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OXFORD CULTURE. Issue #007. april/may 2013.
SPIRES
Gunning for Tamar paul hayday
oxfork
holding fire to chat about their killer new EP, camera lucida
underground eating at a foodie favourite
city life through the lens at the jam factory
EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT
Fri 19th Apr
10.30pm - 3am • over 18s only
The Staves + SIVU
£5 adv / NUS / members, £4 NHS
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Sun 21st Apr • £17.50 adv
I Am Kloot
Mon 22nd Apr • £16.50 adv
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Lucy Rose
Thurs 16th May • £12 adv
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in association with BBC Introducing + Kill Murray + The Scholars + Yellow Fever + Poledo
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Beth Orton
Tues 30th Apr
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Sat 13th July • £6 adv 7pm - 11.30pm
Upstairs ft. Adian Coker in association with BBC Introducing + ShaoDow & Zuby + Death of Hi Fi + Yungstar + BG Record DJ Set
Tickets for Saturday night shows include FREE ENTRY TO PROPAGANDA / TRASHY (or £6 / £5 NUS on the door) 190 Cowley Road, Oxford, OX4 1UE
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Doors 7pm unless stated Venue box office opening hours: Mon-Sat 12pm-5.30pm ticketweb.co.uk • wegottickets.com seetickets.com • gigantic.com
issue #007 APRIL/MAY 2013
MUSIC: P04
FILM: P18
FOOD: P24
official website: spiresmagazine.com official blog: spiresmagazine.tumblr.com
ART: P14
My new promise to you is to never make promises to you again. Let’s get the shitty stuff out the way, yeah? Last time, I said that Spires would be printed, and available in the real world for you to pick up and take home and show your friends and stuff. Unfortunately, though, that hasn’t happened. I tried, I really did, to the point where I was considering doing ridiculous, ridiculous things. But then real life got in the way, and so regretfully, I must admit to you that the screen is where this magazine shall stay. On the bright side, the last issue was seen by flippin’ loads of people, without the need for paper and staples. Digitally, Spires is doing great. Why change that? For now, my talented Oxfordian buds and I are continuing in the way that we always have - delivering great cultural content via the world wide web, so that everyone and anyone can see it, whenever they like, for free. We hope you still dig that. Matt Ayres
/spiresmagazine
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Spires is a free magazine created by culture lovers, for culture lovers. All articles reflect the views of their respective authors and not necessarily those of the editorial team. happy reading!
Editor: Matt Ayres matt@spiresmagazine.com Music Editor: Charlotte Krol charlotte@spiresmagazine.com cover illustrator: laura holliday contributors: Hannah Belz Luke Buckle Sara Chaudhry Joe DAVIS Greg Laidler Madeleine Mason Jordan O’shea Rowena Purrett selma rezgui Chris Scott Chris SMith Lauren Vevers Advertising: ads@spiresmagazine.com drop us a line and enquire about
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GUNNING FOR TAMAR Upon the release of their new EP Camera Lucida, Charlotte Krol talks to Oxford’s river-dwelling alt-rockers... “Belgium was pretty fucked-up” laughs Joe Wallis, lead guitarist and vocalist in Gunning For Tamar. “We played a really rowdy gig there in May last year and afterwards me and D’Arcy (drummer) drank until 5am with the venue owners. All I remember is us cycling around a Belgium city on stolen bikes, trashing a hotel room that we couldn’t afford to mess up, and having to somehow leave the hotel at 6am to play The Great Escape.” While Gunning For Tamar’s music has some element of RAWK to it, the Oxford four piece aren’t exactly associated with crime and debauchery. In fact, many of the band’s answers to my questions tonight (asked in a noisy corner of The Dew Drop Inn) begin with “the boring answer is”. They’re really not the type of band to get cocky about their achievements. But cocky they should be. This month and next sees them play to fans all over Europe in support of their new EP, Camera Lucida. It’s no mean feat for a band who have their feet firmly placed in Oxford, but they’ve carefully measured their successes to determine what’s next. “People have come to a few of our past shows
in Europe wearing our t-shirts”, says guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist, Dan Pollard. “That sort of thing really keeps you encouraged. “We’ve also led off from the success of our last EP launch at The Cellar. We realised we can pull in a good crowd.” And the boys are right. They played to a packedout crowd at their first headline gig at the O2 Academy Oxford last month. “I think you’ve always got to try and go up a level”, says Joe. “We either do it at 100%, or not at all.” Gunning For Tamar have made quite a name for themselves since descending on Oxford two years ago. They were drawn to the dreaming spires by its roster of exciting bands. Dan explains: “Oxford seemed like a cool place and it’s quite close to London. We knew some bands here that we liked, such as Youthmovies, Dive Dive and obviously Radiohead. We had links with Oxford through friends and band members.” The band’s name derives from the River Tamar that separates Devon and Cornwall, not far from where Joe and Dan grew up.
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“Louis Theroux dropped us in it with the band name though once”, says bassist Ben Green. “He did a documentary about prisoners and the term ‘gunning’ in prisons means wanking. That made people think differently about our name!” So what can we expect from the band’s new release on local label Alcopop Records? “We really feel like the songs on Camera Lucida are the best we’ve written so far. You’d hope with any band that they get better from their first to their third release to be honest”, says Joe. “Some of the quietest music we’ve ever written and some of the loudest music we’ve ever written is on there”, Dan enthuses. “The contrast between the two dynamics really works and we’ve also let this record have more space.” The EP’s title is taken from a book by the renown French theorist and philosopher, Roland Barthes, which examines human interaction with photography. “Joe came across the image for the EP artwork and we all really liked it”, says Dan. “The first part of the book explores how you can have no particular relationship with a photograph - it just catches your eye and you appreciate it for what it is. There’s lots of studies about how a photo can alter your memory of the day it was taken on because you so intensely focused on that photo. I find that really interesting.” Intellectualisms aside, we start to talk about Gunning For Tamar’s sound and influences. The band are quick to shirk the hackneyed math-rock labels but quite happily settle for my “melodic power-pop” description.
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“I think labels matter more to people than to bands”, says Joe. “In fact, I like to think of us a funk band...” Dan: “People will just slap on comparisons, like ‘oh they’ve got guitars, they’re like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.’” The Million Dead, Reuben and Biffy Clyro are the bands that pop up between the boys’ mouthfuls of beer and salt and vinegar crisps. You can clearly hear some of those influences in Gunning For Tamar’s brisk and punchy guitar pop. “We all have similar music tastes, but they also branch off”, Joe says. “D’Arcy loves DJ Shadow, says Dan. And I’ve made more electronic music in the past at uni.” Frontman Joe is actually partial to some chart music. “It’s all about Katy Perry, really. And Taylor Swift. I can’t explain it. It’s not so much her as a person, but her songs are just so, so good. Surely you agree?” Err, no. “And I like Katy Perry’s boobies.” The bigger question, other than the size of Katy Perry’s tits, is, are we going to get an album out of the band soon? “At some point, yes”, says Ben. “We know we’ve got to do an album, but we don’t want to write one if we don’t feel it’s the right time.” Dan: “We could have made an album from our old songs, but all our EPs sound so different that it just wouldn’t have worked.” “Fans always remember albums over EPs”, says Joe. “So we’d have to make sure it’s a very good one.”
These cats in a sink are bought to you by Alcopop! Records
www.ilovealcopop.co.uk Buy music from us for more adverts like this MUSIC 07
a l b u m reviews BRING ME THE HORIZON SEMPITERNAL RCA Sempiternal is the follow up to Bring Me The Horizon’s 2010 critically-acclaimed third album, There Is A Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is A Heaven, Let’s Keep It A Secret. It’s also the band’s first release on a major label and marks a fresh direction for the Sheffield five piece. This new album builds on the electronic elements of previous efforts to redefine the band’s sound. Where the band have traditionally been known for heavy guitar work, crushing breakdowns and throat-shredding vocals, this album sees melody take centre stage. By mixing these traditional heavy elements with the new melodic edge, I find the album loosely reminiscent of early 2000s nu-metal. That’s not to say this album isn’t heavy, it’s still unmistakably a Bring Me album and your gran probably won’t listen to it. But the inclusion of new member Jordan Fish on keyboards and vocalist Oli Sykes’ narrative-style vocals bring a whole new direction, painting delicate soundscapes amid the chaos. From the atmospheric opener ‘Can You Feel My Heart’ to the energetic sing-a-longs of ‘House Of Wolves’ and ‘Antivist’, this album is bound to get your head banging. It feels like a real step forward for a band that has faced criticism throughout their career. Their sound has matured and they’ve written what I think is the best nu-metal album since Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory. Greg Laidler
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Daughter if you leave 4ad Having generated a bit of a buzz around their upcoming album If You Leave, Daughter risked falling into the trap of overpromising and under delivering. But the newly signed threesome have risen to the challenge brilliantly and shown that they can create more than tracks solely suited to the opening credits of medical dramas. The album manages to cleverly envelope the listener with a wholesome sound and feel, that once started, is admittedly hard to disengage from. The soft and folky tones stencilled into the opening track ‘Winter’ echo throughout the album, leading to sweeter sounding tracks like ‘Youth’ and ‘Amsterdam’ sounding like early Florence and Machine blended with The xx. There seems to be an ebb and flow to the album, almost like a pulse, that manages to maintain momentum and interest throughout, whilst the playlist is strung together with steady, cautious melodies and almost hauntingly beautiful vocals. Overall, Daughter have created a delicate and easily enjoyable album that allows you to appreciate its initial simplicity and purity, but at the same time it requires at least two or three listens in order to fully explore its more complicated roots and undertones. Chris Scott
PEACE IN LOVE COLUMBIA You may have noticed that adverts for Peace’s debut record In Love are all over the place at the moment; it’s one of the most hotly-anticipated releases of the year so far. Adopting the standard indie hipster pose in photos, there’s a gloomy swagger about the Brum boys that suggests they know they’re onto something special. The industry is catching on too. Apparently even Usher’s a fan. The Peace manifesto boldly proclaims that they create “music to fuck you in the heart” and quite frankly, there’s no journalistic turn of phrase I can conjure that would better describe In Love. The record opens with ‘Higher Than The Sun’, an uplifting summer anthem that could rouse emotional deadwood. Yet just as puppy love begins to flourish, Peace follow it up with something seemingly designed to smoke out the butterflies fluttering in your stomach. ‘Follow Baby’ is such a track. Sweet yet sinister in its entirety, it somehow serves to make me feel sinful and mischievous. At the same time, its ‘90’s Madchester undercurrent makes me want to dance. Some have compared Peace’s Afro-pop leanings to the likes of Vampire Weekend, but quite honestly, there is nothing so twee about Peace. If Vampire Weekend’s music is the entirely faithful relationship you have at home then Peace’s music is the affair you have behind your other half’s back. It is the sound of youth being crushed by a loss of innocence. I apologise if I’m spouting nonsense by this point. It’s rather hard to construct a sentence when you’ve just been fucked in the heart. Chris Smith
tears for annie purple heart ep self-released Tears For Annie brand themselves as musicians and “a whole artistic expression”. They’re certainly kooky; an accompanying press shot shows a man (presumably a band member) sporting a suit, fluorescent clown shoes and a gimp mask. Oh, and he’s been badly photoshopped into a giant fish
bowl. It’s a distracting aesthetic and they seem very emphatic about their status as “controversialists”. If I’m honest, it’s all a bit irritating. Behind these vexing gubbins, Purple Heart struggles to live up to its own press. ‘Out Of Patience’ is the most striking track on the EP. The female vocal is forcefully peculiar and clearly inspired by Kate Bush. There are also promising echoes of The Pixies and even PJ Harvey, but these are merely ephemeral glimmers in a crucible of confusion. When I was fifteen, I spent an entire summer obsessing over Juliette And The Licks. Listening to ‘So John’ and ‘You And Whose Army’ transports me back to those days of awkward teenagedom, when I had fanciful notions of rebellion but no intent to act on them. There is an admirable endeavor in this EP to present something consciously different, but this means that the music feels like the very secondary product of a wider misguided concept. Lauren Vevers
wild belle isles columbia Isles is an interesting diversion from the current quota of NME cover darlings who are all blokes with good hair and guitar postures. It’s refreshing, but refreshing like being hit in the face with a cold fish. Yes, Wild Belle have an interesting sound (there’s a pleasing eclecticism to their combination of late ‘70s urban reggae, afrobeat and indie synth pop) however these elements are insufficiently “in the pocket”. With cheesy keyboards and an often irritating lyrical simplicity, the overall effect is trite and lacking in visceral connection. First song ‘Keep You’ starts the record well with old-school reggae bass and horns. ‘Twisted’ is another highlight, with soft, major-key, fingerpicked guitar and Lily Allen-esque vocals. ‘When It’s Over’ features some male vocals - a much-needed change since it’s mostly been Natalie Bergman crooning about her love life thus far. The lyrics, however, lack substance with the line “he’s no good for you” simply repeated throughout. Although simple, naive lyrics can be effective, here they just become banal and irksome. This shortcoming is best demonstrated by ‘Happy Home’. Inventive vibraphone effects sit in the chorus, but essentially it’s four minutes of Bergman asking if she should cut her hair and/ or mow the lawn. You will probably find yourself realising that you couldn’t give two shits. Franky Sissons
MUSIC 09
L O C A L RELEASES STORNOWAY TALES FROM TERRA FIRMA 4ad “Proof of Stornoway’s ability to paint vivid mental pictures with more than just words”
The wondrously whimsical folk-pop of Stornoway’s first album Beachcomber’s Windowsill was enough to rocket their reputation from talented local lads to one of Oxford’s elite bands, joining the likes of Foals and TEED as they toured the continent and made us smalltown folk proud. Lyrically, their follow-up continues with themes of rural adventurism, using them to tackle human emotion and experience across nine songs. This really is a grander proposition than the first album, where diverse instrumentation meant featuring a kazoo solo in one of the singles. ‘You Take Me As I Am’ is an immediate signpost of the scale that Tales From Terra Firma works on - organs swell atop a bedrock of acoustic strumming and galloping drums. It’s all stripped back to simple guitar chords during the first stanza of vocalist Brian Briggs’ evocative lyrics, before building towards a triumphant fiesta of trumpet tooting and cymbal smashing.
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This is in stark contrast to the more melancholy ‘Farewell Appalachia’, which plays out slowly through muffled rhythms and sombre vocal harmonies - if the first track was a going away party, this is the difficult journey that follows. The highlights of Tales From Terra Firma prove Stornoway’s ability to paint vivid mental pictures with more than just words. During ‘Hook, Line and Sinker’, a pedaling bassline and whirring keyboards give the impression of the world whizzing by from the handlebars of a bike, before Brian has even set the scene for us: “Cycling home from the station after the heatwave and a week in the fast lane/The sun is down but the sky is soft and grey like a feather.” It’s pure, picturesque storytelling, animated with cleverly composed musical arrangements. The record only falters when the emphasis shifts towards grandoise musical showmanship, rather than the relatable tales of worldly life that the title promises. Despite its ambitious orchestration, “The Ones We Hurt The Most” is a dreary, melodramatic and uninspiring penultimate track, in comparison to the stripped back finale of “November Song”, the impact of which is all the more heartwarming with a lack of accompaniment. Matt Ayres
gunning for tamar camera lucida alcopop! This EP is Gunning For Tamar’s third since they formed as a band, not counting the unveiling of killer single ‘Dark Sky Tourism’ last year. Holding back on a full length album, they’re evidently believers in the short but sweet approach. Camera Lucida is both. A five track insight into the band’s tremendous growth since Time Trophies, frontman Joe Wallis leads the onslaught with his best vocal performance to date in ‘Yogging’. Here, the ensemble transform a reserved keyboard intro to a distorted rock monster with stunning composure. The bar has been set high, but the boys rarely fall short. ‘Lights, Daggers and Faces’ follows with erratic jumps between introspective and aggressive, most effective in a memorable chorus. As promised, Camera Lucida exhibits the full spectrum of Gunning For Tamar’s sound. ‘Another Season’ is a delicate hometown ballad, made more interesting through complex guitar work. Holding back on the overdrive and cymbal crashing serves to highlight some poignant and relatable lyrics, that might otherwise be lost in a sea of treble tones. Diversity is what makes this EP a success, and Gunning For Tamar’s best work yet. Next step: apply the same ambiton to a longer format, and remain exciting. It’s an exciting proposition and, if pulled off correctly, might propel yet another Oxford band to nationwide fame. Matt Ayres
kill murray microscopic feel self-released Brightly coloured, simply rendered, and perhaps best enjoyed with a side-order of hallucinogens: the artwork for Kill Murray’s new EP is the perfect metaphor for the music it represents. This is a concise and brilliantly straightforward guitar pop record, augmented with electronic charm. The major key sugar rush of ‘Terror’ best summarises the appeal: crunchy chord progressions are joined by nostalgic synth sweeps and an effortlessly cool bass groove, all equating to an audible candy shop
of analogue bliss. Production values are rough’n’ready, but this doesn’t necessarily detract from any of the songs on offer - rather, it’s reminiscent of the grungey garage recordings that KM likely binge on. Problems only arise during breathy falsettos, where any discernable poetry is lost to the listener in a whirlpool of reverb. It’s a minor gripe, really, as the infectious melodies and charmingly vintage sounds on Microscopic Feel are the main event, and the four piece deliver a dreamy wonderland of indie-pop gems that fans of fellow psychedelic locals Fixers will surely dig. Matt Ayres
secret rivals just fall self released Local four-piece Secret Rivals are known for their infectious, fuzzy indie pop punk. Evoking a huge range of bands from The Cribs to Los Campesinos! to The Cure, their debut album encapsulates everything that is so exciting about them. The album opens with ‘This Tragedy Writes Itself’, which kicks in immediately with thrashing guitars and Clouds Saez and Jamie Corcoran’s trademark boy-girl vocals. Corcoran’s harsh barks perfectly compliment Saez’s mellifluous tones. The track is Secret Rivals doing what they do best: impossibly danceable, scuzzy, angsty indie. Other highlights include ‘Once More With Heart’, a thrilling, fast-paced cacophony of synth, guitar and frenzied drums. ‘Everything I’ve Lost’ is a snippet of indie pop perfection – there is something about the way Secret Rivals sing so gleefully and about love and loss. Their seemingly boundless energy instantly puts a smile on your face, much in the same way that being accosted by an excitable puppy would. You can sense how much fun the band are having. The album fools you into thinking it’s been flung together with wild abandon, and it is that tangible enthusiasm and the effortless chemistry between Saez and Corcoran that makes the album feel so intimate. The band also prove themselves capable of pulling off slower moments. In title track, ‘Just Fall’, Corcoran’s vocals, for once without Cloud’s, sound starkly isolated and the song’s honesty is all the more poignant. But Secret Rivals are still at their best going full speed ahead with not so much as half a glance behind them. Selma Rezgui
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l i v e Gunning For Tamar, Wot Gorilla?, Phil McMinn, Salvation Bill // 16th march // O2 academy oxford
Kickstarting a mostly-local night of music in the Academy’s beloved upstairs (Zodiac) room, newbies Salvation Bill are a delightful ruckus of acoustic-fronted indie rock. Finale ‘Dead Dog’ displays impressive vocals and admirably cohesive playing, all bound up in the wonderfully macabre murder story of a neighbour’s yapping terrier. Phil McMinn, previously of Fell City Girl and Winchell Riots, isn’t quite as fun. His set is comprised of repetitive finger picking, accompanied by bass and sampled loops from his laptop. Some variety is needed for this well-respected local talent to really shine as a solo act. Halifax’s Wot Gorilla? have mastered a twisting, unpredictable vein of amped-up math rock that takes virtuoso skill and confident showmanship to pull off. Pop elements in some early-set highlights
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demonstrate that the band aren’t so lost in experimentation that they’ve forgotten how to write a decent rock song. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop the complexity of their riffage becoming an alienating factor towards the end of their rather lengthy support set. Gunning For Tamar arrive in a veil of muted lighting and tense piano before exploding into the main fray of ‘Yogging’ with flashes of white hot energy. This is the best in a series of previously unseen material from their new EP Camera Lucida; similarly excellent are ‘Lights, Daggers and Faces’ and ‘How To Set Fire To Your Hands’, both lyrically deep and dynamically engaging. Perhaps it’s their local appeal that makes the resurfacing of older material even better, with the likes of ‘German Treasure Island’, ‘Time Trophies’ and detonating set-closer ‘Dark Sky Tourism’ getting the best reactions from an enthused crowd. No doubt, the newer stuff will be equally celebrated by their next Oxford show. Matt Ayres
SPRING OFFENSIVE, richard walters // 17TH MARCH // TURL STREET KITCHEN In the intimate venue of Turl Street Kitchen, two Oxford front-runners performed stripped down sets to a silent room of admirers. Off the back of his new album, Regret Less, Richard Walters opens with ‘The Escape Artist’, a perfect start to a set that is a beautiful insight into Walters’ fragility. Without a microphone and standing like a monument above cross-legged fans, Walters admits that the personal atmosphere is “scary” but welcomes the silence as a compliment. The usual big production of ‘Blossom’ is replaced simply with an acoustic guitar and a soaring falsetto. Finishing his set with ‘Tethered’, Walters reveals what influenced the song and presents a broken-hearted rendition of the originally pianobased ballad. Spring Offensive open their wonderful set with ‘Worry Fill My Heart’ which is loaded with harmonies, camaraderie and sheer talent. I must admit, I was worried about the acoustic set-up of such a decadent band (one usually lead by their intricate percussion) but they soon proved that no matter the environment, they remain captivating. New single ‘No Assets’ was a true highlight of the evening with its melancholic lyrics about financial struggles and the ultimate need for escape from them. The five members gazed at each other proudly and ended the night with ‘52 Miles’, the B-side to their 7”, ‘Not Waving, But Drowning’. A more powerful number compared to the previous songs, Spring Offensive confirmed just why they are pioneers of the Oxford music scene. Jordan O’Shea
bastille // 22nd march // O2 academy oxford I arrive at O2 Academy Oxford about half an hour before Bastille are due to come on stage and the atmosphere is electric. As soon as the lights go out and the band walk on stage, they are greeted with thunderous cheers that show this is going to be a exceptional gig. Opening with ‘Bad Blood’, frontman Dan is hunched over his keyboard with a massive grin on his face at the reception he’s just received. As the set progresses, Bastille play fan favourites from their new album ‘Bad Blood’ as well as older songs that achieved equal sing-along status. Every song is so well delivered with hypnotic melodies, and sing-alongs are so intense that the crowd almost out-perform the band on the quieter songs. Bastille are clearly overwhelmed by their fans this evening and feed off their enthusiasm, resulting in a great show. The band members are astoundingly pitch-pitch-perfect live, and every
“No matter the environment, Spring Offensive remain captivating” note of every song adds to the awe-inspiring atmosphere in the room. During crowd favourites such as ‘Icarus’ and ‘Weight of Living pt. II’ the audience erupt into a frenzy, with everyone jumping up and down from wall to wall. For their last song of the evening, the support acts are invited onstage to provide backing vocals for their epic single ‘Pompeii’. As if the people of Oxford haven’t been the ideal crowd already tonight, they conduct a perfect encore chant of ‘FLAWS FLAWS FLAWS’ in demand for their marvelously catchy single and fitting setcloser. Joe Davis
palma violets, baby strange // 26th march // O2 academy oxford Support act Baby Strange kick off the night’s entertainment and seem to be in favour with a horde of sweaty, pubescent boys/men - they’re thrashing around like there’s no tomorrow. The drum beat and basslines are tight and fast, but the guitar is just noise; nothing exciting. Their set picks up with ‘Mess’, a slower track with lead guitar licks rather than just power chords. Palma Violets swagger on to The Damned’s ‘New Rose’ and launch straight into thrasher ‘Johnny Bagga’ Donuts’ before rattling through the rest of their rabble-rousing anthems. These include ‘All the Garden Birds’, ‘Chicken Dippers’ and ‘Rattlesnake Highway’, during which all hell breaks loose. A strange divide appears between the pogoing, sweat-drenched youth at the front and the sensible ones at the back who gallantly try to prevent any unnecessary spillage of overpriced beer. During ‘Best of Friends’, the weird line between these beer warriors and the quasi-mental adolescents widens further as the latter go mental for the single that won the Lambeth boys NME’s Track of 2012. Finally, we reach ‘14’, to which the crowd chants along with gusto. Then the Palma Violets are gone, but calls for more are soon answered and they’re back, playing a hidden album track. Nearly everyone’s up at the front dancing, there’s people on stage who aren’t in the band, and frontman Chilli Jesson is (reportedly) in the mosh pit. It all descends into chaos as ‘Brand New Song’ reaches its climax, and it seems that everyone in the crowd now indeed does accept Palma Violets. Franky Sissons
MUSIC 13
paul hayday EXHIBITION_01 @ THE JAM FACTORY 4TH MARCH - 22ND APRIL 2013 Words: Madeleine Mason Walking into the Jam Factory, I always feel an enticing sense of freedom as, not being a conventional gallery or museum, the space is uninhibited by the pretensions and preconceptions so often imposed by more traditional institutions. Neither grandiose temple nor sterile white cube, the casual café setting provides a homely ambiance that successfully dispels the myth that pure aesthetic appreciation is not a valid approach to works of art. Sympathetically displayed on white walls in simple wooden frames, Paul Hayday’s photographs do very much the same. Featurning eighteen giclee prints, mostly taken from the artist’s Oxford and New York series, this local contemporary practitioner’s
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first exhibition places its emphasis on the pleasure of viewing and, as such, the works are very much driven by their compositions. Although the subjects of his photographs are slightly overused and stereotypical (think bicycles for Oxford and yellow cabs for New York), Hayday takes an interesting and original approach to the cropping and angling of his images, using these techniques to create innovative focal points and refreshing perspectives. The element of cliché can also be forgiven because it seems to be underpinned by a certain element of ironic humour. ‘Bike in Lane’, for example, features a bicycle chained to a set of railings with flagrant disregard for the nearby sign threatening
“Hayday uses interesting and original techniques to create innovative focal points and refreshing perspectives” the removal of any such offending articles. Equally, ‘Bike Triptych’ could easily be perceived as a tongue-in-cheek comment on the elevated status of the humble bicycle in Oxford, through the obvious
religious and devotional connotations of the title. With sunlight streaming through the windows, jars of daffodils smiling brightly from the tables and the sound of soft jazz music on the air, it was, however, the pastel stripes and vivid blues of Hayday’s various shots of beach huts and boats that were, for me, the unsung heroes of the show. Balancing an otherwise fairly monotone exhibition with a burst of colour, they captured my imagination and lifted my mood, sending me back into the Spring day outside dreaming of seaside holidays to come.
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hans josephsohn upper galleries, foyer gallery & yard // MODERN ART OXFORD Modern Art Oxford is showcasing Hans Josephsohn’s work for the first time in a public UK gallery. Bearing in mind he died last year at the age of 92, it seems long overdue. Josephsohn was born in East Prussia in 1920 and spent his life creating a profound and impressive sculptural practice. This exhibition is a must-see for any sculpture enthusiast; Josephsohn’s practice is still considered important and relevant to contemporary art today. The exhibition takes over the entire galleries of MAO. Upon entering the Yard from the entrance on St Ebbes Street, I am greeted with a muddy bulge of what looks like clay on a plinth. However, after further examination, I realise that it is in fact cast bronze. The usual connotations of bronze resonate polished statues and wealth but the way in which Josephsohn has worked the plaster with his own hands and used the lost-wax process leaves the bronze looking very irregular and abstract.
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It is easy to look at these sculptures dismissively and write them off as modern abstract art, as it all seems very minimal and repetitive. However there is something impressive about viewing the five plinths together in the main gallery, with the towering sculptures precariously balanced on top. They have an overwhelming presence that occupies the space well, allowing you to walk around the sculptures and absorb the textures that stand out impressively against the pure white gallery walls. A refreshing change from the plinths comes in the form of wall mounted sculptures in the second gallery that protrude from the wall in a strange kind of vacuumformed bronze chaos. This exhibition is not audacious and immediate but requires the viewer to find their own take on these forms that sit somewhere between abstract and figurative. Joe Davis
O X F O R D H U M A N R I G H T S F I L M FESTIVAL 2 0 1 3
Between 21-24 of February, Oxford showcased a diverse range of eye-opening films, campaigning for human rights around the world.
Here are some of them...
OVER THE WALL: FOOTBALL BEYOND BOrders Directors: jasper kain, matthew kay A refreshing and enlightening documentary about an exceptional football team from SOAS University, who in 2011 embarked on one of the biggest journeys of their life. The tour was organized with the help of Football Beyond Borders, a grassroots organization committed to using the global language of football to engage with different cultures and communities. The hour-long documentary covers the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the Arab revolution and also shows how football has a universal power to cross boundaries and break racial barriers. The team travel into the heart of the Arab revolutions in Cairo, Egypt. As events begin to unfold and political tensions grow throughout the region they are forced to rethink their plans on visiting Gaza and the West Bank. The documentary captures a remarkable journey and transformation of events that shape the team, which in turn breaks the misconceptions and stereotype of footballers.
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Seeing the transformation of the players makes ‘Over The Wall’ a refreshing educational documentary, bringing Middle Eastern politics to a new audience. As Jasper Kain and Matthew Kay document the team’s commitment to engage with local communities, they illustrate the teams desire to use football as a means to connect to people all over the world on a human level, looking beyond prejudice and discrimination. The stories they encounter highlight the harshness and inhumaneness of the occupation. Dialogue with the locals living in refugee camps on the West Bank begin to affect the players as they become politically awakened and emotionally attached to the stories and the severity of the situation. With all of the difficulties and problems they face along the way, the story develops into an emotional and physical journey. The biggest strength is the teams unity and commitment to one another. The decisions they make allow them to realize and appreciate that there is a greater goal in life. The film ends with images of the apartheid wall and the news that Palestine has failed in its bid for statehood at the United Nations. Music by Lowkey and Eden Rox (‘I Believe’) leaves an ending message of hope and optimism for the future. Sara Chaudhry
EID directors: Saheeb Collective
THE FIRST GRADER director: JUSTIN CHADWICK The First Grader is a subtle and profound film, taking a look at Maruge (Oliver Litondo) beginning his education at the age of 84. After the announcement of free primary schooling in Kenya, he decides to take up the opportunity regardless of the considerable age (and height) difference. This is a tale of hardship, that illustrates the need for education, and the vastly positive affects it can have on small communities across Africa. Through interesting ruminations between Maruge’s past with the Mau Mau and everyday events in class, there exists a strange parallel between war and education; of the brut life that could not have existed if it weren’t for education. With a violent past, Maruge is more than adamant to pursue schooling and finally learn to read – more specifically, to read a letter that was sent from the office of the President. Shot with sincerity and natural beauty, the films aesthetic says as much about the film’s intended message as the narrative disposition itself. It’s a film filled with wholehearted emotion, with characters going out of their way to stand up against the wrongs that evolve in front of them, including the school children. The First Grader is a moral film that battles for a greater understanding. As Maruge says, “the power is in the pen.” Luke Buckle
This short documentary shows how a Palestinian Bedouin living in the West Bank has been able to use his art to transform machinery of the occupation into artistic expressions. Eid’s art expresses signs of hope and faith all whilst living under the Israeli occupation. The caterpillar tractor is a powerful image shown throughout the documentary, it highlights and embodies the continual cycle of destruction the Palestinians face in the South Hebron Hills. We often symbolise a yellow caterpillar as a positive symbol of construction and rebuilding, rather than its negative military uses of destruction, building of illegal settlements and barriers. These all play an integral role of the occupation in the West Bank. Eid Hathelin’s art is unique and profoundly inspiring against the ongoing occupation. At only twenty six, Eid has been able to use scrap materials from the Bedouin village of Um Al-Kheir to create a growing collection of Caterpillar tractors, bulldozers and helicopters. For Eid, art is about creating things for a good purpose, rather than the devastating impact these machines have on his people. “We have to hold people to account, not the machines,” he states. His dream is to continue his work and to open a museum with all of his collections together, giving workshops, enabling other Palestinians to use art to resist the occupation in a new light. His art is for the people and the children: “my art has given me hope and spirit.” Sara Chaudhry
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- FILM REVIEWS -
Robot & Frank Director: Jake Schreier Cast: Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, Peter Sarsgaard
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he premise of this film is, to put it bluntly, a bit crap. An ageing professional burglar is placed under the care of a futuristic robot. At first things do not go so well, but lo and behold, Frank and the Robot learn to work together. Frank agrees to stick to Robot’s low sodium diet and Robot agrees to steal jewels with Frank. Jake Schreier’s Robot & Frank is, however, slightly unexpected. While it seems likely to be the painfully placid tale of a maturing male of the imagined future with just a touch of the ridiculous thrown in for a few half-laughs, it’s actually not. Granted, it’s hardly fast-paced and there is some talk of forthcoming technology, but this is not simply a sci-fi glimpse at a future just in reach; it is a quiet study of the human psyche and of the modern family unit. Surprisingly, this is a film unafraid of sticking a lump in your throat and making you think. Robot & Frank has something to say; Frank’s reluctance to erase the
memory of his shiny companion in order to clear all evidence of their criminal – and somewhat comical – undertakings speaks loudly of the protagonist’s feelings toward his own fading past. It is a touchingly human look at a process that only becomes more of a feature in the ageing population. So it’s not a film that is exactly packing any punches on a cinematic level, but it’s also not based on a teen novel. It’s not a lengthy and boring biopic, it doesn’t feature any super heroes and it’s not depicting any imminent apocalypses, and that alone makes it quite refreshing. Robot & Frank is not all it seems; it is well written and, putting aside a few slow scenes, an easy watch. Frank Langella offers a fittingly agitated performance of someone with developing dementia, and that robot does a fair job too. Rowena Purrett
Stoker Director: Park Chan-wook Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman
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his is a film of mysterious unknowing and infatuation that fills you with intrigue from the beginning. After an estranged car crash in which India’s (Mia Wasikowska) father dies, the film introduces a mysterious uncle by the name of Charlie (Matthew Goode) who strangely attracts the deceased’s emotionally unstable wife, Evelyn (Nicole Kidman). After initially suspecting something sinister, India becomes an infatuated young woman as to her Uncle’s real motives and unnerving presence. The film unfolds in an obvious fashion, but is pulled off with artistic purpose, and really can be a joy to watch in this respect. However, Stoker doesn’t
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really stand up to the dramatic revenge narrative that played out in Chan-wook’s Oldboy – it simply doesn’t pull together as well. It’s gritty, dark and eloquently disturbing, but ultimately this film deserves no more praise than that. An attempt at a masterpiece stumbles under a pretentious construct. Luke Buckle
- FILM REVIEWS -
Spring Breakers Director: HARMONY KORINE Cast: James Franco, Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez
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armony Korine makes controversial films. He has written, directed and featured in a number of taboo busting, blue-collar realist, docu style films that are, in many respects, too real. This, if anything, continues his filmmaking traits with a twist. He wrote the screenplay for Kids (directed by Larry Clark), wrote, directed and had a scene with a midget in Gummo, and has now teamed up with James Franco in a film about the most extreme spring break ever; another for the collection of antiestablishmentarian films comes Spring Breakers. Franco plays an exaggerated gangster with hidden intentions. Otherwise reflecting everyday normality (this time of college students), Spring Breakers concerns a fairly normal spring break experience. Incredibly colourful and filled with dreamy editing techniques, the film draws you into a feisty journey with no idea of where or how things will end up.
Drug, money and gun-fuelled, the film asks to what extent a group of girls are willing to do to have the ultimate spring break. Partying, robbing, balaclavas and a whole load of bikini wear, Korine again implores the depths of alluring lifestyles and ultimate party goers. Whether they have gone too far is never the question, it’s just how far they will go, and among other things Korine explores how closely partying and crime can come together. Lightly reminiscent of the madness that occurs in Project X (although this is more no-holes-barred and not produced in Hollywood) Spring Breakers brings parody to an already amusing concept that seems to link just about everything “wrong” for youngsters at university to experience or be a part of, ironically through a narrative that appears in many mainstream films. Just don’t take any pointers from this film on your spring break, and I should imagine you’ll return home in one piece. Luke Buckle
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oxfork Hannah Belz heads to magdalen road for brunch at a forkin’ delicious underground diner
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The Food My friend, (swayed by the table next to us, who noted how exquisite the sausages were), ordered a sausage bap (£4), whereas I chose the poached eggs plate, with eggs benedict, eggs royale and eggs florentine (£9). My egg plate was a real treat, something I would never make for myself at home (mainly because I don’t have the patience to make a hollandaise sauce). The bread was delicious, and from the Natural Bread Company which is based in Oxfordshire (local = huge plus points!). One thing that blew me away was the delicious ham. Please Oxfork, tell me your secret! My friend wasn’t disappointed by her sausages; they were as good as the table next to us said!
Final Thoughts Oxfork started life as a supper club. As word spread, bookings increased, so much that each and every one of their events became fully booked. It was after seeing this success that they decided to open an Oxfork restuarant on Magdalen Road, just off the Cowley Road. I visited Oxfork at about 11am on a Saturday morning: the place was jam packed. We managed to get our name on a waiting list for a table, so went for a short 15 minute walk around the block and when we got back a table was waiting for us. By this point my friend and I were starving hungry and eagerly anticipating the Oxfork breakfast. The service was as quick as it could have been, given how busy they were; the staff were attentive and friendly. We had to order at the till, but our coffee and food was brought to the table.
On reflection it’s not the cheapest of eats around, however you get what you pay for: good quality local produce, served up in a local restaurant run by local people. I would definitely make the 8 mile journey from my West Oxfordshire village to sample more of their breakfasts again. I love going out for brunch and Oxfork fulfilled all of my expectations. I can’t wait to return and try their famous American style pancakes!
The Atmosphere Oxfork has a fantastic atmosphere. As soon as you walk through the door it is clear that it is THE place to have brunch in Oxford. The customers are a mix of young professionals, students and young families. The decoration is simple yet quirky; a large chandelier made of bike wheels and forks adorns the ceiling. Shelves are made from old wooden crates and art from local artists covers the walls. Our table had a make shift vase from an old golden syrup tin, as well as Heinz Ketchup and HP sauce in glass bottles. It’s the little things that make the big differences.
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