunteers, over half of them are asylum seekers. These are people with pride, who, if given the option, would not take benefit if they had an alternative source of income. In 2009 there were 24,250 asylum applications to the UK. Unlike economic migrants, it is illegal for asylum seekers to undertake paid employment whilst awaiting refugee status. The government's aim is to make the UK less attractive to those seeking asylum; however as the majority of asylum seekers are unaware of the application process before they enter the UK, this is clearly not the case. The lengthy paperwork, poor benefits and the great contribution that asylum seekers can make to society, forms evidence to why this policy should
Comment & Features 7
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be changed. An asylum seeker who is awaiting a decision on their claim is entitled to £35 per week. This is the equivalent of 70% of income support given to a British citizen. With rising food and heating costs, £35 is not enough to live on. Through employment, asylum seekers could
30 %
The reduction in number of those seeking asylum in the UK over the past year
improve their standard of living whilst contributing to tax and national insurance. This means that state services like the NHS would not face the lengthy paper work process currently in place for asylum seekers to seek medical care. Ultimately employed asylum seek-
ers would be less of a financial burden on the state and national services. Another reason to consider involves human rights. Asylum seekers, like any individual, should be entitled to running water and a roof over their heads. It can take several years to process an application, during which the sporadic provision of benefits and housing is not uncommon. To remove their right to work means they have no method of improving their life situation and so are forced to rely on charity from the likes of the Red Cross and Refugee Council. Ideally the application process needs to be shortened; and through employment, asylum seekers would have the opportunity to help themselves. In this time of government purse tightening, it seems absurd to be prohibiting the work of able individuals. If an asylum seekers claim is accepted, they have already been integrated into the work place. If their claim is rejected, they will make tax contributions to assist with government costs for asylum seeker provision. The inadequacy of the current system shows the need for reform. By allowing asylum seekers the right to work, they are allowed the right to help themselves and others alike.
Why do we expect less from the famous?
Downing Street on Flickr Matt Flatman Commentator
Imagine the following scenario: a man breaks down in his car on a busy road whilst taking his kids to school. Fortunately, a second man stops. He is a Good Samaritan and helps out the family man by pushing their car to safety. As far as it goes, this scenario doesn't seem newsworthy. However, substitute the second man, the faceless Good Samaritan, with David Beckham and you have yourself a story. This was the case last week when Paul Long broke down and was assisted by none other than footballer and one man brand, David Beckham. Now the substitution in the above scenario is quite significant. Beckham is about as far removed from the faceless individual as is conceivably possible. He is probably one of the most recognisable and famed figures in the whole world. Here is a man whose life seems to attract the spotlight in its every aspect, a man who can generate headlines by getting his hair cut. So in some respects it seems natural that a good turn by such a famous figure would become news. But I think there is something else going on here. Listening to the enamoured public response to the man and his charitable actions would confirm as much. The consensus was that David Beckham ticks many boxes: he is a hero, a legend, an ambassador for the country and much more besides. But surprisingly, his most acclaimed attribute seemed to be his ordinariness. The public were enamoured with the impression that he is 'normal, just like the rest of us.' Now this notion is a bit misled. He's not really just like the rest of us; there are some definite disparities. After all, most of us aren't multi-millionaires who haven't had successful football careers and don't get money thrown at us to sit around in Speedos. But the contention is that, despite these trivial discrepancies from the average life, Beckham is just a normal guy. 'Normality' is not usually considered particularly praiseworthy, but somehow it is when predicated to David Beckham. You could choose some other seemingly tame characteristics that transform into bona fide virtues when applied to the man, like being 'nice' or having 'no ego'. Being normal, it seems, is only praiseworthy if you are assumed not to be. Or in other words,
if you are sufficiently famous. Because of this, celebrities are always trying to convince us of their normalness whilst playing down their fame. Ironically, such pretence seems to be good for their profile and publicity. After all, no one wants to see a smug millionaire gloating about all their success and privileges. But despite the praise and respect they may attain by playing the ordinary card, it seems people cannot bring themselves to treat the rich and famous normally. This is evidenced by the case of Good Samaritan Beckham. Poor Paul Long couldn't help himself, he was 'awestruck' and the words just fell out. In attempting to express his gratitude, he said, 'Thank you David, I love you'. He then proceeded to call into a national radio station to relay the story and convey his admiration for Beckham. Such behaviour is quite far removed from normal transactions. But the strange thing is that
Being normal, it seems, is only praiseworthy if you are assumed not to be. Or in other words, if you are sufficiently famous Paul Long's words and conduct are strangely understandable. In our society, the rich and famous are elevated to such giddy heights that when they lower themselves to help out one of us, one of the vulgar public, we feel genuinely humbled. The obsession with celebrity culture implicitly assumes that their time is significantly more precious than ours. It is possible that Beckham was forgoing some really important commitments to help out Mr Long. He could have been on his way to a meeting with the Prime Minister or Prince William. But it is equally possible that he was just on his way to getting another haircut. Of course, David Beckham should be congratulated for a generous act but let's not get hysterical about it. He is, after all, just a normal guy.
8 Comment & Features
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Producers are focusing on controversy only for a reaction Anisa Ather Commentator
Two weeks ago Channel 4's Dispatches ran a programme called Lessons in Hate and Violence, focusing on extremism and abuse in British madrassas (Islamic schools or classes, often held in mosques). They secretly filmed in Markazi Jamia mosque in Keighley, West Yorkshire, and in Darul Uloom Islamic High School in Birmingham. Undercover footage showed teachers preaching 'religious apartheid and social segregation', while indoctrinating their students with extremist values. Furthermore, in the mosque in West Yorkshire, scenes were repeatedly played with a teacher threatening to hit a disobedient child with a bench, and hitting several other children in the class also. Like the previous Dispatches programme, Undercover Mosque, which was filmed in January 2007, Lessons in Hate and Violence was designed to shock audiences into reacting, condemning and pointing the finger. After the programme was transmitted, Muslim groups responded immediately. The British Muslim Forum condemned the abuse and intolerance shown
in the aforementioned madrassas but said that such incidents and attitudes were not widespread in the two thousand or more Islamic institutions across Britain. It urged Channel 4 not to 'fall in the trap of 'Islam bashing' or creating fear, hatred and racism against Muslims and their holy faith, as has become fashionable these days by overgeneralising and exaggerating such isolated incidents.' However, this appeal seems to have been made far too late, as Channel 4's Dispatches, along with BBC's Panorama, have become notorious for doing just this. Research into the making of the documentary revealed some surprising facts. Immediately after the programme was transmitted Birmingham's Darul Uloom School published an official press release on their website to address the incidents of intolerance exposed on the programme. They say that 'Channel 4 has attempted to portray the school in a light completely contrary to its ethos by selectively quoting a few comments from some teachers, surreptitiously recorded over a period longer than two years, and replaying repeatedly throughout the whole programme.' According to the school, they had 'already taken full
remedial action many months ago,' against the extremist teachers who spoke to their pupils, which included the dismissals of staff. The fact that the producers were fully aware that the matters had been dealt with thoroughly yet still went ahead and produced the show, 'demonstrates their ill-intent.' John Hemming, the Liberal Democrat MP for Birmingham Yardley, supports the school's claim. He criticised the documentary, saying: 'If Channel 4 thinks this is a school where racism and intolerance is accepted in any way, they have got their facts seriously wrong. This kind of documentary is ideal fodder for the [far-right] English Defence League. Channel 4 is putting the safety of children at risk by criticising a school which is doing its job properly.' If the above is true then Channel 4 has some serious allegations to address, putting the children at risk from school attacks and threats, including a recent firebomb threat. However the producers of the show are adamant that by exposing the school's 'extremist' thinking they have done the opposite. A Channel 4 spokesman defended the programme by saying the comments made in the programme 'speak for themselves.'
Italy's problems don't begin and end with Berlusconi and his sexism Eleanor Smallwood Commentator
If you were one of the many who were scandalized at the leader of Italy's latest shenanigans, you can't be blamed. You would, in fact, have similar views to the hundreds of thousands of Italians who flooded the streets of two-hundred cities in the country just days before Silvio Berlusconi was ordered to face trial. It is thought that, with numbers close to a million, protesters raged at their leader's alleged disrespect for women, his serial fecklessness and the prospect of an ancient relic attempting to have so much fun. Many of us will have rolled our eyes on hearing the prime minister's response to the anger across the country, insisting he has always been able to make women feel 'special'. That said, with a nation up in arms about a sex scandal, it can be easy to forget that these recent antics are merely the representative of the tip of an impressive iceberg when it comes to the country's numerous problems. If we take a look at the Italy which has existed during Berlusconi's time in office, the issues are quite clear. For one, less than 50 per cent of women are in employment, giving the country the lowest ratio of working women within the European Union. True, Catholics being the largest religious group will by far influence this, but this
46%
cannot excuse the lack of social mobility, the young people nationwide out of work, and the crippling national debt. The political climate isn't ideal either: politics are intensely polarised, prominent party the Northern League in constant denial about the problems of an impoverished Mezzogiorno (Southern Italy). It is thought that sixty per cent of voters in Italy would prefer the prime minister to resign now regardless of who was in power. At the heart of everything we have a country led by a media tycoon with alleged links to the Mafia; with the south of the country still plagued with organised crime, there are lots of ways in which Berlusconi is far from an appropriate leader. Bearing all of this in mind, the idea of change would seem undeniably good. Berlusconi's three spells in power, totalling seventeen years, have seen him tightening his grip on the media as well as his deceitful use of power to change laws for his own advantage. He may be forced to address his most recent accusations by the justice system, but his record stands in his favour: not once has this man been definitively convicted.
What's more, in Egypt we have seen a similarly long-standing leader resign due to the masses taking a stand. The protesters in North Africa have shown us all that the public can drive changes of massive proportions, but what would it take for Italy to do the same? And how has this charlatan managed to remain in power, time after time quashing disagreement with accusations of leftist plots and smear campaigns by his commercial and political rivals? Perhaps Berlusconi's immoral behaviour is catching up with him, now he may face justice. Maybe Bunga-Bunga will beat its way to and through the doors to the courtroom. But the real crimes; the neglect to his country and its lost years will never be got back. The collective blushing of a country which has had to hang its head for the shame of it all will surely last for decades. The only real fixing which can be done is for Italy's people to look to their future and envisage it without the seventy-four-year-old Lothario at the helm.
the proportion of Italian women in work Photo: Mauricio Macri on Flickr
Emily Guy While refusing to take the blame for this, Channel 4 are guilty of one thing, and that's adding fuel to the fire when it comes to the issue of Islamophobia. When watching the programme, I did wonder why so many of the same scenes had been repeated. For example, a scene filmed in Markazi Jamia mosque where a teacher threatens to hit a boy with a bench was replayed
about five times. And likewise, in Birmingham's Darul Uloom School, a scene of a teacher preaching social segregation and religious intolerance was repeated at least three times. Overall, it felt like the producers were vigorously homing in on the madrassas' most controversial moments to provoke a reaction from viewers and to create a shock factor.
Academic hierarchy
The archaic model which values sciences over the arts no longer has a place in society and must be revised Oscar French Commentator
It is a perception that pervades every developed culture on earth; scientific study is ultimately more valuable, demanding and prestigious than the arts. Although impressed upon us with belligerence from an early age, this attitude is at its most prevalent within the sphere of university. Ill-informed judgement is rife and as an arts student it is almost a rite of passage to have aspersions cast upon your intellect. While we are all guilty of generalisation, this is one view which threatens to undermine the growing importance of the arts sector in contemporary civilization. On paper it may seem like reasonable thinking; a student studying medicine will in all probability attend more lectures in their first term than an English undergraduate tackles throughout the entirety of their degree. It would be only too obvious to retort that this does not take into account the copious independent study assignments and reading undertaken during the latter subject, but this is missing the point. The roots of this debate do not stem from empirical observations, but from an archaic model of education which inherently produces subject snobbery and misconceptions of intelligence. Our nationalised school system, like the majority of others worldwide was brought into existence to meet the needs of industrialism. Development at this societal stage was powered by its engineers and physical scientists, rendering the subject area a fundamental priority in education. It is undeniable that science's role today is just as essential; it is equally undeniable, though, that we now rely on a much wider base of skill sets and disciplines. Despite this, the changes made to our school sys-
tem in the past one hundred years are arguably no more than cosmetic, and universities are to blame. By definition, a university is an institution of academia and subsequently they readily lend themselves to the quantifiable fields of scientific study. It is hardly surprising, then, to find a synonymy between their league table position and reputation for science. Schools, as a consequence continue to enforce the century old subject ranking in their desperate bid to get as many as possible into the best universities. This has given rise to the presumption that science students enjoy a significant advantage in the graduate jobs market. This is, however, misguided, as is demonstrated by HESA (Higher Education Statistics Authority) figures published in 2010. Last year, for example, there were 21,485 students graduating from creative arts courses and 9,195 from physical sciences. Whilst the latter group had a two per cent higher rate of employment it still means that over 10,000 more creative arts students were employed. It may be marginally more competitive in the arts, but there are also many more jobs available. Modern society increasingly requires the transferable skills attained during arts degrees as the creative industries continue to expand. It is vital that we cease to value scientific prowess as the pinnacle of intelligence when it is merely one facet. This must begin with the universities. The first step should be to drop degree suffixes, so sciences, law, arts and philosophy share a singular, equal classification of 'bachelors' or 'masters'. The challenges of tomorrow will depend on a diversity not a hierarchy of talent and our education systems need to reflect this today.
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Comment & Features 9
Economics
How do you solve a problem like...
EU: the problem of Portugal
Richard Dawkins
Speculative attacks on peripheral EU countries highlight the macroeconomic imbalances at the heart of the Union
by Alexander Blanchard
Oliver MacArthur Commentator
The recent speculative attack on Portugal represents the next chapter of Europe's continuing sovereign debt problem. Ominously, Portugal's problems bear resemblance to Greece and Ireland. This presents European policymakers with several policy dilemmas and many hard choices. Unless there is bold, decisive action from European leaders – the Eurozone will be condemned to ruin. The entire European project is under threat. Recently, the yield on 10-year Portuguese bonds rose to 7.63 per cent – the highest rate since Portugal entered the Euro. The bond yield reflects the market's lack of confidence in Portugal; higher yields reflect greater levels of risk associated with lending to Portugal. Portuguese officials have previously suggested that any yield above seven per cent will require bailout. The country has fallen victim to a similar speculative attack that undermined Greece and Ireland. This development prompted the European Central Bank (ECB) to buy bonds in order to relieve the pressure surrounding Portugal. Growth potential, a key indicator of future prosperity, has recently been reduced by rising labour costs and a poor export performance – a poisonous recipe for economic growth. 'A bailout for Portugal is inevitable – foreigners own 80 per cent of Portuguese debt and they have decided to stop lending to Portugal', said Jonathan Tepper, chief editor at Variant Perception, a research firm in London. A bailout from the EU and IMF, which would remove Portugal from the sovereign funding markets for some years, will inevitably be accompanied by stringent oversight from the IMF and EU. The threat from Left Bloc, a smaller party within the government's coalition, to withdraw from parliament in response to budget cuts leaves Portugal in the wilderness. The rising pressure on Portugal has prompted poorer outlook towards Spain and Belgium, who both suffer from stagnant growth and high levels of debt. Many news stories highlight the
The claims of national politicians to fight for their rights in the European parliament sadly undermine the multilateral aims of the union
Stronger leadership from Merkel and Sarkozy needed? poor economic performance of Portugal harming its bond ratings; however, the standard analysis negates the inherent imbalances at the heart of the union. Rather than poor Portuguese economic management, the continuing split between the core and periphery directly contributes towards the problem of sovereign debt crisis. Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the ECB, has suggested that bailouts will be repeatedly necessary if the union refuses to transfer wealth across borders. In
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this respect, greater use of regional stability funds towards under-performing areas appears essential to assuage economic imbalances within the Union. France and Germany continue to outperform the peripheral countries, indirectly benefiting from the weakness of the periphery which drives down the European currency and fuels Franco-German exports. Oddly enough, the domestic bias contributes directly to the sovereign debt crises – multilateral problems require multilateral solutions, sim-
ply bailing-out countries' papers over the widening cracks at the heart of the European project. Greater selflessness is needed to distribute the benefits of growth throughout the union; the claims of national politicians to fight for their rights in the European parliament sadly undermine the multilateral aims of the union. Without radical reform such as the harmonisation of tax laws, expansion of the single market programme and union-wide budget decisions, economic imbalances will remain pervasive. Peripheral countries are unable to devalue yet will find the process of leaving the union extremely difficult. At the moment, peripheral Eurozone countries are trapped between a rock and a hard place. There is not enough money left to simply bail-out Spain and Belgium. Decisive action is needed in order to prevent the Eurozone from descending into meltdown. Greater leadership is needed from Merkel and Sarkozy in order to avert disaster. A monetary union must be accompanied by total economic and political union, halfmeasures appear unsustainable. There are two choices: greater European integration or abandonment of the EU project, simply floating along in purgatory is not a viable option. The great John Maynard Keynes said, 'The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency.' European politicians would do well to heed his warning.
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As is the case with religion, the worst advertisement for Atheism is its most notable adherents. Richard Dawkins is uniquely placed as being one of the few atheists who stand more as an asset to organised religion than a potential threat to it. Any indeterminate amount of time spent listening to his obstinate ramblings or his self-assured attacks on religion leave you with a profound hope in the existence of God, if only to wipe the smugness from his face. What is most problematic about Dawkins is to be found in his opponents and their incompetence in challenging him. Despite there being a number of accomplished philosophers and thinkers in a position to engage Dawkins in penetrating debate – for example Theologist Richard Swinburne, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy Oxford – the kind of opponents we see Dawkins pitted against in the media seem nothing but straw men. A notable case was that of American Anchorman Bill O'Reilly, who, in debate with Dawkins, pointed to tidal movements as proof in the existence of God.
Pitting Dawkins against those who have never had to engage in academic debate has consequently elevated him to a position comparable to that of a deity within atheism. This is not to deny the soundness of Dawkins' arguments, nor the ills for which organised religion should be chastised – there is, for example, something undeniably twisted about the Christian faith's view of humanity, in which we are created sick and commanded to be good. It is instead to highlight the unmediated mass-media platform from which Dawkins is permitted to berate religion; to provide something of a defence for all those who hold faith closer to their hearts than they do rational reasoning, and for whom religion is a benevolent, guiding force. It is to expose him to betterformulated arguments than those of the cretinous right-wing press. Without this mediation Dawkins risks becoming something of an atheist crusader. Failing that we can always resort to a little trivialisation of Dawkins, a couple of t-shirts here and there emblazoned with the slogan 'Dawkins is my Homeboy' or 'Dawkins is coming, look cynical!' should do it.
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25th February 2011
Film
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Kevin Costner to appear in Superman Zack Synder and Chris Nolan are rumoured to cast Costner alongside Henry Cavill
William Fichtner discusses Drive Angry, an adrenaline rush from hell! Film Editor Matt Davis interrupts Nicholas Cage's co-star from his swim... conventional x-rated project? No, for me it is all about the story and script. I read it and just hoped that the script would become the film. What was it that made the script so alluring? My character works in hell! It's pretty cool! It's a clear slate, what shall I do with the guy? When was the last time he saw a woman or heard music? All of those things made the role really exciting, I could do what I want. Have you seen the movie? Davis: How was it working with Patrick Lucia? Fichtner: That was the joy and highlight of the whole experience, no kidding. I met Patrick two months before we started shooting, I read the script and said ' this is cool'. He's a great guy, the most un-Hollywood dude you'll ever met who's directing movies. He's a real grounded individual, a joy to be around and he's smart.
Patrick's got the 3D experience from his previous project... The 3D thing is really just technical, not really an actable thing. It was the story that he wanted to tell that was really cool. It's a hard Rrated movie, gritty and sexy and full of muscle cars. He made that movie. Was that the persuasive factor in taking on the role, this un-
It's not on the top of my list. But I have a bunch of friends in LA who wanted me to watch the premiere and then go back to the house, drink under the table and have a party! Many actors don't like to watch themselves on the screen, are you similar in that respect? It's different in television, you shoot an episode and it airs two weeks later. Invariably you remember a moment in a scene that
BAFTA's – just a mediocre Oscar's ceremony? Francis Shaw casts a scathing eye to the BAFTA award process
Do a couple of films – even meritorious juggernauts like The King's Speech and Black Swan – deserve to clean up at an award show while other worthy talents are sidelined? I say no. Despite having reviewed The King's Speech extremely positively for this paper; now I have seen what the British Academy panelists have judged (seven BAFTA's), I don't feel so happy about my single mindedness. The Colin Firth fronted period drama collected seven trophies and was the big winner at the
expense of other excellent works like Christopher Nolan's Inception and, also, arguably at the expense of the British Film industry's credibility. Samuel L. Jackson's reaction to reading the best film category winner pretty much summed it up. A knowing smirk preceded the announcement I was hoping wouldn't come. The 'Britishness' of a film had far too much influence on the judges and in this age where every project is international, this isn't a good thing. If BAFTA wants to make this ceremony the British Oscars then
they need to be less narrow-minded. It felt an awful lot like the judges had circled wagons around one film only. As a consequence it has been dismissed by the rest of the industry as a B-tier award ceremony and an excuse to pat ourselves on the back. I would wager that this will cause a backlash and most of the artistic accomplishments of the year will not gain the recognition they deserve due to an Oscars clean up by The Social Network or 127 Hours. It would appear that Christopher Nolan (pictured left) is the new Martin Scorsese. He has not received a Best Director award despite making a name for himself as the cleverest director in the business. In spite of taking a disgraced franchise and turning it into box office gold with the Batman film's, and then, following up this success, he used his wellearned freedom to surpass his previous efforts and change the face of the blockbuster with Inception. One would think that the BAFTA's would be the perfect place for him to clean house, as he is essentially Britain's golden boy director in Hollywood. Inception's musical composer and one of Hollywood's most creative musical talents (Hans Zimmer) also lost out despite consistently creating fantastic film scores and losing out repeatedly to other nominees. However, the biggest musical nomination oversight is Daft Punk for their score in Tron. If I were in on the nomination process, my desire to see two eccentric French guys dressed in Robot suits attempt to make an acceptance speech would have been enough to secure my vote.
you love, but then you watch it on TV and find they have cut it out. I think, come on you frickin' moron, why did you cut that moment! But in a film, you see it a year later and enough time has gone by where you have just let it go. You're renowned for being a character actor. Does a film come along to fit a character that's in your head? Or do you take a role that is just of interest? I never know and I don't have a set guideline. So many times my agent gives me a script that sucks. I read something yesterday on the plane and had to call my agent to ask what he was thinking! I get excited about character and I like to find that. People aren't breaking my doors down for leading roles. I found when I do get larger roles, the film is directed by those who are not from the States. Hollywood is always looking for a name, whilst foreign directors are looking for talent. I like working with foreign directors, I get better roles! (Laughs) I take it you won't tell
me who's script that was… (Laughs) – of course I can't. Has your approach to a movie changed over the years? I did a film called Contact years ago with Jodie Foster. Previously I only got small parts in films, but this was the first time I had more than a couple of moments and it changed the way I worked. All of a sudden I realised I had more time to work on the character. Now I have as much fun thinking about it as I do shooting it – working out who the guy is and coming up with something real. I just try to get that good thing going on. You were working with cars on this movie, are you a car enthuiast? I've got a 1970 Plymouth RoadRunner sitting in my garage. I love muscle cars and we had a couple of hot cars in the film. Nicholas Cage is a car guy too, so we appreciated being around that awesome machinery. The whole thing was fun. (See opposite for review)
Film News Iron Man 3
story. The film will be made in stop-motion and the animation will be in the very trustworthy hands of Mark Gustafson: the man responsible for the immaculate visual spectacle that was Fantastic Mr Fox. All this attention to detail comes at a cost though and unfortunately we won't be seeing any lie-detector noses until about 2014.
Jack the Giant Killer Tony Stark's third outing finally has a director in Shane Black, writer/director of the excellent Robert Downey Jr-starrer Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Jon Favreau directed the first two films but sadly declined a third in order to broaden his creative output, or something like that. Black and Downey worked together brilliantly on Kiss Kiss though so hopefully we'll see more of the same come Iron Man's threequel in 2013.
Pinocchio
Nicholas Hoult has been cast as titular panto hero Jack, of Beanstalk fame, in Bryan Singer's adaptation of the tale. Singer will be modernising the tale and descriptions thus far suggest epic so unfortunately there may be little opportunity for cries of 'he's behind you!'.
Dark Shadows
Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro is set to unleash his version of the classic puppet-wants-to-be-a-real-boy
The cast for Tim Burton's remake of the classic American vampire show is shaping up nicely. Michelle Pfeiffer and Burton's wife and current Oscar contender Helena Bonham Carter (surprising, huh?) have both been added to an impressive list which includes leading man Johnny Depp, Eva Green and Jackie Earle Haley.
Film 11
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Redbrick
Editors – Matt Davis, Elmley de la Cour
Reviews
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UNMISSABLE
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
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The Rite
Director: Greg Mottola Cast:Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogan, Kristen Wiig Certificate: 15 In 2008, Anvil! The Story of Anvil charted the twenty five year struggle of the eponymous metal band to achieve success, showing that despite their repeated rejection, their love of music kept them believing in their dream. This kind of story is common in the world of music, but the message given in Justin Bieber: Never Say Never is that everyone who's experienced such adversity was completely wasting their time. As the title suggests, Bieber's rise is shown to be one of great difficulty, an arduous journey which lasts for literally months, and involves Justin facing the seemingly insurmountable task of uploading a video of himself to YouTube. Needless to say, it's a laughable comparison. Obviously, Never Say Never is aimed squarely at those whose Bieber-fever has reached advanced stages, but the actual need for this film is extremely questionable. Bieber epitomises the new age of technology, and is seen Tweeting and blogging and whatever-elseing at numerous points throughout. He owes his success to YouTube, both for his initial discovery, and for his carefully cultivated image. His fans can know his every move and every thought, from the mundane ('good morning world') to the vaguely threatening ('Kill it in
Director: Mikael Håfström Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Colin O'Donoghue, Ciarán Hinds Certificate: 15 LONDON Usher. I will hold down Paris for u.'). This near unmitigated access begs the question of why make this film? The only real audience will be those who religiously follow him, and Never Say Never won't tell them or show them anything new. It may sound cynical to suggest this is entirely a money-making exercise, but the fact that the film will be re-released at the start of March with a slightly altered soundtrack is damning evidence. As a film, it caters perfectly for its target audience. There's plenty of home videos of Bieber as a kid,
so the tweens in the audience can go 'Aww,' 3D footage of Bieber's concert at Madison Square Garden is interspersed throughout, so they can go 'Aww,' and several swishy slow-mo shots of his fringe, so they can go 'Aww'. For anyone else, it offers absolutely nothing, other than a stark reminder that modern music is less about lyrics and more about pretty hair. If you're not a fan going in, you won't be a fan when you come out, unless Bieber-fever is airborne. Matthew Clough !
Drive Angry
Director: Patrick Lussier Cast: Nicholas Cage, Amber Heard, William Fichtner Certificate: 18 Until relatively recently, with the release of the My Bloody Valentine remake in 2009, Patrick Lussier was somewhat unknown. The Valentine remake, however, proved his worth as a director. Its reception was mixed, but it made over $100m. Drive Angry is his first feature with a big cast and a big budget – his '09 budget of $15m significantly enlarged to $75m – and he brings the best out of both. The 3D is nothing groundbreaking, and there are a number of scenes clearly shot to satisfy the appetites of the technology's fans, but it is always entertaining and doesn't try to be anything more.
Inspired by true events, The Rite tells the story of sceptical student, Michael (Colin O'Donoghue), who, after dealing with the death of his mother at a young age, seeks escape in seminary school. Four years later, with Michael's faith waning, he travels to Rome to undertake a course in exorcism, where he meets Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins). Hopkins gives a great performance as the expert exorcist, Lucas. Undoubtedly in his element, he manages to be touchingly faithful and surprisingly heretical, deeply serious and also incredibly
entertaining when bringing normality to the practice of exorcism. The rapid changes of tone and pace during tense scenes ensure a good few frights. Whilst establishing an effective atmosphere at the opening, director Mikael Håfström fails to maintain this through The Rite's 114 minute running time. By the end, the film descends into cliché. Still, an effective soundtrack accompanies the story's unfolding and the wide shots of Rome are breath taking. Overall, The Rite has a few nervy moments, but on the whole it walks an insipid line between thriller and horror territory without properly inhabiting either. Laura Coquereau !
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Mysterious gardening accidents
Izzy Sanders re-dons the spandex of Spinal Tap
For the Nicolas Cage fans awaiting his return to prime, unfortunately you must wait a little longer. That said, Nic on a bad day is better than most on a good, and this is one of his better films in recent years. Who couldn't enjoy a fully-clothed Cage being straddled by a fully-nude waitress, interrupted by a slow-motion gunfight in 3D? Much of Drive Angry relies on the holy trinity of action films: guns, girls, and cars. Bullets and butchers' knives fly towards you; there are some beautiful cars and impressive driving scenes, and the brilliant Amber Heard (Pineapple Express) plays the female lead, harder than a coffin nail yet with an uncompromisingly good heart. Deserving most recognition, though, is William Fichtner. Too often relegated to a minor role on
the big screen, Fichtner demonstrates his true calibre with this film. He himself has said it was one of his two favourite films to make – the other, a film called The Amateurs, released in the UK as The Moguls – and as the wittiest character in the film, it's easy to see why. It isn't just that his lines though, his delivery makes them perfect. As The Accountant from Hell (literally), his nonchalance and dark humour make him an utter show-stealer, even if he will always be listed third in the credits. Though Drive Angry is unlikely to conquer the Box Office, it's not because it doesn't deserve to. It may not be Cage's finest work, but it is definitely some of Fichtner's and Heard's. It will do nothing short of entertaining you. Kenji Lloyd !
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When it comes to the cinema, musicians rarely make good actors. That is to say that, so called 'rockumentaries' about their lives and careers can come across as flat or contrite. So desperate are they to portray their good traits (wealth, humility, obscene musical talent) that any statements of cinematic comedy and realism are lost. It is for this reason that spoofs, takeoffs of the ego and implausibility of such movies, are the only way to glean any insight or clarity into the world of these stars. This Is Spinal Tap (1984) has become a classic of the genre, charting the come-back tour of the once great, titular, heavy rock band, Spinal Tap. The format is simple; a camera crew film Tap on their tour of America. Capturing the controversy over the cover to their album, Sniff the Glove, the departure of their manager, disastrous gigs, and the catastrophic measurement failures that result in the final break up (and once again reunion) of the band. However basic
'the songs "Big Bottoms" and "Sex Farm" add authenticity to this world' this set-up might seem, it is the inherent realism of the band, while at the same time their entirely ludicrous nature, that makes the movie so enjoyable.
Considering its status as a cult classic, there are endless memorable and quotable lines throughout that hint to the audience that this world, whilst convincing, is just too mad to exist. For the ultimate in such nonsense, be sure to listen to lead guitarist Nigel musing on his possible career in a hat shop. The spoof element even extends to the music, from the sexually jubilant, Big Bottoms and Sex Farm, to the dimly surreal Stone'enge set, the soundtrack adds to the authenticity of this world. So much so, that many fans believe Tap to be an actual band, begging them to play gigs in their local area, such is the power of cinema. Witty, heart warming and still absolutely hilarious after 25 years, This is Spinal Tap is a must for everyone.
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Redbrick
25th February 2011
Arts
Redbrick Street Art Special
Keynote Speech – A conversation with Poet-Comedian Tim Key
Alexander Blanchard Arts Editor
To call Tim Key the rising star of British Comedy seems misplaced. Key's style is intimate, dishevelled and spontaneous. It relies on a proximity to the audience that
the stadiums of stardom surely couldn't bring; it would just be self-defeating. Key, instead, is part of a brand of British comedy that's archaic and cleverly worked to seem almost amateur. Winner of the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival award for bestnewcomer – something I was un-
Red at Deb Hall
Natalya Paul & Sarraounia Samuels Critics
Upon entering the set of Article 19's Red, the audience are thrust straight into a cluttered, convincing scene of paints, pots, wooden frames, canvases, brushes, splattered floors and cigarette butts; Mark Rothko's studio. Oliver Lock's initial dubious American accent was soon rectified and superseded by his uncanny likeness of Rothko and his ability to perform poignant monologues of self-conflict and the depressive state of the artist. Juxtaposed to the unstable character of Rothko, Matt Jessup's character, Ken, added energy and dimension to the play. From his initial entrance in his 'Sunday Best,' a shy, likable character with a thirst for knowledge, unravelled
able to congratulate him on during our first encounter, given the social taboo surrounding congratulatory talk at urinals. Key has since gone on to work alongside Steve Coogan in the Alan Partridge spinoff Mid Morning Matters and has taken up the post of in-house poet for Charlie Brooker's Newswipe.
Last November Key released his new album of poetry recitals on a boat accompanied by a string quartet – aptly titled With a string quartet on a boat and now Key is taking his much acclaimed tour Slutcracker around the country. As with his work on cult touring outfit, Popcorn comedy, Key's Slutcracker is a delectable selection of poems – undoubtedly the highlight – and stand-up, all underpinned by 'mood-enhancing' lounge music and interspersed with a number of Key's comedy shorts; 'It is a good bit of variety', he tells me, 'it allows me to play around, make the whole show my own, tie it into the audience.' The beauty of Key's poetry is in its ephemeral nature. There is a 'throw-away' quality about Key's poems, something whimsical, the feeling that you are experiencing something that isn't going to happen again – a feeling sustained by Key's dead-pan delivery as he sets the absurd against the mundane. This all undoubtedly arises from his writing style, 'I will just jot them down. It's like when an artist quickly makes a sketch of something; there's something about the immediacy of it, almost a sort of throw-awayness'. It's anti-poetry, almost, but don't be mistaken for thinking that it's bad; 'My Wikipedia page lists me as delivering deliberately bad poetry… It's not deliberate.' Whereas Key previously delivered his poems spontaneously, just flicking through and choosing them from his notebook, his bur-
Kathakbox at mac extraordinarily as he grew with confidence and challenged Rothko's cynicism and perception of the meaning and function of art. Jessup's character suspended disbelief throughout and gained the hearts of the audience. Following his initial struggle he goes to pursue his own career by 'making something new' rather than living in the shadow of Rothko. The great chemistry between Lock and Jessup, particularly in scenes of high drama when Ken exposes Rothko's inner fears, were integral to the success of the play. In addition, it is clear that director Rachel Van Oss, with her interest in the arts and drama, understood Logan's intentions whilst her attention to detail was commendable. The Production team succeeded in embellishing the set with a realistic portrayal of a 1950s New York Studio, including door-sized canvases which, during the performance, Rothko and his apprentice paint violently and passionately crimson red, against classical music. The clever play of lighting was fundamental to retain audience engagement and excitement. Although on a low budget, a minute cast and a small audience, Red proved to be both thought provoking and thoroughly enjoyable. It was clear that the close cast, director and producers, had worked hard in a short space of time achieving a mature and polished play.
Roy Peters Emily Priestnall Critic
Sonia Sabri's Kathakbox transported the audience into a creative cube of racial awareness inspired by the everyday task of which box to tick on a form when asked one's ethnicity. The performance was staged in a dream like state with midnight blue lighting and the set giving the illusion of actually being within a box. The audience were taken on a journey based on conflict and the gradual amalgamation and the uniting of different cultures and religious backgrounds. And so making the point that the box ticked on a form is totally irrelevant to the identity of a person. The evening included a mix
of beat boxing, hip-hop and break dancing, contemporary, kathak (a traditional Indian dance style), poetry, rap and singing. Rhythm was the essence of the evening and integrated all these styles to form 'a dialogue of artistic disciplines'. The performers used motif and development to create this ongoing theme of being trapped in a box and breaking away from that. The visually beautiful Suzanne Grubham's contemporary solo reflected not only professional training but a passion for dance that emanated through the audience making us believe every gesture, turn and fall. This contrasted with the dance-off between Sabri, using the percussive dance known as kathak, and Nathan Geering, utilising body popping and break dance, expressing their different struggles with being identified purely by their ethnicities. However, the mesmerising acapella duet with professional beat boxer, Shan Bansil, and spoken word artist and vocalist, Marcina Arnold stole the show. The rhythmical complexities combined with Arnold's traditional Indian singing would put many modern hip-hop artists to shame. Kathakbox used the idea of needing a racially aware society and made it its own. Sabri asked us to define our own identities regardless of race in what can solely be described as creative genius.
geoning oeuvre of over 1200 poems has compelled him to adapt his approach to performing; 'I said that the turning point is when it was the case that I had more notebooks than I had pockets. Now I make my selection and put them on the back of pornographic playing cards'. Instead Key maintains a feeling of spontaneity with the delivery. At the start of one show he spent the best part of five minutes delicately putting on his tie, at another reciting a deliberately bad poem before walking over to the doors and locking his audience in. On his favourite of his poems Key finds it unsurprisingly hard to decide; 'usually the most recent ones that I have done. You have some favourites that you like to return to. However, if you leave them too long and return to them it just feels like they don't work, like they've died.' Undoubtedly to become a seminal figure within the British comedy scene over the next few years, Key is one to watch out for. He comes to the Birmingham Glee club on the 25th of February and, for those who are yet to see this dishevelled bard, prepare to experience poetry as never before.
'If you had a red brick, what would you do with it?' 'I would probably write a poem on it and then build a house with it'.
Previews World Music
Ustad Yar Mohammad
The Drum 27th February £5
Ballet
La Fille Mal Gardee The Hippodrome 2nd – 5th March £15
EX TE ND ED
New Library hours Access where and when you need it
In response to student survey feedback the University will be extending the opening hours of the Main Library. Library Services has worked closely with the Guild of Students to establish the new pattern of extended hours and services for the future.
What you will find Our extended opening hours are effective for the 2011–2012 session from the start of Welcome Week to the end of exams. So, from Saturday 24 September 2011 to Friday 8 June 2012 (37 weeks) you’ll find:
n The Main Library will be open from 08:00–24:00 Monday–Friday and 08:00–20:00 Saturday and Sunday*.
n The Just Ask! chat and virtual enquiry service will be extended and available at weekends. Our main Library is staffed by trained library assistants throughout our extended opening hours. * may vary on University closed days eg. Christmas Day
Library Services will gradually be adjusting to this new pattern of opening hours and services during the summer term and are recruiting new staff to help with this now. We will proceed with our usual programme of extended opening for the exam and revision period Bank Holiday Monday 2 May–Friday 10 June 2011 inclusive.
Remember to check the Library web page and my.bham student portal
www.birmingham.ac.uk/libraries
www.my.bham.ac.uk
HO UR S!
‘We hope the combination of extended Main Library opening hours, always having trained library staff on hand, and making the Just Ask! service available for longer will allow students to make the very best use of library resources and services during their time at Birmingham.’ Diane Job – Director of Library Services
‘Longer opening hours will undoubtedly make a considerable difference to the experiences of so many students, and will significantly improve the accessibility of the Library. The extension to the Just Ask! service, which will provide additional staff support during weekend opening hours, goes above and beyond services offered at other universities. This is fantastic news for students at Birmingham.’ Dora Meredith – President of The Guild of Students
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Redbrick
25th February 2011
redbrickonline.co.uk
Birmingham Street Art EXCLUSIVE Lisk Meets the Public
James Reevell Arts Editor
If you've been to the city centre of Birmingham even once then you will have seen LiskBot, you may just not realise it. Look on any lampost and there will be a small robot intermingling amongst others. Swing round to Digbeth and see large scale versions of the bots, glimpsing around corners and covering derelict windows. Call them Lisk's invisibile army. It was in the process of creating one of his soldiers that I first met Lisk, dressed all in black on a cold, drizzling night in Digbeth. looking around intently for the authorities. Now he is sat across me in one of the city's – if not finest, then certainly cheapest – pubs surrounded by screaming children as
he introduces me to all things street art. An average unassuming guy in his mid twenties, 'Lisk' is his taggers name; he doesn't want his real identity to be known. Lisk has been stickying for seven years, and graffing since he was fourteen. He is undoubtedly one of the rising stars of the Birmingham scene. Softly spoken and modest interviewing Lisk is an odd, though pleasant experience, with most answers not really answers at all, more tangental explanations. For instance, ask him why Lisk is his tag name and his immediate response is 'oh thats a good story'. And it is, but far too long to relate fully, but then a moment of clarity appears. 'It's hard to think of a word that says what your writing is. I wanted something that was unique,
LiskBot on the Streets...
so that it was just me. And Lisk, it just rolls off the tongue doesn't it.' And back to the tangental, 'Someone said it sounds like soup, I like that.' Similarly, the story of his signature robot is just as convuluted. Initially begun by sketching breakdancers in Amsterdam, the robot became a template for Lisk. Frequently describing personal problems, and directly naming his latest romantic failure as his recognition in the scene grew, he retreated to the less intimate robots holding weapons, or a spray can suicide vest. 'I wanted to have more of a persona, I wanted my characters
to have depth. I really like the idea of an army. Thats why I've started leaving messages to get people ready'. When asked ready for what, Lisk merely smiles and remarks that he doesn't know. So why do it, what's the appeal of this particular niche of street art? Unlike writers, whose spray style evolved from marking territory, sticky art is a purely artistic endeavour, so why not try and do it in a gallery? 'Its about something I create, that I put on the streets that people notice'. Paradoxically though, despite engaging in the most public of art forms, it is the close knit graf community that he seeks recognition from. Asked if he'd like it if an art magazine praised his work, his immediate response is 'I don't care. I do it for myself, and for other artists that I admire'. Lisk is a sticky artist, someone who draws his designs and pastes them onto walls. He is part of a small community of artists, rarely meeting face to face but constantly in contact via texts and flickr. Street art without the internet? 'I don't know, completely different. You'd be landlocked, without it my robots would be stuck in Birmingham. A lot of artists use the internet to promote their work to each other, without it I wouldn't be aware of their styles and skills'. The internet has spawned a community that actually inspires and feeds creativity. 'We're all mates, we talk and bounce off eachother. Sometimes you go through a dry spell, but then you see what someone else has done, and paste your work on as part of it'. Artists frequently collaborate with one another to create mutual stickers, with the internet allowing the community to go beyond national boundaries. Lisk is currently collaborating with artists in America who contacted him through Flickr. Part of grafitti's greatest appeal for both viewer and artists is its democratic nature. 'Grafitti I can get dirty with it, I can do it myself because it is a very approachable field of media isn't it? Anybody can just do it. It's just copied images, that people are manipulating in simple ways. I can go and paste my stuff next to huge names, and have my art the same as their's'.
Around the halfway point of the interview, I nervously mention the Banksy in the room. Villified by many street artists for selling out, thankfully Lisk reacts with appreciation for the artist. 'Yeah he was a massive influence on me, but you know he's smashed it so perfectly, what now? A few years ago, but now he's commercialised, I'm bored'. For Lisk, it is about it's underground nature, it is not the mainstream he wants to make art for, but for his fellow artists. 'There isn't going to be a peak for grafitti, it's underground. Yeah, some artists have sold out but they've been kicked out by the scene. Grafitti will keep changing and stay underground'. Grafitti is by its very nature temporary, with if not the council pulling down the work, then the weather doing the work for them. This is part of the appeal for Lisk, 'When they tear it down, it just makes you want to paste it up again, but higher'. Asked about his dream location to paste in Birmingham his glee is instantaneous. 'It's gotta be the Bull Ring hasn't it. I'd get a robot on each disc, then I'd have a real army'. It is perhaps fitting that despite his star ascending Lisk does not know where he will be in ten years. 'I'll still be doing it, the fascination drives me, but will it be the same, I don't know.' His robots and art have a message, but what, I don't know, and neither does he. He is the perfect representative of the anarchy of grafitti, perhaps no message is the only one he needs.
'If you had a red brick, what would you do with it?' 'I'd stand on it, so I could paste higher'.
Redbrick
Editors – James Reevell, Alexander Blanchard & Lexie Wilson
Tempo
Arts 15
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Officer Nice
AsOne
The biggest street artist in Birmingham, has One of the rising stars on the scene, Massive hitter in the Birmingham collaborated with huge international names his Golden Boy Poster is rapidly scene, his multi medium art is such as BustArt. becoming synonymous with Digbeth. omnipresent throughout the city
Toaster
With the same symbol for 13 years Toaster is recognised universally around the country.
Inside Graf Tour
Miss150
New on the scene, her raw style is winning her many fans.
48s Crew - The Graf Kings of Birmingham The biggest graffiti collective in the city, loved and respected by all. The truest measure of their respect is that no one dares paint over them.
All Photos by Beth Richardson
16 redbrickonline.co.uk
Redbrick
25th February 2011
Television The Top Ten Most Ridiculous Soap Story Lines
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Crossdressing Jack
Coronation Street legend Jack Duckworth cross-dressing on national television isn't a sight most people expected to see on their television screens. However, before his exit from the soap in 2010, Jack sported a dress and heels in order to play on the ladies' boules team, proving that soaps aren't always about doom and gloom.
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Dirty Den is back
After 14 years believing that Dirty Den had been shot dead by a bunch of daffodils, an impressive 16 million viewers couldn't believe their eyes when he returned to the show in 2003. After losing ratings due to rival soap Coronation Street, Eastenders writers seemed used this as a desperate attempt to win back their fans. Den was killed off once again just 17 months later.
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Richard Hillman's killing spree
Richard Hillman was one of the least convincing soap bad guys ever. After trying to trick Audrey into thinking she was senile, murdering Ashley's wife Maxine, and beating Emily Bishop half to death, Richard finally turned his sights on the Platt family. When trying to suffocate them with exhaust fumes failed he drove the whole family into a canal, but, ironically, was the only one who didn't survive.
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Heather's one night stand
2009 saw Heather Trott receiving a more serious plot from Eastenders writers, as her 'Who's the Daddy?' storyline left fans on the edge of their seats. Each of the four suspected fathers were seen visiting the hospital on the day the baby was born, and viewers were left shocked when 18 year old Darren was named as the child's parent.
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Darius Danesh
In a riveting Hollyoaks Later storyline the love triangle between Sarah, Zoe and Lydia came to a dramatic end. In true Hollyoaks fashion, Sarah exited the show after plunging to her death after Lydia severed her parachute, thinking it was Zoe's.
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Phil Mitchell on crack
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John Stape's double life
It was all a dream
In 2001, ITV revived the popular British soap Crossroads. After ratings nosedived, the show was axed, but not before the most memorable finale in soap history. The final episode revealed that the world of the Crossroads hotel had all been the dream of supermarket worker Angela, suggesting that it wasn't just the viewers that had given up on the show.
Lauren Conrad
In 2009, Hollyoaks viewers breathed a sigh of relief as the evil Warren Fox finally got what he deserved, and met his grisly end – or did he? In a completely implausible twist, Warren's character returned to the show last year as fans were treated to an entire episode explaining how he miraculously escaped from the burning nightclub he was trapped in.
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Big Dresses and Bare-knuckle Boxing Reporter
Despite locking up a schoolgirl, being in prison, and getting run over, John Stape's life continues to get increasingly bizarre. Last year saw one of his most ridiculous storylines yet, as he stole the identity of ex-colleague Colin Fishwick in order to begin teaching again. After murdering Colin's lover and elderly mother, Coronation Street fans are still waiting to see if the truth will be found out.
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redbrickonline.co.uk
Rebecca Hardwick
First he became an alcoholic, now he's a recovering cocaine addict. Phil Mitchell has some serious issues. Last year showed Phil in a whole new light, as his coke habit spiralled out of control, leaving him a blubbering wreck. As Peggy locked her son up (above a packed Queen Vic) in an attempt to keep him clean. Phil retaliated by setting the pub on fire, forcing Peggy to leave the show once and for all.
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More news and reviews at
Eastenders' baby swap
Possibly the most controversial storyline in recent years, the Eastenders baby-swap plot received over 8000 complaints from unimpressed viewers. After Ronnie switched her dead baby with Kat and Alfie's newborn child, this storyline made the headlines, and the writers were forced to bring it to an earlier end than anticipated.
Rebecca Wilson
Last week Channel 4's five-episode series of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding concluded. The series, which originated as a one-off documentary last year, has enjoyed phenomenal success, attracting audiences of over eight million viewers. The series follows the British traveller community, offering an insight into the community's ancient traditions and the struggles it faces in twenty first century Britain. Moreover, this is a programme about huge tacky dresses which put Katie Price to shame. The dresses in My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding really are mystifying. It's hard to express quite how big, provocative and over-embellished these wedding dresses are. When it comes to traveller wedding dresses, the rule is definitely the bigger the better. The first episode of the series featured the wedding of non-traveller Sam to traveller Patrick, and Sam's dress certainly fitted the rule. Her pink dress weighed a whopping fourteen stone and was fitted with fairy lights and electronic butterflies which flapped their wings. The electronics were so extensive that dressmaker, Thelma, was on standby with a fire extinguisher on the big day fearing that the dress could go up in flames. It isn't just the brides wearing these excessive dresses. One girl at her first communion is shown wearing an enormous princess dress, constructed out of 500 metres of pink netting covered with thousands of crystals. However, it soon becomes clear that the dresses are not reflective of the values of the travel-
ling community. In contrast to their outrageous dresses which, even dressmaker Thelma admits, make them look like prostitutes, it is evident that the travellers still have very traditional values. The traveller girls aren't allowed to drink alcohol or go out alone before they're married and it's strictly no sex before marriage. What's striking is the hugely limited lives the women lead in the traveller community. It is certainly still a 'man's world'. Traveller girls often leave school at eleven in order to become homemakers and are married by their late teens and spend the rest of their lives caring for their husband. They don't have the choice of getting a job, and meet their husband through the odd courtship of 'grabbing' – a process which involves a man tak-
ing hold of a woman and fighting her for a kiss. These traditions simply seem incomprehensible in twenty first century Britain. Other than these perplexing traditions, the show also raises other controversies too. One episode even featured a bare-knuckle fight. The show has also provoked a strong reaction from the travelling community itself. Travellers have claimed that the show has incited further hatred towards them and that as a result of the show children are being bullied and venue bookings are being cancelled. This controversial series is a definitely worth a watch on 4 On Demand. Though at times My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding is simply shocking to watch and somewhat anger inducing, it's interesting and compelling viewing.
One of the dresses that have made Gypsy Weddings infamous
Ghosts, Ghouls and Will Young Rebecca Green Reporter
'Everybody has a Dark Side' is the tag line of the show – and it certainly fits. Deceased grandads, fathers, daughters, cousins and flat mates; they all have a dark side, and they can't hide it forever. Sky Living's brand new supernatural drama, Bedlam, is based around an old lunatic asylum which has been converted into a modern apartment block, known as Bedlam Heights. Kate (Charlotte Salt) is working with her Father (Hugo Speer) to renovate the old asylum and rent the apartments which is proving rather difficult; unsurprisingly, not many people want to live in a old lunatic asylum. The asylum was owned by Kate's grandad, who abused the patients, but never received his comeuppance as he died before the case went to court. The building is haunted by the patients of the old asylum, and they are not the friendly Casper-type ghosts. Along side Salt (Entourage, Beowulf) and Speer (Full Monty) Will Young stars as Ryan, a geeky flat mate of Kate's. They also live with Ashley Madekwe (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), who plays
Molly, and has a bit of a thing for Ryan, but Ryan hasn't decided if he's looking for Mr or Mrs Right. Also starring in the drama is Theo James (Downton Abbey) who plays Jed, the cousin of Kate. Jed has been in and out of mental institutions for most of his life; he has the ability to see ghosts and has visions of how they died. He turns up at Bedlam Heights after he receives numerous texts saying 'saVe KatE'. Each episode revolves around
The cast of Bedlam
a different ghost story. Kara Tointon stars in the second episode as Leah, who is in a dangerous position when a former patient takes a strong disliking to her after she is involved in a hit and run. Bedlam is a great watch. The show is a mix of Being Human (minus the vampire and werewolves) and Most Haunted, and is definitely worth a watch. But, with its gruesome scenes and disturbing story lines, it's not something you should watch on your own.
Television 17
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Redbrick
Editors – Joe McGrath, Amber Alexander
A Curious Source for Comedy Sarah Murphy Reporter
'Cancelled', 'Final Season' and 'Not Renewed' are some of the dirtiest words in television and for good reason, as they usually spell the forth-coming disappearance of our favourite show. And in the world of students, the cancellation of your favourite show (the one you watch instead of writing essays) is one of the single most traumatising events of your academic life, particularly should it happen mid-season. Now, it's happened to us all, and whilst the cancellation of a show may be upsetting for the act-
ing talents involved, it's perhaps even more upsetting for the fans. This is primarily because we all have that one show we're obsessed with, the one we watch every single week, with the storylines we've fallen in love with and the characters we talk about like they're our friends. For me, it is Fringe. I could talk about it all day. However, for you it might be How I Met Your Mother or maybe 30 Rock, yet our fear of their demise is universal and the question we're all crying by the end is WHY!? There are, in fact, a variety of factors that can contribute to the loss of a show and a small piece of our happiness, including the trans-
fer of a show to the 'death slot', soapy storylines or maybe plain bad acting but who do we really blame? Is it the networks or maybe even the actors or should we be blaming ourselves? This debate has often led me to wonder whether a network is ever actually trying to dump a show or is instead responding to a much deeper seated problem. Perhaps the biggest issue here are TV's magic numbers. No I'm not talking about the lottery, I mean Neilson ratings; in essence, the number of people who watch the show whilst it's being broadcast. These mighty little numbers often have the power to bolster a
show or by contrast demonstrate a lack of confidence or interest by fans. Whilst you can often be quick to blame your network, there is a lot that they do to salvage these ratings. For example, the FOX network actively sought to promote Fringe Fridays after an unexpected slot change for the show. However, in some instances, the action of the network is simply not enough and people lose interest regardless, which has culminated in the loss of many shows including Roswell, Firefly and Jericho. So what else can be done to up the ratings? Well you can spread the love of course! For example, it very recently occurred to UK television fans that they do in fact have a voice, a voice that could be put to good use and so through mass campaigns, Primeval was eventually resurrected from its off-screen grave. However, the potential of fanled campaigns is not merely limited to the UK, with campaigns on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook reaching fans on an international scale. Take for instance, a campaign I often find myself in awe of, the Fringe Movement whose exciting online activities and tremendous capacity for recruiting new fans, almost surely contributed to an approximate 7% increase on the previous week's Nielson ratings for Fringe. However if you're still not convinced and want to go with your pitchforks to the networks, maybe it's about time we asked them to spare a thought for the audiences before they give a show the chop.
duty by shoving two pencils up his nose and going 'wibble' in Blackadder Goes Forth. Each time, the daft-natured Baldrick, Percy, Prince Regent and various others provided the perfect spring-board for Blackadder's witty retorts and timeless comebacks. Writers Ben Elton and Richard Curtis were guaranteed universal success with Blackadder's timelessness: picking periods that are eternally relevant and interwoven with British cultural heritage, the known events and periods were
defamiliarised to heighten the comedy of the situation. That's not to say Blackadder didn't have it's truly beautiful moments too. The end of Blackadder Goes Forth is perhaps one of the most iconic televised portrayals of World War I, with the alteration of the theme tune and the final jokes fading to grey amidst the true weight of the war. It tied the series together in a neat bow, showing that comedy isn't unaware of its roots and finishing on the highest point they possible could have.
The Fringe Movement was a success
Box Bites Joe McGrath Editor
Those of you who are, like me, huge Mad Men fans will be delighted to hear that actress, Christina Hendricks (Joan), has confirmed that a fifth season will happen. The official confirmation has been delayed due to final contract negotiations between the network and creator, Matthew Weiner. Fans of short-lived Joss Whedon series, Firefly and Dollhouse, have reason to cheer, as actor, Alan Tudyk returns to our screens. He will be starring in a new ABC comedy series, entitled, Suburgaty. The project will be centred on Tessa, portrayed by Jane Levy. Tessa is a teenage girl forced to leave her beloved and exciting childhood home in the city for a life in the suburbs. Tudyk, who is also famous for film roles in Dodgeball and I, Robot, will play a long-time resident of the suburban community. Tommy Duckworth, son of Terry, grandson of Jack and Vera, is set to make a surprise reappearance to Coronation Street, next month. Two separate child actors have portrayed the character, in the past. However, now 19 years old, Chris Fountain will be taking the reigns. Fountain has previously appeared in Channel 4's, Hollyoaks, and BBC's, Five Days. Finally, Benidorm creator, Derren Litten has confirmed that the fourth season of the ITV comedy show will be his last. However, he was reluctant to say whether that would be the end for the show, as a whole.
TV Gold: Blackadder Natalie Timmins Reporter
'I want to be remembered when I'm dead. I want books written about me, I want songs sung about me. And then, hundreds of years from now, I want episodes of my life to be played out weekly at half past nine by some great heroic actor of the age.' ...And if anyone's achieved their desired television immortality, it's definitely Blackadder. Fronted by the magnificent Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson, Blackadder followed the slithering Edmund Blackadder throughout his historical sagas, attempting to seize power but being constantly thwarted by the ridiculously hilarious scenarios he fell into. With a supporting cast including Tim McInnery, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Miranda Richardson, Blackadder was a compilation of comedy geniuses, which has made it an enduring feature on British television screens for nearly thirty years. Ignoring the disastrous Mr Bean-esque first series, the subsequent three seasons saw Blackadder unleash his sarcastic wit on his inferiors to little effect: crazy Queenie still kept him wrapped around her little finger, the bonkers Prince Regent managed to maintain his power until the finale, and on a more tragic note, Captain Blackadder was still ordered to go over the top into No Man's Land by General 'insanity' Melchett.
Each time, Blackadder's cunning plans were more cunning than the fox who had just been appointed Professor of Cunning at Oxford University, and ended up with his drole exterior being matched with a degrading situation. Who can forget him executing the wrong man and attempting to cover it up by putting a bag on his own head in Blackadder II, or being mugged by a transvestite highwayman on an unrealistic grassy knoll in Blackadder the Third, let alone his attempts to avoid his
Blackadder and Baldrick
As well as the series, Blackadder has made a triumphant return in various guises, including as Ebenezer Blackadder in Blackadder's Christmas Carol, and in the Millennium Dome production, Blackadder Back and Forth. Each time, we've had a fulfilling new slice of the Blackadder family tree without overdoing the series to death. The recent cast reunion in Blackadder: The Whole Rotten Saga seemed to explain why the series worked so well. The cast and crew were in it together, with little things, such as Tim McInnery suggesting the ever-present joke of naming his character Darling and Stephen Fry's decision to constantly 'baaa' to announce Melchett's presence, adding to the collaborative effort behind the show. It's a unique characteristic, to have a show that incorporates everyone so as to become fabulously and fiendishly funny over a prolonged time, and one that has served Blackadder well over the past three decades. Three series (the car crash first series has been written off), several special episodes and twenty-eight years of Blackadder capers have shown that Edmund, Baldrick and company belong firmly in the TV Gold category for the longevity and eternal laughs that the Blackadder saga has provided British screens. Blackadder may have been cursed with fortune vomiting on his eiderdown once more, but viewers were rewarded as these disasters proved to be an everlasting work of comedy genius.
18 redbrickonline.co.uk
Music Jukebox
25th February 2011
Redbrick
Susan Boyle beats Muse and Mumford and Sons as highest selling UK artist abroad. www.nme.com/news
The Undertones
Tamara Roper had a chat with the Irish Punk Heroes
William Franklin Music Editor
Beardyman – Where Does Your Mind Go? (U-Phonix Vocal Remix) Beatboxer, DJ, MC, improv comedian, impressionist and now producer. Is there anything this guy can't do? WDYMG? is the sneak peak from the hirsute musical genius' upcoming record, inspiringly titled: I Done A Album. Though if this track is anything to go by, he should have called it Music To Break The Speed Limit To. It's hard-hitting drum & bass at its best – megaton beats? Check. Woozy bass dialled up enough to rearrange your internal organs? Check. Potential to make you dance until your bones shatter? Check mate. Lykke Li – Love Out Of Lust With every track let slip from Lykke's second album Wounded Rhymes (due March 1st) it becomes ever more obvious that it is going to simply kick ass. Lethargic tribal drums beat out a forgiving pace and echoing vocals subtly name-drop previous releases – suggesting WRs might even have some kind of flowing narrative. Otherwise, it's the perfect antithesis to Get Some, tender and frail, like a fluttering bird's heart. Follow us: Redbrick Music on Facebook Email us: music@redbrickonline.co.uk
Think You Could Do This?
You've just announced your 35th anniversary tour, congratulations. 35 years down the line, how different are you expecting the shows to be? We're obviously much older and wiser, and a lot more musically talented. Our first show was to a group of Scouts aged between 9 and 12, as Fearghal [previous Undertones frontman] was their leader. They had no idea what was going on and probably don't remember it now, so fingers crossed the tour will be more of a hit.
best people to go to if you're an up and coming band – your connection to becoming wellknown was John Peel. What was it like having the opportunity to work with such a musical legend? Without John Peel I wouldn't be talking to you – he was a man of such musical integrity, and without him The Undertones would not have been given the platform to become as successful as we did. Through him we got into not only punk but reggae and soul as well.
Were you in Scout uniform? No definitely not! Fearghal tried to keep it quiet that he was a part time Scout Leader, understandably. DJs like Steve Lamacq and Zane Lowe are probably the
Are there any bands that you would personally big up that are popular at the moment? I know she's not all that new, but PJ Harvey's latest album is incredible. I really like Joan As A Police Woman. LCD Soundsystem are
Single Reviews
Cold Cave
James Blake
It's one of the biggest cliche's, but Teenage Kicks was undoubtedly your biggest hit and had a huge impact on young people. If you were to rewrite the song now, what would your main focus be, and what issues do you think are important to teens today? I think it would definitely have to be alot more politicised than the original. I think young people are really starting to wake up to politics, what with David Cameron and the coalition situation today. I think younger bands will start to really incorporate politics into their music now – at least that's
what we would have done if we were eighteen again. You sent out an invitation to the members of your original fan club and the first 50 to RSVP received a free ticket to a gig. What were your motives behind doing this? We thought it was quite a charmed idea, to see originally how many there were of them still out there but we've had a surprisingly large response. With the absence of Fearghal, we thought old fans might be sceptical, but there are still many out there who wanted to come and still have much of the old memorabilia. It'll be great to see an older crowd, but of late we've noticed a younger audience starting to form – maybe The Undertones are reaching back out to young people again.
Essential Albums
The Wilhelm Scream Blake's highly anticipated sequel to Limit to Your Love does nothing but exceed your expectations. Your senses are clouded by Blake's soulful and evocative voice, as haunting synth and use of reverb send the listener into a dreamlike state. This hypnotic element is reiterated by the repetition of the lyrics 'falling', and I think it is fair to say I have fallen in love with this track. Also, keep your ears open for Blake's rendition of Joni Mitchell's classic Case of You. Absolutely breathtaking. Jessica Holroyd
Kassidy
I Don't Know
After months of loyal service, celebrated Music Editor Charlie Bailey is stepping down. If you're interested in taking up his position for the next academic year, send us an email (see above) and we'll schedule an informal and (totally) impartial interview. Some experience writing for us or our predecessors Alex and Erica is recommended, ardent musical snobbery, not so much.
The Great Pan Is Dead
one of my favourites too, I saw them twice last year. I'm upset they're disbanding, they're a great electronic band.
The problem with folk music is that if it doesn't capture your attention immediately, it can be very easily labelled as dull. Bland rock music can hide behind angry guitar fuzz and the majority of club tunes scrape by on the visceral thrill of their 'beats' pummelling your skull in 4/4 time. Yet if someone picks up an acoustic guitar, they'd better have something impressive up their sleeve otherwise the majority of people are going to switch off. Unfortunately, Kassidy have little new to bring to the table – this is a pretty inoffensive affair. A simple guitar line kicks it off, is joined by plodding drums and eventually the song swells in the most predictable way as backing singers join in for the chorus. Ian Johnson
The term 'epic' is overused far too often these days but I can think of few better labels for Cold Cave's latest single. Don't get the wrong idea though, it isn't epic in a slowbuilding, Sigur Rós kind of way. The Great Pan is straight out of the gate and assaulting you with a wall of noise from the word go. Yet above the hardcore mess and thundering drums floats some catchy synths turning the whole thing into a blazing power ballad. Mix in Wesley Eisold's desperate nasal yelping and it's pretty close to perfect. 'I will come running, gunning through the years. Hunting heart. Crushing fear' he wails. It's pretty over the top stuff, but the drama of the lyrics is matched by the intensity of the music and the whole thing works really well. As I said, epic. If you're in the need of some background music as you jump off a skyscraper, or run in slow-motion through an exploding building, look no further. Ian Johnson
Beirut
The Flying Club Cup (2007) William Franklin Music Editor
The second studio album from the American folk group that gestated from trumpeter Zach Condon's solo project is an elegant continental affair. Even its title (given for the hot air balloon festival during the World's Fair in Paris, 1910) is steeped in a profound interest in European culture, with France at its epicentre. Opener proper Nantes, sees Zach return to his adopted homeland to 'gamble away [his] fright' and plea 'nobody raise their voices'. Don't expect Friendly Fires' exuberant Francophile funk though. Condon set out as a jazz musician, but he apparently left his horn at home while recording his sophomore record. Taking inspiration from chanson music he instead turned to more dramatic classical instru-
#14 ments, ditching ukulele for accordion and trumpet for euphonium. The result sways from Balkan folk to Baroque pop and you'd be surprised how seamless the transition can be. Zach's voice is rich and melodic, as comfortable on the stripped-down strumming of A Sunday Smile as it is on the more lofty instrumental numbers. And the album's collective sound is nicely tied together by Arcade Fire contributor Owen Pallett's violin arrangements. It's unquestionably exotic in sound, but lyrically, the focus rests more on world-weariness oddly enough. Specifically the idea that the man is running out of new places to see and things to do, which is particularly obvious during In the Mausoleum. Despite that, The Flying Club Cup rarely feels misanthropic and as warming Eastern-European folk it will seldom leave you wanting.
Redbrick
Music 19
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Editors – Charlie Bailey, William Franklin
An Evening With Miles Kane
Laura Schofield met Alex Turner's partner in crime
You may already know him as the front man from the Rascals or Alex Turner's best mate from The Last Shadow Puppets or perhaps you've just never heard of him. However, Miles Kane is now hoping to change all that and become famous in his own right, with his first solo album, to be released in the first week of May. The singles Inhaler and Come Closer are out now. I sat down for a chat with the ever so charming man himself when he came to the O2 Academy. I wandered into the little backstage room, where he was playing guitar, 'just listening to some Northern Soul' and chewing on some Haribo. How are you today? Very well thank you, I'm smack
bang in the middle of this tour and we've sold out alot of places, so yeah very good. How does making a solo album compare to making one in a band? At first it was daunting because, you know, I was used to having a band or with the Puppets I had my best mate, but after about a week it was fine. I had Gruff Rhys working with me as well. Was it easier? Nah, I wouldn't say it was easier, I liked it, it was more freeing and relaxed but not easier. And how does touring solo compare to in a band? Well it is sort of like touring in a
Live Reviews
Tina Dico Glee Club 16/02/2011
The striking diversity of the audience at the Glee Club tonight hints at the exceptional talent to be displayed on stage tonight, even before we catch a glimpse of Dico or her accompanying musicians, who deserve equal celebration. Despite his professions of 'jet-lagged awkwardness' the long limbed, flaxen haired Helgi Jonsson oozed a warm and affable charm. Although he interspersed his half hour set with unfairly selfdeprecating jokes (including the winning 'how does a Trombone player make his car more aerodynamic? He takes the 'pizza' sign off the top') it never detracts from an exquisite collection of songs. The Reykjavik native even managed what others have tried and failed: a cover of Roy Orbison that wasn't hideously contrived. After his support slot, to the delight of the women in the crowd, Jonsson returned to play alongside Dico (who is pretty easy on the eye herself.) The real highlight of the gig, incidentally, came from the
beautiful vocal interplay between the two. That is not to suggest that Jonsson was the star of the show, tonight. Dico's strong and soulful voice was as great live as on record, and the sparse and stripped down renditions of tracks from her most recent album Welcome Back Colour were often actually much better and more compelling than their originals. What struck me most about her hour and a half long set was the degree to which she was prepared to make herself vulnerable in front of her audience. As a singer-songwriter, it seems logical that one ought to have a sense of emotional honesty, but almost every song was introduced with an aside about the nature of the anxiety or affection behind it. I found myself completely understanding the seemingly irrational decisions of the couple next to me who had already seen Dico six times before tonight's performance. Their dedication alone says a lot about her longevity and credibility as an artist. Lexie Wilson
band because we brought in a drummer and guitarists and so I've got a band of mate with me and even though they weren't involved in the recording of the album with me they've come in and really made it. Who are your main musical influences? John Lennon, Lee Hazelwood, French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg and David Bowie. How did Noel Gallagher singing on one of your songs come about? It's just a subtle thing, he did the backing vocals on the song My Fantasy, I was just in London and I gave him a text, we met for coffee and he agreed to do it. The press
blow it up into a big thing but it's really not. What's the story behind Inhaler? Ah that started as a joke, I needed a lyric to go with the music so I just started messing around and putting different words in and I just happened to have my inhaler next to me and that's how it came about you know. You're due to support the Arctic Monkeys and Beady Eye later in the year, are you excited about those gigs? Yeah can't wait, I just don't want to stop, just want to keep playing gigs and building up a fan base and make more music.
What's the best question you've ever been asked in an interview? (laughs) This question. Seriously? Yeah ,why not? Any chance of a second Last Shadow Puppets album? Yeah definitely, we'll definitely be doing something else together but I'm not sure whether that'l be next for me. Excellent! Then what do you think will be next for you? Just a lot more touring at the moment. Thank you very much, good luck tonight!
Music Diary 25th – 3rd Friday 25th Janelle Monae HMV Insititute The Streets O2 Academy Sound Of Guns The Flapper
Saturday 26th Ocean Colour Scene O2 Academy Kele HMV Institute
Chapel Club Hare & Hounds 13/02/2011
After starting off quite literally with a bang, Chapel Club launched head first into their Sunday night set at the Hare and Hounds. Starting off with arguably their best known song, Surfacing, the London five piece continued to play a full hour's set that left everyone in the audience feeling like they'd been very quickly steamed – in a good way. Rammed to the brim, the soldout set saw the band play several songs from their EP and recently released album, Palaces. As the show went on, the band veered from their more energetic tracks, like Five Trees, which saw the first few rows of audience rocked about by an impromptu pit, to the sombre Bodies, which held everyone in a revered silence for the duration. Just rock 'n' roll enough to get everyone moving and just melancholy enough to bring back hush, Chapel Club were well within their rights to have sold out.
Supported by the equally commendable David's Lyre, who, fresh faced and eager to please, played an opening set of five songs from their soon to be released EP, In Arms. What their support lacked in stage presence, Chapel Club front man Lewis made up for fivefold, self-admittedly on the rum; his crowd interaction and banter made the heat that seemed to appear from nowhere in the crowd bearable. The tininess of the Hare and Hounds made for a perfect venue for what are sure to be one of the most up and coming bands this year, and, all technical hitches aside, the set could not have been better. Avoiding the clichés that come with an encore, the band deemed it better to announce their final song rather than reappear with the standard 'oh look we're back' approach of usual gigs, and with one final track, they left the stage to applause, and a feeling of both satisfaction and prolonged heat stroke from the audience. Tamara Roper
Sunday 27th Limehouse Lizzy O2 Academy
Devlin The Library @ HMV Insititute
Monday 28th
The Naked And Famous O2 Academy 3
Wednesday 2nd
Darwin Deez The Library@ HMV Institute Ne-Yo N.I.A Boyzone LG Arena
Thursday 3rd
Beardyman The Library @ HMV Institute Lighthouse Family Symphony Hall Surfer Blood With Young Prisms and No Joy The Temple @ HMV Institute
20 redbrickonline.co.uk
Lifestyle
Style Work the trend Ida Sundstrom Writer
A new season is here and with it: new trends. Don't fret; it's quite easy to update your wardrobe as it only requires a few new staples to keep up with the spring fashions. Everyone has a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans right? Then you are on a good way towards two of the main spring trends. First off is the white trend. Now, this is not a tricky trend to master. Have a white t-shirt? If so, all you need is a pair of white trousers or skirt to make your look complete and if you wish add a suit jacket to match. What makes the outfit less or more formal is the structure and material of the trousers. For a more formal outfit, go for pleated trousers with a higher waist, and for a more relaxed look aim for wide legged trousers with a lighter and softer material. For some inspiration have a look at the likes of Stella McCartney and Celine and you'll see how fabulous an all white outfit can look. The essence of this trend is to dress up purely in colours of the same strength; in other words you can mix shades of blush pink, off white, white and soft beige. Next up, denim, denim, denim! Still a very relevant trend and easy enough to accomplish as all it entails is dressing up completely in denim. Add a denim shirt to a pair of jeans/denim skirt, top it off with a denim jacket and you are good to go! No need to worry about wheth-
er it is the same colour of denim as all hues go together. Not a fan of denim? Then dress up in different shades of blue. Specific to this spring fashion shows is the colour-block craze. Jil Sander, Fendi and Prada were masters of this trend. Be ready to experiment with this one, it is quite a fun trend to adopt. All it involves is a few strong colours that form your outfit. The focus should be on the colours of the clothes, no jewellery or excessive accessories – keep it simple. Wear a blue jacket, a pink t-shirt and orange trousers like in Jil Sander and you've got it! Not willing to adopt the bright coloured trend above? No worries. Following the likes of Burberry Prorsum, you don't have to. Evident on the runway was that the addition of a little bright colour to an otherwise neutral 'no-colour' outfit goes a long way. Why not cinch in the waist of your trench coat with a skinny neon belt or add a bright coloured clutch? The key is to not overpower the rest of your outfit with too many bright colours, but just to add a twist to a regular outfit. (H&M will stock a copy of the Jil Sander 'it bag', the neon plastic bag this spring!). Overall, this spring's fashion trends are all about keeping it a little bit more dressy than usual. The skirts and dresses are not mini's but knee or floor length, and the relaxed suit is becoming an everyday favourite. Though it's a spring of more
Men might shop if... Marcus Bott Writer
I am in and out in 20 minutes, no messing about, wham-bamthank you-ma'am. Shopping just doesn't capture my excitement and I am sure many men feel the same way. If I want a pair of shoes, I will get a pair of shoes – probably the same pair I had last time. It's often been said that men have a one-track mind. This seems to ring true when it comes to shopping. Find the product, buy the product, get home as quick as possible and use the product. What is the point in going to every shop on the High Street, trying on every pair of shoes, to come back to the first pair of shoes you tried on and say 'Yeah they're nice'? In recent years, there has been some interesting theories put forward as to why men dislike shopping so much. It has been argued that men hate shopping because of bad experiences as children. Little boys being dragged round the shops by their mums, telling them off for misbehaving because, as a child, there's always more exciting things happening. Certainly brings back memories for me, though I don't think I have a deep-rooted psychological problem with shopping. One other theory suggests that in many societies, shopping is viewed as feminine and to enjoy shopping would suggest something about the man. Of course, it could just be that shopping is immensely dull. I simply cannot see the pleasure in traipsing around shop after
shop looking at the same thing. Shopping needs a purpose. To overcome this problem, shopping centres need 'Men's Rooms'; a small section of the centre dedicated to manliness and manly activities. A bar would be a good start; need to de-stress after the undoubtedly nagging journey with the other half. Massive TVs around the room, showing all different kinds of sports and leather loungers to watch them on, bliss. 'No Spray, No Lay'; bathroom attendants that offer you good quality cologne – for free! This place would have it all so you could while away the hours in complete ecstasy. And then when the women are done, a quick call to the main desk of the Men's Room and we're, reluctantly, on our way. If more places were like this then we'd jump at the chance to come 'shopping' with you, even if it's just for five minutes in the Men's Room.
25th February 2011
Redbrick
Fierce or Finished? Fierceall you like: you Bridget Jones 3 The granny pants are back! A third Bridget Jones film has been confirmed for release in 2011.
dressy fashion choices, note that a red thread through all these trends has been the addition of bright lips! Porcelain skin matched with neon pink lips was seen on the Jil Sander catwalk. Don't miss out on this trend as it is an unexpected twist to any outfit -and it's cheap! A spring don't: an all-black outfit. Sure, we all look great in black but even Alexander Wang excluded all black pieces from his runway.
Maria Grachvogel's Collection at LFW Luxurious and elegant, we loved the draping of the fabrics. Reading week At last, an opportunity to catch up with sleep and all the work we really should have done in the earlier half of the term.
Spring shopping list
La Tasca Sign up to their mailing list and you can download a 50% off voucher, valid until the 28th February. Pretend you're in sunny Spain with some delicious tapas and a jug of sangria.
White trousers (& white suit jacket) Denim shirt Work from what colours you've already got and add a pair of colourful trousers (Zara's has some), a fun jacket or just a t-shirt.
JoJo from 'Take Me Out' gets a date – her desperation was worth it in the end and her light is finally off. Creative Industries fortnight (28th February – 11th March) Talks and workshops by industry experts in Publishing, Advertising, Journalism and PR; maybe we can work out what we actually want to do when we leave Uni…
A bright coloured skinny belt/clutch. A bright shade of lipstick. Where to shop? Zara, H&M, Topshop and GAP.
Adele She can do no wrong after her incredible performance at the Brits, gave us goose bumps.
Life after graduation Vicky Hodgkinson Writer
Have you got your flat in central London sorted? Your well paid grad scheme confirmed? I thought not. As third year draws to a close for some of us the sad reality has begun to sink in that we're going to have to return home to the bosom of our families after living by our own rules for some years now. The employment situation means some of us have been lucky enough to secure a job post Uni, some of us are still searching, some of us are going to work in the retail or hospitality industries to get some cash for travelling, and some of us have just resigned ourselves to the fact that we've got to finish our degrees before we can even think about work. In light of this, where are we going to live once our student house tenancy expires? Looks like we are going back to the abode of those who spawned us and probably encouraged us to go and seek further education. After years of freedom, are there any bonuses to going back? For one, not all the food will be burnt – our parents have had a few years to perfect the art of using the oven so not everything is blackened when it reaches our plates. The house will be clean and the floor won't be covered in a fine slick of Frosties, and there won't be unidentifiable substances splattered here and there. The house will probably not damage our health – there won't be gaps gaping around the window or mould growing in the bathroom, and there won't be a constant sus-
picious smell – all practical bonuses. I sense there may be some draw backs, however: parents' house means parents' rules. You won't be able to keep odd hours; there will be no lapse in the questioning about your search for employment, you won't be able to pop out unchallenged, you won't be able to do a quick trip to Tesco Express at 3am, and half your Facebook friends won't live within five minutes walk of you. There is no greater motivation to secure a job than the threat to your new found freedom… But at least our parents will be they will be there with open, if restrictive, arms to accommodate us until we can move to our million pound pad, otherwise it's a cardboard box and sleeping bag.
Finished New Shoes You find a pair of todie-for boots in the sale (win) and then they kill your feet for the first few days you wear them (massive fail). Dissertation Deadlines The work may nearly be over but the rushed final few thousand words and daily fight for a library computer is a nightmare! Third Year Finding yourself tucked up in your slanket on a Friday night and being content with it is not cool. Sensitive Touch Screen Phones Accidently 'liking' Random Boy in your seminar's Facebook status due to highly sensitive new touchscreen phone. Cringe! The ubiquity of joggers Yes, they're comfy but as everyday attire we're getting a little tired of the sloppiness. Kooky undercutting Random patches of shaved hair aren't as edgy as we'd thought. Lady Gaga's lies Does she think we're stupid? We know you wern't in that egg for 3 days! Why lie? Lifestyle
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Sexy Seventies Secretary Julia Whiting Writer
If you hadn't already observed, spring 2011 is approaching fast with an array of key trends and garments just waiting to be embraced. If you've been working hard (as that's what you're meant to be doing at university), and haven't managed to take a shopping trip to see the new trends, fear not, as I am about to enlighten you. For those who are trend savvy and hot on your fashion codes, I merely seek to inspire. One of my favourite looks this season is, what I refer to as, the 'seventies secretary'. Despite this sounding frumpy and rather dated, it has returned with a modern essence, making it figure-flattering and feminine. To encompass the seventies vibe, all you need is a soft blouse – colours such as ivory and camel shades work well – contrasted with mustard shades on the bottom. Wide leg trousers will complete the outfit, and you may want to experiment with highwaisted shorts and pencil skirts. If you're still feeling the cold (as most of us are) then you could smarten up a casual jumper by wearing a classic blouse underneath and revealing the collar around the neckline. This adds a fresh, girly touch to your winter wardrobe. If you're not feeling flush enough to splash out on some new clobber, then you can still wear skater skirts or dresses from autumn/winter and just team them with different colours. Try incorporating burgundy with mustards,
Khadi UK review
camels and navy blues, or light blue and peachy pastels for a real spring enrichment. Floral patterns from spring/summer 2010 can also be used, along with spots and stripes to create a preppy school girl look. In the accessory department, brogues are once more a hot topic, adding a 70s twist to skirts, dresses and trousers. For an all-out geek chic ensemble, wear with ankle socks and big glasses. Tan bags are also very trendtastic along with Aztec print satchels. These accessories will look perfect with acid wash denims and pastel shades. In terms of beauty, makeup is minimalist, for the ultimate feminine appeal. Hair should be very slick yet simple, with high ponytails and twists. For those who want a quick alternative, all you need for a crisp summer glint are the threes S's; straight, sleek and shiny. Follow these and your hair will fall perfectly in line with any spring/summer trend. So let's get ourselves prepared for spring with our blossoming, new looks!
Stacey Barnes Writer
Set up by sisters Annabell and Semone Lamba in 2008, Khadi UK is the sole distributor of Khadi products in the UK, though it is a household name in India like our beloved L'Oreal or Neutrogena here. Annabell and Semone both studied Law at the University of Birmingham, though Annabell's entrepreneurial spirit stemming from her joint honours with Business Studies prompted her to contact Khadi in India to request sole UK distribution rights, after having been bought some of the Khadi products as gifts and loving them. They started selling on stalls at local fairs in November and have recently launched their own website selling Khadi products. The range is based on the timeless principles of Ayurveda, literally translated to 'The Science of Life.' The ethos behind the range is great; the products are not tested on animals, are 100% natural and contain no chemicals or preservatives. All herbs are collected in a sustainable way by local workers thus supporting employment of rural people in India. Top marks for social responsibility and ethical goodness! And the products are suitable for all skin types – bonus! Now for the real test; I have tried out two Khadi products: the lemon face mask and the aloe vera moisturiser. The face mask comes as a power which you mix with water to form a paste; a fun and novel little quirk that means you decide how far the product goes. You can
Ballet is taking over! Maria Lunn Writer
Long before Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan'graced our screens last month I have been intoxicated by the world of ballet. As many little girls do, I used to don my tutu, imagine the stage before me, and envisage the rapturous applause as I concluded my triumphant performance as the prima ballerina. Sadly, I soon realised, this was not meant to be! Nonetheless, I continue to find charm in ballet. It has a unique opulence and grace that breathes life into music. For me, as words are to a book, so is ballet to music, working to bring it alive by it's story-telling capacity through it's evocative and captivating form. Therefore, you can imagine my delight to find, upon perusing over images from the spring/summer 2011 catwalks, I am not the only one over whom ballet has cast its seductive spell. We all know of the infamous 'ballerina bun' and probably already own countless pairs of ballet flats, but ballet found its own identity in many of this summers collections. Among the best of which, I think, stands Chloe's elegantly construed take on the ballerina charm. It utilised soft and sheer fabrics, muted tones and flowing silhouettes, and, while many of the shows featured
Lifestyle 21
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Editors – Briony Singh and Rob Lewis
models strutting their stuff in skyscraper heels, Chloe shunned this trend, choosing instead to remain loyal to it's ballet inspiration as models took gracefully to the catwalk in ballerina flats. It was not Chloe alone however, who found its inspiration from the world of ballet. Its enigmatic influence permeated many of the big name collections including in the likes of Dolce and Gabbana, Chanel and Valentino as well as others including Ellie Saab and Donna Karen. Some even took the ballet aesthetic further, featuring ballet as part of the spectacle. This included Erdem whose show opened to Stravinsky's majestic 'Petrouchka', while David Korma chose Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' to begin his collection. It seems ballet's presence is not simply a fashion phenomenon. The 'Pet Shop Boys' have embarked on an exciting new venture to bring ballet bang up to date as they merge a classic ballet tale with their trademark contemporary music. This brand new ballet is based on a Hans Christian Anderson fairytale and is set to make its world premiere in London at the Sadler Wells theatre next month, propelling ballet back into the
even make a bit of an activity out of it with your housemates – Valentine's night well spent I'd say! Aside from smelling like sherbet lemons (don't eat it – it does not taste like sherbet lemons), the face mask felt refreshing and we could feel it tingling and tightening our skin to leave fresher complexions. We looked a bit monstrous as the mask dried and cracked like scaly skin but on washing off with warm water our real skin was revealed to be lovely and soft! The aloe vera moisturiser is ideal for use all over the body and would be especially useful as after-sun due to the soothing properties of aloe vera. We used it after our face masks and liberally applied the creamy lotion to our hands, arms and feet too – leaving us feeling well and truly pampered. The moisturising ingredients left our skin moist but not sticky and smelled delicious – it reminded us of summer holidays! I'd recommend Khadi products to anyone wanting to use more natural, 'greener' products, even if it's just washing your hair with herbal shampoo once a week – your hair will thank you for it!
Techno Addicts limelight with an innovative modern twist, yet still retaining that romance and magic so quintessential to the ballerina portrait. Ballet has found its niche within our modern cultural spectrum. By no means is ballet a new institution however, as the English National Ballet proves as it celebrates its sixtieth birthday next month and to mark the occasion in style, it has recruited Giles Deacon to design 'Odile's' costumes for their new production of 'Swan Lake'. Rather, it seems in the wake of Aronofsky's picture, a renewed appreciation for ballet is sweeping across the country. Birmingham's cultural agenda is no exception to this trend as its very own Royal Ballet Company opens their production of, 'La Fille mal Gardée', at the Hippodrome theatre on the 2nd March. Indeed, the effortless charm and elegance encapsulated in the ballet makes it the perfect trend for summer and one that looks set to continue well into 2011.
Geraldine Tovey Writer
A truly awful thing happened to me this week that I am sure has affected many throughout this University. My Blackberry broke. Not going to lie, I haven't taken this loss well. It's the things that a smartphone does that you take for granted that you really miss when it's gone. I had no idea that I had an overdue library book simply because I have been so used to receiving emails on my phone. And texting instead of bbm? How antiquated. I am aware that at the age of twenty I am acting like a spoilt child over this, but damn it I want my phone back! In fact, my spoilt behaviour over the temporary loss of my blackberry (thank God for insurance) has made me reassess my use of technology, especially the internet and how much it affects our lives. In the Redbrick survey last week only 37% of students said that they were too addicted to
their mobile phones. I believe that the number is far higher. Mobiles, computers, iPods are an indispensible part of our lives and without them our social lives and sanity would be greatly affected. Think about it, how many social gatherings have you been to that have been arranged over Facebook? Maybe that survey has a deeper meaning, we aren't simply addicted to technology, we are dependent on it. If technology didn't mean that much to me then why do I get so annoyed if my iPod has run out of battery when I am walking home from uni or when my phone loses signal in Gisbert Kapp? And it has been longer than I care to admit since I have read a book from cover to cover. It is just so much more convenient when I am relaxing in the evenings to have Gossip Girl on one tab of my laptop. The internet especially has become the easy option for entertainment. Much like how people used to berate the change from watching theatre to film, the same is occurring now, with many of us choosing to download the latest films and television shows straight to our very own screens. Sure, the internet may be useful in terms of writing essays and easily accessing music, but are we spending too much time on it? I think we are, and we are forgetting to actually live. Our virtual lives are taking over our real ones. Tonight when I go to bed, I am switching off my (replacement) phone, I will shut my laptop and I will finally crack open The Picture of Dorian Gray as it has been sitting on my shelf and gathering dust for a very long time.
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25th February 2011
Travel
Travel fact of the week: American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by removing one olive from each salad in first class.
Will and Kate: Barbados or Benidorm? With the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton rapidly approaching, Emily Booth speculates on possible honeymoon destinations for the royal couple.
So the nation is gripped with wedding fever as Prince William and Kate Middleton have found a date for their wedding this forthcoming spring, and every day the headlines are filled with more gossip about Miss Middleton's dress, weight and hairstyle. However, no-one seems to be asking the most critical question which is (in a travel reporter's mind at least) where the royal pair shall honeymoon? Known for their love of the exotic, perhaps they shall return to Massai Lodge, north of Mount Kenya where it is reported that Prince William proposed? Or maybe they will run to the Royal Scottish estates where they can be assured of privacy? However, just in case either Prince William or his future bride are reading this, I have compiled a list of possible honeymoon destinations that will be sure to cater to their every need.
India
Morocco
Admittedly, they probably won't be able to leave their hotel because they'll be inundated with well meaning, if slightly creepy, stall holders selling their wares, but it is still a fabulous blend of East and West. The spices, the jewels, the cloth…
Italy
Mustique
This wonderful country is probably a huge risk to the couple's security systems, but the people are the friendliest, the views the most exquisite and the experience the most varied. India often seems neglected by anyone not with a backpack, but India has some fabulous and exclusive hotels and villas that would be sure to guarantee a return visit.
New Zealand
Croatia
It's cheap and a totally random place to go. The beaches are pebbled but with names like Split and Dalmatia, who cares? The country boasts an impressive history and the climate is one of the best in Europe. Sailing and sunbathing on on the cards but for something different for the royal couple, Croatia was the first country in Europe to start its own commercial naturist resort – the country has more than 20...
Canada
It'll annoy the Americans and it does great steak. Who wants anything else?
Lake District
Benidorm
His great aunt, Princess Margaret, had an island in this part of the Southern Caribbean and Mustique is known for its exclusivity and beauty. Perhaps after the stress of the London wedding, a few beach strolls and boating excursions could be just what the happy couple are after?
The possibilities of Italy are endless, and presuming they take their honeymoon directly after the wedding, early May is perfect for Italy in terms of weather and lack of people (excluding those on SAGA holidays). Whether they lounge on the coast in the South or attempt to get round every church in Venice, there is enough here to satisfy the most ardent tourist or exhausted honeymooner.
Far, but well worth it. The West Coast is especially beautiful with rugged mountains and a vast amount to do. Quite literally every sport is played here to a high level and if Kate gets bored of Will? Bring on the West Coast rugby boys. Witnessed with my own eyes, they are well worth it. Florence, Italy
Seriously beautiful (trust me, I've googled it), reclusive and won't break the bank after the cost of the wedding. Maybe a walk up Scafell Pike and boating on Lake Windermere followed by afternoon tea in Keswick?
Union Jack board shorts, lager, obesity = the fastest way for Kate to get to know about her future country. Just avoid Madge, the Garveys and the rest of the crew at the all-inclusive Solana Resort.
Photos courtesy of Sifter (Mustique), I am I.A.M (Canada), Hans. Chen (Italy), andywon (Morocco), Nathan Bergeron Photography (Croatia), ~Duncan~ (Lake District), Sheep"R"Us (New Zealand), ndj5 (India) and Rob Inh00d (Kruger National Park) on Flickr.
California – The State of Misery?
Eight of the top 20 America's Most Miserable Cities are located in California. Rosie Pearce looks past California's image of sun, sea and sand into the real O.C.
Zagreb, Croatia Hills north of Ojai, California
sanden on Flickr
This week saw the publication of Forbes magazine's annual list of America's Most Miserable Cities, revealing that eight of the top 20 are situated in the seemingly sunny and joyous state of California. The survey, which reviews aspects such as crime levels, the economy and the climate has exposed California as accommodating five of the ten most despondent cities that the country has to offer, suggesting that sun, sea and sand are clearly having little effect in brightening the lives of its inhabitants. Although I wouldn't personally describe my experiences in California as miserable, the term misconceived does spring to mind. Think back to The O.C., the teen drama series which highlighted the seemingly idyllic bubble that its beautiful and affluent characters occupied. The less publicised fact is that many scenes were filmed to a backdrop and studio recreations, and the swimming pool in the Cohen's garden was actually only four feet deep, requiring the show's stars to act whilst kneeling or on lilos. This alone indicates the falsities that are employed in order
to uphold the notion of wealth and perfection which the Orange County clearly couldn't depict unaided. I spent my first night in California in downtown Los Angeles, and after only a night had moved to Hollywood Boulevard. The rival gangs of Black and Latin-Americans were evident in the evening, several intoxicated men attempted to follow us home and generally once the sun started to fall the area felt an uncomfortable one to be in as a tourist. But even Hollywood Boulevard was not as glamorous as I had anticipated. There were not celebrities and film directors at every turn, and below the grand Hollywood sign was simply a strip of tacky souvenir outlets. Although I would describe my time in Tinsel Town as anything but miserable, I did feel, perhaps inevitably, that it wasn't quite all it is cracked up to be on camera. Whilst the joys of life on the other side of the Atlantic are instilled in our minds through shows such as The Hills and 90210, Los Angeles is still informally known as the 'Gang Capital of the Nation', providing inspiration for games such as Grand
Theft Auto through South Central L.A.'s wayward reputation. Don't get me wrong, my experiences in the Golden State are limited and despite parts which didn't quite reach expectations, no one can argue that the likes of Beverly Hills and the Big Sur coastline are as impeccable in the flesh as they are in the movies. But as for being miserable, I guess that would simply take testing.
Cost Calculator Go ahead and blow your student loan... we'll let you. Return flights to Los Angeles from London Heathrow from around £750 via Toronto with Air Canada. A hostel in downtown L.A. can be had for around $85 a night (£50). A car is a must in California, especially if you want to do some exploring out of L.A. Cars can be hired from £20 a day.
Redbrick
Editors – Ed Gordon & James Cull
Debate: Up North The south may have London but the north has the culturally rich, inspiring cities of Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool and York. Newcastle's art gallery, Baltic, is a haven for modern art lovers whilst Manchester University's campus has the Whitworth for a more traditional art gallery and of course Liverpool boasts the Tate Liverpool. York Minster is breathtaking and its city walls offer a historically insightful view of the city. The history of Viking York is well documented in the Jorvik Viking centre with interactive activities for big and small kids alike. Newcastle is world renowned for its incredible nightlife with people travelling from America to experience it and Manchester and Liverpool are not far behind! If big cities are not the sort of thing you are interested in then there are many areas of natural beauty ranging from seaside towns, such as Whitby, to the world famous walks of the Lake District. Walkers can also find incredible routes all throughout the north, notably over the Peak District and Pennines. The Lake District also holds the homes of William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter, both preserved in their original fashions so you can really get an insight into their interesting literary lives. Not only are the people friendlier in the north but you can get chips and gravy, and in my mind that's a deal breaker. Steph Kleynhans
Down South I know what is going to be said about the South; it's too expensive and everyone is always in a rush. Well, we are running around because there is so much to do in the South. It is not a case that Southerners don't know how to take things slowly and relax, but we just have a lot that we want to be doing and places we want to be going. Sure the traffic can be bad which stresses us out, but it is worth it? Here are three reasons for being a Southerner… London. Our Capital. The pride of Britain. If you live there, you have everything on your doorstep. If you live outside of London, it is so easy to get to that you can go whenever you want and still feel like a tourist. Stick to the areas you know and love, or explore the wonders which are hidden away from the hustle and bustle of business life of London. Brighton. Sure the North has Blackpool but to be blunt, Brighton is better. With the winding lanes full of eclectic shops, you can get your cheap fish and chips with a side portion of charm. Green landscapes. The North will claim that it is more beautiful than the South, that the South is nothing but buildings and pollution, but there is plenty of stunning countryside and quaint towns to be discovered. Rachel Rogers
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25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Checkout Chefchaouen Harriet Constable Writer
'Hassish? Hassish?' a dodgy looking character whispers in my ear, as my boyfriend and I stroll through the medina of Chefchaouen, a hillside town in Morocco. I politely decline, and we walk on, discussing our guidebook's statement that Morocco is 'one of the biggest cannabis contributors to Europe'; and it is no joke. In fact, it is why many bohemian
Chefchaouen Street DaveB on flikr
tourists regularly descend upon Chefchaouen. Here, cannabis is very much a part of their culture, and, although illegal, is far from banished. This revelation has probably alarmed some people (others I'm sure I have enticed). Though don't be put off; Morocco has much more to offer other than a roaring drug trade. Chefchaouen is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Accessible by CMT bus or a taxi from Tangier, the journey will take about 3 hours, winding up into the Rif Mountains and to this enchanting town. The magic of this place lies in its blue washed walls and cobbled streets. Its hillside position means there are many ups and downs, caves and crevices to be discovered. In fact, the most important advice I can offer for Chefchaouen is to explore it. There are so many little souks and restaurants tucked away, many of which have roof terraces with stunning views and it would be a tragedy to miss them. We stayed in a charming Riad (like a Bed and Breakfast) called Riad Dar Echaouen, which I highly recommend. It has a pool overlooking the stunning view of the surrounding mountains and old town and is decorated in traditional Chefchaouen style.
Wwoof Wwoof... Laura Cofield Writer
Stuck for ideas about what to do this summer? Well let me introduce you to WWOOF – an alternative way of travelling and working around the world. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and began as a small UK operation in 1971, since then it has become an international movement, with many countries setting up their own national and independent WWOOFing organisations, aiming to help people share and create more sustainable ways of living and farming. You can now become a WWOOFer almost anywhere in the world – South America, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia – the list is endless. But how does it work? WWOOF is an exchange in which volunteers, also known as WWOOFers, help out on farms in return for food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles. Volunteers join through a WWOOF organisation which offers a list of host farms so that you can choose where you want to go and how long for – from a weekend to several months! The website argues WWOOFers hugely benefit from their experience of working on organic farms; not only do you have the chance to learn a new skill and gain a first hand experience of sustainable living, but you also meet new people from around
1971
the world, perhaps improve your language skills, and pretty much have the opportunity to travel without having to pay for a single hostel! The only financial cost to the volunteer is the membership fee for joining a WWOOF organisation. Unfortunately, because there is no single WWOOF membership, this does mean paying multiple fees depending on how many countries you want to work in, as each country has its own individual network.
The only financial cost to the volunteer is the membership fee After some research though, it doesn't seem that this would break the bank for any potential WWOOFer out there: a one year membership to the Ecuador WWOOF was a mere US$10.00 – that's approximately £6.00! For a New Zealand membership it was only NZ$40 – £19 at the current exchange rate and in Poland, Hungary, Lithuania and Estonia membership was actually free. So bear in mind WWOOF if you're the kind of person interested in working outdoors, learning more about organic and sustainable farming and wanting to get involved with volunteering abroad in a different, more unconventional kind of way.
The year that the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms was founded
Chefchaouen, Morocco
with blue and terracotta walls, and a scattering of lanterns and candles. A short stroll from the Riad leads you to the gateway entrance of the old town, with its time-worn streets and wealth of charming souks selling the most gorgeous Moroccan goods. Chefchaouen is famous for its handicrafts, especially rugs and woollen garments, so be sure to pick one up, but be warned – bartering is essential and the prices will start high. Moroccans can spot tourists a mile off and if you are not careful you will end up paying an arm and a leg for 'silk' and 'cashmere' which is actually cactus silk and
rytc on flickr
baby goat wool. I could say so much more about a country that awes and inspires me, but alas do not have enough space to do so. I will just add that the 'Rough Guide to Morocco' is a sound purchase and a comprehensive guide for the most discerning traveller. Read Harriet's full article online at redbrickonline.co.uk A 'souk' or 'souq' is a commercial quarter in an Arab or Berber city. More specifically, it is used to designate a traditional market.
Homage to Cornwall
Penzance, Cornwall Lucy Rowland Writer
It attracts millions of tourists each year, so I hardly need to sell the idea to you. But, as it is my home county, I definitely have a lot to say about Cornwall. There can hardly be a better place to start than the stunning, diverse landscape, with moorland, beaches, farms and cities – caravan parks and cream teas are, in fact, just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Although it may not be the party capital of the UK, Cornwall can boast a few summer party hotspots. Although Newquay certainly does not need any more publicity, if you want a buzzing nightlife with the added bonus of being able to sleep off your hangover on the beach next day, Newquay is up there with many of the overseas holiday locations. If it's a more chilled out evening you're after, this is where Cornwall comes into its own. The home of Betty Stoggs and Doombar ale, Cornwall has an abundance of friendly pubs, with live music nights and fantastic atmospheres. Nightlife aside, there's clifftop walking, sailing, kayaking, and of course the massive surf culture. If you fancy the Blue Crush lifestyle – white sand, blue
The Brit on flikr
sea and sun (sometimes), South Cornwall beckons with surfer hotspots like Sennen Cove. North Cornwall is not to be forgotten however, with beaches like Polzeath and Daymer Bay – although if you want to learn how to surf, be prepared to dodge hundreds of people on big yellow foam boards for the best part of the summer months! For the truly hardcore wetsuit-wearers, the spring is a great time to learn, and you will be blessed by the occasional sunny day and quieter beaches. Cornwall is no Birmingham. However, on a rainy day, it is a good thirty minutes drive or more to the closest cinema or shopping centre, and unless you happen to live in Truro city centre, nothing is in walking distance. Public transport is a trend yet to catch on in Cornwall – but do not let this deter you. It has many advantages over city life: being able to see stars at night without the orangey glow of light pollution is pretty fantastic, and during August and July, the best barbeques are to be had on the beach followed by an evening watching for shooting stars. So if you're broke this summer but need a holiday, Cornwall will not disappoint, but be sure to check the weather forecast before packing your shorts and bikinis!
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Sport
Football thriller at Munrow Track Pitch Read the full report as the Brum boys stormed back from two down, p26
Three golds as Brum storm Sheffield Athletics correspondent Peter Whitehouse gives us all the details from a very successful weekend for the Birmingham University Athletics Club at the BUCS Indoor Championships...
Julz on his performance 'The win was crucial. It was something I had wanted to do since starting here at Birmingham, and this was my last opportunity. Unfortunately I have been forced to miss the last couple of indoor seasons through injury and with campaigning for my current job. Today I was going to do whatever it took to win and I'm delighted that I delivered'
Chris Smith
Birmingham's Three Lions: Sara Treacy and Julz Adeniran on the left and Beth Partridge in action on the right ish, during which Adeniran calmly stated that, 'You know when you've lost, and this time…I know that I haven't lost.' Sara Treacy showed the 'City of Steel' what she was made of by running away with the gold medal in the 1500 metres. Treacy, led from gun to tape over seven and a half laps of the 200 metre indoor track to finish in a time of 4 minutes 30 seconds, a full two seconds clear of her nearest rival. Loughborough's Jordan Kinney, Dundee's Eilish McColgan and Birmingham's Lauren Scott had tried to cling onto Treacy, but the Irish Medicine student was just too strong. Scott had waited patiently behind the front three before making her move on the last lap and had looked to have secured the silver medal, but it was cruelly snatched away from her in the last metre of the race as Kinney and McColgan edged past the Sport and Exercise Science student in a heart breaking moment for the Northern Irish athlete. Beth Partridge and Pamela
The Week In Numbers
21 7 26 10 4
Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen became England's 21st opening partnership since the end of the 2007 World Cup when they opened against the Netherlands this week. Following Tuesday's 1-1 draw, Real Madrid have now played Lyon seven times in Europe without recording a win. This is Real's worst record against any European club. Former Wimbledon semi-finalist and world number seven tennis player Mario Ancic was this week forced into retirement at the age of 26 following a prolonged injury battle. The Carling Cup final on Sunday sees Birmingham in a cup final for the first time in 10 years. In the 2001 League Cup final they lost to Liverpool on penalties. Blackpool striker Brett Ormerod this week became the first player to score in each of England's top four divisions for the same club.
Hughes had an outstanding day in the high jump on their debut for Birmingham. The first years picked up gold and bronze medals respectively as SPECS student Partridge flew over 1 metre 78 to take the victory, ahead of physiotherapist Hughes' 1 metre 75 clearance. The men's 1500 metres saw the in-form Harry Harper take on Birmingham's fourth year Medicine student Joe Durrant. Durrant looked to get the best of his opposition by dictating the race over the course of the first few laps by slowing it to a pedestrian pace that made it look as though he was leading his fellow athletes on a walk to the library. Harper cleverly sat back and seemed to track Durrant's every move, who continuously manoeuvred himself to survive attacks from Edinburgh Napier's Mark Mitchell and UWIC's Ieuan Thomas. As the race reached its climax, Plymouth's Michael Wilsmore made a decisive move to open up a small gap on Mitchell with Harper and Durrant
hot on their heels. Durrant tried to respond to the move, but it was Harper who reacted faster. Harper steamed down the back straight past Durrant and rounded the final bend to collect the silver medal as Durrant finished in fourth place. In the women's 800 metres, Cally Read took the silver medal in a race which saw the Human Biology student take elbows and pushes from a tightly bunched field. Going into the last lap, Read found herself boxed in a difficult position on the bend which was capitalised upon by eventual winner Jenny Tan from Dundee. Read quickly got herself out of trouble, but it was too late to catch Tan in a tactical affair. Reflecting on her performance, Read was pleased to medal at such a high profile event and declared that she looks forward to the outdoor season. Vicky Fouhy finished in fourth place. Birmingham also saw bronze medals collected by Simon Phelan in the high jump and by Nick Cruchley in the pole vault.
The Week In Quotes
Final Standings Women's Top Four (of 40): 1. Loughborough – 89 2. UWIC – 62.5 3. Birmingham – 50 4. Bath – 35 Men's Top Four (of 40): 1. Loughborough – 74.5 2. Brunel – 61 3.Birmingham – 44 4. UWIC – 42
* Tables calculated by a point system that awarded teams points according to the number of finalists they had and the position they came in. E.g. Gold = 8 points. 8th position = 1 point
The Redbrick Sport Quiz
'You don't really hear the noise when you're running. But as soon as you put the ball down, everything else in your head stops – that's when you hear it. And it's a good noise.'
1) Who became the cricket player to have played the most World Cup matches this week?
England's quadruple try scorer Chris Ashton describes the feeling of crossing the line on the biggest stages.
2) In which year did Birmingham City claim the League Cup, the only major trophy win in the club's history?
'First of all, I have to admit that I am very weak in the sport so I don't know the rules.' Qatar prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani admits that he is not quite up to speed on football's rules.
'Last time I was in Marseille was during 1998 world cup when me + Michael Owen were on the bench! Memories.' A nostalgic tweet from Rio Ferdinand ahead of this week's Champions League clash. 13 years on both missed out with injuries.
Szczesny watch: 'Is it a plane? Is it an aeroplane? No, its just ashley throwing chelsea out of the fa cup :)' Followed by 'i meant bird obviously :)' Wojciech Szczesny tweets his enjoyment of Cole's Cup penalty miss.
3) In rugby union, who is the highest French points-scorer of all-time in internationals? 4) Who is the all-time top goal scorer in international football and for which country did he play? 5) Who was the first man to inflict defeat upon Muhammed Ali in a professional boxing match? 1, Ricky Ponting 2, 1963 3, Christophe Lamaison 4, Ali Daei and Iran 5, Joe Frazier
Birmingham stepped onto the track in Sheffield last weekend for the BUCS indoor championships with high optimism following their success at the BUCS cross country championships. The indoor team did not disappoint, picking up three Gold medals, two silvers and three bronzes on top of the overall team finishing in 3rd place in both the women's and the men's competitions. Birmingham's Vice President for Sport, Julz Adeniran, edged out UWE's Andrew Pozzi in the 60m hurdles by two hundredths of a second to add the BUCS gold medal to his ever increasing collection. Adeniran, who had been in action in one of the best indoor fixtures in the world in the Birmingham NIA on Saturday, turned up to Sheffield on Sunday with only one thing on his mind – winning. The VPS did not disappoint as he championed Birmingham's ambitions by securing the gold. The race itself had been a close encounter and had hung on the result of a photo fin-
Redbrick
Sport 25
25h February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Editors – James Phillips, Simon Hall
Gaelic football boys prove worth at Championships Joe Hopkins
Gaelic Football Correspondent
Last weekend saw university teams from all across Britain descend upon the Midlands for the 20th Men's Gaelic Football Championship. This highlight of the university Gaelic football season kicked off on Friday night at Broad Street of all places. The annual pre-championship meeting at Jury's Inn was where the draw was made for the next morning. Birmingham were drawn in the second group with the dreaded news that they would be facing Glasgow Caledonian - possibly the strongest team in the tournament and London School of Economics, and to make matters worse they were to play in Rugby, the worst pitch in the region. However, Birmingham were not despondent, the team having grown immensely over the year and they were ready to transfer their great performances from training to the pitch. Saturday did not begin as hoped, the amount of rainfall overnight meant Rugby's pitch would be more accommodating to scuba diving than gaelic football! However, Brum rose to the occasion putting in an unbelievable performance on a pitch where the ball sank instead of bounced; beating LSE 4-2 to 0-2, that being four goals and two points to LSE's two points. It was a fantastic display of Birmingham's determination to put 100% in until the final whistle. When you consider that a goal is equal to three points Birmingham truly out classed LSE; scores coming from Matt Clare, Toby Proctor, Steven Dykes and Sean Hopkins, the last three scoring for the first time for Birmingham. A 10 minute
The boys deservedly made it into the quarter finals but defeat hits hard in any situation (right) team talk provided a respite before the next match against Glasgow Caledonian, a team that was the only one to subdue last year's run away champions UEL. Birmingham fought hard throughout remaining only a few points behinds Glasgow, until Simon Langley, Birmingham's keeper made the only error of his debut season, turning inside to clear the ball for it to be charged down and into his goal. Glasgow now pushed their lead further until the final minute when Shane Waters playing at half forward fed a great ball into the box for corner forward Jonny O'Leary to run on to right in front of goal. Before O'Leary could
get his shot away he was pulled to the floor by one of the Glasgow backs winning Birmingham a penalty that was coolly tucked away by Connor Ruffinato. The game ended with Glasgow winning 2-7 to 1-4. This is when a bizarre twist helped Birmingham. Glasgow were unable to progress to the next round which allowed Birmingham to take their spot in the quarter-finals against Nottingham, the winners travelling to Coventry for the semi-finals. Birmingham started strongly enough, club captain Joe Hopkins was taken down on the edge of the area by two clumsy Nottingham backs allowing Ruffinato to send
the free kick flying between the posts and over the bar for a point. Unfortunately, not many points came Birmingham's way thereafter, and things went from bad to worse. Matt Bridgeman, who had been Birmingham's star player in midfield, went in for a challenge in the centre of the pitch and came away in great pain, he was brought off and his injury was later confirmed as a broken collar bone. This blow hit the team hard and they couldn't get back into the game, so Nottingham were the ones to make the short journey along the M6 to Coventry winning 1-7 to 0-4. To reach the quarter-finals of the BUCS championships is a fan-
Isabel Rennison
tastic achievement for Birmingham considering that the team have only been in existence for two years and only five players had played the sport before. It really is a testament to the coaching of Shane Waters and the hard work of Jack Conway, who gave the team an extra edge through his hard work in leading fitness training this year. The team has a few remaining fixtures in the league and are currently in second place challenging for the title. Their next match is away in Sheffield for the Aidan Mulryan Memorial Trophy. The women's team have their Championship on the 5th and 6th of March in Manchester.
Charles' men win 'messy game' at Metchley Men's Lacrosse
Birmingham 1sts
8
Manchester Met 1sts 6 Richard Morris Sport Reporter
At the Metchley 3G pitches, on what was a still but wind-chilled Wednesday afternoon, the Birmingham men's lacrosse first team were preparing for a 'wealth of unknown' in Manchester Metropolitan, as described by their captain. M6 traffic had delayed this eagerly anticipated fixture, but an hour after the scheduled face off, the match began. The initial face off saw James Lindsay take hold of possession for the home team and break away down the centre of the field. Swift passing between the Brum team kitted out in red, showed signs of dominance. Ben Delabo and Eric Pitkeathlee linked up well in attack and soon produced the first goal, taken easily by Pete Cail. This was soon followed by a second from playmaker Delabo. The reds looked strong and were not only commanding the attack, but were well organised in defence by Jonathan MacDonald-Taylor. Frustration was already breaking out among the Metropolitan team, leading to two sin bins for unsportsmanlike
The lacrosse boys prospered in what was an ill-tempered game at Metchley conduct. However, Brum were unable to capitalise on this and were still only 2-0 up at the end of first quarter. Positive talk and decisive tactics saw the Birmingham boys take a third goal, straight from the off in the second quarter. A brilliant run from the sideline, round the back of the goal and whipped into the net by Delabo had the lads elated. However, the Manchester team, which had been plagued by their frustrations, were soon to put these to good use. Solid keeping from
the club captain Dan Charles had managed to keep Met at bay, but this clean sheet was soon ended by Reese Eagles' cool finish. After the visitors' first goal went in, the floodgates opened.
Magic Number
7
There were an amazing seven sin bins in this badtempered encounter
Dmitry Trushchenkov Four more goals from Eagles, Ben Allen and Anthony Boyle across into the third quarter left Brum 3–5 down. With little time remaining before the break, Andy Hodgkiss clawed one back for the hosts. Graceful stick work, followed by a net-breaking shot gave Birmingham the boost they needed. As the teams walked out for the final quarter, you could feel the tension in the air. Birmingham's reds left the touchline fully charged and pumped in their search for greatness. Simple play and accom-
plished execution of basic skills led to an emphatic equalizer from Cail and was soon followed by another to take the team into a 6-5 lead. Unnecessary anger and frustration began to seep out from the Met team and soon a timeout was called. Stern words from the referee towards backchat from Manchester's men soon saw a further two sin bins. At this point, what had been a disjointed match turned into an all out brawl. The Manchester team began questioning the eligibility of the referee, claiming it was a BUCS requirement to have two. This, however, was not the case, causing Eagles and Mickey North to vent their anger. Despite their protests, all words fell on deaf ears and the only result was another two sin bins. Manchester Metropolitan had lost their heads, and the calm Birmingham boys soon capitalised, taking a 7-5 lead. Manchester's Allen was able to pull back a small glimmer of hope for his team, as he grabbed his second, but Hodgkiss soon put the game to bed as he finished supremely to take the full time score to 8-6. The match had it all; goals, passion and controversy, and was summed up nicely by captain Charles as 'a messy game where Manchester had no one to blame but themselves.'
26 Sport
Redbrick
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Editors – James Phillips, Simon Hall
Comeback kids draw cracking contest Men's Football
Birmingham 2nds
4
Warwick 1sts
4
Sport Shorts Ultimate Frisbee
Phil Shepka Sport Reporter
The Birmingham men's football second team provided great entertainment on Wednesday, coming back from a three-goal deficit to eventually draw 4-4 with Warwick first team in a somewhat controversial game at the Munrow track pitch. Goals from Adam Farnworth and Michael Roach ensured Birmingham gained a valuable point at this late stage of the season. Most of the game's early chances fell to the away side. Their main threat came from French striker Jean-Baptiste Conty, who latched on to a Danny Kenna through ball during the opening exchanges. He looked certain to score, but Birmingham goalkeeper Tom Sherry did enough to put off the striker, who sent the ball wide of the lefthand post. The home side then had a goal disallowed when Alan Hainey sent through Farnworth to slot the ball in, only to be judged offside. Following this, Brum's stand out chance of the first half came from a Darryl Reid long throw, which eventually found its way through to Roach, who was unable to control his shot before slicing it over the bar. Warwick then struck the first blow following a ball played over the top of the home defence for Kenna, whose half-volley from the edge of the area hit the bar before bouncing into the net. Shortly after this, Warwick doubled their lead when Tom Halliday failed to clear a cross into the box, allowing Con-
Great catch
Farnworth slots coolly past the Warwick goalkeeper from the spot (left) in the eight-goal thriller Rita Toth ty to knock the ball in. This proved to be the final incident of note in the first half as the away side held two-goal advantage at the break. The second half began with a flurry of full-blooded tackles, emphasising both teams' desire to win this game. However, it was Warwick who struck first, grabbing a third from a long ball pumped forward which the Brum defenders were unable to deal with, giving Conty space to use the outside of his left boot to loop the ball over Sherry and into the net. In an attempt to get his team back into the game, left-back Dave Heaton surged forward and appeared to have been taken down unfairly by the defender. However, the referee was having none of it and booked Heaton for diving. Heaton re-
deemed himself with a cross into the box leading to an attempted overhead kick from Joel Dawson. It wasn't exactly Rooney-esque but Farnworth was there to guide the ball home to make it 3-1. This gave the hosts a lifeline, which they took advantage of soon after, when Roach was bundled over in the box by the Warwick goalie. Farnworth beat the keeper's despairing dive down to his left, taking his tally up to two from the spot. Birmingham were now piling on the pressure, which finally paid off when a ball over the top by Ashley Grant led to a first time shot from substitute Scott Treleaven. This powerful strike rebounded off the post, onto the back of the keeper and Roach was there to bundle the ball over the line.
The most disputed decision of the game came with just 10 minutes to go, when the referee overruled an offside decision from the linesman to allow Conty to score his hat-trick goal. The Birmingham players were furious with the ref's decision but they channelled this anger to find a deserved equaliser. Grant's low ball into the box found an unmarked Roach who, with time and space, slotted the ball into the corner of the net, much to the relief of the home side. Birmingham's vice captain Halliday said after the game that his team 'showed great character to come back' from a sloppy first half performance. He declared himself pleased with the score line which keeps Birmingham in second place.
Quarterman's squash queens dethrone Kings Women's Squash
Birmingham 1sts
3
King's College 1sts
0
Birmingham's ultimate frisbee first team suffered disappointment last weekend as they finished in eight place of the BUCS regional championships, missing out on national qualification in the process. After a strong performance on the first day of competition, Brum failed to maintain their standards throughout the competition and slumped into eighth place following defeats to Leicester and Nottingham on day two. Meanwhile, Brum's second team enjoyed a slightly more successful weekend, finishing two positions above their initial seed in 13th after some strong performances from an inexperienced side. The team was oozing with potential, highlighted by first year Lloyd Cheeseman, who claimed the side's MVP award for his impressive performances. For James Bunting's full review of both teams' efforts over the weekend visit www.redbrickonline.co.uk/sport
Student Rugby
UniSportOnline has teamed up with the RFU to run a live blog as England students take on French universities tonight (25th Feb) in a crunch game. Attention on English student rugby has rarely been this high with the success that the senior team have been enjoying in recent months. Follow the live coverage tonight from 7.30pm at www.unisportonline.co.uk
Valefest FootAid
Joel Lamy Sport Reporter
Birmingham's women's squash team cruised through to the quarter-final of the BUCS championships with a 3-0 victory against King's College London on Wednesday. Runners-up last year, having dramatically missed out on becoming champions after losing to Leeds Met by a single point, the team were even more determined to be crowned champions this year. Captain Katie Quarterman, who went into the game full of confidence, said her team had been training hard in an attempt to make up for last year's disappointment. Her opposite number, Sonam Haria, was clearly aware of the challenge facing her side, who play in a lower division. Unperturbed, she was hopeful of 'some really good matches' and believed the tie 'could go either way'. However, as she was carrying an injury, the match was reduced to a best of three and Haria could do nothing to help her team's cause. In the opening match, home player Georgia Jennings began with a comprehensive victory against Kings' Lauren Theaker. Jennings started really quickly, dominating her opponent with a number of low
Rita Toth
The Birmingham girls were on top form to reach the quarter-finals shots which Theaker was unable to reach to open up a big lead. After quickly taking the first game 11-3, the second came in even quicker time for the loss of just one point. Jennings was winning a number of points from serves which were finding the corner of the back of the court, thus preventing her opponent from being able to wrap her racquet around the ball and return it in to play. However, in the last set, Theaker showed some fighting spirit and class to push the home
Total number of points
Birmingham
66
King's College
29
player all the way but, in the end, Jennings' class prevailed and she cruised to an 11-3 11-1 11-7 victory. Next on court was Katie Quarterman, who continued the form shown by her team mate. After a sluggish start, Birmingham's captain began to display her power and movement which her opposite number, Nayeera El-Refee, was unable to do anything about. After winning the first game 11-6, Quarterman became even more clinical, winning the next two for the loss of only one point each. With Brum having already qualified for the next round, second seed Jenny Tamblyn was able to play the final match against Laura Robinson without any pressure. Nerves were clearly not a problem, as she produced another comfort-
Rita Toth able victory to seal a well-deserved 3-0 win for the hosts. Tamblyn was able to manoeuvre her opponent around with shots to the back of the court followed by cute drop shots that Robinson could not get to. To her credit, Robinson showed determination to fight her way back into the match, but Tamblyn proved too strong an opponent for her, eventually winning 11-3 11-4 11-3. After the match, Quarterman said she was 'proud of my side's display', but stressed that tougher tests await the team. The girls will continue their push for BUCS glory next week, but before that, all of them will play in the individual championships being held at the Munrow Sports Centre this weekend.
Valefest has announced that it will run a charity football tournament in order to raise funds for this year's festival, which will eventually help to prevent Human Trafficking, Valefest's chose cause. The tournament will take place on 19th March from 12pm-6pm and there will be an after party at the Gun Barrels pub in Selly Oak. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun and it is not exclusive to those who have experience playing football. There will be live music provided by DJs and beverages will also be available. For further information regarding entry or enquiries regarding the tournament please contact Alessandro Pirolini at axp928@ bham.ac.uk or Elio Di Muccio at elio_antonio5@hotmail.com
Adventure breaks
Many University of Birmingham students may not be aware that the University has its own outdoor pursuits centre in the Lake District. This centre can provide the perfect break for students and weekend offers are available. If this opportunity is of interest to you or you would like to find out more about it then you can visit www.sport.bham.ac.uk
Redbrick
Sport 27
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Editors – James Phillips, Simon Hall
End of an era for Lions as Aces end long unbeaten run American Football
Loughborough Aces
30
Birmingham Lions
21
Ben Brown
American Football Correspondent
A new era dawns for both the Birmingham Lions and Loughborough Aces. For the Lions it encompasses the feeling around the club after having their 28-match unbeaten run ended by their bitter rivals. For the Aces it resembles a shift in the power balance, and subsequently the bragging rights, following their enthralling 30-21 win over the reigning BUAFL champions. The atmosphere on the pitch at Loughborough was one of anticipation and excitement as the home team got things underway. Despite receiving the ball for the opening drive, Birmingham struggled to find a rhythm, going threeand-out and punting the ball back to Loughborough. In contrast to the stuttering Lions' drive, the Aces quickly got into their stride; a combination of powerful outside running from Adam Hope and sharp passes from quarterback Tom Worrall driving them down the field. The first score came through the air, with Worrall finding Jack Daley on the outside for a 12-yard score. The successful point-after made it 7-0 to the Aces. The hosts were buoyant, and looked to make the Lions pay for missing a scoring chance of their
own. With the ball back, Loughborough mounted another long drive, with key plays from Hope and Daley sustaining the march. Hope showcased his physicality and dived in for the touchdown. Again the PAT was made, to put Loughborough up 14-0. Despite the early setback, Tristan Varney and the Lions' offence were determined to show they could not be contained, and countered with a long drive of their own. Good work from Eni
Osonaike, Ben Brown and John Zinkus saw the Lions get into the Aces red-zone. Varney struck with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Josh Nicholson who also added the PAT to make it 14-7, and all of a sudden, the Lions had the bit between their teeth. There was a shift in momentum and Birmingham didn't let the long field intimidate them as they proceeded to methodically move down the field. Loughborough were feeling the strain; Varney's
It was the Loughborough Aces that finally beat the Lions
The Redbrick Crossword
Mike Hinton
Mordo Nahum Puzzles Editor
This week's prize is a £5 Waterstones Gift Voucher Completed crosswords to be submitted to the Redbrick office by 01/03/11. (Redbrick Office located in the basement of the Guild)
1_2_3_4_5_6_7 _=_=_=_=_=_=_ 8__=9________ _=_=_=_=_=_=_ 0_______=a___ ==_=_=_=b=_=_ c_____=d_____ _=_=_=e=_=_== f___=g______h _=_=i=_=_=_=_ j________=k__ _=_=_=_=_=_=_ l____________ Across
1. 1999 media scare involving computers (10, 3) 8. Flat piece of fabric (3) 9. Mexican city; brand of beer (3, 6) 10. Percussion instrument played with one hand (8) 11. Continent (4) 13. Type of bomb; song by Blondie (6) 14. Vegetable (put before the donkey?) (6) 16. Correct, revise (4)
17. Naturally skilled (8) 20. Personification of the UK (9) 21. Type of tree (3) 22. Alternative to glasses (7, 6)
Down
1. Copy (5) 2. Cross-legged posture used in meditation (5, 8) 3. Deliriously happy (8) 4. French city (6) 5. Standardized measure of a quantity (4)
6. The _____ ________, 1980 film starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi (5, 8) 7. Noble, heroic (7) 12. A treacle (anag.) (8) 13. Sarcastic, cynical (7) 15. London borough; Cockney rhyming-slang for hair (6) 18. Author of The Three Musketeers (5) 19. Indonesian island; programming language (4)
passing and runs from Osonaike and Conroy kept the Aces on their heels. The pressure finally told, and from 24 yards out Varney threw it up for Brown to grab at the front of the endzone. The extra point was made, leveling the scores at 14-apiece. The momentum looked to be completely with the visitors at this point, but Loughborough shot back immediately. On the ensuing kickreturn, a fake end-around opened up a huge hole in the Lions' coverage, leaving Hope free to gallop down the sideline untouched for six points. Once again the extrapoint was made, and the Aces were back in front. Before half time, there was a key incident as Varney was hit awkwardly by two Loughborough defenders. He was substituted with a small fracture of the ankle. Sope Dirisu replaced him at quarterback for Birmingham and the teams went in with Loughborough leading 21-14 at the break. The first drive after half time proved to be pivotal. The Aces received the ball and started the second half by attacking the heart of the Lions' defence with some smash-mouth football. A fake hand off to Hope drew the Lions' linebackers in, and Worrall rolled away from the pressure to find an open receiver in the back corner of the endzone. The extra point snap was fumbled by the holder, leaving the aces with a 27-14 lead. Birmingham again came out determined to show their fighting spirit, and on the very next drive
Sudoku The objective of the game is to insert the numbers 1-9 into each row, column, and 3x3 box once Medium
Video of the Week
A hilarious Australian news report (and new youtube favourite) about a little thing like the Ashes... http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6GHkvWU9Urg
Last issues solution:
Congratulations to Hakki Gurtunc, a third year Maths student, who won last week's crossword. We will email you to collect your prize.
Apologies
We would like to apologise to the Director of the Lion King 48 Hour production, Tom Everatt, who was miscredited.
Funny Channel Ten News Report: England vs Australia Ashes 2010-2011
Hard
toadinthehole =r=w=o=e=o=y= jade=maryland =l=l=a=o=l=x= belladonna=== =x===i===n=d= parsec=nudged =m=t===e===s= ===estimation =o=n=e=e=u=l= pancreas=lead =t=i=n=i=i=t= thelastsupper
hit back with six points of their own. Conroy took the handoff, and scampered through a huge hole created by the Lions' offensive line. With key blocks being made on the outside by receivers, Conroy showed off his speed, running virtually untouched down the sideline for a 55-yard score. With the point-after being made, the Lions were right back in it at 27-21. Heading into the fourth quarter, both teams started to feel the strain, with neither offence being able to get much going. However, one positive drive from Loughborough saw them march deep into the Birmingham half. Despite not being able to punch the ball in for a touchdown, the Aces scored a 25yard field goal, giving them a nine point lead with three minutes left. To their credit, Birmingham didn't panic but couldn't score again giving a final score of Loughborough 30, Birmingham 21. 'It was a hard fought game from start to finish,' said Daley, 'and it was one of the best I've been involved in.' No doubt the Aces will rejoice, as they look to cement the number one seed going into the playoffs. Hope added, 'This game was always going to be an important one for Loughborough,' before paying credit to the Aces Offensive Line for establishing a dominant ground game on the day. While Birmingham will no doubt be disappointed, the mood is one of optimism as they move forward, with their next game against Nottingham Outlaws being the first step into their new era.
Did you know? The Blackberry mobile device was originally going to be called the Strawberry, because its small keys resembled the seeds in a strawberry.
Scribble box
Cockroaches can live up to two weeks without a head because their brain is located throughout their body.
On this day 1947 – State of Prussia ceases to exist. 1723 – Sir Christopher Wren, the English architect who designed St Paul's Cathedral, died.
28 Sport
Sport
Redbrick
25th February 2011 www.redbrickonline.co.uk
Editors – James Phillips, Simon Hall
BUCS success for athletes in Sheffield Redbrick Sport gives a full report of Birmingham's athletes' medalwinning performance, p24
Aussie Rules hits campus Volleyball men
claim historic win
Men's Volleyball
Birmingham 1sts
3
UCL 1sts
0
David Wheaton Sport Reporter
It was a huge day for one of the University's youngest and fastest improving clubs Aussie Rules Football
Birmingham Sharks
99
Central England Warriors
123
Sam Price Sport Reporter
The growing popularity of Aussie Rules football in the West Midlands was showcased at Bournbrook on Saturday as Birmingham Sharks lost out to an impressive Central England Warriors team 123-99. A miserable day did not take the shine off a great occasion, as the fast-improving Sharks got a chance to test their skills against the Warriors, a team comprised of the best players the Midlands has to offer. A number of supporters had turned out, and an atmosphere of anticipation was summed up by Sharks player Dave Wheaton, who said the game 'should be a cracker'. The wet conditions made the key skill of catching the ball a lot more taxing, and an error strewn opening period saw the teams struggle to impose their authority. The visitors, playing in white, were not shy of physical presence in the final third and got the ball rolling with a speculative effort from the strongly-built Micky Kay; the sight of him kicking through the posts would prove to be a feature of the game. Despite the whites' advantage being doubled by a player nicknamed 'Killer', Birmingham were unperturbed
and Wheaton registered their first points of the match with a well taken goal. Forward Anish Patel also managed to send the ball between the posts, but the all-star selection showed their pedigree, demonstrating superb handling and conversion of free-kicks to leave the score at 33-17 after the first quarter. This rather set the tone for the rest of the match; whilst Brum were not out of the match by any means, it was going to be a tough proposition to get back on terms with the Warriors, who offered no respite. The visitors piled forward in numbers, and it took some resolute defending from club president Tim Smith to keep goals down to a minimum. The home side were beginning to find their range themselves, and a well taken goal from Rob Pickering reduced the deficit, before talismanic forward Dan Di-Lieto got his name on the scoresheet with a free kick in front of the posts midway through the second quarter. However, the Central England outfit were a constant threat going forward and kept a near twenty goal cushion throughout, the score at the halfway stage being 57-33. The reds got off to the worst possible start to the third quarter, conceding two goals almost immediately which ensured that the already daunting task of restoring parity would be even greater. But Wheaton rejuvenated the Sharks with a long range strike, and set about hauling his side back into
Rita Toth
the contest when completing his hat-trick moments later. The remainder of the quarter was end to end, with full back Ian McNicholas excelling for the hosts, his exploits including a goal saving block. But the Warriors were made of steel, an example coming when a wincing Nelson Farrett casually came to the sideline to 'pop his shoulder back in', provoking gasps from the spectators. The Sharks still had a glimmer of hope trailing 88-68 ahead of the final period, but this was where their opponents really showed their accuracy and experience, while a touch of class stemming from a rapid hand pass brought up their century of points to make the result secure. Nonetheless, there was some late resistance from the plucky Sharks, Marc Maynard and Dan Seymour adding goals as they fell just one shy of the 100 point mark, a highly respectable points total against such seasoned and skilful opponents. The match finished, and despite the 123-99 defeat the home team were in good spirits as they warmed down. Smith acknowledged after the game that 'experience was the key factor, and the Warriors showed their quality'. The match represents another rung on the ladder for a vibrant and rapidly improving team within the University and they can take heart from the performance and would enjoy a drink with their cosmopolitan opponents after the game.
Finishing top of the Midlands league after a very successful campaign this year, the Birmingham men's first volleyball team hosted UCL 1sts on Wednesday, who finished second of their league, for a game which would decide who deserved to travel to Sheffield for the BUCS finals. Captain Pete Murray was apprehensive prior to the match, stating that Birmingham had lost at this stage last year. This explained the tension in the Munrow and the large amount of support which had turned out for the event. Three very contrasting sets ended in a paradoxically comfortable but tense 3-0 victory for the home side. The first set began in the same way as the two that were to follow, with co-captain Carl Butcher serving strongly at a fragile UCL defence. Birmingham quickly went 3-0 up. UCL's only option seemed to be to set up their strong outside hitter, but whenever he went up for the spike he was met by strong blocks from the Birmingham front line. When UCL did finally score, it only served to fire up an explosive partnership between Libero James O'Dowd and Andrew Isabyre, launching Brum five points into the lead. At this point the score was 9-4 but several mistakes from the hosts enabled the visitors to equalise. UCL never went in front in this set but definitely showed they had their head back in the game after a weak start. Were it not for some strong blocks and inventive sets, Birmingham could have gone behind. It did seem, however, that the home team possessed the technical edge and experience to change the pace of the game when
they needed to. UCL got better still in the second set, but getting in the lead also proved to be the cause of their downfall. Losing 16-14, Birmingham were in an unusual position; they needed to fight back and focus again. Following Murray's lead, after he fired three accurate spikes in a row past the visitors' defence, the home team crept back and equalised to make it an epic 24-24 finish to the second set. Coach Graham Fowler smartly chose this moment to bring on Ayo Bakare to serve, leaving the UCL defence no chance, forcing them to concede a 27-25 loss in a much more evenly-contested set. The fact that Birmingham knew they had the upper hand became apparent. This set, a combination of Marian Pyter and Jake Lambert on the left, and Andrew Isabyre and Anton Seriev on the right made sure most UCL spikes were blocked. However, it was the ability of the home team to quickly make the transition between defensive and offensive set-ups which made the difference. The shouts of 'champagne volleyball' coming from the crowd were not incorrect as Carl Butcher went on to confuse the UCL defence by constantly switching the position he was serving from. Equally wellprepared sets made sure Birmingham won the last rally comfortably. The set ended with an easy 25-17 victory. After the contest, Fowler explained that, 'Once we were up, the players already imagined themselves in Sheffield, but once it was close, they focused on the game. We made it harder than it had to be'. The home team were delighted with the victory and can feel safe in the knowledge that their generation will be able to face the likes of Leeds Met Carnegie and Sheffield Hallam in the BUCS finals. If they stay this consistent, Birmingham have the team to make it into the top four in Sheffield, according to Fowler.
Stretching the lead: Brum took charge in a huge win
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