Issue 1462

Redbrick

9th - 23rd October 2015

Est. 1936

Vol. 80. Issue 1464. www.redbrick.me

Welcome to Chamberlain

Freshers greeted by a building site for a home Construction on flagship new accommodation overruns Students paying up to ÂŁ11,759 for a year's rent

James Moore

Redbrick Investigates:

NEW: Careers and Gaming sections

Which universities are making the most from library fines?

Secure your future... ...or kick back and chill

News / Page 7

Pages 28-29 and 32-33

EXCLUSIVE: 8-page music pullout Who rocked your summer?

From Bestival to Sziget, all our festival reviews in one place.

02

redbrick.me/news

9th - 23rd October 2015

Letter From the Editor Matt Moody Editor

@mattmoody17

Whether you came to see us at the Societies Fair, at our welcome talks, at both or at neither, we're really glad to hear you're interested in getting involved in Redbrick this year - welcome to the year's first print edition, featuring an 8 page festival review pullout from our Music team.

We've got plenty of big plans this year - to celebrate our 80th birthday, we're expanding from 32 to 40 pages of full colour news, reviews, reports and features, as well as the occasional themed pullout.

We're also launching two brand new sections: Careers will be speaking to alumni from the industry in top jobs to give our readers the edge when it comes to graduate jobs, and Gaming will feature news and reviews from the world of (you guessed it) gaming, kicking off with coverage of Europe's biggest gaming convention, EGX - and that's without mentioning society socials, the annual Redbrick

awards, and all the benefits of what is essentially 13 societies rolled into one.

If this all sounds like something you'd like to be part of, good news - Redbrick is recruiting. If you're a writer, editor, photographer, illustrator, developer or pretty much anything else, we're the society for you - below is what you need to do to get involved.

The best way to get involved at Redbrick is by joining a section. With 13 sections (including the two brand new for this year), there's something for everyone, and the best part is that our ÂŁ5 annual membership fee covers every section, so there's no need to choose just one - it's 13 societies for the price of one. You can drop in and out of as many sections as you like, as often or occasionally as you want, so there's no pressure - whether you want to write about new music every Monday, or drop in a few times a year with an opinion piece on something that's caught your eye, you can.

You can find all the details for our sections on our website's contact page over at redbrick.me/contact - it's as easy as checking out the Facebook groups, dropping the

section editors an email, or heading to a weekly meeting somewhere in the Guild.

If you're wondering where the details for our two new sections (Gaming and Careers) are, don't panic - Gaming is now live on our website, and Careers will be launching next Monday 12th October.

"We've got some big plans this year, and we can't wait to have you on board" Both are featured in this issue to give you a taste of what they're about.

University is all about trying new things, but we know that can be tough on the bank balance - that's why we decided to run a two week grace period at Redbrick.

You can join groups, head to meetings and get a feel for the society, no commitment required. When Monday 12th October rolls around, we'll be fully into the swing of things for the year – from that point on, anyone new to the society will be able to

Redbrick Editorial Team Editor Matt Moody editor@redbrick.me Deputy Editors Lucy Moseley Shannon Carey deputy@redbrick.me Digital Editor Mason Cusack digital@redbrick.me Lead Developer Roshni Patel

developer@redbrick.me

Marketing Secretary Hannah Coles marketing@redbrick.me

News Editors Sabrina Dougall Danyal Hussain Isma Azad Sophie Dober news@redbrick.me

Music Editors Hannah Coles Blaise Radley Matt McCrory music@redbrick.me

tech@redbrick.me

Comment Editor Daniella Bassett

Film Editors Jess Ennis Tom Swinford Gurnesha Bola film@redbrick.me

Food Editors Sophie Neal Gemma Allport Sophie Milligan food@redbrick.me

Travel Editors Daisy Holden Nadhirah Syalin Ally Head travel@redbrick.me

Sport Editors Will Robey Rosie Twells Dan Brett Nicola Kenton

Television Editors Matt Dawson Ella Downing Harry Turner tv@redbrick.me

Gaming Editors Mason Cusack James Lentschner

comment@redbrick.me

Culture Editors Charlotte Spence Lucy Mounfield Imogen Tink culture@redbrick.me Life&Style Editors Bethany Barley Elizabeth Green Ayshea Baker Giulia Bardelli Carys Allott lifestyle@redbrick.me

Sci&Tech Editors Ellie Patten Rachel Taylor Amy Thompson

sports@redbrick.me

gaming@redbrick.me

come to one meeting before they'll need to register on the Guild's website - paid members will be added to a closed Facebook group where we'll keep you updated with Redbrick goings-on.

Once that's done, you can make an account on our website (there's a 'Register' button down the bottom of the home page) - you should be emailed a password, but if you don't receive anything, get in touch and we'll hand-craft one for you ourselves. You'll get an author profile on the site, where you can add your Twitter handle, a bio and a selfie (or professional headshot) so your readers can put a name to a face, as well as a readymade portfolio you can fire off to potential employers.

When all the freshers stuff is out the way and you're all paid up and connected on Facebook, we'll be in touch with what we've got planned for the year, including socials, careers, training, events and more.

Thanks again for your interest in Redbrick - we hope you enjoy the first issue, and we're looking forward to having you on board..

Redbrick Guild of Students Edgbaston Park Road Birmingham B15 2TT 0121 251 2462 editor@redbrick.me

Redbrick is printed through www.mortonsprint. com 01507 523 456 To advertise with Redbrick, get in touch with marketing@redbrick.me or visit www.redbrick.me/advertise-with-redbrick for more details, and to see our rate card.

Designed and typeset by Redbrick Copyright (C) Redbrick 2015 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.

redbrick.me/news

9th - 23rd October 2015

03

NUS President Megan Dunn Resists Affiliation with Cage Danyal Hussain News Editor

Following government pressure, the President of the National Union of Students, Megan Dunn, has ruled out support for Cage, the group that has vehemently opposed counter- terrorism legislation on campuses in the UK. However, Ms Dunn has reaffirmed her desire to battle government counter-terrorism policies in universities, believing that they can lead to confusion and are a hindrance to free speech.

"Prevent also stresses the need to tackle gender segregated events" Dunn’s comments follow accusations levelled at the NUS by a number of people, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, that the organisation supported Cage. These accusations came after the NUS passed a motion in April to oppose the government's controversial Prevent campaign, alongside Cage.

The Prevent policies were edited this year, with UK universities having a new set of obligations to tackle extremism from September 21st 2015. These obligations include a requirement to properly investigate the background and profession of any invited speakers, as well as to ensure that any extremist views that are presented are

properly challenged and countered. Finally, Prevent also stresses the need to tackle gender segregated events. Prevent further contains guidelines on staff, student and IT training that should be used to help identify signs of radicalisation.

A committee member of the University of Birmingham’s Islamic Society told Redbrick that there is a ‘fine line between preventing radicalisation and spying on the community’. He also stated his belief that the targeting that Prevent encourages is due to ‘ignorance’ of Islam and its culture.

Along with other members of the ISoc (Islamic Society), he was at pains to explain that separate seating areas for men and women are due to ‘cultural reasons’, the way that the members were brought up, and he was very keen to separate these reasons from segregation, the connotations associated with this concept being a source of great distress. Also, when asked if any potential speakers were rejected, the

"There is a fine line between preventing radicalisation and spying on the community" response was an emphatic yes.

The NUS came out against the policy, with one officer reportedly describing the campaign as a ‘racialised, Islamophobic witch-hunt’. Furthermore, NUS officials have expressed their opposition by saying that it raises ‘legitimate concerns about the impact the Counter Terrorism and Security

Act will have on student welfare’.

The comments made by the NUS was reflected in comments made to Redbrick by female members of the ISoc, who spoke about how ‘every single event they host is monitored, even something as simple as a quiz’. This feeling of social alienation was compounded by their fears that the ISoc will

"I will not work with Cage, the NUS will not be working with Cage..." be ‘shut down’ in the ‘near future’.

The NUS comments however, coupled with the April motion, prompted a severe backlash from the government, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying in a speech that ‘when you choose to ally yourselves with an organisation like Cage, which called Jihadi John a ‘beautiful young man’ and told people to 'support the jihad' in Iraq and Afghanistan it really does, in my opinion, shame your organisation and your noble history of campaigning for justice’.

Universities minister, Jo Johnson, also has stated that he was ‘disappointed’ by the stance of the NUS, before emphasising that the Prevent policy is ‘about protecting people from radicalisation’.

The ISoc committee member Redbrick spoke with said that he understood what Johnson has said and he compared his own experiences of growing up in Switzerland to living in the UK, saying that he felt Britain was a ‘lot more tolerant’.

These events have culminated in Ms

Dunn’s statement, in which she distances both herself and the NUS from Cage. She said, ‘I will not work with Cage, the NUS will not be working with Cage and there will be no NUS resources used to work with Cage’. The comments came as a result of Ms Dunn’s desire to clarify the relationship between the two organisations and she went on to state that the ‘NUS's policies on antiracism, anti-fascism and how we define anti-semitism’ would not be compatible with Cage.

She sums up by saying, ‘The NUS is against terrorism, that's never been in question’ before calling on the government to again reconsider the Act, ‘they need to look at it again’. Although she is against Prevent, she does not condone Cage and is more than willing to ‘engage in a conversation about keeping our campuses safe.’

Uob Student Saves Life of Blood Renewed Controversy Over Sombrero's on Campus Cancer Patient Carys Jones News Writer

Oli Elston, Social Policy and Crime student, donated his stem cells last week to a blood cancer patient.

The Birmingham Marrow society collaborated with Anthony Nolan, an organisation that help match blood and stem cell donations with those in need of such a transplant, in the search for bone marrow and stem cell donors in the hope to cure those suffering with blood cancer.

"Donating is virtually pain-free, it's just like giving blood" Oli discussed the simplicity of the procedure, ‘I thought donating bone marrow might be an invasive procedure, but when the Birmingham Marrow volunteers told me how easy it was I thought it would be a great thing to do. From then on I always had the donor card in my wallet but didn’t expect to be called up.’

He continued, ‘I just want to encourage more students and young people to sign up.

It’s so easy to join the register and donating is virtually pain-free, it’s just like giving blood. If I was in need of a transplant, I would hope there would be people on the register to help me and I hope other young people feel the same.’

Alex Cupit, President of Birmingham

Marrow, said ‘It’s amazing when we hear one of our recruits has gone on to save a stranger’s life. It makes all the hard work of our selfless volunteers so worth it’. Cupit praised Oli for his noble actions and stated that the society is inspired ‘to recruit more potential lifesavers in Birmingham this year’.

Anthony Nolan revealed that student donors have increased in the last two years, resulting in 227 strangers given a more hopeful future. Additionally, Birmingham Marrow from Birmingham University have recruited 1061 potential lifesavers in the last two years.

Bone Marrow donation is becoming a critical issue in the UK as every 20 minutes itis estimated that a person is diagnosed with blood cancer. It is also this amount of time, that around 2000 people a year are in need of a bone marrow transplant.

To find out more about Anthony Nolan and the donation of stem cells and bone marrow, please contact Alex Cupit on 07533 062353 or email birmingham@ukmarrow. org

Sabrina Dougall News

@Sabrina_Dougall

Chiquitos were asked not to hand out sombrero hats to students during Freshers fairs last week, as they are deemed to promote ‘cultural stereotypes’.

A representative from the Chiquito stand, who did not wish to be named, told Redbrick that she was told ‘immediately’ by Guild staff not to hand out the sombreros they had brought along to the fair.

‘It was just going to be a fun thing for students, but we’ve been asked not to hand the [sombrebros] out,’ she said.

This summer Chiquitos will visit 22 universities in the UK to promote their discounted food and cocktails to students. A spokesperson said that UoB was the only one not to ask for an advanced list of promotional materials they intended to hand out.

However, once the team arrived to set up, they were told not to hand out sombreros as the hats enforce ‘cultural stereotypes’.

Chiquitos had planned to hand out 1,000 sombrero hats during the freshers fair. No other Students' Unions had asked the team not to hand out any particular promotional item at similar Freshers events.

Students who turned up at the Guild Freshers club night wearing sombreros yesterday evening were asked to remove them.

Students have reacted with a mixture of surprise, acceptance and defiance of the Guild’s policy. Melody Jap-Sam, a Sociology undergraduate on an Erasmus year from

Amsterdam, told Redbrick: ‘I don’t think it’s racist, people wearing sombreros aren’t trying to make fun of Mexicans.

‘We shouldn’t deny differences in cultures, but we should recognise what is to be celebrated about other cultures.’

A first year history student felt that the Guild were taking the ‘safe’ option of enforcing a blanket ban on any costume that could be interpreted as offensive. He deemed the policy, ‘an over-reaction’ borne out of ‘being scared of being called racist’.

"A ban on racist-Mexican themed costumes"

The story comes after the Guild of Students announced a ban on ‘racist’ Mexican-themed costumes at Halloween in November 2013. At the time, several students were prevented from entering a Guildrun party wearing a poncho, mustache and sombrero.

At the time, the Guild released a statement reiterating its ‘zero tolerance policy against all forms of harassment to include racism, ageism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia and transphobia.’

The Guild stressed their belief that ‘some fancy dress can be deemed offensive when considering the zero tolerance policy.’

‘In light of this, past events involving fancy dress (in particular sombreros), and the strength of student feeling around this issue, the Guild and Officers decided that it would be inappropriate to have any commercial activity at Freshers’ Fair that could prove offensive to any of our members.’

04 9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/news

News

Chamberlain Residence a Building Site Gregory Robinson News Writer

The University of Birmingham welcomed 726 students to the new Chamberlain block at the start of this new academic year. The new accommodation was originally set to be completed by September. However, many students were surprised when they arrived to discover the building work was yet to be finished.

The new Chamberlain buildings replace the old Chamberlain Hall accommodation and are located on The Vale.

Chamberlain consists of 117 flats which are shared between five or six students.

The flats provide en suite study bedrooms along with a kitchen and lounge area.

Construction on the three blocks is mostly complete.

To date, the new 20-storey tower block continues to undergo construction work.

The ground floor of the new tower is set to provide social spaces for students including a bar, a restaurant and a launderette. In the meantime, the Chamberlain block does not have any laundry facilities, so residents must travel to Shackleton or as far as Tennis Courts to clean their

clothes. Also the lack of eating spaces is problematic since the students in Chamberlain are part of the University’s meal plan package.

Rental price for an en-suite room in Chamberlain is £186 per week, or £7,808 for a 42 week contract. This price also includes the meal plan, which is a £50 weekly allowance for food. 24 studio apartments are on offer, with a £235 weekly price tag, and a total cost of £11,759 for a 50 week contract (a 42 week contract is also available).

Despite the ongoing construction work, residents of Chamberlain have expressed a positive view of their new home. Keertan Patel, a Mathematics and Computer Science student, told Redbrick ‘even though it is not complete, the Chamberlain tower is really amazing.

Especially the view from our flat as you can see the rest of The Vale and the University clock tower.’

Annabel Black, a first year medical student, said: ‘Chamberlain has incredible views and I love the design and atmosphere of the building. Despite the longer walk to main campus and current lack of food and washing facilities, Chamberlain is a great place to live.’

James Moore

Opinion

Rising Towers, Rising Costs With the government poised to cut student maintenance grants, and living costs for students skyrocketing, James Moore asks: How affordable is student accommodation on campus today?

James Moore

Update: Private Student Halls Selly Oak Court Where: Sturge Close B29 6GH, at the end of Eliot Road, accessible from the canal towpath.

What: Access to a gym and games room. Overseen by CRM Properties, How much: A six bed cluster is £129 per week (£5,676.00 for a 44 week contract), with the deluxe studio coming in at £190 per week, or £9,690.00 for 51 weeks.

Athena Studios Where: 360 Bristol Road, B5 7SQ. Next to the Bournbrook fire station and opposite the new campus sports centre.

What: 259 studio rooms with en-suite bathrooms. A common room with sofas and tables, as well as a sensory garden. Managed by Prime Properties, its grand opening was on 2nd September this year.

How much: Studios start from £170.00 per week, which includes all utility bills, 100MB Wi-Fi, contents insurance up to £5,000 as well as a large 3/4 bed and access to an on-site maintenance operative. With a reception desk, intercom system and key card access to studios, 24/7 security is in place.

Brook Studios Where: 536 Bristol Road, B29 6BD. Behind the Korean supermarket and Yakinori sushi place.

What: Edge Apartments and Brook studios are administered by Collegiate AC. Studios contain a double bed and en suite bathroom, and residents have access to the small on-site gym.

How much: Renting exclusively to students, there are varying options for Erasmus students. A typical studio is £192.50 per week, with a premier studio plus setting you back £10,455 for 51 weeks.

It has been a familiar sight to Valedwellers during 2014-2015: the floor by floor growth of the latest 20-storey luxury accommodation in Edgbaston.

Chamberlain is not the only new accommodation built for the University of Birmingham this year, nor is it the most expensive, but is by far the most substantial development, and by virtue of its 702 student capacity and the height of the tower, it is the most striking.

There is a particular question that can be asked of Chamberlain, however. Its unashamed standing in the Vale in its notyet completed state has provoked me to ask this: in an era of austerity, a time of comparatively lower disposable incomes and a time where students are more hardpressed than ever to balance their meagre budgets, why has the university decided to answer the student accommodation shortage with ever-more expensive housing?

This question could be answered with much evasive reasoning. After all, Chamberlain is a sparkling new accommodation premises offering value for money services in a stunningly beautiful vale, a bastion of nature in a somewhat grey and concrete dominated Birmingham.

All for the price of £7806 for an en-suite including meal plan during 42 weeks of the year, or £9870 for a self-catered studio affording spectacular views of the city.

But to place these costs into perspective, you should first look at how much finance is lent to students in order to get by. As of August 2016, the maintenance loan will increase to a maximum of £8200 if you study outside London. This does not mean the majority of students will receive this loan amount. With grants on

the way out, the maintenance loan will be the sole income for students seeking support from the government.

With students whose parents cannot afford to provide significant financial support during their time at university, the maintenance loan barely covers their accommodation costs for an en-suite meal plan room in Chamberlain, which is if they receive the maximum loan amount.

Aside from all other incomes, students would be expected to cover all course, transport, and other living costs with an impossible £394.

These numbers are indicative of the fact that there is expectations, from both university institutions and the government: either students work part-time during term time or they receive substantial support from home. And for some this is entirely possible, either because their parents can afford to support them, or because they can balance an already cramped weekly timetable with 14 or more hours of extra work.

Both these expectations seem unfair.

It is unfair that less well-off students must work to support their living costs whilst others do not. It is unfair that squeezed middle-income families must be faced with the potentially crippling costs of sending their children to university.

Hence we return to the question at hand: why has the university responded to the accommodation shortage with housing that fewer students can afford, that government support cannot cover?

The actual answer I’ll leave to you, the reader, to speculate. Regardless, one or the other of these expectations must be met. Parents or shift work must pay.

06 9th October - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/news

News All change for the Guild of Student's democratic structure

Sarah James

News Reporter What is the idea behind the Fossil Free campaign?

The idea came out of scientific evidence from the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Carbon Tracker Initiative (based at the London School of Economics). Additional finance and investments work by PwC, HSBC, McKinsey and various others on the speed by which we need to deal with what I will suggest is somewhat of a crisis, has highlighted this issue within the finance sector.

This also brings about the potential of creating equitable social and economic change to the way our energy systems work. The size of current conventional fossil fuel reserves (that are economically and technologically feasible to extract) is around three times bigger than the global

carbon budget to 2050.

The global carbon budget is defined (roughly) as the amount of carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases, that can be emitted into the atmosphere between two time boundaries. The IPCC defined a global carbon budget for the first time this Autumn in the first part of the Fifth Assessment Report. The Carbon Tracker Initiative released a report called 'Unburnable carbon 2013: Wasted capital and stranded assets'.

In this, the group detail how there is a 'carbon bubble' that is set to burst. With the fossil fuel reserves already too large for the carbon budget, these assets are stranded and not able to be extracted and burned. Indeed, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology will only increase the amount of fossil fuels that can be extracted, by around 10% to 2050.

What are you trying to achieve with the Fossil Free campaign on an international and also, a local level?

The Fossil Free campaign recognises that there is a high amount of money held in the investments of higher education institutions, including long term investments and pensions (held in the University Superannuation Scheme, for example).

UK universities are currently investing up to 62.2 billion pounds in pensions and long-term investments. Of which 5 billion is invested in the Fossil Free industry, which equates to over a 1000 pounds per student. The Fossil Free campaign aims to get institutions to recognise the risk that a carbon bubble poses, and to divest from companies and investments which are exposed to this risk before the bubble bursts. This divestment also gives an opportunity for investment in low carbon companies, and maybe even co-operatives and community-focused investments which impact positively on local economies in the long term, whilst delivering a return in the short term. Investing in tobacco and arms companies is now seen

as an inappropriate and The Guild of Students’ democratic structures will change, as it has been announced that a majority of 88.1% voted in favour of switching to a new online model in Monday night’s General Meeting.

The current system — in which 130 students are elected as Guild Councillors to attend seven Guild Council meetings in an academic year, where motions are discussed and passed or rejected — will be scrapped. The new democratic online model will replace it.

The new model — which students voted on during the meeting as Special Resolution 1 — will move this system online. Students will be able to propose ideas through an online form, with a deadline for ideas occurring five or six times in the year. After this deadline, ideas will be looked at by an assessment group (made up of all of the full time officers and seven elected students) who will check for issues and suggest amend-

UoB recognised for ‘impressive’ Birmingham's new John Lewis impact on global development store opens up at Grand Central Emily Young News Reporter

The Guild of Students has created a petition to support the construction of a cycle path between the University Station and the canal towpath.

The lack of accessibility to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, running alongside

"Impressive impact on global development in recent years " the university has been identified as a problem.

The petition is supported by Tom Wragg (Vice President of Democracy and Resources) Ellis Palmer (Disabled Students' Officer), Rachel Cavet (Ethical & Environmental Officer) and the Green Bike Project (local co-op based at the University of Birmingham). It is hoped that the improved accessibility would not only aid parents with young children, the elderly and the less mobile, but would promote the use of environmentally sustainable transport, such as bikes, around the university.

Birmingham City Council estimates that there will be a 50% increase in traffic and congestion by 2020. The petition will also aim to encourage cycling as a more sustainable mode of transport.

Whilst publicising the petition, Tom Wragg (Vice President Democracy and The University of Birmingham has been commended for its research into developing better road networks and peace-building

processes. The two projects have been recognised as having had an ‘impressive’ impact on global development in recent years.

The project into peace-building processes was driven by Professor Paul Jackson, of the School of Government and Society, who is a world-renowned expert in the field of post-conflict reconstruction. His research, supported by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Department for International Development, has connected the issues of decentralisation, demobilisation and post-conflict reconstruction.

In 2010, Jackson was appointed as the only International Adviser to the Government of Nepal following their civil war. It is this role that he has been commended for, as he played a key role in reaching an agreement.

Speaking of the recognition for his work, Professor Jackson said, ‘It’s great and

"The University's researchers have played a pivotal role"

also unexpected. As an academic my approach is really to keep quite a low profile within peace negotiations - the impact agenda is important to me and I am glad it has been recognised’.

Secondly, researchers from the School of Civil Engineering have created an appraisal model to evaluate and optimise road networks which is now the de facto method used by the World Bank.

The University’s researchers have played a pivotal role in the international effort to develop the latest version of the

Josephine Cooke News Reporter

After 12 months of built up anticipation, the recent opening of Grand Central has divided opinion. It’s sheer size, high gloss, mirrored exterior and 500, 000 sq foot of shopping on offer; Grand Central has changed Birmingham’s architectural landscape. In the first weekend of opening, the newly renovated Grand Central attracted over 140 000 visitors after it’s launch on Thursday 24th September. As part of a larger £700 million redevelopment of New Street station and the Palisades shopping centre, Grand Central came in at a cost of £150 million, funded by stakeholders which included Birmingham City Council and John Lewis.

Satya Baskaran, a second year Drama student told Redbrick, the new development ‘feels sleek and modern with a bustling and metropolitan atmosphere.’

However Satya didn’t feel it was worth the money: he thought the council could have it spent it on better things.

Anchor store, John Lewis, is one of the largest in the UK and even comes complete with a spa. Other leading retailers in the new shopping centre include: The White Company, Kiehls and Cath Kidston with more stores to come. Grand Central also has 21 food outlets, presenting visitors with a wide range of choice from major restaurant chains such as Nandos and Giraffe to up and coming eateries like Yakinori, a sister restaurant to the one in Selly Oak. If you don’t have time to stop and eat a meal, then Grand Central also offers on-the-go

options such as crepe affaire and Costa.

With 50% of the shops at Grand Central being new arrivals to Birmingham, one being Frizzenti which serves pastries and sparkling wine on tap, the redevelopment offers a boost to retail at New Street and the Bullring shopping centre by attracting new customers.

60 premium brands are set to replace the Palisades, but will this development attract Birmingham’s students? Clarissa Price, a maths undergraduate, stated that it would be nice to have more ‘high end’ shops, which Birmingham was previously lacking. However Clarissa thought it would have been better if there were also shops that were useful to students, like a bigger WH Smith; ‘It is a nice alternative to the Bullring for shopping but also out of the average student’s price range.’

In a statement made by Birmingham City Council, they affirm the fact that these new premium outlets are only possible due to Grand Central managing to combine a great mix of retail and dining options that offer a wide variety of choice for all tastes and budgets.

The development has created over 1000 permanent jobs in retail and hospitality as well as lots of opportunities for part-time work. Some of these jobs have been offered to students from universities in Birmingham. A second year UoB student who works at the brand new John Lewis alongside other students from the University stated that working at Grand Central is flexible as there is a choice to work evening shifts, which fits around university work.

redbrick.me/news

9th October - 23rd October 2015

07

Redbrick Investigates: Which Universities earn the most from Library fines?

Sabrina Dougall News Editor

@Sabrina_Dougall

Late fees are a sobering reality for all but the most organised of students. But which university is making the most money from us book hoarders?

As students flock back to their much-missed university town, more than one will be hit with the goosebump-inducing realisation that they’ve kept a library book on loan over that long summer break. Holding the sticky-back plastic covers in your hands, frantically looking for a housemate to blame and gazing in horror at the title you thought you’d safely deposited weeks ago, it’s only a matter of time before the full cost of your negligence is brought to light.

"The University's researchers have played a pivotal role" If you’ve ever found yourself in this situation, our research shows that you’re not alone. Check out our league tables of universities cashing in on our lack of organisation produced from a series of Freedom of Information requests made in summer 2015. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole pound.

It should also be noted that it is not just students who make use of most university libraries, as the majority are available to members of the public and alumni who wish to register. For each university, the figures refer to their main library, excepting Nottingham, whose data incorporates all its university libraries. ‘Library charges’ refers to late fines in most cases, however, for UCL and Durham, these include charges for replacing lost books. We surveyed eleven Universities.

Universities who made the most from library charges in 2013/14: 1. UCL - £204, 848 2. Leeds - £164, 870 3. Nottingham - £154, 098 4. Bristol - £125,800 5. Birmingham - £115,389 6. Durham - £114,095 7. Oxford (Bodleian Library) - £98,852 8. Warwick - £94,262 9. Cambridge - £35,980 10. York - £35, 531 11. Imperial College London - £3, 501 So the UCL library topped our list of the biggest earners through library charges. However, this should perhaps not come as such a shock given that the university has a comparatively high number of students registered to use it – 30,551 in 2014.

Nevertheless, it is something of a surprise that Imperial should rake in just 2% of the amount that the UCL library does, given that it had only around half the number of students as UCL, registering 14,735 in 2013.

What if we adjust the list to show the average amount of money earnt in fines per student? It should be noted that the below table has been made according to the latest figures available for the total number of student at each university. That said, the total number of people registered to use the library may be considerably higher than the overall number of students registered at each university.

Universities that made the most money from library charges per student (on average) 2013/14: UCL - £6.71 Durham - £5.58 Bristol - £5.52 Oxford - £4.42 Warwick - £3.99 Birmingham - £2.96 Leeds - £2.75 Nottingham - £2.45 York - £2.33

Cambridge - £0.77 Imperial College London £0.24 How does your yearly fine payment stack up against your university average? UCL remains in top place for the amount of money it earns on average from each student. Durham shoots up from the halfway mark to second place on our leaderboard. If you want to avoid punishment for your poor memory, it seems that Cambridge or Imperial are the places to be, with each making less than a pound from its scatterbrained students each year.

Leeds University also told us that since August 2013 their students are not expected to pay late fines for holding onto a book until someone else asks to borrow it.

Thought you were the only one with your head still in the sand? Take a look at the results for the largest fines still being dodged to date.

Top five highest outstanding library charges: 1. UCL - £478 (student who left in 2013) 2. UCL - £384 (student still registered at university) 3. Warwick - £245 4. Cambridge - £220 5. Birmingham - £142 It is said that one cannot graduate without paying off outstanding library fines. However, one daring soul has topped out our chart by a mile, racking up a staggering £478 in ‘invoice replacement costs for unreturned books’. Despite their student record expiring on 29th September 2013, this shady individual has so far failed to pay their outstanding bill. The student owing their library the second highest fine on record is someone still studying at UCL, who is indebted for the ‘replacement costs for unreturned books’.

It should be noted that the above table does not include figures from Bristol or York universities, as they

do not hold this information.

Interestingly, five out of our eleven institutions impose a cap on the maximum amount a student will be charged in late fines. At the University of Nottingham this is £10 maximum cap per item; Durham it is £20 per book; UCL is £15 per item; Oxford it is £10, and Imperial is £11.

Top five highest fines ever paid to a university library: Cambridge, 2014 - £263 Warwick, 2014 - £198 Warwick, 2012 - £175 Cambridge, 2013 - £152 York, 2014 - £118 The above table excludes data from UCL – their highest charges ever recorded were £580 in 2014; £459 in 2013 and £308 in 2012 – as their records for charges ‘also include charges for lost books, invoices, inter-library loans etc’ as well as the traditional late fee.

UCL also told us that in 2013/14, one item alone generated £579.50 in fines. The highly sought-after title was ‘Rang and Dale's pharmacology’ by H. P. Rang et al. In the previous academic year, this item racked up a cool £458.60 (and the year before that, £219.70), making it one of the biggest money-generators in the library’s entire stock.

UCL told us that these figures consist of the total of ‘fines from multiple copies’ of the same book.

The top five books that generated the largest fines at UCL in the academic year 2013/14 combined to total £1821. The titles were almost exclusively related to medicine or pharmacology, with a few titles from mathematics and one Assyrian dictionary. It seems that medics will go to extreme lengths to spend extra time with their textbooks– even if that means racking up hundreds of pounds in potential replacement charges.

08 9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/news

News Freshers

Do you remember your first time?

• Our brand new freshers writers give their opinions and thoughts on a new beginning at UoB Gregory Robinson News Writer

Freshers Week was possibly the most overwhelming, exciting and memorable week of my life. The University of Birmingham hosted a wide range of daytime and nighttime events to keep new first year students like myself, entertained.

One of the most important things I learned during Freshers is to be myself. Smiling and talking to the many people I met, despite not being able to remember everyone’s names,

"One of the most important things I learned is to be myself" was a smart decision. It is exciting to think that the people I met during Freshers could become new life-long friends.

I also learned to say yes to everything - well, everything that was legal

and safe - at the University’s Freshers fair. The huge number of societies, work and volunteering opportunities and student deals were simply irresistible. I signed up to as many teams, societies and clubs as I physically could, despite not having nearly enough time for them all. Certain societies like Redbrick Newspaper immediately became a top priority.

Plus, who would say no to free pizza and sweets?!

I made sure I was out and about every night. Whether I was at one of the club social events or other group gatherings, such as the quiz night in which I won 500 bottles of beer.

Meeting new people has been one of the greatest pleasures of Freshers week, especially since the University is filled with such a variety of students.

Ayesha Carrick is just one of the students I met who studies the same course as me. Ayesha summed up her Freshers week experience, ‘it was crazy, exciting and a great chance to get to know my flatmates!’

Unfortunately, I experienced the dreaded Freshers Flu towards the end of the week. But I would not have had a complete Freshers experience without conquering the flu!

Megan Stanley

News Writer After spending the majority of the past four months anxiously waiting for results day and then getting ready to move into my university accommodation, I had no idea that the phrases I would associate with my fresher’s week would be ‘where is my lamp’ and ‘crying the instant you see your dog on skype’. Homesickness was not a thing I was prepared for.

With the unwanted homesickness and the fact I forgot the essentials like a lamp, a decent hairbrush and cereals, my Fresher’s week wasn’t what I expected. I would describe the experience as anti-climactic. The first week was spent getting lost on campus and feeling emotionally lost.

This new freedom and independence was definitely a shock to the system. After spending my entire life in the same place with the same people, moving away from home has been both challenging and exciting. It’s hard not to feel a excited when there are new people to meet and many different activities to try out.

It is important to remember that thousands of other people are feeling the exact same; going to university is an overwhelming and life-changing experience.

The buildings may be taller, fancier and scarier but they will become our new home

- probably quicker than we expect. Soon, the unknown will become the familiar and the fear felt during the first week will feel like a distant - and probably ridiculous – memory.

Ultimately, I definitely feel like a fake adult at the moment. Will I ever understand how to budget and not feel like an imposter whilst pushing a trolley around ALDI? Hopefully. As the weeks pass, I can definitely feel myself becoming more comfortable with my surroundings and university life. The future is beginning to look extremely exciting, and honestly, I cannot wait for the rest of my first year at university to get started.

89% of Birmingham students happy with university choice Gregory Robinson News Writer

Research carried out by the NUS on behalf of Endsleigh found that 89% of students in Birmingham are satisfied with their choice of university.

A second year music student, told Redbrick that she was happy with her choice to study in Birmingham because ' of the vast amount of retail, fun nightlife and the wide variety of cultural experiences that compliment my degree.'

(I added this quote from my house mate) The survey, which asked 115 Birmingham students in April/May, found that the biggest concern leading up to university was making friends; this was true for 45% of participants.

However, among 107 students asked when having started university, this concern fell to only 3%.

Money was a big issue for many students. More than half of students

found that living in Birmingham was more costly than anticipated. The number of students concerned over money fell marginally from 37% to 36%. 60% of students said that they found books and equipment more expensive than they expected. But where is that money going? A vast majority, 84%, said most of their money was spent on food, followed by travel and going out.

To fund their university life a record breaking 67% of students work to help pay for studies, and 81% consider a holiday job, with the average student earning £415 a month. At a wage of £5.30 an hour (the national minimum for 18-21 year-olds), which works out to 78 hours every month.

Once at university, students’ favourite aspect of university life was academic success at 52%, but doing well in their studies was the greatest concern at 68%. Other top concerns include deadlines and graduate jobs.

Charlie Ward

redbrick.me/comment

9th - 23rd October 2015

09

Comment

Was my skirt too short?

Georgie Deaville

walking towards to me, to intimidate me.

I've seen so many tweets telling "ugly

Commentator

Saturday night. Kebabs in hand, my flatmate and I are taking the short walk back to our flat, just up the road from Electric. We see two men on the other side of the road; they're approaching. Our footsteps quicken, all we want to do is get home, it's dark, cold and some of us have work in the morning. The two men continue to head in our direction. Perhaps if we avoid eye contact, they'll continue past us.

"Alright ladies?" one of them drunkenly

"Victim blaming is one of the most ignorant 'excuses' for sexual harassment going." little feminists" to pipe down, the world is full of more important issues than gender inequality. True, the world is full of all sorts of horrors. But I am not going to stand for being made to feel unsafe in the place I am supposed to call home for the next few years. I was made to question what had I done to attract this kind of unwanted attention in the past week. Was it how I was dressed? My makeup? My hair?

It was none of those things. I'd done

"True, the world is full of all sorts of horrors. But I am not going to stand for being made to feel unsafe in the place I am supposed to call home." shouts. We quicken our steps again, silently begging them to leave us alone.

He then hits my flatmate.

Monday lunchtime. Having enjoyed a morning of revision with two course mates, I head into town for a bit of retail therapy. I walk into a shop only to be greeted by a man grabbing the corner of my jacket. He had to make sure his girlfriend and small child couldn't see.

Later that day. Heading home, I stand at the pedestrian crossing waiting to cross.

"Girls can dress and act however they want."

The roads are busy. After my experience in the shop earlier, I am naturally feeling a little more vulnerable that usual. At first I thought I was imagining the man on the other side of the road constantly staring at

me. The green man shines. I step into the road, as does the man across the road from me. I try my best to avoid eye contact again, but I couldn't help notice him edging closer to me. I look up. He was purposely

nothing. Victim blaming is one of the most ignorant 'excuses' for sexual harassment going. Girls can dress and act however they want and shouldn't have the doubt in their mind that what they're wearing might attract the wrong sort of behaviour.

Viking Babies Ellen Daugherty

Commentator There has been a shift in the common perception of normal family life, many women no longer feel that a man is a necessity in creating a family, so are choosing to enter the world of having children alone.

Usually lesbian or infertile couples decide to use insemination from a sperm bank to conceive, but recently there has been a surge of single women choosing to do the same.

Generally this is not an ideal situation, and is used more as a ‘Plan B’ for those who cannot conceive ‘naturally’. Single women are opting for this route for many reasons, just a few of these are: men who can't commit; men that aren’t ready for kids; not finding the right person; failed relationships, and the fact that a female’s biological clock is forever ticking.

that this movement is creating for women is

"Whatever it is labelled as, women being able to choose to have children with or without a man is a good thing."

"The 'Equal Access campaign... calls for these barriers to be minimised."

"In Denmark, single mothers, or 'Solomor' are recognised as being completely normal in society - as they should be."

In Denmark single mothers, or ‘Solomor’, are recognised as being completely normal in society - as they should be.

There is no stigma associated with them, leaving many women feeling comfortable using sperm banks, which led to an increase in demand. An introduction of free fertility treatment to single women in 2007, helped with the surge, as it removes the financial obstacle for this way of life. Now, 1 in 10 sperm donor babies in Denmark are born to a single mother. The forward thinking Danes provide an excellent example of how family life can evolve and adapt in the 21st century, alongside advances in technology.

Cryos International Bank in Denmark has the largest selection of donors, and is the biggest sperm bank in the world. The boom in donors is seen to be due the change in advertisement, and how the sperm banks present themselves to the male population.

They now appeal to male vanity, showing donating sperm as almost an act of heroism, making the whole process possess an ele-

"The Cryos International website even has a search tool where you can choose the race, hair colour and eye colour of your donor. So it's almost like being able to online shop for the genes that your child will have"

ment of pride. This has made searching for the right donor incredibly easy in Denmark, and helped single women start a family without being in a relationship of some sort.

According to Cryos International, a massive 50% of their clients are now single. The Cryos International website even has a search tool where you can choose the race, hair colour and eye colour of your donor. So

it's almost like being able to online shop for the genes that your child will have; quick, simple and easy.

In contrast, the UK sperm bank had a measly 9 registered donors. They are looking to launch a ‘superman’ programme to gain more donors, similar to the programme in Denmark, but until this takes effect, many UK women choosing a virgin birth are going to Danish sperm banks to be inseminated. The babies born through this method are being labelled as ‘Viking babies’, as a result of their mixed parentage. The increase in the births of so called ‘Viking babies’ is being termed a ‘Viking invasion’, rather a dramatic depiction, but it merely emphasises how important the Danish sperm banks are becoming to UK family life.

Whatever it is labelled as, women being able to choose to have children with or without a man is a good thing. The freedom

a huge step to breaking the constraints of traditional family life. Surely, if someone wants to raise a child then they should be able to despite their relationship status. For most, finding someone to have a family and spend the rest of your life with isn't that easy.

Virgin births becoming more accepted gives women an opportunity to raise a family, even if things haven't gone to plan in other aspects of their life.

Seen something you agree/disagree with?

@RedbrickComment

10 08 9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/comment

Comment If you own a television, use the internet, or even just occasionally glance at the news stand as you queue up to buy your halfprice Malibu or WKD, you will have seen a lot of Jeremy Corbyn lately - he is the one that looks a little bit like Captain Birdseye had a Britney moment and took an electric razor to his beard. The hats are even sort of similar, if you don’t really look that hard.

Corbyn has been accused of many things, from being stuck in the 80s, to being unpatriotic, and even owning a ‘Chairman Mao bicycle’ (the latter is just shoddy reporting

"Simply put, socialism is one answer to the question 'how do we make our society fairer?'"

– there is no such thing as a Maoist bicycle, although he does own a Hugo Chavez pogo stick). By far the most common accusation however is that he is a socialist, a word that usually elicits a mixture of confusion and fear, so Political Dictionary is tackling the word head on.

Simply put, socialism is one answer to the question ‘how do we make our society fairer?’ (the other answer being the French one, including the guillotine). It was developed in response to the observation that in a capitalist system, employees get paid far less than what they are worth, while employers get paid significantly more. To use a modern example, why is it fair for you work an eight hour bar shift and get paid minimum wage, while the bar owner spends all day playing Angry Birds, and then turns up at closing time to collect the money you have made for them? In a socialist system,

Confused by what’s going on in Greece? Not quite sure what austerity is?

Need to understand what George Osbourne is saying to justify that uncomfortable feeling you get in your stomach when you look at him? You are not alone!

Political Dictionary is a column designed to make politics easy and accessible. We take the big words that politicians use and cut them down to size, so that you can understand the big issues you see on the news.

This week

Josh Hill tackles

SOCIALISM, n.

Political Synonyms: Corbyn, Equality, Solidarity instead of one owner taking the lion’s share of the money while everyone else is paid much less than they are worth, the workers are the owners, and not only do they share the money equally, they also get to make decisions about the place they work in. By putting the ‘means of production’ (the bar) into the hands of ordinary people, everyone should get a better wage, and enjoy work more.

The main criticism of this is that, while it sounds lovely, it doesn’t quite work. To be completely fair there has never been a truly socialist country – dictators worldwide have named their regime socialist, but ‘the means of production’ has been firmly controlled by those dictators, not by the

people. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was socialist in the same way that The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is democratic. To clarify, the DPRK is North Korea – the one with the alarming preoccupation with military parades, 90s-esque nuclear programmes and, strangely, waterparks.

There has never been a democratic socialist country, so it is hard to say what one would look like, and I don’t think we are about to see one under Corbyn. When we call him a socialist we should remember that what he is offering is actually very mainstream, capitalist agenda, with some socialist values to make sure people don’t start sharpening the guillotine blades. If

Corbyn becomes prime minister in 2020 we will not see billboards of his smiling face on high-rises, or tanks rolling through the streets of London, or bankers being dragged from their mansions. What we might see is big companies being asked to pay more taxes, more funding being given to the NHS and social housing, and the nationalisation of the railway, water and electricity companies. In fact, nationalisation is about as socialist as Corbyn gets, and it simply means making the public the owners of a business. While it might sound extreme, Germany’s famously efficient railway is publically owned, and so is EDF, those guys you pay for electricity every month.

So, to recap, socialism is the belief that the ‘means of production’ should be publically owned. This means the land, natural resources, and equipment used to make stuff are owned by everyone, so that we can democratically choose what to do with it, rather than the richest people buying it, and exploiting that resource for personal gain.

Democratic socialism has never been tried, but many of the most prosperous democracies in Northern Europe do practice socialist values, with nationalised industries, pro-

"it is the belief that the 'means of production' should be publically owned." tection for workers, and strong welfare systems. When people say that Corbyn is a socialist they mean that he wants a form of capitalism that works in the interest of the many, rather that the few, not that he is proposing a Cuban style revolution.

Corbyn Refuses Nuclear Holocaust: Extreme? sentatives who are paid upwards of £70,000 a year by the taxpayer to answer difficult questions should not only answer these questions, but answer them honestly. Predictably, he is being attacked for this, often by the very same people who enjoy nothing more than complaining about how all politicians are liars.

I don’t think David Cameron would push the nuclear button either; I’m not convinced that he is a psychopath (though I suppose the accumulating evidence has to become insurmountable at some point).

His remarks in an interview with Sky

Alex Garrido Commentator

Another day, another Jeremy Corbyn outrage manufactured by our hysterical press.

For those unaware, Corbyn stated in an interview on the closing day of the Labour Party conference in Brighton that he would not, under any circumstances, give the order to fire Britain’s nuclear missiles.

On this rare occasion he has not actually been misquoted, and has confirmed his stance in subsequent interviews.

There are only two situations in which

"Corbyn stated in an interview on the closing day of the Labour Party conference... that he would not under any circumstances, give the order to fire Britain's nuclear missiles." our nuclear weapons are supposed to be fired: in offence, when we are among the first parties to mobilise our nuclear arsenal (which, as our “independent nuclear deterrent” is controlled entirely by the United States of America, means the decision wouldn’t truly include us anyway); or in defence, when Britain has already been attacked with nuclear weapons and we would be firing in retaliation. In the former case, we’d have missed the entire purpose of nuclear weapons, which is not to use them. In the latter we would just be killing more civilians; it would achieve nothing other than an extreme, impractical and strategically redundant form of revenge.

Corbyn’s promise to never use nuclear weapons is, I find, considerably more reassuring than David Cameron’s would be. This, of course, makes us not only an obvious target for a nuclear bombardment, but also a clear and justifiable threat to our

"In other words, our entire system of world nuclear security rests on a few men being consistent in the way that they lie." non-ally countries who often have considerably larger nuclear arsenals. Perhaps Corbyn could put the £100bn we would save by not replacing Trident back into the Armed Forces which the Tories have been relentlessly cutting.

For all the Tories’ bluster about

"Corbyn is being attacked by the very same people who enjoy nothing more than complaining about how all politicians are liars." “national security”, they are the ones who have left us without even the ability to sweep for Russian submarines in our own waters. So much so that even the US has been privately suggesting for some time now that we stop chest-pounding and start actually engaging with the world and its issues. There is a reason we have to keep UN-retiring Tornado ground attack aircraft – we need conventional military forces that we can use in order to exert

our influence, not nuclear weapons that we can’t.

This position is not exactly a preserve of the ‘hard left’. Former Tory Defence Minister Michael Portillo (who, just to assure you that he isn’t some kind of softright exception, recently said that refugees should be “dumped on a Libyan beach”) said in 2012, on the question, “Should we have nuclear weapons at all?”: “No, it's completely past its sell-by date. It's neither independent, because we couldn't possibly use it without the Americans, neither is it any sort of deterrent, because now largely we are facing enemies like the Taliban and Al Qaeda, who cannot be deterred by nuclear weapons. It's a tremendous waste of money. It's done entirely for reasons of national prestige and at the margins it is proliferation.”

To my mind, this is an issue of politics, not virtue. I think it was not, politically, a good decision for Corbyn to answer as he did, he would have been better off ignoring or avoiding the question. But, unfortunately for him, he is an honest man who thinks that elected repre-

News on the matter are telling. He stated, “If you give any other answer [than saying that you would be prepared to order a nuclear attack] then you are, frankly, undermining our deterrent”. He is, of course, absolutely correct – the entire purpose of a nuclear deterrent is irreparably damaged if a person vital to its use says that they would never use it.

What’s interesting to me is that Cameron talks about the answer that you have to give – it doesn’t matter whether or not you actually would be prepared to use nuclear weapons (which, as a friendly reminder, would be directly responsible for the murder of millions of innocent civilians in an inescapable and untargeted atomic firestorm vaporising anything it touches and irretrievably scarring the landscape rendering it unfit for habitation by almost any form of organic life)... you have to say that you would, otherwise there’s no point.

In other words, our entire system of world nuclear security rests on a few men being consistent in the way that they lie to each other. If that goes even slightly wrong, everyone you have ever known

redbrick.me/comment

will die in horrifying agony (but that should, mercifully, not take very long at all). In a full-on global nuclear war, more people would be killed in the space of an afternoon than have died in the entire history of human conflict. I may only be a first-year student of History, but even I can tell you that that’s quite a lot of dead people who didn’t ask for a war.

Pushing questions of politics and diplomacy aside, and disregarding what

9th - 23rd October 2015

should and should not be said publically, if someone was genuinely prepared to “press the button”, to end human life as we know it, then, as far as I am concerned, they are a homicidal maniac with a staggering lack of basic humanity.

I really do lament that Labour is starting to get mired in this Trident row. Whilst I am, as you may now be able to tell, opposed to a renewal of Trident, I really believe that Labour has much bigger fish

to fry. People who are suffering a £1,000-a-year blow to their incomes just in time for Christmas through cuts to tax credits, I suspect, would rather Corbyn spent his time securing his position on the anti-austerity front than waging an almost entirely irrelevant and certainly internal party war on an issue that I can almost guarantee Labour wouldn’t be able to stop in Parliament anyway.

This doesn’t, however, retract from

It’s about that time of year where everything seems to kick off. Students are starting their studies, settling into a routine, and heading off to enjoy an infinite amount of societies they forgot they’d signed up for during Welcome Week.

It is a well known fact that many University societies, namely the sports societies, welcome their newcomers with a series of challenges and initiations to break them in and integrate them within the team. Such bonding activities, whether prohibited by the university or not, have raised continuous debate amongst both students and university officials.

In October 2005, initiation ceremonies were brought back into the press’ spotlight after a 19-year-old Tom Ward, died following an initiation for new Hull University rugby team recruits. The initiation was composed of a bar crawl in which every 10 minutes a sports team set off for the pub. They had five minutes to consume a set amount of pints and spirits before running to the next pub, the aim being to finish before the other team. Tom died of “positional asphyxia caused by alcohol intoxication”, in other words, he choked on his own vomit.

Of course, you hear these isolated horror stories of those hospitalised, traumatised or even killed by such activities, but how many students actually oppose these activities? Redbrick asked University of Birmingham students to Comment On Sports Society Initiations: here’s what we found.

tial for team spirit"

Sports Initiations: Team Bonding or Humiliation?

200 Participants

The Middleground

tions in my time and I think there's

they are taken too far and people get hurt. I think team building is more importantly promoted

nothing wrong with them, and they do

by being social, which is what the initiations are probably trying to do."

break the law. No one is being forced into joining. No one has a "right" to join a private club just because they want to, just as no one has a right to have a chocolate biscuit if they can't afford to pay for it. Conditions have to be met."

The Verdict Interestingly, the majority of our commentators involved in sports societies said that events were all in good fun and intended to build a rapport between teammates. This was not, however, the case in general Campus Public opinion. Polls clearly show the majority of the 200 students we asked thought that initiation ceremonies had more sinister undertones of fresher humiliation. A further selection of students highlighted the initiations as the result of a “vicious cycle” of fresher shaming as opposed to a more traditional “rite of passage” view.

Overall, the Campus Public seems to object to these initiation events. However, when 150 students were posed with the question “Sports Initiations: Cruel or Okay?” more students than you would expect answered the latter. Out of 150 people 74% deemed the events as ‘cruel’ and the other 26% said that they were ‘okay.’ It seems that although many suggest these events are malicious, it is clear that those involved in the events have different perspectives on them.

"I personally don’t agree with initia-

jokey fun with them. I don't see a problem with initiations as team building activities, unless

membership - so long as it doesn't

Comment Editor

The Negative

"I’ve taken part in many Sports initia-

club can demand whatever it wants for

Daniella Bassett

'Comment On' is the part of Redbrick where we hand the megaphone over to the General Campus Public to tell us what they really think.

"In my group we don't do initiations. We try and just accept everyone, but we do have a little

tend to build camaraderie. Any private

*Except, of course, for Redbrick.

Sports Initiations

The Affirmative "Sports initiations are fun and essen-

the fact of yet another example of Corbyn’s disarming (however foolish) honesty. He is honest in a way that most politicians would shy away from, and should absolutely be commended for it.

But instead he is once again being attacked for treating the public as intelligent citizens, bringing our shamelessly-partisan and internationally-ridiculed national press* into even further disrepute.

NEW!

The Debate

09 11

"Initiations aren't standard in my circles. Optional fresher’s welcome events in sports however

tions. They have put me off joining sports societies before and I don’t think that should be the case. I understand that it might ‘bind’ teams because they’ve all had to go through the same horrible thing, but why should that be necessary?"

are a good team building exercise that should be encouraged."

"I think sports initiations are fun, but can sometimes be taken too far."

"When they're sensible, they can be a fun bonding experience, but if it looks dangerous, then stop it!"

Next week's topic is Edward Snowden!

Do you think he was right to leak classified information from the U.S. National Security Agency? Is he a traitor or a whistleblower who has highlighted the issues of mass survailence?

Have your say by tweeting us @Redbrick Comment or participating in our Doodle Poll (www.facebook.com/RedbrickComment)

"I understand the psychology behind them, in that you feel closer to the people you have been humiliated with and that acts as something you bond over.

But I can’t see why anyone would want to put their so-called ‘friends’ through something so horrible."

12

9th - 23rd October 2015

Features

Green Party Leader Addresses Students on Campus News reporter Ian Rogers attends campus event with guest speaker Natalie Bennett, Green Party Leader Green Party leader Natalie Bennett was greeted with a big audience on campus last week. The joint event between the UoB Student Assembly Against Austerity (SAAA) and the Green Party's local branch required a last minute change of venue to the Arts building to accommodate around 100 attendees eager to hear what the Green Party leader had to say. The event began with an introduction from James Honke, campaign manager for UoB Green Students, with a brief explanation of what SAAA had to offer.

Natalie Bennett joined the Green Party in 2006 after deciding ‘something needed to be done’ about environmental issues being swept under the rug. During the last election the Green Party took a record 1.1million votes – quadrupling their previous best figure. Despite this, the Green Party could not improve their representation within parliament, maintaining only one MP. This led to a debate about the First Past The Post (FPTP) voting system, which the Green Party are campaigning to change. Bennett told the students that she would propose a proportional representation system which would be ‘really simple’. The system Bennett aims to introduce would not change the voting for your local MP, but extra MPs would be introduced to make the representa-

tion of each party the same as the total voting percentage they receive.

A good example to demonstrate why the current FPTP system is being criticised is the fact that during the last election the Green Party earned 3.8% of the votes and took only one seat; meanwhile the Scottish National Party earned 4.7% of the total vote and took 56 seats. In her speech, Bennett questioned David Cameron's mandate, claiming that the Conservative Party ‘had no right to govern’ having only taken 36.9% of the vote - not a proper democratic majority in her mind.

'Bennett reiterated the Green Party's support for doing away with tuition fees altogether' Bennett covered a range of other topics. Some of the highlights included her sympathy for students of all ages ‘feeling the pressure’ from repetitive examinations, the hardship of poor student housing, and the increasing burden of debt placed on the shoulders of

young people. Bennett stated that ‘73% of loans will never be paid off’, which she cites as proof that the current loan system for students ‘isn’t working’, later reiterating the Green Party’s support for the complete abolition of tuition fees.

The next point of interest was the notion of gradually cutting our working week to as little as 21 hours per week.

Bennett stated that ‘instead of chasing GDP growth, we should chase life’, a statement likely to be dismissed as extremist by other UK parties – most of the political mainstream in the UK is firmly behind using GDP growth as the means to provide prosperity to the masses. As a result, the Green Party will need to provide further details on this aspect of their vision before it is taken seriously.

Bennett is proud of being the only leader to bring up climate change in the election debates. Many students believe that environmental issues should be taken seriously across the entire political spectrum, rather than being dismissed as a solely left-wing pursuit.

One student asked Bennett whether the Green Party would publicly form alliances or coalitions with other parties in order to gain influence in parliament during the next election - she responded by highlighting how the party were cur-

rently focused on the upcoming council elections, but did refer to the recent Green-Lib Dem collaboration in Camden designed to help and support Syrian refugees at the peak of the migrant crisis.

'Instead of chasing GDP growth, we should be chasing life" During an exclusive post-speech Q&A with Redbrick, we asked Bennett if she had a message to students considering voting for Labour under Jeremy Corbyn instead of the Green Party.

Bennett responded by stating that students should vote Green if they support the consistent Green Party message that ‘we must live within the finite environmental limits set by earth’ and the focus on a better life for all. This, in her view, is the key difference between the Greens and the Labour party, who still ‘obsess’ over GDP. Bennett also made reference to Jeremy Corbyn’s struggle to unite Labour with regards to defence and nuclear weapons, stating, ‘if you don’t like trident, you know who to vote for’.

Before the 2015 General Election, the Green Party unveiled six 'flagship policies' (complete with hashtags) to provide an alternative to the 'status quo politics' of the establishment.

The policies focus on ending austerity, investing in public services, and - above all - preserving the environment.

Are the Greens onto something? Let us know what you think on twitter. @redbrickcomment

9th to 23rd October 2015

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13

Restaurant Review: Las Iguanas

Jennifer Cook and Aamina Siddiqui went to check out Birmingham's very own 'South American Restaurant-Bar' Quinoa ensalada. Salads, when dining out, are typically a bowl of leaves with some cucumber or tomato thrown in. This was a beautifully presented round of quinoa mixed with beans and bursts of sweet potato and tomato, on a bed of guacamole with ribbons of fresh tortilla chips scattered throughout. Accompanied with a cranberry chilli salsa, I could have happily eaten an entire bowlful… and the best thing was, not a single lettuce leaf in sight! £4.95 Las Iguanas’ caramel cake had been recommended to me by a friend, and I am pleased to report that it did not let me down. It was light and heavenly, soaked in a luscious milk syrup, scrupulously placed with a dulce leche sauce, it was the absolute perfect end to a wonderful meal. I will definitely be coming back to have it again. £5.00

My main course was mushroom fajitas, which were also vegetarian.

The presentation of it was very fun; all the components of the dish came separately, the mushrooms were sizzling pan having been sautéed with peppers and onions, the tortillas were in a taginestyle basket and I had to assemble it myself. I could see how concepts like this embraced the Latin American culture of cuisine being shared and open to being made particular to individual taste buds. I don’t like jalapenos so I could customise my fajitas to suit me! £11.95 Nachos (which were gluten free) accompanied with cheese, jalapeños, sour cream and salsa. These were by far the best nachos I’ve eaten to date, the toppings were plentiful and every mouthful was packed with flavour. £6.95

what's on the menu?

Las Iguanas’ caramel cake had been recommended to me by a friend, and I am pleased to report that it did not let me down. It was light and heavenly, soaked in a luscious milk syrup, scrupulously placed with a dulce leche sauce, it was the absolute perfect end to a wonderful meal. I will definitely be coming back to have it again. £5.00

I ordered the XinXim (apparently Pele’s favourite dish-who knew?) which was a lime chicken curry in a crayfish and coconut sauce with a side of garlic and coriander rice, toasted coconut, salsa and green beans. The dish had the appearance of a chicken korma but the flavours were totally unexpected and delicious! When eaten together, the individual elements of the dish worked together in harmony; the freshness and bite of the tomato and chilli salsa helped to cut through the creaminess of the curry sauce, delivering a unique and unforgettable flavour. I loved it so much, I took the leftovers home. £12.95

Situated in the south side of the city and a five-minute walk from New Street Station, Las Iguanas is nestled within the Arcadian centre and opposite the Hippodrome theatre. Billed as a South American Restaurant-Bar, you won’t find anywhere as vibrant and hospitable as this venue.

With over 30 chains in the UK, the Birmingham branch enhances the vibrant metropolis. With the appearance of a sleek Southern American villa, one could be mistaken for feeling like they were starting a holiday once stepping through the restaurant doors and the façade continues once inside. Following a recent makeover, the restaurant now features two distinctive dining areas, with the bar acting as a focal point in showcasing the large and diverse collection of drinks on offer at Las Iguanas.

A newly created raised dining area offers diners the opportunity to relax in a comfortable and atmospheric environment, a feature that makes Las Iguanas the perfect place to come with friends to unwind and socialise over some authentic Southern American cuisine.

Our host for the day was the smiley and attentive Stevie who equipped us with both a vegetarian and a gluten free menu. With the option of having a specially devised allergen menu, the whole dining experience was much more enjoyable and it was exciting to finally have a large selection when it came to ordering. With up-tempo music playing in the background, we began our indulgent lunch by sampling two alcohol free ‘Raspberry crush’ and ‘Tropical’ mocktails.

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redbrick.me/music

9th - 23rd October 2015

Features

The American Invasion

With the growing influence of American television across the world, a debate looms over our country: is American TV better than the shows made closer to home?

The American Side Izzie Nicholds

In 2015, more than ever before, American television culture has crossed over the Atlantic and made a big impact on good old Britain. Big box-series such as Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Parks and Recreation and the iconic Game of Thrones are all anyone in the UK talks about, me included. Why is this? Is it because they have a bigger budget which in time creates a more polished visual aesthetic? In fact, where British TV has a tendency to consist of three-part dramas which you wish were longer; its American counterpart has to run for 39 weeks of the year; mostly in long series consisting of 22/23 episodes which only highlights the big bucks behind it. Some would say this drags out a storyline but I think this only gives more time to really get your teeth into a series. It also means that I can commit myself to a show every week; emotionally and physically.

"British drama has become too mundane."

It could also be argued that British drama has become too mundane. People aren’t that interested in watching Londoners argue in the pub or streets anymore. However, I feel like l can always rely on the Americans to produce new exciting TV – where vampires, postapocalyptic suburbia and supernatural events are almost the norm. The loyal fans of shows like Games of Thrones, from the production powerhouse HBO, prove this. In a world where twisted kings, white-walkers and dragon-riding blonde women take centre stage, this show is a world-wide phenomenon not

@redbricktv only because of its tense and exciting plot but because of the fans who carry it.

Following this, there is also substantially more hype on social media about American TV; it can seem like the whole world is responding to an episode of your favourite box-series. This certainly has an impact on the success of American TV as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have become intertwined with television culture. I love watching an episode of Pretty Little Liars whilst scrolling through Twitter to see if I am not the only one reacting to what just happened. It almost creates a sense of community as you find people who love your favourite American TV show just as much as you do. American shows seem to benefit from a much more global audience than their British counterparts do.

The internet has also provided us with the beautiful, wonderful thing that is Netflix. An American creation, Netflix has changed the television, and to some extent film, game. Now, people can bingewatch their favourite shows whenever they like. Netflix has also produced its own original content which proves as equally as successful. As a proud owner, I can confess to watching so much TV that is become hard to keep track! One thing that is noticeable is that, the content on Netflix is mostly American. So whether they like it or not, stubborn Brits are exposed to the American culture on a regular basis.

It is hard to escape the American television invasion; it has been happening for years. Even if you won’t want to admit it, everyone loves a good American sit-com, drama, thriller or sci-fi and that’s never going to change.

Nowadays, American television has come to dominate our channels, particularly with the rise of on demand services such as Netflix. However, that doesn’t mean we should neglect British television. Recently, there has been a crop of excellent dramas and comedies that do not deserve to go unnoticed.

Spearheading this is the BBC with the announcement of an autumn slate that features the return of two of their most critically acclaimed dramas: Sherlock and Luther. These programmes catapulted Benedict Cumberbatch and Idris Elba respectfully to international stardom, and rightfully so. More towards the sci-fi end of the scale, Doctor Who is now in its ninth series of its revival, now having run for now over 50 years.

After all this time, it still manages to stay fresh due to a constantly changing principal cast (there have now been 12 actors to officially play The Doctor, with the current iteration being Peter Capaldi) and covering a variety of themes aimed at both adults and children alike.

"American television has come to dominate our channels... that doesn't mean we should neglect British television."

Over on ITV, Tom Bateman and Richard E Grant will bring life into Robert Louis Stevenson’s Victorian psychological thriller Jekyll and Hyde, maintaining the traditional setting.

Continuing with the period theme,

The British Side Matt Dawson

Downton Abbey returns for its final series, and the management of the varied plotlines and diverse cast has caused it to dominate television awards internationally and rightly so. This has triggered somewhat a resurgence of the British period drama, with the likes of Poldark and Mr Selfridge following in Downton’s footsteps.

"These shows have been remade in the US with mixed results, but lack the individuality that sets apart British comedy" Not only do we succeed on the dramatic front, the unique British sense of humour also lends itself to comedy. From The Office to the IT Crowd, British comedies have a knack of identifying the awkwardness found in social situations, and provide a relatable social commentary on how we interact as a nation.

These shows have attempted to be remade in the US to mixed results, but lack the individuality that sets apart British comedy. This comes from a foundation of classic comedic heritage bringing audiences the likes of Basil Fawlty, Del Boy Trotter and Edmund Blackadder, whose personalities and jokes have withstood the test of time.

While sometimes not achieving the same levels of funding as US TV, British television isn’t something to be forgotten, and if content of a similar calibre continues to be produced, it looks set to continue for a long time yet.

11th - 17th October 2013

redbrick.me/music

15

Snobs: One Year on Twelve months ago, Snobs said goodbye to its historic home of 40 years and moved into new premises. Now that the dust has settled, has the legacy continued?

From the unassuming entrance on Paradise Circus, down to the beer-sodden dance-floor, the unmistakable wall of faces and the tables etched with 40 years of history... ‘old Snobs’, as it’s now known amongst those lucky enough to have experienced it, was about two things: cheap drinks and great music but it couldn’t last forever.

When the developers came knocking to turn the place into a hotel in 2014, it was decision time - quit while they were ahead and draw the club to a graceful conclusion, or up sticks and continue the legacy elsewhere. The latter option was chosen, and after an emotional final night that quite literally almost brought the house down, the £2 million ’new Snobs’ - complete with wall of faces and sunken dancefloor - flung open its doors to the sound of ‘I Am The Resurrection’, ready to welcome a whole new generation.

At the time, the jury was out on whether Snobs could preserve the magic of its gloriously dilapidated former home in its new venue - particularly one that had seen so many clubs rise and fall over the past decade. On the first anniversary of the big migration, we sat down with veteran Snobs downstairs DJs Gav Jones and Dave Southam to see how things have changed.

‘Veteran’ is no exaggeration for these two. ‘I got to know Dave through doing some flyering for the club then got to follow him behind the decks a couple of years later’ says Gav; ‘that was 1993’.

After 19 years at the old place, the decision to move was a massive one for the DJs as much as the club itself. ‘It really was a huge change, but it’s worked out really well so far. Obviously we were totally attached to the old place, even though it was falling down around our

ears - on the last night [before we moved] we saw people we hadn’t seen for ten years, and it is sad that we’ll never do that again, without a doubt’.

Although they wouldn’t have chosen to move at the time (had they been given a choice by the builders), once the decision was taken, ‘there was a real desire to make sure we did the move right’. Although it’s unmistakably different to the old venue, plenty of features have been lovingly transplanted to ease the transition and bring some familiarity to the new place - you’ll still find the wall of faces - ‘more of a selfie wall these days!’ -, the sunken dancefloor Gav and Dave preside over on a Wednesday night, and, of course, cheap drinks and great music.

"The new venue flung open its doors to the sound of 'I Am The Resurrection', ready to welcome a whole new generation" Despite the emotional trauma of saying goodbye to the old place, the move to a newer building was not without its benefits - the new premises can do things that simply wouldn’t have been possible before, says Gav. ‘With the old place, it was as big as it was, and that was it. At the new club, there’s four rooms, and we have the option to open or close as many as we like, so on a

busy night we’ve got the capacity, but on a more intimate night we can make the club smaller and keep the atmosphere... the air conditioning is nice too, obviously!’

Perhaps the biggest change for Snobs in its new home is the arrival of Vodbull on Thursday nights. The caffeine-fuelled blowout’s move from Risa has certainly increased footfall, but at what cost? It’s a blessing in disguise, according to Gav and Dave. ‘Vodbull is a great night with a great turnout every week, but it’s important to remember that it has its own identity, and we’re really just renting the club out to them once a week’, says Dave, echoing the sentiments of countless third years tirelessly reminding freshers that they’ve not really been to Snobs until they’ve been on a Wednesday. ‘I think it’s great advertising for us, it’s the same with us being part of the official Welcome Week pack really - there’s no better way to promote your club than getting people in it and showing them where it is’. They’re not worried about the impact on Big Wednesday either: ‘it started in 1993, and we’re pretty sure it’s the secondlongest-running student night in the world - it’s doing great’.

The reason for the club’s longevity is, above all else, the music. Gav and Dave both know how critical it is to keep things fresh: ‘if we tried to keep the night “pure indie” there’s no way we’d still be going, not least because indie has changed so much over the years we’ve been here’ says Gav. ‘It used to be that you’d get the indie kids, the goth kids, the rockers and they’d stick to their tribes, but now you’ll hear Queens of the Stone Age and Uptown Funk in the same request’. They’re both keen on ‘Mr Brightside’ as their go-to

floor filler - ‘for every person that’s sick of it, there’s a load more people who love every single word’ -, but draw the line at R Kelly’s ‘Ignition’ - ‘they’ll play that upstairs, but we’ve still got some morals left’.

"Despite the emotional truama of saying goodbye to the old place, the move to a newer building was not without its benefits" Both Birmingham born and bred, Gav and Dave have a special place in their hearts for Brummie bands. ‘All those bands like Peace, Swim Deep, JAWS, they’re all in the same kind of circle... it’s always nice when a band is in here with all their mates and we put one of their songs on’, says Dave. ‘It’s not just signed bands either, if we get a demo in we like we’ll stick it on between two big songs to try and give new bands some exposure. When you find a new track and it gets a good reception... you can’t beat that.’

After a 1st anniversary bank holiday party that’s as well received as ever, there’s a real sense that the club is looking into to the future. Its old home may have been confined to history, but Snobs is still here, bigger and better than ever.

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redbrick.me/food

9th-23rd October 2015

Food

Craft-y Movements in the Brewing World Jennifer Cook reports on the rising popularity of craft beers and what this means for the industry Jennifer Cook Food Writer

Craft beers are on the rise. Figures released this year by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) have shown a 10% increase in the number of breweries opened nationally in the last two years, with a 20% increase in the West Midlands.

You only have to visit Brewdog's bar in the city centre, one of their 23 UK installments, to get a sense of the growing appreciation for thoughtfully concocted and independently brewed beer.

The growth of smaller and microbreweries has punctured the sales of several global beer producers. The world’s largest brewery Anheuser-Busch InBev suffered a 32% drop (£1.2bn) in their net profit in the period April-June 2015 compared to their sales figures of $2.8bn recorded from the same period last year.

Whilst the average ‘at home’ beer enthusiast won’t have Anheuser-Busch InBev’s shareholders waking up in a cold sweat, rumors of an impending merger between themselves and UK based brewery SAB

"There has been a 20% increase in new breweries opening in the West Midlands" Miller (producer of Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell) might appear to be a reactionary move against the new threat of smaller breweries and a show of force from the world’s top two largest beer superpow-

ers.

Beer industry analyst Andrew Holland (Societe Generale) has identified SAB Miller’s dominance in growing markets as the attraction behind a future merger: "The real attraction is Africa, where AnheuserBusch InBev has no presence, as well as some add-ons in Asia and Latin America."

"The merger could be a reactionary move and a show of force from the world's beer superpowers" Though the opportunity to break into newmarkets is undoubtedly an attractive prospect for Anheuser-Busch InBev, a merger with SAB Miller would also mark their entrance into the UK craft beer market.

Following the purchase of London’s Meantime Brewing Company (producer of London Porter, India Pale Ale and Yakima Red) by SAB Miller in May this year, the acquisition would represent an expansion of their craft beer portfolio following their aggressive pursuit and subsequent purchase of five U.S craft breweries (Goose Island Brewing, Blue Point Brewing, 10 Barrel Brewing, Elysian and Golden Road Brewing) in the last five years.

Only time will tell whether global breweries such as Anheuser-Busch InBev and SAB Miller can find success from riding the increasingly popular craft beer wave, or whether consumers will remain unconvinced by the wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing offerings of these major players and stick with their pint of anti-establishment IPA instead.

If the rebellious hops in Brewdog's Punk IPA excite you...

JB’s Bottleshop is the latest addition to the Bristol Road, where you’ll find craft beers and ales from breweries including Brewdog and Brooklyn Brewery. They also serve fresh coffee, hot chocolate and tea - peanut butter hot chocolate anyone?

Smoothie Sensations

Phoebe Radford gives us the lowdown on how you can still eat like a student but drink like a health freak Phoebe Radford Food Writer

As a student, the temptation of an easy dinner can be too great to resist when your reading list seems never ending. However, by investing in a blender and discovering quick, easy, and cheap smoothies with serious health benefits, you can still enjoy the laid back student diet whilst staying healthy.

Breville Blend Active is great value for money at £19.99 with a nifty design that saves on washing up.

Now it's time to consider what to put in your smoothie. The best ingredients to buy are frozen, as you can buy big bags of mixed frozen fruit (as well as spinach and kale) at really affordable prices. Frozen food will last longer than fresh alternatives, whilst still retaining nutrients. It’s also perfect for making chilled smoothies without having to add ice.

For an additional boost, consider buying some super-food powders to increase the amount of essential vitamins and nutrients that you consume. You can get hold of these supplements in health food stores and online, with options ranging from iron-rich wheatgrass powder, or flaxseed mixes with high levels of brain-friendly omega-3. Although these blends can be a little costly, the health benefits are worth it, and the bags will last a long time if you add only a tablespoon or two to each smoothie.

If the idea of drinking your vegetables doesn’t sound appealing, then it is worth noting that smoothies can also be used as a sweet treat. A chocolate banana smoothie is just like an ice cream milkshake, but with less saturated fats, and you could even try to hide some super-food powders in the mix.

It’s definitely worthwhile to drink the occasional veg-heavy smoothie, but we all need to satisfy a sugar craving every now and then.

The best thing about smoothies is that any recipe can be modified to suit your tastes; swap milk for dairy free alternatives like soy or almond milk. If you dislike any ingredients, leave it out or switch it. With your green juices try a mix and match approach - choose between spinach, kale,

"The best ingredients to buy are frozen, as you can buy bags of mixed frozen fruit"

Go Green The key to a good green smoothie is to pick a green-leaf base, but you could always add more than one green. Then add enough fruit to make it sweet but still healthy, and then a liquid or else it will be too thick.

broccoli, and cumber.

The best way to find your perfect, go-to blend is to use any recipe as a guide and then experiment adjusting the ingredients to your preferences. For some inspiration, here are some tasty smoothie recipes, happy blending!

- 2 balls frozen spinach - 1 ball frozen kale - 1 cup apple juice - 2 kiwis - 1 apple - 1 tablespoon wheatgrass powder - Tablespoon of flaxseed

Berry Good Morning If you are on the go, this is a perfect quick breakfast – instead of eating a yoghurt breakfast, you can turn it into a smoothie.

Top Tip: Use honey as a natural sweetener to bring out the fruity flavours.

- 1 cup frozen berry mix - 1 banana - Handful of mixed nuts or oats - 3 tablespoons natural yoghurt - 1 cup milk (add more if you like it runny) - Honey to sweeten

Berry Beetroot Blast This smoothie has an acquired taste due to the beetroot, but if you can drink it, beetroot is a really good source of potassium, which is good for your metabolism.

Banana Nutella Milkshake This one is definitely a treat, and it’s absolutely delicious. Try adding a bit of instant coffee to create a mocha flavour for a morning caffeine boost.

- 1 banana - 1 tablespoon of nutella - 1 teaspoon of raw cacao - 1 tablespoon flaxseed - Milk, around 2 cups

- 2 small beetroots/1 bigger beetroot - 1 apple - 1 cup of frozen berries - 1 cup apple juice - 1 tablespoon wheatgrass powder - Honey to sweeten Lets get social! Tweet your smoothie creations to us and we'll share our favourites. @RedbrickFood

redbrick.me/food

9th-23rd October 2015

17

Digest more at www.redbrick.me/food

Yakinori Takeaway Review Rhiannon Stickley tries Selly Oak's latest oriental addition that everyone is talking about Rhiannon Stickley Food Writer

Yakinori is an attractive new addition to the food scene on Bristol Road. The stylish exterior is far more inviting than the other, more run-down restaurants that Selly has to offer, making me eager to check it out from the moment it caught my eye.

Specialising in sushi and noodles, this modern Japanese restaurant has an excellent takeaway option. You can either choose from the full, eat in menu or if you’re on a tight budget, the express menu is great value for money, with food starting from just £3.99.

Ideal if you’re in a hurry, ordering from the Express Menu means almost no waiting time at all, as the food is set out in a buffet style right in front of you. In fact, the overall service is fantastic. Not only were the staff efficient but they were incredibly friendly.

My housemate (also an avid foodie) and I, decided on a box of sushi and two bento boxes between us. This worked out at £6.50

"The express menu is great value for money, with food starting from just £3.99" each and included five pieces of sushi, a base of either stir fried noodles or steamed rice, plus a choice of three authentic Japanese dishes per box. The bento box is a tray-like plastic lunch box with separate compart-

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More information on redbrick.me/ food

ments for each individual dish. If you’re indecisive when it comes to food, I would highly recommend this option, as you can experience a little bit of all your favourite flavours in one meal.

The meal itself was really delicious. Our dining room filled with the smell of aromatic Japanese cuisine as soon as we ripped the packaging open. The stir fried salmon was beautifully cooked, falling apart in my mouth with the delicate flavour of the sauce complimenting it perfectly. The texture of the crunchy mangetout and red pepper added a pleasant contrast to the soft fish.

Both the chicken and the prawn katsu got the thumbs up from me, but for different reasons. The golden coating of panko breadcrumbs was far crispier on the king prawns than on the chicken, as the chicken was covered in katsu curry sauce, which whilst keeping it tender and moist, did turn it slightly soggy. Nevertheless, the flavour, which was sweet and rich, was on par with katsu curries I’ve had before from more established Japanese restaurants such as Wagamamas.

The stir fried noodles were nicely spiced and a good combination with the black bean beef, which was tasty but needed the noodles to balance out the sauce which was, at times, overpoweringly salty. Many of the dishes contained chunks of water chestnut, commonly used in oriental cooking for the fresh and mild taste. It was fun to try something new, such as the gyoza, a steamed and grilled Japanese dumpling filled with yasai vegetables and served in a honey and chilli sauce.

The sushi was also very flavoursome and came with sachets of soy sauce, wasabi

and shavings of ginger to add if you like that extra kick. Although considerably more expensive than the sushi found in supermarkets, I think you certainly get what you pay

"The only downside was the lack of delivery service" for at Yakinori.

The portion size was spot on, as afterwards I felt satisfied and energised without that sluggish feeling often associated with fried takeaway food. However, one criticism

would be that the saltiness of the food made me feel thirsty for the rest of the day. I would recommend trying some of their iced green tea as a refreshing accompaniment, as this certainly helped. The other downside was obviously the lack of a delivery service, but the food is definitely worth the walk.

Plus, you can feel slightly less guilty about pigging out after a long trek home.

The Yakinori takeaway more than lived up to my expectations; the variety of food on the menu is the main selling point so it's perfect for foodies who can't decide what they fancy!

Yo! Sushi Review

Sophie Milligan reviews the new Yo! Sushi in Grand Central Sophie Milligan Print Editor

Writing as someone who has never eaten sushi before, I was very excited to try the menu at Yo Shushi. First impressions of the new restaurant are that it is exceptionally colourful and has a modern layout.

Very helpful for sushi newbies is the menu design; on one side the dishes are named and the main components are listed.

On the flip side are pictures of each of their 90 dishes, organised according to their colour code (which adheres to a price range).

The cold meals travel on the conveyor belt which you can help yourself to, and the hot meals are ordered with the waitresses. At the end of the meal your bill is processed according to how many of each dish you have eaten.

I had a bottle of Asahi, one of Yo Sushi's traditional Japanese beers. The branch also has Saki, a very strong Japanese spirit, as well as the usual combination of popular soft drinks.

To start I had the Nigiri and Maki selection. The Nigiri consisted of a slice of salmon, tuna and prawn on a bed of pressed rice. The Maki was paired with a seaweed and rice roll with a slice of either cucumber or avocado in the middle. Though initially I thought that the Nigiri looked too big to eat in one, they were actually the perfect bite size!

Next I ordered the Chicken Yakisoba, a noodle based dish of grilled chicken and Asian vegetables. The Yakisoba was served with chillies so it was one of the hotter dishes, but the ginger and spring onions cooled most of the heat and acted as a good

contrast of flavours.

It is worth noting that chopsticks are the only cultery the resturant provides, so the noodle and rice dishes may stand as more of a challenge for those who aren't accustomed to the Asian tradition.

My favorite dish was definitely the Prawn Katsu drizzled in a fruity sauce.

These were highly recommended by my waitress; the katsu was piping hot, and the fried outside was crunchy.

I also really enjoyed the Chicken Teryaki, which was grilled chicken on a bed of cabbage, served in a sticky soy sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds. The sauce was quite sweet so I would recommend pairing it with a slice of the ginger which is kept among the various condiments on your station.

At the moment Yo Sushi are serving limited edition Furi Furi Chips. This side consists of fries in a bag, to which you add the spices yourself, give it a shake and they’re ready to be eaten. If you’re not keen on spices be more sparing with the herbs as they do pack a punch!

Dessert at Yo Sushi remains very Asian inspired. I tried the Custard Daryaki and the Chocolate Mochi. The Daryaki is cold pancakes filled with custard and served with a raspberry coulis. The Mochi looked like chocolate truffles and have a warm gooey center. As I was so full, the pancakes were my favorite. They were very light and the tartness of the raspberry was the perfect contrast to the dishes I’d already tried.

The menu definitely allows flexibility with how many dishes you want to try or how much you want to eat. If you’re looking for lunch for one, the selection dishes are a bit more expensive than the smaller green dishes but it works out well for trying the

different foods. It is also helpful having the different components paired together for you.

On the other hand, if you have come in a pair or more it can work out cheaper and you can mix and match lots of the smaller dishes so that everyone can have their own selection.. It's worth taking advantage of the 25% student discount or the Blue Monday promotion where every dish is £2.50.

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redbrick.me/music

9th - 23rd October 2015

Music

Live Review: Girlpool @ The Hare & Hounds Paige Tracey Music Critic

The Hare and Hounds did not disappoint with its September 11th set, which offered all the bonuses you get from a gig at this venue: the intimate, sometimes kitsch atmosphere, the flowing pints of Red Stripe lager and a multitude of (mainly) undiscovered talent on its stage. This time however there was so much more than that, as the main act was the shrillest, most arresting “riot grrl” group to scream their way out of the West Coast

since Bikini Kill: Girlpool. with a calypso twist. With their new songs sounding so great in the Isle of Wight sunshine, Jack Steadman's promise of an album to come in February got us all even more thrilled.

Okinawa Picture Show opened with a set that wasn’t by any means “bad”, but certainly just an appetizer for the acts to follow. Currently so underground their music isn’t even on Spotify (so I can now finally sound cool by having a band my friend’s don’t know), their talent is undoubtedly raw, but will need refining if they are to progress onto bigger projects. The main issue here was the lead singer’s resorting to singing from a lyric

sheet through the whole set; unlike their successors in the line-up Quarterbacks, this did not manifest itself in a cutely awkward, but rather an unprepared way. Nevertheless, I believe we are witnessing the embryonic stage of a pop punk baby that could gain commercial notoriety amongst the indie crowd, so I suggest checking them out on SoundCloud: in particular the track 'Woolfy' which, despite being revealed by the lead singer is “about her cat”, echoes the shrieking complaints of premature love for which bands like Girlpool find a place in our hearts. At this point I will also add in that they’re Birmingham natives, so a good place to turn for those of you who feel the second city is lacking in its alternative music culture.

As mentioned, the Quarterbacks lead singer supported himself with a surprisingly stripped down set minus his band members, leaving him and his acoustic set naked to the elements of the dusty Hare and Hounds room. This however was a brilliant move to expose the adorable vulnerability of his personality, rolled so sweetly into the lyrics of his songs. Imagine the nerd in every high school film, his agonising over the pretty girl who shuns him, played to a soft acoustic rhythm. I actually believe this presented something more original than their recordings, which hold a danger of falling into a generic pop rock category along with Blink 182 (though of course not that bad).

"I believe we are witnessing the embryonic stage of a pop punk baby" Finally, Girlpool rolled in with a set list of 10 songs, taken mainly from their new album When The World Was Big, released in May of this year. The girls opened with 'Ideal World', a ballad of adolescent uncertainty. The track’s opening line “I thought I found myself today” was excellent for not only establishing this theme that flows through all of their tracks like a wave of teenage girl self-obsession, but also the duo’s perfectly complimentary and shrill vocals. The unembellished acoustics of this

Album Review: Carly Rae Jepsen - E•MO•TION George Griffiths Music Critic

The Raenaissance. The Raegeneration.

Carly Slae Jepsen. Whatever you want to call it/her, it’s clear to see that Carly Rae Jepsen - of ‘Call Me Maybe’ fame - has pulled off a complete career "raejuvination", and it’s all spearheaded by this album - one of the most complete and cohesive pop albums in recent memory.

The only album to hold a candle to E•MO•TION would be TayTay’s modern classic 1989, but at certain points, Carly even puts old Swifty to shame with an album that is at once a glimmering throwback to the dance-pop of the 80s while also holding up a mirror to the EDM-lols of the current pop scene and screaming "LOOK HOW AMAZING YOU COULD BE" at it.

E•MO•TION opens with the sound of an army of trumpets marching on the horizon; ‘Run Away With Me’ is the album’s biggest highlight and most immediate high;

a song of almost instant euphoria that’s particularly hard to beat.

"Carly even puts old Swifty to shame" The album’s title track is hip, fingersnapping ditty where Carly purses her lips, calls you ‘babe’ and asks you to take a shot of tequila. I’m down.

Alt-pop producers Dev Hynes and Ariel Reichstad (responsible for songs by Sky Ferreira, Solange and Charli XCX) also pop along for the ride, contributing what Jepsen calls the album’s ‘heart-song’ the devastatingly beautiful ballad ‘All That,’ taking its queues from Cyndi and Janet as it crescendos in a climax of almost unbearable longing and lust. Elsewhere, Carly dips her toe into many ponds and her fingers into many pies; there’s the kitschy-glam of the quirky ‘Warm Blood’ and the house-inspired break-

downs of deluxe track ‘I Didn’t Just Come Here to Dance.’

Sia and uber-producer Greg Kurstin’s two tracks - the sassy ‘Boy Problems’ and the bitter ‘Your Type’ - are also two particular stand-outs (as is the lead single, ‘I Really Like You’) but none quite match the euphoria of E•MO•TION’s opening track, its closing track, ‘When I Needed You,’ comes pretty damn close.

All in all, E•MO•TION is an album that fully embraces and emerges itself into the 80s-pop aesthetic and it’s largely successful. Jepsen’s voice may not be the most distinctive or special, but she knows its limits and its on songs like ‘All That’ where her voice’s vulnerability are most keenly felt. There may be a spark of personality missing here, there’s certainly not a ‘Blank Space’ to be found, but what Carly lacks in personality she makes up for in...well...emotion. And there’s nothing better.

track were carried into the next song, 'I Like That You Can See It', building a perfect contrast to the third track 'Before The World Was Big'. What was probably my favourite track of the gig, the group nailed the harmonies, echoing “I just miss how it felt/standing next to you,” one after the other. The quality of instrumentals and vocals in this set was so good that, when looking back at videos I took, it is difficult to tell it apart from the actual recordings.

"The quality of instrumentals and vocals was so good that it was difficult to tell them apart from the actual recordings" With a set list of ten songs, Girlpool closed with an encore of 'Plants and Worms', a song from their self-titled 2014 EP and 'Pretty' from the latest album. My one criticism of this gig would be that little was played from the first EP, which is a pity because I believe these songs present the group’s ability to capture the frustration and venting of teenage girls at its rawest. In particular I would have liked to have seen 'Blah Blah Blah,' played, as this would have added another dimension to a set-list that was mainly composed of songs of melancholy, rather than anger at the patriarchy and men in general.

Nonetheless, I would give the gig a 9/10 overall. A ticket price of £8 provided a chance to witness three unique and undiscovered talents; this was not just a Girlpool gig I paid for, but a Quarterbacks and Okinawa Picture Show gig also. If you have not come across Girlpool before, I believe the set only revealed the tip of the iceberg in their brilliance - it is nice to see our Atlantic neighbours provide something so fresh and essential in today’s music market.

9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/music

19

Tweet of the Week @AnnaKendrick47: "Tipsy and on a plane is my best self."

Interview: Bring Me The Horizon

Alex Ekong Music Editor

@andthenalexsaid

Reading Festival takes all kinds. Everyone from the bindi-wearing flower maidens of England to the hopelessly impractical fancy dress crew has made it their home. But the true adrenaline junkies and thrill-seekers knew better than to miss Bring Me The Horizon’s Saturday evening set. The performance had everything and made history by, among other things, being the only set of the weekend to feature a pre-show Universal Studios-esque ride safety parody video. It was so complete that two weeks afterwards, when I had Lee Malia waiting on the other end of the phone, I had to ask him about it.

“We thought it would be a bit different,

and obviously Metallica wouldn’t do anything like that”, he jokes. “We thought people would remember us for having it”. In truth though, the most recent incarnation of Bring Me The Horizon is becoming a very hard band to forget, playing second only to the legendary thrash metallers on a Main Stage jammed with big names. Their stage show proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt, and Lee explains to me that “Everything comes from us”; from the lights, to the frenzied riling-up of the crowd, to the apocalyptic images onscreen which Lee says lead vocalist Ollie Sykes handpicks himself, everyone in the band is hands-on and every aspect is thought of.

It’s this kind of care and attention that takes you from the world of deathcore to selling out the 10,000-capacity Alexandra Palace in the blink of an eye. At this point, it’s pain-

fully apparent that Bring Me The Horizon are going to be a big deal. 5 albums in, having moved away from their metal-based sound, Horizon have become the Linkin Park of their era – a gateway to heavy music for a new generation of kids. “14-year-old girls getting in to our band are not only going to listen to our band, they’re gonna start listening to other bands in the same scene as us...it’s pretty cool that we can lead people in that way.”

The transformation of the band began in earnest when keyboardist Jordan Fish joined the band in 2013, shortly before writing major label debut Sempiternal, who then immediately jumped into the role of a primary songwriter. Though there was a palpable change in the studio dynamic, Lee insists that this “wasn’t weird”. He describes the band’s previous use of electronics as “an afterthought” but after hearing Jordan’s ideas for new music

“he started playing a bigger role...and it got to the point where rather than being an extra, it [became] a whole new instrument”.

All this has led to their latest opus, That’s The Spirit, a work which Lee describes as “euphoric, not uplifting because sometimes it’s quite depressing, but [it has] that emotive sound that works so well in dance and electronic music. And I think it works in rock music as well.” Speaking before it came out, Lee noted that the band would shock people with “a lot more clean singing” than on the previous effort, but that didn’t stop the band from landing emphatically at No. 2 in the UK Album Chart. Lee notes that though the change in sound seems drastic, really BMTH are becoming the band they always were: “We’ve had lighter stuff on other albums but because Ollie was shouting over it, it came across as really intense and aggressive.

Sometimes we’re a bit deceptive”, he says wryly.

He’s also characteristically coy about BMTH’s 2016 touring plans. But after selling out ‘Ally Pally’ in less than 3 hours, where do you go from there? “Obviously, the next one up is the O2 [Arena in London] which is 20,000, but who’s to say if that will even sell out? We just get on with it and if it happens, it happens. If not, it’s insane we’re even playing these venues anyway”. When I ask him about Ollie saying that the band is ready to headline Reading and Leeds Festivals, however, he disagrees. “No...but they’ll be watching us now”. And he’s right, following those mindblowing sets at Reading and Leeds and their highest charting album to date, more eyes are on Bring Me The Horizon than ever before.

Bring Me The Horizon's new album That's The Spirit is out now and they tour the UK with Neck Deep and PVRIS in November

20 9th- 23rd October 2015

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Film

Watch List: Redbrick's Top Picks Redbrick Film critics pick their highlights from the forthcoming cinematic calendar...

Pan Release Date: 16th October 2015

The Hateful Eight Release Date: 8th January 2016

The Revenant Release Date: 16th January 2016

There's been no shortage of film adaptations of and backstories to J. M. Barrie's classic 'Peter Pan', but with Atonement director Joe Wright's upcoming Pan I'm certainly excited for another new angle on the story. Featuring an all-star cast including Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Rooney Mara and Cara Delevigne, Pan is an imagined prequel to the story we know and love, telling of the origins of Peter and Captain Hook. The trailer suggests we'll find out some of Peter's life before Neverland and before Wendy, as well as seeing a softer side of Hook, something that hasn't been tackled before. Beth Coveney

Quentin Tarantino is unquestionably cinema’s most uncompromising auteur, with a body of work that demonstrates a remarkable and adept dedication into the art of film-making. His ninth film, The Hateful Eight, returns to the Western genre Tarantino mined and subverted to such effect in Django Unchained. Following the story of eight people (including Kurt Russell’s bounty hunter) trapped in a stagecoach stopover during a blizzard, the film promises to be yet another exploration of violence in an ensemble drama that, like much of Tarantino’s films, holds up a mirror to our own desensitisation.

George Griffiths

Fresh off of a multitude of Oscar wins, the visionary behind Birdman, writer/ director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, is back with his new project, The Revenant.

This gritty drama is sure to be showered in Oscar buzz much like his previous venture. But it isn’t just the director that has bags of talent; the perpetually impressive Leonardo DiCaprio is stripping back the style to get down and dirty opposite rising superstar Tom Hardy in a rare villainous role for the usually charming actor. Expect an intense thriller about survival and revenge that is sure to get your pulse pounding. Don’t miss it! Alex McDonald

Review: Macbeth

Details Release date: 2nd October 2015 Director: Justin Kurzel Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Sean Harris Running time: 113 minutes

The Hunger Games: MockingjayPart 2 Release Date: 20th November 2015

The Danish Girl Release Date: 1st January 2016

Crimson Peak Release Date: 16th October 2015

This November sees the epic conclusion of The Hunger Games trilogy. After witnessing the emotional and mental strain the games have had on Katniss, tensions reach fever pitch. Part 2 promises to deliver on action and suspense. The trailer features Katniss and her team’s journey across the Capitol. ‘Mutts’ (genetically altered animals), a torrent of tar-like liquid, and a wall of fire are just some of the booby-traps Katniss must battle to reach Snow’s mansion. What I’m particularly looking forward to however is the political aspect of the film; as Katniss begins to realise in Part 1, and must confront in Part 2, is that she is still playing the game.

Esther Newman

This is the film that Eddie Redmayne chose as his next project after his Oscar win. Tom Hooper’s next directorial project after the Oscar winning King’s Speech and Les Miserables. Other cast members include, the utterly wonderful Alicia Vikander, and the always enchanting Ben Wishaw. The Danish Girl tells the story of the first recipient of sexual reassignment surgery, artist Lili Elbe.

Though it has had only a warm reception at film festivals this is a must see. It sounds the perfect vehicle for the superb acting talents of the splendid cast, and could perhaps mark the beginning of a second Oscar run for Redmayne. Matthew Robinson

The latest foray into the gothic horror/ fairy-tale genre by Guillermo del Toro sees a young married couple, played by Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska, plagued by ghostly entities in his ancestral home, a dilapidated 19th century mansion they also share with his equally foreboding sister (Jessica Chastain). Del Toro’s intent on paying homage to The Shining and The Exorcist with this film is plain from the trailers and early screenings have even had the seal of approval by the likes of Steven King himself. Stuart Ellis

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Release Date: 17th December 2015

Spectre Release Date: 26th October 2015

The Lobster Release Date: 21st October 2015

The film that I’m most looking forward to is Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. The classic series brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood, and I can’t wait to see if Walt Disney Pictures has done the new trilogy justice since their takeover of Lucasfilm in 2012. Box offices around the world are already predicting that Episode VII will be a smash hit, and with J.J. Abrams directing and many of the original cast returning, I believe that this modern reboot has the potential to be a great cinematic experience and success. Emily Young

Following up on the astronomically successful Skyfall, Spectre is a shoe in for one of the highest grossing films of the year. Judging from the trailers released thus far director Sam Mendes seems to have channelled the perfect amount of vintage Bond (e.g. turtleneck jumpers, mountaintop lairs, antagonist who may or may not be Blofeld complete with intimidating henchman) into his latest creation.

Possibly the first legitimate car chase in a Bond film since Die Another Day amongst other set pieces make this film a must see.

Stuart Ellis

Yorgos Lanthimos' english language debut features an all star cast including Colin Farrel, Rachel Weisz and Ben Wishaw as well as having one of the most insane film premises of recent memory.

Set in a dystopian future, citizens are forced to find their mate for life in fortyfive days or be transformed into animals and set free into the wild. Debuting at this years Cannes film festival, it has so far largely impressed and after having completed a full film festival run, it will finally be gracing our cinemas later this month. Gurnesha Bola

Have your say on Facebook and Twitter @RedbrickFilm

IMDB rating: 7.7

««««« George Waldon Critic

If you are looking for a gentle bigscreen adaptation of the Scottish play, then you are more than likely going to have to wait another forty years until someone has another crack. It is relentless. [Cue reviewers fumbling through their thesauruses looking for synonyms of ‘visceral’.]

For those who are unfamiliar with Shakespeare’s play, the basic plot is that Macbeth (a Scottish general) is told by some witches that he will be King. With a little encouragement from his wife, Lady Macbeth, he decides to murder the King and take the throne for himself.

Surprisingly things don’t turn out happily ever after.

Whilst I expect readers of this review will be bellowing ‘of course it's meant to be difficult to watch it's Shakespeare's most visceral play!'; I found it difficult to stomach because there are some genuinely comic moments planted in the play and to see director Justin Kurzel swagger past them distressed me greatly. That being said, there are some wonderful points. The infamous ‘dagger of the mind’ scene was conceived as the blade being held by the ghost of one of Macbeth’s fallen comrades, and the notion of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane by being set on fire and blown by the wind left me stunned.

I also liked Marion Cotillard’s Lady Macbeth a lot, and having her perform the ‘out damned spot’ soliloquy to someone else was, for me, arguably the film’s most powerful moment. Fassbender’s Macbeth however, was too coherent and the scenes of his madness were at times cringeworthy. Macbeth is a notoriously difficult role to play, but I still wouldn’t say he was great.

I am baffled from the critical responses by people who are eternally wounded by the notion that film could capture anything that the stage hasn’t already. Whether one likes it or not, each version we see alters our perception of the plays. We should be grateful that there are those who, four hundred years on, still feel compelled to adapt Shakespeare's tales.

2

redbrick.me/music

9th October - 23rd October 2015

‘Tompkins Square Park’ and ‘The Wolf’.

Welcome to Redbrick's first ever music pullout, forming the backbone (in our opinion) of the new bigger publication.

To make this happen we sent many writers to faraway lands in search of the best music festivals Britain has to offer.

Some may think this an arduous task, lounging about all day drinking cider and listening to your favorite bands from all over the world, but our hard working team has risen to the challenge. We have revisited the mainstream, attending the likes of Reading Festival, where Nathan Smith reviews it's shift from guitar based rock to other genres such as rap and hiphop (p.4). Perhaps a controversial move considering the characteristically rockheavy reputation of the Reading and Leeds franchise in an increasingly homogenised festival landscape? Kendrick Lamar at a rock festival seems a little

incongruous, but maybe neccessary to shift thousands of tickets.

On the other hand we have Bestival UK and Bestival Toronto (p.6), an event well known for its eclectic line-up and extravagant site-design (think plenty of outrageous artwork installations and multicoloured lights). Although this may seem too pretentious for some, section editor Alex Ekong gives it the thumbs up. The Canadian version gets much the same response, with Marianne Lampon remarking upon it being a 'wonderfully crazy mix of awesomeness' - so pretty good then.

From the corners of Canada to Hyde Park's finest, we have Phil Jones and Matt McCrory commenting on some of the best acts, including Blur and The Who coming out of British Summer Time (p.5) Not to be forgotten are some of the smaller festivals such as Secret Garden Party (p.3), where Rosie Solomon redis-

covers her youth in amongst childish revelry and bizarre mock-religious rituals (Beyonce Worship at 10am anyone?). To balance out what some may feel is too contrived, James Petit gives a wonderfully down to earth review of Brownstock (below) where Lethal Bizzle, Rat Boy and Example bring a more plain-speaking edge to the Chelmsford masses. They say that money can't buy Love, but Megan Gibson disagrees, describing her experience at Love Saves The Day festival (p.8). In fact, you'll be able to view the huge expanse of festivals that our writers have reviewed with just a flick through the pages, as Liv Rafferty questions, Y Not? (p.8).

Yet, although Britain does music festivals well, we hear good reports from Paris and Budapest where our writers visited Rock en Seine (p.7) and Sziget festivals (p.3). Regarding the latter, Lucie Turner points out how a music festival overseas

can be a memorable alternative to a cheap last minute hotel booking. Tickets are noticeably cheaper than in the UK and who doesn't want to learn a new language - even if your vocabulary will consist of mainly swear words. In the same vein, Phil Jones remarks how the stunning panoramic views of Paris from the Rock en Seine festival site far outweigh the 'muddy fields of Reading'.

We hope that you are entertained and inspired by what we have to say, so make yourself a brew, or grab a pint, and take a look through our reviews. A weekend of dancing, drinking and debauchery has been a really tough challenge for our writers so don't say we never treat you!

Lots of Love, Redbrick Music Editors x

Brownstock Festival James Petit Music Critic

The weekend at Chelmsford's best festival (sorry, not sorry V) started with a queue of epic proportions. The magnitude of festival goers meant that even though the gate (plural not needed unfortunately) opened at 2pm, half of your friends who arrived at 12 are not even in yet and you're standing at the back wondering why you decided to arrive at 4pm. It wasn't until a couple of hours passed that I realised because I was reviewing the festival I could get in through the press line *sigh*.

Salvation was provided by the drum-nbass veteran Daniel Stein, better known as

DJ Fresh. The Friday night headliner kickstarted Brownstock with crowd pleasers, AKA mosh pit generators, 'Gravity', 'Gold Dust', and 'Hot Right Now'. At a certain point in the set 'Tarantula', Pendulum's DJ Fresh featured song, captivated the crowd to turn the audience into feral drum n bass wildlings.

"feral drum'n'bass wildlings" Dance tent The Good Shed provided entertainment for the majority of the worked up crowd, where Lethal Bizzle continued the party. If the stereotypes are to be believed, Lethal Bizzle could not have done anything but succeeded at connecting with his Essex audience, when 'Fester Skank' appears to be a cheeky parody of its own - '2 2 chicken, Nando'. 'Pow' and 'Oi' both hold the accolade of the best tracks of Lethal B's energetic appearance.

Young local act Ratboy has a surprisingly small crowd for his set on Saturday when you consider the buzz surrounding his rise into the mainstream and the locality.

Still, his set is amazing and culminates with his break through 'Sign On' - raucously greeted by the minute but mighty number of fans he has present.

Basement Jaxx were a typical class act tha pulled out all the stops for the Brownstock crowd on the Saturday night. Their act is more of a carnival than it is necessarily a live show, and their extravagant perform-

SOUNDS OF THE SUMMER 2015 ance brought with it an infectious spread of good vibes.

On the Friday, Shadow Child, Bondax and MJ Cole all rounded off the night in The Good Shed, whilst in The Stumble Inn, House music lovers could enjoy Next Wave residents Ian F, Roustam and Vale Colvin.

Jacob Anderson's acting career was evident in his electrifying stage presence as Raleigh Ritchie when he played the Brownstock main stage on Sunday. It appeared as though he was criminally under watched, which is partly because the majority of the crowd were sat chilling out to his easy soul and R&B blend.

On the Sunday night Justin Hawkins of The Darkness stretches the concept of entertaining a crowd from the quite grim extent of sticking a Go-Pro up his arse, to the actually very impressive feat of rallying thousands of people to clap in time with him for 'A Thing Called Love' using his feet as he does a head-stand (Allow the logistics of that to sink in.)

Example headlined the main stage on the Sunday night, performing hits such as Kickstarts, Stay Awake and Watch the Sun Come Up with echoes from the crowd word for word. He performed new track Whiskey Story which went down a treat.

The weekend ended with another massive Drum n Bass DJ in Sub Focus, headlining The Good Shed. The weekend started and ended on good vibes and great times, as embodied by Sub Focus' stellar performance.

1. BELIEVE -

MUMFORD AND

SONS

2. 'CAUSE I'M A MAN -

TAME

IMPALA

3. SHIP TO WRECK - FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

4. LEAN ON -

MAJOR LAZER

&

DJ SNAKE

5. HOLD BACK THE RIVER JAMES BAY

6. MOUNTAIN AT MY GATES - FOALS 7. GO -

THE CHEMICAL BROTH-

ERS

8. BROS - WOLF ALICE 9. HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE - CALVIN HARRIS FT. DISCIPLES 10. SHINE - YEARS AND YEARS

redbrick.me/music

21st November - 4th

Secret Garden Party Rosie Solomon Music Critic

Secret Garden Party. Three words which combine the innocence of youth, the perfection of nature and the promise of a really good time. If you remember the weekend, you’re doing it wrong. Fortunately for you, dear readers of Redbrick, I refrained from indulging myself (too much, anyway) and come bearing tales of one of the most bizarre weekends of my life.

The field itself is designed as a playground for adults. At least, that’s what I thought as I traipsed through the - then dry - field with my backpack of cider and pot noodles, gazing at the monstrous building blocks emblazoned with “SGP” and “2015”.

"you’ll learn a ton of new foreign swear words" My friends and I were on the hunt for a holiday with a difference after realising that an all-inclusive lastminute.com jobby just wouldn’t cut the summer mustard this year.

After agreeing that we all liked music (obvs) and we all liked each other enough to camp together (a deal breaker) we stumbled upon many a glowing review of the Hungarian hotspot so we decided to dive in and purchase the very reasonable tickets.

Three months later we were stepping off the shuttle bus onto the island.

So what did a typical day at Sziget consist of? Well we’d get up; after a decidedly decent night’s sleep in our VIP tent and wander down to find breakfast. A brief word about camping; if you can afford it, go VIP. Whilst we were there temperatures reached up to 40 degreees most days.

"we set off to a religious service to pray to the goddess Beyonce"

The theme of this year’s Party was 'Childish Things'. An appropriate name for a clump of fields over which a giant had appeared to upend their toy box. Upon arrival, each festival-goer was presented with a program detailing the many (read: countless) events occurring over the four day festival. This program was about 200 pages long. Flicking through it for an initial time, I was struck by the lack of music, or rather, the alternative occupations of time. I had never been to a festival before which

beginning of my day doing a spot of naked yoga before wandering around to the lake for a skinny dipping session (yes I realise it sounds like I spent the whole weekend naked – trust me, I was not the only one).

Our weekend was full of the weird and wonderful. After setting up camp and changing into our best tie dye, we set off to a religious service to pray to the goddess Beyoncé. It sounds brilliant on paper but in reality was better than anyone expected.

After the “service” had ended, we wandered into the Lost Woods and came across a tiger (or, a woman dressed in a suit and top hat with tiger face paint, carrying a briefcase).

She agreed to swap her secrets for a piece of chewing gum and opened the case to get out a set of tea cups and saucers, filled with glitter. We had literally met The Tiger Who Came to Tea. We also found the Small World stage, home of Bailey’s hot chocolate, rugs, blankets, a fire pit (all of which were very

Which meant had we been outside of our designated camping area the struggle to find shade would have been Hunger-Gamesesque without any Hemsworths for gratification. Also you have access to the pool. So, duh, get the wristband. After eating we’d wander across the island to the many artsy events going on. It’s worth attempting in the early half of the day given that spending the evening with a burnt neck in your tent whilst hearing everyone else have the time of their lives is, um, shit.

One of the main draws of Sziget is its extremely diverse and multicultural line-ups of events besides the music itself. There were funfairs, circus troupes, mermaid work-

shops, morning yoga, a giant inflatable fun house and even a small beach at the top of the island where you could play volleyball and admire the Danube in all it’s (slightly smelly) glory.

And the music? Ah the music. Headlining this year were none another than fairy queen Florence, pop princess Ellie Goulding, suave yet sexy Alt J, my-15-year-old-self’s-heroes Kings Of Leon, the other kings of rock Kasabian, Robbie Williams, Major Lazer, Martin Garrix AND SO MUCH MORE. It did seem whatever your taste, you’d be in for a treat (especially when a rather exceptionally eccentric Hungarian band came on to play extreme heavy metal interspersed

"Childish Things"

Nothing prepared me for Sziget. As in none of the hundreds of reviews I desperately scoured the internet for, nor the endless stories recounted to me from firm Sziget worshippers or even the declaration from one of my ‘coolest’ friends that Sziget was “SO hot right now”, none of them could physically, mentally and emotionally ready me for what was undoubtedly one of the best festival experiences of my life.

Stepping onto Sziget is like stepping onto a whole new world; full of danger, delight and ultimately a lot of dust. It’s like all the friendliest people across the world decided to unanimously up-sticks and plonk themselves down in Budapest for one week of pure, uninhibited bliss. Known as the nomad’s festival, Sziget attracts up to 250,000 partyers every year from all across the globe. We ourselves were parked next to one tent full of German sisters and another full of Canadian ‘bros’ who spent the majority of the week fast asleep on airbeds outside before slapping each others backs and crushing beer cans into heads. I digress; my point being that everyone is friendly, you’ll learn a ton of new foreign swear words and you might even make one of those pen pals that were dead popular in the 90’s.

wasn’t spent rushing from stage to stage to catch my favourite bands and being stressed when they ran over their allotted time (Reading Festival 2015, I’m looking at you – you will never be forgiven for making me miss Wolf Alice). This festival was different.

I could spend a good 40 minutes at the

Sziget Festival Lucie Turner Music Critic

3

welcome in the rain) – and The Floating Bridges. The Floating Bridges are a band who I had never heard of before (I actually only knew two bands playing at SGP when I bought my ticket...) but if you’re a reggae fan, or a Red Hot Chilli Peppers fan, or a Led Zeppelin fan (you get the idea) you NEED to listen to them!

Furthermore, on the subject of music, Kate Tempest drew an impressive crowd despite the torrential rain, performing some of the most intelligent, accurate and emotional lyrics I have ever heard. Brass Roots are also well worth a listen; in particular, their cover of Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams – a brass band covering crowd pleasers throughout the ages. Also worth a mention, was the stellar evening in which both Temples and The Cat Empire played, with an astronomical fireworks display in between – a whole evening spent dancing to some of the best rock, ska and jazz of today’s music scene, with a personal highlight being the finale, The Wine Song, a glorious mix of piano and vocal with a strong klezmer influence.

But the musical highlight of the weekend for me was Caravan Palace and their ingenious electro-swing fusion. You know how a gig’s always better when the band is enjoying their own music? Well, singer Zoe Colotis looked like she was having the time of her life, smiling the whole way through the set and swing dancing through the instrumental sections. Her energy was infectious and the whole crowd responded, begging for a second encore, which they delivered, thus closing the festival for the year.

As you can probably tell, I loved Secret Garden Party. Anyone up for joining me next year? with accordions to an absolutely jam-packed crowd: that’s when you learn there really is something for everyone out there).

In fact I’d encourage anyone to step out of their comfort zone and try something new; be it music, artsy events or Sziget itself. I would never have pegged myself as the type to down a bottle of Unicum whilst jamming to a tiny reggae stage before hoisting myself up into a tree to finish the chorus to ‘Angels’ whilst crying in a somewhat tragic yet beautiful display of affection for a country I’d never been to before.

But that my friends is why you should definitely, DEFINITELY go.

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redbrick.me/music

9th October - 23rd October 2015

Reading Festival Nathan Smith Music Critic

Reading Festival’s rock origins are something which every festival fan associates this long running event with; however, with the unique booking of Eminem as a 2013 headliner Reading has since made crucial steps to transcend genres and feed festival goers appetite for ‘an increasing interest in non-guitar music’.

This year exemplified this change with Kendrick Lamar and Boy Better Know attracting some of the biggest crowds of the weekend. The aforementioned artists mixed in with breath-taking performances from Foals, Slaves and Metallica to ensure Reading caters for the masses without losing its roots in rock.

Pop punk band Neck Deep brought their stereotypical angst to the main stage early Friday afternoon, ‘Gold Steps’ and ‘Can’t

Kick up the Roots’ being personal highlights. The Wrexham born band who won Best British Newcomer at the Kerrang! awards in 2014 are destined for big things and songs from their top 10 album Life’s Not Out To Get You were wholly embraced by the crowd. Another main stage appearance appears on the cards for this band in 2016.

After watching a disappointing Drenge, whose second album didn’t translate well to live show, I was met with the news that Peace, a Birmingham local band with a real cult following, were performing a secret set on the BBC introducing stage. One of the highlights of the weekend, Lead Singer Harrison Koisser swaggered around the small stage performing hits such as ‘Perfect Skin’ and ‘1998 (Delicious)’ to the delight of the intimate crowd. I didn’t think they’d be able to top such an incredible set but much to my surprise they were even better in the NME Tent later in the day.

Mumford and Sons managed to end my

Friday on a high, their latest album filled with sing-a-long anthems such as ‘Tompkins Square Park’ and ‘The Wolf’. What first appeared a strange booking by Melvin Benn was in all actuality one of the safest, their two hour set never felt as though it was dragging and Marcus Mumford managed to sing every note as powerfully as the last.

Saturday was all about the NME Tent for me; from Nothing but Thieves through to Catfish and The Bottlemen, the tent was at full capacity and rocking. Two particularly mesmerising performances came from Kent duo Slaves and surprise guests Foals. When announced as special guests, the tent filled up to capacity and the excitement created was tantamount to Foals’ status as one of the biggest bands in the UK off the back of What Went Down. A thirty minute set of five of their best left the crowd wanting so much more, something which they may get next year with a headline set surely not far away. A hard act to follow certainly, but something which Slaves’ energy and gutbusting riffs were more than a match for.

Metallica closed off the main stage, however the Festival Republic Stage was my destination to see indie darlings The Wombats plough through their plethora of catchy singles. ‘Let’s Dance to Joy Division’ was the perfect way to end my Saturday, and with the Silent Discos in full flow that night there are certainly things to do after hours at this incredible festival.

"The last day of Reading is always the hardest...

Unwashed zombies looking for a second wind to enjoy the final hours."

The last day of Reading is always the hardest. Hungover, hungry and unwashed zombies looking for a second wind to enjoy the final hours. That is what they found in spades though; an early afternoon pick-meup provided by Hippo Campus’ infectious enthusiasm was the perfect remedy.

With notable performances from The Cribs and The Maccabees, the evening was

in full swing by the time my personal favourite act of the weekend, Jamie T, took to the stage. The acoustic version of ‘Calm Down Dearest’ was once in a lifetime viewing, proving once again that Jamie T is back and better than ever.

"Jamie T's acoustic version of ‘Calm Down Dearest’ was once in a lifetime viewing" While The Libertines disappointed when seemingly phoning in their headline shot, the real headliner was in fact Kendrick Lamar, who effortlessly dispelled any doubts as to who the king of rap is at this moment in time. Move over Kanye, there’s a new top dog in town.

Headliners and Highlights With two festivals combining their budgets, acts and audiences, Reading and Leeds have become renowned for their electric atmosphere, awe-inspiring headliners and huge expanses of mud. Held every year at the end of August and costing £213 for a weekend camping pass, Reading and Leeds are the perfect introduction to massive, muddy, messy festivals.

Headliners: Mumford & Sons Metallica The Libertines Highlights: Kendrick Lamar making a rare appearance Royal Blood's biggest festival booking to date

redbrick.me/music

21st November - 4th December 2014

The Strokes 18th June 2015 Phil Jones Music Critic

@philrdjones

"The most influential band of a generation. A truly iconic performance" With the main stage kitted out in iconography from the The Magic Whip, ranging from Chinese-style gongs to an icecream van, the apprehension grew to intense levels. Before long the ice-cream van sprung in to life, playing a selection of nursery rhymes while an unseen accomplice prepared a selection of 99 cones.

Striding on stage, the band soaked in the adoration from their fans as Damon Albarn offered the ice-creams to those in the front row. ‘This hasn’t gone as planned’ Albarn joked as rabid fans scrambled to grab the precious treats.

The set itself was all Blur lovers could have asked for and more, with tracks from all eras played and not a single anthem

The Who 26th June 2015 Matt McCrory Music Editor

@iamnotmatty

"BST promised big and delivered big"

5

Those attending British Summer Time on the 18th June were greeted by some of the most glorious weather seen so far in the UK, setting the scene for a potentially glorious return to British soil by the day’s headliners, the godfathers of 21st century indierock, The Strokes.

In the most perfect of set-list decisions, the gang opened with one of the most iconic opening tracks of all time, ‘Is This It’, before diving headfirst into hit after classic after anthem. Such is the breadth of the band’s back catalogue that they were able to drop possibly the biggest rock song of the early 2000s, ‘Last Nite’, midway through the set and have it not overshadow what followed it. As expected, the calmest reactions

were towards tracks from 2013’s Comedown Machine, although the band played the tracks valiantly and the tracks held their own with the classics. All of the intricacies of each track were laid bare through the differing reactions of the crowd.

The mood in the crowd was immensely positive prior to, during and following the band’s set, with everyone feeling like part of a secret club, or a family. The togetherness of the audience was demonstrated by the celebrities who seamlessly mixed in the public, with Alex Turner and Miles Kane spotted dancing amongst fellow Strokes devotes throughout the night.

Returning to the stage after agonizing moments of waiting, the band thundered

back in to life with the dark opening riff of ‘Juicebox’, which seeped in to ‘You Only Live Once’. The fact that both were taken from 2006’s often overlooked First Impressions of Earth shows The Strokes in 2015 are fully respectful of the whole of their back catalogue and are not afraid to showcase it all. This left Casablancas and co. to close the night in the same fashion as they closed the album they are known for, Is This It, challenging the crowd to ‘Take it or Leave It’. Not a single member of the audience questioned whether or not to take it, and all basked in the true glory of the most influential band of a generation. A truly iconic performance.

missed. Singles, album tracks and cult classics were delivered, as Albarn commanded the stage with ferocious energy and childish glee, showing he has lost none of the enthusiasm of the Albarn of 1995. ‘That’s not a bad mosh pit’ Albarn remarked, before launching into ‘I Broadcast’ and ‘Trouble in the Message Centre’, both an accurate fit for that method of crowd participation. As he has done in previous years, Phil Daniels joined the boys on stage for a riotous rendition of ‘Parklife’, which drew arguably the biggest reaction of the main set. This was later threatened by the iconic opening of ‘Song 2’; the fact that these are the bands two biggest songs is a perfect representation of the genre-bending nature of the outfit.

The main portion of the set was ended with an emotional performance of ‘This is a Low’, before the band made their way backstage in preparation for an encore comprised of classics such as ‘For Tomorrow’ and lesser-known anthems such as ‘Stereotypes’.

There was not a dry eye in the house as Blur brought the day to a close with the outstanding ‘The Universal’. Hearing this track from this band live is an experience every music fan should have the honour of experiencing and this importance was not lost on those in attendance.

The refrain of ‘Tender’ echoed throughout the whole of London as the crowd made their way home after two truly unforgettable days of music.

Blur 20th June 2015

British Summer Time is an odd festival. While each of their 5 days is supported by huge acts, it's a festival that does its best to seperate each day. Due to this you'll only find day tickets and perplexed festival go-ers wondering how Taylor Swift is performing alongside Blur and The Strokes.

Which brings us to The Who, headliners for the penultimate night and playing only two days before their renowned Glastonbury Sunday slot. It was a night packed with adoring rockers, mod haircuts and vespas.

The final night of BST promised big and delivered big. Coming off the back of their 'Who Hits 50' tour, Daltrey and Townshend walked onstage with humble

poise before the opening chords of 'I Can't Explain' cut through the sweaty London air. A stream of early hits peirced the hearts and minds of gawping onlookers, as the practiced outfit practically pranced through 'The Seeker', 'Who Are You' and 'My Generation' among others.

For a band with a 50 year career, you wouldn't expect such a high level of energy from its age 60-something members.

However, Townshend raced around the stage, pulling off guitar moves that have been practically trademarked over their many years of usage and Daltrey gives a hugely empassioned vocal performance, boggling the eyes of the adoring crowd on set closer 'Won't Get Fooled Again'.

British Summer Time

Phil Jones Music Critic

@philrdjones

"A perfect representation of the genre-bending nature of the outfit" If you were lucky enough to see The Who at Glastonbury festival this year, you may start to think that this review is sounding painfully familiar. In actuality, the band played an almost identical set to their performance two days earlier in Hyde Park.

The mentality certainly seemed to be 'stick to what you know', it's hard to feel dissapointed with a show that contains stellar hits like 'Pinball Wizard' and 'Baba O'Riley'.

Creating an eclectic energy over Hyde Park that night, it's easy to see why The Who are such a staple of British rock tradition. A band that truly deserved their Glastonbury headline slot in the folowing days.

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redbrick.me/music

9th October - 23rd October 2015

Bestival The British summertime is a war of attrition. By the second week of July, it’s over in all but name only and with just a breath of true, bankable warmth and sunlight in over 3 months. It’s no wonder that so many people would rather hurdle an unforgiving Ryanair obstacle course than stay within these coldly ironic, perpetually damp borders.

For those of us that remain, there is festival season: a last sanctuary in which to exercise the freedoms that should come with fine weather – those freedoms which, we feel, are owed to us.

Oftentimes, it’s the freedom to ingest mind-altering substances and run around in a morphsuit. It is a sweet and honourable thing, therefore, for Rob Da Bank and Bestival to offer so much more than this at the tail end of the summer. In the heart of the Isle of Wight, they’d created a wonderland which I, already lamenting the nine months of definitely-grey days ahead, felt compelled to explore.

A day that started at 6am, negotiating rush-hour trains and ferry queues meant that when I finally got to camp at 5pm, I was exhausted before the weekend had even began in earnest. No rest for the wicked, however, as we headed straight for the Big Top to watch Rudimental, Gorgon City, Jamie xx and Underworld kick off the weekend in style. Then, we partied the rest of the night away at Temple Islands. With major sets going down Thursday evening, Bestival waits for nobody, so when you come, make sure you come prepared.

"There's an amazing feeling of sensory overload that you don't experience anywhere else" My first impressions of Bestival amazed me. Yes, all the core elements of the festival were there, but it oozed colour, magic and innovation. The presentation, a clear extension of Rob Da Bank’s natural showmanship, was immaculate.

Monsters on stilts, a love-themed robot, Indian folk bands and, of course, the illustrious giant disco ball made the festival appear to be a live entity in itself.

There’s an amazing feeling of sensory overload at Bestival that you don’t experience anywhere else.

Alex Ekong Music Editor

@andthenalexsaid

Day 2 began irreverently with the always-noisy Drenge kicking up a fury in The Big Top and serving as a left-field choice of opening act for George The Poet who also went down a storm in his final festival appearance of the summer.

Gabrielle Aplin was an early highlight on the Main Stage, while the one-two punch of Lianne La Havas and Charli XCX was a treat for the large crowd they drew.

Later on, Action Bronson put on a great show in The Big Top while going up against the mighty Jurassic 5 on the Main Stage. The best visual spectacle of the day was put on by Flying Lotus, who performed in a translucent cube with lights and images projected on to it, blowing the Bestival audience away.

After this, one of the stronger late lineups of the festival, Young Fathers were followed by Tame Impala and FKA Twigs, aptly putting the day to bed.

"Bestival proves to be absolutely unmissable" While Day 3 was dominated by upand-comers, namely Novelist, Stormzy, Soak and Lion Babe, Sunday belonged to big acts. Unmissable sets from Jungle Brothers, Mark Ronson, Skepta and Boy Better Know helped close the festival with a bang, but none more so than Missy Elliott who rolled back the clock to 2005 for an exceedingly brilliant headline set on the Main Stage. Those that braved the late night heavy rain were treated to an epic closing set from Skrillex that looked like something out of a film, a truly amazing way to cap off Bestival for another year.

Though it’s right at the last gasp of the summer, Bestival proves to be absolutely unmissable year-in, year-out. It’s not just the myriad of uniquely must-see acts, however, that marks the difference between it and other UK festivals – it’s the unique ethos and atmosphere that makes Bestival the ideal way to cap off any summer. Rob Da Bank’s idea to reanimate the spirit of the 60’s for the social media generation is admirable, but the festival also has such a wide appeal to all ages that many parents were in attendance with young children. Of course, the story of my Bestival is radically different to anyone else’s, so in order to truly know how it feels, you can only experience it for yourself and see just why the Summer of Love is alive and well in our time.

Bestival Toronto Marianne Lampon Music Critic

@MarianneLampon

From the legacy that Bestival in the UK holds in the hearts of festival-goers, expectations were high for the first ever edition of Bestival in Canada, and it certainly did not disappoint.

Having been to the UK Bestival a few years ago, I was excited to see how the international version would compare. With Day One starting off with torrential thunderstorms and rain ripping through Toronto, it felt like a strange homage to the classic British summer festival weather we all know and, um, love. However, despite the downpours, crowds were out in force bravely donning their rain ponchos and wellies.

Taking the ferry from Toronto across to the Toronto Islands meant music-lovers could savour the beauty of the iconic Toronto skyline, whilst feeling as though they were escaping the buzz of the city to a magical land far, far away.

Getting off at Hanlan’s Point and walking towards the main site, the familiar sights and sounds of Bestival were all around: the Big Top dance music tent (where I undoubtedly spent a good 90% of my time), the colourful flags, the smell of the delicious food outlets, and the zany fancy dress of the festival-goers.

"...escaping the buzz of the city to a magical land far, far away" The Bollywood themed DJ stage was home to a colourful set design of blue peacocks, pink elephants, fire, and exotic dancers, and Jamie XX’s set was getting the crowd pumped as the rain began to peter out. Fans were treated to a mix of tracks from his 2015 album In Colour as well as some more minimal house and dance tunes.

After flitting about from stage to stage throughout the afternoon, to round up the night I, and no doubt many others, was faced with the ultimate dilemma: choosing between seeing Florence and the Machine on the Main Stage or Flume in the Big Top. Having seen Florence hypnotise crowds with her angelic voice twice previously, I opted for Flume.

Australian-born man of the moment absolutely nailed it. There was such a hum of anticipation as eager fans waited for Flume to grace the stage, and it was a joy to watch him perform. Flume clearly abso-

lutely loves what he does and gets a high from seeing the boundless energy of the crowd.

Flume drew upon his impressive back catalogue of tracks which has enabled his fan base to grow and grow over the years and combined them with psychedelic visuals. Mixing his sparkling renditions of wellknown tracks such as Disclosure’s “You & Me” and Lorde’s “Tennis Court” with his originals and my own personal favourites such as “Sleepless” and “Holdin On”, Flume proved why he is firmly up there with the best in the ever developing electronic dance music scene.

On Day Two, musical highlights includ-

"A euphoric energy and otherworldly atmostphere" ed Caribou, who performed a glorious set as the sun was setting on the Main Stage and gave a euphoric energy and otherworldly atmosphere by closing with “Can’t Do Without You”, closely followed by Robin Schulz who kept the vitality alive by closing the festival with favourites such as “Prayer in C” and “Waves”.

But it wasn’t all about the music. Also on offer at the festival were free henna tattoos, getting married in an inflatable church, Day of the Dead body painting, and a carnival parade.

Whilst the food may have been a tad overpriced (but when is it ever cheap at festivals?), there were some great finds amongst the multitude of stalls. I stumbled across Bread Heads, a pizza stall where chefs made wood fired pizza right there in front of you.

Delicious thin crust, ample toppings, and a smile with the service made this a welcome break from the greasy fast food alternatives often found at music festivals.

Plus, the best fancy-dress award undoubtedly goes to the person dressed up as the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz – I’m talking full foil body suit, huge mask, and hat. Ten points for effort!

There was however a downside to the magical paradise: crowds would wait in line for up to two hours to catch the ferry back to the mainland at the end of each night.

Clearly the organisers were unprepared for such a huge swell at the end of each day, so here’s hoping for better logistics next year which should lead to shorter waiting times.

Yet, for all of the wonderfully crazy mix of awesomeness that the rest of the festival provided, any logistical mishaps could certainly be overlooked, so see you next year Toronto!

redbrick.me/music

Rock en Seine is France’s biggest summer music festival and always attracts hordes of Parisians and Brits alike. The lineup for 2015 was particularly intriguing, featuring the hottest British indie bands around at the moment mixed with new French bands to discover. Despite being the first ‘named’ indie band of the weekend, Wolf Alice drew a very receptive and rowdy crowd who lapped up every tune from the contenders to the music crown. ‘Giant Peach’ lived up to its name and then some, creating the festival’s first mosh pit. Catfish and the Bottlemen continue to go from strength to strength and drew one of the largest crowds of the afternoon, albeit made up almost entirely of British listeners. With an album comprised exclusively of stadium-sized tunes, Catfish seem truly at home when playing festivals and are looking a dead cert for being a future headliner.

Kasabian are the archetypal ‘better live than on record’ band. Their albums have all been of varying levels of good, but their live show is enormous. Every single track seems to have increased in quality by an order of magnitude and the feel good vibes that flood the crowd are truly infectious. The highlight of the set was definitely during ‘Vlad the Impaler’ when the aforementioned Vlad himself, Noel Fielding, joined the band

9th October - 23rd October 2015

onstage to strut his stuff. Whether it was the crowd reaction, or the setlist, or the guest appearance, for some reason the performance seemed as monumental as Kasabian’s Glastonbury headline slot.

"As monumental as their Glastonbury headline slot" The second day started with The Maccabees, the band pulling out all the stops to make an entertaining show, with new tracks ‘Spit it Out’ and ‘Marks to Prove It’ being nothing less than euphoric. Ben Howard’s set, while technically very impressive, highlighted the similarity of the tracks on his second album and frustrated a crowd of casual fans who only seemed to know the songs from the first album, none of which Howard played. Similar to Howard, Stereophonics shine when they play the hits that everyone knows, but fall flat when venturing towards newer releases. Thankfully, the set was mainly comprised of well-known singles and so the outfit largely shone in the sun. Years & Years seem to really be on to something, managing to get every single person watching them dancing on singing along to their hits after only one album.

‘King’ was the obvious highlight and proved even the most cynical onlooker wrong.

The headliners of the second day were recently reformed indie stalwarts The Libertines. The thing about the Libertines’ back catalogue, especially its most dazzling moments, is that it still has the power to be warm and fulfilling when not being presented in its most impressive form. However, it is likely that veterans of Libertines gigs will not class the headline set up with their best moments. It was not a disaster per se, but the lesser known tracks seemed lost upon the ears of casual punters, and Pete’s potentially drunken antics (as assumed by the swig of yellow liquid between each track suggests) threatened to derail the whole night. Speaking of Pete, the performance highlighted both the best and worst aspects of his personality and shtick. In the moments where he stood toe to toe with Carl, screaming in to the same microphone and steering the good ship Albion towards brighter shores he looked completely the star he should be.

But later in the set, in a fit of excitement Doherty launched his guitar towards an unsuspecting roadie who narrowly avoided a collision, forcing the band to go offstage for much longer than wanted. Less a standard pre-encore walkout. When returning for the “encore” the band could not regain the

Rock En Seine Phil Jones Music Critic

@philrdjones

7

pace that had been set earlier, and even the stone cold classic of ‘Don’t Look Back into the Sun’ fell largely flat on the night.

There was one clear fact that emerged from the Sunday performances: Tame Impala should have been headlining. They pulled potentially the biggest non-headline slot of the weekend and almost every festival attendee seemed to be a Kevin Parker megafan. Parker and the boys did not disappoint, performing a set that drew heavily from this year’s Currents and 2012’s Lonerism; ergo, a set filled with absolute bangers. ‘Elephant’ caused pogoing galore, ‘The Less I Know the Better’ is a hip-strutting anthem and ‘Eventually’ was one of the most emotiondriven performances of the weekend. Kevin Parker performed like a real star, skirting the right line between confident and humble, coming across as a prophet leading his people through musical nirvana. Following the weekend’s highlight is a tough task, but alt-j were definitely up to the task, bringing out the biggest tracks from their two excellent records, accompanied by an awe-inspiring lightshow which was no less than captivating and atmospheric under the darkened skies. ‘Breezeblocks’ and ‘Matilda’ are obviously highlights, but parts 1 and 2 of ‘Bloodflood’ played together is a sight to behold.

"Gorgeous weather, a tour de force lineup and positive vibes all round" Despite being slotted directly after two of the most loved and respected bands of the weekend, the Chemical Brothers pulled off a blinding set which brought the weekend to a euphoric close. The crowd were all united in a fit of celebratory dancing; arguably the set drew the most receptive crowd of the weekend, likely because it was the last chance of the weekend for the audience to dance their worries away. New single ‘Go’ was particularly impressive, but nothing could match up to the all-time classics ‘Galvanize’ and ‘Block Rockin’ Beats’.

The real beauty of Rock en Seine is its location; being situated adjacent to a beautiful panoramic view of Paris adds a sense of gravitas to proceedings and is a nice contrast to the muddy fields of Reading. Despite many of the acts playing almost every festival in Europe in a short period of time, they all seemed to put on an energetic and welcoming show to please the French crowd.

With gorgeous weather, a tour de force lineup and positive vibes all around, Rock en Seine was a must-see festival this year and the cream of the European crop.

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redbrick.me/music

21st November - 4th December 2014

Y Not Festival Olivia Rafferty Music Critic

The award-winning Y Not Festival, set in picturesque countryside in Derbyshire, celebrated its tenth birthday this year. Unlike Latitude - the media favourite dubbed 'Glastonbury-lite' that also turned ten in 2015 - Y Not has managed to stay relatively under the radar, and its original carefree ethos remains firmly in place as a result.

This has made it a common destination for first-timers taking their first steps into the festival world, but it continues to attract a diverse crowd of all ages.

Since my first visit in 2012 - when the festival won the Best Small Festival award despite fierce competition - Y Not has expanded dramatically. Back then, when the

music finished at 11pm there wasn't much to do except retreat to the campsite. This year, there was a whole area to explore when the main stage shuts up shop, including an incredible reggae tent, a highly exclusive house tent with a queue to match, a fire pit, an open mic tent, a jazz bar and more, which all played a big role in the overall experience.

Despite this rapid expansion, the festival has retained its intimacy over the years; the local vibe is reinforced by numerous nods to Derbyshire heritage, with local craft ales and a variety of food stalls, this year venturing a bit further afield with the appearance of Birmingham's own Bournville Waffle

Love Saves The Day Megan Gibson Music Critic

Company.

Through a combination of its expansion and continued popularity over the last few years, the organisers managed to bag some really big names for 2015, with Snoop Dogg, Basement Jaxx and Primal Scream headlining the main stage, as well as an impressive selection of up and coming smaller artists.

The very idea of the weed-loving, name-changing superstar Snoop Dogg gigging in the quaint English village of Pikehall seemed ridiculous, and I wasn't expecting much from his performance in such uncharted territory, but his set ended up being pretty impressive. As well as more recent material, Snoop made sure not to neglect the classics and collaborations that made him a superstar, and the novelty of seeing one of hip hop's biggest (if not most talented) performers was definitely a crowd pleaser.

Basement Jaxx, however, stole the show on Saturday night with an incredible set - their infectious energy and stage presence took already great songs to the next level, from new material to the numerous classics of a long and distinguished career, even inviting the talented Shakka on stage for a collaboration. Ending their set with the unmistakeable 'Where's Your Head At', along with an elaborate firework display, made for a memorable end to the party.

Away from the main stage, Y Not's dedication to undiscovered talent has been critical to its success over the years, and 2015 was no different. If undiscovered music is your thing, Y Not is a great place to be. With six stages loosely organised by genre, it's easy to walk around without an agenda and stumble across something great.

Some highlights from the weekend included The Natterjacks, a home grown Derbyshire indie-folk duo who have been all over the place this summer, playing ernest Mumfords-esque folk on a variety of unusual instruments (and guitars). Rhodes, who recently teamed up with Birdy to produce the beautiful orchestral pop track 'Let It Go' also put on a great show.

The Quarry Stage was home to a number of BBC Introducing artists, showcasing a range of musical talent. The amazingly talented Rae Morris, who perhaps might've been ready to graduate to a bigger stage after a headline tour and Bombay Bicycle Club collaboration this year, performed with an affecting modesty, and her unique sound was flawless live. Raleigh Ritchie (who moonlights as Grey Worm on Game of Thrones) drew a big crowd down to the Quarry after a recent interview on BBC Radio 1. He showcased his Black and Blue EP, realised this year, displaying his talent with an eclectic mix of indie, hip-hop and R&B.

Some say, 'Money can't buy love'... but this doesn't apply to Love Saves The Day. Let me explain...

Love Saves The Day is evidently and most definitely aimed at students, there is no doubt. So essentially, the festival should be student friendly. In some instances it was; the music was house, garage and grunge, there was a lot of alcohol on hand, a lot of dancing to do and you could even take part in a pingpong tournament but in other cases it certainly was not.

The first day of any festival includes the multitask of getting your bearings, sussing out the area and watching live music at the same time. Saturday's major acts included: Lapsley, Rae Morris and Indianna from BBC Introducing, Groove Armada, Gorgon City, Hannah Wants, Julio Bashmore and headliner Jessie Ware. Even though acts started at 12, midday, the festival didn't really pack out until 2-3pm when the main acts started doing their thing.

of the site, your ears were filled with a mad mixture of sound.

After realising my mistake with money on the first day, the second was 10x better. No one had to think about work the following day as it was a bank holiday and it truly showed. It was a lot busier creating an uplifted atmosphere and an awful lot of love!

I came on a full stomach and had taken money out beforehand to last me through the

"Some say 'money can't buy love'..."

If you wanted a break from the music, there was plenty to do. The new venue at Eastville Park is a large venue to accommodate all of the stages and also allowed space for an inflatable church to dress up and have a role play marriage, a large ferris wheel, flying swings, a roller disco (hilarious after 8pm) a large boxing ring/dance floor, karaoke and a bunch of hammocks to relax in.

The only downside came from the pure intensity of the music. With 9 stages playing music at the same time, if you were sitting on the hammocks or chilling in the middle

"it's easy to walk around without an agenda and stumble across something great" There were some fantastic performances at the festival across the weekend, but the highlight was definitely the highly praised punk duo Slaves. The Tunbridge Wells pair twist the original punk of the late 70s into something that sounds bang up to date, and all with a blistering, irresistible intensity.

Part of the reason it's so impressive is the racket they manage to make as just a duo with just a guitar and drum kit, they manage to hold the crowd's attention for every second of their set. Compared to the monotonous pop and commercial house music choking the charts these days, the sight of Slaves' Isaac Holman snarling from behind his drum kit is hugely refreshing.

Y Not has grown over the last 10 years, but its expansion has been lovingly and carefully curated - as new bands, stages, food and experiences are added, the festival has held onto its welcoming atmosphere to deliver the best of both worlds to a crowd that keeps on coming back. Early bird tickets for 2016 are on sale now, and there's only one question you need to ask yourself... the clue's in the name.

"Anyone and everyone could climb on and dance like no tomorrow" day; this was by far the best day out of the two. By arriving around 3pm, we walked in to a sea of people and had enough energy to last the day. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case for one poor guy and by the time headliner Azealia Banks was on stage, he was on the floor with his bum out.

Sunday surprised us with an amazing line up including: Dr Meaker (highlight of the weekend), My Nu Leng, DJ EZ, Artful Dodger, Shy FX, Wiley, Skepta, DUB FX, Kelela and Azealia Banks. Although these acts didn't start until around 8pm, there was a mass of reggae and jump up to keep you on your feet with every tent or stage providing a constant burst of music. Throughout the day, I was attracted to the 'Dance Off' stage where the likes of Dr Meaker played a DJ set; I don't think I stopped dancing. The madness of this stage was conducted in the large boxing ring in the centre. Anyone and everyone could climb on and dance like no tomorrow and trust me, they did!

redbrick.me/film

9th-23rd October 2015

21

Film News Abigail Greenwood Critic

Robert Zemeckis, as director and co-writer of the 80s trilogy, has sworn that ‘there isn’t going to be another Back to the Future', despite Universal’s growing interest. Aware that ‘it would open gigantically’, Zemeckis doesn’t want greed to take over the film’s credibility as ‘[money is] all that anyone cares about.’ However, fans can see Christopher Lloyd reprise his role as Doc Brown for a short film to appear on the 30th anniversary Blu-ray set.

Ridley Scott’s The Martian is set to finish its opening weekend with a total of over $50 million, smashing box offices since its release last week. The sci-fi venture, based on Andy Weir’s novel, is set to join the ranks of high-grossing releases. Following the story of an astronaut stranded on Mars, with Matt Damon embodying the lead role, the success of the film is refreshing following a notoriously critiqued genre.

Review: The Martian

Critic Matthew Robinson reviews Ridley Scott's latest survival sci-fi adventure

Details Release date: 30th September 2015 Director: Ridley Scott Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean Running time: 141 minutes IMDB rating: 8.4

««««« Matthew Robinson Critic

After a storm on Mars forces the Martian mission to be abandoned, Mark Watney finds himself alone on the red planet as the rest of his crew begin their long journey back to earth. What follows is less hardship, more Watney sees a problem and solves it. Back on Earth intelligent minds talk and figure things out. There are deals with the Chinese.

Socially awkward scientists. The crew travelling home share romantic looks and exchanges in which they display how brave they all are, never mind the family they have back on earth.This does not fall into line with the slew of recent space movies with big ideas, difficult concepts, and serious faces. The Martian is fun.

‘I’m not dead, obviously’ is how Watney announces his survival to the little camera that acts as his confidant throughout his isolation. Thus begins the charm offensive. The screenwriters have mined the material for any quip they can find and Matt Damon delights in delivering them. Reading the synopsis, this

sounded like the perfect Tom Hanks vehicle, a mix between Apollo 13 and Castaway, but this is Matt Damon at his

"...a mix between Apollo 13 and Castaway..." best. He turns Watney, who could frankly become annoying with his ingenious solutions and constantly positive outlook, in to a charming character, one you don’t mind spending a couple of hours with.

Mark Watney is a masterly creation, pronouncing himself the best botanist on the planet, and a space pirate with a wry smile. He grows his own food in Martian soil and human waste, creates water from rocket fuel, uses an old Martian probe to communicate with Earth and he only breaks when a machine malfunction causes the airlock to blow up, destroying his plants. Watney’s most pressing annoyance with NASA and the rest of his crew is their taste in disco music. For us the mixture of Abba, David Bowie and soaring orchestral pieces that make up the soundtrack is a breath of fresh air.

Performances on all sides are superb though underused, from Chiwetel Ejifor’s Vincent Kapoor to Sean Bean as a deliciously improbable crew supervisor. The film is packed with a fantastic cast and doesn’t do enough with them. The Martian relishes showing not the human suffering but human strength. We see meetings,

"Performances on all sides are superb though underused..." press conferences, discussions on astrodynamics, political funding and more.

The Martian relishes showing clever people doing clever things. NASA must be leaping in the air, there hasn’t been a bet-

ter advert for them since, well, maybe ever. But though we get hints of their lives beyond space, it is too little. After credits footage shows each of the members of the crew and their lives back home, yet we have spent so little time in their company we don’t really care. It was as if it was thought that the audience needed to see everyone having a happy ending. It is in this instance that perhaps The Martian should have taken a leaf out of Interstellar and Galaxy’s book, we didn’t need to see Watney in ‘Day 1’ of his new life teaching potential astronauts. Leave that to the imagination of the viewer. The Martian wants to give

"I saw this film in 3D, which was perhaps a mistake..." the audience everything it wants which is where it falls down.

I saw this film in 3D, which was perhaps a mistake. Whereas in Gravity the extra dimension expressed the emptiness of space and thus the loneliness of Sandra Bullock’s character, here everything seems oddly flat. The vast desert landscapes just weren’t served well by 3D. Oddly I kept thinking of Lawrence of Arabia and the Technicolour images and how better they served the landscape.

Scott seemed to be looking back to directors such as Lean on how to photograph the surface of Mars, and you could see hints of his own past, not from Alien but from Gladiator.

This is a summer blockbuster released in October. Even better, it is a blockbuster with the tone of the 90s, relishing in its script and not in its effects. The Martian will not teach you anything.

The Martian will not have you discussing whether we should be exploring space or other planets. But it will entertain you. You will laugh, 'ooh' and 'aah', and you will enjoy yourself.

Stepping out in IMAX release, Zemeckis The Walk is reportedly giving viewers extreme vertigo, with some even vomiting in reaction to the 3D spectacle. Retelling the infamous 1974 high wire walk of tightrope artist Philippe Petit, with Joseph GordonLevitt reenacting the stunt to the backdrop of the death-defying heights of New York’s Twin Towers, it seems the film has achieved it’s desired realistic effect. At least the vertigo distracts from the negativity surrounding Gordon-Levitt’s poor attempt of a French accent

Despite insistence of a ‘scheduling conflict’ as the reason behind Wyatt’s abandonment directing Gambit, it has recently been reported that his exit was actually due to Fox not believing in his vision for the superhero. It appears 20th Century Fox just can’t seem to get it right, especially following the Fantastic Four failure, and filming for Gambit has now been delayed further to wait for Channing Tatum to take over.

22 9th-23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/culture

Culture

Digbeth First Friday

Sophie Taylor headed down to Digbeth to find out more about their First Friday event Digbeth is famously (or for some, notoriously) recognised by its essence of uniqueness; characterised by the quirky contrast between the eerie industrial buildings (that seem to be undergoing constant regeneration and renovation work) with the artistic embellishments found upon them. The location becomes animated at night. As a lover of an array of arts, I decided to attend the Digbeth First Friday event on the 2nd October 2015 and admittedly I was truly sceptical about what to expect.

Digbeth First Friday’s launched in May 2014 and as the title suggests, it takes place on the first Friday of each month. The evening event celebrates all things art; late

"...I was truly astounded by the beauty of this small location..." night exhibitions, street food, live music with many more gripping entertaining productions from local artists. Most importantly, it is completely free! The evening entertainment is located throughout Digbeth in different buildings (when I attended, most were on the same street, but Digbeth is small so it is easy to navigate around). I found that as the evening progressed it got busier, but there are plenty of events on and so it’s easy to make an entire evening of it!

As I approached Digbeth I came across a poster titled ‘Digbeth Poetry Trail’ and as I followed these posters (all containing insightful poetry) I was led to my first destination of the evening; the Bond café.

Arriving early, I was truly astounded by the beauty of this small location amongst some of the grotesque buildings on the main street. Throughout the evening the Bond café had live bands performing and small art stands; everybody there was involved in celebrating the positive impact that arts

"Each Friday is completely individual and different to the previous one..." exhibition to the scientific experiments presented at the other, this exhibition was truly captivating. I ended my evening by enjoying some delicious homemade Indian tapas street food suitable for both vegetarians and

have on mental wellbeing.

I attended many art exhibitions throughout the evening and all of them were abstract in style. Coming from a more fine art background, I found this abstract work pleasantly engaging. My favourite exhibition came from Vivid Projects and their exhibition entitled ‘Breathing & Staring’. This was highly sensory, including audio, video and live performances. The artists attempted to present feelings of empathy and nostalgia through their mediums; I believe that they successfully achieved this. From the rendition of death presented at one end of the

vegans; I would highly recommend trying the street food available on these events.

Each Friday is completely individual and different to the previous one, so it certainly fits Digbeth’s well-known characteristic of uniqueness. Another great thing about First Friday’s is you can go to as many or as little events as you like! So, if you enjoy listening to live music, viewing abstract and modern art galleries by local artists and fancy a peculiar and interesting Friday evening experience celebrating art in Birmingham, the First Friday event may be for you.

Culture gets their hands on Rob Sinclair's Second Novel Andrea Giannini gives us an insight into the next instalment of The Enemy Series Rise of the Enemy, Rob Sinclair’s second novel in The Enemy Series finds special agent Carl Logan going on a seemingly routine mission in Russia just months after being betrayed by Angela Grainger.

Unfortunately, during the mission Logan’s cover is blown, and he ends up becoming a Russian prisoner, being tortured for months before escaping. Once free, he begins to see holes in the excuses he is given by his own people, the JIA, making it seem like the Russians who also told him stories weren’t lying. There is betrayal somewhere in the JIA agency and Logan searches to find out what is going on, almost completely alone, and unable to trust anyone, especially since they think he is the double agent.

What is slightly different about this book from the last is that Sinclair switches between flashbacks and the present. The flashbacks tell the story of Logan’s imprisonment and torture, and tell us about Lena, who is the Russian captor feeding Carl stories about why his mission really went wrong, as well as torturing him for information. Once again, Sinclair makes a truly horrible villain that the reader can hate, but who this time, also has an appealing quality, where you want to see what happens next between them.

The action, as well as the creativity of the story makes the book hard to put down once you get into it, and it is hard to guess what is actually going on. Even towards the end, it’s not easy to predict what will

The storyline of the entire trilogy is also touched upon within this book; the reader can tell that this installment is simply one part of a larger picture. The novel ends with

"There is betrayal somewhere in the JIA agency and Logan searches to find out what is going on, unable to trust anyone, especially since they think he is the double agent."

happen next, which makes this novel special. There are surprises at every turn, and the action is exciting, with trains, gun fights, escapes, and kidnapping.

a clear direction that the third could go in, and a character from the first book even reappears. The end of this novel answers many questions that go through the reader’s mind and also makes you wonder what the next step will be. This ending is satisfying, but also leaves some justice to be desired, which could hopefully happen in the next installment.

The ending made me look forward to the next book even more. Carl Logan does figure out who betrayed the JIA, but that does not put him in a power position by any

means. Logan is still being searched for and needs to run and figure out how to clear his name. It is obvious that the next book will be full of action from the start, and I look forward to reading what happens next for Carl Logan, and that maybe things will work out for him. From the end of this second book, it seems that whatever happens, it will be a struggle, but it will be a good read.

The beginning of this story might start off a little slowly, but it rapidly picks up and makes a very entertaining read. Sinclair is a great writer and storyteller, and this novel shows his development with both.

This is a very unique story, and I look forward to seeing where the next book will take me.

If this sounds like a work you would enjoy, check out Culture's review of the first novel 'Dance with the enemy' at www.redbrick.me/ culture

redbrick.me/culture

9th-23rd October 2015

23

Walking the Cities of Material and Myth with Darren Anderson William Caroll takes a look at our obessession with futuristic fantasy With films like Tomorrowland currently screening in cinemas across the world, and with amusement park installations like EPCOT attracting millions of visitors every year, it is clear to even the most relaxed observer that humanity has not lost its impossible fascination with the future. Such observations are perceived with a unique and intelligent eye in Darren Anderson's latest book Imaginary Cities, which walks the desolate undercarriages of cities in motion and peers into the dripping corners with a mining lamp at a world that was.

Traversing entire histories of whole continents, Anderson provides via his book a

"Cities are 'melting pots'... they are a crucible that binds together everything that has been before." blueprint to a world of potential, of possibility. The cities he explores are equally weighted in the realms of physical reality versus visionary predictions and his work accurately details why the former physical cities exist and why the latter imaginations can never be.

Perhaps the central theme of Anderson's work is the timeless human obsession with immortalising themselves, ensuring a permanent fixture of their existence will reside on the surface of the planet they leave immemorial. He talks of the 'second death',

the moment when all memories of the deceased become lost from those still living, and thus pass from extant minds into the grey area beyond. Cities and architecture, Anderson argues, are the most enduring forums for human expression and eternal existence: 'We are conceived in rooms and die in them. We live and dream in them. We remember the rooms of childhood and adolescence, the sound of rain like an imitation of infinity on skylight windows, the bedrooms of different lovers. They are gone forever even though we can see and walk their dimensions in our mind's eye.'

It is this simple beauty of Anderson's writing that makes his book so compelling, so full of prescient knowledge of a world we think we know, though are devastatingly ignorant. The allure of the great cities of the world, of New York and London and Paris and Tokyo, are a beacon to the wandering youth of the world because of their secrets and immensities that are not known.

People travel to these cities to learn what others do not know, to see what others have not seen. But such idealised dreams of knowledge and contentment lying behind the Art Deco front of Miami Beach or reflected back in the crystal stare of London's Shard are merely examples of the myths we hopelessly believe in. 'Cities are, by definition, full of strangers' is Jane Jacob's commentary on the true horror of the city. In towns, people know everyone and nothing happens in isolation or secret.

The windows in fog-laden Victorian hamlets twitch with the candle-light knowledge of families and friends who listen to the distant footfall of the stranger, the outsider,

with an acute fear of the unknown. In cities, all sense of this familiarity that shuns the outside world is lost. Cities are 'melting pots', Anderson writes, they are a crucible that binds together everything that has been before. The famous Parisian graffito that inspired Anderson's macrocosmic study, 'Under the paving stones, the beach', is an inadequate appraisal of the colossal unknown that is the modern city. Anderson would rather remove the trap door paving slab, hollow out the silt beneath and descend into the labyrinthine of time that

"... the central theme of Anderson's work is the timeless human obsession with immortalising themselves" stretches into infinity beneath the surface on which we all walk.

Anderson's true genius lies not with his ability to express the feelings that others cannot, the strange melancholy of Paris Syndrome or the awed silence one feels when standing at the apex of a city looking down on man's creation, but with his consideration of all art forms. Videogames and cinema have been erecting cities of the past and future since their inception and, like their real life counterparts, explore the neon line between dystopia and utopia. An appraisal of Bioshock's city of Rapture,

found in the centre of Anderson's work, looks at how politics and ideology (namely the Objectivism of Ayn Rand) can take an artist's dream and permanently stain it with the grey blood of dystopia. The underwater Art Deco masterpiece of Rapture is a marvel of design and engineering, but as history has shown, it is the humans that occupy its many spaces that bring it to ruin. Anderson writes that 'the urge to destroy is a creative passion' and in doing so explores the moral compasses of architects, who view themselves as the cartographers of a new Earth. They sign the earth with their creations; their buildings become the metal and glass calligraphy of the artisan, underscored with a neon signature.

The concept of the city, what we think of as the beating heart to the varicose roads of the Earth, is a transitory portal into the future and past simultaneously.

One can stand at intersections in the great European cities and place one hand on Gothic stone and another on metal and glass. We live in a time of automation, of cities that evolve and collapse, evolve and rebuild, yet we still do not fully understand this world we inhabit. Anderson's book is a powerful work of philosophy on the physicality of our world, it is a map of that which cannot be chartered. It seems that under the paving stones of our modern epoch, there is neither sand nor dirt; there is the abyss into which all life will fall.

Anderson is waiting on the edge, shining a light inside, watching the past and the future collide in one great temporal singularity and his new book is the closest we have yet come to staring into it ourselves.

‘Perry Common and Me’ and community heritage Holly Wain shares her enthusiasm for a local project happening in Birmingham ‘Heritage’ is a tricky term and can unfortunately have limited connotations, bringing to mind stately homes and museum studies post graduate courses. As a result, it can be off putting and create a sense that national history holds a greater value than personal family memories and stories. For those who are not avid museum visitors or interested in the arts and culture sector, it is easy to assume that there is a huge difference between their own histories and the history presented in museums. I always felt that this was a huge shame, especially when there are so many unrecorded (yet fascinating!) stories from small communities. This is why I was drawn to a project entitled ‘Perry Common and Me’. Based in Perry Common, north Birmingham, and supported by the Witton Lodge Community Association, the project aims to preserve and explore the history of the area. The story of the destruction and regeneration of the area has not yet been recorded and its significance to

"The project will be carried out over the course of a year and we are creating several different outputs."

both local and national history has been affirmed by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s investment of £32,000. Reyahn King, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands has expressed her support of the project: “This project is a classic example of local people deciding that heritage is important to them and banding together to collect stories and artefacts to keep a community’s memories and identity together in the face of great changes.

We are delighted to be able to support their efforts.”

The project will record the huge changes to the area from the 1920s to the present day. In 1924 work began on the Perry Common Estate on the plot of land which previously housed Witton Lodge Farm. The farmhouse was located more or less where ‘The Ring’ stands today. Most of these new houses were built following the example of a new technique used by property developer Henry Boot. He designed the houses from concrete panels which were placed onto a steel frame. The Boot houses, as they are now known, were cheaper to build than the brick houses that were chosen for the edge of the estate and on the corner plots. Unfortunately, by the early 1980s the ‘Boot’ houses had severe structural problems including subsidence, cracks in concrete, dampness and rusting of the steel frames. By 1989, Birmingham City Council had to take the decision to demolish all of the 908 ‘Boot’ houses. This left the area with only the very few houses which were

brick built. However, local residents pulled together to avoid the community splitting up and moving to accommodation in different places across the city.

A resident’s association was formed to raise funds to rebuild the estate and this association led to the creation of the

"This project is a classic example of local people deciding that heritage is important to them and banding together to collect stories and artefacts to keep a community's memories and identity together in the face of great changes."

Witton Lodge Community Association in 1994.

Project Co-ordinator Patrice Johnson, along with a group of volunteers, such as myself, are engaging with the community of Perry Common and the surrounding areas and encouraging the sharing of memories, photographs and artefacts. For residents who would like their memories to be recorded for future

generations, we are taking oral recordings. We are aiming to encourage residents to share their memories with events such as the ‘Perry Tea Dance’.

We have held two dances over the past couple of months and they have been a huge success with tea, cake, music and dancing. We also aim to organise other events to build relationships with local schools and businesses and we are keen to hear suggestions and ideas from residents about different types of events that they would like to see happening in Perry Common.

The project will be carried out over the course of a year and we are creating several different outputs. We are building a community archive recording details the artefacts and recordings that we have brought together during the year. This will then help us to create a heritage trail which will lead visitors and residents around the area and give information in engaging and innovative formats about the major events and significant locations, as well as personal stories of residents.

An important legacy of the project will be a website and a Local History Group. We hope that this project will inspire people to think about the history of where they live and work and the value of their memories and stories. The actions of the local residents in Perry Common to reunite the community and rebuild the area independently deserve to be recognised and shared with people across Birmingham, the country and the world.

24 9th to 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/travel

Travel

Best of Birmingham A collaboration of our Travel writers share their very own hidden gems and city secrets...

The Lost and Found

Lichfield

by Grace Jackson

The town of Lichfield is situated in Staffordshire, just north of Birmingham. If you ever feel like getting a the city but have deadlines to think about, Lichfield could be the perfect choice for a day trip. Lichfield ha town centre with free-to-enter spots of interest. Here, you will find historical cottages and the attractive old the must-sees are the Lichfield Cathedral and the nearby National Memorial Arboretum. Lichfield Cath built eight hundred years ago in Gothic style, which can also be seen in Cologne, Vienna and France (a considerably larger scale!). It was once the administrative centre for the entirety of Staffordshire County parts of the Black Country. Walking around Lichfield’s old streets, you’ll see Tesco Expresses, banks a shops but as you turn a corner, you might just see the cathedral looming at the end of the street. The best cathedral is that it’s tucked so neatly into central Lichfield that you don’t know it’s there until you’re upon the cathedral, you can take a regular tour or a tour of the mysterious medieval library. The National Arboretum is all at once a sombre and joyful experience. These huge grounds in the National Forest are memorials to regiments of the Armed Forces, civil services, emergency services and other notable civilians protected and contributed to British society. What is most amazing about this place is its extraordinary bea to the Arboretum is far from a dusty museum or aged statue but more of a stroll through a spacious outdo of modern art. You can take a tour of the grounds or take a walk on your own. There is a handy suggeste their website. There’s something special about Lichfield. Perhaps it is the sense of finding a historical g ultimately unknown to tourists, a charming, aesthetic and very authentic Staffordshire town.

by Natasha Naidoo

Lose yourself in the enchanted world of The Lost & Found, only a short walk from Birmingham New Street, which has a great atmosphere and boasts a charismatic interior. Describing itself as a botanical Victorian hideaway, the restaurant serves traditional British classics with a great selection of inventive cocktails to tickle your taste buds. Its interior is inspired by Victorian explorer Hettie G. Watson who travelled the world in the 19th Century searching for new botanical species, which she stored away in a secret room. This classy and atmospheric establishment is perfect for a lovely meal out and the bar area is set away from the dining area so you can enjoy an intimate meal at the restaurant or alternatively just knock a few drinks back in the hubbub of the bar. Their unique cocktail creations are not to be missed and have also been inspired by Hettie and her work. With friendly staff and a tantalizing menu, The Lost & Found is definitely an eatery worth exploring. And don’t forget to look behind the bookcase for a hidden surprise!

The Electric Cinema

Harborne

by Jessica Murray

First opened in 1909 when the word electricity was still synonymous with black magic, The Electric was Birmingham’s first ever cinema. Today, it also holds the title of the oldest working cinema in the UK, giving it a wealth of history. If you delve into this a little more, you will discover that the Edwardian cinema was renamed many times and almost completely rebuilt between the years 1920-1937. This left little of the original building but if you look closely, the marble steps in the entrance and parts of the cinema’s interior are reminiscent of another era.Not only does it have its own illustrious history, The Electric also gives a nod to past greats of the silver screen. Each screen has both standard seating and a few sofas seating between 2 and 4 people which are named after the likes of ‘Laurel’, ‘Hardy’, ‘Hepburn’ and ‘Bogart’ (a nice touch for film fanatics). With tickets costing between £8.40 for a standard seat and £13.90 for a back row sofa seat, it can be slightly pricier than your average cinema but it’s worth the price for the comfort of its seats alone. Viewers can also get cocktails and snacks delivered via waiter service directly to their sofas. The cinema doesn’t sell popcorn which might be a disappointment to some cinema goers; it does however, sell fresh handmade cakes and it strives to source its snacks from local and independent suppliers which adds nicely to the whole experience. The Electric screens everything from modern cult classics to RSC productions and of course the latest cinema releases. Generally, if you miss a new release in the likes of the Odeon and Cineworld, you can still catch it at The Electric.

The top 3...

University cities to visit

by Carys Bedford

For freshers, Harborne is super convenient bein love and as a young fresher it is a lot less over Birmingham’s most raved about pubs, The Plou from the parents but this pub is always buzzy a Sunday roast and pizzas being a personal favo bubble, so Harborne is the perfect escape. It is Boston Tea Party (a great spot for brunch) but array of cupcakes every day; the red velvet cup to Harborne, there are in fact other attractions are a variety of charity shops and independent student budget, you’ll realize priorities take ov absolute guilt-free gems. A perk to charity shop ing that the charitable donations come from v you’ve visited Harborne and experienced the c visit every weekend.

Sophie Braybrook shares her favourite University cities to visit around the UK...

1

2

Leeds Reason to visit: Nightlife.

Leeds has often been voted the best student city for it's diverse and affordable nightlife. If you are a fan of UoB’s ‘Fab’ then head to the Student Union of the University of Leeds for a fun filled Friday night of similarly cheesy music. Alternatively if Digbeth’s Rainbow is a favourite of yours, then you will love electronic events at Canal Mills or Beaver Works. For the unconventional student nights, however, Leeds boasts funk and soul, rock, and 90s bars and clubs in the form of Hifi and Mook.

Brighton Reason to visit: Daytime Activities.

While also having a great nightlife, this seaside, holiday destination has a little more to offer. Start your day with a stroll along the seafront and a dip in the sea, before retreating to the Lanes, which offer independent, colourful cafes as a perfect place to grab some lunch.

Set aside a few minutes to gaze at the historical and beautiful Brighton Pavilion before ending the day in true tourist style by grabbing some doughnuts and strolling up the Pier.

3

Oxford Reason to visit: Bars and Eateries.

If you prefer a classier night out, try Oxfords infamous bar-hopping, which entails wandering the historical streets and finishing on the rooftop of Varsity Club, Oxford doesn’t only offer great bars, but delicious food at the comic book cafes - Atomic Burger and Pizza - can be found amongst the quirks of Cowley Road. Furthermore, the University is an architectural delight in itself - a sight that all Harry Potter fans shouldn't miss.

redbrick.me/travel

9th to 23rd October 2015

The Jam House

away from as a lovely d town but hedral was albeit on a y and some and coffee part of the n it. Inside Memorial filled with s who have auty. A trip oor gallery ed route on gem that is

by Vicky Thompson

The Jam House, a place that many a student of Birmingham has heard of but not necessarily taken the plunge and shunned Broad Street to visit for themselves. From Jazz to Rock cover bands, this music venue can suit anyone. The original venue was co-created by the legendary Jools Holland at the turn of the millennium and after its recent makeover, there are now chairs hanging from the ceiling as well as a quirky balcony-styled dance floor with a stage area that is so close to the audience, you almost feel as if you are on stage. Although some might argue it is an expensive night out, this can easily be avoided with a £5 entry fee and 2 for 1 cocktails on a Thursday, which is certainly one of the more lively and upbeat nights of the week where everyone who has been would strongly recommend it. However, if calm and chilled Jazz is your thing, pop over on a Wednesday where you can sit down at a shabby-chic wooden table with a beer to appreciate the local musical talents. So put on your smart clothes and your dancing shoes and head on down for one of the best nights out that is only available here in your beloved Brum.

Digbeth

ng a short 10 minute walk from the Vale. The Victorian suburb is hard not to rwhelming than the big smoke of the city centre. Harborne is home to one of ugh. Being a little pricier, you probably want to save this for a weekend visit and has a great atmosphere. They churn out the most delicious dishes with the ourite. Sometimes, living in The Vale can feel like you’re living in a bit of a s a great place to meet friends for coffee and cake. Many students rave about my favourite coffee spot is The Fallen Angel Bakery. They have a different pcake comes highly recommended. Even though good grub is a real attraction s besides this. Intermingled in between the cafes, chain restaurants and pubs t home ware shops. Charity shops aren’t to everyone’s taste but being on a ver so sometimes a rummage through charity shop shelves can find you some pping in Harborne is that it is one of Birmingham’s more affluent areas, meanvery good homes - so who knows what you’ll find amongst the rails! Once charm the town has, I can assure you that you will want to find an excuse to

Brindley Place

Hidden away behind the looming structures of Grand Central, the Bullring and the busy built-up city is a labyrinth of canals. In fact, the entire Birmingham canal system includes more miles than the canals of Venice. A wander throughout these interweaving waterways can literally transport you to another place.

There’s a hushed quiet, which serves as distinct opposition to the bustling city centre making it very hard to imagine you are still standing in the core of the UK’s second largest city. Anytime the sun is shining is a perfect opportunity to explore these hidden channels of the city. Simply roaming along the banks of the canals introduces you to a spectrum of hidden gems, whether these are canal-side pubs serving quintessentially British fish and chips or the floating markets operated from the boats themselves. One particular discovery is Brindley Place, a polished and modern complex of cafes, restaurants, shops and bars. It offers both chain eateries such as Wagamama and Carluccios, as well as more singular and unique dining experiences like Cielo. Brindley Place presents an opportunity to enjoy a day or evening out in a much more picturesque setting than many other places in the city.

If you fancy dipping into some high culture, The Ikon Gallery is also located within Brindley Place. It is an internationally renowned gallery for its contemporary art. The gallery is intensively involved in education – attempting to engage the public’s interest in contemporary art through its multi-media displays of sound, film, mixed media, photography, painting, sculpture and installation plus works from international artists.

by Beth Vernon

Even though Digbeth is less than a 15-minute walk from the Bullring, it still manages to keep a low profile as few people venture away from the mad rush of the city centre. Freshers’ are most likely to know Digbeth as the venue for Superhero night as they stagger out of taxis and into Rainbow, one of the biggest and most popular clubs in the area. Digbeth is a popular clubbing area where partiers are more likely to encounter House, Trance, Grime or RnB rather than the latest chart music and it is frequented by locals and students looking for a less generic night out. With the whole area still undergoing a large redevelopment scheme, it’s not only at night that Digbeth is the place to be. The Custard Factory is a beautifully refurbished area of smart vintage shops, swanky offices for creative companies and several cafes and bars. Young people in over-sized shirts and vintage jeans mill around the cobbled street, browsing the largely independently run shops while faint music drifts from record stores. Just down the road, every Friday night becomes the scene for Digbeth Dining Club, where posh catering vans selling slow cooked meat, hand made pizzas and the famous waffles of Bournville Waffle Co serve a friendly and cozy crowd of foodies as well as young professionals. While you should expect prices that are slightly higher than elsewhere, Digbeth is a friendly and inclusive place where you can get stunning street art and quirky vintage vibes so spending a few extra pounds is well worth this oasis of cool just outside the heart of the city.

A postcard from... the North East Freya George gives us an insight into one of the most picturesque areas in the UK...

The North East is one of the most beautifully diverse areas of the UK. It is the perfect combination of both urban liveliness and vibrancy but also has areas of pure rural simplicity.

It features buzzing cities like Newcastle as well as historical places such as Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. The former proves to be an intriguing destination because of its vast array of restaurants and tourist hotspots. One of the city’s highlights has to be ‘The Botanist’ though. It’s a really hip restaurant with a great atmosphere and my friends and I loved the fact that they served us pitchers out of a watering can and used buckets for cups. Much fun was had!

Newcastle really is a must-visit – and not just for the likes of ‘The Botanist’ but also for what surrounds it too.

Architecturally speaking, the city is stunning. I must admit that its beauty did surprise me.

If you'd rather try something a little different, be sure to

by Alice Myers

check out more independent attractions, including the family run ‘Old Stables’. A cute café set up in an old barn in Alnwick, the homemade food is delicious and the location is magnificent with its views of rolling hills.

If you’re in the mood for culture, a place worthy of a visit is the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the famous monastery that the Vikings raided. Here, rather ominously, you are at the mercy of the tide as it dictates when and if you can enter or leave. It is a truly fascinating attraction steeped in history. The views are mesmerising and you forget you are so close to the big urban centres of Newcastle and the like.

Surrounded by the sea, the monastery, now part of the National Trust, has an eerie yet mystical quality to it.

Overall, if you’re looking for a good mix of both city and country life – look no further than the North East. Perhaps not your most stereotypical or go-to holiday destination, but one to be considered for its own quirks nonetheless.

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26 9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/lifestyle

Life & Style

Body Shaming: Revealed With the 'thighbrow' currently making waves as the latest body fad, Life&Style writer Lara Billington discusses the world of celebrities and body shaming.

Muffin tops, bingo wings, thigh gaps, overweight, underweight, gaunt, flabby... whether it be on social media, in magazines or from personal experience, body shaming has unfortunately become a normality in recent years and most women will be very familiar with these terms. With thanks to the unrealistic ideals of the modelling industry and the rise of social media, the phrases ‘too fat’ and ‘too thin’ have dominated the discussion of celebrities, resulting in ordinary women feeling a constant pressure from society to conform to the ideal figure, and creating unnecessary expectations about how women should look.

beach is terrifying enough without cameras attacking you from every direction in attempt to find the most unflattering angle possible. This degrading attitude towards stars we see as role models is teaching young people to feel unhappy and self-conscious about their own bodies.

With the desire for a slimmer frame prevalent in the modelling industry as well as constant dieting regimes being shoved down our throats, it’s easy to forget that body sham-

ing is just as relevant to those females of a slimmer physique.

Words like ‘skinny’, ‘rake’ and ‘thigh gap’ may seem desirable in society’s mission for the perfect (yet unrealistic) figure, but for females who are happy and healthy with slimmer figures, this stigma that they ‘mustn’t ever eat’ or are ‘obsessed with dieting’ is offensive and close-minded.

Meghan Trainor’s hit ‘All About That Bass’ touched on this hate towards ‘skinny bitches’, and Nicki Minaj’s song ‘Anaconda’ states that you ‘won’t get none unless you got buns hun’. Yes, we should stop hating on bigger ladies, but by putting down others we are defeating the object. Cheryl Fernandez-Versini has once again been under

Gigi Hadid: 'Mean comments don't make me want to change my body.'

If you're happy and healthy, then should it matter whether you're a size 2 or a size 20?

Rising supermodel Gigi Hadid recently addressed ‘body shamers’ with a spirited post on her Instagram, in response to a torrent of negative comments on her figure which, it was being said, was too curvy for that of a catwalk model. She confidently stated that she does have boobs, abs, a bum and thighs but Hadid admitted that ‘mean comments don’t make me want to change my body’- an admirable statement when faced with the eyes of the world endlessly examining every pound she may lose or gain.

fire following this years X Factor auditions, with widespread criticism of her slim frame. It is easy to assume that curvier women eat too much and slimmer women eat too little without considering other factors that contribute to our body shape. If you’re happy and healthy, then should it matter whether you’re a size 2 or a size 20?

It seems that in the world of body shaming everyone can be a target, whether you’re large, curvy, slim or lanky. The media tells us you need a big bum and boobs to look good, but you aren’t allowed to be too skinny, yet it is doesn’t count if you’ve got the curves but you’re also fat. So can we ever win?

Other big names receive criticism daily for how they look- Taylor Swift’s too lanky, Victoria Beckham’s too skinny, Ariana Grande looks like a child, Adele’s too fat- the list goes on. We are constantly being subjected to these quite frankly disgusting attacks on celebrities and the effect is making us sculpt an idealistic, photoshopped figure of how we should be.

So what if Kim Kardashian gains a few pounds whilst she’s pregnant, or Kelly Clarkson decides she’s happy with her curvaceous post-baby body? The pages of gossip magazines are bursting at the seams with photos of celebs’ ‘bikini bodies’ during the summer season. Baring all at the

No Pain, No Gain Legs and Bums Level: Intermediate

This constant scrutiny of our bodies, whether that be from what other people say, or what we tell ourselves in the mirror, is unrealistic and unfair and is undoubtedly having negative impacts on young girls growing up in a world of social media and celebrities. Tall, petite, slim, curvy, brunette, blonde, two legs or one- who cares? If we all looked the same how would we establish our own identity and individuality? Do we want 7 billion cardboard cut outs? Variety is what makes us beautiful so instead of criticising it, let’s embrace what we’ve got!

'There is no quick easy way to get the body you want...commit yourself now to your workout and get started.'

Tracy Anderson, J-Lo's personal trainer

When doing the 3 exercises, try not to take a break before the minutes are up. Push through the pain and add weights if you start to find it too easy. Do this routine a few times a week and you'll be toned in no time!

15 Minute Workout - 3 minutes of lunges - 1 minute break - 3 minutes of sumo squats - 1 minute break - 3 minutes of weighted squats - 1 minute break - 3 x 1 minute of each exercise

Delphina Rainoldi Life&Style Writer

redbrick.me/lifestyle

9th - 23rd October 2015

Unlikely Fashion Icon

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Fierce

Prince George As a nation, us Brits are captivated by the Royal Family’s attire, but what we fail to realise is that it’s the younger generation that we have to thank for those iconic outfits that define us as a country. Prince George, the most notable baby around, continually impresses us with his impeccable style. How is it that he can pull off a suit better at the age of 2 than we can at 20?

On the balcony at the Queen’s birthday celebrations, heads were turned towards the youngster. He wore the same outfit that his dad had sported at the HM’s Birthday parade previously in 1984. So, who wore it best?

In this instance, George swooped the title! The frilly pale blue number managed to appear fresh and masculine- a rarity in the world of frills!

The nation has been ‘Georgified’, with multiple websites replicating his timeless pieces. It’s not just the parents who have gone Georgemad, but the older generation have put aside their aspirations to wear William and Harry- style tailored jackets in replacement of a fresher, more sophisticated George-like look. He proves that style is timeless, regardless of age.

The sophistication that he embodies puts him a notch above the rest of all celebrity babies, and it’s no surprise when we consider the Duchess of Cambridge’s effortless style. We’re aware he doesn’t dress himself, however we can admire the boldness of the royals to create such a controversial, yet elegant style. He maintains class without flaunting his obvious wealth. The way that he tucks his intricately decorated polo into his block red shorts may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but his alternative style reminds us of the importance of individuality. Whilst it takes most people years to develop their style, the little prince is already Charlotte Simpson way ahead of the game!

Life&Style Writer

10 types of flatmates...

Flat sharing brings all sorts of people together. Life&Style writer Imogen Lancaster has compiled her list of the 10 types of people you could be living with. Which one are you?

Part of the university experience is living with new people. However, you really have no idea what to expect of your flatmates until you meet them face to face on move-in day. Over the year, you really get to know the good and bad in everyone. We’ve compiled a rundown of the typical flatmates you may encounter in your first year.

1. The Party Animal: This is the girl/guy who continually plays 8. The Homesick One: The one that always misses their three cats club music all around the flat. They know every lyric to every clubbing song and have the top dance moves to accompany these tunes. Not even freshers’ flu or 9am lectures stop the Party Animal from getting their groove on every night.

at home, Skypes their Mum at least twice a day and goes home every weekend. University was quite a big step for them, but give it three weeks and they'll be a total convert to student life!

flatmate who takes it upon themselves to control the flat, the timings, makes the plans and secretly thrives under their own authority. The others would be lost without their adoptive flat ‘mother’ or ‘father’.

the floor after one vodka and coke. Hilarious for five minutes, but a nightmare to deal with later.

9. The Lightweight: The Lightweight is that one friend who simply 2. The Mother/Father Hen: This is the unfortunate, yet organised can’t hack their alcohol and before you know it they’re passed out on

3. The Pickpocket: It’s inevitable that your milk, orange juice, vodka and digestive biscuits will magically disappear at some point during the year. It’s most likely because of that one devious flatmate who slyly helps themselves when you’re not looking. Keep your eyes peeled and label your goods to keep their sticky fingers at bay.

10. The Social Butterfly: The person who seems to knows abso-

lutely EVERYONE from some place or another - be it their old sixth form, their coursemates or their cousin’s best friend’s sister. And if they don’t know everyone, they get to know the rest of ‘everyone’ by the end of the year.

Michelle Obama After launching her #62MillionGirls campaign last week which highlighted the lack of education for a shocking statistic of young females across the globe, Michelle’s advice to young girls is both inspiring and important. The First Lady proved her rightful place on our fierce list this week by stating that: "There is no boy, at this age, cute enough or interesting enough to stop you from getting an education”. You tell ‘em, Michelle!

Highlighter This brilliant beauty product has burst into both high-end and high-street collections recently, with the new ‘strobing’ trend becoming a popular look.

Just because you’ve said goodbye to summer, doesn’t mean you can’t keep glowing!

Leopard print Though quite a daunting print to master, leopard print adds a touch of fierce glamour to any outfit. Whether it be a pop of leopard in the heels or a faux fur coat, this timeless classic adds character for any occasion. Bring out your inner Scary Spice!__

Over-contouring After scrolling through Kim Kardashian’s Instagram page, it’s obvious why contouring has become a popular trend, however it’s important to note the fine line between definition and over-contouring. There’s no need to completely change both your face shape and natural skin tone!

Missguided Delivery Although Missguided is a common ‘go-to’ for cheaper fashion purchases, the delivery service is undoubtedly one of the worst. You’re lucky if your order arrives both on time and with the correct items, and the cost of delivery is hardly budget.

4. The Quiet One: There is always a discreet flatmate who likes to keep to themselves. More often than not, they prove to be the ‘dark horse’ in the flat that will surprise everyone at some point during the year as they come out of their shell and reveal all kinds of stories. It’s amazing what a few shots can do...

5. The Messy One: This is the flatmate who leaves their plates and cutlery piling up in the sink for days, whose room is near enough a bomb site and their bin is overflowing. They're totally oblivious to the death stares they're receiving, until the Cleaner steps in...

Selfie Sticks After months of seeing exotic locations from numerous different angles across Facebook, it’s time for the international use of selfie sticks to come to an end.

We’re all for a good snap, but sometimes it’s best to just enjoy the view!

6. The Cleaner: Enter the OCD one who hoovers, mops and cleans

the surfaces when they eventually reach that unbearably unclean state.

Someone’s gotta do it!

7. The Player: The one who manages to always pull on a night out

thanks to their saucy flirtation skills and/or charming good looks. This is the same person who will stumble home at god-knows-what time following the walk of shame from someone else’s flat dressed as a zebra/ Mary Berry/[enter embarrassing sports night outfit here].

By Jade Woodhouse Life&Style Writer

Finished

28 9th - 23rd October 2015

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Gaming Welcome to Redbrick Gaming! We'll be bringing you news, previews, hands-ons, developer interviews, Let's Plays, reviews, livestreams, opinion articles and more.

Read more at redbrick.me/gaming | @RedbrickGames

An Uncharted Retrospective

Mason Cusack attends Naughty Dog's developer session at EGX

Note: the following article contains spoilers about the narrative structure of Uncharted 2, a narrative climax in Uncharted 3, and - in passing - The Last of Us. If you haven't played any of these games, beware. Also, what have you been doing? Go and play them!

Since its 2007 debut, Uncharted has been a tent-pole series for PlayStation not only commercially, but notably in terms of quality, fidelity and sheer fandom. Associated with Sony since the days of Crash Bandicoot - Shuhei Yoshida's first console release Naughty Dog have been inducted into their first party stable, providing the kinds of grown-up narrative experiences married with impeccable gameplay, that PlayStationexclusive titles have become known for.

Before Arne's introduction, the uber-nostalgic upscaled, 60FPS trailer for Uncharted's Nathan Drake Collection on PS4 played overhead. With the remastered collection's release so imminent (October 7th to be precise), the trailer was a perfect, timely reminder of what makes the series so special and important.

Despite its current notoriety for being a home console benchmark in terms of graphical fidelity and playability, Uncharted's beginnings were small and experimental, to the extent that the subtitle for the session was literally "Greatness from Small Beginnings". Meyer elaborated on this topic, explaining that in spite of Naughty Dog's pedigree (get it?) and close relationship with Sony, the team entered the PS3 era 'not knowing what game we were going to create'. In fact, in the case of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the first game of the series, core mechanics were still changing leading into E3 2007, in the summer just a few

months before the game's November release.

Specifically, Arne discussed the fact that Uncharted's now-fabled free-flowing shooting mechanics (on which its "run and gun" gameplay depends) were not in the original build. Instead, the game had a lock-on targeting system, and so could have been drastically different from the Uncharted we know and love to play today. It could be said that the series' fundamental gameplay style was only nailed down in those closing months before release.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune went on to generate an approximated 4.86 million sales worldwide, and so naturally, rumours of it turning into a mainstay PlayStation franchise began to circulate not long after release. Meyer revealed that in fact, 'after Uncharted, the studio went straight into

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune went on to generate around 4.86 million sales worldwide building Uncharted 2 [Among Thieves] based on what we knew we could improve' from the first.

The release of Uncharted 2 marked a significant peak in the franchise's critical reception and commercial success. Amassing a metacritic rating of 96 (universal acclaim), and 10/10 review scores from the likes of Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Official PlayStation Magazine, Game Informer, Giant Bomb, The Telegraph and more, it's an objectively respectable pick for the best game in the franchise, alongside Uncharted 3 - which infamouslysqueezed a 10/10 "masterpiece" rating out of IGN's Greg Miller, to more than a little online uproar.

Specifically, Uncharted 2 is heralded as a particular fan favourite due to its argued perfection of the series' shooting mechanics, and its for this reason - Meyer revealed - that Naughty Dog have decided to make that shooting setup the standard across all titles included in the Nathan Drake Collection remaster. Not only should this hide the inevitable outdatedness of Drake's Fortune's shooting and make that game more fun, but players should be able to jump between games with ease, and without having to learn new controls, adjust sensitivities, and so on.

As a specific highlight from Uncharted 2, Meyer went on to discuss the famous "train sequence", in which Nathan Drake wakes up at the beginning of the game in a train carriage hanging off a cliff. Neither he, nor the player, know how he got there, and he needs to escape. Later in the game, one of the most memorable set pieces in modern gaming leads up to this point, and the narrative picks up again from the "flash-forward" opening scene.

The train crash sequence that explains how Drake ended up in this situation was the first scene made after the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune engine was upgraded and made ready for the development of a new release.

Meyer went on to reveal that it took the

entirety of that game's development cycle to complete. It had never been done before, and was incredibly complex. In actual fact, Arne said that the game's development was centred around the set piece. Being the first Uncharted 2 scene ever created, the studio knew they wanted to include it, but had no idea originally where it would fit into the story.

So technologically complex was the train sequence - Arne said - that the E3 demo of Uncharted 4 - which features Drake swinging from his grappling hook, dragged along the ground and jumping between cars while being pursued - would not have been possible without the tech behind the Uncharted 2 scene.

Even despite the incredible content the team at Naughty Dog had lined up from the start of Uncharted 2's development, Meyer revealed that they didn't have a gauge of public interest or a sense of security with the game until the lauded "collapsing building demo" from E3 2009. Feeling a little cold coming off of the development of Drake's Fortune, the team were acutely aware of how much could be improved, and were for some reason - nervous about showing their "attempt" at a sequel. True to the form of the E3 press conference demos we've now come to expect from Naughty Dog, the sequence shown left an audience stunned, and gamers all over the world hungry for more.

Motivated by public enthusiasm (and surely the greatness of what they were creating, although Arne was too modest to say so), Naughty Dog went on to release Uncharted 2: Among Thieves to the incredible aforementioned critical reception, and the game garnered over 6 million sales, and counting. As well as a masterpiece, it was a hit, and so the development ofUncharted 3: Drake's Deception was inevitable.

Discussing the importance of narrative pacing in the games, Meyer selected a particular highlight from Uncharted 3: the plane sequence, in which Nathan Drake battles his way through a turbulent military transport aircraft, dodging cargo crates and vehicles, before falling out, catching himself on one of the cargo crates tethered to a parachute, and landing in the middle of the desert, where he spends a rather long time becoming lost and thirsty. Through a series of mirages and the discovery of a dry well, Naughty Dog makes the player believe that we're seeing the final moments of the series' hero.

Giving us an insight into the scene's development, Meyer made it clear just how far the team had come technically since the development of similar scenes in Uncharted 2 - although, key parts of the game were still being completed in the late stages of development. Almost all live gameplay, the entire sequence you just saw took an animator 2 weeks to build during the Beta phase of development: a point when a game is considered close to release-quality. Like Uncharted 2's train sequence, it became one of the most memorable moments in the franchise, and modern gaming history, particularly among PlayStation fans, and specifically because Naughty Dog continued to push the boundaries between what was playable, and traditionally bound for containment in an non-interactive cutscene.

9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/gaming

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Hands on: Star Wars Battlefront The hundreds of members of the queueing public I passed to play Star Wars: Battlefront said all that needs to be said about this game. Hype doesn't even describe the anticipation for it. A license that seems to be in the right hands on both the film and video game side of things seems too good to be true. Yet, even playing an Alpha build of the game's less exciting co-op survival mode for a total of 3 rounds had its magical moments for the lapsed Star Wars fan, and my ultimate conclusion is that the game's on a good trajectory for being great.

Despite underwhelming graphics attributable to the unfortunately early build we got to play, developer DICE's vocal commitment to series authenticity is immediately impressive, with the basic thrill of playing as a blaster rifle-toting, jet packjumping Rebel Alliance fighter (although

Details

'...developer DICE's vocal commitment to series authenticity is immediately impressive...' great) in fact overshadowed by the overthe-top sparks of explosions mimicking late-70s practical effects, and the way the blasters don't need reloading, but rather overheat if the player overuses rapid fire. I found myself repeatedly ducking behind cover to hit square after firing to reload, only to realise I was playing a Star Wars game. It brought a smile to my face - yes,

this is a shooter, but it's also something special: a concept nostalgic due to more than just the license the game wields.

Two Rebel ground troops stranded on Tatooine, me and my co-op partner equipped with a blaster, alternative heavy

"Third person does provide an easy way to check your character ." weapon of choice, a jetpack, and pick-up bonus weapons that temporarily expand your loadout, faced off against imperial forces - from storm troopers to AT-STs. I know what you're first question's going to be: how is third person mode? The answer: great if you want to relive your days in the original Battlefront and Battlefront II. Ultimately though, it's outdated and wasteful of DICE's honed shooting mechanics, which in first person feel characteristically fantastic. Third person does provide an easy way to check out your character and admire the developer's painstaking recreation of costumes and weapons form the original series, however, which even with the bland graphics of an alpha build, provides quite a bit of nerdy fun.

Objectives assigned to us by the nostalgia-inducing voice of Admiral Ackbar were mundane, to the same extent as any video game survival mode, and DICE can't be faulted for being unable to make one of the most uninteresting game modes in history interesting. Protecting escape pods for no clear reason and just trying to survive - the objectives, like the emotes assigned to the

d-pad, were very reminiscent of Destiny: which although familiar isn't...good. Unlike this and similar games, however, even in what must be its least interesting form, Star Wars: Battlefront remains thrilling because of its license and design. The melding of DICE's gameplay and graphical pedigree with the familiar characters and universe, with such attention paid to the detail of visual and audio effects - what this demo makes clear is that expanded into a Battlefield-esque 40 player conquest match in which AT-STs and speeder bikes storm the ground and X-wings and TIE fighters battle above, the game has potential to

"Battlefront remains thrilling because of it's license and design." more than meet fan expectations.

If even in a short demo of a game mode few are going to play, in a less-than-ideal setting, experienced by a less-than-avid fan of the franchise, Star Wars: Battlefront can provide the kind of giddy joy it gave me in a few rounds - assuming no Battlefield 4 launch issues or Titanfall-esque scarcity of content - fans should feel validated in their excitement for it. The gameplay is tight, the license is clearly in caring hands, and assuming it's not being rushed to coincide with the release of Episode VII as some industry rumours and the anti-EA mob have suggested, it has all the ingredients to be at once nostalgic and refreshing. As a DICE fan with severe shooter fatigue, I'm excited to play the full retail version.

Hands on: Assassin's Creed Syndicate Ellie Patten reports on the latest installment of the epic franchise As someone who only really got into gaming after watching Youtubers playing Assassin’s Creed, you can imagine how excited I was to be able to trial the newest game from the franchise at EGX, before its release. Complete with a (sadly) temporary Assassin’s Creed tattoo, an adorable vinyl figure of Ezio Auditore and several photos with some incredible cosplayers, I headed straight to the Assassin’s Creed Syndicate area, to play through the fifteen minute demo not once, but three times.

Within moments of play, I knew that the game would not disappoint. While set in the new location of 1868 London, the style was in many ways much like the previous games, packed with opportunities for favourites like free-running, air-assassinations and sneaky hidden blade kills. The demo showcased a mission based around the Tower of London, with Evie Frye as the protagonist, and the mission: to assassinate a character called Lucy Thorne. There were three different ways to complete the mission. The first option was to steal a set of keys from a guard in order to infiltrate the tower and assassinate Lucy Thorne alone.

This seemed to me to be a fairly unimaginative method, and nowhere near as exciting as the other two. The second was a stealth option, involving finding an allied guard, killing two Templars, and staging a false kidnapping to infiltrate the tower as a hostage, and be taken directly to the target

This method also felt the most suited to Evie’s abilities, as developers have previously told us that Evie and her brother, Jacob have different skills and playing styles to suit their characters. While Evie prefers stealth and is able to turn invisible if remaining still while sneaking, Jacob prefers to recruit allies and chooses combat over stealth. In the game, players will be able to switch between the two twins at almost any time, with only certain missions requiring a particular character to be played.

"utilising a combination of a cane sword, smoke-bombs and throwing knives to defeat enemies. " The third and final option was to gather a small group of allies and with their assistance, fight through the guards stationed in and around the tower. This last option, was a lot messier than the previous, though surprisingly fun, with Evie Frye utilising a combination of a cane sword, smoke-bombs and throwing knives to defeat enemies, and proved herself to be perfectly ruthless in combat.

One of my favourite additions to the game so far was the rope launcher, which allows assassins to create zip-lines between buildings for easy escapes and travel between locations. While this might make the game a little too easy as the zip-line can quickly cover long distances, it adds variety to the way players can navigate the world, and should ensure that free-running doesn't get old. The voltaic bomb, an electric grenade, is also a welcome addition to the game,

as it allows players to target and stun groups of enemies from a distance.

Overall, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. The franchise, much-loved by so many gamers, doesn’t seem to be quite over yet, with the latest title offering more weapons, options and playing styles, while maintaining the integrity and familiarity of the franchise, ensuring that the games continue to evolve and adapt.

30 9th -23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/tech

Science & Technology

Five Second Rule

Creature Feature: Sofa Shark

Can we trust the five second rule with our health or is it just a myth?

Ellie Pattem

Sci & Tech Online Editor

According to researchers at Aston University, a staggering 87% of people say they would eat, or have previously eaten dropped food.

While most of us know kitchen floors and tables can harbour large numbers of harmful bacteria, and that students in particular aren’t always the most meticulous cleaners, when it comes to the moment that we drop our last pizza slice on the floor, many of us will still swear by the “five second rule” or perhaps, the slightly more cautious “three second rule”, founded in the belief that if we can pick up our food quickly enough after dropping it, that it’s still safe to eat. Many of us are insistent that the five second rule holds true, convincing ourselves that our sandwich can’t possibly be dirty from only a moment’s contact with our grimy student floor. But could there be any truth in such a wonderfully reassuring myth?

In a study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, scientists investigated whether or not there might be any scientific grounding for the popularly believed rule. To do this, they carried out a series of experiments using Salmonella

typhimurium, a strain of bacteria which can cause food poisoning that can last up to seven days and is particularly dangerous for the immunocompromised.

To recreate a “dirty” surface, scientists contaminated wood-flooring, tiles and carpet and left the surfaces to incubate for varying amounts of time before later placing baloney sausage or bread onto the surface for five, thirty or sixty seconds. They found that the type of surface, the time between contamination and adding the food, and sometimes (but not always) the amount of contact time between food and surface all affected the amount of bacteria which were transferred onto the food.

They found that carpets had the lowest transfer rate of the three surfaces.

With carpets passing on much less bacteria to the dropped food than tiles or wood, potentially due to the “bumpiness” of carpets. Therefore meaning that a smaller surface area of food is in contact with carpet fibres. They also found that longer food contact times only sometimes transferred more bacteria, and that large numbers of bacteria were already transferred immediately on contact, regardless of whether the food remained on the floor for 5, 30 or 60 seconds.

Revealing that the five second rule might not be as steadfast as we hoped,

researchers from the University of Illinois found that bacteria were transferred to food in under five seconds, with scientists from Clemson University in the US finding that bacteria are transferred immediately upon contact. They also found that bacteria could survive on surfaces for up to four weeks in high enough populations to be transferred to food.

Month-old bacteria could be residing on our kitchen surfaces, ready to be transferred immediately onto any dropped food.

While none of the studies have been able to give a definitive answer on whether the five second rule can be trusted to prevent us getting ill, most do agree that bacteria can be transferred within seconds of contact with the floor. Also the level of harm in this can depend on more than just the amount of time the food touches the floor for. Some people even believe that “a little bit of dirt” is actually beneficial for our health, and say that over-cleanliness is actually weakening our immune systems. However, with our knowledge of just how unclean student floors can be, and the disappointing evidence for our beloved five second rule, it might be worth rethinking that dropped slice of cake. Especially if it comes away with an extra layer of crumbs that weren’t there before!

Water on Mars, So What?

Find out more about the latest discovery on Mars and what it means for us.

Rachel Taylor Sci & Tech Editor

Last week, NASA announced one of the greatest scientific discoveries, liquid water flows on Mars!

What’s so great about this news?

Well, it could mean that Mars has the capability to support life. On Earth, wherever there is water, there is some form of life, even in the smallest of puddles, microscopic creatures can survive!

So we may not be alone after all then?

collect water samples as it is illegal under international law. During the space race in 1967, the Outer Space Treaty was created, it states that nothing from Earth can come into contact with an outside water source. It’s all about contamination, microbes from Earth could attach themselves to a robot and infect any life found, possibly killing it.

So, we can never know if there is life on other planets?

Not exactly, we have not yet figured out a way to guarantee that the machines sent

out there are 100% sterile, we can get close, maybe future robots created will have the capability to withstand high sterilisation heat without being damaged.

When are we likely to know the compounds in the water for sure?

According to NASA and other leading space scientists, it is unlikely that we’ll be able to send any machinery with that capability until 2030. But the news is still cool and we should celebrate the victory of all the hardworking scientists out there!

Far from it, there’s millions of planets out there, there is a high likelihood that some of those will have a form of life. It’s not even just about other life, it’s the possibility that we could one day send people to live on Mars, and with water they could survive for a long time without assistance.

I thought we already kind of knew there would be water?

There have been many theories, it’s just about finding concrete evidence for this.

Michael Myer, NASA’s lead scientist for the Mars Exploration Programme explains, “It took multiple spacecraft several years to solve this mystery, and now we know there is liquid water on the surface of this cold, desert planet.” “It seems that the more we study Mars, the more we learn how life could be supported and where there are resources to support life in the future.”

IBTimes

Marine biologists have recently discovered a rare sofa shark off the coast of the remote island of St Kilda, in Scotland. This peculiar creature is rarely caught, due to it usually living in depths of around 4000m, far too deep to be spotted by any scientist.

This is the first of its kind to be caught in Scottish waters, and was only discovered because it was swimming at only 600m! The sofa shark is now to be added to the list of known sharks in Scotland, with the list now at 72 different species. However there are thought to be many more deepwater lurkers out there waiting to be found.

The sofa shark is also named the ‘false catshark’, because it resembles a catshark due to its wide set, cat shaped eyes, but it is not actually a member of the catshark family, therefore being falsely named. In fact the false catshark is the only member of its family and genus, making it a true misfit of the underwater world. Regular catsharks are also generally not as odd looking as the creature most recently found, with its flabby appearance, seems to be more similar to a blobfish - a deepwater fish recently named the world's ugliest animal.

We still know very little about the sofa shark and its mannerisms. Some work has been done on its feeding habits, but all that was found was that it consumes an inconsistent ‘hodgepodge’ of underwater life, and a fair amount of human rubbish such as, drinks cans and plastic bags. However, the sofa shark does possess some conventional qualities such as its reproductive method.

redbrick.me/tech @redbricktech OR f Redbrick Sci&Tech

They produced images of seasonal fluctuations by the slopes on the Hale Crater on Mars by making a 3D digital terrain map from data captured by the Mars Renaissance Orbiter (MRO).

Never, sorry but the Mars rover can not

Sci & Tech Writer

Follow us:

How did they find this out?

Oh cool, so when do they get to see what else is in the water?

Ellen Daughtery

NASA

9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/tech

31

Science & Technology

Virtual Reality to Aid Military

Sci and Tech investigates how BAE systems are creating futuristic technology with the University of Birmingham Roshni Patel Lead Developer

In 1979 laptops were invented as an alternative to bulky computers which tied users to their desks. Now, in 2015, a collaboration between the University of Birmingham and BAE Systems is looking to develop a futuristic briefcasesized command and control centre. This would allow military and disaster

who has over 30 years of experience with Virtual and Augmented Reality, has been closely involved with this project. He said "Our work with BAE Systems shows just how close we are to delivering the next generation of advanced mixed reality interfaces for future applications not only in defence, but also in such impor-

tant domains as engineering and healthcare.

With Military experts suggesting their immediate deployment in the next 5 years, Nick Colosimo, part of BAE Systems’ Future Projects Team, sees the technology “Enhancing the user's situational awareness to provide battle-win-

ning and life-saving tools and insights wherever they may be”. BAE Systems has even suggested that in 20 years’ time, the entire display may be squeezed onto a pair of contact lenses. But for now at least, generals will have a briefcase sized command station, ready to turn any surface into the operations HQ.

"technology allows them to make quick decisions" response teams to coordinate resources in battle or disaster zones, no matter where on the planet they might be.

Using lightweight see-through glasses and advanced head, arm and hand motion capture technologies, users will be able to use augmented reality to view and control military operations from almost anywhere. They will have access to real-time media including remote video, satellite and drone images, news feeds and social media postings, as well as benefiting from the support of computer-generated advisors. The technology will allow them to make quick decisions such as moving resources or directing operations, no matter how remote such operations might be. Director of the University’s Human Interface Technologies Team, Professor Bob Stone,

BAE Systems

Binge Watching: health issue?

We all love getting into a great series, but are we damaging our health by binging? Sci&Tech discusses Ian Rogers

Sci & Tech Writer

A well-cited study in the Journal of Economic Psychology found those who watched more TV generally reported a lower life satisfaction than their counterparts, when other variables were kept constant. Lower life satisfaction was intensified if the subjects were in work which relied on high opportunity costs of time, such as lawyers or architects. Time lost to TV by people with low opportunity costs of time, such as the retired, had little effect on life satisfaction. So for students, plenty of Netflix when you are weeks away from a deadline may not affect you at all – unless of course that deadline happens to be your dissertation.

But could getting into Suits or House of

"those who watched fewer hours considered their lives to be meaningful"

Cards a few days before that 2000 word essay is due in cause you to become depressed?

Several further studies have subjectively compared time spent watching TV with words of well-being. It’s generally accepted those who watch long hours of TV consider their life to be “lonely, boring and depressing”. Meanwhile those who watched far fewer hours on average

considered their lives to be “interesting, meaningful, stimulating and exciting”. So how is it watching long hours of TV can cause such feelings, other than work inhibition?

Watching long hours of TV usually involves sitting or lying down. This reduction in movement leads to a host of physical consequences beginning with a drop in heart rate, causing slow circulation and slow metabolism. This drop in

"73% of people have positive feelings after binge watching" blood movement can make you feel sluggish and tired. We all know the physical consequences of not enough exercise and TV clearly contributes to a sedentary lifestyle. Couple this with addictive TV programmes and all the mental baggage they come and you’re in trouble. Complicated plots and emotionally perplexing characters, make the experience more psychologically and cognitively taxing than you might have realised. And then when you’re all dried up of the 12 series of thrilling drama and cheap laughs, what then? How to fill the void of addiction?

This can lead to a further feeling of depression; you’re damned with it, you’re damned without it!

One research paper published this year in BMC Public Health linked increased risk of anxiety with more time spent on low energy activities such as watching

TV. This could mean relaxing with 3-4 episodes of your favourite TV show each night leading up to an exam could make those pre-assessment jitters worse.

Millions of people are affected by anxiety, making a popular habit among students such as the ‘Netflix-binge’ a real issue. Another study released this year reported by the AAAS found increased loneliness and depression led to an increase in binge-watching TV – a sobering thought for many of us. However, does this mean we’re watching more TV because of our increasing loneliness? Or is it just because it’s a damn good series?

This study creates more questions than it gives answers.

All these impacts beg the question is there even more it’s doing to you? Do

you find new series hard to commit to in fear you won’t get any work done? Can this commitment issue or impulsive behaviour transfer into other aspects of your life?

Undoubtedly watching a great series can be enjoyable and a useful social tool.

TV can be educational, exciting, and funny – laughter has never been bad for you. A study commissioned by Netflix and conducted by Harris Interactive reported 73% of people felt they have positive feelings about binge-watching, meanwhile 79% said it made the show better. So yes there are benefits to watching some quality TV now and again, but sadly it is difficult to find many benefits for the post-Fab six hour marathon on a Sunday afternoon!

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9th - 23rd October 2015

Features

One of two brand new sections for this year, Redbrick Careers is an insight into the best graduates careers and industries, for students, by students.

The focus of the section in our print edition will be on two regular features.

First, we'll be running interviews with alumni - they've been in your position, navigated the turbulent job market of the last few years and are now well on the way to an ideal career, and in the alumni interview section, we'll be asking them how they did it.

The second regular feature - included in this launch issue as a taster of things to come - is the industry spotlight. This one's all about getting the inside track from the leading companies in a given industry, speaking to their management and HR teams - the people who offer the jobs you're after - and profiling the company itself as a kind of industry case study.

Each week will have an industry theme from right across the spectrum, kicking off this week in Construction and Civil Engineering with our spotlight on Carillion (opposite). As well as our regular print features, we'll be posting job updates and careers and alumni news, in partnership with the Careers and Alumni networks at the university.

Academia & Teaching

Entertainment & events

Finance

In keeping with the fact that we are a careers and jobs section, Redbrick Careers is hiring! When the section launches online in Week 3, we'll be looking for two section editors (one print, one online) to help run and build the section for the coming year.

If you're interested in applying to be a part of the section, keep an eye on Redbrick's tweets at @redbrickpaper.

All the launch info will be there next week, along with details of how to apply.

Engineering & Armed Forces

Journalism and broadcasting IT & Digital

Law

Healthcare

PR & Marketing

Design

9th to 23rd October 2015

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Industry Spotlight: Carillion Plc

Editor Matt Moody sat down with the Community Regeneration Manager for the new Library, Neil Rudge, to discuss Carillion and careers in the construction industry.

If you’ve been anywhere near campus in the past few months, you’ll have noticed there’s more than a little building work going on. From the new sports centre to the redeveloped student hub in the Aston Webb, the university’s investment in reinvigorating campus is worth a staggering £500 million over a five year period.

All of this investment in the future has made the construction industry an attractive prospect for graduates, particularly in Birmingham. At the forefront of the industry and in charge of the jewel in the university developments’ crown - the £45 million new library at the heart of campus – support services and construction company Carillion is a top destination for graduates looking to enter an industry going from strength to strength.

We had a chat with Neil Rudge, the Community Regeneration Manager for the new university library, to find out a bit more about Carillion, and what skills and experience they’re looking for in new graduates.

With headquarters just down the road in Wolverhampton, multi-national company Carillion is responsible for many internationally renowned projects like London’s Tate Modern, as well as huge infrastructure works like the M6 Toll and the Channel Tunnel rail link. “There

'All this investment

in the future has made the construction industry an attractive prospect for graduates'

are a number of projects we are particularly proud of, including from a local level the Library of Birmingham and of course the great progress we are making

on the university’s new library. Carillion places huge emphasis on how we complete our projects with particular focus on working with the local community and providing jobs, training and apprenticeship opportunities. We’re using this approach at the university and achieved a Considerate Constructors’ Award this year which recognises the good work we’re doing.”

Carillion is no stranger to working in Birmingham, having worked on Star City, Brindley Place and Aston University and is continuing to contribute to the city centre’s regeneration plan.

“Currently we’re working on the Paradise redevelopment - the area around the old central library - which is key to the plan for the development of Birmingham as a whole. We work closely with Birmingham City Council to make sure we maximise our results on a social level.”

So what’s it actually like to work for Carillion, and why should graduates be getting ready to apply later this month?

“I think what sets us apart as a company

is our ambition. If you’ve got the drive, we’ve got the resources and support network to help you succeed, whichever direction you’d like to take your career in.” As well as construction roles, graduates are required across the support functions too such as HR and finance. At Carillion, attitude is key. “A huge variety of people work here and the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of our people help us to think differently. We work hard to turn our ideas and experience into better solutions and service for our customers.”

If you want to work for a company that’s serious about doing ambitious work that benefits communities all over the world, Carillion is a great place to start.

For more details on the Carillion graduate scheme visit www.carillionplc.com/ careers

34 9th - 23rd October 2015

redbrick.me/television

Television

How Relatable Are Our Characters?

With so much great TV, Lee Wheeler examines just what makes these shows so good.

Why do we watch our favourite shows?

They may have an enticingly interesting plot, they may have perfectly conveyed social or political opinions and they may be an artistically crafted production – but what is this without Lord Eddard Stark’s irrational righteousness? Or without Sherlock’s dogmatic brilliance? Or Piper’s tainted innocence? Our most beloved characters are what make our favourite shows.

It is interesting, then, to wonder why.

Perhaps admiration, attraction, awe.

Perhaps.

But, perhaps, there’s a more poignant reason to become attached to a character: relatability. Game of Thrones has ascended as the current most popular TV show, due massively to it's glorious array of characters, each of which has their own very defining features. Whether subtle or blatant this host of characters makes for an extremely accommodating production; each viewer having a character they can identify with. On the other hand other shows with lower budgets (that’s all of them!) can’t have such extravagant casts and thus have a smaller yet more developed set of characters. Shows like Suits

and Breaking Bad have much smaller casts but perhaps have more concentrated characters with the protagonists having several dimensions to their personality instead of there being a larger cast.

Take Suits’ Harvey Specter, for example.

Harvey is the James Bond of law, bringing all the best one liners and narcissistic facial expressions to the conference room. At first it seems he has no weakness, with an answer for everything and the cocky swagger to back it up. But as we go through the five seasons’ chinks appear in, what begins as, a Sherlock-esque character. Firstly, we learn Harvey, although earning inordinate sums of money, claims, whether truthfully or not, that he only values his money so far

"Harvey is the James Bond of law" as it distinguishes him as being good at his job. He craves acknowledgement of his qualities and achievement and perhaps lacks fulfilment. We see snippets through the show but especially in season five we discover just how important family, close friends and loyalty mean to Harvey; the

value he places on McCurnen Motors as a client (as it was his first), his ability to look past his and Louis’ feud when Louis’ sister was in trouble and the huge underlying impact his family issues had had on him. Harvey Specter’s issues, values and coping mechanisms are just about the most relatable there are.

Then there’s the seemingly un-relatable maliciousness of Breaking Bad’s Walter White. Our favourite chemistry teachercome-meth-cook is nothing short of a genius. His knowledge of, passion for, and skills in chemistry are shown repeatedly to be remarkable. Again we see a character who places massive importance on family. However, Walter actually has responsibilities which are clearly the most important things in his life. This makes for a more opaque character and we see when Walter receives the news of his terminal illness he gets tunnel-vision on these responsibilities, becoming driven solely by his desire to provide for his family. The rarity of this situation should make for a character that is hard to relate to, but what actually happens is the audience finds themselves questioning how they would react and, nine times out of

ten, come to the conclusion that, although they may not go about it in such a dramatic or extravagant way, they would in fact try do the same.

Here are just two examples of how characters that may seem exaggerated caricatures actually portray deeply relatable issues and qualities. Characters in shows often have huge impacts on the audience, where people will admire, sympathise with or hate characters very similarly to how

"Characters in shows often have huge impacts on the audience" they would real people. It’s important that these characters do portray something true to life – it’s so often the key reason that thousands will commit to ten, eighteen, twenty or however many hours of these shows.

The past few years have seen a number of great TV shows; and so many of them, whether it be Walter White or Harvey Specter or countless others, are defined by their complex and fundamentally relatable characters.

9th - 23rd October 2015

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35

TV Quote of the Week: Suits and it's views of dreams: Harvey Specter: "I don't have dreams, I have goals."

Leave Our Bakers Alone!

With the latest series over, Charlotte Pengelly looks back on some of the ridiculous media coverage which emerged this year.

This past season of the Great B r i t i s h B a k e O ff h a s n o t d i s a p pointed in delivering just the right amount of soggy bottoms and crème pat drama to keep our TV taste buds watering for the final this week. But as the show’s popularity has grown, so has the accompany ing media attention, and like some of the bakes from chocolate week, this attention is more style than substance. It is hard to connect the baking talent with the relevance of some of the stories that have drawn media interest over the past few s e r i e s . I s n ’t t h e s h o w, a f t e r a l l , about amateur bakers?

D o n ’t g e t m e w r o n g , I l o v e d Nadiya’s facial expressions just as much a s the next person, and a bit of interest in the brilliant people that entertain us every Wednesday is natural and encouraged by the

"I loved Nadiya's facial expressions just as much as the next person" show. Bake off has a sense of com munity, everyone cares about the contestants, and ev en the viewers at home have a platform in the new spin off, ‘An Extra Slice’.

Background normally has some influence on their baking style, like N a d i y a ’s a d a p t a t i o n s o f c l a s s i c s with flavour combinations from her Bangladeshi heritage, and the methodical way that scientific contestants approach baking normally results in some impressive bakes.

But beyond this, I question the

necessity of digging deeper into their private lives and distant pasts?

For example, this season saw Tamal’s relationship status and sex ual orientation making headlines, which echoes the ridiculous media attentio n that series four ’s contest ant Ruby received with even tabloid gossip suggesting romance between herself and the judge Paul

"Privacy may be becoming a thing of the past" Hollywood. Then there’s the fatal car accident from fifteen years ago that wa s dragged up from the dis tant past of Matt, which obviously had no relevance on how well he can bake a vol-au-vent, (which is actually pretty well). Even the pre senters weren’t safe, with this year seeing Sue Perkins in the headlines over personal medical problems.

With twitter playing a large part in bringing everyone’s lives to the accessible forefront of society, pri vacy may be becoming a thing of the past. But the best thing about the show is that the bakers are normal people, with normal lives and if that is over scrutinised, potential future contestants may be put off from applying for fear of fame, despite their ability to compete in the show. All I ask is that if we’re straying away from the baking then please can we keep the discussion to those fantastic floral blazers that the beloved Berry has made a regu lar feature of the tent.

Leave our bakers alone!

The Rise of Ads Tasmin Hackett explores how adverts have become such an important feature of the modern TV experience.

As a TV loving generation we all have those adverts that we remember.

Whether we love or hate them, their catchy songs, themes and characters have captivated the nation and become a topic of everyday discussion. From the Cadbury Gorilla to the more recent Downton Abbey advert, and not to forget the more infamous Meerkats, these adverts sell products to the British public, but how and why do these adverts work?

A short conversation with my housemates had us pulling up our favourite advert memories online; ironically the best and most memorable adverts bare-

emotional 'Wherever You Will Go', a bold and seemingly random choice for a tea advert.

Memorability and fun seems like a good selling technique, yet the adverts

"Compare the market has begun to make money with the advert merchandise"

"Ironically the best and most memorable adverts barely mention the product" ly mention the product. Cadbury doesn’t mention Dairy Milk until the last four seconds, yet the In the Air Tonight advert increased Cadbury’s sales by 19%, and despite being released in 2007, the ad has had over 8 million views on YouTube, and is one of the first things I thought of when writing this article. The advert is still working to this day. Similarly, the advert for the new series of Downton Abbey has two lines of dialogue and again doesn’t mention the show till the last few seconds. Is it the fact that

these adverts rely on the audience’s contextual knowledge of products and programmes that is what makes them so fascinating? We are playing a guessing game and the product is not oversold. This technique is repeated in other famous adverts such as #danceponydance for Three, or the Müller Corner ad with Mary the Cow (if you haven’t watched it, do). These are the adverts we know and love, so the products sell, whether we realise it or not.

Another aspect that sold the prod-

ucts to me was the ability to sing along with the best jingles and songs, something all the memorable adverts had.

Again, the Cadbury and Downton adverts had great songs as the feature of their marketing. More and more adverts have taken on this technique such as Coronation Street’s ‘Nowhere left to Run’ and EastEnders’ ‘Who killed Lucy Beale’. And it’s not just the soaps; Lloyds bank is using 'Wings'

by Birdie in it's most recent advert.

The 2011 Twining’s advert played the

we all seem to hate still sell products.

One of the most infamous for me is Alexander the Meerkat, a recent staple on TV and in British households.

Compare the Market has begun to make money with advert merchandise, with people paying up to £80 on eBay for rare editions of the toys. How has the advert become this well known? Not to mention the seemingly never-ending and ever-hated Go Compare adverts; it’s puzzling how these adverts still work when a groan erupts from our sofas the second they come on.

It seems both the most hated and loved adverts are what sell, it’s the adverts in between which are forgotten. Which begs the question, if these adverts can sell us things we hate, with ideas that barely relate to the products, are we a nation that’s just become a bit too gullible?

Tweet us your opinions @RedbrickTV

36 9th Ocotber- 23rd October 2015

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Sport

Redbrick Sport meets GB Triathlete James Hodgson Nicola Kenton Online Editor

After only taking triathlon seriously for less than a year, it would be pretty impressive to take part in your first World Championships and qualify for the Europeans for the following year wouldn't it? Yes, we thought so too, and that’s exactly what James Hodgson has done.

The 21-year-old final year Geography student completed his first triathlon in June 2014. The 'Go Tri' series is a low cost, short distance event that gets people into the sport of triathlon. Hodgson only tried the event due to there not being enough aquathlons to compete in and to broaden his multi-event calendar.

However, having never done any racing on the bike, cycling now needed to be added into the frame for training.

Having always been sporty at school, Hodgson has turned his hand to many disciplines including football, cricket, hockey, and jujitsu; as well as swimming and competing in athletics events such as 1500m and long jump. It was at secondary school that Hodgson was urged to try an aquathlon by his geography teacher but it was only when sixth form finished and university started that the triathlete stopped competing in the other sports and started to focus more on swimming, running, and later, cycling. Hodgson competes in the

"One of the parts I enjoy most is the inclusiveness and camaraderie" Sprint triathlon event, which is half of the Olympic distance, so for example you only swim 750m, then go on a 20km bike ride before finishing with a 5km run.

"The past 15 months have been a learning curve in terms of the training that it takes, the funding you need and the balancing of a degree and a sporting career." Living just outside of Lichfield means that Hodgson commutes to university via train and this takes hours out of his day due to the journeys that he has to make. On that matter, he says, “In some ways that’s the hardest part of it all-balancing my degree with training and life in general requires a bit of flexibility with the latter two but I usually manage to get what I’d like training-wise done. I may not be doing the same hours as some others I race against but it works for me and has so far produced results.”

Qualifying for and being able to represent his country was in the plan for Hodgson but it just happened a year sooner than expected. Entering the final year of his degree with the proposition of competing in the World and European Championships in 2016 whilst trying to write a dissertation and prepare for final year exams is unimaginable to some people but that’s just what Hodgson is trying to

do.

The 2016 European Championships are to be held in Lisbon in May, and there is always the possibility that final year exams will clash, but Hodgson decided to try and qualify for the championships early in 2015.

The route to qualification this year started back in May, for triathlon you have to show an interest that you want to compete for GB and put down the Championships you’d like to try and qualify for. Europeans have to be qualified for a year in advance but Worlds can be qualified for in the same year, with specific races that have to be taken part in e.g. there were three World Championship qualifying races and three European Championship qualifying races but some double up for both events. The top four finishers in the age groups get automatic places for the championships and there are then roll-down places, which are similar to fastest loser spots in Athletics. In Nottingham, Hodgson qualified for the Worlds and gained a ‘roll-down’ place for the Europeans but he also competed at Southport where he ensured his European spot by taking the 2nd qualifying spot.

The 2016 European Championships held in Lisbon during May, and there is always the possibility that final year exams will clash.

As soon as Hodgson qualified for the World Championships in Chicago, it was all about executing a training plan to perform the best he could.

“When you plan your own training, there is a question mark over how effective it will be, making you wonder ‘is this going to work?’ Progress isn’t as assured as when a coach has prescribed it for you. One-to-one coaching is tailored into progressive cycles throughout the season but doing that by yourself you have to wait to see if it is working, rather than knowing that it’s been tried and

Read the full interview online at www.redbrick.me/ sports

tested many times before,” says Hodgson, who coaches himself and has only had one block of coaching that was won through a twitter competition. The sessions in January 2015 taught him how to structure his training properly and set lactic thresholds – which are a necessity on the bike and run. Hodgson continues, “If you look at the training logs either side of the coaching period, you’d think there were two different people training. I still implement the methods I was taught in those four weeks of coaching but it’s different to training with a coach full-time.”

Triathlon is quite an expensive sport with an average sprint race having a £45 entry fee, the qualifiers being £65/70 and the race fee for Chicago alone was £260 – this was without the cost of food, accommodation, kit and travel. One way that athletes cover the cost of competition is through sponsorship and after winning the City of Birmingham Sprint Triathlon in the summer, Hodgson was approached by lifestyle brand TrueSapien. “I’m very pleased to be working with TrueSapien, they’re a new brand who celebrate the ability of the human body to perform in outdoor pursuits like triathlon with a great ethos and outlook on life,” says Hodgson. "I'm looking forward to working with them for the remainder of 2015 and into next season."

The World Championships took place in Chicago from September 15th-19th 2015 and Hodgson competed in the 20-24 Age Group, the average temperature was 25°C and with humidity at around 60% it was far from ideal conditions. However, Hodgson produced a solid race to finish 22nd in the World Championships, the 4th Brit in his age group, and 71st overall in the World. On his experience Hodgson says: “You could tell that everybody on that start line was going to be quick, at events at home you normally get a few who will be good athletes but there is a greater mix generally of people competing. However, everyone at the Worlds had got there through a qualification process, it made it a very strong field to race against. That and the team spirit of the squad out in Chicago were particular highlights-it makes a difference just having the general crowds of people giving you encouragement but when you have the rest of the GB team directly shouting for you on the course, it gave you a real boost.”

Hodgson said of anyone wanting to try triathlon for the first time, “I’d definitely recommend triathlon, it’s a fun and obviously varied sport and there’s plenty to do in regards of training and racing to the extent you desire. One of the parts I enjoy most is the inclusiveness and camaraderie, no matter your experience or ability there is always support on the course and people are always willing to offer advice regarding training and racing.”

The main focus now is on getting his dissertation done whilst putting in a hard winters training before the Europeans next May.

Cash Flows for Non-League Clubs Alex Davis Sports Writer Money matters in football, whichever level you play at. One quick look at the National League table (the conference to you or I) will tell you that even in the fifth tier of English football, the amount of cash you have in the bank will directly correspond with your success.

At the top of the table stand Forest Green Rovers followed by Gateshead in second, Cheltenham Town in third and Bromley in fourth. Forest Green Rovers have never played in the football league, nor have Gateshead since their resurrection in 1977 and indeed nor have Bromley. Thus with the exclusion of third place Cheltenham Town (who were relegated from League Two last season), none of the top four in the National League have played a game of league football between them.

"The amount of cash you have in the bank will directly correspond with your success" Here my attention turns to fifth placed Wrexham FC, a name much more recognisable to those of a footballing persuasion. Let’s get this straight, Wrexham have and probably never will be a footballing giant so to speak, however their relegation to the conference in 2008 did signal the end to a 87-year stay in the Football League.

This year marks their eighth season in England’s fifth tier, however it isn’t for the want of trying. In 2011 the Reds finished 4th reaching the play-offs only to lose to Luton Town.

The following season they amassed an impressive 98 points, only to be pipped by bankrolled Fleetwood Town to the only automatic promotion place.

Defeat to Luton Town again in the semi-finals ensured Wrexham’s nonleague status and three years on, the North Wales outfit find themselves rooted to football-league exodus.

Further down the table and you find Tranmere Rovers; another football league regular until this season. Further still and the re-formed sides Chester and FC Halifax Town are struggling with the realities of non-league.

The rise of the rich non-league club is a new phenomenon but is one which is changing the face of lower league football for good. Once relegated into non-league, there is now no guarantee of a swift return and with clubs like Forest Green and Eastleigh spending their way through the leagues, for Wrexham and others it’s a game of patience. The make-up of England’s lower leagues is shifting leaving many of our traditional league clubs wondering how they got left so far behind.

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9th to 23rd October 2015

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Birmingham's Sky High Ambitions Brought Crashing Down Sports writer Zak Rowe reports on ENGAGE, the first big campus event of the year, where Nottingham were the visitors (continued from back page) Things quickly went from bad to worse as Birmingham found themselves 10 points down. The shell-shocked Lions defence provided little opposition to a fine free-flowing move from Nottingham resulting in another score in the corner, this time finished off by the outside centre. The only saving grace for Birmingham was that the conversion that followed from a difficult angle sailed wide of the upright.

Nevertheless, the expectant Birmingham crowd were on their feet not long after following a huge tackle which, for the first time in the match, forced Nottingham back into their own half; exactly what was required following such a poor start. Yet despite the crowd’s reaction, this appeared only to motivate the away side even more. As Nottingham dominated the breakdown and turned the ball over midway inside the Lions’ half, the number five powered through to score under the posts.

No mistake this time from the kicker as the visitors increased their lead to 17 points. The early stages had been nothing short of a disaster for the hosts, epitomised by a knock-on just ten metres from the Nottingham line following a quick tap and go penalty and a confident passing move.

One may have expected heads to drop after such a disappointing opening, but the never say die attitude from Birmingham was evident when some good work from the forwards saw the Lions turn the ball over deep inside Nottingham territory, allowing prop Harry Higgs to go over in the corner.

Despite a poor conversion attempt, the home side were back in the contest and the crowd were right behind them. It was now Nottingham who appeared to look shaky, and their defence was breached again shortly after. A brilliant kick from the fly half found the corner and the Birmingham line out, as it proved to be all afternoon, was incredibly strong. Nottingham were forced back as the Lions passed the ball around with aplomb, as if they had the advantage on the scoreboard; eventually the ball found its way back out to the wing where hooker Mike Norman finished off the move to put Birmingham just a score behind.

However, the Nottingham forwards showed their strength and responded strongly. A well-worked line out resulted in a maul which forced the Lions back behind their own line allowing the number 8 Mike Young to score a simple try. Nottingham’s dominance in the first half was emphasised by their fifth try right on the stroke of half time. The Birmingham defence broke after a number of phases allowing the visitors

to ground under the posts and a straightforward conversion left Birmingham trailing by 29 points to 10 at the interval.

A scrappy start meant we had to wait until midway through the half for the first score as both defences stood firm, the only excitement in the early stages provided by Richard ‘the smasher’ Galloway living up to his name with a huge hit on the Nottingham full back which received the biggest cheer of the day. Once again, when a try finally did come, it went to the visitors. A kick to the corner and line out resulted in a maul and, as was the case throughout the game, it proved to be too strong for the Lions’ valiant defence as hooker Tom Duggan eventually grounded the ball.

The conversion was slotted through the posts, leaving the hosts 26 points down with little under a quarter of the match to play.

Yet, Birmingham quickly threatened a comeback, and their response came when this time the Lions’ maul got the

better of their counterparts’ defence, allowing flanker Jordan Cranton to score.

Had Birmingham not wasted a good spell of territory and possession with a knock on and then an overthrown line out shortly after, a way back into the game may well have been possible.

However, any remaining hope soon vanished. Just moments from full time, the Lions frustrations were compounded as second row Tinker intercepted a stray Birmingham pass on the halfway line and showed great pace to accelerate away from the hosts’ desperate defence to score his second try of the day. A missed conversion proved to be the last play of the match as Nottingham ran out victorious by 41 points to 15. Despite the disappointing scoreline, Birmingham will take encouragement from some positive attacking play and a solid performance at set pieces, as well as the large number of spectators who stuck behind the team throughout, in what hopes to be the first of many similar events through the sporting calendar this year.

Peter Saxon

Peter Saxon

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38 9th to 23rd October 2015

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The Championship: The Unsung Hero Of English Football James Flynn Sports Writer

While the Premier League struggles against its European counterparts, England’s second tier really is in a league of its own Perhaps no league in recent seasons has been able to shrug off the reputations that once sprang to mind at the utterance of its name than the Championship. The league had a stigma for being home to the archaic, defensive long-ball tactics that had been partially held to blame for the lack of success in the national side, and this was not without truth. Many of the division’s successful sides of the 2000's did employ an abrasive playing style of defensive football effectively; Tony Pulis’ Stoke and Paul Jewell’s Wigan are just a few examples of teams who deployed a direct style reaping the rewards.

Fast-forward to 2015. The Championship has shaken off the aforementioned labels that went with it and is now home to faster, more attacking football than some of Europe’s first tier leagues while still maintaining an element of the unpredictability which supporters had enjoyed about the competition.

The growth of the division’s fanbase correlates with the improvement in the style of football on display. While some may argue the league has had attacking sides in the past (the Portsmouth side that won promotion in 2003 scored 97 goals,while the record breaking Reading side of 2005-2006 found the net 99 times with every outfield player scoring at least one that campaign), it is hard to debate that last season saw a more attacking division than ever before inside the top 8.

Bournemouth won plaudits for equaling the tally, Reading had scored nine years prior to their promotion, while Watford also scored 88 last term. With perhaps the exception of Mick McCarthy’s more defensive minded Ipswich, the top sides in the league all showed a desire to play football that would have been far more uncommon a few seasons ago.

The success of both Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers at Swansea could well have been seen as the catalyst for the raising standard of football within the division (‘Swancelona’ was the title dubbed to them only semi in jest by Match of the Day pundits), while Blackpool’s 2010-2011 side scored an astonishing 55 goals for a rele-

gated side, more than 5th place Spurs.

While the style has improved, the unpredictability of the league which was the main draw for many seasons has remained.

Two of the top three, Brighton and Reading, were deemed 33/1 outsiders for the title and 9/2 for relegation yet have proved 1 the bookies wrong. While many top European leagues are dominated by the usual candidates, in the Championship we have 1a division that could well be called the most exciting and unpredictable in the world.

Of course, it is no coincidence that the standard has been raised at a time the division is more awash with money than ever before. The idea of a Championship side spending £8m or £9m on a player would have been unimaginable only a few years ago, yet that is exactly what Fulham and Burnley have done with the purchases of Ross McCormack and Andre Gray. The rise in TV money, wealthier owners and parachute payments for recently relegated Premier League sides has led to a greater caliber of player in the division than ever before.

This summer’s transfer window has seen the likes of Stewart Downing (a man who at the start of last season was being tipped for an England recall) and highly rated Brazilian winger Lucas Piazon (a key player for Hamburg in the Bundesliga last term) enter the division, while QPR were able to maintain Charlie Austin from Premier League sides (Newcastle were known to be interested). Transfermarkt. com values the league at over £500m, more than Ligue 2, Bundesliga, Segunda Liga 1 and 2 combined. Derby County alone spent £20m, an extraordinary figure for a side who have not played Premier League football since 2008. They join highly rated talent such as England international Darren Bent, Tom Ince, Danish capped Andreas Bjelland and capped Dutchman Ola John.

While the Premier League has disappointed against its European counterparts this season and the long-held belief (mainly by the chief broadcasters Sky Sports) that it is the best league in the world continues to look less and less credible, in the Championship we have a league head and shoulders above any other second tier Europe has to offer.

UOB Triathletes take Chicago by Storm Nicola Kenton Online Editor

Last month in Chicago, the World Triathlon Championships took place and there were many athletes competing from the University of Birmingham.

At the World Triathlon Championships there are many different types of races: Olympic distance (1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run), Sprint distance (750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run) and Aquathlon; the world championships are also split into many different categories with the elite men and women, junior men and women, then there are the age groups which range for men and women from 16-19 yrs up to 90-94 yrs. For most of the Brits that were competing, the conditions were

not something they were used to with temperatures consistently over 20°C and humidity on average at 60%, the bike and run would be very challenging.

In the Olympic distance, Samantha Rose claimed bronze in the 25-29 category and was the first Brit home, debutant Alice Stratford - who only started triathlon in September 2014 - finished 10th in the 18-19 category.

Daniel Franks was busy and came 7th in the 20-24 age group in the Aquathlon and followed that up with 33rd in the Olympic distance race, he was followed by Kyran Edmunds in 61st and Sam Martin in 73rd.

Moreover, in the sprint distance Chris Silver came fifth in his 25-29 age group after a close finish and self-trained James Hodgson finished 22nd in his age group of 20-24.

Read the full article online www.redbrick.me/sports

Andy Walkden: Aussie Rules Star Alex Davis

Sports Writer

Not many sportsmen or women go from being a complete novice to representing their country within just one year.

But that is exactly what has happened in the case of the University of Birmingham’s Andy Walkden. I caught up with him to get an understanding of what has been a crazy year for the Lancastrian.

On Friday 9th October, the England Aussie rules team flies out to Croatia for the Euros. Joining them is Andy Walkden – a third year Geologist at the university here in Birmingham. He’s quick to tell me that he’s not the only representative of the university in the squad – he’s joined by UoB Aussie Rules president Ross Denton. But what makes Andy’s inclusion in the squad most remarkable is the fact that he had never even played the sport this time last year. This feat, which is surely rarely achieved, has seen Andy swap Geology’s Lapsoc football team for national recognition in a sport which remains largely unknown to many.

Last Wednesday played host to the taster session for this year’s Aussie Rules teams at the University of Birmingham and as ever there was a healthy number of men and women giving the sport a go.

Indeed this is where it all started for Andy last year. ‘I went to the fresher’s fair last year as I fancied trying something new. I’d tried rugby for a bit last year but didn’t really fancy it and thought it would be a good idea to try a new sport. Aussie Rules just appealed to me and I thought I’d be quite good at it. I’d seen the odd bit of it before but didn’t really know anything about the sport. I’m just really glad I did – everything about it has been really good. But learning a new sport and obviously getting in to the England squad was amazing.’.

Andy quickly nailed down his place in the Birmingham Lions side and set about making his mark. With over 50 goals to his name last season, he took the team’s top scorer accolade with ease prompting his coach to suggest attending the England selection trials in Sheffield in August. Andy said; ‘The coach just said I should go along because he thought if I played like I could, I’d have a good chance of getting in. So that was over two days in Sheffield and yeah it was good fun actually, it was a good week-

end. There were about 40 (people) at the selection day and 16 of us made the squad. When I found out I was really, really happy – very excited. I felt like I did well at the trial and I was fairly confident but it was still a great feeling'..

The Euros in Croatia this weekend will be Andy’s first experience with the national team. The tournament is a 9-aside one-day competition which will see the best Aussie Rules players from across Europe compete. Having won it last year, Denmark will be favourites but Andy is quick to suggest that England, along with Ireland and hosts Croatia all have a good chance of returning with glory.

It doesn’t stop there. Great Britain is the next aim for Andy, who’s hoping to break into the side in time for the Euros in 2016 and the international cup in Australia in 2017. To do that, he’ll have to impress at this month’s competition but, for now, his main goal is to keep improving his game alongside good players. Conscious of not getting carried away, Andy brings the conversation back to that of the Birmingham Lions and how he’s hoping for a similar season to the success of last year. ‘We had a really successful season last year and were unbeaten until the very last game when we played one of the London teams who were really good. We won two tournaments I think. We also won the international rules game against Gaelic football as well which was the best ending to the year. Hopefully we’ll have another good season. There were about 70 people at the taster session on Wednesday and it looked like there were a few good players. We lost some good players last year so it’s all quite new this year. A lot of big names have gone, but I think it will be good because we’ve still got a good core of people.’

To represent your country at any sport is a fantastic achievement and he, along with club president Ross, will carry the well wishes of everyone here at UoB as they head to Croatia. However it also goes to show how exciting an opportunity playing a minority sport can be. The vast majority of the Aussie Rules team this year hadn’t played before university meaning that everyone is in the same boat..

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9th to 23rd October 2015

Chief Sports Editor: Welcome Message My name is Will Robey, I am the Chief Editor of Sport for Redbrick. I want to welcome all of the Freshers for 2015-2016. If you are a budding young journalist with a passion for writing about sport or even just someone who enjoys watching sport, we at Redbrick Sport would love to hear from you. Here at Redbrick Sport we cover a wide variety of both University and national sport. An example of such would be our coverage from the press box at Aston Villa Football Club last season, as well as our multi-platform reporting of the BUCS National Championships in Loughborough.

Last year was an incredibly successful year for Redbrick Sport. We won the Student Publication Association 'Best University Sports Coverage 2015' and at the Redbrick Awards picked up the award for Best Section. We are looking for pas-

sionate new writers to join the Sport's team this year and contribute to our website and bi-weekly paper. At Redbrick Sport, you'll have an incredible opportunity to watch live sporting events, produce match reports, conduct interviews and take part in the brand new: Redbrick Sport Podcasts. All of this, as well as a host of different and unique opportunities that you quite frankly may never have imagined yourself having.

We at Redbrick Sport are driven to continue the success we had last year, and we want you to be a part of it! Don't let your views on sport go to waste. Come and see us at the Freshers Sports Fair or at our office in the Guild. Alternatively check the Redbrick website for our meeting times, or contact us on sports@redbrickonline.me .

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. @redbricksport.

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Winners of Student Publication Association Best University Sports Coverage Award 2015

Crouch...Touch...Pause...

Engage Zac Rowe Sports Writer

On a beautiful afternoon at the picturesque Bournbrook Rugby Pitch, the Lions were heavily defeated by a strong University of Nottingham side in the 'Engage' event which kicked off both sides’ seasons. Fine campaigns were experienced last season by both sides, the Lions finishing second in the Premier North B division, whilst Nottingham finished a respectable sixth in the A division, leading to all expecting a highly competitive match.

No sooner had the game kicked off than, much to the disappointment of the sizeable crowd who had gathered on campus for the showpiece event of the season, Nottingham had taken the lead. A high kick from the fly half was well gathered by the Nottingham forwards, who worked the ball well to the left wing to allow winger James Murdoch to burst through two Lions defenders to score in the corner.

Continues on page 37...

Peter Saxon Linda Muirhead via Twitter

Peter Saxon Student Publication Association